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Tcas Benchmark, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2006, Glynn Osburn, Paula Vastine

North Texas Archeological Society Records

Volume five and issue three of TCAS Benchmark.

Tcas Benchmark, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Glynn Osburn, Paula Vastine

North Texas Archeological Society Records

Volume five and issue two of TCAS Benchmark.

A Mamluk-Period Mausoleum Near The ‘Sleepy Spring’ At Safed (Ẓefat), Hervé Barbé

'Atiqot

A trial excavation near the ‘Sleepy Spring’ fountain in Safed revealed the remains of a mausoleum, which was built during the late Mamluk period and remained in use until the early twentieth century. Three late Ottoman-period tombs found within the vaulted structure, and Ottoman-period cist tombs adjacent to the building, attest to the burial function of the site. No pre-Mamluk-period finds were uncovered at the site, indicating that the earliest occupation in this part of the ancient town was in the Mamluk period. Based on archaeological excavations and textual sources, urbanization of Safed was intensified during the Mamluk period, possibly …

The Faunal Remains From Ramla, Dana Shtainberg Finali, Ram Bouchnick

'Atiqot

The majority of the faunal remains from the excavation at Ramla were retrieved from Area A. The assemblage mostly comprises domestic livestock, including domestic fowl. It also includes a few remains of wild mammals, fish and songbirds. The very low numbers of pig bones at the site are characteristic of assemblages associated with cultures that imposed a taboo on eating pork, as Jewish and Muslim communities. The assemblage appears to represent refuse deposits, although their precise origin is unclear.

Early Bronze Age Fauna From Tel Lod, Edward F. Maher Maher

'Atiqot

The excavations at Tel Lod yielded a small zooarchaeological assemblage, primarily dating to Early Bronze Age IB (Strata VII–IV); the material from the latest occupation (Strata III–II) dates to late EB IB or the EB IB/EB II transition. The fauna of both phases is dominated by domestic stock, comprising sheep, goats, cattle and pigs, which were used both for primary products, such as meat, and secondary products, such as dairy, wool, hair, traction and for breeding. Wild animals, such as boar, gazelle, deer and hare, were also occasionally exploited.

Early Bronze Age Ia Settlement Remains At Ḥorbat Ḥammim (South), Near Modi‘In, Edwin C.M. Van Den Brink, Liora Kolska Horwitz, Ofer Marder, Henk K. Mienis

'Atiqot

The excavation at Ḥorbat Ḥammim (South) yielded a rock-cut basin and a small cave within a limestone bedrock outcrop. The basin is similar to other rock-cut installations previously exposed in the area and dated to the Chalcolithic period.
The manmade rock-cut cave was entered through a shaft. The sediments from the shaft and the cave consisted of many potsherds, stone tools and animal bones, that may have been washed into the cave, or intentionally discarded in it. The cave may have been quarried as early as the Late Chalcolithic period, although the bulk of the pottery dates to EB IA, …

The Mollusks From Tel Bet Yeraḥ, Inbar Ktalav

'Atiqot

Bivalve remains retrieved from EB II–III Strata at Tel Bet Yeraḥ include specimens originating from the Sea of Galilee and from the Mediterranean Sea. The mollusks indicate the exploitation of nearby sources for food and raw material for fashioning decorative items, as well as long distance trade connections with the Mediterranean coastal region. A broken valve of Glycymeris nummaria, with an artificial perforation in the umbo, was probably collected on the shore and used as a pendant.

The Fauna From Tel Bet Yeraḥ, Miriam Pines

'Atiqot

A small assemblage of 20 bones was retrieved from Tel Bet Yeraḥ, the majority originating from EB III Strata III–I. Most of the bones belong to adult sheep/goat and cattle.

A Ceramic Zoomorphic Figurine From Tel Bet Yeraḥ, Nadeshda B. Knudsen

'Atiqot

A well-made ceramic zoomorphic figurine was recovered from a domestic EB IB context (Stratum V) in the southern part of Tel Bet Yeraḥ. The physical characteristics of this figurine suggest that it was intended to represent an equid, possibly a donkey. Such animal figurines are common at Early Bronze Age sites, usually representing familiar domesticate animals. The purpose of these figurines remains obscure, with multiple suggestions offered, including their use as toys, talismans, teaching aids, exchange tokens, or for rituals.

The Continuing Search For A Better Mouse Trap: Two Tests Of A Practical, Low-Cost Camera Trap For Detecting And Observing Small Mammals, Raymond D. Dueser, John H. Porter, Nancy D. Moncrief

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The advent of digital wildlife cameras has led to a dramatic increase in the use of camera traps for mammalian biodiversity surveys, ecological studies and occupancy analyses. For cryptic mammals such as mice and shrews, whose small sizes pose many challenges for unconstrained digital photography, use of camera traps remains relatively infrequent. Here we use a practical, low-cost small mammal camera platform (the “MouseCam”) that is easy and inexpensive to fabricate and deploy and requires little maintenance beyond camera service. We tested the MouseCam in two applications: a study of small mammal species composition on two transects across a barrier …

Complex Tissue Regeneration In Lophuromys Reveals A Phylogenetic Signal For Enhanced Regenerative Ability In Deomyine Rodents, Brennan Riddell, Molly Mcdonough, Adam Ferguson, John M. Kimani, Thomas R. Gawriluk, Chi Peng, Stephen G. Kiama, Vanessa O. Ezenwa, Ashley W. Seifert

Biology Faculty Publications

Identifying why complex tissue regeneration is present or absent in specific vertebrate lineages has remained elusive. One also wonders whether the isolated examples where regeneration is observed represent cases of convergent evolution or are instead the product of phylogenetic inertia from a common ancestral program. Testing alternative hypotheses to identify genetic regulation, cell states, and tissue physiology that explain how regenerative healing emerges in some species requires sampling multiple species among which there is variation in regenerative ability across a phylogenetic framework. Here, we interrogate tissue healing across eleven rodents and show that brush-furred mice (Lophuromys zena) are capable of …

Delta-Opioid Receptor Targeted Agent For Molecular Imaging And Immunotherapy Of Cancer, Mark L. Mclaughlin, David L. Morse

USF Patents

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to cancer therapy and to anticancer compounds and imaging agents. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to agents that target (X) R and their use in the treatment of cancer.

The Sow Vaginal And Gut Microbiota Associated With Longevity And Reproductive Performance, Ziyu Liu, Tsungcheng Tsai, Samantha Howe, Jason E. Farrar, Christopher E. Randolph, Charles V. Maxwell, Jiangchao Zhao

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

BackgroundSow longevity and reproductivity are essential in the modern swine industry. Although many studies have focused on the genetic and genomic factors for selection, little is known about the associations between the microbiome and sows with longevity in reproduction.ResultsIn this study, we collected and sequenced rectal and vaginal swabs from 48 sows, nine of which completed up to four parities (U4P group), exhibiting reproductive longevity. We first identified predictors of sow longevity in the rectum (e.g., Akkermansia) and vagina (e.g., Lactobacillus) of the U4P group using RandomForest in the early breeding stage of the first parity. Interestingly, these bacteria in …

A Relational Developmental Theory Of Human-Animal Interaction: A Meta-Synthesis And Grounded Theory, Erin Flynn, Miriam G. Valdovinos, Megan K. Mueller, Kevin N. Morris

Graduate School of Social Work: Faculty Scholarship

Limited research has explored youths’ relationships with animals as a possible ecological asset. We conducted a qualitative meta-synthesis of studies published before 2022 that examined how youth-animal interactions are described as shaping youth social-emotional health in education and therapeutic settings. We compared and combined the patterns of findings to determine which mechanisms within youth-animal coaction might be theorized to shape social, emotional, and behavioral development for youth in education and therapy contexts. We used a grounded theory approach to further analyze the primary data and compare it with extant relational developmental systems literature to suggest a new theoretical model for …

Gene Model For The Ortholog Of Glys In Drosophila Simulans, Madeline L. Gruys, Madison A. Sharp, Zachary Lill, Caroline Xiong, Amy T. Hark, James J. Youngblom, Chinmay P. Rele, Laura K. Reed

Faculty Journal Articles

Gene model for the ortholog of glycogen synthase ( Glys ) in the Drosophila simulans May 2017 (Princeton ASM75419v2/DsimGB2) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000754195.3 ). This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus Drosophila using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences.

Ypfs Lessons Learned Oral History Project: An Interview With Francesco Papadia, Francesco Papadia, Mercedes Cardona, Stella Schaefer-Brown

Documents

No abstract provided.

Insights Into Rett Syndrome: Social Behavior, Bdnf-Trkb Signaling, And Dendritic Spines, Destynie Medeiros

All ETDs from UAB

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder primarily affecting females, caused by pathogenic variants in the X-linked MECP2 gene, which encodes the transcriptional modulator Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). RTT is characterized by motor deficits, loss of speech, autistic features, and intellectual disability. A key gene regulated by MeCP2 is BDNF, encoding the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF levels are lower in multiple brain regions of Mecp2-deficient mice, and experimentally increasing BDNF levels improves several RTT phenotypes in mouse models. Due to BDNF's low blood-brain barrier permeability, we tested LM22A-4, a brain-penetrant small molecule ligand of TrkB receptors, on …

Characterization Of Dhdds Rp59 Knock-In Mouse Models Of Retinitis Pigmentosa, Mai Ngoc Nguyen

All ETDs from UAB

Cis-prenyltransferase (CPT), a prenyl chain elongation enzyme made up of two copies of dehydrodolichyl diphosphate synthase (DHDDS) and two copies of Nogo-B Receptor (NgBR), condenses metabolites from the mevalonate pathway to create dolichol, a sugar carrier required for glycosylation in all cells of the body. However, certain missense mutations in DHDDS cause non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP59). Three missense mutations, K42E, T206A, and R98W have been found in RP59 patients that present the cardinal phenotypes of RP – diminished ERG responses, attenuated retinal vessels, bone spicule-like pigmentation, and retinal thinning due to photoreceptor loss. However, no global changes in glycosylation are …

Development Of Cardiac Tissue Chip Platforms For In Vitro Modeling Of Myocardial Fibrosis, Caleb Graham

All ETDs from UAB

Myocardial fibrosis often accompanies cardiovascular disease of varying etiologies. Initial reparative myocardial remodeling following insult, characterized by fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and myofibroblast-mediated collagen deposition, can become a chronic, maladaptive process if injurious stimuli are not removed and inflammation persists, and the resultant fibrosis worsens cardiac function through myocardial stiffening and arrhythmogenic disruption of cardiomyocyte coupling. There are no FDA-approved therapies targeting myocardial fibrosis, in large part due to the complexity of the disease process. In vitro models can serve as useful complements to in vivo studies as they allow for significantly greater control over experimental variables. Cardiac tissue chips (CTCs) are …

Impact Of Achromobacter Xylosoxidans Infection On The Cf Lung In Single-Species And Polymicrobial Infection With Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Caitlin E. Billiot

All ETDs from UAB

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is a Gram-negative bacillus that acts as an opportun- istic pathogen in those with cystic fibrosis (CF). Infection with A. xylosoxidans in these populations is associated with decreased lung function. Thus, this raises the question of the role of A. xylosoxidans in CF disease progression. CF is a polymicrobial disease and A. xylosoxidans is oftentimes isolated alongside Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major CF colonizer. In the context of CF disease, it is important to understand the implications of polymicrobial infection as altered infection dynamics are observed when multiple microbes colonize together. In the first half of this work, we …

Where The Black Women At? Exploring The Narratives & Experiences Of Black Women In Higher Education Leadership, Jasmine P. Jean

All ETDs from UAB

WHERE THE BLACK WOMEN AT? EXPLORING THE NARRATIVES & EXPERIENCES OF BLACK WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP JASMINE P. PARKER JEAN HIGHER EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACT This thesis explores the experiences of Black Women in mid- and senior-level leadership roles in higher education, with a focus on the unique challenges they face due to the intersection of race and gender. Black Women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions across the academic landscape, despite earning higher education degrees at high rates. The study seeks to amplify the voices of Black Women leaders, providing insight into the barriers they encounter, the strategies they …

Transcriptomic Transformations And Epigenetic Elements: The Heart Of The Matter Across Diverse Cardiac Pathophysiologies, Sayan Bakshi

All ETDs from UAB

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) comprises a complex array of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, representing the leading cause of mortality worldwide. This multifaceted nature of CVD has prompted extensive research into its molecular underpinnings and etiological diversity. Despite significant advances, the majority of CVD management strategies are guideline-based symptomatic treatment. This necessitates extensive research studies on therapeutic interventions aimed at disease prevention or cure. In this dissertation, we have employed next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques to elucidate the cardiac transcriptional and epigenetic landscape across various conditions, including ischemic heart failure (IHF), Cardiogenic shock (CS), and diabetic heart failure (DHF). Our …

Evaluations Of Hand-Arm Vibration (Hav) Exposure And Related Vascular And Musculoskeletal Heath Effects Among Groundskeeping Workers In Southeastern U.S., Nathan Chen

All ETDs from UAB

Long-term, excessive exposure to hand-arm vibration (HAV) may induce vascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal disorders, collectively known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). However, concerns arise when adopting the currently available guidelines and standards to protect workers who regularly use vibrating tools due to the lack of standardized exposure assessment methods for HAV and reliable health indicators for HAVS. The existing exposure-response relationship addressed in ISO 5349-1 was developed based on epidemiological studies predominantly performed in temperate zones. Thus, this dissertation aimed to evaluate the HAV exposure levels and vascular and muscular health effects from vibration exposure among groundskeepers in the southeastern …

The Dopaminergic Cell-Intrinsic Clock And Bidirectional Relationships Of Circadian Disruption And Synucleinopathy, Ananya Swaroop

All ETDs from UAB

Circadian rhythms are crucial endogenous cycles with period of ~24 hours that evolved to adapt to light – dark driven changes in environmental conditions. At a molecular level, circadian rhythms are generated by the actions of clock genes that form a transcriptional- translational feedback loop and regulate the rhythmic expression of downstream clock-controlled genes. Cumulatively, the actions of these molecular clocks regulate rhythmicity of physiological and behavioral processes and are extensively characterized within the central circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Like SCN neurons, dopaminergic neurons of the SN are intrinsically pacemaking, though it is unknown if this intrinsic firing …

Genetics And Biology Of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Haoqiang Ying, Alec C Kimmelman, Nabeel Bardeesy, Raghu Kalluri, Anirban Maitra, Ronald A Depinho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) poses a grim prognosis for patients. Recent multidisciplinary research efforts have provided critical insights into its genetics and tumor biology, creating the foundation for rational development of targeted and immune therapies. Here, we review the PDAC genomic landscape and the role of specific oncogenic events in tumor initiation and progression, as well as their contributions to shaping its tumor biology. We further summarize and synthesize breakthroughs in single-cell and metabolic profiling technologies that have illuminated the complex cellular composition and heterotypic interactions of the PDAC tumor microenvironment, with an emphasis on metabolic cross-talk across cancer and …

Sstr2-Targeted Theranostics In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Majid Momeny, Solmaz Aghaamiri, Servando Hernandez Vargas, Belkacem Acidi, Sukhen C Ghosh, Tyler M Bateman, Jack T Adams, Vahid Khalaj, Ahmed O Kaseb, Hop S Tran Cao, Ali Azhdarinia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: While the clinical use of radiolabeled somatostatin analogs is well established in neuroendocrine tumors, there is growing interest in expanding their application to other somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2)-expressing cancers. This study investigates the potential utility of SSTR2-targeted theranostics in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: SSTR2 expression in HCC cell lines and clinical samples was evaluated using qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and a public dataset. 67Ga-DOTATATE uptake was measured, 177Lu-DOTATATE cytotoxicity was assessed, and 68Ga-DOTATATE tumor targeting was evaluated in HCC animal models and a patient via PET/CT imaging.

Results: SSTR2 expression was confirmed in HCC cell lines and clinical samples. …

The Gip Receptor Activates Futile Calcium Cycling In White Adipose Tissue To Increase Energy Expenditure And Drive Weight Loss In Mice, Xinxin Yu, Shiuhwei Chen, Jan-Bernd Funcke, Leon G Straub, Valentina Pirro, Margo P Emont, Brian A Droz, Kyla Ai Collins, Chanmin Joung, Mackenzie J Pearson, Corey M James, Gopal J Babu, Vissarion Efthymiou, Ashley Vernon, Mary Elizabeth Patti, Yu A An, Evan D Rosen, Matthew P Coghlan, Ricardo J Samms, Philipp E Scherer, Christine M Kusminski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Obesity is a chronic disease that contributes to the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular risk. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor (GIPR) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor (GLP-1R) co-agonism provide an improved therapeutic profile in individuals with T2D and obesity when compared with selective GLP-1R agonism. Although the metabolic benefits of GLP-1R agonism are established, whether GIPR activation impacts weight loss through peripheral mechanisms is yet to be fully defined. Here, we generated a mouse model of GIPR induction exclusively in the adipocyte. We show that GIPR induction in the fat cell protects mice from diet-induced …

Key Virulence Factors Responsible For Differences In Pathogenicity Between Clinically Proven Live-Attenuated Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Sa14-14-2 And Its Pre-Attenuated Highly Virulent Parent Sa14, Byung-Hak Song, Sang-Im Yun, Joseph L. Goldhardt, Jiyoun Kim, Young-Min Lee

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Student Research

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a neuroinvasive and neurovirulent orthoflavivirus, can be prevented in humans with the SA₁₄-14-2 vaccine, a live-attenuated version derived from the wild-type SA₁₄ strain. To determine the viral factors responsible for the differences in pathogenicity between SA₁₄ and SA₁₄-14-2, we initially established a reverse genetics system that includes a pair of full-length infectious cDNAs for both strains. Using this cDNA pair, we then systematically exchanged genomic regions between SA14 and SA₁₄-14-2 to generate 20 chimeric viruses and evaluated their replication capability in cell culture and their pathogenic potential in …

A Survey On Food Ingredient Substitutions, Hyunwook Kim, Revathy Venkataramanan, Amit P. Sheth

Publications

Diet plays a crucial role in managing chronic conditions and overall well-being. As people become more selective about their food choices, finding recipes that meet dietary needs is important. Ingredient substitution is key to adapting recipes for dietary restrictions, allergies, and availability constraints. However, identifying suitable substitutions is challenging as it requires analyzing the flavor, functionality, and health suitability of ingredients. With the advancement of AI, researchers have explored computational approaches to address ingredient substitution. This survey paper provides a comprehensive overview of the research in this area, focusing on five key aspects: (i) datasets and data sources used to …

Targeted Inhibition Of Aurora Kinase A Promotes Immune Checkpoint Inhibition Efficacy In Human Papillomavirus-Driven Cancers, Soma Ghosh, Madison P O'Hara, Pragya Sinha, Tuhina Mazumdar, Lacin Yapindi, Jagannadha K Sastry, Faye M Johnson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven cancers include head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and cervical cancer and represent approximately 5% of all cancer cases worldwide. Standard-of-care chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are associated with adverse effects and limited responses in patients with HPV-driven cancers. The integration of targeted therapies with ICIs may improve outcomes. In a previous study, we demonstrated that Aurora kinase A (AURKA, Aurora A) inhibitors lead to apoptosis of human HPV-positive cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, we explored the potential of Aurora A inhibition to enhance response to ICIs in immune-competent …