Digital Commons Network^™

Utilizing Maternal Investment Strategies Of Sharks To Develop Management Tools To Aid In Shark Conservation, Dennis Deeken

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Every generation, breeding females and males repopulate ecosystems with the next generation of offspring. Two models link maternal investments in offspring size and number to natural selection processes. In unstable resource environments, bet-hedging models predict a conservative tradeoff in maternal investments resulting in moderate egg size and clutch size within a given range of sizes for a given species. r/K selection models make predictions on maternal investments across species. In unstable resource environments, r-selected species invest in large broods of small offspring. In stable environments, K-selected species invest in small broods of large offspring. The maternal risk management model predicts …

Design And Assessment Of A Novel Edna Survey Method For The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon Couperi), Emily K. Galbraith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

1. Accurate information about species range declines is the cornerstone of effective conservation when habitat loss drives biodiversity loss. The Eastern Indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) is an apex predator in Florida and, like many other native Florida species, is threatened by widespread habitat destruction. Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring of this elusive snake would provide a low-risk and low-cost approach to expand our knowledge of the species’ range and distribution.

2. We designed and tested an eDNA assay that can detect the presence of Eastern Indigo snake from soil samples of their natural habitat. This assay was …

The Effects Of Rice Bran Oil As A Repellent For Aedes Aegypti Compared To Mineral Oil And Effective Natural Repellents, Aleena Chattha

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Phytoremediation Of Escherichia Coli In Contaminated Water By Lemna Minor, Salvinia Minima, And Azolla Caroliniana, Madison Han

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Spirulina Major And Oscillatoria On Reducing The Acidity Of Freshwater Containing Antibacterial Liquid And Bar Soaps ., Kartik Valluri

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of Lithium Chloride In Eliciting A Taste Aversion Response In Blaptica Dubia, Ava Phelps

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Interactions Between Juvenile Estuary-Dependent Fishes And Microalgal Dynamics, Ian C. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ontogenetic movement of juvenile estuary-dependent fishes upstream in estuarine settings is a phenomenon observed around the world. These movements usually coincide with a shift in diet from smaller prey, such as calanoid copepods, to larger prey, such as mysids. However, the mechanism that drives this pattern has yet to be conclusively described. Prior to the current study, zooplankton/hyperbenthos (“zooplankton”), primary production, and water quality data were collected from the Caloosahatchee River estuary in two concurrent and coordinated studies over a two-year period. One of the products of these sampling efforts was a classification of primary-producer types at the sediment-water …

Ec Expression Of Activated K-Ras Leads To Capillary Deficiency Due To Excessive Lumen Formation, Reduced Pericyte Recruitment, And An Increased Susceptibility To Mmp-1-Dependent Vascular Regression, Zheying Sun

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Activated k-Ras mutations play a role in a variety of pathological conditions, such as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). To study the effect of activated k-Ras mutation on lumen formation, we engineered human ECs to simultaneously express the activated k-Ras (G12V) mutation and compared their ability to form lumens with control ECs. We demonstrated that ECs with k-RasV12 lead to marked stimulation of EC lumen formation due to dramatic increases in intracellular vacuole formation and fusion, signaling changes including accelerated Src kinase activation, and MT1-MMP-dependent lumen expansion, all of which drive the process of lumen formation. The markedly accentuated lumen formation is …

Covid-19-Impacted Research And Education In Global Healthcare And Stem: Evaluation Of Case Studies, Yumna Indorewala, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The zoonotic novel coronavirus has posed major challenges to the world’s economy, social development, and public health. Effects in the education and research in the field of healthcare and STEM are accentuated in lower-developed countries or communities where the access to technology and a reliable internet connection are luxuries making it difficult to attain education virtually. The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has also disrupted research and training in STEM and healthcare. With significant increases in infection rates there is an urge to redirect projects towards virology research and vaccine development. This comprehensive literature review includes case studies highlighting the …

Global Research In Anatomy And Physiology During Covid-19: Lessons Learnt And Future Recommendations, Harsh Chheda, Jeet Patel, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The ongoing Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a significant disruption in several areas of research within the fields of Anatomy and Physiology. With the whole world coming to a standstill, research of any kind was difficult to pursue, especially in these disciplines requiring kinesthetic/tactile application of concepts or testing hypotheses through hands-on engagement, as the new social guidelines and risks to certain groups of people hindered up-to-date research-data collection. However, with new technology and protocols created or adopted, there has been an effort to better help students and scientists to conduct research remotely; such alternatives cannot effectively …

Summer 2022 Biology Internship: Medical University Of Graz, Austria, Sruthi Kundur, Maria Paula Farez

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

This internship was a 6 week internship program in Graz, Austria at the Medical University of Graz. This program allows for intercampus and institutional interaction in multiple scientific research disciplines whereby young scientists gain exposure, direction and guidance during their developing career paths. During the internship you will be to assist a transplant surgical team. Additionally, you can assist Dr. Philipp Siegler in their mini project.

Md Anderson Cancer Center Summer Experience, Lijo Andrews, Sachita Guthula

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Given that there still exist cancers that are unresponsive to immunotherapy, high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation offers an alternative solution to bolstering anti-tumor immunity. Linear energy transfer is energy transferred per unit distance. Alpha particles have higher LET than other forms of radiotherapy and can create clustered DNA lesions. A possible component of these lesions is micronuclei, cytoplasmic DNA that can stimulate downstream immunostimulatory mechanisms. Because alpha particles cannot travel far, we utilized diffusing alpha-emitters radiation therapy (DaRT) to diffuse the alpha particles over a larger tumor volume. This occurs through the decay of the radium-224 seed, which forms …

Trick To The Treat Of Internships And Research: Health Literacy Project: Awareness Of Autism In Black And Brown Communities, Varun Kota, Mark Jaffe

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects a multitude of races and ethnicities as its impact varies from person to person. ASD is typically diagnosed around the age of two to three years old since signs and symptoms of Autism develop then. Increased reporting of Autism in local communities has surged because of better diagnostic tools and criteria as well as public awareness. However, even with these advancements, the African American community suffers a delayed diagnosis for ASD. This issue poses problems for both the parents and children with Autism; opportunities are limited for developmental services by a delayed diagnosis. A literature …

Sea-Phages Research Opportunity, Sarah Ballarin

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Research opportunity targeted for freshmen and sophomores through the SEA-PHAGES program. The goal of the research is to discover new bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) to help combat antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy is a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. Phages have also been widely used in the food industry to prevent microbial growth on certain foods and are currently being explored as a method for bioremediation of oil spills and wastewater treatment.

Last year, my research team discovered two new bacteriophages: Genamy16 and NovaSharks that were able to infect the bacteria Gordonia rubripertincta. These phages can possibly be used for …

Global Education In Anatomy And Physiology During Covid-19: Lessons Learnt And Future Recommendations, Sean Mahajan, Sneh Patel, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted several essential aspects of anatomy and physiology education worldwide. With this pandemic, dynamic instructional and technological interventions have been taking place rapidly in an effort to minimize the adverse repercussions of moving away from the traditional means of education in these critical scientific disciplines. COVID-19 has necessitated higher educational administrations, faculty, and students to pursue teaching, learning, and assessment of anatomy and physiology courses/curricula through innovative strategies without compromising on the quality or rigor of education. Our study encapsulates, for the first time, globally published reports on the key implications of …

Trick To The Treat: Penn Medicine Princeton Health Hospital, Divya Papaiya

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

I participated in the volunteering program of Penn Medicine Princeton Health over this summer from May to August. There are multiple departments you have the chance to volunteer in, but I was placed in the Peri-Operative Unit (pre and post-surgery unit). Volunteering allowed me to gain bedside manners by helping to serve and discharge patients while also letting me learn how day-to-day tasks in a hospital are run and how important it is to be dedicated in providing the best care possible to all people who walk through the hospital doors seeking aid.

Stem-Away: Mentor Chains Internships, Isha K. Pasumarthi

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Mission: Helping students discover the potential & beauty of STEM, the joy of problem-solving and a STEM career that resonates with them.

Practicum In Biology, Alina Poothurail

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The Practicum in Biology Course is a unique course which will help you develop essential skills for the advancement of your professional development. With various different assignments, you will learn how to conduct literature reviews, analyze research studies, and give excellent Journal Club Presentations. In addition, this course will prepare you for graduate school and the workforce as a result of conducting mock interviews, revising or creating your resume, and creating a personal statement or Cover Letter with the help of Nova Southeastern University’s Career Development Office. All components of this course were designed to provide you excel in your …

Research Internship At Marcus Neuroscience Institute, Abhinav Ankem

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

My internship experience at the Baptist Health Marcus Neuroscience Institute allowed me to pursue an opportunity in researching neuro inflammation with specific types of strokes and injuries resulting from impaired blood flow to the brain. I work with data from the lab, and with analyzing multiple pieces of literature for a greater understanding of the topics of interest in the lab. Lastly, I work with the staff and principal investigator to confirm my findings and work ahead on the data analysis.

Science Alive, Trisha Sudhakar, Rajin Persaud

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The goal of Science Alive is to provide a “sense of wonder” not only for the grade-school children but for the college students and their faculty as well. Science Alive serves to reinforce the scientific knowledge of local grade-school students and community members, while enhancing the education and career development opportunities for college students. Our group does this by providing opportunities for youth to explore science beyond the textbooks through hands-on, interactive discovery, which stimulates interest and fosters confidence for college and grade-school students alike. Our groups lead on-campus and in-class workshops, weekend clubs, after-school programs, and other community events. …

Pfizer Summer Growth Experience, Arman Kakkar

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

From May 9, 2022 till July 29, 2022, I served as a Research Intern at Pfizer. Specifically, I worked in the Vaccine Research and Development Sector in the High Throughput Clinical Immunoassays and Diagnostics Group (HCID). In this group, I was responsible for Phase 3 testing of clinical trial material for the Covid-19 Vaccine. Over this time, I learned a great deal about the process of vaccine production from start to finish. Additionally, I was able to make numerous connections. This is definitely an experience I would recommend to others.

Independent Study (Biol 4990): Global Implications Of Covid-19 On Education And Research In Stem And Healthcare: Analysis Of Case Studies, Yumna Indorewala

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The zoonotic novel coronavirus presents as a major challenge to the world’s economy, social development, and public health. Effects in the education and research in the field of healthcare and STEM are accentuated in lower-developed countries or communities where the access to technology and a reliable internet connection are luxuries making it difficult to attain education virtually. COVID-19 has also disrupted research and training in STEM and healthcare. With significant increases in infection rates there is an urge to redirect projects towards virology research and vaccine development. This comprehensive literature review includes case studies highlighting the consequences of COVID-19 on …

Trick To The Treat: Protein Modeling, Pujita Julakanti

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Protein Modeling is a unique way of understanding a protein and its interactions. In this specific experience, students can find a protein that is interesting to them. Then, they can use protein visualization software such as Jmol and PyMOL to be able to see the structure better. They could write scripts in which they change parts of the protein for enhancement or simply to visualize the protein interactions. Overall, it is a great way to get involved in research. Luckily for NSU students, there is an Honors Intro to Protein Modeling course they can take with Dr. Schmitt and Dr. …

Bacteria Unearthed, Varsha Chigurupati, Mark Sourial, Katrina Maktaz, Alana Bertrand

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Bacteria Unearthed is an NSU initiative to bring together high school and college students to participate in Tiny Earth: an international consortium of researchers searching for novel microorganisms and antibiotics to combat antibiotic drug resistance.

Viruses In Astrobiology, Ignacio De La Higuera, Ester Lázaro

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, and yet, they have not received enough consideration in astrobiology. Viruses are also extraordinarily diverse, which is evident in the types of relationships they establish with their host, their strategies to store and replicate their genetic information and the enormous diversity of genes they contain. A viral population, especially if it corresponds to a virus with an RNA genome, can contain an array of sequence variants that greatly exceeds what is present in most cell populations. The fact that viruses always need cellular resources to multiply means that they establish very …

Subtype C Hiv-1 Reservoirs Throughout The Body In Art-Suppressed Individuals, Zhou Liu, Peter Julius, Guobin Kang, John T. West, Charles Wood

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Subtype B HIV-1 reservoirs have been intensively investigated, but reservoirs in other subtypes and how they respond to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is substantially less established. To characterize subtype C HIV-1 reservoirs, we implemented postmortem frozen, as well as formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue sampling of central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues. HIV-1 LTR, gag, envelope (env) DNA and RNA was quantified using genomic DNA and RNA extracted from frozen tissues. RNAscope was used to localize subtype C HIV-1 DNA and RNA in FFPE tissue. Despite uniform viral load suppression in our cohort, PCR results …

Loss Of Non-Motor Kinesin Kif26a Causes Congenital Brain Malformations Via Dysregulated Neuronal Migration And Axonal Growth As Well As Apoptosis, Xuyu Qian, Ellen M Degennaro, Maya Talukdar, Shyam K Akula, Abbe Lai, Diane D Shao, Dilenny Gonzalez, Jack H Marciano, Richard S Smith, Norma K Hylton, Edward Yang, J Fernando Bazan, Lee Barrett, Rebecca C Yeh, R Sean Hill, Samantha G Beck, Aoi Otani, Jolly Angad, Tadahiro Mitani, Jennifer E Posey, Davut Pehlivan, Daniel Calame, Hatip Aydin, Osman Yesilbas, Kendall C Parks, Emanuela Argilli, Eleina England, Kiho Im, Ajay Taranath, Hamish S Scott, Christopher P Barnett, Peer Arts, Elliott H Sherr, James R Lupski, Christopher A Walsh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Kinesins are canonical molecular motors but can also function as modulators of intracellular signaling. KIF26A, an unconventional kinesin that lacks motor activity, inhibits growth-factor-receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2)- and focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-dependent signal transduction, but its functions in the brain have not been characterized. We report a patient cohort with biallelic loss-of-function variants in KIF26A, exhibiting a spectrum of congenital brain malformations. In the developing brain, KIF26A is preferentially expressed during early- and mid-gestation in excitatory neurons. Combining mice and human iPSC-derived organoid models, we discovered that loss of KIF26A causes excitatory neuron-specific defects in radial migration, localization, dendritic and …

Correlation Of Phosphorus Adsorption With Chemical Properties Of Aluminum-Based Drinking Water Treatment Residuals Collected From Various Parts Of The United States, Roxana Rahmati, Virinder Sidhu, Rosita Nunez, Rupali Datta, Dibyendu Sarkar

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Over the past several decades, the value of drinking water treatment residuals (WTRs), a byproduct of the coagulation process during water purification, has been recognized in various environmental applications, including sustainable remediation of phosphorus (P)-enriched soils. Aluminum-based WTRs (Al-WTRs) are suitable adsorbent materials for P, which can be obtained and processed inexpensively. However, given their heterogeneous nature, it is essential to identify an easily analyzable chemical property that can predict the capability of Al-WTRs to bind P before soil amendment. To address this issue, thirteen Al-WTRs were collected from various geographical locations around the United States. The non-hazardous nature of …

Phosphorus And Heavy Metals Removal From Stormwater Runoff Using Granulated Industrial Waste For Retrofitting Catch Basins, Viravid Na Nagara, Dibyendu Sarkar, Rupali Datta

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Phosphorus and heavy metals are washed off and transported with stormwater runoff to nearby surface water bodies resulting in environmental and human health risks. Catch basins remain one of the primary gateways through which stormwater runoff and pollutants from urban areas are transported. Retrofitting catch basins to enhance their phosphorus and heavy metal removal can be an effective approach. In this study, aluminum-based water treatment residual (WTR, a non-hazardous byproduct of the water treatment process) was granulated via a green method to serve as a sustainable filter material, called WTR granules, for enhancing the capabilities of catch basins to remove …

Ocean Acidification Does Not Overlook Sex: Review Of Understudied Effects And Implications Of Low Ph On Marine Invertebrate Sexual Reproduction, Jacqueline L. Padilla-Gamiño, Lindsay Alma, Laura H. Spencer, Yaamini R. Venkataraman, Leah Wessler

Biology

Sexual reproduction is a fundamental process essential for species persistence, evolution, and diversity. However, unprecedented oceanographic shifts due to climate change can impact physiological processes, with important implications for sexual reproduction. Identifying bottlenecks and vulnerable stages in reproductive cycles will enable better prediction of the organism, population, community, and global-level consequences of ocean change. This article reviews how ocean acidification impacts sexual reproductive processes in marine invertebrates and highlights current research gaps. We focus on five economically and ecologically important taxonomic groups: cnidarians, crustaceans, echinoderms, molluscs and ascidians. We discuss the spatial and temporal variability of experimental designs, identify trends …