Digital Commons Network^™

Range Extension For The Dismal Swamp Southern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys Cooperi Helaletes, In Eastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The distribution of the Dismal Swamp Southern Bog Lemming is extended to include three counties west of the Dismal Swamp in southeastern Virginia, long considered its only location in the state. Evidence of lemmings was detected at 10 of 27 survey sites, and confirmed by trapping at three of five sites, all dominated by herbaceous vegetation.

Classroom Manipulative To Engage Students In Mathematical Modeling Of Disease Spread: 1 + 1 = Achoo!, H. Gaff, M. Lyons, G. Watson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Infectious diseases ranging from the common cold to cholera affect our society physically, emotionally, ecologically, and economically. Yet despite their importance and impact, there remains a lack of effective teaching materials for epidemiology and disease ecology in K-12, undergraduate, and graduate curricula [2]. To address this deficit, we've developed a classroom lesson with three instructional goals: (1) Familiarize students on basic concepts of infectious disease ecology; (2) Introduce students to a classic compartmental model and its applications in epidemiology; (3) Demonstrate the application and importance of mathematical modeling as a tool in biology. The instructional strategy uses a game-based mathematical …

A New Species Of The Subterranean Amphipod Crustacean Genus Stygobromus (Crangonyctidae) From A Cave In Nevada, Usa, Steven J. Taylor, John R. Holsinger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Stygobromus albapinus, a new stygobiotic amphipod crustacean species in the family Crangonyctidae, is described from two pools in Model Cave in Great Basin National Park, White Pine County, Nevada, USA. The type specimens were collected on two different visits to the cave. The new species is assigned to the hubbsi group, bringing the number of described species in this group to 45, but many other provisionally recognized species assigned to this group remain undescribed. With exception of a single species from deep wells in southeastern Wisconsin, all other members of the hubbsi group are recorded from a wide variety …

Society For The Advancement Of Biology Education Research (Saber), Erika G. Offerdahl, Teri Balser, Clarissa Dirks, Kathryn Miller, Jennifer L. Momsen, Lisa Montplaisir, Marcy Osgood, Karen Sirum, Mary Pat Wenderoth, Brian White, William B. Wood, Michelle Withers, Robin Wright

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Techniques To Facilitate The Acquisition Of Accurate Spectral Measurements And Multispectral Imagery Of Plant Foliage Under Artificial Lighting Conditions, Yuridia Patricia Gandy, Ashish Mamachen, Adarsh Mamachen, Jonathan Lieman, Michael W. Persans, Jason Parsons, Elamin E. Ibrahim, James H. Everitt, Christopher R. Little, Kenneth R. Summy

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

Spectral measurements obtained in the laboratory under artificial lighting sources have been used for many years to develop spectral ‘libraries’ for various soil types, rocks and minerals, and other inanimate features occurring on or near the earth’s surface. Quartz halogen lamps have been shown to emit all of the electromagnetic (EMR) wavelengths required for the acquisition of quality multispectral imagery, and various techniques have been developed to facilitate the acquisition of accurate spectral measurements using such artificial lighting sources. Our objectives in this study were to evaluate the several factors of critical importance in obtaining accurate spectral measurements for plant …

Effects Of Leaf Excision And Sample Storage Methods On Spectral Reflectance By Foliage Of Giant Reed, Arundo Donax, Kenneth R. Summy, Jonathan Lieman, Yuridia Patricia Gandy, Adarsh Mamachen, Ashish Mamachen, John A. Goolsby, Patricia J. Moran

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

Research was conducted to evaluate the effects of leaf excision and sample storage methods on spectral reflectance by foliage of giant reed, Arundo donax, an invasive weed which has caused extensive damage in many areas of the Rio Grande Basin in Texas and Mexico. Within 24 hours of excision, A. donax leaves exposed to ambient laboratory conditions (room temperature under natural lighting conditions) exhibited two trends indicative of physiological stress: 1) small but significant increases in reflectance of blue and red wavelengths (400-500 nm and 600-700 nm, respectively) and 2) a substantial reduction in reflectance of near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths (700-1,100 …

Two Mechanosensitive Channel Homologs Influence Division Ring Placement In Arabidopsis Chloroplasts, Margaret E. Wilson, Gregory S. Jensen, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

Chloroplasts must divide repeatedly to maintain their population during plant growth and development. A number of proteins required for chloroplast division have been identified, and the functional relationships between them are beginning to be elucidated. In both chloroplasts and bacteria, the future site of division is specified by placement of the Filamentous temperature sensitive Z (FtsZ) ring, and the Min system serves to restrict FtsZ ring formation to mid-chloroplast or mid-cell. How the Min system is regulated in response to environmental and developmental factors is largely unstudied. Here, we investigated the role in chloroplast division played by two Arabidopsis thaliana …

Examination Of The Mitochondrial Health Of The Basigin Null Mouse Retina, Kristine Anne V. Pablo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Basigin gene products are cell adhesion molecules that are expressed by photoreceptor cells, Müller cells and endothelial cells of the mammalian retina. Previous studies have suggested that a lactate shuttle exists between the photoreceptor cells and the Müller cells, with Basigin being an essential component in this shuttle. Deletion of the Basigin gene in mice results in blindness with an eventual retinal degeneration. It was hypothesized that the lactate shuttle between photoreceptors and Müller cells does not form in Basigin null mice and that the blindness is attributed to faulty photoreceptor metabolism. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to …

Protein Expression Of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1-Alpha (Hif-1Α) In Spot (Leiostomus Xanthurus) Under Acute Exposure To Hypoxic Treatments : A Laboratory-Field Comparison Study, Mason James Smith

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hypoxia in coastal estuaries is a topic of increasing concern, as the magnitude and frequency of hypoxic events have increased over the past several decades. These hypoxic events are highly detrimental to the coastal biota, particulary fish. The hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) protein was used as a candidate biomarker for deciphering exposure of fish to hypoxic events. In chapter one, Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) were exposed to three treatment groups of DO (means 7.32 ± 0.18, 5.15 ± .37, and 2.57 ± 0.01 mg Lˉ¹ DO) and sampled (n = 5) at time zero, 36 and 72-h for each treatment. The …

Physiology And Biochemistry Of The Tropical Seagrass Thalassia Testudinum In Response To Hypersalinity Stress And Labyrinthula Sp. Infection, Stacey Marie Trevathan-Tackett

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Seagrass meadows are essential to coastal ecosystems and have experienced declines in abundance due to a series of environmental stressors including elevated salinity and incidence of disease caused by the pathogen Labyrinthula sp. This thesis evaluated the dynamics between T. testudinum and Labyrinthula concerning the impacts of short term elevated salinity stress on the early stages of infection in Thalassia testudinum (Chapter 2) as well as the presence of anti-labyrinthulid secondary metabolites produced by the tropical seagrass (Chapter 3). The results showed that short term exposure to hypersalinity alters some cellular processes but does not necessarily lead to an immediate …

Assessing The Effects Of Pollutant Exposure On Sharks: A Biomarker Approach, Christina J. Walker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many hydrophobic environmental pollutants have been shown to bioaccumulate and biomagnify at high levels in sharks due to their high liver lipid content, high trophic level, and life history characteristics. Studies have demonstrated that the levels of pollutants present in shark tissues can not only exceed the recommended levels for human consumption, but that, in some cases, they are also greater than the threshold for physiological effect in other aquatic species. However, few studies to date have investigated the biological effect of environmental exposure to contaminants in sharks. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate, through the use …

Quantifying Agonist Activity At G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Frederick J. Ehlert, Hinako Suga, Michael T. Griffin

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

When an agonist activates a population of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), it elicits a signaling pathway that culminates in the response of the cell or tissue. This process can be analyzed at the level of a single receptor, a population of receptors, or a downstream response. Here we describe how to analyze the downstream response to obtain an estimate of the agonist affinity constant for the active state of single receptors.

Receptors behave as quantal switches that alternate between active and inactive states (Figure 1). The active state interacts with specific G proteins or other signaling partners. In the absence …

Comparison Of The Anticoagulant Response Of A Novel Fluorogenic Anti-Fxa Assay Wth Two Commercial Anti-Fxa Chromogenic Assays, Leanne F. Harris, Aoife O'Brien, Vanessa Castro-Lopez, James S. O'Donnell, Anthony J. Killard

Articles

Introduction: Fast and accurate monitoring is crucial in the successful regulation of coagulation therapy. For the treatment of venous thromboembolism, both unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) are commonly administered. The chromogenic anti-factor Xa (FXa) assay is currently considered the ‘gold standard’ assay for monitoring LMWH. However different commercial chromogenic methods often differ when tested with the same samples. Fluorogenic anti-FXa assays have the potential to offer greater benefits over chromogenic assays in terms of greater specificity, sensitivity and they are not so influenced by sample opacity or turbidity. Materials and Methods: Commercial plasmas were spiked with …

Average Adult Size In Female Lizards, Eric Charnov, Robin Warne

Biology Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Body Size Is The History Of Life: Growth Confronting Landscapes Of Death, Eric Charnov

Biology Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Human Hunting Mortality Threshold Rules For Extinction In Mammals (And Fish), Eric Charnov, Wenyun Zuo

Biology Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Synthesis And Toxicity Studies Of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids, Ninu Madria

Masters Theses

"There is a considerable recent interest in the applications of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as green solvents in organic synthesis and as nonvolatile electrolytes in lithium ion batteries. A variety of commercially available imidazolium based RTILs have been used for these applications, mainly due to their negligible vapor pressures, high thermal stabilities, wide liquid range, wide electrochemical windows and high anodic stability. The state of the art lithium ion batteries require the use of electrolytes that have relatively low viscosities at temperatures as low as -35°C. This thesis describes the synthesis of novel oxygenated and fluorinated imidazolium based RTILs …

Head-Start Juvenile And Adult Resident Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina): Winter Ecology Including Microhabitat Selection, Temperature Tolerance And Philopatry, Amberly Moon

Theses and Dissertations

The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is one of the most common reptiles in North America, but is soon to be threatened due to increased urbanization, disease, and the pet and food trades. In order to assist resource managers in choosing suitable sites for relocation studies, more information on the winter ecology of this species is necessary. We examined the temperature tolerance, microhabitat and degree of philopatry to hibernacula for juvenile and adult E. box turtles for two consecutive winters in Charles City Co, VA. The turtles were tracked via radio telemetry to record point locations during the active …

Chronic Pulmonary Cavitary Tuberculosis In Rabbits: A Failed Host Immune Response, Selvakumar Subbian, Liana Tsenova, Guibin Yang, Paul O'Brien, Sven Parsons, Blas Peixoto, Leslie Taylor, Dorothy Fallows, Gilla Kaplan

Publications and Research

The molecular determinants of the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis HN878 infection in a rabbit model of pulmonary cavitary tuberculosis were studied. Aerosol infection of rabbits resulted in a highly differentially expressed global transcriptome in the lungs at 2 weeks, which dropped at 4 weeks and then gradually increased. While IFNγ was progressively upregulated throughout the infection, several other genes in the IFNγ network were not. T-cell activation network genes were gradually upregulated and maximally induced at 12 weeks. Similarly, the IL4 and B-cell activation networks were progressively upregulated, many reaching high levels between 12 and 16 weeks. Delayed peak …

Molecular Genetic Analysis Of Creld1 In Patients With Heterotaxy Disorder, Samaneh Zhian

Dissertations and Theses

Heterotaxy refers to the abnormal arrangement of internal organs in relation to each other. Model organism studies have shown that functions of more than eighty genes are required for normal asymmetric left-right organ development. CRELD1 has been shown to be necessary for proper heart development and mutations in CRELD1 are known to increase risk of cardiac atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD). AVSD is the most common form of heart defect associated with heterotaxy, and we have previously shown that some individuals heterotaxy-related AVSD have mutations in CRELD1.

Therefore, we propose to examine the CRELD1 gene in a large sample of …

Population Structure Of Island-Associated Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (Stenella Attenuata) In Hawaiian Waters, Sarah Shelby Courbis

Dissertations and Theses

Understanding gene flow, diversity, and dispersal patterns is important for predicting effects of natural events and anthropogenic activities on dolphin populations. With the very recent exceptions of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens), spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), and common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Hawaiian odontocete species are managed as single stocks within the U.S. Hawaiian Exclusive Economic Zone. These exceptions are a result of recent studies that have indicated that some species have populations that show fidelity to individual islands or groups of islands, resulting in genetic differentiation, often with management implications. The first part …

Causes And Consequences Of Changes In Algal Community Structure Of Arctic Tundra Ponds From Barrow, Alaska, Mariana Vargas Medrano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Algal communities in the Arctic are highly sensitive to environmental change, such as longer growing seasons and changes in ice cover. On the north slope of Alaska, ponds and lakes cover large portions of the total land area. We surveyed the periphytic algal communities in tundra ponds from Barrow, Alaska to assess environmental effects on their populations. Samples were collected in August 2008-10 from two main study areas: the IBP (the International Biological Program), which was also studied in 1970-71 but now is located near to human settlements, and the BEO (Barrow Environmental Observatory), which is within a protected area. …

Phylogeography Of Northern Populations Of The Black-Tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus Molossus Baird And Girard, 1853) With The Revalidation Of C. Ornatus Hallowell, 1854, Christopher Anderson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The black-tailed rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus Baird and Girard, 1853) is a wide-ranging species complex with representatives from the southwestern United States through the highlands of central and southern Mexico. The systematics of this group has received little attention and in the past six decades only two taxonomic revisions have been proposed (the transfer of C. basiliscus oaxacus to C. molossus and the elevation of C. m. estebanensis to full species). However, a recent revision of the Neotropical rattlesnakes (C. durissus and C. simus) recovered a polyphyletic C. molossus. Sequenced data were obtained from three mitochondrial genes …

Altered Leptin Signaling On Dendritic Cells As A Potential Mechanism For Cancer Immunotherapy, Lorena Y. De Los Santos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Leptin is a pleiotropic hormone synthesized primarily by white adipocytes and its receptors are expressed in a variety of tissues and cells such as in the hypothalamus and cells of the immune system. Multiple cell types can produce a considerable amount of leptin such as skeletal muscle, placenta, and osteoblasts to name a few and its synthesis has been shown to be regulated by sex hormones and a broad range of inflammatory mediators. Although leptin has been shown to directly affect immune response, we are interested in how leptin affects dendritic cell function and their ability to induce a proper …

Magnetic Scanometric Dna Microarray Detection Of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether Degrading Bacteria For Environmental Monitoring, Mei-Lin Chan, Gerardo Jaramillo, Krassimira R. Hristova, David A. Horsley

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

A magnetoresistive biosensing platform based on a single magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) scanning probe and DNA microarrays labeled with magnetic particles has been developed to provide an inexpensive, sensitive and reliable detection of DNA. The biosensing platform was demonstrated on a DNA microarray assay for quantifying bacteria capable of degrading methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), where concentrations as low as 10 pM were detectable. Synthetic probe bacterial DNA was immobilized on a microarray glass slide surface, hybridized with the 48 base pair long biotinylated target DNA and subsequently incubated with streptavidin-coated 2.8 μm diameter magnetic particles. The biosensing platform then …

Contributions Made By Cdc25 Phosphatases To Proliferation Of Intestinal Epithelial Stem And Progenitor Cells, Gwanghee Lee, Sofia Origanti, Lynn S. White, Jinwu Sun, Thaddeus S. Stappenbeck, Helen Piwnica-Worms

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The CDC25 protein phosphatases drive cell cycle advancement by activating cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs). Humans and mice encode three family members denoted CDC25A, -B and -C and genes encoding these family members can be disrupted individually with minimal phenotypic consequences in adult mice. However, adult mice globally deleted for all three phosphatases die within one week after Cdc25 disruption. A severe loss of absorptive villi due to a failure of crypt epithelial cells to proliferate was observed in the small intestines of these mice. Because the Cdc25s were globally deleted, the small intestinal phenotype and loss of animal viability could …

First Record Of Alston's Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus Alstoni) From The Canal Area Of Central Panama, Thomas D. Lambert, Michaela K. Halsey, Jacob W. Dittel, Scott A. Mangan, Erika Delfosse, Gregory H. Adler, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Anolis Chrysolepis Duméril And Bibron, 1837 (Squamata: Iguanidae), Revisited: Molecular Phylogeny And Taxonomy Of The Anolis Chrysolepis Species Group, Annelise B. D'Angiolella, Tony Gamble, Teresa C. S. Avila-Pires, Guarino R. Colli, Brice P. Noonan, Laurie J. Vitt

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The Anolis chrysolepis species group is distributed across the entire Amazon basin and currently consists of A. bombiceps and five subspecies of A. chrysolepis. These lizards are characterized by moderate size, relatively narrow digital pads, and a small dewlap that does not reach the axilla. We used the mitochondrial gene ND2 to estimate phylogenetic relationships among putative subspecies of A. chrysolepis and taxa previously hypothesized to be their close relatives. We also assessed the congruence between molecular and morphological datasets to evaluate the taxonomic status of group members. On the basis of the two datasets, we present a new …

Altered Calcium Handling In Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons With The Malignant Hyperthermia Mutation, Ryr1-Y522s/+, George C. Talbott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To investigate the etiology of malignant hyperthermia and central core disease, mouse models have recently been generated and characterized (Chelu et al., 2006). These RyRY522S/+ knock-in mutant mice provide an excellent tool to investigate calcium dysregulation, its pathological consequences, and potential therapeutic approaches. Skeletal muscle harboring this mutation exhibits calcium leak from internal stores and an increased sensitivity to activation by caffeine, voltage, and temperature (Durham et al., 2008). Although alterations in RyR1 channel function and resultant changes in cellular function have been characterized in skeletal muscle, the effects of MH mutations in RyR1 on central nervous system function have …

The Vocal Behaviors Of North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) Individual Differences And Shared Repertoires, Carla Almonte

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The current information on the vocal repertoire of the North American River Otter is very limited. To date there have been no direct studies conducted on their repertories. In this study, I examined the vocal behavior of 12 captive river otters. The discriminant function analysis suggests that river otters have 4 distinct call types with 7 sub-call types and one call the whistle is unique to one group of pups. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis comparing acoustical structures shows strong evidence for the presence of individuality with some individuals showing greater differences in comparison to the others. I also examined …