Life Sciences Commons^™

Examination Of Changes In Gene Family Size In Carnivorous Plants Through Genomic Analysis, Moonia Ammari

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The traits associated with carnivory in plants have independently evolved within several orders of Angiosperm. Despite this lack of a common origin, carnivorous plants show many remarkably similar adaptations, suggesting that common evolutionary pressures may have shaped these species. Here, we hypothesize that one common trait carnivorous plants share is the number of genes associated with specific biological functions, such as nutrient transport. To test this hypothesis, we first identified genes and gene families in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana that are associated with previously characterized biological functions that may be important for plant carnivory. We then compared the …

Parasite Variability In The Invasive Crayfish, Faxonius Rusticus, In Northern New Jersey, Nathan Martin Klunk

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Northeast United States has been thoroughly invaded by the well-known invasive crayfish species Faxonius rusticus (rusty crayfish). Similar to the exploration of man to new regions, the spread of invasive species can cause the introduction of new diseases and parasites while conversely the invader has to deal with the already existing diseases and parasites. For crayfish, the most notable of these is a fungal plague, which has a poorly understood distribution in the United States. In this study, I collected rusty crayfish in Northern New Jersey to better understand the locations where they exist in the state. I also …

The Susceptibility For Recreational Boating To Serve As A Vector For Harmful Algal Blooms, John Michael Thraen

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

To combat the spread of invasive and nuisance aquatic species, recreational boating has many recommendations and regulations in place for boaters to properly treat their boats in between uses in separate locations. While protection procedures are in place for preventing the spread of invasive mussel and plant species, there is no sufficient procedure in regard to the spread of cyanobacterial species. The objective of this study was to investigate whether common drying procedures employed in these treatment practices were capable of additionally preventing the spread of cyanobacterial species so as they may help prevent the spread of algal blooms throughout …

Spatial Distribution And Recruitment Of The Botrylloides Violaceus And Botryllus Schlosseri Tunicates In Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, Kaitlyn Maguire

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Botrylloides violaceus and Botryllus schlosseri, colonial ascidians, are known invasive species of the North American Atlantic coast. The tunicates take residence and grow on native eelgrass (Zostera marina) blades, potentially negatively affecting eelgrass growth rate by means of smothering which reduces the plants ability to photosynthesize. Zostera marina is an important habitat, food source, and an indicator of environmental health. Invasive tunicates can decrease the amount of light that eelgrass receives which in turn, decreases the rate of growth of eelgrass. In the summer months of 2021, the relationship and abundance between the invasive tunicates B. schlosseri and B. violaceus …

Isolation And Analysis Of Single-Stranded Dna Aptamers For The Detection Of Ranavirus, Stephanie Zapata

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The current molecular diagnostic methods for detection of deadly pathogens within a population can be time consuming and expensive. When surveying a population for the presence of a disease, time is a valuable resource. Therefore, a rapid pathogen test to use in the field will allow for faster detection of disease that can lead to determining a course of action for conservation of a species. Ranavirus is a double-stranded DNA virus that can cause mass mortality events in amphibian, reptile and fish populations. The disease can have the potential to wipe out entire populations or species if not controlled, having …

Assessment Of The Asexual Reproductive Strategies Of The Invasive Clinging Jellyfish Gonionemus Vertens, Valin Jarred Booker

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Anthropogenic activities are dispersing organisms at higher rates and this dispersal leads to organisms having a higher chance at becoming invasive. The Clinging Jellyfish, Gonionemus vertens, was originally from the north Pacific Ocean, but was identified in New Jersey’s coastal waters in 2016. G. vertens undergo a complex life history with an asexual polyp stage and the sexual medusa stage. Little is known about their polyp stage, which shows multiple asexual reproductive strategies that can generate high densities of medusa. Asexual reproduction of polyps was observed in 2020 to assess the rate of clonal production. Cultured polyps can have several …

Targeting Prosthetic Joint Infections Using Modified Egcg Derivatives With Antibiotics, Kavneet Chahil

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Prosthetic joint implantations have revolutionized orthopedic medicine by allowing individuals to regain physical function with minimal side effects. However, they are susceptible to post- surgical complications due to bacterial infections. Three significant bacteria that are responsible for the development of joint infections include Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which act by adhering to the prosthesis and form biofilms thus becoming antibiotic-resistant. It has been reported that green tea polyphenols, which are extracted from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, have antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti- inflammatory properties. The purified, and modified epigallocatechin-3-gallate-stearate (EGCGS) and palmitoyl-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (P-EGCG) are more …

Cas9 Grna And Homologous Recombinant Plasmid Integrate Inducible Ha-N-Icer In The Aavs1 Locus Of Sk-Mel-24 Cells, Douglas Job

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and is prone to metastasis. Once melanoma metastasizes, it is difficult to treat as patients often become immune to MAPK inhibitors and other therapeutic agents. Small molecules, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, have demonstrated success as an adjunct to melanoma treatment. As a small, 18kDa molecule with tumor suppressing properties, research using ICER continues to provide positive anti-tumor effects. ICER regulates cAMP-induced transcription as a powerful, dominant-negative transcriptional repressor. Recent research demonstrated that the fusion tag hemagglutinin (HA), when fused to ICER’s N-terminus, increased ICER’s half-life and apoptotic activity in …

Evaluation Of Kappa Opioid Receptor Specific Compounds And Their Effect On Ptsd-Like Behavioral Activity, Daniel Murnock

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex and multifaceted neurological disorder that is characterized by intrusive thoughts, avoidance behaviors, alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. Current studies utilize stress paradigms to mimic behavioral symptoms and neurobiological changes associated with PTSD. The project aims to instead utilize the kappa opioid system and three distinct Kappa Opioid Receptorspecific compounds (Salvinorin A, U50,488, and nor-BNI) to induce these changes. Pharmacokinetic analysis of Salvinorin A and U50,488 revealed a time of peak plasma concentration (Tmax) of 0.25 hours in both groups. 3-Chamber Social Novelty testing revealed a significant …

Effect Of Soil Conditions On Invasive Purple Loosestrife Compared To Native Species, Madeline Ruth Baum

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an invasive plant that has degraded many wetland habitats since its initial introduction to the United States in the early 19th century. To aid in managing purple loosestrife, it is important to study how purple loosestrife grows under variable environmental conditions compared to common native species, which can help managers understand which habitats are most at-risk of invasion. High or low salinity and pH are often barriers to plant growth, and the stress caused by these environmental conditions can cause plants to deplete their starch reserves. If native species are more negatively affected by stressful …

Green Tea Polyphenols Egcg-S And P-Egcg Containing Formulations Effectively Inhibit Growth And Biofilm Formation Of Eskape Bacteria, Calvin William Taylor

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The field of medical microbiology has prospered for decades, finding treatments and cures for a multitude of bacterial infections. While success has been found in certain areas, challenges have arisen along the way. One of those challenges being the group of bacteria known as ESKAPE. The ESKAPE bacteria (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) have developed their multidrug resistance through adaptation to excessive drug use or prescription, unnecessary antimicrobial utilization, and substandard pharmaceuticals. They are the major cause of nosocomial infections throughout the world. With the ever-growing concern of antibiotic resistance in treating …

Evaluation Of Ranavirus Major Capsid Protein Gene Sequence Mutations In United States East Coast Frog And Tadpole Populations, Erin Marie Tyll

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Infectious disease is a leading cause of death in ectothermic taxa including amphibians, reptiles, and bony fish. Frog Virus 3 (FV3) Ranavirus is a prominent pathogen that infects frog and tadpole populations with lethal consequences, especially for pre-metamorphosed individuals. Wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) are particularly susceptible to FV3 infection and mortality events. Conservation of this animal is a critical effort for the maintenance of these ecologically significant animals. Amphibians contribute to the regulation of insect pest levels, energy transfer between aquatic and terrestrial habitats, algae community productivity and function, and vertebrate biomass. Understanding genetic variations of FV3 is crucial to …

Feeding Preference Of The Sea Urchin Arbacia Punctulata For Algal Turf Over Kelp In A Degraded Kelp Forest Ecosystem, Kenneth J. Hamel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Increasingly severe ocean warming and marine heatwave events are driving declines in habitat-forming kelps worldwide. Direct mortality from extreme temperatures, coupled with destabilization of kelp forest communities, commonly trigger ecological community shifts from dominant kelp forests to an algal turf dominated state. Opportunistic algal turf species are more resilient to warming and lack the fundamental structure of kelp forests, and thus reduce ecosystem services and biodiversity. Once in place, algal turf communities contain ecological feedback mechanisms, diminishing kelp recruitment, and potential recovery. The various feedback mechanisms and ecological thresholds that maintain or drive community shifts between kelp forest and algal …

Calcium Intake Among Parents And Caregivers Of Children With A Milk Allergy Or Intolerance : A Comparative Analysis, Ilana Dubrovsky-Razam

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Food allergies have become a global epidemic, affecting over 10% of the general population and 8% of children worldwide. Eliminating or limiting a food group from the diet can have adverse effects on micronutrient consumption. Milk allergies, for instance, can influence the amount of calcium consumed in the diet, particularly when limiting or excluding milk/milk-containing products from the diet. As milk products tend to be a primary source of dietary calcium, a milk allergy can serve as a barrier to meeting daily calcium needs.

Previous literature has analyzed the influence parents and caregivers have on their children’s diet, however, there …

Turning Tadpoles: Effects Of Salinity And Lateralization On Hyla Versicolor Escape Behaviors, Victor Lopiccolo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Road salt, which is used as a roadway deicer in the winter time, is a major contributor to the salinization of freshwater habitats. Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to the salinization of aquatic environments due to the reliance of many species on pond, lake, and stream habitat in their aquatic larval stage. This study examined how Northern Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) tadpole behavior is affected by salinity in a multiple t-maze. Alternate turning is sequential turning in opposite directions. Alternating turns lead the animal further from the starting point, and are innate behaviors associated with foraging, exploration, and escape. A multiple …

Assessment Of Digital Imaging Flow Cytometry In Its Application Of Harmful Algal Blooms Monitoring, Melissa Mazzaro

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As harmful algal blooms (HABs) are becoming an increasing global threat to the health of people, animals, and aquatic ecosystems, finding ways to efficiently detect and manage blooms is critical. Traditional methods of identifying and enumerating phytoplankton cells involve light microscopy; however, this is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. Meanwhile, digital imaging flow cytometry is a relatively novel and rapid method of enumerating and identifying particles within phytoplankton samples. Previous studies have documented comparable digital flow cytometry results to microscopy results; however, there are concerns relating to the underestimation of cells and misidentification of particles with their automated classification systems. …