Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of Hormones In Assessing Reproductive Physiology Of Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae) From Juneau, Alaska, S. Atkinson, V. Melica, S. Teerlink, K. Mashburn, J. Moran, Heidi Pearson

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Southeast Alaska have been studied for over 50 years, and are largely considered a recovery success since the cessation of commercial whaling. Reproductive physiology is an important factor to consider in studying population health and can provide important insights into the drivers contributing to population abundance fluctuations. Validated assays for progesterone and testosterone were used on blubber biopsies from humpback whales (N = 33 whales, 71 samples) near Juneau, Alaska, in 2020 and 2021. Long-term sighting histories were used to confirm detected pregnancies with calf sightings the following year. Blubber samples were divided into two …

Engaging Northern Rural And Indigenous Students: Case Studies Using One Health Principles Of Educational Resilience, Paul Cotter, Lori Gildehaus, Ellen Chenoweth, Janice Straley, Karsten Hueffer, Arleigh J. Reynolds

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Indigenous and rural populations are underrepresented in many science-related educational fields, leading to underrepresentation in biomedical, science, and related professions. A contributing factor is the misalignment of Western education and engagement strategies and these cultures; this is especially true for northern subsistence cultures. We review the influence of a combined One Health/Quadripartite Model of Educational Resilience approach in promoting interest in, recruiting for, and retaining students in biomedical research and community health across three education levels. We suggest a One Health context resonates with Indigenous and rural populations and may be more culturally aligned than conventional education approaches. Implementing Quadripartite …

A Meta-Narrative Review Of Textured Implants And Associated Lymphoma Risks, Steven Mendoza, Savannah R. Camacho, Chau Pham, Chau Pham

Research Methods Poster Session 2023

In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified that breast implants are associated with breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Until 2022, a total of 1130 cases were globally recorded (Health, 2021). Even though researchers are attempting to determine the risks, the accurate etiology has not been determined yet. Comparisons of previous published works are widespread in different potential causes. Hence, we aim to focus on defining how different implants link to BIA-ALCL, especially smooth and textured implants. The review follows the meta-narrative approach with the Pubmed database (2018- now) to collect, combine, and contrast data. All the …

Decontamination And Annotation Of The Draft Genome Sequence Of The Oomycete Lagenidium Giganteum Arsef 373, William R. Morgan, Aurelien Tartar

Biology Faculty Articles

Scaffolds of a previously published Lagenidium giganteum ARSEF 373 genome assembly found at GenBank were filtered to remove contaminating sequences. Genome annotation of the 437 scaffolds (total length, 56.2 MB; GC content, 58.8%) with confirmed L. giganteum sequences identified 13,069 potential protein-coding genes, encoding at least 737 predicted secreted proteins and .100 putative translocated effectors

Dopamine D2 Receptors As A Peripheral Biomarker For Brain Dopamine Levels, Christina Small

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to objectively index dopamine (DA) levels in the brain has the potential to revolutionize the field of neuropsychopharmacology, as having a peripheral biomarker of brain DA would enable the objective monitoring of the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other DA-dependent psychiatric states. Of particular relevance to commercialization, it would provide an objective measure of treatment efficacy. We used a DA-depletion approach to determine if peripheral D2Rs are a biomarker for brain DA; mainly, the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) neurotoxin model and PD subjects, which are well-known models of DA depletion in the midbrain of rodents and humans, respectively. Dopamine …

The Montclarion, April 13, 2023, The Montclarion

The Montclarion

Student Newspaper of Montclair State University

Automatic And Manual Segmentation Of The Piriform Cortex: Method Development And Validation In Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy And Alzheimer's Disease, D Steinbart, Sn Yaakub, M Steinbrenner, Ls Guldin, Et Al

School of Psychology

The piriform cortex (PC) is located at the junction of the temporal and frontal lobes. It is involved physiologically in olfaction as well as memory and plays an important role in epilepsy. Its study at scale is held back by the absence of automatic segmentation methods on MRI. We devised a manual segmentation protocol for PC volumes, integrated those manually derived images into the Hammers Atlas Database (n = 30) and used an extensively validated method (multi-atlas propagation with enhanced registration, MAPER) for automatic PC segmentation. We applied automated PC volumetry to patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal …

Inhibiting Effects Of Methyllycaconitine (Mla) On Pnu-282987 Induced Neurogenesis In Blast-Exposed Mouse Retinas, Nastia Zhiyew Chan

Honors Theses

Irreversible vision loss can be caused by retinal damage, disease, or aging. In recent years, the prevalence of ocular damage due to blast trauma has been increasing due to the modernization of warfare. Adult mammalian retinal neurons were previously thought to lack the capacity for regeneration to reverse vision loss, which deemed the effects of many ocular damages permanent. However, recent studies from this lab have shown that PNU-282987, an agonist to the alpha 7 subtype of neural nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, will result in neural regeneration in adult mammalian cells. For this research project, I will be using Methyllycaconitine (MLA), …

The Effect Of Callery Pear (Pyrus Calleryana) On Soil Macrofauna (Diplopoda And Oligochaeta), Joseph M. Mcgee

Biology Theses

Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a relatively recent invader of North America. Its ecological effects are still being explored, including those affecting soil macrofauna such as millipedes (Diplopoda) and earthworms (Clitellata: Oligochaeta). These animals play important roles in many soil processes so understanding how they respond to invasive species is vital to soil health. A previous study exploring potential herbicide control was completed in 2019, however as of 2022 there are still treatment zones with little to no Callery pear alongside fully invaded plots, providing an optimal habitat mosaic for comparison. This allowed us to pursue two research …

Benefits Of Probiotics In Autism Spectrum Disorders : A Meta-Analysis Of Rcts, Sharanabasayyaswamy B. Hiremath, Srinivas L. Devendrappa

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Using probiotics as a pharmaceutical intervention is based on the fact that dysbiosis affects many people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study aimed to quantify various probiotics’ overall and individualized benefits in treating ASD. Randomized or cross-over trials comparing the efficacy of placebo or active control vs. probiotics in patients of any age diagnosed with ASD based on DSM IV/V criteria were considered under inclusion criteria. An electronic database search in PUBMED and Cochrane Library was conducted using MeSH search terms “probiotics” AND “Autism.” Mean change in the total score of clinical parameters used to assess ASD symptom severity …

Targeting Mirnas And Other Non-Coding Rnas As A Therapeutic Approach: An Update, Emine Bayraktar, Recep Bayraktar, Hulya Oztatlici, Gabriel Lopez-Berestein, Paola Amero, Cristian Rodriguez-Aguayo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Since the discovery of the first microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs), the understanding of miRNA biology has expanded substantially. miRNAs are involved and described as master regulators of the major hallmarks of cancer, including cell differentiation, proliferation, survival, the cell cycle, invasion, and metastasis. Experimental data indicate that cancer phenotypes can be modified by targeting miRNA expression, and because miRNAs act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes (oncomiRs), they have emerged as attractive tools and, more importantly, as a new class of targets for drug development in cancer therapeutics. With the use of miRNA mimics or molecules targeting miRNAs (i.e., small-molecule inhibitors such …

Montana Kaimin, April 13, 2023, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

College Of Business News, Georgia Southern University

College of Business: News & Publications

• Intro to Business Students Learn About the Business of Wildlife

Cancer Neuroscience: State Of The Field, Emerging Directions, Frank Winkler, Humsa S Venkatesh, Moran Amit, Tracy Batchelor, Ihsan Ekin Demir, Benjamin Deneen, David H Gutmann, Shawn Hervey-Jumper, Thomas Kuner, Donald Mabbott, Michael Platten, Asya Rolls, Erica K Sloan, Timothy C Wang, Wolfgang Wick, Varun Venkataramani, Michelle Monje

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The nervous system governs both ontogeny and oncology. Regulating organogenesis during development, maintaining homeostasis, and promoting plasticity throughout life, the nervous system plays parallel roles in the regulation of cancers. Foundational discoveries have elucidated direct paracrine and electrochemical communication between neurons and cancer cells, as well as indirect interactions through neural effects on the immune system and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment in a wide range of malignancies. Nervous system-cancer interactions can regulate oncogenesis, growth, invasion and metastatic spread, treatment resistance, stimulation of tumor-promoting inflammation, and impairment of anti-cancer immunity. Progress in cancer neuroscience may create an important new …

Integrated Model Of The Vertebrate Augmin Complex, Sophie M Travis, Brian P Mahon, Wei Huang, Meisheng Ma, Michael J Rale, Jodi Kraus, Derek J Taylor, Rui Zhang, Sabine Petry

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Accurate segregation of chromosomes is required to maintain genome integrity during cell division. This feat is accomplished by the microtubule-based spindle. To build a spindle rapidly and with high fidelity, cells take advantage of branching microtubule nucleation, which rapidly amplifies microtubules during cell division. Branching microtubule nucleation relies on the hetero-octameric augmin complex, but lack of structure information about augmin has hindered understanding how it promotes branching. In this work, we combine cryo-electron microscopy, protein structural prediction, and visualization of fused bulky tags via negative stain electron microscopy to identify the location and orientation of each subunit within the augmin …

Sustainability Evaluation Of Pastoral Livestock Systems, Mohamed Ouali, Fathi Abdellatif Belhouadjeb, Walid Soufan, Hail Z. Rihan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

In order to manage important transformations affecting a steppe area, it is necessary to analyze the existing pastoral system by evaluating the sustainability of its subsystems of production. For this reason, in this study, a tool for the evaluation of the sustainability of livestock production in the steppe area was used in order to identify the most sustainable systems. The study was conducted using a survey of 87 livestock farmers (production units) in the region ranked first in terms of sheep production. Principal component analysis (PCA) enabled us to identify two production systems: (i) the pastoral production system, characterized by …

Telling Their Story: Identifying Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins Using Dorsal Fin Photo-Identification To Match Known Individuals, Grace Richa

Undergraduate Research Competition

Bottlenose dolphins are protected and managed under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. When dolphins die (strand), researchers investigate the cause of death, but additional information regarding past experience and distribution can help to identify long-term exposure to pathogens and threats. The objective of this study is to use dorsal fin photo-identification to identify stranded bottlenose dolphins by matching them to known individuals from historical CCU research survey data. Photos from vessel-based surveys in Cape Romain, Murrells Inlet, Winyah Bay, and North Inlet, SC were sorted, cropped, and compared to existing fins in the CCU catalog using finFindR, a photo processing …

Evaluating The Neuroprotective Effect Of Taurine On Parkinson’S Disease, Nidhi Prabhu S, Rekha K. N, Kamalesh D. Mumbrekar

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

To Evaluate The Genotoxicity Induced By Lead On Human Embryonic Kidney Cells (Hek293) And The Ameliorative Effect Of Naringenin, Chirag Shetty, Herman S. D’Souza

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Comparison Of Verbal Fluency Between Individuals With Normal Hearing And Hearing Impairment, Lakshmi Satheesan, Archana G, Sunila John

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Mitigation Of Radiation-Induced Gastrointestinal-Toxicity Using Probiotics, Meghana Acharya, Venkidesh B. S, Thokur Sreepathy Murali, Kamalesh Dattaram Mumbrekar

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Improvemet In Bio-Lubricant Properties, Through Chemical Modification Of Non-Edible Oils, Shiva Kumar, Rajendra Uppar, Dinesha P

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

The Impact Of Hypothermic Holding Time On Prepubertal Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation Outcome, D B. Amonkar, S Uppangala, G Kalthur, R Talevi, S K. Adiga

Manipal Research Colloquium - 2023

Manipal Research Colloquium- 2023 aims to bring students, scholars, and scientists to this forum where discussion on a diverse range of topics from various streams (Health Sciences, Technical Sciences, Basic & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Management Sciences) will be taking place.

Mapping Of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (Crf) Receptors In The Coyote Brain, Rachel Tong

Student Research Symposium

Forming strong social bonds is essential to our everyday life and is part of what makes us human. The loss of a loved one often results in grief, stress, and loneliness, and the stress response system of the body has been implicated in the physiological symptoms associated with grieving. The hormone that initiates the stress response in the body is called corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), which acts via binding to CRF receptors (CRFR). Coyotes are an appropriate animal model to study social bonds and social loss because they display monogamy and pair bonding, which is a trait seen in human …

Chikungunya: The Evaluation Of Compound X In A Mouse Model Of Chikv Disease, Kaitlyn Blotter

Student Research Symposium

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an infectious alphavirus spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Recently, there have been various outbreaks in the Americas, the Caribbean, and across Asia and Africa (Bettis et al., 2022). Although mortality rates of Chikungunya disease are relatively low, the disease has been shown to have high morbidity and chronic effects. Currently, there are no approved antivirals for treatment of CHIKV infection. The goal of this study was to identify whether Compound X is an effective treatment in a mouse model of CHIKV infection. Compound X was active in cell culture models of CHIKV infection, …

Reducing Impulsive Choice In Female Rats, Joshua Jones, Christine Layne, Sofia Sperber

Student Research Symposium

Early and prolonged exposure to reward delays has been found to be effective in reducing impulsive choice in male Long-Evans rats. Replication in female subjects ensures that this effect is generalizable across the sexes. Such studies also expand our knowledge of factors associated with impulsive control. The present study randomly assigned 12 female Long Evans rats into a delayed exposure group (DE) or an immediate exposure group (IE). Groups completed 120 sessions (80 trials each) of training. In each of these training trials, rats pressed a lever to earn a food reward. For DE rats, food was delayed by 17.5 …

Netosis In Naked Mole-Rats: A Step Towards Cancer Resistance, Thomas Smith

Student Research Symposium

The purpose of this project is to identify and characterize neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in Naked Mole Rats (NMRs) as a step towards understanding their remarkable cancer resistance. The vision is that in doing so we can translate this understanding to human cancer research in ways that could eventually open new clinical treatment methods. Naked mole-rats are incredibly cancer resistant, and yet they possess immune cell ratios more similar to humans than to mice. Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cell in humans. They release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), a process referred to as NETosis, as part of an immune …

Evaluating Sex Differences In Behavioral Responses To Social Scents In Coyotes, Kodie Jenkins

Student Research Symposium

Understanding the importance of social dynamics and how olfaction in coyotes (Canis latrans) is used as the primary form of communication between individuals, this communication is often regulated by the diversity of personality types that occurs between individuals. We exposed four adult pairs of captive coyotes (2 males, 2 females) at the USDA National Wildlife Research Center’s Predator Research Facility in Millville, Utah to coyote odor attractants (1 mL urine) from siblings, pair mates, and strangers. One pair contained individuals born in 2016, and the other contained individuals born in 2022. Each coyote was placed in a separate …

The Role Of Extracellular Vesicles In Immunomodulation During Bovine Pregnancy, Amber Thornton

Student Research Symposium

During pregnancy, the maternal immune system must be altered to allow the tolerance of a semi-allogeneic fetus. Our previous studies show a strong inflammatory response in the uterus of cows carrying somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) pregnancies due to dysregulation in the proteins expressed by trophoblast cells. Between 30 and 90 days the rate of pregnancy loss is 50-100% for SCNT compared to 2-10% for artificial insemination (AI) pregnancies. Abnormal immunological crosstalk during placentation is a major cause of this loss in SCNT pregnancies. The trafficking of extracellular vesicles (EVs), membrane-bound cargo carriers, potentially represents a key form of crosstalk …

Comparing Vasopressin Receptor 1a Density In Paired Vs. Widowed Coyote Brains, Jacey Hopkin

Student Research Symposium

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide known for its key role in the formation of social bonds and acts through binding to the AVP 1a receptor (AVPR1a). Most notably, research has demonstrated that monogamous species have higher levels of AVPR1a compared to non-monogamous species. AVPR1a is typically found in brain regions facilitating individual relations, social memory, and interspecies attachment; these areas are closely associated with partner preference and monogamous behavior. In addition, it has been observed in prairie voles that levels of social neuropeptides, such as oxytocin, will decrease when pair-mates are separated for extended time periods. A majority of …