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Cosm Biology News, Georgia Southern University

Biology: News & Publications (2012-2017)

• Students earn $11,000 in scholarships from national organization

Earthquake Risks In Haiti: An Analysis Of Response And Preparedness Strategies For The Design Of A New Mitigation Approach, Patrick Alteus

LSU Master's Theses

Earthquakes can have enormous consequences on affected countries. To minimize these harsh consequences, an effective disaster management plan is necessary and a reasonable strategy is necessary to recover and get back to a normal life when they happen. Studies from scientists show that it is difficult to predict when an earthquake will occur. Because of this unpredictability, high-risk countries need to act continuously in order to deal with any sudden strike that may occur by stressing on the mitigation and preparedness activities and by designing appropriate response plans. In Haiti, a well-known earthquake-prone country, the preparedness and mitigation plans have …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - August 6, 2017, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the August 6, 2017 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's Newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

Pediatrics Hosting Grand Rounds Aug. 18

USA COM Announces New Office for Research Education and Training

USA Welcomes Dr. Charles Harmon

Mark Your Calendar: Autism Grand Rounds

COM Class of 2021 Introduced to Medical School During Orientation

College Is Trade School For The Elite, Allen C. Guelzo

Civil War Era Studies Faculty Publications

Donald J. Trump has a degree from an Ivy League university—my alma mater, in fact—but he is not one of the Ivies’ admirers. “We must embrace new and effective job-training approaches, including online courses, high school curricula, and private-sector investment that prepare people for trade, manufacturing, technology and other really well-paying jobs and careers,” the president declared in March. “These kinds of options can be a positive alternative to a four-year degree.”

If ever an issue seemed assured of bipartisan support, you’d think it would be an initiative that helps connect workers with work. But up went the howls of …

Mitochondrial Dna (Mtdna) Variant-Nuclear Dna Variant Interactions And Gene-Dietary Exposure Interactions In Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Amd), Patrice J. Persad

Open Access Dissertations

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is shaped by genetic and non-genetic factors. Examining such factors—along with interactions between these factors—that contribute to AMD is crucial because permanent vision loss can arise, and better understanding the disease pathogenesis will foster potential treatments. Consideration of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions may identify additional risk factors and explain some of the variability in disease presentation and progression. Several studies have revealed associations between AMD risk and mitochondrial (mt) variants [mt single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]; additionally, mtDNA damage or mt dysfunction in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells can affect AMD-related processes. Overall diet quality has been …

Novel Species-Specific Glycoprotein On The Surface Of Mytilus Edulis And M. Trossulus Eggs, Fiona M. Harper, Kasandra J. Riley, R. D. Rawson

Faculty Publications

Protein–protein interactions play a central role in the gamete attraction, binding, and fusion stages of gamete interactions and fertilization for broadcast spawning species, such as marine mussels in the Mytilus edulis species complex. Although assortative gamete interaction has been implicated in the level of reproductive isolation among the three species in this complex, the molecular basis of these interactions has not been elucidated. Using mass spectrometry peptide sequencing, cDNA sequencing, and bioinformatics approaches, we have investigated species-level variation in the proteins expressed on the surface of mussel eggs. We herein describe an extracellular protein, MESP-1, from the surface of the …

Characterization Of Reagent Pencils For Deposition Of Reagents Onto Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices, Cheyenne H. Liu, Isabelle C. Noxon, Leah E. Cuellar, Amanda L. Thraen, Chad Immoos, Andres W. Martinez, Philip J. Costanzo

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Reagent pencils allow for solvent-free deposition of reagents onto paper-based microfluidic devices. The pencils are portable, easy to use, extend the shelf-life of reagents, and offer a platform for customizing diagnostic devices at the point of care. In this work, reagent pencils were characterized by measuring the wear resistance of pencil cores made from polyethylene glycols (PEGs) with different molecular weights and incorporating various concentrations of three different reagents using a standard pin abrasion test, as well as by measuring the efficiency of reagent delivery from the pencils to the test zones of paper-based microfluidic devices using absorption spectroscopy and …

A Study On The Biodiversity Of Ladybird Beetles In Soybean Agroecosystems Of Northwestern Ohio, Mohammed Albaaj

Honors Projects

Lady or Ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) represent a large and diverse group of beetles found worldwide. Approximately six thousand (6,000) ladybird species are known globally (reference). In eastern North America, there are 60 genera containing approximately 480 species (Evans, 2014). Most species are predatory, feeding on life stages of other insects, such as aphids, caterpillars, and insect eggs, as well as plant-feeding mites, and thus provide an essential ecosystem service for humans in terms of pest control (Obrycki and Kring, 1998). Thus, this group of beetles is important for the reduction of arthropod pest populations on a variety of fruit, …

Do Continuum Beliefs Reduce Schizophrenia Stigma? Effects Of A Laboratory Intervention On Behavioral And Self-Reported Stigma, Ryan Thibodeau, Lindsay N. Shanks, Brian P. Smith

Psychology Faculty/Staff Publications

Background and objectives

Correlational research shows that belief in a continuum of psychiatric problems predicts decreased public stigma. However, the correlational findings fail to inform the stigma reduction prospects of manipulating continuum beliefs. All extant experimental work has been executed online. This study examined effects of a laboratory-based continuum intervention on behavioral and self-report measures of psychiatric stigma.

Methods

Sixty-nine undergraduates believed that they would meet a man with schizophrenia. They then read a bogus scientific article that attested to a categorical view of schizophrenia, a continuum view, or that merely described schizophrenia. Some participants then completed a task that …

The Interommatidial Bristle Variability Of Diptera, Kimberly Palmer

Honors College Theses

Insects of the order Diptera are a popular biological model for understanding morphological trait evolution. One area of particular interest is the development of the compound eyes. While the development of ommatidia and photoreceptors has been thoroughly studied in this case, little attention has been paid to the interommatidial bristles (IOBs) present on the eyes of some dipteran families. A preliminary survey suggested that these bristles exhibit high variability among IOB families on multiple taxonomic levels and are not uniformly present or absent in any suborder of the Diptera. To confirm this observation, I conducted a literature search to …

Investigating The Needs Of Parents Of Premature Infants’ Interaction In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Maureen A. Rinehimer

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Parents and/or caregivers of premature infants provide the interaction needed to promote better outcomes for these challenged infants at risk for developmental delays. This descriptive, exploratory study utilized convenience sampling. Inclusion criteria consisted of parents/caregivers who were at least 18 years of age and older with infants born 35 weeks gestation or less and currently in the NICU. This study focused on the research question: What do parents perceive they need in the NICU to enjoy interacting with their infant in the home? To collect the data needed to capture the perceptions of parent’s needs of infants in the NICU, …

Abortion -- Does The Bible Speak To It?, Jim Bill Mcinteer

Jim Bill McInteer Sermon Outlines by Topic

From the Jim Bill McInteer collection of sermon outlines and cassette tapes.

The Mutual Gifts Husbands And Wives Exchange With Each Other, Jim Bill Mcinteer

Jim Bill McInteer Sermon Outlines by Topic

From the Jim Bill McInteer collection of sermon outlines and cassette tapes.

The Master And Money, Jim Bill Mcinteer

Jim Bill McInteer Sermon Outlines by Topic

From the Jim Bill McInteer collection of sermon outlines and cassette tapes.

A Mind That's Not Wasted, Jim Bill Mcinteer

Jim Bill McInteer Sermon Outlines by Topic

From the Jim Bill McInteer collection of sermon outlines and cassette tapes.

Aid Christian Education, Jim Bill Mcinteer

Jim Bill McInteer Sermon Outlines by Topic

From the Jim Bill McInteer collection of sermon outlines and cassette tapes.

Evidence Of Youthful Aging: Chronic Stress And The Association With Dna Damage, Jason M. Fly, M. Catherine Desoto

McNair Scholars Program Summer Research Symposium

Abstract: Persistent elevated basal levels of the hormone cortisol are an indication of chronic stress. Maladaptive response to stress, or chronic psychological stress, is thought to play a crucial role in the biological mechanisms involved in mental disorders, disease, and accelerated aging. In 2011, a critical connection was reported between elevated cortisol and the oxidative damage to DNA associated with aging and disease in a study of elderly participants (ages 63-83) via 24-hour urinary samples (Joergensen, et. al., 2011). This connection, if verified, has implications for how stress may accelerate the aging process and the onset of cancer, diabetes, and …

Tracing Ancient Healing Practices Through The Hibiscus, Lyn Tackett

McNair Scholars Program Summer Research Symposium

Abstract: By studying traditional healing practices, we can provide new information that may help solve archaeological mysteries as well as offer new perspectives to modern medicine. For example, Hibiscus tea has long been in use throughout Africa and Asia, yet little research has been done into the origins of this medicine and whether early cultures traded that information. Trichomes and plant morphology of three species of Hibiscus native to Africa, China and India ( Hibiscus sabdariffa, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and Hibiscus syriacus) were studied using microscopy. The results were compared to known medicinal claims and ancient documents including trade maps and …

Faculty Senate Minutes - August 4, 2017 (Retreat), Usm Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Summer Commencement Program, August 4, 2017, Coastal Carolina University

Commencement Programs

Program of Commencement Exercises at Coastal Carolina University.

Omani Parents’ Beliefs About Their Competnce In Dealing With Their Adolescent Children’S Behavioral Problems, Fayez A. Simadi

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

This study examines the effect of some demographic variables such as educational achievement, income, residence, profession and gender on parents’ beliefs about their competence to deal with their adolescent children’s behavioral problems. The adolescent behavioral problems investigated in this study include failure in school, alcoholism and addiction to drugs. A group of 350 parents of adolescent children was randomly selected from several districts in the Governorate of Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman. The researcher developed a questionnaire to measure the impact of these variables on certain behavioral problems specifically identified for the study. ANOVA was used to examine the …

The Once And Future Great Lakes Country: An Ecological History By John L. Riley, Deborah C. Bowen

The Goose

Review of John L. Riley's The Once and Future Great Lakes Country: An Ecological History.

Mcnair Scholars Summer Research Symposium [Program] 2017, Mcnair Scholars Program (University Of Northern Iowa).

McNair Scholars Summer Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

Recognizing The Continuous Nature Of Expression Heterogeneity And Clinical Outcomes In Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, Xiaona Wei, Yukti Choudhury, Weng-Khong Lim, John Anema, Richard J. Kahnoski, Brian Lane, John Ludlow, Masayuki Takahashi, Hiro-Omi Kanayama, Arie Belldegrun, Hyung L. Kim, Craig G. Rogers, David Nicol, Bin T. Teh, Min-Han Tan

Urology Articles

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has been previously classified into putative discrete prognostic subtypes by gene expression profiling. To investigate the robustness of these proposed subtype classifications, we evaluated 12 public datasets, together with a new dataset of 265 ccRCC gene expression profiles. Consensus clustering showed unstable subtype and principal component analysis (PCA) showed a continuous spectrum both within and between datasets. Considering the lack of discrete delineation and continuous spectrum observed, we developed a continuous quantitative prognosis score (Continuous Linear Enhanced Assessment of RCC, or CLEAR score). Prognostic performance was evaluated in independent cohorts from The Cancer Genome …

Summer Science Research Symposium, Dave Larsen

College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

This summer, University of Dayton sophomore Jordan Dubbs drove 45 minutes each way to campus, five days a week, from his home in Arcanum, Ohio, to research the relationship between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease in the laboratory of associate professor of biology Amit Singh.

Stromal Cyclin D1 Promotes Heterotypic Immune Signaling And Breast Cancer Growth, Timothy G. Pestell, Xuanmao Jiao, Mukesh Kumar, Amy R. Peck, Marco Prisco, Shengqiong Deng, Zhiping Li, Adam Ertel, Matthew C. Casimiro, Xiaoming Ju, Agnese Di Rocco, Gabriele Di Sante, Sanjay Katiyar, Alison Shupp, Michael P. Lisanti, Pooja Jain, Kongming Wu, Hallgeir Rui, Douglas Craig Hooper, Zuoren Yu, Aaron R. Goldman, David W. Speicher, Lisa Laury-Kleintop, Richard G. Pestell

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

The cyclin D1 gene encodes the regulatory subunit of a holoenzyme that drives cell autonomous cell cycle progression and proliferation. Herein we show cyclin D1 abundance is increased > 30-fold in the stromal fibroblasts of patients with invasive breast cancer, associated with poor outcome. Cyclin D1 transformed hTERT human fibroblast to a cancer-associated fibroblast phenotype. Stromal fibroblast expression of cyclin D1 (cyclin D1^Stroma) in vivo, enhanced breast epithelial cancer tumor growth, restrained apoptosis, and increased autophagy. Cyclin D1^Stroma had profound effects on the breast tumor microenvironment increasing the recruitment of F4/80⁺ and CD11b⁺ macrophages and increasing …

Reducing Equifinality Using Isotopes In A Process-Based Stream Nitrogen Model Highlights The Flux Of Algal Nitrogen From Agricultural Streams, William I. Ford, James F. Fox, Erik Pollock

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The fate of bioavailable nitrogen species transported through agricultural landscapes remains highly uncertain given complexities of measuring fluxes impacting the fluvial N cycle. We present and test a new numerical model named Technology for Removable Annual Nitrogen in Streams For Ecosystem Restoration (TRANSFER), which aims to reduce model uncertainty due to erroneous parameterization, i.e., equifinality, in stream nitrogen cycle assessment and quantify the significance of transient and permanent removal pathways. TRANSFER couples nitrogen elemental and stable isotope mass‐balance equations with existing hydrologic, hydraulic, sediment transport, algal biomass, and sediment organic …

A Machine Learning Approach To Estimation Of Downward Solar Radiation From Satellite-Derived Data Products: An Application Over A Semi-Arid Ecosystem In The U.S., Qingtao Zhou, Alejandro Flores, Nancy F. Glenn, Reggie Walters, Bangshuai Han

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Shortwave solar radiation is an important component of the surface energy balance and provides the principal source of energy for terrestrial ecosystems. This paper presents a machine learning approach in the form of a random forest (RF) model for estimating daily downward solar radiation flux at the land surface over complex terrain using MODIS (MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) remote sensing data. The model-building technique makes use of a unique network of 16 solar flux measurements in the semi-arid Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed and Critical Zone Observatory, in southwest Idaho, USA. Based on a composite RF model built on daily observations …

Traceable Peo-Poly(Ester) Micelles For Breast Cancer Targeting: The Effect Of Core Structure And Targeting Peptide On Micellar Tumor Accumulation, Shyam M. Garg, Igor M. Paiva, Mohammad R. Vakili, Rania Soudy, Kate Agopsowicz, Amir H. Soleimani, Mary Hitt, Kamaljit Kaur, Afsaneh Lavasanifar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Traceable poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(ester) micelles were developed through chemical conjugation of a near-infrared (NIR) dye to the poly(ester) end by click chemistry. This strategy was tried for micelles with poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) or poly(α-benzyl carboxylate-ε-caprolactone) (PBCL) cores. The surface of both micelles was also modified with the breast cancer targeting peptide, P18-4. The results showed the positive contribution of PBCL over PCL core on micellar thermodynamic and kinetic stability as well as accumulation in primary orthotopic MDA-MB-231 tumors within 4–96 h following intravenous administration in mice. This was in contrast to in vitro studies where better uptake of PEO-PCL versus PEO-PBCL micelles …

Neuroplasticity Pathways And Protein-Interaction Networks Are Modulated By Vortioxetine In Rodents, Jessica A. Waller, Sara Holm Nygaard, Yan Li, Kristian Gaarn Jardin, Joseph A. Tamm, Aicha Abdourahman, Betina Elfving, Alan Pehrson, Connie Sánchez, Rasmus Wernersson

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: The identification of biomarkers that predict susceptibility to major depressive disorder and treatment response to antidepressants is a major challenge. Vortioxetine is a novel multimodal antidepressant that possesses pro-cognitive properties and differentiates from other conventional antidepressants on various cognitive and plasticity measures. The aim of the present study was to identify biological systems rather than single biomarkers that may underlie vortioxetine's treatment effects. Results: We show that the biological systems regulated by vortioxetine are overlapping between mouse and rat in response to distinct treatment regimens and in different brain regions. Furthermore, analysis of complexes of physically-interacting proteins reveal that …