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Can Immunotherapy Treat Food Allergies?, Baila Klahr

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Food allergies among children are highly prevalent. The elimination diet and fear of allergic reactions cause anxiety in many children and their parents. Immunotherapy stimulates the production of Treg cells which inhibit IgE-mediated allergic reactions. This can successfully desensitize children to their allergens. Subcutaneous immunotherapy can be used for environmental allergens while sublingual or oral immunotherapy should be used for food allergies. There are some risks associated with oral immunotherapy and research is ongoing to study the safety and efficacy of oral immunotherapy.

Overview Of Weight Loss Medications, Malky Mandel

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Obesity is a complex medical condition that is multifactorial in origin. About one-third of adults in the United States are obese, and another third are overweight (Ogden et al., 2007). Obesity is associated with a multitude of comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and osteoarthritis (Lim, Boster, 2023). Additionally, obesity may cause psychological disorders due to social prejudice and discrimination toward obese people (Wadden et al. 2002). Economically, obesity is also a tremendous financial burden (Tremmel et al. 2017). It is estimated that the overall cost of obesity-related illness in the US is nearly $500 billion (Cawley et al., …

The Biobehavioral Effects Of Embryonic Exposure To Neural Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Zebrafish, Dalton J. Anderson

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to improve understanding of the neurodevelopmental effects of embryonic exposure to elevated inflammation and oxidative stress induced by the antipyretic drug acetaminophen (APAP). Our study was the first to examine the interactive effects of APAP and inflammation in zebrafish embryos and how the treatments affect brain development and larval behavior. Experimental groups of zebrafish larvae were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation, APAP, or LPS + APAP and larval behavior was analyzed using Ethovision automated behavioral tracking software. We also measured changes in whole-brain Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3B) and GSK3B phosphorylation, …

Characterization Of Nuclear Microsatellites In Marchantia Polymorpha (Liverwort) With Additional Trans-Specific Analyses, Nicole Rodriguez Ortiz, Niharika Sharma, Tian Xiong Zheng, James J. Campanella

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Microsatellites are present in mitochondria, chloroplast, and nuclear DNA, but nuclear microsatellites are more useful genetic tools than those in plastids or mitochondria. Plastid and mitochondrial microsatellites have been identified in the model plant Marchantia polymorpha (liverwort), but no laboratory has published information on nuclear microsatellite loci. The aim of this study was to detect novel nuclear markers in the most commonly employed liverwort species, design PCR primers that would allow amplification, and characterize the subsequently generated loci. We detected 18 polymorphic nuclear loci in M. polymorpha, amplifiable by PCR across all chromosomes. Additionally, trans-specific amplification of the eighteen loci …

Relationships Between Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon Pyrrhonota) And Feather Coloration, Morphological Characteristics, And Colony Size, Sonja M. Brandt

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Environmental stressors such as drought and roadways can strongly affect breeding birds. Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon Pyrrhonota) are aerial insectivores that experience mortality from car collisions, because they often nest and hunt under bridges and road culverts. Individual traits that may convey social information, such as body condition, or feather coloration, might be associated with better coping around cars and other environmental stressors. Few studies have investigated relationships between coloration and other environmental stressors, such as water loss due to drought near the colony and foraging areas. Colony size can be heavily affected by various environmental factors such as water level …

Forage Preference In Two Geographically Co-Occurring Fungus Gardening Ants (Formicidae): A Novel Dietary Dna Approach, Matthew Richards-Perhatch V

Biology Theses

Existing biological techniques, when applied in novel ways or to novel systems, can be used to overcome long-standing obstacles. Limitations resulting from traditional methods of forage material identification make resource partitioning impractical to study in non-leafcutting fungus gardening ants. This thesis explores the use of dietary DNA (dDNA) metabarcoding as a method of forage material identification in ant fungus gardens. We hypothesize that dDNA analysis will be sufficient to identify forage material in the gardens of co-occurring species Trachymyrmex septentrionalis and Mycetomoellerius turrifex. Furthermore, we hypothesize that T. septentrionalis and M. turrifex will forage on significantly different …

State Of Coastal And Marine Resources: Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, Ma Celina J. Añonuevo, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Denmark B. Racamara, Mary Joyce P. Velos, Joseph Benedict T. Garcia, Frederico B. Sabban, Joey P. Cabasan, Rhea Mae Luciano, Darryl Anthony Valiño, Lovely Joy Heyres, Hazel O. Arceo

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Sablayan, situated on the western side of Mindoro Island facing the WPS (12.8564° N, 120.9101° E), is a first-class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro with a total land area of 2,188.8km² that is divided into 22 barangays, nine of which are along the coast. The coastline stretches for 115 km, with municipal waters covering approximately 750,000 km² (LGU-Sablayan 2008).

The Apo Reef Natural Park, one of its most prominent features, is located approximately 33 km off the coast (Figure 2.9-1) The Apo Reef Natural Park is a protected coral reef system under presidential proclamation 868 (1996) encompassing …

Can Multi-Species Plantings Alleviate Abiotic Stressors To Enhance Bald Cypress Restoration?, Victoria S. Ellis, Taylor M. Sloey

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Restoration researchers and practitioners alike advocate for novel restoration approaches, informed by ecological theories and principles, to enhance the likelihood of meeting restoration goals. Forested wetland restoration has historically focused on creating abiotic conditions that support the tolerance thresholds of desired species, but the stress gradient hypothesis provides guidance for potential new strategies that use biotic interactions to ameliorate stressful abiotic conditions. In this study, we tested whether multi-species planting approaches can be used to enhance the survival and growth of a target restoration tree species, Bald cypress, along multiple abiotic gradients. We conducted a fully factorial controlled greenhouse experiment …

Deconstructing The Mangrove Carbon Cycle: Gains, Transformation, And Losses, M. F. Adame, N. Cormier, P. Taillardat, N. Iram, A. Rovai, T. M. Sloey, E. S. Yando, J. F. Blanco-Libreros, M. Arnaud, T. Jennerjahn, C. E. Lovelock, D. Friess, G. M. S. Reithmaier, C. A. Buelow, S. M. Muhammad-Nor, R. R. Twilley, R. A. Ribeiro

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mangroves are one of the most carbon-dense forests on the Earth and have been highlighted as key ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Hundreds of studies have investigated how mangroves fix, transform, store, and export carbon. Here, we review and synthesize the previously known and emerging carbon pathways in mangroves, including gains (woody biomass accumulation, deadwood accumulation, soil carbon sequestration, root and litterfall production), transformations (food web transfer through herbivory, decomposition), and losses (respiration as CO₂ and CH₄, litterfall export, particulate and dissolved carbon export). We then review the technologies available to measure carbon fluxes in …

Active Facilitation Of Helper Dispersal By Parents And Siblings In The Cooperatively Breeding Acorn Woodpecker, Natasha D. G. Hagemeyer, Walter D. Koenig, Eric L. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Offspring that delay dispersal in cooperatively breeding species have been hypothesized to gain direct fitness benefits via parental facilitation—being passively tolerated on their natal territory by their parents—thereby enjoying enhanced survival and increased probability of acquiring a breeding position in the population. Here we describe active facilitation in the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) by parents and siblings assisting the dispersal of helpers in their social group. Helpers in this species compete for reproductive opportunities in “power struggles” that take place when all breeders of one sex die or disappear, creating a reproductive vacancy. Individuals compete at power struggles …

Baby's First Jets: A Kinematic And Hydrodynamic Analysis Of Turning In Cuttlefish Hatchlings, Alissa M. Ganley, Paul S. Krueger, Ian K. Bartol

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Turning is an important aspect of life underwater, playing integral roles in predator avoidance, prey capture, and communication. While turning abilities have been explored in a diversity of adult nekton, little is currently known about turning in early ontogeny, especially for cephalopods. In this study, we investigated the turning abilities of hatchling common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis, n = 49) and dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis, n = 30), using both kinematic and wake-based analyses. Using body tracking software and particle image velocimetry (PIV), we found that S. officinalis turned faster than S. bandensis, but both species …

Arousal Patterns, Fungal Loads, And Wing Damage In A Surviving Population Of Little Brown Bats (Myotis Lucifugus), Brooke A. Daly

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) at Tippy Dam in Michigan have shown resilience to white-nose syndrome (WNS), which is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. This study evaluated the impact of environment (temperature and moisture), pathogen virulence, and host susceptibility on survival. Host response was assessed using temperature-sensitive radio transmitters (n = 37) and ultraviolet photography (n = 57), while fungal load (n = 56) was evaluated through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). High autumn temperatures (>10°C) favored growth of the fungus, while mid-hibernation temperature (3.2°C) was unfavorable. The mean torpor bout length (TBL) …

Kif3a Tail Domain Phosphorylation Is Not Required For Ciliogenesis In Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts, Ayoola Fasawe, Jessica M. Adams, Martin Engelke

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Primary cilia are essential signaling organelles that protrude from most cells in the body. Heterodimeric kinesin-2 (KIF3A/KIF3B/KAP3) powers several intracellular transport processes, including intraflagellar transport (IFT), essential for ciliogenesis. A long-standing question is how a motor protein is differentially regulated for specific cargos. Since phosphorylation of the KIF3A tail domain was suggested to regulate the activity of kinesin-2 for ciliogenesis, similarly as for the cytosolic cargo N-Cadherin, we set out to map the phosphosites involved in this regulation. Using well-characterized Kif3a−/−; Kif3b−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts, we performed ciliogenesis rescue assays with a library of phosphomimetic mutants comprising all …

Probing Ligands To Reaction Centers To Limit The Photocycle In Photosynthetic Bacterium Rubrivivax Gelatinosus, Mariann Kis, James L. Smart, Péter Maróti

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Light-induced electron flow between reaction center and cytochrome bc1 complexes is mediated by quinones and electron donors in purple photosynthetic bacteria. Upon high-intensity excitation, the contribution of the cytochrome bc1 complex is limited kinetically and the electron supply should be provided by the pool of reduced electron donors. The kinetic limitation of electron shuttle between reaction center and cytochrome bc1 complex and its consequences on the photocycle were studied by tracking the redox changes of the primary electron donor (BChl dimer) via absorption change and the opening of the closed reaction center via relaxation of the bacteriochlorophyll fluorescence in intact …

Effects Of Neonatal Estradiol Treatment On Regulating Sexual Differentiation Of Daily Rhythms Underlying Diet-Induced Obesity In Female Mice, Samuel Nwadialo

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Sex differences of the brain and behavior often require the combination of organizational and activational effects of sex hormones. The activational effects of estrogens in adult female mice protect daily eating and activity rhythms from disruption by high-fat diet feeding and inhibit diet-induced obesity. However, male mice have disrupted eating rhythms when fed high-fat diet and this causes obesity. Treatment of adult male mice with estradiol does not protect rhythms from disruption by high-fat diet, as it does in females. In this study, we sought to determine whether the organizational effects of estradiol masculinize the daily eating and activity rhythms …

Investigations Across Biology And Education: Exploring The Gut Microbiome Of Freshwater Mussels And Understanding Undergraduate Biology Student Motivation, Mary Foley

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

A PhD aims to make a unique contribution to the current body of knowledge while developing as an independent researcher and critical thinker. This dissertation covers a wide range of topics, from microbiome analysis to biology education. Although there is no broad overarching research theme, all the chapters are connected by the process of scientific inquiry and by their contribution to the completion of a PhD.

Chapter One serves as a comprehensive literature review, delving into the standard methods of measuring the health of at-risk species. It describes direct measures of health (e.g., birth and death rates) crucial for predicting …

Estrogen Signaling Regulates The Sex Difference In Resynchronization To Abrupt Shifts Of The Light-Dark Cycle In A Mouse Model Of Jet Lag, Maria Venegas

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

The circadian system coordinates 24-hour cycles of internal biological processes with the environmental light-dark cycle. Abrupt shifts in the timing of the light-dark cycle misalign internal circadian clocks with the environment and cause jet lag until resynchronization occurs. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying sex differences in jet lag in mice. Female mice resynchronized faster than male mice to 6-hour advances and delays of the light-dark cycle, which mimicked eastward and westward travel, respectively. Circulating estradiol was necessary for rapid resynchronization in female mice since ovariectomized females resynchronized slower than mice treated with estradiol. We …

All Eyes On The Spiny Mouse: An Investigation Into Acomys Dimidiatus As A Model For Retinal Biology And Regeneration, Jessica D. Bills

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

The retina is a complex tissue with six types of neurons, supported by an intrinsic glia cell, that work in concert to input a visual stimulus and relay a visual message to the brain. Efficient communication between neurons is vital to this process and each neuron plays a significant role in vision. When retinal neurons degenerate, that visual signal is lost. Degenerative eye diseases affect the neurons of the retina in millions of people world-wide and can ultimately lead to blindness. While treatments are evolving, most are designed to prevent further damage; the field has yet to piece together how …

Assessing Endophyte Frequency Distributions And The Effect Of Epichloë Brachyelytri In The Chemotypic And Genotypic Diversity Of Brachyelytrum Erectum, Rachel Ann Sneed

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Seed-transmissible epichloid fungal endophytes are best known for their roles as defensive mutualists in cool-season grasses. Historically, the discovery of fungal endophytes was driven by investigations of plant toxicity to livestock, followed by extensive study of their alkaloids and protection against insects and nematodes. Epichloae can produce four classes of alkaloids: ergot alkaloids, lolines (saturated aminopyrrolizidines), indole–diterpenes, and peramine. It is increasingly evident that these hereditary symbionts have much more diverse chemical profiles both in individual populations and between them. To this end, differences in chemotypic profiles of these symbionts may translate to different evolutionary and environmental advantages across plant …

Quantum Dot Effect On Endocytic Pathways And Eisosome Organization, Onyinye Dorathy Okafor

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Despite the promising applications of Quantum Dots (QDs) in the biomedical field, the long-lasting effects of QDs on the cell remain poorly understood. To comprehend the mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of QDs in yeast, I characterized defects associated with receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) as well as on pinocytosis using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model in the presence of CdSe/ZnS QDs. My findings revealed that QDs led to an inefficient RME at the early, intermediate, and late stage of endocytic patch maturation at the endocytic site, with the prolonged lifespan of GFP-fused yeast fimbrin (Sac6-GFP), a late marker of endocytosis. The …

Characterizing The Effects Of Melatonin On Reproduction In Green Anoles (Anolis Carolinensis)., Nicholas T. Shankey

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is involved in the regulation of seasonal behaviors in a variety of species. Specifically, high levels of melatonin are associated with short photoperiods, which often coincide with the non-breeding season in most animals, meaning that melatonin may have an inhibitory role in regulating seasonal reproduction. To exert effects on different target tissues, melatonin must bind to its receptors (MT1 and MT2). Like other seasonally breeding animals, green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis), have large, active gonads, increased levels of testosterone and estradiol, and increased reproductive behaviors during the breeding season compared to the non-breeding …

Differential Photosynthetic Yield And Accumulated Degree Day Estimation For Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum Aquaticum) To Determine Invasive Potential In The Midwest, United States, Alyssa Anderson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Thank you to the Aquatic Plant Management Society (APMS) and affiliated chapters for funding this project. I would like to thank Mississippi State University for sending my source parrotfeather for propagation throughout the course of this project. Thank you to Jenna Eklund, Allison Squires, Thomas Zellmer, Justin Kjorness, and others in the Weed Science lab for their assistance. Finally, I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to my committee members: Ryan Wersal, PhD, Christopher Ruhland, PhD, and Gray Turnage, PhD for their everlasting support and guidance throughout this project.

Characterization Of The Disease-Causing Mechanism Of Kif3b Mutations From Ciliopathy Patients, Jessica M. Adams, Caleb Sawe, Skye Rogers, Jordyn Reid, Ronith Dasari, Martin F. Engelke

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

The heterodimeric kinesin-2 motor (KIF3A/KIF3B with accessory protein KAP3) drives intraflagellar transport, essential for ciliogenesis and ciliary function. Three point mutations in the KIF3B subunit have recently been linked to disease in humans (E250Q and L523P) and Bengal cats (A334T) (Cogné et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet., 2020, 106, 893–904). Patients display retinal atrophy and, in some cases, other ciliopathy phenotypes. However, the molecular mechanism leading to disease is currently unknown. Here, we used Kif3a−/−;Kif3b−/− (knockout) 3T3 cells, which cannot make cilia, to characterize these mutations. While reexpression of KIF3B(E250Q) and KIF3B(L523P) did not rescue ciliogenesis, reexpression …

Examining Genome Size And Nutrient Influence On Damage Patterns, And Plant-Invertebrate Community Dynamics, Hailee B. Petosky

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Genome size (GS) varies widely among angiosperms and has been shown to mediate plant responses to nutrients. Variations of GS drastically impact plant growth, fitness, and competitive responses, influencing plant functioning, nutrient requirements, and potentially, consumptive interactions. Specifically, plants with larger genomes vary in their cellular nutrient requirements, affecting tissue quality, nutrient constraints, and invertebrate interactions. Furthermore, environmental nutrient enrichments are a key driver affecting ecosystem functioning and species interactions. Plant communities are impacted by both top-down and bottom-up controls of herbivores and nutrients, respectively, and alterations to these interactions may cause cascading trophic level effects to influence damage patterns …

Assessing The Nutritional Quality And Fate Of Saginaw Bay Dreissenid Mussel Veligers, Mitch R. Kehne

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The introduction and establishment of dreissenid species including zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (D. bugensis) mussels into the Laurentian Great Lakes has resulted in significant biological and ecological change over the past 30 years. Much of the current research completed to date on understanding dreissenid mussel impacts in the Great Lakes has primarily focused on the adult life stages with less known about the larval veliger form. The goals of this thesis were to; i) investigate veliger energy densities and fatty acid profiles to compare and contrast these nutritional metrics against pelagic zooplankton and; ii) determine …

University Biology Classrooms As Spaces For Anti-Racist Work: Instructor Motivations For Incorporating Race, Racism, And Racial Equity Content., Nicole L. Scheuermann, Candice Idlebird, Sayali Kukday, Vance J. Mccracken, Rachel E. Bradley, Heather E. Bergan-Roller

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Science is often portrayed as a meritocratic endeavor, but university biology programs exhibit high rates of student attrition, particularly among students of Color, despite similar interest and aptitude for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as White students. Culturally relevant pedagogy is associated with student persistence in STEM. One way to practice culturally relevant pedagogy in biology courses is to engage students in discussions of race, racism, or racial equity. Guidance exists to help instructors incorporate race-related topics into the biology curriculum, but the reasoning behind the decision of whether to adopt this practice is not well characterized. Understanding instructors’ …

Biology News 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

Letter from the Department Head --- 2
Bolton Award Winner --- 3
Goldwater Scholarship Winner --- 3
Purple and Old Gold Award Winner --- 3
Faculty News Roundup --- 4
New Hires --- 6
UNI Botanical Center --- 7
Alumni Information Request --- 7
Support Our Programs --- 8
Floyd Fellowship Award Winner --- 8

The Effectiveness Of Constructed Treatment Wetland Systems At Removing Microplastic Pollution, Katherine L. Johnsen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Plastics are a highly utilized material in modem society, leading to environmental concerns surrounding plastic pollution. Microplastics, which are defined as plastic particles less than 5mm in size, have additionally become increasingly recognized as a harmful pollutant in aquatic systems. Constructed treatment wetland systems (CTWSs) are highly effective at removal and mitigation of pollutants, including anthropogenic nutrient inputs. This study aims to understand the potential of a CTWS to remove microplastic pollution from tertiary-treated municipal wastewater before discharge into a local natural water body. Microplastic percent removal was determined through the manual quantification of microplastics in triplicate 500mL surface water …

Transient Interactions Modulate The Affinity Of Nf-Κb Transcription Factors For Dna, Tianjie Li, Shandy Shahabi, Tapan Biswas, Oleg V. Tsodikov, Wenfei Pan, De-Bin Huang, Vivien Ya-Fan Wang, Yi Wang, Gourisankar Ghosh

Biology Faculty Publications

The dimeric nuclear factor kappa B (NF- κB) transcription factors (TFs) regulate gene expression by binding to a variety of κB DNA elements with conserved G:C-rich flanking sequences enclosing a degenerate central region. Toward defining mechanistic principles of affinity regulated by degeneracy, we observed an unusual dependence of the affinity of RelA on the identity of the central base pair, which appears to be noncontacted in the complex crystal structures. The affinity of κB sites with A or T at the central position is ~10- fold higher than with G or C. The crystal structures of neither the complexes nor …

Comparing Ionoregulation And Modes Of Nitrogen Excretion Across The Life Cycle Of Parasitic And Non-Parasitic Lamprey Species, Shannon Davidson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Ionoregulation and nitrogenous waste (N-waste) metabolism in fishes has been extensively documented in teleosts and elasmobranchs, but less so in lampreys (Petromizontiformes). All lamprey species undergo metamorphosis which drastically changes their physiology and modes of feeding. However, differences in ionoregulatory mechanisms due to anadromous versus non anadromous life history strategies emerge following metamorphosis in different lamprey species. Furthermore, some species, such as anadromous juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), are parasitic and migrate to seawater (SW) to ingest blood protein from host fishes, while juveniles of freshwater (FW), non-parasitic species, such as the American brook lamprey …