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Preeclampsia, Autoimmunity And The At1 Receptor, Roxanna A. Irani

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Preeclampsia (PE) is a disease of late pregnancy characterized by maternal hypertension and proteinuria. It is associated with preterm delivery and significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Despite affecting ~7% of first pregnancies, there is no effective screening method to identify women at risk, nor is there a definitive treatment other than delivery of the baby and placenta. Though the pathogenesis of PE remains unclear, an imbalance in the renin-angiotensin and immune systems are thought to be major contributors. Bridging these two concepts, it has recently been shown that women with PE harbor specific autoantibodies: the angiotensin II type 1 receptor …

Gsk3 Mediates Signaling Upstream Of Akt, Debra L. Smith

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The phosphatidylinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling network plays a pivotal role in multiple cellular functions. PI3K links the extracellular growth factor receptors to the serine-threonine kinase Akt which, through phosphorylation of numerous intracellular proteins, mediates increased cell growth, survival, motility and proliferation. The significance of the PI3K/Akt signaling network to human malignancy is demonstrated by cancer-associated genetic aberrations at multiple levels in the PI3K/Akt pathway in many tumor lineages. These aberrations include mutation or amplification of Akt, catalytic and regulatory subunits of PI3K, and growth factor receptors upstream of PI3K. Inactivating mutations and decreased expression of the PTEN, a major …

Myogenin Modulates Exercise Endurance By Altering Skeletal Muscle Metabolism, James Eric Meadows

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The function of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) during adult life is not well understood. The requirement of one of these MRFs, myogenin (Myog), during embryonic muscle development suggests an equally important role in adult muscle. In this study, we have determined the function of myogenin during adult life using a conditional allele of Myog. In contrast to embryonic development, myogenin is not required for adult viability, and Myog-deleted mice exhibited no remarkable phenotypic changes during sedentary life. Remarkably, sedentary Myog-deleted mice demonstrated enhanced exercise endurance during involuntary treadmill running. Altered blood glucose and lactate levels in sedentary Myog-deleted mice after …

A New Tumor Suppressor Gene Candidate Regulated By The Non-Coding Rna Pca3 In Human Prostate Cancer, Alessandro K. Lee

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death and the most common non-skin cancer in men in the USA. Considerable advancements in the practice of medicine have allowed a significant improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease and, in recent years, both incidence and mortality rates have been slightly declining. However, it is still estimated that 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, and 1 man in 35 will die of the disease.

In order to identify novel strategies and effective therapeutic approaches in the fight against prostate cancer, it …

The Consequences Of Disrupting The Mdm2-P53 Balance In Hematopoiesis, Hussein A. Abbas

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The bone marrow accommodates hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors. These cells provide an indispensible resource for replenishing the blood constituents throughout an organism’s life. A tissue with such a high turn-over rate mandates intact cycling checkpoint and apoptotic pathways to avoid inappropriate cell proliferation and ultimately the development of leukemias. p53, a major tumor suppressor, is a transcription factor that regulates cell cycle, and induces apoptosis and senescence. Mice inheriting a hypomorphic p53 allele in the absence of Mdm2, a p53 inhibitor, have elevated p53 cell cycle activity and die by postnatal day 13 due to hematopoietic failure. Hematopoiesis progresses …

New Target Genes For Tumor Suppressors P53 And P73 In Regenerating Liver, Svitlana M. Kurinna

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The p53-family of proteins regulates expression of target genes during tissue development and differentiation. Within the p53-family, p53 and p73 have hepatic-specific functions in development and tumor suppression. Despite a growing list of p53/p73 target genes, very few of these have been studied in vivo, and the knowledge regarding functions of p53 and p73 in normal tissues remains limited. p53+/-p73+/- mice develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whereas overexpression of p53 in human HCC leads to tumor regression. However, the mechanism of p53/p73 function in liver remains poorly characterized. Here, the model of mouse liver regeneration is used to identify new target …

Learning Ability And Factors Influencing Nest Establishment Of The Solitary Bees Osmia Lignaria And Megachile Rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Cory A. Vorel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the last several decades, the use of solitary bees as an alternative to honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) for pollination of commercial crops has increased, in part as a response to ongoing problems faced by commercial honey bee populations. Two solitary bee species have exhibited great commercial potential: the blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria Say, and the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). However, growth of O. lignaria and M. rotundata populations is limited in commercial systems, mainly due to low establishment of females at provided nesting sites, possibly due to mortality, dispersal, or other causes. …

Targeting Fatty Acid-Activated Pathways In The Somatosensory System, Tian Yu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Given the dramatic rise in obesity and the diseases linked with it, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the mechanisms that underlie the body's ability to recognize fat. The chemoreception of dietary fat in the oral cavity has largely been attributed to activation of the somatosensory system that relays the textural properties of fat. However, the ability of fatty acids, which are believed to represent the proximate stimulus for fat taste, to activate trigeminal ganglionic neurons has remained unexplored. In general, my research has provided the first evidence of fatty acids activating the somatosensory system by increasing the intracellular …

Farnesol Signaling In Candida Albicans, Melanie L. Langford

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Candida albicans is a polymorphic fungus that causes a range of disease in humans, from mucosal infections to systemic disease. Its ability to cause disease is linked to conversion between yeast and filamentous forms of growth, and the first quorum-sensing molecule discovered in an eukaryote, farnesol, blocks this transition. In C. albicans, farnesol also kills mating-competent opaque cells, inhibits biofilm formation, protects the cells from oxidative stress, and can be a virulence factor or protective agent in disseminated and mucosal mouse models of infection, respectively. While much emphasis has been placed on determining its effect on C. albicans morphology, …

Coyote Diet And Movements In Relation To Winter Recreation In Northwestern Wyoming: Implications For Lynx Conservation, Jennifer L. Burghardt Dowd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Increased snowmobile use in mountainous terrain has been highlighted as a conservation concern for some Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) populations. Snow compaction resulting from winter recreation may potentially facilitate access by coyotes (Canis latrans) to habitats used by lynx during winter. Increased interactions could result in either exploitation or interference competition between the two species. Two recent, yet geographically distinct, studies showed contrasting findings regarding coyote movements and their use of snow-compacted trails during the winter. These findings suggest coyote association with snow-compacted trails may be regionally specific and dependent upon ecosystem dynamics and snow characteristics. …

Survival Of Mycoplasma Species In Recycled Bedding Sand And Possible Implications For Disease Transmission To Ruminants, Anne E. Justice-Allen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mycoplasmas are a group of bacteria which are small in size, lack a cell wall, and have small genomes in comparison to other bacteria. The members of the group that are pathogenic utilize several mechanisms to evade the host's immune system. These processes affect surveillance and control mechanisms such as serologic testing and vaccination. Many of these organisms cause diseases of livestock, which heavily impact production parameters such as weight gain, milk yield, and egg production. Mycoplasmas also cause disease in people.

Mycoplasma spp. can cause mastitis, metritis, pneumonia, and arthritis. The currently documented routes of transmission of Mycoplasma spp. …

Phylogeography Of Two Closely Related Anurans, The Relict Leopard Frog (Rana Onca) And Lowland Leopard Frog (Rana Yavapaiensis), Viktoria Hemmings

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

I investigate the phylogeography of the relict and lowland leopard frogs (Rana onca; R. yavapaiensis) inhabiting the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. In Chapter 1, I summarize literature describing taxonomy, phylogenetics, and the possible effects of Quaternary climate change on distribution. Examples of phylogeographic patterns from generally co-distributed organisms are provided to develop background for interpreting the structure. In Chapter 2, I investigate the phylogeography of these frogs using mitochondrial DNA data. The analysis supports a previously determined phylogenetic break between taxa however further dividing R. yavapaiensis into two lineages. I estimate a possible Early Pleistocene divergence of R. onca and …

Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus Aeneus) Habitat Use And Differential Response To Playback Of Host Song, Mary Jennifer Gorton

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

During the breeding seasons of 2008 - 2009, 180 fixed-radius point-count surveys and broadcasts of host song were conducted in Santa Ana (SANWR) and Laguna Atascosa (LANWR, 2009 only) National Wildlife Refuges to identify Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) habitat use and test the predictions of the host activity hypothesis. Surveys demonstrated that Bronzed Cowbirds were distributed across all habitat types in both refuges, although there were differences in abundance between the sexes for interior and edge habitats and between habitat types. Bronzed Cowbirds responded differentially to host species playbacks based on suitability and abundance of the host species. The results …

Biogeography And Microhabitat Distribution Of Myxomycetes In High-Elevation Areas Of The Neotropics, Carlos Alonso Rojas-Alvarado

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Myxomycetes are a group of amoeboid organisms with the capacity of forming fruiting bodies that resemble some macrofungi. The ecology and global distribution of species within the group have been studied only during the last half century. For this reason, a number of questions regarding the nature of the interactions that exist between myxomycetes and their environment still lack the empirical evidence required to obtain complete answers. In the Neotropical region, species assemblages have been moderately well studied, but their biogeography and macroecology have received little attention. In high-elevation areas of this region, the situation is especially precarious, due the …

Habitat Variables, Mammal Interactions, And Recovery Approaches Important To A Rare, New Mexican Butterfly, Euphydryas Anicia Cloudcrofti (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Julie Lincoln Mcintyre

Biology ETDs

This research investigated three study topics pertaining to the habitat and ecology of the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas anicia cloudcrofti) with the goal of contributing to effective conservation for this rare species. In the first study, abiotic and biotic habitat variables were found to be different between occupied and unoccupied habitat. Connectivity, host plant resource concentration, and plant structural diversity corresponded with butterfly presence at the scales of landscape, meadow, host plant patch, and natal host plant. High habitat quality, low isolation, broad host plant patch area, and high host plant patch density were associated with occupied habitats. Adults …

Tracing Deuterium Through The Food Web And Into Birds And Mammals Along An Elevational Gradient In The Southern Rocky Mountains, Matthew J. Baumann

Biology ETDs

Animals incorporate local δ2H values from available water and dietary sources during tissue synthesis, which can provide evidence of elevational movements if multiple tissues with different turnover times are examined. Here we test the applicability of using δ2H as an indicator of altitudinal movements by examining multiple tissues (δ2Hbw (body water), δ2Hfeather, δ2Hfur, and δ2Hclaw) in birds and mammals in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Additionally, we measured δ2Hsw (stem water) and insect δ2bw and δ2wb (whole body) values to assess changes with elevation. We sampled 15 species of birds and two small mammal species along with potential food sources …

Dispersal, Facilitation, And Burrow Architecture In Banner-Tailed Kangaroo Rats, Andrew J. Edelman

Biology ETDs

The largest and most dominant kangaroo rat species in the Chihuahuan Desert is the banner-tailed kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis). This keystone species constructs mounds containing a complex burrow system around which their ecosystem engineering activities are centered. I studied a population of banner-tailed kangaroo rats at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico from 2005-2009. Specifically, I examined how banner-tailed kangaroo rats: 1) modify their mounds in response to seasonal conditions; 2) spatially affect harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex rugosus) through ecosystem engineering activities; and 3) differ in timing of natal dispersal between sexes. I used mark-recapture, genetic, experimental, and spatially-explicit methods …

Respiratory Physiology During Gravidity In Crotaphytus Collaris And Gambelia Wislizenii, Casey Anderson Gilman

Biology ETDs

During gravidity lizards experience a significant decrease in lung volume as a result of compression by growing eggs within the body cavity. In order to understand the effect of this decrease in lung volume on respiratory physiology of gravid egg-laying lizards I measured changes in: total lung volume, resting and post-exercise expired volume, minute volume, respiratory frequency, and carbon dioxide production during reproduction in Crotaphytus collaris and Gambelia wislizenii. I found that compression of the lungs by eggs resulted in an average 48% (range: 26 to 70%) decrease in total lung volume in C. collaris, and an average 38% (range: …

Molecular Phylogenetic Investigation Of Microbial Diversity And Nitrogen Cycling In Lava Tubes, Jennifer Jane Marshall Hathaway

Biology ETDs

Worldwide, lava tubes host colorful microbial mats on their walls and ceilings. Little is known about the diversity and ecological roles of the bacteria communities in the subsurface ecosystem of lava tubes. White and yellow microbial mats were collected from four lava tubes from the Azorean island of Terceira and from four lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii, to compare and contrast the diversity of bacteria found in lava tubes. The 16S rRNA gene was sequenced in order to determine the diversity within these caves, and to begin to elucidate the environmental controls on microbial diversity in the …

The Effects Of Betadine®, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (Pvp), And Iodine On Regeneration In The Planarian Dugesia Tigrina., Traci R. Shaffer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The freshwater planarian has a great capacity to regenerate and is an ideal animal model in the study of stem cell and regeneration biology. In this study planarian regenerating new tails were exposed to nonlethal doses of Betadine®, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and Iodine. Betadine® is a topical antiseptic commonly used in the healthcare setting and may have a detrimental effect on wound healing. PVP is linked to iodine to create povidone-iodine, the active ingredient in Betadine®. Initially, a preliminary test was performed on the worms to determine the nonlethal concentrations of these chemicals . After this nonlethal concentration was determined, tails …

Assessment Of Different Seed Mixture Planting Using Ground Beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) As Environmental Indicators Along A Disturbance Corridor In Lawrence County, Kentucky, Michelle M. Staley

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Michelle M. Staley on April 30, 2010.

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Larval Fishes In A Large Tidal River., Harold Seelig

Theses and Dissertations

There are few published studies of larval fish assemblages from unregulated, tidal freshwater rivers. Patterns in the spatial and temporal distribution of larval fishes in the Mattaponi River were examined. Sampling took place on a weekly basis from February through August, 2006 and 2007. Larval fishes were categorized by taxa, reproductive guild, and residency guild. Group comparisons using multi-response permutation procedures (MRPP) indicated significant spatial and temporal differences in assemblage composition on multiple scales. Differences in assemblage composition were analyzed using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS). Interannual differences were attributable to anadromous and semi-migratory species. Seasonal differences were attributable to herrings, …

Expression & Purification Of Recombinant Plasmodium Falciparum Erythrocyte-Binding Ligands, Seward Joann Cofie

Theses and Dissertations

Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent malarial parasite, is capable of invading all known human blood types. Erythrocyte invasion depends on specific parasite ligand and erythrocyte receptor interactions. These interactions are mediated by Region II of the P. falciparum erythrocyte binding ligands. Although invasion does not seem dependent upon a singular ligand, their individual contributions to the invasion process are yet to be explained. In this study, Region II of P. falciparum binding ligands BAEBL and JESEBL were transiently expressed as hexahistidyl recombinant proteins in COS-1 cells. Purification by column chromatography yielded 0.52 mg of BAEBL and 0.433 mg of JESEBL. …

Seasonal Patterns Of Nutrient Retention In A Restored Tidal Freshwater Stream Of The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, Joseph Wood

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient retention is governed by the interplay between physical processes that control the throughput of water and materials (i.e., water residence time), and by biological processes that govern transformation and uptake (e.g., microbial denitrification). A partial breach of the dam located on Kimages Creek (VA) re-established the historical (pre-1920) connection to the James River and provided a well-defined channel to gauge tidal exchange. We quantified tidal exchange as well as non-tidal (watershed) inputs on a monthly basis to assess Nitrogen (N) retention. Water and N fluxes were dominated by tidal exchange which was typically three times greater than inputs from …

Habitat Assessment Of A Newly Established Breeding Pond For The Population Of Western Toads, Anaxyrus Boreas, At The Bernard Field Station, Erin Alison Baumler

Scripps Senior Theses

This study was the first research endeavor ever conducted concerning the population of Western toads, Anaxyrus boreas, at the Bernard Field Station. Despite the current lack of information regarding this population, they will become a concern in future years because they are threatened by habitat destruction. Preceding this study, a single breeding pond has been available to this population, which has been in use for the past 20 to 30 years. However, it is likely that the current breeding pond will be destroyed and the will be land developed for human use. In order to provide these toads with …

Demonstration Of Loser Effects In A Novel Crayfish Species, Orconectes Virilis, Stephen C. Meade, Aaron Steele, Daniel A. Bergman Ph.D.

Honors Projects

Agonistic and aggressive behaviors are a common occurrence within crayfish populations in the natural world. These behaviors appear to be very important to individual crayfish in establishment of their social status and in dominance hierarchies that inevitably form within the populations. An important factor in the founding of these hierarchies and an individual’s status within them is the occurrence of winner and loser effects. The winner effect can be defined as the increased probability of an individual winning the next fight after a pervious winning experience. The inverse of this defines the loser effect. The winner effect is a well‐established …

Biomechanical And Morphological Changes In Leaf Abscission Zones During The Ontogeny Of Kalanchoe Pinnatum, Jillian Hodge

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Kalanchoe pinnatum is able to asexually reproduce with the help of its leaves. In K. pinnatum, embryos are embedded in the notches of a leafs margin. Through the process of abscission, when the plant is disturbed a leaf with embryos falls to the ground and the embryos grow into new plants. Thus, as leaves mature, they face conflicting functional demands to stay on the plant and continue their role in photosynthesis or fall off the plant and asexually reproduce. To examine if there is a point in the leafs development where abscission occurs more readily, I examined breaking strength in …

Growth, Larval Development And Metamorphosis In Small-Mouthed Salamanders (Ambystoma Texanum), Nicholas Timothy Zellmer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The small-mouthed salamander (Ambystoma texanum), a common species in the midwestern United States, lays its eggs in temporary ponds during mid to late March once they have filled with water from the melting winter snow or early spring rains. For its relative abundance in the Midwest, there is little known about the life history of this species. My research followed the growth of small-mouthed salamander larvae in ponds between hatching, which occurred in early spring (mid-April), and metamorphosis, which occurred in midsummer (early June to mid-July). The research focused on the growth, larval development, and timing of metamorphosis with special …

Development Of A ‘Universal’ Rubric For Assessing Undergraduates’ Scientific Reasoning Skills Using Scientific Writing, Briana Eileen Timmerman, Denise Strickland, Robert L. Johnson, John R. Payne

Faculty Publications

We developed a rubric for measuring students’ ability to reason and write scientifically. The Rubric for Science Writing (Rubric) was tested in a variety of undergraduate biology laboratory courses (total n = 142 laboratory reports) using science graduate students (teaching assistants) as raters. Generalisability analysis indicates that the Rubric provides a reliable measure of students’ abilities (g = 0.85) in these conditions. Comparison of student performance in various biology classes indicated that some scientific skills are more challenging for students to develop than others and identified a number of previously unappreciated gaps in the curriculum. Our findings suggest that use …

Microsatellite Analysis Of Two Local Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger) Populations, Sajeena R. Horvath

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The objective of this study was to examine the genetic diversity of two geographically separated populations of Eastem fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) within the Indianapolis metropolitan area. One population was located on Butler University's campus and the other at Eagle Creek Park, located about 6.5 miles WNW from the Butler campus. DNA was extracted from tail hair samples collected by live trapping squirrels during the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2009. I used microsatellite analysis to examine the genetic variation between the two sites. Hair samples from 66 Butler squirrels and 30 Eagle Creek squirrels were analyzed using 4 microsatellite …