Life Sciences Commons^™

Temporal And Spatial Variability Of Phytoplankton Biomass In Coastal Mississippi Waters, Lorin Matthew Dornback

Master's Theses

Chlorophyll concentrations were measured in western Mississippi coastal waters to determine the spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton. Nutrients (nitrate, silicate, phosphate), river discharge, temperature, salinity, stratification, tides, currents and winds were measured in concert with the phytoplankton concentrations. The purpose of this study was to determine the seasonal variability in phytoplankton and what was driving the variability. This study was comprised of a three year (September 2007-November 2010) time series where samples were taken once a month for eight stations. Profiles of each station were taken using a Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) sensor and a WET Labs FL-3 …

Mycorrhizal Colonization Of Native Salt Marsh Plants On Mississippi's Gulf Coast And The Effects Of Commercial Mycorrhizal Inoculants On Nursery-Grown Plants, Kathryn Rondot Mcbride

Master's Theses

Salt marshes are important economically and ecologically to the Gulf Coast and other coasts worldwide. Due to human activities, many coastal salt marshes have been degraded or destroyed. Restoration efforts, through the replacement or addition of naturally occurring salt marsh plants, are taking place worldwide. Most restoration plants are raised in nurseries and are not ready for transfer to restoration sites for eight or nine months. Once the plants are at the restoration site many die due to transplant stress. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) may be able to shorten the time the restoration plants need to stay in the nursery …

An Analytical Study Of Air-Sea Co2 Gas Exchange In The Northwest Mississippi Bight Region, Andrea Kathryn Braatz

Master's Theses

With the continued increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, researchers are concerned with accumulation of excess CO2 within the atmosphere. The ocean is an important sink for the drawdown of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Due to high spatial and temporal variability, CO2 fluxes in the coastal ocean are not as well characterized as those for the open ocean. More specifically, data for the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) coastal region is lacking. A time series analysis of air-sea CO2 flux rates from May through December 2009 was conducted using data collected by The University of Southern Mississippi’s Central Gulf Ocean Observing …

A Formative Evaluation For A Food Choices Intervention In A Mississippi Delta Community: A Focus Group Of Rural African American Adolescents, Jovan Chantrell Eugene Williams

Master's Theses

A needs assessment should be conducted to plan effective interventions. This study used a qualitative research approach to examine the eating patterns, food purchasing and preparation skills and practices, barriers and facilitators of dietary change, social and contextual influences on food choices, and preferences for communication and presentation channels and styles of low-income rural African American adolescents. Seven focus groups were conducted with a total of 33 participants, 21 girls and 12 boys, aged 13-18. Adolescents were grouped by age and gender. A moderator, who was trained in focus group methodology, conducted the session using a focus group discussion guide …

Diet And Feeding-Related Morphometrics Of The Blackstripe Topminnow, Fundulus Notatus, In Allotropic And Syntopic Populations With The Blackspotted Topminnow, Fundulus Olivaceus, Charles Michael Champagne

Master's Theses

The Fundulus notatus species complex consists of three described species: F. notatus, F. olivaceus and F. euryzonus. Both F. notatus and F. olivaceus have broad overlapping ranges with many populations being found within and outside of contact zones. Contact zones are generally found in midreaches with F. olivaceus dominating headwaters and F. notatus in larger rivers downstream. Both species share similar ecological niches so the mechanism allowing for stable coexistence in contact zones is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine variability in diet and feeding morphology of F. notatus in syntopic and allotopic populations across …

Dissolved And Colloidal Element Transport Through The Coastal Transition Zone, Moo Joon Shim

Dissertations

There are several factors (e.g., hurricanes, floodplain, and anthropogenic sources) that could modify trace element behavior through the coastal transition zone (CTZ). However, there is still a lack of information about these variables in affecting trace elements in the CTZ. For this study, water samples were collected in the Pearl River (PR), Bay of St. Louis (BSL), and the Mississippi River plume to study the effects of these factors on trace element.

A possible effect of Hurricane Katrina on water quality was examined in the East Pearl River (EPR). Hurricane Katrina could have resulted in increased inputs of organic matter …

The Relations Among Laterality, Cortisol, And Approach-Avoidance Behavior In Garnett's Bushbaby (Otolemur Garnettii), David Burton Hanbury

Dissertations

Many studies to date have demonstrated that approach and avoidance behaviors are processed asymmetrically in the brain and may be reflected in measures such as handedness. The purpose of this study was to extend work in primates on this topic to Garnett’s bushbaby, a prosimian species. Furthermore, to determine whether measures in addition to handedness relate to approach-avoidance behavior, lateralized differences in tympanic membrane temperature were assessed. Cortisol measures were also obtained to determine whether it was related approach-avoidance behavior and handedness. Eleven captive-born Garnett’s bushbabies (Otolemur garnettii) were evaluated for handedness and responsiveness to novelty. Moreover, the …

Alterations In The Transciptome And Antibiotic Susceptibility Of Staphylococcus Aureus Grown In The Presence Of Diclofenac, James T. Riordan, Joanne M. Dupre, Stephanie A. Cantore-Matyi, Atul Kumar-Singh, Yang Song, Shahrear Zaman, Sonia Horan, Nada S. Helal, Vijayaraj Nagarajan, Mohamed O. Elasri, Brian J. Wilkinson, John E. Gustafson

Faculty Publications

Background

Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which has been shown to increase the susceptibility of various bacteria to antimicrobials and demonstrated to have broad antimicrobial activity. This study describes transcriptome alterations in S. aureus strain COL grown with diclofenac and characterizes the effects of this NSAID on antibiotic susceptibility in laboratory, clinical and diclofenac reduced-susceptibility (Dc^RS) S. aureus strains.

Methods

Transcriptional alterations in response to growth with diclofenac were measured using S. aureus gene expression microarrays and quantitative real-time PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by agar diffusion MICs and gradient plate analysis. Ciprofloxacin accumulation was measured …

Simulated Reductions In Consumption Of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Improves Diet Quality In Lower Mississippi Delta Adults, Jessica L. Thomson, Lisa M. Tussing-Humphreys, Stephen J. Onufrak, Carol Connell, Jamie M. Zoellner, Margaret L. Bogle, Kathleen Yadrick

Faculty Publications

Background

Although the effects of replacing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with water on energy intake and body weight have been reported, little is known about how these replacements affect diet quality.

Objective

To simulate the effects of replacing SSBs with tap water on diet quality and total energy intake of Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) adults.

Design

Retrospective analysis of cross-sectional dietary intake data using a representative sample of LMD adults (n=1,689). Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) scores that were computed using the population ratio method. The effects of substituting SSBs with water on diet …

Investigating Mechanisms Of Co-Occurrence Between Two Similar Specis Of Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) In Temporary Aquatic Habitats, Kristopher Alexander Pitcher

Master's Theses

Predaceous diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) are a model group of organisms for testing coexistence and exclusion mechanisms because numerous species of the family interact in isolated, aquatic habitats, and are ubiquitous throughout landscapes. Two morphologically similar species, laccophilus fasciatus rufus and Laccophilus proximus, co-occur in numerous habitats in South Mississippi, but are hypothesized to have strong interspecific interactions. I investigated several possible mechanisms that may promote such coexistence, including segregation in habitat domain, differences in behavior, and differences in dispersal that may allow co-occurrence between these two species of beetle. Habitat domain and behaviors such as activity and prey consumption …

The Effects Of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation On Lower-Body Hypertrophy-Type Resistance Exercise, Benjamin Mclean Carr

Dissertations

A number of studies have demonstrated the ergogenic effects of induced-alkalosis on high-intensity intermittent exercise performance. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) administration on a high-volume hypertrophy-type resistance exercise regimen for the lower body. Methods: In a double-blind counterbalanced manner, 12 resistance-trained male participants (mean ± SD; age = 20.3 ± 2 yr, mass = 88.3 ± 13.2 kg, height = 1.80 ± 0.07 m), with a minimum of two years of training experience, ingested either 0.3 g˙kg^-1 of NaHCO₃ or calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) …

Microarray Data Mining And Gene Regulatory Network Analysis, Ying Li

Dissertations

The novel molecular biological technology, microarray, makes it feasible to obtain quantitative measurements of expression of thousands of genes present in a biological sample simultaneously. Genome-wide expression data generated from this technology are promising to uncover the implicit, previously unknown biological knowledge. In this study, several problems about microarray data mining techniques were investigated, including feature(gene) selection, classifier genes identification, generation of reference genetic interaction network for non-model organisms and gene regulatory network reconstruction using time-series gene expression data. The limitations of most of the existing computational models employed to infer gene regulatory network lie in that they either suffer …

Examining Dietary Acculturation In Hispanic Males Residing In South Mississippi, Diana Katherine Cuy Castellanos

Dissertations

This study explored dietary behavior in terms of dietary intake, dietary intake change and dietary contributing factors in a sample of Hispanic males residing in southern Mississippi that are at various stages of the acculturation process. Grounded theory and the bidimensional acculturation model were incorporated to identify the dietary factors and assess acculturation in each participant. Qualitative and quantitative measures were used in data collection. Qualitative measurements included Semistructured interviews, a focus group, and photovoice with group interviews. The ARSMA-II, Marginality Scale, Fruit/Vegetable and Fat Food Screeners, a psychosocial dietary questionnaire, and the New Vital Signs Food Label for Health …

The Proteogenomic Mapping Tool, William S. Sanders, Nan Wang, Susan M. Bridges, Brandon M. Malone, Yoginder S. Dandass, Fiona M. Mccarthy, Bindu Nanduri, Mark L. Lawrence, Shane C. Burgess

Faculty Publications

Background: High-throughput mass spectrometry (MS) proteomics data is increasingly being used to complement traditional structural genome annotation methods. To keep pace with the high speed of experimental data generation and to aid in structural genome annotation, experimentally observed peptides need to be mapped back to their source genome location quickly and exactly. Previously, the tools to do this have been limited to custom scripts designed by individual research groups to analyze their own data, are generally not widely available, and do not scale well with large eukaryotic genomes.

Results: The Proteogenomic Mapping Tool includes a Java implementation of …

Analysis Of Common And Specific Mechanisms Of Liver Function Affected By Nitrotoluene Compounds, Youping Deng, Sharon A. Meyer, Xin Guan, Barbara Lynn Escalon, Junmei Ai, Mitchell S. Wilbanks, Ruth Welti, Natàlia Garcia-Reyero, Edward J. Perkins

Faculty Publications

Background: Nitrotoluenes are widely used chemical manufacturing and munitions applications. This group of chemicals has been shown to cause a range of effects from anemia and hypercholesterolemia to testicular atrophy. We have examined the molecular and functional effects of five different, but structurally related, nitrotoluenes on using an integrative systems biology approach to gain insight into common and disparate mechanisms underlying effects caused by these chemicals.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Sprague-Dawley female rats were exposed via gavage to one of five concentrations of one of five nitrotoluenes [2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2ADNT) 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoulene (4ADNT), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4DNT) and 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6DNT)] with necropsy …

Emerging Issues And Methodological Advances In Fisheries Reproductive Biology, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson

Faculty Publications

Although incorporating detailed reproductive data into all stock assessments is not a practical goal, the need to understand how reproductive biology affects population productivity is being increasingly recognized. More research focused on reproductive biology-coupled with a shift towards a resilience perspective in fisheries science-is resulting in challenges to many long-held assumptions; the emergence of important new issues; and identification of the need to improve data and methods used in reproductive studies. Typically, data for reproductive studies are based on an assessment of gonadal development, which is most accurately evaluated with histology. This special section of Marine and Coastal Fisheries contains …

A Standardized Terminology For Describing Reproductive Development In Fishes, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson

Faculty Publications

As the number of fish reproduction studies has proliferated, so has the number of gonadal classification schemes and terms. This hasmade it difficult for both scientists and resourcemanagers to communicate and for comparisons to be made among studies. We propose the adoption of a simple, universal terminology for the phases in the reproductive cycle, which can be applied to all male and female elasmobranch and teleost fishes. These phases were chosen because they define key milestones in the reproductive cycle; the phases include immature, developing, spawning capable, regressing, and regenerating. Although the temporal sequence of events during gamete development in …

Trade-Offs Between Gear Selectivity And Logistics When Sampling Nekton From Shallow Open Water Habitats: A Gear Comparison Study, Ronald Baker, Thomas J. Minello

Gulf and Caribbean Research

We compared logistical issues and the catch composition, density, and size structure of nekton samples collected with a drop sampler, benthic sled, and a fine mesh cast net in shallow non-vegetated habitats of Galveston Bay, Texas. Approximately 16 cast net replicates were collected and sorted for every one drop or benthic sled sample. The drop sampler collected the greatest number of species and provided the highest density estimates for the majority of crustaceans and small demersal fishes; the sled provided comparable density estimates for penaeids and small demersal nekton, while under-representing more mobile fishes. Densities of small benthic nekton were …

Odd Association And Range Extension Of Caligus Rufimaculatus Wilson, 1905; Caligidae, Siphonostomatoida, Copepoda, G.W. Benz, E.C. Greiner, S.R. Bowen, L. Goetz, N. Evou

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The Caligidae (Siphonostomatoida, Copepoda) comprises more than 465 parasitic species, over 250 of which belong to Caligus Müller, 1785 (Boxshall and Halsey 2004). Caligus spp. are primarily marine; but some representatives routinely inhabit brackish or fresh water (Margolis et al. 1975). Some Caligus spp. have been widely reported from several oceans, others have been documented from a single location, and a few have only been collected as free-swimming individuals not associated with a host (Margolis et al. 1975). Caligus spp. range from being stenoxenous to euryxenous, with most species infecting actinopterygians (Actinopterygii), a much smaller group exclusively or non-exclusively infecting …

Observations At A Multispecies Parrotfish (Scaridae) Spawning Aggregation Site At Bermuda With Notes On The Predation Behavior Of Black Grouper (Mycteroperca Bonaci), Brian E. Luckhurst

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The objective of the present study was to describe the spawning behavior of three different species of parrotfishes at the same spawning aggregation site with detailed timing sequences. In addition, observations of other species known to form resident spawning aggregations (i.e., surgeonfishes) and the predatory behavior of black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci) at this aggregation site are included.

Caribbean Leucothoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) Of Panama, Kristine N. White

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Leucothoid amphipods were collected from sponge, ascidian, and bivalve mollusk hosts around Bocas del Toro, Panama. New host and locality records are reported for 10 species. Morphological variation is noted in some species originally described from Belize and South Florida. Future molecular research will help to clarify the importance of this variation. A key to the Caribbean species of the Leucothoidae collected around Bocas del Toro, Panama is provided based on morphological characters.

A 50 Year Accomplishment In Marine Science: A History Of The Journal Published By The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Mark S. Peterson, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson, Sara E. Lecroy, Joyce M. Shaw, James S. Franks, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) has a 50 year history of annual publication of the peer-reviewed journal Gulf and Caribbean Research (GCR, 2000-present; formerly Gulf Research Reports (GRR) from 1961—1999). Other extant journals serving the region during this time include Contributions in Marine Science (since 1945), Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (since 1948), Bulletin of Marine Science (since 1951), Revista de Biología Tropical (since 1953), and Caribbean Journal of Science (since 1961). In the early years of the GCR publication, papers were primarily concerned with research in Mississippi and the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), and …

Distribution And Abundance Of Introduced Fishes In Florida's Charlotte Harbor Estuary, Charles F. Idelberger, Christopher J. Stafford, Sarah E. Erickson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A growing number of non-native fishes have been introduced into Florida waters in recent years, yet little information has been available on their distribution and abundance in southwest Florida. The ichthyofauna of the Charlotte Harbor estuary, Florida, was intensively sampled from 1989 through 2007. We collected eight introduced fish taxa: African jewelfish (Hemichromis letourneuxi), blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), brown hoplo (Hoplosternum littorale), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus), sailfin catfishes (Pterygoplichthys spp.), spotted tilapia (Tilapia mariae), and walking catfish (Clarias batrachus). These fishes …

Discrete Diffusion Models To Study The Effects Of Mg2+ Concentration On The Phopq Signal Transduction System, Preetam Ghosh, Samik Ghosh, Kalyan Basu, Sajal K. Das, Chaoyang Zhang

Faculty Publications

Background: The challenge today is to develop a modeling and simulation paradigm that integrates structural, molecular and genetic data for a quantitative understanding of physiology and behavior of biological processes at multiple scales. This modeling method requires techniques that maintain a reasonable accuracy of the biological process and also reduces the computational overhead. This objective motivates the use of new methods that can transform the problem from energy and affinity based modeling to information theory based modeling. To achieve this, we transform all dynamics within the cell into a random event time, which is specified through an information domain …

A New Approach To Construct Pathway Connected Networks And Its Application In Dose Responsive Gene Expression Profiles Of Rat Liver Regulated By 2,4dnt, Sudhir Chowbina, Youping Deng, Junmei Ai, Xiaogang Wu, Xin Guan, Mitchell S. Wilbanks, Barbara Lynn Escalon, Edward J. Perkins, Jake Y. Chen

Faculty Publications

Background: Military and industrial activities have lead to reported release of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4DNT) into soil, groundwater or surface water. It has been reported that 2,4DNT can induce toxic effects on humans and other organisms. However the mechanism of 2,4DNT induced toxicity is still unclear. Although a series of methods for gene network construction have been developed, few instances of applying such technology to generate pathway connected networks have been reported.

Results: Microarray analyses were conducted using liver tissue of rats collected 24h after exposure to a single oral gavage with one of five concentrations of 2,4DNT. We observed …

Reproductive Life History Of Fundulus Jenkensi And Comparative Development Of Five Sympatric Fundulid Species, Eric Thomas Lang

Master's Theses

Fundulus jenkinsi is recognized federally and within the state of Mississippi as a Species of Concern. Little is known about the life history of this coastal killifish, but a detailed reproductive histology study of F. jenkinsi and a diagnostic key of the early life stages of select members of Fundulidae can provide the foundation needed to accurately identify it and quantify reproductive parameters in this rare species in need of conservation. Monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) of male and female F. jenkinsi were documented, and spawning phases and oocyte stages were examined using reproductive histology. In addition, various stages of …

Explaining The Variability Of Free-Living And Attached Bacterioplankton Abundances In The Bay Of St. Louis, Mississippi, Allison K. Mojzis

Master's Theses

The Bay of St. Louis (BSL) is a shallow and vertically well-mixed estuary on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and supports the recreational and commercial activities of the surrounding towns of Bay St. Louis, Diamondhead, DeLisle, and Pass Christian. In addition to residential communities, various industrial and commercial sites inhabit the watershed and coastline. The Hollywood casino, DuPont titanium dioxide plant, and multiple sew_age treatment plants, as well as nonpoint sources of pollution, contribute to poor water quality. To evaluate spatial and temporal changes in BSL water quality, freeliving and attached bacterioplankton concentrations were enumerated by epifluorescence microscopy. Nine stations …

Life History And Habitat Use Of The Juvenile Alabama Shad (Alosa Alabamae) In Northern Gulf Of Mexico Rivers, Paul Fraser Mickle

Dissertations

The Alabama shad, Alosa alabamae, is an anadromous species that is in decline and has seen extirpations from impoundments as well as decreased water quality. Alabama shad live in the Gulf of Mexico and ascend Northern Gulf of Mexico Drainages to reproduce early in the year (January-May). The juveniles spend the majority of the year in these freshwater systems before emigrating out to the Gulf of Mexico as late as December.

This dissertation focuses on the juvenile life stages that occur within the Northern Gulf of Mexico drainages. Spawning conditions of the river, as well as the habitat and diet, …

Folate Receptor-Targeted Delivery Of Small Interfering Rna To Cancer Cells, Yilin Zhang

Dissertations

The vitamin folic acid (folate, FA) has been extensively explored as a targeting ligand to deliver a variety of diagnostic/prognostic/therapeutic agents into various tumors through the assistance of its receptor – the folate receptor (FR). FR is over-expressed in many types of human cancer and can mediate internalization of FA-conjugates through an endocytic pathway. The discovery of small interfering RNA (siRNA), which is cable of inducing potent gene silencing in a sequence-specific manner, provides an excellent molecular tool to suppress aberrant gene expression in malignancies, and therefore siRNA has the potential to revolutionize cancer therapeutics. Towards the goal of developing …

Geological And Ichthyological Investigations Into Palaeodrainage Hypothesis For The Tennessee River, Andrea Karen Persons

Dissertations

The course of the ancestral Tennessee River has been debated in both the geological and biological literature for over 100 years. Several of the proposed courses for the ancestral Tennessee place its course across the state of Mississippi. Geochemical analysis of sedimentary rocks in the Pascagoula River basin supports these hypotheses suggesting that the rocks in the Pascagoula basin were derived from the Highland Rim of Tennessee and northern Alabama, while geochemical analysis of rocks from the Pearl River basin point to deposition from a mixture of sources including the ancestral Mississippi River and perhaps the ancestral Tennessee. To delve …