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Comparative Skull Morphology Of California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus) And Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus) In The Pacific Northwest And Implications For Hybridization, Ada Iris Garcia Garcia

Dissertations and Theses

Eumetopias jubatus (Steller sea lions) that breed on the Oregon coast are smaller than those found both in Alaska and California. During the breeding season, male Zalophus californianus (California sea lions) move past E. jubatus rookeries in Oregon on their way to their breeding rookeries in Southern California. Introgression potentially could explain the difference in size of Oregon E. jubatus relative to remaining populations. At Portland State University (PSU), the marine mammal collection of the Museum of Vertebrate Biology has over 200 skulls of Z. californianus and E. jubatus from throughout northern Oregon and southern Washington. To assess whether morphologically …

Nuclear Dna Content And Ploidy Levels Of Living Apple Germplasm Collection In Türkiye, Emel Kaçal, Yaren İpek Şi̇mşek, Turgay Seymen, Şeri̇f Özongun, Meti̇n Tuna

Turkish Journal of Botany

One of the key uses of flow cytometry is the estimation of nuclear DNA content and ploidy level, which has proven a reliable and effective approach in many studies. The primary goal of this research is to estimate the nuclear DNA content and ploidy level of the apple genetic resource collection maintained in the Fruit Research Institute?s living Malus collection for the first time using flow cytometry (for autochthonous varieties). Fresh apple leaf tissues were used for the flow cytometry analysis. For each genotype, nuclear DNA analysis was performed on three individual plants. Propidium iodide (PI) is used as a …

Increasing Temperatures Can Pose An Opportunity To Recover Endemic And Endangered Oriental Sweetgum Tree (Liquidambar Orientalis Mill.) From Extinction, Okan Ürker, Nurbahar Usta Baykal, Eren Ada

Turkish Journal of Botany

Evidence suggests that past climatic oscillations caused many species to drastically change their distribution range and had significant impacts on their survival capabilities. There is significant evidence suggesting that today's changing climate threatens many species to face a rapid extinction period in the coming decades and centuries. Understanding the changing range patterns provides significant input on biodiversity and conservation biology studies. However, warming climatic conditions may also present an opportunity for some species to expand their habitats?particularly those adapted to warmer environments. In this study, we asked how near-future climate change will affect the distribution range of the oriental sweetgum …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Botany

No abstract provided.

Identification Of The Functional Domain Of The Dense Core Vesicle Biogenesis Factor Hid-1, Blake H. Hummer, Theodore Carter, Breanna L. Sellers, Jenna D. Triplett, Cedric S. Asensio

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Large dense core vesicles (LDCVs) mediate the regulated release of neuropeptides and peptide hormones. HID-1 is a trans-Golgi network (TGN) localized peripheral membrane protein contributing to LDCV formation. There is no information about HID-1 structure or domain architecture, and thus it remains unknown how HID-1 binds to the TGN and performs its function. We report that the N-terminus of HID-1 mediates membrane binding through a myristoyl group with a polybasic amino acid patch but lacks specificity for the TGN. In addition, we show that the C-terminus serves as the functional domain. Indeed, this isolated domain, when tethered to the TGN, …

Tmem27 Suppresses Tumor Development By Promoting Ret Ubiquitination, Positioning, And Degradation, Qianjin Guo, Zi-Ming Cheng, Hector Gonzalez-Cantú, Matthew Rotondi, Gabriela Huelgas-Morales, Purushoth Ethiraj, Zhijun Qiu, Jonathan Lefkowitz, Wan Song, Bethany N Landry, Hector Lopez, Cynthia M Estrada-Zuniga, Shivi Goyal, Mohammad Aasif Khan, Timothy J Walker, Exing Wang, Faqian Li, Yanli Ding, Lois M Mulligan, Ricardo C T Aguiar, Patricia L M Dahia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The TMEM127 gene encodes a transmembrane protein of poorly known function that is mutated in pheochromocytomas, neural crest-derived tumors of adrenomedullary cells. Here, we report that, at single-nucleus resolution, TMEM127-mutant tumors share precursor cells and transcription regulatory elements with pheochromocytomas carrying mutations of the tyrosine kinase receptor RET. Additionally, TMEM127-mutant pheochromocytomas, human cells, and mouse knockout models of TMEM127 accumulate RET and increase its signaling. TMEM127 contributes to RET cellular positioning, trafficking, and lysosome-mediated degradation. Mechanistically, TMEM127 binds to RET and recruits the NEDD4 E3 ubiquitin ligase for RET ubiquitination and degradation via TMEM127 C-terminal PxxY motifs. Lastly, increased cell …

Evaluation Of Phytochemicals And The Role Of Oxidative Stress Pathways During Fruit Development In Strawberries (Fragaria×Ananassa), Fahimeh Mokhtari Shojaee, Elham Mohajel Kazemi, Houshang Nosrati, Maryam Kolahi, Mehdi Haghi

Turkish Journal of Botany

Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) are one of the Rosaceae family, considered economically and nutritionally important berry fruits. Phytochemicals are crucial ingredients that contribute to characteristics such as the fruit?s aroma and flavor. The current study investigated the phytochemical characteristics of strawberry fruit at three developmental stages (green, white, and red). HPLC measurements determined the glucose, fructose, and sucrose concentrations significantly increased in the red fruit, whereas glucose was identified as the major sugar in ripe fruit (2.8 g.g-1FW). Evaluation of the phenylpropanoid pathway implied that the amount of total phenol and flavonoid following phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzyme activity decreased …

Long-Term Outcomes Of Cardiac Sarcoid: Prognostic Implications Of Isolated Cardiac Involvement And Impact Of Diagnostic Delays, Joshua Sink, Cara Joyce, Max J. Liebo, David J. Wilber

Biostatistics Collaborative Core: Faculty Publications and Other Works

BACKGROUND: Isolated cardiac sarcoid (iCS) is reported to have more severe clinical presentation and greater risk of adverse events compared with cardiac sarcoid (CS) with extracardiac involvement (nonisolated CS). Delays in diagnosing specific organ involvement may play a role in these described differences.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective observational study of patients with CS over a 20-year period was conducted. Objective evidence of organ involvement and time of onset based on consensus criteria were identified. CS was confirmed by histology in all patients from myocardium only (iCS) or extracardiac tissue (nonisolated CS). The primary end point was a composite of …

The George-Anne Inkwell Edition, Georgia Southern University

The Inkwell

No abstract provided.

Axl-Initiated Paracrine Activation Of Pstat3 Enhances Mesenchymal And Vasculogenic Supportive Features Of Tumor-Associated Macrophages, Chia-Nung Hung, Meizhen Chen, Daniel T Dearmond, Cheryl H-L Chiu, Catherine A Limboy, Xi Tan, Meena Kusi, Chih-Wei Chou, Li-Ling Lin, Zhao Zhang, Chiou-Miin Wang, Chun-Liang Chen, Kohzoh Mitsuya, Pawel A Osmulski, Maria E Gaczynska, Nameer B Kirma, Ratna K Vadlamudi, Don L Gibbons, Steve Warner, Andrew J Brenner, Daruka Mahadevan, Joel E Michalek, Tim H-M Huang, Josephine A Taverna

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are integral to the development of complex tumor microenvironments (TMEs) and can execute disparate cellular programs in response to extracellular cues. However, upstream signaling processes underpinning this phenotypic plasticity remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that concordant AXL-STAT3 signaling in TAMs is triggered by lung cancer cells or cancer-associated fibroblasts in the cytokine milieu. This paracrine action drives TAM differentiation toward a tumor-promoting "M2-like" phenotype with upregulation of CD163 and putative mesenchymal markers, contributing to TAM heterogeneity and diverse cellular functions. One of the upregulated markers, CD44, mediated by AXL-IL-11-pSTAT3 signaling cascade, enhances macrophage ability to …

A Peptide-Binding Domain Shared With An Antarctic Bacterium Facilitates, Cameron J Lloyd, Shuaiqi Guo, Brett Kinrade, Hossein Zahiri, Robert Eves, Syed Khalid Ali, Fitnat Yildiz, Ilja K Voets, Peter L Davies, Karl E Klose

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Machine Learning In Marine Ecology: An Overview Of Techniques And Applications, Peter Rubbens, Stephanie Brodie, Tristan Cordier, D Destro Barcellos, Paul Devos, Jose A. Fernandes-Salvador, Jennifer I. Fincham, Alessandra Gomes, Nils Olav Handegard, Kerry Howell, Cédric Jamet, Kyrre Heldal Kartveit, Hassan Moustahfid, Clea Parcerisas, Dimitris Politikos, Raphaëlle Sauzède, Maria Sokolova, Laura Uusitalo, L Van Den Bulcke, Atm Van Helmond, Jordan T. Watson, Heather Welch, Oscar Beltran-Perez, Samuel Chaffron, David S. Greenberg, Bernhard Kühn, Rainer Kiko, Madiop Lo, Rubens M. Lopes, Rubens M. Lopes, William Michaels, Ahmet Pala, Jean Baptiste Romagnan, Pia Schuchert, Vahid Seydi, Sebastian Villasante, Ketil Malde, Jean Olivier Irisson

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Machine learning covers a large set of algorithms that can be trained to identify patterns in data. Thanks to the increase in the amount of data and computing power available, it has become pervasive across scientific disciplines. We first highlight why machine learning is needed in marine ecology. Then we provide a quick primer on machine learning techniques and vocabulary. We built a database of ∼1000 publications that implement such techniques to analyse marine ecology data. For various data types (images, optical spectra, acoustics, omics, geolocations, biogeochemical profiles, and satellite imagery), we present a historical perspective on applications that proved …

Irrigation Water Quality Sampling Guide, Burdette Barker, Matt Yost, Erin N. Rivers, Rhonda Miller, Kalen Taylor, Tiffany Evans

All Current Publications

Understanding irrigation water quality is an important part of irrigation water management. Water quality testing begins with identifying constituents for which to test. Proper sample collection is important for characterizing a water source. This fact sheet addresses water sampling, what to sample or test, irrigation equipment concerns, pollutants, and when, where, and how to sample.

Setd2 Safeguards The Genome Against Isochromosome Formation, Frank M Mason, Emily S Kounlavong, Anteneh T Tebeje, Rashmi Dahiya, Tiffany Guess, Abid Khan, Logan Vlach, Stephen R Norris, Courtney A Lovejoy, Ruhee Dere, Brian D Strahl, Ryoma Ohi, Peter Ly, Cheryl Lyn Walker, W Kimryn Rathmell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Isochromosomes are mirror-imaged chromosomes with simultaneous duplication and deletion of genetic material which may contain two centromeres to create isodicentric chromosomes. Although isochromosomes commonly occur in cancer and developmental disorders and promote genome instability, mechanisms that prevent isochromosomes are not well understood. We show here that the tumor suppressor and methyltransferase SETD2 is essential to prevent these errors. Using cellular and cytogenetic approaches, we demonstrate that loss of SETD2 or its epigenetic mark, histone H3 lysine 36 trimethylation (H3K36me3), results in the formation of isochromosomes as well as isodicentric and acentric chromosomes. These defects arise during DNA replication and are …

In Vivo Crispr/Cas9 Screening Identifies Pbrm1 As A Regulator Of Myeloid Leukemia Development In Mice, Bin E Li, Grace Y Li, Wenqing Cai, Qian Zhu, Davide Seruggia, Yuko Fujiwara, Christopher R Vakoc, Stuart H Orkin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

CRISPR/Cas9 screening approaches are powerful tool for identifying in vivo cancer dependencies. Hematopoietic malignancies are genetically complex disorders in which the sequential acquisition of somatic mutations generates clonal diversity. Over time, additional cooperating mutations may drive disease progression. Using an in vivo pooled gene editing screen of epigenetic factors in primary murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), we sought to uncover unrecognized genes that contribute to leukemia progression. We, first, modeled myeloid leukemia in mice by functionally abrogating both Tet2 and Tet3 in HSPCs, followed by transplantation. We, then, performed pooled CRISPR/Cas9 editing of genes encoding epigenetic factors and …

Inducible Crispr-Targeted "Knockdown" Of Human Gut Bacteroides In Gnotobiotic Mice Discloses Glycan Utilization Strategies, Zachary W Beller, Darryl A Wesener, Timothy R Seebeck, Janaki L Guruge, Alexandra E Byrne, Suzanne Henrissat, Jeffrey I Gordon, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Understanding how members of the human gut microbiota prioritize nutrient resources is one component of a larger effort to decipher the mechanisms defining microbial community robustness and resiliency in health and disease. This knowledge is foundational for development of microbiota-directed therapeutics. To model how bacteria prioritize glycans in the gut, germfree mice were colonized with 13 human gut bacterial strains, including seven saccharolytic

Cell-Based Screening Of Antistress Activity Of Some Phytochemicals: Identification, Validation, And Relevance To Old-Age Related Pathologies, Huayue Zhang, Sunil Kaul, Renu Wadhwa

Research Symposium

Background: A variety of environmental stresses have been shown to contribute to poor quality of life, tissue dysfunctions and ailments including metabolic disorders, cognitive impairment, and accelerated aging. Oxidative stress (an imbalance between the production and processing of highly reactive oxygen species) is largely associated with these phenotypes. Whereas drug development and disease therapeutics have advanced remarkably in last three decades, there are still limited options for stress management. Since the later can effectively decrease the disease burden, we aimed to screen phytochemicals with anti-oxidative stress activity using cell-based assays.

Methods: Brain-derived cells were subjected to chemical models of oxidative …

Fall 2023 Full Issue, Office Of Undergraduate Research

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Full Fall 2023 issue of the Pandion Journal, volume 4, issue 1.

Oral Dosages Of The Nsaid Aspirin Decreased The Growth Rate Of Species Found In The Human Gut Microbiome Including Akkermansia Muciniphila, Bacteroides Fragilis, Clostridium Sordellii, And Clostridium Difficile, Wyatt H. Greenbaum, Garrett J. Greenbaum, Anna Spiezio

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Over past few decades, new insight has been revealed in the scientific community about the importance of the human gut microbiome relating to general health. It is known that imbalances in the species that reside in the human gut can cause organism-wide problems in humans. When prescribing or injecting oral medications, the thought of the downstream effects on the gut microbiome are not always considered. By exposing known healthy members of the gut; Akkermansia muciniphila, Bacteroides fragilis, Clostridium sordellii, and Clostridium difficile to the Aspirin, this study attempted to provide insight into the effects of the drug on bacterial growth. …

The Green Sea Turtle, Sierra Rhiannon Brown

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

The Green Sea Turtle is a piece I produced as a part of my final portfolio for the Scientific Illustration course I participated in during the summer semester of 2022. The Green Sea Turtle is a watercolor and gauche painting on Bristol paper that was created as part of a collection representing each of the five sea turtle species native to the Florida coasts. Green sea turtles (Chelonia Mydas) are the largest species of hard-shelled turtle in the world, they are also unique because of their specialized diet which consists primarily of sea grass and algae. …

Rna World And The Development Of Rna Protocells, Benjamin C. Mayfield

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Origins of life research, also known as pre-biotic chemistry or astrobiology, aims to unravel the mystery of the first cell’s origin on Earth. This interdisciplinary field encompasses biology, chemistry, and physics, with the primary goal of understanding the conditions necessary for life to emerge from abiotic environments. The RNA world hypothesis suggests that early life initially used RNA instead of DNA to store genomic information and for enzymatic functions. Protocells, membrane-bound entities with metabolic processes and self-replication capabilities, likely preceded the emergence of true cells. The challenges associated with RNA world is currently an active field of research. Advancements in …

Alligator Skull, Katherine Weaver

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

Alligator Skull was created through mimicking the shadows on the bones of a giant creature with the dots of my pen. Living in Florida, I have known these animals my entire life, and I have been mesmerized by them the whole time. To see one humbled into a skeleton form is so intriguing. They are apex predators that encompass fear in many, but they are just as mortal as the rest of us. They only kill to survive, but the power they possess over the waters has humans either petrified or entranced. This individual from the Alligator mississippiensis …

“100%, I’M Not Trained For This:” Understanding How Professors Navigate Higher Education As Student Mental Health Declines, Clio F. Chazan-Gabbard

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Generational and cultural changes have led mental health to become an increasingly common concern among the general population, especially Generation Z. As a result, professors have become very aware of declining college student mental health, and some have become advisors for struggling students; in the process, they are learning to navigate boundaries in and out of the classroom (Lipson, 2021; Price et al., 2020). Using six qualitative interviews, this study seeks to ask: how do professors understand, navigate teaching, and one-on-one interactions as student mental health issues increase? This paper argues that as student mental health suffers and campus counseling …

Tailoring The Gut Microbiome Through Diet To Target Short Chain Fatty Acids And Trimethylamine N-Oxide For Heart Failure Prevention, Julia M. Gabel

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

The number of people diagnosed with heart failure is on the rise—it’s becoming an epidemic. There are treatment options available for heart failure, but unfortunately there is not a cure. However, most cases of heart failure can be prevented. One mechanism that provides promise for preventing heart failure is the implementation of a heart healthy diet. However, not in the context that most are familiar with. In this case, a heart healthy diet is in reference to the ability of diet to tailor the gut microbiome in order to target specific metabolites that are associated with heart failure. Diet plays …

Leafy Sea Dragon, Phycodurus Sp., Kennedi X. Light

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

Leafy sea dragons, Phycodurus sp. are part of the Syngnathidae family. Syngnathidae is a genus made up of seahorses, pipefishes, and sea dragons. All three of the species are known to have beautiful patterning. However, leafy sea dragons got their name from their leafy appendages like their fins and limbs. The reason I chose to draw a leafy sea dragon is due to my own interest in astrobiology. Astrobiology is the study of life in the universe and astrobiologists look for signs of life within the universe. I would like to be an astrobiologist one day and focus …

The Florida Scrub-Jay, Emily Hill

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

The Florida Scrub-Jay is a digital scientific illustration of Aphelocoma coerulescens, the only native bird species endemic to Florida. This piece celebrates the natural beauty of the Florida scrub-jay and its key features that allow it to thrive in scrub habitats. These habitats are threatened by anthropogenic activity and climate change, leading to the fragmentation, degradation, or eventual loss of these areas. Through this artwork, I hope to emphasize the importance of conservation and inspire viewers to appreciate and protect this bird species.

Every stroke and color choice were carefully considered to accurately depict the bird’s physical attributes. …

Phosphorus And Its Role In Chemical Evolution, Asbel Gonzalez

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Phosphorus is a minor element with a cosmic abundance of about 105.5 atoms per 1012 H atoms (Boudreaux, n.d.). Phosphorus was depleted as a volatile throughout the developing solar system, and as a result, volatile forms of phosphorus would have been minimal, even in the colder regions of the solar nebula. Despite its low abundance, phosphorus minerals play key roles in planetary petrology, including through the formation of phosphate minerals that trapped volatiles and rare Earth elements, and in the formation of metal phosphides that may have served as nucleation sites for kamacite and taenite crystal growth in minor planet …

A Note From The Executive Editor, Judith D. Ochrietor

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Into Energy Generation Using Pseudo-Piezoelectric Foam And Its Applications In Smart Shoes, Sriraj Srihari, Wairimu Mwangi

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

As the human population continues to increase, the demand for energy with this increase has become unsustainable. Fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and crude oil have long been the resources that have supported the generation of energy for populations around the world. In recent years, these resources have been depleted at an alarming rate without significantly being recovered. This means that natural resources are now facing imminent extinction that would catastrophically cripple the daily operations of societies around the globe. As a result, there is a global effort to find alternate and eco-friendly sources of energy sooner rather …

In Memoriam Rolando Teruel Ochoa (1974 – 2023), Luis F. De Armas, Sheyla Yong

Euscorpius

This is an obituary of Rolando Teruel Ochoa (1974–2023), a great Cuban arachnologist. A full list of his works is appended, as well as a list of scorpions and other arachnids described by Rolando.