Digital Commons Network^™

Habitat Use And Winter Site Fidelity Of Lincoln’S Sparrow (Melospiza Lincolnii) In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Timothy Brush, Hugh E. Conway, Catherine C. Brush

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

No abstract provided.

Long Non-Coding Rnas: Definitions, Functions, Challenges And Recommendations, John S Mattick, Paulo P Amaral, Piero Carninci, Susan Carpenter, Howard Y Chang, Ling-Ling Chen, Runsheng Chen, Caroline Dean, Marcel E Dinger, Katherine A Fitzgerald, Thomas R Gingeras, Mitchell Guttman, Tetsuro Hirose, Maite Huarte, Rory Johnson, Chandrasekhar Kanduri, Philipp Kapranov, Jeanne B Lawrence, Jeannie T Lee, Joshua T Mendell, Timothy R Mercer, Kathryn J Moore, Shinichi Nakagawa, John L Rinn, David L Spector, Igor Ulitsky, Yue Wan, Jeremy E Wilusz, Mian Wu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genes specifying long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) occupy a large fraction of the genomes of complex organisms. The term 'lncRNAs' encompasses RNA polymerase I (Pol I), Pol II and Pol III transcribed RNAs, and RNAs from processed introns. The various functions of lncRNAs and their many isoforms and interleaved relationships with other genes make lncRNA classification and annotation difficult. Most lncRNAs evolve more rapidly than protein-coding sequences, are cell type specific and regulate many aspects of cell differentiation and development and other physiological processes. Many lncRNAs associate with chromatin-modifying complexes, are transcribed from enhancers and nucleate phase separation of nuclear condensates …

A Short-Term Method To Evaluate Anti-Leishmania Drugs By Inhibition Of Stage Differentiation In Leishmania Mexicana Using Flow Cytometry, Christian Florian Teh-Poot, Victor Manuel Dzul-Huchim, Jonathan M Mercado, Liliana Estefanía Villanueva-Lizama, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Kathryn M Jones, Francis T F Tsai, Julio Vladimir Cruz-Chan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by the Leishmania spp. Parasite. The disease is transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of infected female sandflies during the ingestion of bloodmeal. Because current drug treatments induce toxicity and parasite resistance, there is an urgent need to evaluate new drugs. Most therapeutics target the differentiation of promastigotes to amastigotes, which is necessary to maintain Leishmania infection. However, in vitro assays are laborious, time-consuming, and depend on the experience of the technician. In this study, we aimed to establish a short-term method to assess the differentiation status of Leishmania mexicana …

Three-Dimensional Microct Imaging Of Mouse Heart Development From Early Post-Implantation To Late Fetal Stages, Nanbing Li-Villarreal, Tara L Rasmussen, Audrey E Christiansen, Mary E Dickinson, Chih-Wei Hsu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Comprehensive detailed characterization of new mouse models can be challenging due to the individual focus involved in developing these models. Often models are engineered to test a specific hypothesis in a limited number of tissues, stages, and/or other contexts. Whether or not the model produces the desired phenotypes, phenotyping beyond the desired context can be extremely work intensive and these studies are often not undertaken. However, the general information resulting from broader phenotyping can be invaluable to the wider scientific community. The International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC) and its subsidiaries, like the Knockout Mouse Project (KOMP), has made great strides …

Mouse Models Of Spontaneous Atrial Fibrillation, Joshua A Keefe, Mohit M Hulsurkar, Svetlana Reilly, Xander H T Wehrens

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in adults, with a prevalence increasing with age. Current clinical management of AF is focused on tertiary prevention (i.e., treating the symptoms and sequelae) rather than addressing the underlying molecular pathophysiology. Robust animal models of AF, particularly those that do not require supraphysiologic stimuli to induce AF (i.e., showing spontaneous AF), enable studies that can uncover the underlying mechanisms of AF. Several mouse models of AF have been described to exhibit spontaneous AF, but pathophysiologic drivers of AF differ among models. Here, we describe relevant AF mechanisms and provide an overview of …

Comprehensive Ecg Reference Intervals In C57bl/6n Substrains Provide A Generalizable Guide For Cardiac Electrophysiology Studies In Mice, Manuela A Oestereicher, Janine M Wotton, Shinya Ayabe, Ghina Bou About, Tsz Kwan Cheng, Jae-Hoon Choi, Dave Clary, Emily M Dew, Lahcen Elfertak, Alain Guimond, Hamed Haseli Mashhadi, Jason D Heaney, Lois Kelsey, Piia Keskivali-Bond, Federico Lopez Gomez, Susan Marschall, Michael Mcfarland, Hamid Meziane, Violeta Munoz Fuentes, Ki-Hoan Nam, Zuzana Nichtová, Dale Pimm, Lynette Bower, Jan Prochazka, Jan Rozman, Luis Santos, Michelle Stewart, Nobuhiko Tanaka, Christopher S Ward, Amelia M E Willett, Robert Wilson, Robert E Braun, Mary E Dickinson, Ann M Flenniken, Yann Herault, K C Kent Lloyd, Ann-Marie Mallon, Colin Mckerlie, Stephen A Murray, Lauryl M J Nutter, Radislav Sedlacek, Je Kyung Seong, Tania Sorg, Masaru Tamura, Sara Wells, Elida Schneltzer, Helmut Fuchs, Valerie Gailus-Durner, Martin Hrabe De Angelis, Jacqueline K White, Nadine Spielmann

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Reference ranges provide a powerful tool for diagnostic decision-making in clinical medicine and are enormously valuable for understanding normality in pre-clinical scientific research that uses in vivo models. As yet, there are no published reference ranges for electrocardiography (ECG) in the laboratory mouse. The first mouse-specific reference ranges for the assessment of electrical conduction are reported herein generated from an ECG dataset of unprecedented scale. International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium data from over 26,000 conscious or anesthetized C57BL/6N wildtype control mice were stratified by sex and age to develop robust ECG reference ranges. Interesting findings include that heart rate and key …

Magnesium Increases Numbers Of Foxp3+ Treg Cells And Reduces Arthritis Severity And Joint Damage In An Il-10-Dependent Manner Mediated By The Intestinal Microbiome, Teresina Laragione, Carolyn Harris, Nasim Azizgolshani, Christine Beeton, Gerold Bongers, Percio S Gulko

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease with emerging environmental and microbiome risk factors. The western diet is typically deficient in magnesium (Mg), and there is some evidence suggesting that Mg may have anti-inflammatory properties. But the actual role of Mg supplementation in arthritis or in T cell subsets has not been explored.

METHODS: We investigated the role of a high Mg diet in two different mouse models of RA induced with the KRN serum, and collagen-induced arthritis. We also characterized the phenotypes of splenocytes, gene expression, and an extensive intestinal microbiome analyses including fecal material transplantation (FMT). …

The Role Of Trees In Reducing The Urban Heat Island Effect On The New Jersey Institute Of Technology Campus, Newark, Nj, Dahlia Mansour

Theses

Every year, an estimated 12.3 million tons of glass are generated in the United States. Of all glass generated, only 3.1 million tons are recycled. Despite the near endless recyclability of glass waste, recycling rates in the United States remain low. This is primarily due to the lack of color separation and presence of non-recyclable materials associated with single-stream curbside collection used in many municipalities throughout the country. These factors make recycled glass unusable for many glass bottle manufacturers, causing the majority of glass placed in a recycling bin to eventually be landfilled. The purpose of this research is to …

The Evaluation Of Carbon Benefits Produced By Urban Street Trees, Hanyu Wang

Theses

Urban tree service and urban forestry are important fields that focus on the care and management of trees in urban areas. Urban trees provide numerous benefits around all aspect, including carbon storage, improving air and water qualities. Carbon storage refers to the process of removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and storing it in various reservoirs, and in this case, in trees and forests.

i-Tree is a suite of software tools developed by the United States Forest Service that provides a range of resources for assessing and managing forests. i-Tree Eco is one of the more used tools from …

Copus Profiles Paper Data, Jamie Jensen, Rebecca L. Sansom, Jennifer B. Nielson, Richard E. West, Geoffrey Wright, Bryn St. Clair

ScholarsArchive Data

COPUS profile data, interview transcripts

Public Health Importance Of Preventive Measures For Salmonella Tennessee And Salmonella Typhimurium Strain Lt2 Biofilms, Simen Asefaw, Sadiye Aras, Md Niamul Kabir, Sabrina Wadood, Shahid Chowdhury, Aliyar Cyrus Fouladkhah

Biology Faculty Research

Various serovars of Salmonella had been the subject of research for over 150 years; nonetheless, the bacterium has remained an important pathogen of public health concern to date. The tremendous ability of Salmonella to form biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces is an important underlying reason for the prevalence of this opportunistic pathogen in healthcare, manufacturing, and the food chain. The current study illustrates that using very common industrial antimicrobial treatments at the highest concentrations suggested by the manufacturers is only efficacious against planktonic and one-day mature biofilms of the pathogen while exhibiting a lack of efficacy for complete removal …

Ethical Issues And Standards Of Responsible Research Conduct And Monitoring In An Adventist Institution Of Higher Learning - The Babcock Experience, Kayode O. Ogunwenmo, Godswill N. Anyasor, Grace O. Tayo

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Ethical issues and standards of responsible research conduct involving human participants are important considerations in any institution of higher learning and in particular Adventist institutions. Research conduct and ethics are reviewed and approved before they begin by the Babcock University Health Research Ethics Committee (BUHREC)

A Baseline Assessment Of Migratory And Resident Bird Use Of A Prairie Restoration Site In Eastern Washington, Madilyn J. Odiorne, Brynn A. Richey, Ruby L. Hammond

2023 Symposium

Prairies, and other types of grassland ecosystems, have suffered some of the most profound losses worldwide, due to anthropogenic factors such as fossil fuel extraction, agriculture, and climate change. Likewise, organisms inhabiting grassland ecosystems have become extirpated across much of their historical range, not the least of which has been a 50% decline in grassland birds since the 1960s. In response to losses of intact prairie in eastern Washington, a 120-ac site has been established on the EWU campus to regenerate native prairie and monitor changes in the ecosystem as native plants recolonize and replace non-natives. Because birds are an …

Effects Of Climate Change On Human Health, Sara El Houzaly, Richa Gupta

Publications and Research

The effects of climate change are evident worldwide as average global land and air temperatures have been rising, glaciers and ice sheets are shrinking with the concomitant rise in sea levels, extreme weather events have become more frequent, and oceans are warming and acidifying. Humanity is facing a big environmental challenge which not only impacts our habitat but will also have ramifications on our health. The present review describes a detailed examination of the scientific evidence proving the relationship between climate change and various fatal human diseases in different geographical regions. Our findings indicate that variations in the patterns of …

Identification And Initial Characterization Of Hfq-Associated Srnas In Histophilus Somni Strain 2336, Bindu Subhadra, Dianjun Cao, Roderick Jensen, Clayton Caswell, Thomas J. Inzana

Faculty Publications - Biological Sciences

Small RNAs (sRNA), in association with the global chaperone regulator Hfq, positively or negatively regulate gene expression in bacteria. For this study, Histophilus somni sRNAs that bind to Hfq were identified and then partially characterized. The Hfq-associated sRNAs in H. somni were isolated and identified by co-immunoprecipitation using anti-Hfq antibody, followed by sRNA sequencing. Sequence analysis of the sRNA samples identified 100 putative sRNAs, out of which 16 were present in pathogenic strain 2336, but not in non-pathogenic strain 129Pt. Bioinformatic analyses suggested that the sRNAs HS9, HS79, and HS97 could bind to many genes putatively involved in virulence/biofilm formation. …

Characterization Of A Novel Polyextremotolerant Fungus, Exophiala Viscosa, With Insights Into Its Melanin Regulation And Ecological Niche, Erin C. Carr, Quin Barton, Sarah Grambo, Mitchell Sullivan, Cecile M. Renfro, Alan Kuo, Jasmyn Pangilinan, Anna Lipzen, Keykhosrow Keymanesh, Emily Savage, Kerrie Barry, Igor V. Grigoriev, Wayne R. Riekhof, Steven D. Harris

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Black yeasts are polyextremotolerant fungi that contain high amounts of melanin in their cell wall and maintain a primar yeast form. These fungi grow in xeric, nutrient depletes environments which implies that they require highly flexible metabolisms and have been suggested to contain the ability to form lichen-like mutualisms with nearby algae and bacteria. However, the exact ecological niche and interactions between these fungi and their surrounding community are not well understood. We have isolated 2 novel black yeasts from the genus Exophiala that were recovered from dryland biological soil crusts. Despite notable differences in colony and cellular morphology, both …

Pathogenicity Of Multiple Providencia Species (Enterobacteriales: Morganellaceae) To The Mass-Reared Mexican Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae), Bacilio Salas, Hugh E. Conway, Don C. Vacek, Christopher Vitek, Erin Schuenzel

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

Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens (Loew)) (Diptera: Tephritidae) represents a major threat to fruit production in the Western Hemisphere. Sterile insect technique is used to suppress and eradicate wild populations. Success of this control method necessitates weekly production of hundreds of millions of flies, their sterilization by irradiation, and their aerial release. Diet needed to produce large fly numbers are conducive to the spread of bacteria. Pathogenic bacteria were isolated from 3 rearing facilities and from multiple sources: eggs, larvae, pupae and spent diet, and were found to include some isolates identified to the genus Providencia (Enterobacteriales: Morganellaceae). We …

Does Artificial Lighting Cause Sea Turtle Hatchling Disorientations?, Kate Hickey

Biology Student Scholarship

Sea turtle hatchlings run into obstacles from the minute they emerge from their shell. They have a 1 in 1,000 survival rate and new obstacles are on the horizon. Coastal development is increasing and is not planning on slowing down. It supports and funds tourism, but has some negative implications on the wildlife that uses this area, like sea turtles. A particular problem with development is the artificial lighting it emits which is effecting sea turtles nesting. When the hatchlings emerge from the nest, they use the horizon and moon to guide them in the direction of the sea. The …

The Effects Of Urban Landscape, Soundscape, And Light Pollution On Avian Diversity And Nesting In South San Antonio, Texas, Alfredo Llamas

Masters Theses (Archived)

As critical habitat continues to dwindle due to the expansion of urbanization, alternative habitat in urban ecosystems becomes a necessary natural resource for the survival of birds. In the last decade, local San Antonio environmental authorities have focused their efforts on restoring the San Antonio Mission Reach. Ecological revitalization of the San Antonio Mission Reach could increase avian, and flora biodiversity with ongoing restoration, yet how birds use restored habitat has not been assessed. Additionally, south of the Reach, two more peri-urban sites have great potential to be high quality habitat for birds but have not been surveyed for nesting …

The Effects Of Anthropogenic Sensory Pollution On Arthropod Diversity And Pollinator Behavior, Sierra Dee Rodriguez, Jennifer N. Phillips Phd

Masters Theses (Archived)

Pollinators provide a key ecological function in terrestrial ecosystems, yet in recent years, they have encountered unprecedented declines, likely due to anthropogenic change. Light and noise pollution, which can interfere with the visual and auditory systems of animals that regulate daily behaviors, are important factors to consider when communities are encroached by human development. While many researchers have looked at how vertebrate species behaviorally react to human caused habitat degradation and sensory pollution, little is known about how invertebrates, including arthropod pollinators, are affected, and whether there is a negative cascading effect on the plants that they pollinate. This research …

The Effect Of Nuclear Power On Carbon Intensity, Lukas Mullaney

Biology Student Scholarship

The world is currently facing one of the biggest threats to the environment in its history: the warming of the Earth’s surface due to climate change. One major contributor is the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere by humans. To reduce these emissions, countries are making a concerted effort to invest in more sustainable energy sources. Nuclear power is one green energy source that can potentially support the transition to lower carbon emissions. Nuclear power plants release no carbon emissions during the generation of electricity. The only emissions are a result of maintenance, such as …

Effect Of Natural Disasters On Coastal Human Populations Of The Southeastern U.S., Caitlin Mchugh

Biology Student Scholarship

Due to climate change, extreme weather events and natural disasters are becoming more prevalent, and the severity of these events is increasing (Sheldon & Zhan, 2022). Over the last 40 years, the number of billion-dollar natural disasters has gone up. The U.S, averaged 3 billion-dollar disasters per year in the 1980s compared to the average 13 per year in the 2010s (USAFacts, 2023). With natural disasters comes loss of life, infrastructure, and resources that can leave a physical and economic toll on communities for many years if not generations. While some global studies have found that natural disasters increase households’ …

The Effect Of Water Temperature On Tiger Shark Location, Philip Gelso

Biology Student Scholarship

The tiger shark is a keystone species in its ecosystem. As an apex predator, the tiger shark keeps the entire ecosystem in balance such as maintaining seagrass and coral reef habitats. The rise of ocean surface temperatures have become an issue over the past decades due to the increase in energy from the sun trapped by greenhouse grasses. This change in ocean surface temperature can have detrimental impacts on the ocean environment and the life cycles of many species including the tiger shark. Therefore, this project evaluates the change in location of tiger sharks in relation to water temperature.BIO …

Element Levels In Soil Depend On Elevation, Sean Harris

Biology Student Scholarship

Elements, such as arsenic, copper, phosphorus, and calcium, in soil can help biological processes if content levels are not too low or excessive. Arsenic in soil is toxic at high levels and so too much is harmful to vegetation. Copper is important for plants because it helps with chlorophyll and seed production. Phosphorus helps with plant growth, especially for new seedlings. Calcium in soil is not completely needed at high levels, but it does strengthen plants’ health. However, with factors such as different environments, average precipitation levels, and elevation levels in different counties in the Northeast, element content level differ. …

Land And Energy, Devan Viani

Biology Student Scholarship

Land use has and will continue to be a complicated topic. We need land to succeed as a country and a species, but it is equally as important to keep the land as pristine as possible to not affect natural ecosystems. As population continues to increase, urbanization and economic growth has inevitably had an impact on climate change.¹ Parallel to an increase in land development is an increase in power generation. As cities grow, technology evolves, and energy use goes up. With this increase in technology, new sources of power generation are emerging. While fossil fuels have always been the …

Precipitation Effects On Butterfly Species Richness, Maggie Ritchie

Biology Student Scholarship

Butterflies are important pollinators that have been impacted due to climate change(1). Studies have looked at how the increasing temperatures and precipitation due to climate change may be playing a role in decreasing populations among some species in Mediterranean climates(2). However, the effects of precipitation have not been considered when looking at changing butterfly populations around the United States. Therefore, increasing precipitation amounts due to climate change may contribute to the decreasing populations of butterflies in Massachusetts.BIO 340 final project

The Impact Of Age And Catch Location On The Mortality Rates Of Striped Bass, Owen Finnegan

Biology Student Scholarship

Striped bass are one of the most popular and sought-after gamefish in the United States for recreation and commercial fishermen. This popularity comes from their size, with many fish reaching 40+ pounds, a prominent dish in seafood restaurants, and their expansive habitat as they inhabit waters from Florida to Canada (1). During the late 1970s/80s, the population began sharply declining due to overfishing, and governments enacted regulations to stabilize the population (1). However, as of 2020, overfishing is still occurring, and regulations are continuously evolving (1). Each state has their own rules and regulations for possessing striped bass for commercial …

Does More Pollen Mean More Sneezing?, Diraliz Cruz

Biology Student Scholarship

Every year millions of people suffer from seasonal allergies, according to the CDC about 25% of adults have to deal with these allergies. Pollen comes from all different things like trees, grasses, and weeds and as climate change increases annually the amount of pollen released into the air also increases. Research has shown that climate change has specifically impacted the amount of birch and oak pollen released annually. Although there is data to show that there has been an increase in pollen release there is little to no information on if the prevalence of allergies has increased or decreased along …

The Influence Of Sampling Frequency On Bee Species Richness, Courtney Caccamo

Biology Student Scholarship

As one of Earth’s most valuable pollinators, bees provide important pollination services to wild plant species and crops alike (Winfree 2010). But, in recent years, bee populations appear to be declining due to a variety of anthropogenic drivers (Potts et al. 2010). Quantifying the extent of bee population decline is difficult because there is currently a lack of a standardized protocol for how best to survey bee populations (Tepedino & Portman 2021). One of the commonly used survey methods is pan trapping, which involves leaving out yellow, white, and blue bowls filled with soapy water to passively sample the species …

Intermittent Synchronization In Gamma-Band Neural Oscillations, Anh Nguyen, Leonid L. Rubchinsky

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.