Digital Commons Network^™

Shower Thoughts: Why Scientists Should Spend More Time In The Rain, John T. Van Stan Ii, Scott T. Allen, Douglas P. Aubrey, Z. Carter Berry, Matthew Biddick, Miriam A.M.J. Coenders-Gerrits, Paolo Giordani, Sybil G. Gotsch, Ethan D. Gutmann, Yakov Kuzyakov, Donát Magyar, Valentina S.A. Mella, Kevin E. Mueller, Alexandra G. Ponette-González, Philipp Porada, Carla E. Rosenfeld, Jack Simmons

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Stormwater is a vital resource and dynamic driver of terrestrial ecosystem processes. However, processes controlling interactions during and shortly after storms are often poorly seen and poorly sensed when direct observations are substituted with technological ones. We discuss how human observations complement technological ones and the benefits of scientists spending more time in the storm. Human observation can reveal ephemeral storm-related phenomena such as biogeochemical hot moments, organismal responses, and sedimentary processes that can then be explored in greater resolution using sensors and virtual experiments. Storm-related phenomena trigger lasting, oversized impacts on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes, organismal traits or functions, …

Influence Of Woody Vegetation Composition And Structure On Fuels And Prescribed Fire In Mountain Longleaf Restoration, Collin J. Anderson

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Longleaf pine (LLP) ecosystems have experienced a widespread ecological state shift largely due to fire exclusion which has allowed mesophytes, i.e., shade-tolerant, often fire-sensitive species to encroach, reducing flammability and biodiversity through a process known as “mesophication.” Although prescribed fire is commonly used to reverse mesophication, fire behavior, and thus prescribed fire utility for this purpose, is poorly characterized in mixed pine-hardwood stands with mesophyte encroachment. This study aimed to identify mechanisms by which tree composition, structure, and fuels contribute to fire behavior, focusing on the understudied mountain longleaf pine (MLLP) ecoregion in northwest Georgia. I hypothesized that woody vegetation …

Anesthetic Considerations For Cardiac Tamponade After Internal Jugular Central Line Placement During Trauma Resuscitation: A Case Report, Kevin M Chen, Jamal Hasoon, Anvinh Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Numerous complications are associated with central venous catheters. Among them, cardiac tamponade is a rare but well-documented catastrophic complication. A 22-year-old healthy male presented with Code 1 trauma resulting from gunshot wounds in the abdomen. Upon examination, he was found to have a large pericardial fluid collection, a large right supraclavicular hematoma, and significant amount of bilateral pleural effusions secondary to extraluminal placement of the right internal jugular central line during resuscitation. After repairing the internal jugular injury and draining the pericardial fluid, the patient was transferred from the intensive care unit to the regular hospital floor. However, 15 days …

Development Of A 16s Reference Library For Edna Metabarcoding The Freshwater Fishes Of Western Ecuador., Hannah M. Willis, Olivia G. Schweikart, Windsor E. Aguirre

DePaul Discoveries

This project examines the use of the 16S locus to amplify neotropical freshwater fishes native to Western Ecuador in a newly created 16S reference library for DNA barcoding and eDNA metabarcoding applications. Among the orders Characiformes, Siluriformes, Cichliformes, Gobiiformes, Cryprinodontiformes, Gymnotiformes, and Perciformes, a compendium of 105 specimens were sequenced, with 43 representing new 16S sequences previously unavailable on Genbank.

Impacts Of Microrna-483 On Human Diseases, Katy Matson, Aaron B. Macleod, Nirali Mehta, Ellie Sempek, Xiaoqing Tang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by targeting specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in distinct cell types. This review provides a com-prehensive overview of the current understanding regarding the involvement of miR-483-5p and miR-483-3p in various physiological and pathological processes. Downregulation of miR-483-5p has been linked to numerous diseases, including type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, diabetic nephropathy, and neurological injury. Accumulating evidence indicates that miR-483-5p plays a crucial protective role in preserving cell function and viability by targeting specific transcripts. Notably, elevated levels of miR-483-5p in the bloodstream strongly correlate with metabolic risk factors and …

An Assessment Of The Impact Of Raman Based Glucose Feedback Control On Cho Cell Bioreactor Process Development, Luke Gibbons, Francis Maslanka, Nikky Le, Al Magill, Pankaj Singh, Joseph Mclaughlin, Fiona Madden, Ronan Hayes, Barry Mccarthy, Christopher Rode, Jim O'Mahony, Rosemary Rea, Caitlin O'Mahony-Hartnett

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Process analytical technology (PAT) tools such as Raman Spectroscopy have become established tools for real time measurement of CHO cell bioreactor process variables and are aligned with the QbD approach to manufacturing. These tools can have a significant impact on process development if adopted early, creating an end-to-end PAT/QbD focused process. This study assessed the impact of Raman based feedback control on early and late phase development bioreactors by using a Raman based PLS model and PAT management system to control glucose in two CHO cell line bioreactor processes. The impact was then compared to bioreactor processes which used manual …

Comparative Toxicity Assessment Of Glyphosate And Two Commercial Formulations In The Planarian Dugesia Japonica, S. Grace Fuselier , '25, Danielle Ireland, Nicholas Fu , '25, Christina Rabeler, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

Introduction: Glyphosate is a widely used, non-selective herbicide. Glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are considered safe for non-target organisms and environmentally benign at currently allowed environmental exposure levels. However, their increased use in recent years has triggered questions about possible adverse outcomes due to low dose chronic exposure in animals and humans. While the toxicity of GBHs has primarily been attributed to glyphosate, other largely unstudied components of GBHs may be inherently toxic or could act synergistically with glyphosate. Thus, comparative studies of glyphosate and GBHs are needed to parse out their respective toxicity. Methods: We performed such a comparative …

First Shasta Ground Sloth (Nothrotheriops; Xenarthra) From The Eastern Great Basin, Nevada, Jim I. Mead, Sandra L. Swift, H. Gregory Mcdonald, Steven D. Emslie

Western North American Naturalist

We present the first record of the Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastensis) for the eastern Great Basin. The single right upper second molariform was recovered from the back dirt pile of archaeological test pits excavated during the 1960s and 1970s in Smith Creek Cave, northern Snake Range, White Pine County, Nevada. The precise age of the specimen is indeterminate, although all sediment layers in the area produced radiocarbon dates older than 11,000 cal BP; thus, the specimen is considered of the Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age. All previous accounts of this sloth in the Great Basin are from its …

Variation In Salamander Life History And Community Composition Across An Urban Gradient In Atlanta, Georgia, Usa, Leah Rittenburg

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Urbanization threatens to alter stream systems in watersheds in the eastern United States. These highly disturbed systems may result in many local extirpations of sensitive salamander species. One group of organisms that often persists in urban streams is the Eurycea bislineata (Two-lined Salamander) species complex. Many aspects of Two-lined Salamander life history are linked to environmental factors, particularly stream temperature, prey abundance, and stream hydrology. Urbanization threatens to alter these environmental factors, potentially influencing Two-lined Salamander life history. At 14 sites spanning an urban gradient in Atlanta, GA, I investigated the variation in life history and phenology in the Southern …

Plains To Peaks: An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Colorado Butterfly Communities And Altitude, Anna O. James, Kathryn Hokamp, Chris García-Hellmuth, Richard P. Reading

Western North American Naturalist

We compared butterfly communities of the Plains, Foothills, and Montane Zones of the Colorado Front Range and examined 3 groups of butterflies—blues (Polyommatinae species), fritillaries (Speyeria and Boloria spp.), and painted ladies (species Vanessa cardui)—for altitude shifts between 2014 and 2020. We conducted these analyses using data collected by volunteer butterfly monitors from the Colorado Butterfly Monitoring Network, a group organized and run by Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, Colorado. Monitors walked designated routes and counted all butterflies they saw, identifying each to the lowest possible taxonomic group they could. We sorted routes into the 3 altitude zones, organized …

Resource Recovery From Crew Metabolic Wastes In Lunar And Martian Habitats: Reuse Of Effluent From An Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Treating Fecal Organic Matter As Fertilizer Source For Plants, Alexandra A. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As humans set their sights on exploration of the Moon and Mars human focused challenges like providing potable water, supplying nutritious food to the astronaut crew, and managing their waste present themselves. There are no readily available resources on the Moon and Mars, therefore nothing should be considered unusable including the organic wastes (i.e., feces and urine) produced by the crew. Fecal matter is not currently recycled and is treated as solid waste. After collection, it is discarded out of the International Space Station where it is incinerated upon re-entry. This approach will not work on the Moon’s surface. There …

Leveraging Protein Dynamics To Drug Filovirus Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions Using Simulations And Experiments, Matthew Alberto Cruz

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Drug discovery targeting protein nucleic acid (PNI) and protein-protein interactions (PPI) remains a difficult task. How to identify druggable conformations and discover compounds binding to these conformations is an unsolved problem. Here, I describe how we apply computational and experimental approaches to probe the conformational landscape of a key immune antagonist protein from the Zaire ebolavirus. Viral Protein 35 (VP35) binds to the viral pathogen associated molecular pattern, double stranded RNA (dsRNA), and blocks activation of the interferon (IFN) response. Long time scale molecular dynamics simulations reveal that VP35 adopts an alternative conformation which opens a pocket absent in experimental …

Westward Expansion Of The Evening Bat (Nycticeius Humeralis) Into Dawson And Lincoln Counties Of Central Nebraska, Jamila Bajelan, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) is a small, migratory species of temperate woodlands in the eastern United States. Along its western distributional edge in the Great Plains, this species resides in wooded riverine corridors. In recent decades, the distribution of Evening Bats has expanded westward throughout the Great Plains. Herein, we report on two county records that further document the distributional expansion of Evening Bats into central Nebraska. In 2019 and 2022, Evening Bats were collected in Lincoln and Dawson counties, respectively, in woodlands adjacent to the Platte River. Increases in wooded habitats along prairie waterways likely has …

Downregulation Of Fkbp5 Promotes Atrial Arrhythmogenesis, Xiaolei Wang, Jia Song, Yue Yuan, Luge Li, Issam Abu-Taha, Jordi Heijman, Liang Sun, Shokoufeh Dobrev, Markus Kamler, Liang Xie, Xander H T Wehrens, Frank T Horrigan, Dobromir Dobrev, Na Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia, is associated with the downregulation of

METHODS: Right atrial samples from patients with AF were used to assess the protein levels of FKBP5. A cardiomyocyte-specific FKBP5 knockdown mouse model was established by crossbreeding

RESULTS: FKBP5 protein levels were lower in the atrial lysates of patients with paroxysmal AF or long-lasting persistent (chronic) AF. Cardiomyocyte-specific knockdown mice exhibited increased AF inducibility and duration compared with control mice. Enhanced AF susceptibility in cardiomyocyte-specific knockdown mice was associated with the development of action potential alternans and spontaneous Ca

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to …

Gabaergic Synaptic Scaling Is Triggered By Changes In Spiking Activity Rather Than Transmitter Receptor Activation, Carlos Gonzalez-Islas, Zahraa Sabra, Ming-Fai Fong, Pernille Bülow, Nicholas Au Yong, Kathrin Engisch, Peter Wenner

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Homeostatic plasticity represents a set of mechanisms that are thought to recover some aspect of neural function. One such mechanism called AMPAergic scaling was thought to be a likely candidate to homeostatically control spiking activity. However, recent findings have forced us to reconsider this idea as several studies suggest AMPAergic scaling is not directly triggered by changes in spiking. Moreover, studies examining homeostatic perturbations in vivo have suggested that GABAergic synapses may be more critical in terms of spiking homeostasis. Here we show results that GABAergic scaling can act to homeostatically control spiking levels. We find that increased or decreased …

The Manhattant: Identification, Natural History, And Nutritional Ecology Of A Recently Introduced Pest In New York City, Lasius Emarginatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Samantha Kennett

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

New York City is one of the oldest and largest cities in North America, and it is a center for global trade and shipping. As such, it has also been the site of introduction for some of North America’s most damaging invasive pests, from chestnut blight to the Asian long-horned beetle. Despite these cautionary examples, there has been no formal research on a newly introduced ant species that was tentatively identified as a European ant species, Lasius cf. emarginatus. Since its discovery in 2011, L. cf. emarginatus has become among the most common urban ant species in New York …

Investigating The Sequence Landscape In The Drosophila Initiator Core Promoter Element Using An Enhanced Marz Algorithm, Jacqueline Dresch, Regan D. Conrad, Daniel Klonaros, Robert Drewell

Biology

The core promoter elements are important DNA sequences for the regulation of RNA polymerase II transcription in eukaryotic cells. Despite the broad evolutionary conservation of these elements, there is extensive variation in the nucleotide composition of the actual sequences. In this study, we aim to improve our understanding of the complexity of this sequence variation in the TATA box and initiator core promoter elements in Drosophila melanogaster. Using computational approaches, including an enhanced version of our previously developed MARZ algorithm that utilizes gapped nucleotide matrices, several sequence landscape features are uncovered, including an interdependency between the nucleotides in position 2 …

Examination Of Microplastics And Organic Contaminants In Tampa Bay’S Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) Through Visual And Chemical Analysis, Andrea Murray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microplastic pollution is an increasingly alarming concern with widespread global distribution in aquatic environments. Filter feeding organisms such as bivalves, have a heightened risk of microplastic ingestion through free floating particulates in the water. This can lead to bioaccumulation moving up through trophic levels to apex predators and humans. Spatial and temporal differences in microplastic abundance were evaluated in the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea virginica, at six sites within Tampa Bay. Oyster tissue was digested using 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and microplastics were quantified using Nile Red dye and fluorescent particle excitement. A total of 3025 microplastics were found throughout six …

Acarosporaceae Of New Mexico: Eight New Species Of Acarospora And Sarcogyne, Kerry Knudsen, Jana Kocourková, Eva Hodková, Jiří Malíček, Yan Wang

Western North American Naturalist

Eight new species are described from the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico: Acarospora agos­tiniana, A. divisa, A. fissurata, A. ryanii, Sarcogyne brouardiana, S. coeruleonigricans, S. malpaiensis, and S. nogalensis. Three species, Acarospora coloradiana, A. peltastica, and A. utahensis are not treated as synonyms of A. strigata, a South American endemic. Thirty-four species of Acarosporaceae are reported from the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico. Fifty-six species of Acarosporaceae are reported from New Mexico. It is estimated that 416 species of described Acarosporales occur worldwide, most in need of revisions. …

Cytotoxic Activity Of Salvia Officinalis Extract Mediated By The Inhibition Of Jak2 In Breast Cancer, Salma Alawadi Dawood

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of invasive cancer in women in their forties and fifties. Recent evidence suggests that JAK2/STAT3 signaling is constitutively active in breast cancer. Previous studies suggest that plant extracts, including Salvia Officinalis, have strong cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells. The differential expression of miRNAs is also strongly linked to cancer development.

Aim: In the current study, we hypothesize that S. Officinalis extract suppresses JAK2 expression and has strong anticancer potential in MCF7 breast cancer cell lines.

Methods: GC-MS analysis showed the presence of flavonoids in dried leaf of …

An Improved Reporter Identifies Ruxolitinib As A Potent And Cardioprotective Camkii Inhibitor, Oscar E Reyes Gaido, Nikoleta Pavlaki, Jonathan M Granger, Olurotimi O Mesubi, Bian Liu, Brian L Lin, Alan Long, David Walker, Joshua Mayourian, Kate L Schole, Chantelle E Terrillion, Lubika J Nkashama, Mohit M Hulsurkar, Lauren E Dorn, Kimberly M Ferrero, Richard L Huganir, Frank U Müller, Xander H T Wehrens, Jun O Liu, Elizabeth D Luczak, Vassilios J Bezzerides, Mark E Anderson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) hyperactivity causes cardiac arrhythmias, a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite proven benefits of CaMKII inhibition in numerous preclinical models of heart disease, translation of CaMKII antagonists into humans has been stymied by low potency, toxicity, and an enduring concern for adverse effects on cognition due to an established role of CaMKII in learning and memory. To address these challenges, we asked whether any clinically approved drugs, developed for other purposes, were potent CaMKII inhibitors. For this, we engineered an improved fluorescent reporter, CaMKAR (CaMKII activity reporter), which features superior sensitivity, kinetics, and …

Nutrient-Rich Submarine Groundwater Discharge Increases Algal Carbon Uptake In A Tropical Reef Ecosystem, Florybeth Flores La Valle, Julian M. Jacobs, Florence I. Thomas, Craig E. Nelson

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in high volcanic islands can be an important source of freshwater and nutrients to coral reefs. High inorganic nutrient content is generally thought to augment primary production in coastal systems but when this is delivered via a freshwater vector as is the case with SGD in this study, the effects on productivity are unclear. In the current literature, there is limited evidence for a direct association between SGD and primary productivity of reefs. To elucidate the response of primary productivity to SGD, we conducted spatially and temporally explicit in situ benthic chamber experiments on a reef …

It Pays To Be Bumpy: Drag Reducing Armor In The Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker, Eumicrotremus Orbis, R. C. Hoover, Olivia H. Hawkins, Jack Rosen, Conrad D. Wilson, Callie H. Crawford, Meghan Holst, Jonathan M. Huie, Adam P. Summers, Cassandra M. Donatelli, Karly E. Cohen

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Armor is a multipurpose set of structures that has evolved independently at least 30 times in fishes. In addition to providing protection, armor can manipulate flow, increase camouflage, and be sexually dimorphic. There are potential tradeoffs in armor function: increased impact resistance may come at the cost of maneuvering ability; and ornate armor may offer visual or protective advantages, but could incur excess drag. Pacific spiny lumpsuckers (Eumicrotremus orbis) are covered in rows of odontic, cone-shaped armor whorls, protecting the fish from wave driven impacts and the threat of predation. We are interested in measuring the effects of …

Pleurotus Spp. As Agents Of Mycoremediation: A Review, Colin Innes

University Honors Theses

Elemental and molecular contaminants of anthropogenic origin represent an increasing threat to virtually all terrestrial and aquatic environments as well as their surrounding atmosphere. The decontamination and restoration of these environments pose a significant and expensive challenge. Although chemical treatment or physical removal of contaminated substrates often is the most direct response to eliminate contaminants, due to the complexity and sensitivity of many natural systems, technologies involving biological remediation can provide viable alternatives. While plant, bacterial, and fungal organisms have the abilities to accumulate or to metabolize toxic compounds, fungal organisms are uniquely suited to do so. Their fast growth …

Alternatives To Antibiotics In Veterinary Medicine: Considerations For The Management Of Johne's Disease, Laura M. O'Connell, Aidan Coffey, Jim O'Mahony

Dept. of Biological Sciences Preprints

Antibiotic resistance has become a major health concern globally, with current predictions expecting deaths related to resistant infections to surpass those of cancer by 2050. Major efforts are being undertaken to develop derivative and novel alternatives to current antibiotic therapies in human medicine. What appears to be lacking however, are similar efforts into researching the application of those alternatives, such as (bacterio)phage therapy, in veterinary contexts. Agriculture is still undoubtedly the most prominent consumer of antibiotics, with up to 70 % of annual antibiotic usage attributed to this sector, despite policies to reduce their use in food animals. This not …

Evaluating Sport Fish Use Of Natural And Introduced Habitats In Nebraska Reservoirs, William Michael Schriener

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Reservoirs are often limited in habitat, and many habitats can be lost through natural decomposition, sedimentation, and as reservoir water elevations changes as reservoirs age. Aquatic managers recognize the importance of maintaining habitat in reservoirs and habitat augmentation projects are common. However, this study was designed to improve understanding surrounding the placement and use of added structures by exploring the following objectives: 1) Quantify the availability of different habitats and how that availability changes under different reservoir elevations; 2) Compare fish assemblages around different habitats; 3) Compare sportfish relative abundance and total lengths between habitats; of Harlan County Reservoir, and …

Periodically Disturbing Biofilms Reduces Expression Of Quorum Sensing-Regulated Virulence Factors In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Laura Garcia-Dieguez, Gabriela Diaz-Tang, Estefania Marin Meneses, Vanessa Cruise, Ivana M. Barraza, Travis J.A. Craddock, Robert P. Smith

Biology Faculty Articles

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses quorum sensing to regulate the expression of virulence factors. In static environments, spatial structures, such as biofilms, can increase the expression of these virulence factors. However, in natural settings, biofilms are exposed to physical forces that disrupt spatial structure, which may affect the expression of virulence factors regulated by quorum sensing. We show that periodically disturbing biofilms composed of P. aeruginosa using a physical force reduces the expression of quorum sensing-regulated virulence factors. At an intermediate disturbance frequency, the expression of virulence factors in the las, rhl, and pqs regulons is reduced. Mathematical modeling suggests that perturbation …

Unlocking Complex Soil Systems As Carbon Sinks: Multi-Pool Management As The Key, Gerrit Angst, Kevin E. Mueller, Michael J. Castellano, Cordula Vogel, Martin Wiesmeier, Carsten W. Mueller

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Much research focuses on increasing carbon storage in mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), in which carbon may persist for centuries to millennia. However, MAOM-targeted management is insufficient because the formation pathways of persistent soil organic matter are diverse and vary with environmental conditions. Effective management must also consider particulate organic matter (POM). In many soils, there is potential for enlarging POM pools, POM can persist over long time scales, and POM can be a direct precursor of MAOM. We present a framework for context-dependent management strategies that recognizes soils as complex systems in which environmental conditions constrain POM and MAOM formation.

The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

The Digitization Of Eatonia, Peter M. Grant

Faculty Articles & Research

The June 2023 issue of The Mayfly Newsletter features this article written by Dr. Peter Grant about the digitization of Eatonia by SWOSU University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Phillip Fitzsimmons, and Digitization Technician, Ben Dressler.