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The Evolution Of Hymenopteran Recombination Rates, Timothy John Delory

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Individuals of some species mix their DNA frequently when producing sex cells, while others do so much less. Hymenopterans (ants bees and wasps) are especially useful for understanding this variation for several reasons. They show large differences in this frequency of shuffling, or rate of recombination, have well-studied genomes, and vary widely in how they live and reproduce. I capitalized on these features examines how recombination rates have evolved in this group at the trait, and gene level.

First, I revisited long-standing ideas about why recombination rates differ among these species, incorporating more than a decade of new research. This …

Fibrous Protein Biomaterials: Characterization Of Solitary Bee Silk And Cocoons, And Development Of Recombinant Hagfish And Bee Silk Materials, Oran Wasserman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation explores two complementary aspects of fibrous protein biomaterials: the characterization of understudied naturally occurring solitary bee silk and cocoons; and recombinant expression and biomaterial formation of recombinant hagfish intermediate filaments (rHIF) and a single Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) silk protein. Some solitary bee species, which make up about 75% of all bee species, spin silk to construct protective cocoons during development. Despite the importance of silk and cocoons to the solitary bees' life history, their properties remain largely unexplored. This dissertation presents a novel method for isolating and testing individual silk fibers without interfering with the development …

Secondary Biology Teachers’ Understandings Of Growth Mindset, Kathryn Chapman

Dissertations

This case study investigates how high school biology teachers understand and apply growth mindset principles in their daily instruction. Using surveys, semi‑structured interviews, and focus groups, the study examines how biology teachers interpret mindset, how they attempt to enact it, and how curriculum demands shape their efforts. Findings show that teachers’ beliefs about intelligence strongly influence their feedback, expectations, and instructional decisions. Teachers described biology as a subject in which struggle is highly visible, emotionally charged, and often tied to students’ prior knowledge, making mindset work both necessary and challenging. Results also indicate that students’ mindsets are shaped by broader …

Phytochemical Analysis And Safety Assessment Of Watercress Nasturtium Officinale: Antioxidant Capacity, Heavy Metal Profiling, And Toxicity Using Brine Shrimp Model, Qurrota A’Yunin, Chamini Kasun Hemachandra, Muhaimin Rifa’I, Yoga Dwi Jatmiko, Maftuch Maftuch, Rizky Fadilla Agustin Rangkuti, Cucun Herlina, Zulfa Mahdiatur Rasyida, Moh Dliyauddin

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Medicinal plants have attracted growing attention as sources of natural bioactive compounds for sustainable aquaculture and health. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, heavy metal profile, and acute toxicity of watercress (Nasturtium officinale W.T. Aiton) methanol extract using maceration, qualitative and quantitative (TPC, TFC, antioxidant DPPH) phytochemical assay, XRF, and BSLA. Phytochemical screening of plant extracts showed the existence of flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, tannins, triterpenoids, and saponins, but not steroidal. The TPC and TFC were 20.6 mg GAE/g and 10.8 mg QE/g, respectively. The extract displayed significant antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 64.78 µg/mL in DPPH assay). …

Thermoclock:A Novel Automated Temperature Regulation Device That Can Model Circadian Entrainment And Disruption In 2d And 3d In Vitro Models, Kaiyin Kelly Zhang, Cathryn A. Cutia, Chanelle A. Moise, Bhavna Kalyanaraman, Kaitlyn Chhe, Jiexin Wang, Michelle E. Farkas, Ilia N. Karatsoreos, Mary Harrington, Meghan E. Huber, Cathal J. Kearney

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Circadian rhythms are critical for maintaining homeostasis and regulating physiological functions, and consequentially impact disease progression; yet, they remain largely overlooked in in vitro models used in preclinical research. One major barrier to rigorously testing the role of circadian rhythms in these models is the lack of accessible tools that seamlessly integrate into standard culture setups and are capable of sustainably delivering time cues to cells and tissues in long term experiments. Here, we present the ThermoClock, a low-cost, Arduino-based automated temperature control system capable of delivering independent temperature programs to multiple cultures simultaneously. Using circadian reporter U2OS cell lines …

Betwixt Two Dams: Persistence And Angler Use Of Two Trout Taxa In A Western Nebraska Tailwater Fishery, Lauren R. Allex

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Stocking catchable-sized trout is a widely used management strategy to create and maintain recreational fisheries. However, the success of these programs relies on if the fish is caught and how long the fish remain available to anglers. Lake Ogallala is a dynamic tailwater cool-water reservoir that has been managed as a salmonid fishery since 1941 where Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) has stocked 8 different salmonids to maintain a recreational fishery. Currently, NGPC is stocking Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and Cutbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss x clarkii.

In order to understand the angler dynamics of this fishery, creel surveys collected …

Microplastic Effect On Behavior Of Nudibranch (Berghia Stephanieae); A Trophic Transfer Study, Isabela Salina Fernandes Beneli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the continuous rise in economic supply and demand, an enormous increase in waste, litter, and pollution has been seen globally, with plastic pollution being the most abundant category. Microplastic (< 5 mm), derived from larger plastics, pollution is intensely widespread across marine ecosystems and can be transferred across trophic levels through predator-prey interactions. Recent studies have shown that ingestion of MPs can damage cells, tissues, and internal organs and increases oxidative stress leading to malformations, reduced feeding and growth, , and slower developmental rates in a wide array of organisms. This study examined the trophic transfer of microplastics (MPs) from the anemone Exaiptasia pallida to its specialist predator Berghia stephanieae, and evaluated the effects of exposure on predator behavior. A dose-response experiment demonstrated that MP retention in E. pallida decreased over time, although higher exposure concentrations resulted in greater initial microplastic concentrations. Trophic transfer to B. stephanieae was confirmed through feeding experiments. Behavioral assays revealed that B. stephanieae did not exhibit a preference between MP-exposed and control prey. However, microplastic …

Effects Of Scion And Rootstock On Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis And Spore Communities In Vitis Vinifera, Nicholas Vergara, Stephen Bentivenga

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate root symbionts that extend host nutrient uptake in exchange for photosynthate. Nearly all commercial wine grapes (Vitis vinifera) are grafted onto American rootstocks selected for phylloxera resistance, drought tolerance, and vigor, meaning the root system interfacing with soil fungi is genetically distinct from the fruiting scion. Whether root system origin shapes AMF association remains poorly resolved, particularly in sandy, low-fertility soils. We compared AMF colonization and spore communities across four rootstock–scion combinations (Cabernet Franc and Merlot scions, own-rooted and riparian rootstock) at William Heritage® Winery in Mullica Hill, NJ. Fine roots were cleared, stained, …

Comparison Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Colonization And Spore Communities Between Clover-Dominated Cover Crop And Restored Native Grass Systems, Nicholas Vergara, Stephen Bentivenga

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate root symbionts that extend host nutrient uptake in exchange for photosynthate. Restored native grasslands and cover-cropped fields represent contrasting management strategies applied to former conventional farmland, differing in both tillage frequency and plant diversity, yet how these strategies shape AMF association in sandy, low-fertility soils remains largely understudied. We compared AMF colonization and spore communities between two adjacent sites converted approximately three years prior at the Bishop Farmstead, Southampton Township, NJ: a restored grassland dominated by Panicum virgatum and an agricultural field under white and red clover cover (Trifolium repens, T. pratense). Fine roots …

Oncogenic E-Cadherin-Dependent Metastasis And Potential Therapeutic Interventions, Madison K. Duenas, Anjela Anand, Paige Cano, Ralph Boccia, Mary Alpaugh

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Oncogenic E-cadherin-dependent metastasis is a paradoxical mechanism of cancer progression whereby E-cadherin, a cell-to-cell adhesion protein that normally suppresses tumor invasion, instead promotes the formation of cohesive cell tumor clusters that collectively invade surrounding tissues and metastasize. This phenomenon has been extensively studied using inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) models, including the MARY-X xenograft and SUM149 cell line, while comparisons with other breast cancer models such as MDA-MB-231 continue to provide insight into E-cadherin-independent metastatic mechanisms. This project reviews recent literature investigating the molecular mechanisms behind it and evaluates emerging therapeutic strategies targeting E-cadherin-associated cellular pathways. Laboratory techniques, including spheroid generation …

Modeling Nonequilibrium Community Dynamics Of Bivalves In The Indian River Lagoon, Jada Lee Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Benthic infaunal communities are widely-used indicators for assessing estuarine health, especially in systems that experience frequent disturbances and hydrological fluctuations. However, using benthic infauna to predict ecosystem responses to future disturbances remains a challenge. The Indian River Lagoon (IRL), spanning 40% of Florida's east coast, is a prime example of a complex estuary that has experienced decades of hydrological alterations leading to reduced water quality, sediment composition, and biodiversity. To assess benthic bivalve community dynamics in response to disturbances, an emerging Empirical Dynamic Modeling (EDM) approach was applied to a large test dataset comprising 17 years of benthic bivalve abundances …

Investigating Tumor-Stromal Interactions That Drive Breast Cancer Angiogenesis And Metastasis, Alessandra Dimauro

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Metastatic breast cancer remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat, with a five-year survival rate that drops from 99% for localized disease to just 33% once distant metastases are present. This disparity reflects a fundamental gap in our understanding of how breast tumors spread and highlights the urgent need to improve our understanding of breast cancer metastasis to aid in development of novel therapeutics. Emerging evidence establishes that metastasis requires interactions between tumor cells and non-tumor stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment. The first aim of this dissertation investigates the role of Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 (DDR2), a …

Bridging The Gap In Science Research: Preparing Students For College- Level Research In The Sciences, Victoria Helwig, Yaoguang Li

UConn Library Presentations

Many first-year students enter college unprepared to fully engage with scientific literature and academic library resources. Drawing on experiences from academic librarians working with STEM students, this session explores common gaps in science research skills, including navigating databases, identifying scholarly sources, and understanding the structure of scientific literature. Participants will be introduced to practical strategies and classroom-ready activities to better prepare students for college-level research. Discussion questions: What science research skills do students struggle with most when entering college? How can high school instruction better support these skills? Where can librarians and educators collaborate to support student success?

The Evolution Of Regulatory Architectures Underlying Phenotypic Plasticity, Shweta Agarwal

Biology ETDs

Phenotypic plasticity refers to a mechanism where a single genotype results in distinct phenotypes in response to distinct environments, making it a key mechanism for persistence under environmental change. Phenotypic plasticity can arise from two distinct regulatory architectures: epistatically regulated plasticity or environmentally sensitive loci. The evolutionary forces shaping these architectures remain unclear. I use the recombination modifier framework to explore how the regulatory architecture of plasticity evolves across a range of selection regimes, including the rate of environmental change and the costs and benefits of plasticity. I find that the evolution of the regulatory architecture of phenotypic plasticity requires …

Scale-Dependent Drivers Of Demographic Change For American Pikas (Ochotona Princeps) In Glacier National Park, Montana: Local Habitat Characteristics Vs. Regional Climate Trends, Danielle M. Owens

Biology ETDs

Climate change is shifting thermal environments globally, driving range contractions, upslope movement, and poleward shifts across taxa. However, these changes are not uniform: microclimates, shaped by topography, can amplify or decouple operative temperatures from regional trends. The American pika is an ideal model for studying climate-driven population change given its strong site fidelity and thermal sensitivities. We re-surveyed 173 sites in Glacier National Park, originally surveyed in 2007-2010, using an AIC-based model selection to test competing local and regional hypotheses driving three demographic processes: persistence, colonization, and within-patch density change. Pika occupancy increased over the 15-year period, with a net …

Finding Fish Families: Movement And Demography Of Loach Minnow (Tiaroga Cobitis) Inferred From Gt-Seq-Enabled Kinship Analysis, Patrick C. Baca

Biology ETDs

River fragmentation poses major threats to freshwater biodiversity by reducing connectivity and limiting persistence of imperiled desert fishes. Connectivity in streams is impaired by anthropogenic changes, including road crossings, prompting the installation of engineered fish passage structures at low-water road crossings and raising questions about the dispersal of aquatic species across these structures. This thesis investigates the movement of the threatened Loach Minnow (Tiaroga cobitis) by applying a close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) framework in a restored stream (including a fish passage) and a stream without rehabilitation efforts. We developed and optimized a GT-seq panel for relatedness analysis and used it to …

Using Temporal Genomic Data To Uncover Patterns Of Genetic Diversity And Signatures Of Selection For Management Of A Threatened Minnow Species, Erika A. Dunn

Biology ETDs

The Little Colorado River (LCR) spinedace persists only in three isolated watersheds within the LCR Basin in Arizona. This imperiled minnow faces ongoing pressure from habitat alteration, climatic shifts, and invasive non-native predators. Over the past two decades, managers have translocated spinedace within watersheds to increase abundance and expand habitat occupancy. We sequenced a reference genome and analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 475 individuals over their geographic range. DNA samples were obtained from a previous study in the mid-1990s and compared with samples from 2024 and 2025, allowing us to track genetic diversity, effective population size, population structure, and …

Autotrophic And Heterotrophic Contributions To Soil Co2 Fluxes And Variability In A Chihuahuan Desert Grassland, Savannah B. Sanchez

Biology ETDs

Drylands are major drivers of interannual variability in the global terrestrial carbon sink, and their influence is expected to increase as climate change promotes the expansion of hotter and drier regions. Predicting the consequences of these shifts remains challenging because ecosystem models are largely developed for mesic systems, which differ from drylands in water and nutrient availability, decomposition rates, respiration dynamics, and microbial communities. Improving our understanding of carbon cycling in drylands is therefore critical. This research focuses on soil CO₂ efflux, a major pathway of terrestrial carbon release driven by plant root respiration and microbial decomposition. I investigated the …

How To Measure A Carnivore: Understanding The Scaling Of Cranial And Postcranial Elements With Body Mass, Marina Casiano Ruiz

Biology ETDs

Body size is a fundamental predictor of ecological function, life history, and population dynamics in mammals. However, direct measurements of body mass remain unavailable for many rare or extinct species, particularly within the order Carnivora. Allometric relationships between skeletal dimensions and body mass provide a tractable solution; however, previous studies have been limited in their taxonomic scope or trait diversity. Here, we quantify the scaling of 82 cranial and postcranial traits across 97 species from 11 carnivoran families spanning four orders of magnitude in body mass (20g to >500kg). Additionally, we examine the influence of phylogenetic relatedness, dietary specialization, and …

Thermal Sensitivity Of Native And Introduced Crabs: Implications For Reproductive Success, Keria Moritsugu-Vandehey

Dissertations and Theses

Temperature is a major driver of physiological and developmental processes in marine organisms, and continued climate warming is expected to affect reproduction and recruitment in estuarine species. Early life stages are often particularly sensitive to environmental stress, yet relatively little is known about how warming influences embryonic development, hatching success, and larval survival across co-occurring native and introduced crab species.

This study examined the effects of temperature on embryonic development, hatching success, and early larval survival in four estuarine crab species from the Pacific Northwest: the introduced European green crab, Carcinus maenas, and the native shore crabs Hemigrapsus nudus …

Establishing Thermal Bleaching Thresholds For Montastraea Cavernosa On Florida’S Coral Reef, Olivia Faris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Marine heatwaves are increasing in frequency and duration, with widespread bleaching events and mortality impacts observed on Florida’s Coral Reef. However, thermal bleaching thresholds for corals in Southeast Florida are not well established, limiting the ability to forecast or manage response to thermal stress events in the region. This study was designed to establish bleaching thresholds for Montastraea cavernosa, a reef-building stony coral, in Southeast Florida. Ex-situ experiments were conducted where triplicate M. cavernosa fragments of multiple genotypes were exposed to acute thermal stress or held at intermediate temperatures to simulate chronic stress. Thermal performance curves based on photosynthetic …

Toxic Relationships: Characterization Of A Putative Virally Encoded Toxin In The Thermophilic Archaeal Fusellovirus Ssv1, Jonathan C. Abshier, Patrizia L. Alpapara, Guasåli Tomokane, Kenneth M. Stedman

Center for Life in Extreme Environments Publications

Mechanisms for the maintenance of chronic viruses are poorly understood, particularly for archaeal viruses. Here, we identify the product of Sulfolobus spindle-shaped virus 1 (SSV1) ORF a291 as a putative virally encoded toxin required for growth inhibition but dispensable for viral replication and virion production. Viruses lacking ORF a291 replicated their genomes and formed morphologically normal spindle-shaped particles, yet failed to inhibit the growth of uninfected Saccharolobus solfataricus. Substitution of residues at a predicted N-terminal signal peptide cleavage site abolished growth suppression without affecting replication, suggesting that secretion is essential for toxin function. Despite primary sequence divergence among fusellovirus …

Physiological Impacts Of Plastic Ingestion On Sea Turtles, Heather Seaman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, plastic production has increased to astonishing numbers and is predicted to continue. Over time, environmental plastic will degrade into smaller pieces, which sea turtles can mistake for prey. Chemicals associated with plastics have been identified in tissues of sea turtles, and some are suspected to be endocrine disruptors. Sea turtles are known to ingest plastics, but more information is needed to illuminate the potential physiological impacts plastic chemicals may have on sea turtles. This study compared plastic ingestion and toxicant levels across species and ontogenically, as different species and life stages inhabit different areas which will influence …

Enhancing Rapid Reef Resilience Through Transplantation Of Thermally Tolerant Corals In OʻAhu, HawaiʻI, Allison M. Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by marine heatwaves, disease outbreaks, and other anthropogenic stressors, leading to widespread declines in coral cover worldwide. As a result, efforts are increasingly focused on identifying thermally tolerant corals for reef restoration. However, it remains unclear whether thermal tolerance is maintained following transplantation and whether thermally tolerant corals perform differently in novel environments. This dissertation examined thermal tolerance, survivorship, symbiont communities, and growth in two dominant Hawaiian reef-building corals, Montipora capitata and Porites compressa, using a reciprocal transplant experiment between Kāneʻohe Bay and Ulupaʻu, Oʻahu. Initial heat-stress assays showed high thermal tolerance in both …

Hippocampal “Timing Interval Cells” Exhibit Scalable Dynamics For Explicit Timing, Kori-Anne Citrin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability to organize experiences in time is fundamental to episodic memory and enables animals to predict and guide future behavior. Hippocampal time cells are thought to provide a neural representation for the temporal component of memory. However, time cells have been observed in working memory tasks where animals were not required to keep track of elapsed time. Therefore, it remains unclear what are the hippocampal patterns of activity during explicit timing. Here, utilizing behavioral perturbations and calcium imaging in dorsal CA1, we identified a previously unknown pyramidal neuron subpopulation that flexibly scales its activity during explicit timing. As head-fixed …

Electroceuticals In Neuromodulation: Mechanisms, Clinical Applications, And Future Directions, Albashir Tahir, Nura Bello

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Electroceuticals have emerged as an innovative therapeutic approach that employs targeted electrical stimulation to modulate neural circuits and restore physiological balance. Unlike conventional pharmacological treatments, which act through systemic biochemical pathways, electroceuticals enable precise spatial and temporal control of neural activity. The rapid proliferation of electroceutical devices across clinical and investigational settings, combined with accelerating advances in artificial intelligence, closed-loop engineering, and bioelectronic interface design, has generated an urgent need for rigorous, critically appraised synthesis to guide evidence-based clinical adoption and inform future research priorities. This review addresses the rapidly expanding field of bioelectronic medicine by providing a critical synthesis …

Cytotoxicity Of Bioactive Peptides From Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata L. Walp) Against Breast Cancer Cells (Mcf-7), Dian R. Ningsih, Zusfahair Zusfahair, Ely Setiawan, Purwati Purwati, Kasta Gurning, Fitri A. Puspita Sari, Elya Widiawati

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Cancer is characterized by dysregulated metabolic signaling pathways, leading to uncontrolled cellular proliferation. Current cancer treatments, which involve surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, still cause adverse systemic toxicities. Accordingly, one possible effort that can be undertaken is to explore safe anticancer substances from protein sources such as peptides. Bioactive peptides can be isolated by hydrolyzing cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) protein with trypsin. The objectives of this study were to isolate and fractionate bioactive peptides from cowpea, to determine the anticancer activity of peptide fractions, to identify active peptide fractions as anticancer agents using Liquid Chromatography High Resolution Mass Spectrometry …

In Vivo Expression Profiling Of Listeria Monocytogenes Internalins (Inlf, Inlp, Inlj) And Their Corresponding Host Receptors (Vim, Afdn, Muc2) Using A Rabbit Ligated Intestinal Loop Model, Nawar Al-Janabi, Nadhim Mushtaq Hashim Al-Bderee, Zahraa M. Madania, Mohanad Jawad Kadhim

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive pathogen that causes severe infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Internalin genes are important virulence factors that facilitate the bacterium's invasion of host cells. This research aimed to quantify in vivo expression of selected internalin genes (inlF, inlP, and inlJ) and their corresponding host receptors (VIM, AFDN, and MUC2) during L. monocytogenes infection. To achieve this aim, a rabbit ligated intestinal loop model was constructed comprising two intestinal loops. The first loop was injected with 1 mL of L. monocytogenes (1 × 10⁷ CFU/mL), while the second loop was injected with 1 mL of PBS as …

Exogenous Ribosome Incorporation Induces Lineage Transdifferentiation In Intestinal And Liver Cancer Cells, Haoxuan Gu, Nadia Wahyuningsih, Keisuke Yamashita, Shota Inoue, Fuchao Tan, Mani Sharaki, Muhaimin Rifa’I, Kunimasa Ohta

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

It has previously been shown that exogenous bacterial ribosomes added to somatic cells and various cancer cell lines generate ribosome-induced cell clusters (RICs) capable of transdifferentiating into multiple cellular lineages. However, the scope of ribosome-induced transdifferentiation in cancer cells remains poorly understood. This study aimed to analyze the effects of exogenous ribosome incorporation on human cancer cell lines, specifically the intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 and the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. Caco-2 and HepG2 cells were cultured with purified bacterial ribosomes in human ES/iPS cell medium after trypsinization, resulting in the formation of ribosome-induced Caco-2 (RICs-Ca) and HepG2 (RICs-He) …

Tapping Into The Ocean’S Hidden Energy: Feasibility Of A 5 Mw Otec Installation In North Bali, Widodo Setiyo Pranowo, Yani Permanawati, Gisela Malya Asoka Anindita, Agung Kurniawan, Albertus Sulaiman, Johar Setiyadi, Safri Burhanuddin, Ivonne Milichristi Radjawane, Hansan Park, Endro Sigit Kurniawan

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Indonesia is an archipelagic country surrounded by water and faces energy challenges due to the low use of renewable energy. Among the potential renewable options, marine energy is a particularly suitable resource given the country’s geographical nature. Based on this discussion, seawater temperature can be used as an alternative ocean thermal en-ergy known as ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) by using the difference in sea surface and deep-sea water temperatures. Therefore, this study aimed to examine OTEC installations in North Bali waters using closed-cycle OTEC calculations for a 5 MW system. Following this objective, we examined the water conditions by …