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Elasmobranchii Oral Microbiome Diversity Within Southeast Florida: Implications Of Shark Zoonotic And Antibiotic Resistant Pathogens Associated With Human Interactions, Amanda Finnefrock

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Sharks are incredibly common in the Atlantic and Gulf waters surrounding Florida. Despite the prevalent nature of these animals, little research exists on the composition of their microbial communities (or “microbiomes”). Here we aim to determine the microbial makeup of the oral environment of sharks so that we can determine if there are any bacteria of clinical significance to humans, such as being antibiotic-resistant or having elevated capability for pathogenicity. A total of 41 samples were collected from the mouths and teeth of bull, Caribbean reef, great hammerhead, lemon, nurse, and sandbar sharks caught in Southeast Florida using sterile swabs …

Uptake And Fate Of Silver And Zinc Engineered Nanoparticles In Maize Under Single And Binary Dosing Soil Ecosystems, Lei Xu, Qingbo Yang, Xingmao Ma, Honglan Shi, John Yang, Hu Yang, Samira Mahdi, Ying Wang, Young Shin Jun

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recent agricultural applications of engineered metallic nanoparticles (ENPs) have raised concerns about their uptake and fate in plants. To understand this critical issue, this study investigated the fate and uptake of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) ENPs in maize (Zea mays L.) after single or binary ENP exposure in soil. Results indicated that both Zn and Ag elemental concentrations in roots increased with increasing ENP dosage. Ag NPs in the tissues were detected, but not Zn NPs. Ag NP concentration was 3 times higher in the roots than in the shoots at low Ag NP dosing, while Ag NP …

Geographical And Anatomical Microbiome Variation In Invasive Green Iguanas (Iguana Iguana), Amanda A. Diaz

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The common green iguana (Iguana iguana) was introduced to South Florida in 1965 and has since been an especially pernicious threat both environmentally and economically. This highly invasive species is also expanding in range and populations at an astonishing rate. Understanding how this reptile is able to adapt and thrive in novel environments is of imperative need in order to begin managing their disruptive populations. Notwithstanding their negative impacts and significance, the microbiome of wild populations has not yet been characterized. Here, using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, this study is the first to characterize the microbiome composition …

Prediction Of Antidiabetic Activity Of Swietenia Mahagoni Compounds Through Pparγ Activation: Machine Learning And Molecular Docking Analysis, Weri Veranita, Siti Nurbaya

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder requiring long-term therapy, yet current synthetic PPARγ agonists like thiazolidinediones are often associated with serious adverse effects. Therefore, identifying natural alternatives from sources such as Swietenia mahagoni is essential to provide effective therapy with potentially lower toxicity profiles. This study employed an in silico machine learning approach using SkelSpheres descriptors to predict the IC₅₀ values of compounds derived from the seeds of Swietenia mahagoni against PPARγ, followed by molecular docking validation using Molegro Virtual Docker (MVD). The predictive model for PPARγ agonists demonstrated acceptable validity (R²-test = 0.5308; accuracy = 84.01%). …

Construction Of China’S Marine Protected Area System In 15th Five-Year Plan, Ke Duan, Danhong Chen, Keqiang Li, Limin Han, Zhengyan Liu, Dongliang Lu, Xiulin Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The establishment of the marine protected area (MPA) system constitutes a critical component of the national initiative to comprehensively advance the development of a nature reserve system centered on national parks. This study explores on domestic and international development trends from aspects such as conservation strategies, international policies, high seas protection, and development trends. It also sorts out and analyzes the construction status of marine protected area systems in China and the United States. Centering on issues in China related to spatial layout, management systems, policies and laws, scientific research support, high seas governance, and land-sea management, the study puts …

Maternal Inflammation Alters Nuclear And Mitochondrial Dna Methylation Patterns In Neonatal Brain Monocytes, Andrew Ebenezer, Jonathan Hicks, Brooke Hollander, Alexander Hone, Mona Batish, Robert Akins, Adam Marsh, Elizabeth Wright-Jin

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common birth complication that can cause death or lifelong disabling conditions like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. It is well established that maternal infection and inflammation are significant risk factors for HIE but reasons for this increase in neurological risk to the offspring remain unknown. Inflammation or infection are associated with epigenetic changes and may contribute to the increased risk of neurodevelopmental disability in exposed offspring. Here, we analyzed and compared DNA methylation patterns in brain monocytes isolated from control, maternal immune activation (MIA), and an inflammation sensitized HIE (IS-HIE) CF-1 mouse model …

Mental Gymnastics: How Misconceptions Drive Unstable Forms Of Scientific And Religious Reconciliation, Jamie Jensen, Jade Sorensen, Andrea Phillips, Mackay Strong, Isaac A. Woolley, Spencer M. Johanseon, Afton Fillmore, Luke N. Noakes

ScholarsArchive Data

Interview transcripts of introductory biology students attempting to reconcile evolutionary science with religious faith.

Transcranial Temporal Interference Stimulation Modulates Spike Timing Of Subthalamic Nucleus Neurons In A Computational Neuron Model, Kimberly Maldonado

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

The established treatment for Parkinson’s disease is deep brain stimulation (DBS), an effective but invasive procedure requiring surgical implantation of electrodes. Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a novel, noninvasive technique with potential to target deep brain regions. It applies two high-frequency currents with a slight offset through scalp electrodes, producing a low-frequency envelope that may modulate neuronal activity where the fields overlap. The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is the favored DBS target in advanced Parkinson’s disease. While tTIS has been studied in humans, animals, and generic neuron models, no work has examined tTIS on optimized models of STN neurons. We …

An Integrative Description Of Euscorpius Diagorasi Sp. N. From Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Konstantinos Kalaentzis, Francesco Frigioni, Eliza Kaitetzidou, Alessio Iannucci, Alexandros Triantafyllidis

Euscorpius

The genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 comprises a diverse and taxonomically challenging group of scorpions in the Mediterranean, with Greece representing one of its principal centers of diversity. In this study, we provide an integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n., a new species from Rhodes Island, Greece. The new species is described on the basis of adult male and female morphology and mitochondrial COI sequence data. It is a small oligotrichous species characterized by a total length of approximately 21–25 mm, pale yellow to light brown coloration with darker reddish-brown pedipalps, pectinal tooth count of 8 in the male …

Investigation Of Northwest Iowa Pollinator Communities Using Two Survey Methods, Ellary Carson, Mya Cole, Isaac De Young, Sharon Huffman, Naomi Johnson, Genesis Maldonado, Maelee Rodenburg, Travis Sweeney, Tark Griebel, Laurie Furlong, Todd Tracy

Celebration of Research

The ecological services of insect pollinators are well established and the documented decline in pollinator biodiversity is of great concern. Baseline data and continued monitoring are essential as we ongoing trends in pollinator communities and evaluate efforts supporting their recovery. Using two survey methods, our study provides pollinator community data at two conservation sites in Northwest Iowa. In September of 2025, we used three colors of pan traps (blue, yellow, and white) to investigate pollinator communities at a small, reconstructed prairie (Buena Vista County Park) and a nearby partially restored native prairie (The Nature Conservancy Glacial Hills Preserve). We also …

Subjective Feelings And Electrophysiological Responses To Love-Stimuli In Parasocial And Real-Life Romantic Love, Magda Martinez-Mata

Theses

People can have a crush on, fall in love with, or develop a romantic interest in media figures despite having no reciprocal interaction, which is known as parasocial love. The objective of this study was to evaluate subjective feelings for and event-related potential (ERP) responses reflecting attention to the parasocial beloved and to compare them to real-life love. Twenty-six participants who have a parasocial beloved were recruited. Sixteen of those had a real-life beloved as well. The participants answered questions about their love feelings and completed the Infatuation and Attachment Scales and the Parasocial Love Scale for both their parasocial …

Effects Of Gnrh And Hcg Administration On Conception Rate And The Subsequent Estrous Cycle On Day 12 Following Artificial Insemination In Holstein Cows, Mustafa Hi̇lmi̇ Yaranoğlu, Hüseyi̇n Erdem

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The present study investigates the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and human chorionic gonadotropin administration on the conception rate of cows 12 days after artificial insemination (AI). Included in the study were 150 high milkyielding Holstein cows housed under the same husbandry and feeding conditions. All had calved at least once between the ages of 2.5 and 6 years, and were between 90 and 220 days in milk. In accordance with the farm’s reproductive management approach, a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device was inserted into the vagina concurrent with a GnRH injection (day 0), and the device was removed …

Age-Related Estimates Of Genetic Parameters For Growth And Ultrasonic M. Longissimus Thoracis Et Lumborum Muscle Traits In Eşme Lambs, İbrahi̇m Cemal, Orhan Karaca, Onur Yilmaz, Nezi̇h Ata

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The growth performance and ultrasonic M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle traits of 2397 Eşme lambs raised in the Eşme district of Uşak province, an important lamb production area in Western Anatolia, were evaluated at 3 months (n = 1690) and 5 months (n = 707) of age. The average age of the lambs at the time of the first measurement (at weaning) was 100.15 days, and 152.37 days at the second. At 3 months of age, the average live weight (LW) was 29.34 kg and the average daily gain (ADG) was 248.35 g/day. By month 5, the LW …

Morphology And Histology Of The Developing Ovary In Malaysian Village Chicken (Gallus Gallus Domesticus) Chicks, Nur Athirah Lope Abdul Rashid, Mazlina Mazlan, Intan Shameha Abdul Razak, Rozaini Mohd Zohdi, Awang Hazmi Awang Junaidi

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The Malaysian village chicken (MVC; Gallus gallus domesticus) is an indigenous breed derived from the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), exhibiting slower growth and reproductive rates. The MVC plays an important ecological role in local farming systems and represents a valuable genetic resource. However, detailed information on ovarian development in this breed remains limited. This study provides the first comprehensive morphological and histological characterization of the developing ovary in MVC chicks. A total of 20 chicks aged 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks (n = 5 per age group) were examined. These MVC chicks possessed a single functional left ovary positioned …

Effects Of Preslaughter Fasting On Ph And Bacterial Contamination In Akkaraman And Anatolian Merino Sheep, Sai̇m Boztepe, Özcan Şahi̇n, Talha Demi̇rci̇, Gi̇zem Coşkun, İbrahi̇m Ayteki̇n, İsmai̇l Keski̇n

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The present study investigates the effects of the preslaughter fasting on pH and bacterial contamination in Akkaraman and Anatolian Merino sheep. Included in the study were 10 Akkaraman and 10 Anatolian Merino sheep (n = 20) that were fasted for 24 h prior to slaughter, and a further 10 Akkaraman and 10 Anatolian Merino sheep (n = 20) that continued to be fed until slaughter as a control group. The total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB) measured at 0 and 24 h in the fasting Akkaraman and Anatolian Merino sheep were 4.87/4.79 and 4.75/5.57 log CFU/g, respectively, and the corresponding Enterobacteriaceae …

The Effects Of Sodium Perborate Tetrahydrate On Digestibility And Nutrient Transporters In Rats, Büşra Özmen, Emre Şahi̇n, Muhammed Tokmak, Veysi̇ Kayri̇, Ramazan Özmen, Kazi̇m Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient involved in hormone activity, energy metabolism, antioxidant defense, bone development, wound healing, and immune function. The present study explores the effects of sodium perborate tetrahydrate (SPT) on nutrient digestibility and the modulation of specific nutrient transporters in the jejunum and ileum of rats. A total of 40 rats were divided into four equal groups: 1) control, 2) SPT 0.5 (0.5 mg B/kg body weight [BW]), 3) SPT 1 (1 mg B/kg BW), and 4) SPT 2 (2 mg B/kg BW), and were fed the respective diets for a period of 4 weeks. The digestibility …

Housing System And Gender Effect On Carcass And Meat Quality Characteristics In Turkish Pekin Ducks, Hasan Önder, Uğur Şen, Mi̇ne Yilmaz, Si̇bel Bozkurt, Eli̇f Ci̇lavdaroğlu, Di̇lek Gökçek, Ahmet Uçar, Kadi̇r Erensoy, Burcu Kurnaz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Improving meat quality is one of the most important aims for scientists and breeders. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of housing system (indoor vs. free-range) and gender on carcass and meat quality traits in Pekin ducks. The animal material consisted of 20 male and 20 female birds in each housing system. Our results show cold carcass weights of 3174.10 ± 80.65 g and 2672.60 ± 59.63 g for male and female birds in the indoor housing system and 2821.10 ± 50.53 g and 2306.90 ± 43.32 g for male and female birds in the free-range housing system. The …

Effect Of Different Pellet Binders On Palm Kernel On Growth Performance And Nutrient Digestibility In Broiler Chicken, Nuun Marfuah, Burhanudin Sundu, Rusdi Rusdi, Sugiarto Sugiarto

Jurnal Ilmu Ternak Universitas Padjadjaran

Feed plays a paramount role in supporting growth, metabolism, and production performance. Their high price encourages the utilization of inexpensive and alternative feed ingredients. PKM, one such feed ingredient, is produced by palm oil industries. However, there is still a very limited application because of its high crude fiber content, which needs processing technologies like pelletization with binder addition. Based on this background, this experiment has been conducted to study the effect of various types of natural and commercial binders in 15% PKM-based pellets on performance and nutrient digestibility of broilers. The study was done for five weeks using 150 …

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus Occidentalis) Groundings On A Four-Lane Divided Highway In South Texas: A Comparative Study Using Citizen Science, Bradley Evan Beer, Kevin W. Ryer, Md. Saydur Rahman, John H. Young Jr., Richard J. Kline

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

The population of the once-endangered brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) has increased over the past several decades and is now considered fully recovered. However, in south Texas, the combined effects of weather patterns, transportation infrastructure, and brown pelican biology have led to road mortalities on State Highway 48 (SH 48) at the Carl “Joe” Gayman Bridge. To mitigate these mortalities, the Texas Department of Transportation modified traffic barriers on SH 48. We aimed to examine the effect of the barrier change and determine which weather variables influence brown pelican groundings on SH 48. Citizen scientists monitored sections of SH …

The Impact Of Sex Education On College Student’S Perceptions Of Sexual Taboos, Noel Gamon

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to explore how college students' differing levels of sex education are associated with their views about sexual behavior, particularly behaviors defined as taboo. In comparison to 25 years ago, adolescents are less likely to receive important sex education today; and are unlikely to receive valuable information until after their first sexual experience. Conventionally, the benefits of a sex education program are linked with its ability to lower STI rates, unplanned pregnancies, unwanted behavior, etc. Sexual taboos are sexual practices excluded from the hegemonic heterosexual monogamous relationship model. Presently, society acknowledges a wider range of …

The Role Of Pten Subcellular Localization In Neuronal Development And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nicole Desmet

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are genetically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions that nevertheless converge on altered neuronal connectivity and circuit function. A central unresolved problem in the field is how diverse genetic perturbations, acting at different biological levels and developmental stages, give rise to shared neurodevelopmental outcomes. This dissertation addresses this problem by examining how gene function, subcellular signaling, and developmental context interact to shape neuronal morphology and circuit-relevant phenotypes.

Cell-autonomous mechanisms regulating neuronal morphology are examined through the ASD risk gene Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) in developing dentate gyrus granule neurons. Selective biasing of PTEN to defined intracellular compartments in …

Dietary Manipulations Of The Undernourished Infant Microbiome, Cyrus Zhou

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Today, undernutrition affects approximately 150 million children worldwide. During the first two years of life, the healthy gut microbial community undergoes a series of predictable developmental transitions. These transitions are delayed in undernourished children resulting in microbiota “immaturity.” In a foundational study, immature gut microbial communities from undernourished children and normally developing communities from chronologically age-matched healthy children living in the same area were transplanted into groups of germ-free mice consuming the same diet – one representative of what consumed by the study population. Compared mice with a mature gut microbiome, mice with an immature gut microbiome had impaired weight …

Evaluating Sand Characteristics And Their Influence On Sea Turtle Nest Incubation Conditions, Thomas Naylor

Honors Theses

The embryonic development of sea turtles is strongly influenced by the environmental factors experienced during incubation within the nest. These environmental factors can influence hatchling sex ratios, body condition, and their success emerging from nests. Adult female sea turtles lay nests across a range of sites throughout the nesting season, resulting in each nest encountering unique abiotic conditions. This study aims to identify how variation in sand characteristics, such as grain size proportions, permeability, and color, influences nest temperature and subsequent hatchling outcomes of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) and Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) from …

Hybrid Bermudagrass Dormancy Management In A Cool-Season Climate, Clarissa H. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt Davy) (HBG) is a water efficient warm-season turfgrass increasingly adopted in cool-season and semi-arid regions due to climate change and the demand for reduced irrigation inputs. However, prolonged winter dormancy limits its visual quality (verdure) and seasonal performance. This thesis evaluated multiple management strategies to modify dormancy dynamics and improve off-season turf quality in a cool-season environment. Field experiments assessed the effects of growth covers, fertilizers, colorants, surfactants, organic acids, and overseeding with cool-season species on HBG dormancy over two seasons. Dormancy responses were quantified using normalized difference vegetation index …

Three-Dimensional Imaging Of Neuronal Activation Patterns In Chronic Neuropathic Pain And Opioid Pharmacology, Madeline Martinez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Chronic neuropathic pain severely diminishes quality of life, yet the supraspinal neural circuits that sustain pain perception and mediate analgesic relief remain incompletely characterized. While peripheral and spinal pain pathways are well established, relatively few studies have mapped pain- or opioid-related neuronal activation across the entire brain. This dissertation employed activity-dependent genetic labeling (TRAP2/Ai9), whole-brain tissue clearing, light sheet microscopy, and graph-theoretic network analysis to characterize brain-wide activation patterns across chronic pain and analgesic conditions in mice.

In Chapter 1, we mapped supraspinal neuronal activation in a bilateral spared nerve injury model of chronic neuropathic pain. Although no individual region …

Evaluating The Geographic Patterns In Isotopic Composition For Nesting Hawksbill Sea Turtles In The Wider Caribbean By Coupling Satellite Telemetry And Stable Isotopes, Anna Kreiger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Combining satellite telemetry and stable isotope analysis offers a framework for inferring sea turtle foraging habitats when spatial isotopic gradients exist. We evaluated this combined approach using carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ1⁵N) isotope values from critically endangered hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, U.S. Virgin Islands (N=31), and Long Island (Jumby Bay), Antigua (N = 31). Nesting females were satellite-tracked to identify foraging areas and sampled for skin tissue, and Empirical Bayesian Kriging was used to generate basin-scale δ13C and δ1⁵N isoscapes. Tracked turtles foraged widely across the Caribbean Basin, including the Greater …

Feeding Strategies And Milking Behavior In Robotic Milking Systems, Katherine M. Kennedy, Elizabeth French, Porter D. Ricks, Emma K. Lundgreen

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Adoption of automatic milking systems (AMS) in the US are expected to increase rapidly in the coming years driven primarily by a desire to improve labor efficiency and flexibility and decrease reliance on hired labor. As such, feeding and milking strategies to best optimize milk production and economic gains tailored to US dairy production systems are needed. Initially introduced as a method to encourage the cow to visit the AMS more frequently, offered feeds through the AMS provide an opportunity to individualize nutrient needs. Often, a pelleted concentrate is offered through the AMS due to its uniformity and customizable nature. …

Mandibular Ecomorphology Of Tylosaurus (Reptilia: Mosasauridae), Andrew I. Price, Amanda Peng

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The large mosasaur Tylosaurus is known to have been a predator of large marine animals. Performing beam theory analysis, a computational technique that uses linear dimensions of a structure to calculate its resistance to bending, on the mandibles of six Tylosaurus specimens from the Smoky Hill Chalk of Kansas indicates dorsoventral and mediolateral bending strength both increase posteriorly along the mandible. Comparisons with Varanus komodoensis indicate relatively greater mediolateral bending strength mid-dentary in Tylosaurus, suggesting that resisting torsional forces of struggling prey was more important at this landmark in Tylosaurus and that more of its jaw length was used …

Continuous Light And Pinealectomy: Two Models Of Melatonin Deficiency Revealing Distinct Interactions With Vitamin D Deficiency On Blood Parameters, Rebaz Sedeeq Shekh, Ismail Mustafa Maulood

Polytechnic Journal

Modern lifestyles reduce sunlight exposure and increase artificial light at night, potentially promoting vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and melatonin (MEL) suppression. The two hormones regulate immunity, erythropoiesis, and platelet (PLT) indices, but their combined hematological effects are not well characterized. We investigated the independent and combined effects of VDD and MEL deficiency on leukocyte profiles, erythrocyte indices, and PLT parameters in albino rats using two 12-week models (n = 8/group): continuous light (CL)-induced MEL suppression (Control, CL, VDD, and CL + VDD) and pinealectomy (Px)-induced MEL deficiency (Sham. Px, VDD, Px + VDD). Complete blood counts (CBCs) and inflammation-related ratios …

Testing Effects Of Acoustic Propagation, Morphology, And Intrasexual Selection On The Elaboration And Performance Of Song In Bachman’S Sparrows (Peucaea Aestivalis), Hans Kayser Gonzembach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Birdsong is a communication signal shaped by ecological, morphological, and cultural processes. While many songbird species produce relatively simple vocal repertoires, others, such as the Bachman’s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis), produce moderately large repertoires with multiple distinct and context-dependent song categories. Despite this complexity, little is known about the major drivers that shape song elaboration in this species. Additionally, it is unclear whether abiotic factors play a significant role in determining how different song types are learned and shared within a population. To better understand how ecological and social pressures shape song variation, I conducted three studies using Bachman’s …