Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating Habitat Use By Nekton In Widgeon Grass (Ruppia Maritima), Shoal Grass (Halodule Wrightii), And Unvegetated Bottom Habitats In The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Jessica Woodall

Master's Theses

Seagrass beds support high biodiversity and animal abundance, serve as feeding grounds for a variety of animals, offer shelter from predation, and act as a nursery habitat for juveniles. The species composition of seagrass beds can impact their use as habitat by animals. Two common species of seagrass in the Gulf of Mexico are Ruppia maritima (widgeon grass) and Halodule wrightii (shoal grass). The shallow coastal waters of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) support both species, but the use of each seagrass as habitat by nekton is poorly understood, which can limit management decision-making. Nekton communities were …

Effects Of Seasonal Environment On Abundance, Behavior, Visual Signaling, And Perception In Prairie Butterflies, Grace Elizabeth Hirzel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Phenotypic plasticity is a widespread mechanism that allows animals to respond quickly to seasonal changes in their environment. However, the depth and complexity of these plastic responses is still being discovered. One aspect of seasonal physiology that is relatively unstudied is changes to sensory physiology and how it may explain changes in behavior. To determine how changes in seasonal conditions affect behavior, coloration, and vision, I examined populations of wild butterflies in Northwest Arkansas. Focusing on a single species, the common buckeye Junonia coenia, I found that seasonal coloration covaries with thermoregulating behavior and is accompanied by changes in visual …

Exploring The Interrelationships Among Structural Complexity, Multi-Trophic Biodiversity, And Ecosystem Productivity In Forested Ecosystems., Ayanna St. Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Forests play a pivotal role in sustaining global biodiversity and mitigating the global climate, as they serve as the primary refuge for terrestrial biodiversity and effectively capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, changing climate and land use are altering the geographic distribution, physical structure, and productivity of forested ecosystems that can have profound impacts on biodiversity conservation, forest productivity, and global climate. This dissertation contributes to our understanding of multifaceted interactions between the physical and biological structural complexity and ecosystem functions in forested landscapes across the United states by using openly available data from two national networks: the National …

Activity Patterns Of Whiptail Lizards (Aspidoscelis) Found In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Guillermo Alvarez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Traditional lizard pitfall traps were modified to allow organisms to escape, while collecting valuable ecological data. Modified camera traps were capable of detecting the same species as traditional traps in a semi-arid environment, without posing the associated mortality risks. Pitfall-camera traps were used to sample the activity of the Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) and the Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi) in an urban wetland during four continuous years. Evaluations on activity pattern and the activity overlap between the two species revealed extensive overlap, with minor but significant seasonal shifts mediating coexistence. Traps were also effective at detecting other reptiles, invertebrates, …

Development Of Synthetic Glycobiomarkers For The Follow-Up Of Chagas Disease Chemotherapy And Serological And Molecular Assays For Evaluation Of Trypanosoma Cruzi Infections In The U.S-Mexico Border, Igor L. Estevao

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affects 7-8 million people worldwide. Lately, the disease has been spread to nonendemic countries and regions, like the U.S. and Europe. The disease can be divided into two phases: the acute and chronic phases, which continue for years or even decades. There are two available drugs for CD treatment: benznidazole (BNZ) and nifurtimox (NFX). These drugs are highly effective in the acute phase but less efficient in the chronic stage. Other limitations of these drugs are their toxicity, leading to serious adverse events and premature treatment termination. Newer clinical trial …

The Role Of The Cholesterol Synthesis Pathway In Primitive Erythropoiesis, Jose Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Erythropoiesis is the process by which new red blood cells (RBCs) are formed and defects in this process can lead to anemia or thalassemia. The GATA1 transcription factor is an established mediator of RBC development. However, the upstream mechanisms that regulate the expression of GATA1 are not completely characterized. Cholesterol is 1 potential upstream mediator of GATA1 expression because previously published studies suggest that defects in cholesterol synthesis disrupt RBC differentiation. Here we characterize RBC development in a zebrafish harboring a single missense mutation in the hmgcs1 gene (Vu57 allele). Hmgcs1 encodes the first enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis pathway …

Lizard Communities In A Shifting Landscape: The Current State Of Insectivorous Lizard Communities In The Jornada Basin Between Grassland, Mesquite Dune, And Creosote Bush Habitats In A Semi-Arid Landscape Undergoing Shrubification, Julie Marie Schlichte

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Lizard communities in arid lands can act as model systems of how diversity and abundance are impacted in the face of ongoing climate variability and change, as they are sensitive to shifts in precipitation, temperature, and changing vegetation structure. The main research question we hope to answer is how the community composition of lizards varies between dominant vegetation types (Mesquite dunes, grasslands, and Creosote Bush flats). Nine sites (3 of each dominant vegetation type) with 16 pitfall traps each (n = 144) were surveyed from June 2016 -- June 2017. 12 lizard species were captured, consisting of 923 total captures …

Proteomic Analysis Reveals Fkbp51 And Fkbp52 Interactors Implicated In Androgen Receptor-Mediated Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer, Olga Soto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Aberrant signaling mechanisms by the Androgen Receptor (AR) are attributed as the main culprits for the initiation and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). Due to its dependence on androgens, research efforts have focused on developing strategies to directly target androgen-mediated receptor activity. However, given the recurrence and treatment resistance of PCa despite androgen targeted therapies, recent efforts have shifted to find novel targets against the disease. These efforts include further revealing the molecular components and their mechanisms underlying AR signaling in both normal and disease physiological settings. Hence, our lab's work is focused on characterizing and targeting molecular chaperones that …

Trehalose Enhances Mitochondria Deficits In Human Npc1 Mutant Fibroblasts But Disrupts Mouse Purkinje Cell Dendritic Growth Ex Vivo., Collin M Macleod, Fawad A K Yousufzai, Liam T Spencer, Sarah Kim, Lucianne A Rivera-Rosario, Zerian D Barrera, Lindsay Walsh, Claude Krummenacher, Benjamin Carone, Ileana Soto

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Lysosomes play important roles in catabolism, nutrient sensing, metabolic signaling, and homeostasis. NPC1 deficiency disrupts lysosomal function by inducing cholesterol accumulation that leads to early neurodegeneration in Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease. Mitochondria pathology and deficits in NPC1 deficient cells are associated with impaired lysosomal proteolysis and metabolic signaling. It is thought that activation of the transcription factor TFEB, an inducer of lysosome biogenesis, restores lysosomal-autophagy activity in lysosomal storage disorders. Here, we investigated the effect of trehalose, a TFEB activator, in the mitochondria pathology of NPC1 mutant fibroblasts in vitro and in mouse developmental Purkinje cells ex vivo. We …

Lionfish (Pterois Volitans) Neurocranium, Kate Heffner, Hosanna Gattle, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 30 cm total length (TL) Lionfish (Pterois volitans), collected from Second Reef on 15/10/2023 by Kate Heffner.

Yellowtail Snapper Ocyurus Chrysurus, Kevin Rafferty, Manuel Ploner, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

YELLOWTAIL SNAPPER OCYURUS CHRYSURUS 7.5CM Total length

Controlled Radiation Capsule For Precision And Rapid Cancer Treatment, Hoseon Lee, Zsolt Kollar, Bailey R. White, Junia Nguyen, David Roque, Sowjanya Palagani

Symposium of Student Scholars

This research aims to transform cancer treatment through the optimization of brachytherapy, with a focus on reducing treatment duration, setup complexities, and financial burdens, all while emphasizing patient safety. Patients living at a distance from radiation clinics, particularly those undergoing extended Low Dose Radiation brachytherapy, often struggle with the formidable financial challenges associated with securing nearby accommodations. In response to these issues, the research introduces a radiation capsule designed to condense the conventional six-month treatment period to approximately just one week, thereby significantly reducing the duration of required accommodations. This capsule is especially relevant considering the construction cost of $40 …

Quantifying The Role Of Water Quality On Nitrogen Cycling In A Trophic Estuary, Kayla Gonzalez-Boy

Symposium of Student Scholars

Jobos Bay Estuary is an intertidal, tropical estuary located in southern Puerto Rico. The estuary covers about 12 km² and has a variety of habitats, such as seagrass beds, mangroves, mud flats, and coral reefs, which play important roles in sediment trapping and water quality maintenance. Seagrasses also serve as nursery and feeding grounds and provide shelter for macrofauna. Currently, the role of seagrasses and water quality on nitrogen (N) cycling in trophic estuaries is not well constrained. Understanding variations in sediment-based effects on N cycling rates and transformations, and how they are associated with water quality, is an …

The Neuronal Calcium Sensor Ncs-1 Regulates The Phosphorylation State And Activity Of The Gα Chaperone And Gef Ric-8a, Daniel Muñoz-Reyes, Levi J. Mcclelland, Sandra Arroyo-Urea, Sonia Sánchez-Yepes, Juan Sabín, Sara Pérez-Suárez, Margarita Menendez, Alicia Mansilla, Javier García-Nafría, Stephen Sprang, Maria Jose Sanchez-Barrena

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS-1), an EF-hand Ca binding protein, and Ric-8A coregulate synapse number and probability of neurotransmitter release. Recently, the structures of Ric-8A bound to Gα have revealed how Ric-8A phosphorylation promotes Gα recognition and activity as a chaperone and guanine nucleotide exchange factor. However, the molecular mechanism by which NCS-1 regulates Ric-8A activity and its interaction with Gα subunits is not well understood. Given the interest in the NCS-1/Ric-8A complex as a therapeutic target in nervous system disorders, it is necessary to shed light on this molecular mechanism of action at atomic level. We have reconstituted …

Yellow Edge Grouper (Hyporthodus Flavolimbatus) Neurocranium, Lili Mcelhill, Alison Novara, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium (11 cm) of Yellow Edge Grouper (Hyporthodus flavolimbatus), collected from South Florida local fish market on 02/11/2023 by Alison Novara and Lili McElhill.

The Stress Response Of The Seagrass Zostera Noltei And Three Commercial Clam Species To Low Salinity Associated With Heavy Rainfall, Salvador Román, Elsa Vázquez, Marta Román, Rosa M. Viejo, Nicolás Weidberg, Jesús S. Troncoso, Sarah A. Woodin, David S. Wethey, Celia Olabarria

Faculty Publications

The maintenance of stocks of estuarine species strongly depends on the ability of the species to cope with environmental stress. In NW Spain, commercial clam beds, which are usually co-occupied by the seagrass Zostera noltei, are often exposed to reduced salinity caused by intense rainfalls. Our goals were to evaluate the effects of low salinity events on both juvenile clams and Z. noltei, including their interactions. A mesocosm experiment was performed to simulate three salinity decreases (35–35, 25–10, and 20–5), and several indicators of clam and seagrass performance were measured after 3 and 6 days of exposure and …

Antibiotic Resistance At Sequence, Population, And Global Scales, Kevin Blake

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotic resistance (AR) can be studied at multiple scales. The smallest is at the level of the DNA or amino acid sequence of AR genes, characterizing how AR genes are encoded, regulated, and expressed. Next is the level of protein structure, deciphering the 3D shape of AR proteins and how that shape affects function. The next higher scale is that of biochemistry, studying the kinetics of these proteins’ mechanism of action and interactions with drug molecules. The level of populations studies individual species of bacteria that are resistant to specific antibiotics. The next higher scale, of microbiomes, examines many species …

Development And Implementation Of Natural Killer Cell Simultaneous Adcc And Direct Killing Assay, Maia M.C. Bennett-Boehm, Anna Mahr, Alexander Regan, Sean T. Hartwell, Isabelle Weber, Arriana Blackmon, Cami Bisson, Angela Ngoc Truong, Bella Circo, Jaden Nienhueser, Donald Rogers, Nathan Booher, Nithya Rajagopalan, Jacob W.S. Martens, Paul Denton

Biology Faculty Publications

Assays to quantify natural killer (NK) cell killing efficacy have traditionally focused on assessing either direct killing or antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) independently. Due to the probability that immunotherapeutic interventions affect NK cell-mediated direct killing and NK cell-mediated ADCC differently, we developed an assay with the capacity to measure NK cell-mediated direct killing and ADCC simultaneously with cells from the same human donor. Specifically, this design allows for a single NK cell population to be split into several experimental conditions (e.g., direct killing, ADCC), thus controlling for potential confounders associated with human-to-human variation when assessing immunotherapy impacts. Our Natural …

Inhibiting Notch Signaling In Mins Improves Neurite Extension & Investigating The Epigenome Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Kyle Foster Burbach

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Improvements to models of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases are increasingly important as our population ages and their prevalence increases. Overexpression of microRNAs-9/9* and 124 (miR-9/9*-124) convert human adult fibroblasts into neurons (miNs) by silencing non-neuronal networks, allowing the neuronal program to take over. However, improvements to this paradigm are still necessary to bring this system as close to in vivo investigation as possible. Structure equals function is one of the core tenants of molecular and cellular biology, and it applies to the morphology of neurons more so than most cells in the body. To identify drivers of morphometric reprogramming of miNs, …

Single-Cell Multiomics Of The Human Retina Reveals Hierarchical Transcription Factor Collaboration In Mediating Cell Type-Specific Effects Of Genetic Variants On Gene Regulation, Jun Wang, Xuesen Cheng, Qingnan Liang, Leah A Owen, Jiaxiong Lu, Yiqiao Zheng, Meng Wang, Shiming Chen, Margaret M Deangelis, Yumei Li, Rui Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Systematic characterization of how genetic variation modulates gene regulation in a cell type-specific context is essential for understanding complex traits. To address this question, we profile gene expression and chromatin accessibility in cells from healthy retinae of 20 human donors through single-cell multiomics and genomic sequencing.

RESULTS: We map eQTL, caQTL, allelic-specific expression, and allelic-specific chromatin accessibility in major retinal cell types. By integrating these results, we identify and characterize regulatory elements and genetic variants effective on gene regulation in individual cell types. The majority of identified sc-eQTLs and sc-caQTLs display cell type-specific effects, while the cis-elements containing genetic …

Telomere Maintenance In African Trypanosomes, Bibo Li Ph.D.

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Telomere maintenance is essential for genome integrity and chromosome stability in eukaryotic cells harboring linear chromosomes, as telomere forms a specialized structure to mask the natural chromosome ends from DNA damage repair machineries and to prevent nucleolytic degradation of the telomeric DNA. In Trypanosoma brucei and several other microbial pathogens, virulence genes involved in antigenic variation, a key pathogenesis mechanism essential for host immune evasion and long-term infections, are located at subtelomeres, and expression and switching of these major surface antigens are regulated by telomere proteins and the telomere structure. Therefore, understanding telomere maintenance mechanisms and how these pathogens achieve …

Jackfish (Caranx Lugubris) Neurocranium, Lauren Groves, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 9 cm total length (TL) Jackfish, Caranx lugubris, collected from Ideal Market on September 18th, by Lauren Groves

Brha, Kevin Rafferty, Briana K. Zaffiro, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Skull from Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus).

Northern Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechnus) Neurocranium, Ajani K. Saldana, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 7.5 cm total length (TL) 37 cm Lutjanus campechanus (Northern Red Snapper), collected from Mango Tree Supermarket in September 2023 by Ajani Saldana

Blsk 3d Scan, Kevin Rafferty, Briana K. Zaffiro, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Skull from Black Skimmer (Rhnchops niger)

Ictalurus Punctatus (Channel Catfish) Neurocranium, Kayla D. Jones, Maura P. Wondra, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 9.70 cm total length (TL) Ictalurus punctatus (Channel Catfish), collected from Davie, Florida in June 2023 by Katrina Sawickij.

Changes In Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Captive Coyotes (Canis Latrans): Influence Of Gender, Time, And Reproductive Status, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, Cole A. Bleke, Erika T. Stevenson, Susannah S. French

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Reproduction is considered an energetically and physiologically demanding time in the life of an animal. Changes in physiological stress are partly reflected in changes in glucocorticoid metabolites and can be measured from fecal samples. We examined levels of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) in 24 captive coyotes (Canis latrans) to investigate responses to the demands of reproduction. Using 12 pairs of coyotes (five pairs produced pups, seven pairs did not), we analyzed 633 fecal samples covering 11 biological periods (e.g., breeding, gestation, and lactation). Levels of fGCMs showed high individual variability, with females having higher fGCM levels than males. …

[Caranx Hippos (Jack Crevalle)] Neurocranium, Liat N. Castillo, Dylan J. Seiffert, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from [80cm TL] Caranx hippos (Jack Crevalle), collected from Merrit Island, Florida [9/18/2023] by Dylan Seiffert.

In Vivo Volumetric Depth-Resolved Imaging Of Cilia Metachronal Waves Using Dynamic Optical Coherence Tomography, Tian Xia, Kohei Umezu, Deirdre M Scully, Shang Wang, Irina V Larina

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Motile cilia are dynamic hair-like structures covering epithelial surfaces in multiple organs. The periodic coordinated beating of cilia creates waves propagating along the surface, known as the metachronal waves, which transport fluids and mucus along the epithelium. Motile ciliopathies result from disrupted coordinated cilia beating and are associated with serious clinical complications, including reproductive disorders. Despite the recognized clinical significance, research of cilia dynamics is extremely limited. Here, we present quantitative imaging of cilia metachronal waves volumetrically through tissue layers using dynamic optical coherence tomography (OCT). Our method relies on spatiotemporal mapping of the phase of intensity fluctuations in OCT …

Send-Off Meditation, Audrey E. Mcgowin

Runkle Woods Symposia

Audrey McGowin wraps up the 6th Annual Wright State Runkle Woods Symposium with some warm words followed by a meditation video. The video is of a Ginko tree's leaf fall with only the ambient noise of the leaves during their descent and gentle impact with the ground.