Digital Commons Network^™

Long-Term Increases In Wing Length Occur Independently Of Changes In Climate And Climate-Driven Shifts In Body Size, Tiffany Dias, Nathan P. Lemoine, Scott W. Yanco, Marketa Zimova, Rachael A. Bay, Brian C. Weeks

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Recent widespread reductions in body size across species have been linked to increasing temperatures; simultaneous increases in wing length relative to body size have been broadly observed but remain unexplained. Size and shape may change independently of one another, or these morphological shifts may be linked, with body size mediating or directly driving the degree to which shape changes. Using hierarchical Bayesian models and a morphological time series of 27 366 specimens from five North American migratory passerine bird species, we tested the roles that climate and body size have played in shifting wing length allometry over four decades. We …

Diabetes Potentiates The Emergence And Expansion Of Antibiotic Resistance, John C. Shook, Benjamin P. Darwitz, Kaleb J. Tyson, Amanda Z. Velez, Sophia K. Bridwell, Joshua B. Parsons, Sarah E. Rowe, Christopher Marshall, Brian P. Conlon, Lance R. Thurlow

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals with diabetes mellitus frequently develop severe skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) that are recalcitrant to antibiotic treatment. We examined how diabetes affects the emergence of antibiotic resistance in a Staphylococcus aureus SSTI. We determined that S. aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, while resistance did not occur in nondiabetic mice over the course of infection. Diabetes-associated immune cell dysfunction plays a minor role in the emergence of resistance, while hyperglycemia plays a dominant role facilitating the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants in diabetic infections. Furthermore, vancomycin intermediate resistant isolates display a pronounced fitness defect in …

Global Decoupling Of Functional And Phylogenetic Diversity In Plant Communities, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Plant communities are composed of species that differ both in functional traits and evolutionary histories. As species’ functional traits partly result from their individual evolutionary history, we expect the functional diversity of communities to increase with increasing phylogenetic diversity. This expectation has only been tested at local scales and generally for specific growth forms or specific habitat types, for example, grasslands. Here we compare standardized effect sizes for functional and phylogenetic diversity among 1,781,836 vegetation plots using the global sPlot database. In contrast to expectations, we find functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity to be only weakly and negatively correlated, implying …

Elephant Megacarcasses Increase Local Nutrient Pools In African Savanna Soils And Plants, Courtney G. Reed, Michelle L. Budny, Johan T. Du Toit, Ryan Helcoski, Joshua P. Schimel, Izak P.J. Smit, Tercia Strydom, Aimee Tallian, Dave I. Thompson, Helga Van Coller, Nathan P. Lemoine, Deron E. Burkepile

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) are the largest extant terrestrial mammals, with bodies containing enormous quantities of nutrients. Yet, we know little about how these nutrients move through the ecosystem after an elephant dies. Here, we investigated the initial effects (1–26 months postmortem) of elephant megacarcasses on savanna soil and plant nutrient pools in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. We hypothesized that (H1) elephant megacarcass decomposition would release nutrients into soil, resulting in higher concentrations of soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and micronutrients near the center of carcass sites; (H2) carbon (C) inputs into the soil would stimulate …

Cumulative Effects Of H+ And PI On Force And Power Of Skeletal Muscle Fibres From Young And Older Adults, Christopher W. Sundberg, Laura E. Teigen, Sandra K. Hunter, Robert H. Fitts

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The cellular causes of the age-related loss in power output and increased fatigability are unresolved. We previously observed that the depressive effects of hydrogen (H+) (pH 6.2) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) (30 mm) did not differ in muscle fibres from young and older men. However, the effects may have been saturated in the severe fatigue-mimicking condition, potentially masking age differences in the sensitivity of the cross-bridge to these metabolites. Thus, we compared the contractile mechanics of muscle fibres from the vastus lateralis of 13 young (20–32 years, seven women) and 12 older adults (70–90 years, six women) in conditions mimicking …

Editorial: Women In Antimicrobials, Resistance And Chemotherapy: 2023, Cindy Shuan Ju Teh, Krassimira R. Hristova, Ana R. Freitas

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Diversity, Genomics And Antimicrobial Resistance Of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus: A Literature Review, Kathleen Okeefe

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Members of the gram-positive bacterial genus Staphylococcus have historically been classified into coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS). This classification is based on the ability of clotting of plasma by the coagulase enzyme, which converts fibrinogen to fibrin. CoNS species are ubiquitous commensals that frequently colonize the skin and mucosal surfaces. They are also opportunistic pathogens implicated in many human and animal infections. The evolutionary history of CoNS has generally been overlooked because of the historical lack of recognition for their clinical importance and poor taxonomic sampling. They are often perceived as being less or non-pathogenic, especially compared to …

Nat10 Stabilizes Immune Response Factors Aiding With Cellular Immune Response To Zika Virus Infection, Shawn Gianola

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Zika virus (ZIKV) remains a significant public health concern due to major gaps in our understanding of its infection mechanisms and immune evasion strategies. Despite its link to severe complications such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), no vaccine or targeted antiviral therapies exist. Compounding this concern is the expanding habitat of ZIKV-carrying mosquito vectors, driven by climate change, which increases the risk of future outbreaks in previously unaffected regions.

One promising area of investigation involves post-transcriptional modifications (PTMs) chemical alterations to RNA that influence its stability, translation, and function. Although over 170 PTMs have been identified, their roles remain …

The Impacts Of Permafrost Thaw Slumps On Arctic Stream Ecology, Maria Dolan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Climate change is intensifying permafrost thaw across terrain of the circumpolar Arctic. Increased temperatures and rainfall at northern latitudes have resulted in the expansion of thermokarst features such as retrogressive thaw slumps, which make previously frozen debris available for transport into nearby river systems. In the Peel Plateau, Northwest Territories, the mobilization of these materials exposes rivers to a large quantity of sediment and solutes that may act as a chronic, press disturbance, potentially altering stream food webs. Here, I examine if: 1) thaw slumps have driven changes to the physical and biological properties of slump impacted streams since an …

Anoxia And Re-Oxygenation At Colder Temperatures In Goldfish (Carassius Auratus): Effects On Oxidative Stress And Metabolites, Matthew E. Trzcinski

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Under the ice of ponds and lakes, goldfish (Carassius auratus) can survive weeks of anoxia at low temperatures by conserving ATP and by reducing their metabolic rate and relying on liver glycogen stores to meet their ATP demands using glycolysis. The following period of re-oxygenation is also known to be damaging in most vertebrates because it can lead to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can cause oxidative damage to lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Anoxia tolerant vertebrates such as the goldfish and crucian carp (Carassius carassius) accumulate reduced molecules with anoxia, overwhelming the …

Reversible Degradation Of Peptidoglycan By Lytic Transglycosylases, Aaron Devereaux

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a burden on the global healthcare system with an estimated cost of billions of dollars and millions of deaths each year. Recently, there has been little to no development on new antibiotics to treat bacterial infection, and any that are developed become resisted to within a few years. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria contain a mesh-like layer called peptidoglycan (PG) that surrounds their cells providing strength, cell shape, and protection from their environments. This layer is a polymer of N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) connected via a b-1,4-glycosidic bond, with each strand being cross-linked …

Npr1 As A Temperature-Sensitive Regulator Of Pipecolic Acid-Mediated Plant Systemic Immunity, Spencer Tout

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Healthy plant development requires balancing both abiotic (e.g. climate) and biotic (e.g. pathogen) challenges, which intercept important signaling pathways in plants. For example, climate change-associated elevated temperature can negatively modulate various aspects of plant immunity, including the production of central immune signals salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP). Since SA and NHP signaling both require the master immune co-activator protein NON-EXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES 1 (NPR1), it is important to investigate NPR1 as a potentially temperature-regulated molecular hub. Although the NPR1 gene is not transcriptionally downregulated at elevated temperatures (28° C vs. 23° C), little is known about …

Exploring The Salinity Tolerance Of Zooplankton Communities On The Great Plains, Abbeneet Binning Bath, Derek Gray

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Palaeoecological data shows fluctuating salinity levels in lakes across the Great Plains due to alternating wet and dry periods over the last two millennia. Droughts caused by this natural variation may be exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change, as the Great Plains are expected to become drier over the coming decades. As conditions become drier, the evaporation of water will increase the salinity of lakes across the region. Increases in salinity may significantly impact biodiversity, including important members of lake food webs such as zooplankton. Due to the region's history of alternating wet and dry periods, zooplankton may have adapted to …

Lichen It: Optimizing Post-Fire Caribou Lichen Transplantation And Assessment, Elise Brown-Dussault

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Caribou lichen species are common in mid- to late-seral boreal forests, serving as an important winter diet staple for boreal woodland caribou. However, as climate change causes boreal wildfires to increase in size, severity, and frequency, available tracts of mature forest are decreasing, diminishing the extent of mature caribou lichen stands. Caribou lichens reproduce vegetatively, so bigger and more severe fires could exacerbate their dispersal limitations, potentially extending the timeline for caribou lichen stand recovery beyond 80 years. Trials have shown that “transplanting” caribou lichen fragments into disturbed areas can lead to the establishment of caribou lichen mats; as such, …

Timing Of Migration And Seasonal Movements Of Arctic Grayling (Thymallus Arcticus) In Relation To Water Temperature In The Kakisa River And Upper Mackenzie River, Nwt: Results From An Acoustic Telemetry Study., Levi Snook

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) are a cold-water salmonid that inhabit waterbodies throughout the circumpolar regions of the northern hemisphere. In the last decade, Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation members as well as local sport fishers, have observed lower catches of Arctic grayling during their annual spawning run in the Kakisa River, NWT. Many potential causes of this decline have been hypothesized including climate change and over harvesting. Outside of the general annual spawning activity in the headwaters of the Kakisa River, the ecology of the population, including post-spawn habitat use and migratory patterns, remained understudied. To address these knowledge gaps, acoustic …

Macroinvertebrate Communities And Food Web Structure In Tundra Streams Are Shaped By Substrate Size And Beaver Impoundments, Mathew K. Mervyn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

North American beavers (Castor Canadensis) are expanding their range into the Arctic tundra as climate change drives earlier ice and snowmelt, and increased shrub cover. As ecosystem engineers, beavers build dams that alter water chemistry by creating impoundments within streams, trapping sediment and organic matter, and modifying nutrient cycling. This thesis evaluates how beaver impoundments interact with natural geomorphic variation in tundra streams and how impoundments affect tundra freshwater ecosystems in the western Canadian Arctic.

In Chapter 2, I compared water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) community composition across 16 stream reaches, including those with and without beaver dams, with …

Feeling Blue: The Effects Of Blue Light Exposure On Reproduction And Physiology In Drosophila Melanogaster, Laura Hampel

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Blue light, the wavelengths ranging from ~400-500 nm, is emitted from the sun and more recently, by artificial lights including those in technology. In humans, prolonged exposure to blue light has been consistently linked to circadian rhythm disruption and retinal damage, and has also been associated with changes in neurodegeneration, aging, mortality, and oxidative stress in model organisms. This thesis explores the multifaceted effects of blue light exposure through two independent but complementary approaches. An initial rapid review of the current state of knowledge on blue light induced oxidative stress in humans was conducted. This revealed that the most studied …

Quantifying Ecological Processes Predicting Barren-Ground Caribou (Ɂetthën; Rangifer Tarandus Groenlandicus) Occurrence Across A Heterogenous Northern Indigenous Protected And Conserved Area., Eric Jolin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Northern ecosystems are experiencing a period of rapid and unprecedented change, with implications for species distributions, mammal community dynamics, and habitat associations. Understanding the ecological processes that shape species distributions is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies that can adapt to such change. This study examines drivers of barren-ground caribou occurrence, a species of cultural and ecological significance, across Thaıdene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area, an ecologically intact landscape of high habitat heterogeneity straddling the treeline of the Northwest Territories. I use spatial and temporal variation in caribou detections generated by camera traps to test the relative importance of apparent competition, …

Influence Of Temperature On Tfm Tolerance In Lake Sturgeon, Emily Bouffard

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The lampricide, 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), has been used to successfully control invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes for over 50 years. TFM’s effectiveness is due to the relatively low capacity of sea lamprey to detoxify TFM. Water temperature has been shown to increase TFM tolerance in larval sea lamprey. However, the effects of temperature on TFM sensitivity in non-target species such as the endangered lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are poorly understood, particularly during their early life stages. To determine how temperature affected TFM sensitivity, age 1-year-plus (1+) lake sturgeon acclimated to 8, 16, …

Enhancing Alfalfa Persistence In Rangelands: Evaluating Morphological Traits Of Medicago Sativa Subsp. Falcata Germplasm, Abdulallah Mohammed Alomair

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rangelands cover nearly half of the Earth’s surface, representing about 54% (79 million km2), and occur in different types and climates worldwide. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a major component in rangelands and covers about (320 thousand km2), representing about 0.4% of total global rangeland area. As a critical perennial legume crop, alfalfa can improve soil health by fixing approximately 336 kg/ha/year of nitrogen and sequestering up to 614 kg/ha/year of carbon, while enhancing livestock production due to its high content level of vitamins, magnesium, minerals, fiber, and protein. However, environmental stresses such as drought, freezing, and grazing limit alfalfa …

Molecular Insights Into The Impact Of Bone Marrow Stroma, Cb-6644 Inhibition Of The Ruvbl1/2 Complex, And Cebpβ On Regulating Drug Sensitivity In Multiple Myeloma, Sebastian Adam Dziadowicz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Multiple myeloma (MM), is a hematological cancer originating in plasma cells. Currently multiple myeloma represents a significant clinical challenge due its incurable nature mainly due to inevitable drug resistance. MM is characterized by abnormal plasma cell proliferation within the bone marrow and production of abnormal immunoglobulin resulting in a plethora of physiological abnormalities. Although a rare malignancy, MM accounts for 1% of all cancers and currently has five-year survival rate of around 50%. Utilizing a combination of laboratory experiments and bioinformatics techniques, this dissertation examines multiple layers of MM physiology in the context of regulating drug resistance or sensitivity. First, …

Genomic Differences And Parentage In West Virginia's Reintroduced Elk (Cervus Canadensis), Adam A.V. Cook

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Elk (Cervus canadensis) reintroductions have been common in the 20th and 21st centuries, yet 40% have failed to establish self-sustaining elk populations due to a lack of post-reintroduction demographic monitoring. Elk were reintroduced to West Virginia in 2016 following more than a century of absence after the species was extirpated in 1875. Elk were translocated to West Virginia from Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL) in eastern Kentucky and from Arizona. The two groups of elk differ in their subspecies, physiology, reintroduction history, connectivity, and habitat. Reintroductions create genetic risks such as the founder effect and …

Molecular Characterization Of Fungus-Arthropod Associations, Angie M. Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Arthropods, or phylum Arthropoda, are the largest group of animals, accounting for over three quarters of all animal records on NCBI Taxonomy. And yet, only 40% of all deposited sequences on NCBI Nucleotide come from arthropods. Clearly, arthropods are an understudied group of animals: they are small, often drab, and lead lives very alien to our own. Arthropods have chitinous exoskeletons, segmented bodies, and jointed appendages, and include crabs, barnacles, insects, spiders, and millipedes. Since the era of DNA based studies took off in the 1980s, DNA and other small molecules have been integral to our understanding of the Earth …

A Framework For Biomimetic Robot Design Applied To The Development Of A Robotic Model Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Clarissa A. Goldsmith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For decades, the field of biologically inspired robotics has leveraged insights from animal locomotion to improve the walking ability of legged robots. Recently, “biomimetic” robots have been developed to model how specific animals walk. By prioritizing biological accuracy to the target organism rather than the application of general principles from biology, these robots can be used to develop detailed biological hypotheses for animal experiments, ultimately improving our understanding of the biological control of legs while improving technical solutions. Much of this work involves biologically inspired walking controllers informed by the morphology and dynamics of the insect nervous system, which necessitate …

Using Algal Turf Scrubber Biomass As A Feed Source For Juvenile Eastern Oysters, Taofeek Saka Jimoh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Algal turf scrubber (ATS) is an engineered system that promotes natural wastewater treatment processes and improves water quality by passing a shallow stream of nutrient rich water over the surface of a gently sloped flow-way. Algae turf scrubber biomass is a combination of micro and macroalgae, as well as micro-invertebrates, ciliates, bacteria, and more. The overall aim of the study was to reduce the feeding cost of juvenile eastern oysters by replacing the commercial microalgae diet with ATS biomass. The experiment was designed to assess the viability of replacing commercial microalgal diet with ATS biomass at different substitution levels (0, …

Resources To Study The Isoforms Of The P53 Family Of Transcription Factors, Dana L. Woodstock

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The p53 family of transcription factors regulates diverse gene regulatory networks such as those involved in DNA damage repair, epidermal commitment, and neuronal development. As a result, dysfunction in these pathways lead to numerous human health conditions, including multiple types of cancer and craniofacial developmental disorders. Each family member regulates a distinct gene network leading to varied cellular and organismal phenotypes, but all are capable of regulating programmed cell death, likely due to considerable similarity between protein structure and binding sites in DNA. Analysis of these shared and distinct functions is complicated by each p53 family member gene (TP53, TP63, …

Elucidating The Effects Of Environmental And Physiological Conditions On Stem Cell Regulation In Vivo, Nimmy John

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The Notch signaling pathway is a highly conserved intercellular signaling pathway that any dysregulation can lead to a variety of human diseases. These diseases are further exacerbated by various environmental, pathological and genetic conditions. Previous studies have shown that these conditions have been known to affect the Notch transcriptional response. However, the molecular mechanisms by which such conditions influence Notch signaling remained largely unknown. Moreover, most Notch studies have relied on in vitro systems and indirect reporters, which can miss the dynamic and contextual nature of Notch signaling. Here, we systematically analyzed the effects of these conditions with single molecule …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Metabolic Enzymes In Hypoxic/Anoxic Conditions In Cetaceans And Cancer, Samerna A. Masih

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Cancer cells often exhibit a Warburg-like metabolism, which includes increased fatty acid synthesis and storage that help them survive in hypoxic conditions. This shift is marked by the heightened synthesis and accumulation of fatty acids, acting as a survival mechanism in low-oxygen environments (Baumann et al., 2016). Interestingly, deep-diving whales may utilize a similar metabolic pathway to produce wax esters during their prolonged dives.

Our study focused on exploring the genetic and metabolic similarities between breast cancer cells and deep-diving whales, using computational analyses to investigate lipid metabolism genes. We looked for evolutionarily conserved variations that might reveal adaptive mechanisms …

Epithelial Responses And Remodeling In The Submandibular Gland Post-Irradiation, Victoria Gellatly

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Radiation therapy for head and neck cancer often causes irreversible salivary gland dysfunction, resulting in chronic xerostomia. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this dysfunction is essential for developing regenerative therapies. Given the cellular complexity of the salivary gland single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides a powerful approach to investigate cell-type-specific injury responses to ionizing radiation (IR) and uncover transcriptional changes that may be masked in bulk analyses. This study investigates the cellular and molecular responses of the murine submandibular gland (SMG) to irradiation, with a focus on epithelial loss and remodeling, and regenerative failure. In order to effectively use …

The Role Of The Nasal Migratory Mass In Olfactory Bulb Formation And Fertility, Charisse Martin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The olfactory migratory mass plays an essential role in the development of the olfactory bulb by facilitating the migration of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons from the olfactory placode to the pre-optic hypothalamic area in the brain. In mammals, the migration of GnRH neurons is critical for establishing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis), which regulates reproductive function through the production and secretion of gonadotropins. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) instruct the gonads to function appropriately, ensuring sexual maturation and fertility. Disruptions in this migratory pathway have been linked with Kallmann syndrome, a condition characterized by low levels of GnRH, …