Digital Commons Network^™

Compositions And Uses Thereof For Treatment Of Idiopathic Preterm Birth, Charles Lockwood, Ozlem Guzeloglu-Kayisli, Umit Ali Kayisli, Frederick Schatz

USF Patents

Disclosed are compositions and methods for delaying or preventing idiopathic preterm birth.

Nanoparticles And Nanogel Drug Compositions For Treatment Of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Vijaykumar Bhadabhai Sutariya, Priyanka Sureshbhai Bhatt, Vipul B. Amin, Srinivas M. Tipparaju

USF Patents

Disclosed are nanoparticles and nanogel drug compositions and the use thereof for treating age-related macular degeneration.

Human Adipose Stem Cell-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Modulate Glial Cell Response In Aged And Young Tbi Mouse Models, Salma S. Abdelmaboud

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of long-term neurological impairment, with aging significantly increasing vulnerability and worsening outcomes. Older individuals experience greater cognitive and motor deficits after TBI and often show diminished responses to therapeutic interventions. Both aging and TBI independently promote heightened neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction, increasing susceptibility to poor recovery. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) to promote neurological recovery and modulate neuroinflammation in a mouse model of TBI. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 3, 15, and 20 months underwent controlled cortical impact (CCI) and …

Crow's Nest, September 2, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The September 2, 2025, issue of Crow's Nest.

Effects Of Fire On Salt Marsh Birds And Mammals In Florida’S Panhandle, W. Andrew Cox, Lisa M. Smith, Amy Schwarzer, Michelle Martin, Robert T. Mulligan, Andrea Sylvia

Florida Field Naturalist

The degradation and loss of many salt marshes have adversely affected the vertebrates that reside within them. Fire has historically been a natural component of Florida’s salt marsh ecosystems, but its implementation and its value as a management tool remain poorly understood. We conducted point counts, monitored nests, and surveyed mammal occupancy in the Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area and the St. Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge in Florida’s panhandle to better understand the effects of fire on nesting birds and mammals that reside in salt marshes. Our study’s focal species were Marian’s Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris marianae), the Wakulla …

Nocturnal Foraging By Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias) And Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea Ajaja), Laura E. Josler, Johnny E. Owens, Sarrah E. Bristol, Leo N. Dutkewych, Abigail R. Kauke, Signe E. Renstrom, Ben G. Sheffield, Madelyne E. Vashaw, Avery J. Nesbitt, Melia K. Paat, Timothy D. Bransford, Elizabeth A. Forys

Florida Field Naturalist

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) are long-legged wading birds that can forage throughout a 24-hour cycle. Nocturnal foraging enables these species to take advantage of optimal foraging conditions and reduced competition. This study aims to investigate how environmental factors influence the nocturnal foraging behavior of these species. To monitor foraging activity, we deployed 17-18 infrared cameras from dusk until dawn from 4 October 2023 to 24 July 24 2024, covering two sampling periods across different habitats within Fort De Soto County Park, a barrier island complex in Tampa Bay, Florida. We compared the frequency …

Avian Mortality On U.S. Highway 1, Middle Keys, Monroe County, Florida, Usa, Adrianna Nelson, Anthony Sanchez

Florida Field Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Abiotic Factors Influencing Anuran Occupation Of Neotropical Brazilian Caves, Vinícius F. Sperandei, Willian Vaz-Silva, Tejerina-Garro L. Francisco

International Journal of Speleology

Despite increasing research on the Neotropical underground environment, anurans remain poorly understood in this habitat. It was analyzed scientific literature records of anurans in Brazilian natural caves and performed a redundancy analysis (RDA) to identify the environmental, taxonomic, geographic, geological and land-use variables that influence their cave occupancy. It was examined a total of 247 literature records, encompassing 83 species/morphospecies, which revealed distinct cave-dwelling tendencies. Some anuran species occupy caves at altitudes between 5 to 21 meters above sea level (m asl), in areas characterized by rocky outcrops and grassland. Others are associated with caves surrounded by forest, savanna, pasture …

Compositions Comprising Celtos Immunogens And Antibodies And Method Of Use Thereof, Niraj Tolia, John Jimah, Nichole Salinas, Darya Urusova, John Adams, Shulin Xu, Allison Roth, Hirdesh Kumar

USF Patents

The present disclosure provides immunogenic compositions and methods for vaccination with a CelTOS immunogen. The immunogenic composition comprises Babesia, Theileria or Cytauxzoon CelTOS. The immunogenic composition may also comprise CelTOS with structural changes that affect immune recognition.

Essay, The Mighty Mangrove, Carol A. Mickett

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

An ekphrastic reflection on mangroves in Tampa Bay.

Snake Spirits, Fishermen And Water Birds On Lake Victoria: A Case Study Of Cultural Conservation In The Musambwa Islands, Uganda, And Prospects For Tourism To Improve Local Livelihoods, Joel T. Heinen, Henry Batenda

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Abstract.

Using a combination of site visits, document reviews, focus group and key informant surveys of fishermen, we explore the cultural beliefs, taboos and norms that protect Musambwa Islands, Uganda. The islands form part of a large protected wetland with nesting habitat for thousands of water birds and a large population of highly-venomous forest cobras that coexist in and around fishermen dwellings. There are strong taboos against cutting trees, allowing women on the island, and harming cobras. We present some of our ideas on how to improve the economic situation of fishermen through the promotion of nature-based and cultural tourism …

Biojardineras In Monteverde: A Mixed Method Approach To Examine Greywater Treatment, Elyssa Allen, Jackson Anderson, Brayden Dostal, Alan Hernandez, Kacy Moe, Facundo Pereya-Kluser

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Rural and semi-rural regions around the globe often struggle with inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure, thereby negatively impacting the public and environmental health of the region. Due to its rural nature and current infrastructure, the Monteverde Zone (MVZ) in Costa Rica lacks a centralized wastewater system, with many homes relying on septic tanks for wastewater treatment. To prevent overloaded flows to septic tanks, greywater from kitchens, laundry, showers, and sinks is often discharged separately to the environment with no treatment. This pollutes the surrounding water bodies and streets with pathogens, soap, excess nutrients, as well as fats, oils, and grease (FOG). …

Author Instructions, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

First Ground Visit To The Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes Forsteri Colony At Jason Peninsula, Larsen C Ice Shelf, Weddell Sea, Antarctica, Jonathan Zaccaria

Marine Ornithology

The growth of ecotourism leads tour operators to develop means of exploration that facilitate access to remote and difficult-to-reach areas. For instance, new ice-class expedition ships can now bring visitors to isolated places in Antarctica that have never before been visited. In November 2021, a first ground visit was made to the Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri colony at the Jason Peninsula. The result is the first census of the population that has been conducted in situ. This example illustrates that reaching extremely isolated places through ecotourism is an opportunity to develop citizen science and collect useful data.

Reviews: Conservation Of Marine Birds (Young, L. & Vanderwerf, E.); Science, Secrecy And The Smithsonian: The Strange History Of The Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program (Regis, E.); New(Ish) And Noteworthy: Seabirds Count: A Census Of Breeding Seabirds In Britain And Ireland (Burnell, D., Perkins, A.J., Newton, S.F., Bolton, M., Tierney, T.D., Dunn, T.E.); Sea Change: An Atlas Of Islands In A Rising Ocean (Gerhardt, C.); Bird Day: A Story Of 24 Hours And 24 Avian Lives (Hauber, M.E.); Journeys With Emperors: Tracking The World’S Most Extreme Penguin (Kooyman, G.L. & Mastro, J.), Mark J. Rauzon, Eric Wagner

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Presumed Fuegian Storm Petrels Oceanites Oceanicus Chilensis Off São Tomé, Gulf Of Guinea, And In The North And South Atlantic Oceans, Robert L. Flood, Ricardo Lima, Martim Melo, Kirk Zufelt

Marine Ornithology

This note summarises key identification criteria for Fuegian Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus chilensis that permit field separation from Wilson’s Storm Petrel O. o. oceanicus/exasperatus. Multiple sightings of presumed Fuegian Storm Petrel off São Tomé are considered in the light of these identification criteria. Here, we establish a provisional range for presumed Fuegian Storm Petrels in the Atlantic based on relevant literature, photographs in the Macaulay Library, and responses to social media requests.

Rapid Increase In Size Of Wedge-Tailed Shearwater Ardenna Pacifica Colony Following Rat Eradication, Danielle Z. Keys, Robert W. Bullock, Clare Keating, Pierre A. Pistorius

Marine Ornithology

Invasive mammalian predators have devastating effects on seabird nesting colonies. A census was conducted on breeding Wedge-tailed Shearwaters Ardenna pacifica in 2016 and 2021 on D’Arros Island, Seychelles, which has been rat-free since 2003. Results were compared with an earlier population estimate to assess population growth following the rat eradication. Compared to counts in 2009, we estimated a 10-fold increase in breeding population size, with 2768 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2424–3112) and 2406 (95% CI 2143–2667) breeding pairs in 2016 and 2021, respectively. While the estimated increase is partly attributable to differences in the timing of the conducted census between …

Establishment Of An Incipient Newell’S Shearwater Puffinus Newelli Colony On Maui, Gregory Spencer, Mitchell Craig, Brad Yuen, David Ainley

Marine Ornithology

We report the development of a colony of threatened Newell’s Shearwater Puffinus newelli (NESH) at Makamaka‘ole, West Maui, USA, a successful first undertaking in the Hawaiian Islands. Efforts involved the construction of two predator-proof fenced areas, removal/control of predators, placement of nest boxes, and social attraction using recorded calls and decoys. Initially, one of the management areas was intended for Hawaiian Petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis (HAPE) and the other for NESH. Exclosures were completed and mammalian predators were removed in 2013, and social attraction began in 2014. Both species almost immediately began flyovers to inspect speakers and by 2015, they had …

Predator Disturbance Contributed To Common Murre Uria Aalge Breeding Failures In Cook Inlet, Alaska Following The 2014–2016 Pacific Marine Heatwave, Caitlin E. Marsteller, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Sarah K. Schoen, Samuel B. Stark, John F. Piatt

Marine Ornithology

The 2014–2016 Pacific marine heatwave caused unprecedented die-offs and multi-year reproductive failures for Common Murres Uria aalge along the west coast of North America. Lingering impacts, such as declines in colony attendance and productivity, have persisted at some colonies following the heatwave and are attributed largely to changes in prey availability and quality. Here, we present evidence of an additional, top-down mechanism contributing to Common Murre breeding failures on Gull Island (Alaska): disturbance of nesting birds by aerial predators and associated egg depredation. We collected time-lapse images over five murre breeding seasons (2016–2020) on Gull Island to document the frequency, …

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Resulted In Unprecedented Reproductive Failure And Movement Nehaviour By Northern Gannets, Noah G. Careen, Sydney M. Collins, Kyle J. N. D’Entremont, Jordan Wight, Ishraq Rahman, Kathryn E. Hargan, Andrew S. Lang, William A. Montevecchi

Marine Ornithology

In 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus resulted in mass mortality throughout seabird colonies in the North Atlantic Ocean. While mortalities and transmission of the virus are being documented, other effects are less understood. We documented nest abandonment and unprecedented reproductive failure by Northern Gannets Morus bassanus at Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, the species’ southernmost colony. Reproductive success in 2022 was the lowest on record at 17%, which was likely a result of adults abandoning the nest and succumbing to avian influenza virus (AIV) infection. Following the AIV outbreak at Cape St. Mary’s, we also documented …

Melanistic Razorbill Alca Torda At Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick, Canada, Heather L. Major, Tabatha L. Cormier, Antony W. Diamond

Marine Ornithology

Aberrant colouration in birds is relatively common but melanism occurs infrequently. We report an observation of a melanistic Razorbill Alca torda attending the nesting colony at Machias Seal Island, Bay of Fundy in 2022 and 2023. This is the third reported occurrence of a melanistic Razorbill and the first in over 100 years.

Finding Colonies Of Black-Headed Gulls Chroicocephalus Ridibundus Using Google Earth, Roberto G. Valle, Alejandro Corregidor-Castro, Francesco Scarton

Marine Ornithology

We explore the possibility of identifying Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus colonies in the saltmarshes of the Lagoon of Venice, Italy, using Google Earth satellite images. One reproductive season was considered (June 2017), based on the images available on Google Earth. This species builds nests clustered around tidal pools and tidal creeks, providing a dark background to reveal the white gulls. Images of the southern part of the lagoon (excluding fish farms) were analyzed by dividing it into sectors (n = 403) using the Google Earth grid at an elevation of 100 m above ground level. The results of the satellite …

Notes On A Plover Briefly Incubating An Oystercatcher Nest In Patagonia, José O. Valdebenito

Marine Ornithology

A breeding female Two-banded Plover Charadrius falklandicus was observed incubating the eggs of a Magellanic Oystercatcher Haematopus leucopodus while the nest was unattended by the oystercatcher. The behaviour was likely triggered by the plover’s nest becoming momentarily inaccessible, and so, being in incubation mode, the bird responded by incubating the nearest nest available. This is the first report of such behaviour while the oystercatcher was nearby, and the plover nest was still active and in sight.

Tracked Gulls Help Identify Potential Zones Of Interaction Between Whales And Shipping Traffic, Megan A. Cimino, Heather Welch, Jarrod A. Santora, David Kroodsma, Elliott L. Hazen, Steven J. Bograd, Pete Warzybok, Jaime Jahncke, Scott A. Shaffer

Marine Ornithology

Seabird-vessel interactions are often studied through the lens of fisheries bycatch, but seabirds encounter many watercraft types. Western Gulls Larus occidentalis breeding on the Farallon Islands (California, USA) have a foraging domain that encompasses both shipping lanes and productive fishing grounds, resulting in ample opportunities for vessel encounters. Previous research showed that these Western Gulls can serve as ecosystem indicators because their foraging behavior is linked to ocean prey conditions, and because their foraging grounds overlap with that of Humpback Whales Megaptera novaeangliae, which can make prey accessible. Because ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are concerns for whales …

Effects Of A Vagrant Arctic Fox Alopex Lagopus On An Isolated Newfoundland Seabird Community, Raul Zabala Belenguer, Amy C. Wilson, Katja H. Kochvar, Sabina I. Wilhelm, Pierre-Paul Bitton

Marine Ornithology

We report predation by an Arctic Fox Alopex lagopus on two seabird species, Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica and Leach’s Storm Petrels Hydrobates leucorhous, nesting on Bakeapple Island, Little Fogo Islands, Newfoundland, Canada. This event took place in 2022, when a whole-island inspection revealed that fox, facilitated by over-ice invasion, killed at least 139 adult storm petrels and 8 puffin chicks. The fox also dug out 83 storm petrel and 4 puffin burrows. Breeding by seabirds on the island, which harbours some of the northernmost colonies in Newfoundland, was also largely disrupted; we documented extremely low egg and chick production values …

Intra-Annual Shifts In Atlantic Puffin Fratercula Arctica Depredation And Kleptoparasitism By Larus Gulls At A Multi-Species Seabird Colony, Gibson M. Rieger, Gail K. Davoren

Marine Ornithology

Great Black-backed Gulls Larus marinus and American Herring Gulls L. argentatus smithsonianus are considered dietary generalists at the population level: they consume a variety of prey types, including the adults and offspring of other seabirds, and they shift among prey types as availability varies. Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica adults, eggs, and chicks are often the target of depredation, and adults are also susceptible to kleptoparasitic attacks by large gulls during their summer breeding season in coastal Newfoundland, Canada. We investigated the depredation and kleptoparasitism of puffins by large gulls during July–August 2021/22 at a multi-species breeding colony on the northeast …

Ecological Experiences And Perceptions Of Small-Scale Gillnet And Purse Seine Fishers On Seabirds And Other Non-Target Taxa In The Humboldt Current System, Chile, Cristián G. Suazo, Cristóbal Anguita, Jaime Ojeda, Guillermo Luna-Jorquera, Maritza Sepúlveda, Oliver Yates

Marine Ornithology

Strategies to reduce the negative impacts of fisheries on ecosystems often come into conflict with fishers who have different experiences with, and perceptions of, biodiversity compared to policy makers and fisheries managers. We interviewed 800 fishers along 2400 kilometers of the Humboldt Current System (HCS) coast, assessing fishers’ perceptions of the impacts of marine predators on fishing and their proposals to reduce conflicts with small-scale net fisheries. Vessel captains saw seabirds as positive indicators of fish presence along the HCS (mean probability 62.7%). In contrast, sea lions were perceived negatively, affecting catches for all fishers and causing fishing gear damage …

Insights Into The Ecology And Conservation Of Coastal Brazil Seabirds Based On Band Returns, Henrique Chupil, Rosane Fernanda Farah, Andrea Maranho, Carla Beatriz Barbosa, Simone Leonardi, Juarez Cabral, Jenyffer Vierheller Vieira, Liana Rosa, Rodrigo Del Rio Do Valle

Marine Ornithology

Banding is the main method used to mark and identify individual birds, and to study populations, migration, age, and behavior. Banding birds also plays an important role in rehabilitation efforts, as their recapture provides good information about the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment, allowing constant review of the rehabilitation protocols used. This study compiles information on banded birds retrieved at the Santos Basin Beach Monitoring Project (Projeto de Monitoramento de Praias da Bacia de Santos, PMP-BS), and it reviews the ecological and behavioral aspects involved in species’ movements that contributed to their arrival at the beach. We also provide results …

Reviews: Chasing The Sun (Musso, T.); New(Ish) And Noteworthy: Ocean Bestiary: Meeting Marine Life From Abalone To Orca To Zooplankton (King, R.J.); Flight Paths: How A Passionate And Quirky Group Of Pioneering Scientists Solved The Mystery Of Bird Migration (Heisman, R.); Nonviolent Communication: A Language Of Life, 3rd Edition (Rosenberg, M. B.); The Home Place: Memoirs Of A Colored Man's Love Affair With Nature (Lanham, J.D.), David C. Duffy, Eric Wagner

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Author Instructions, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.