Life Sciences Commons^™

A Bird In The Binoculars: Understanding Birdwatchers' Potential To Contribute To Sustainable Development And Biological Conservation, Sheri Lynn Glowinski

Dissertations

The three studies comprising this research drew from local economic development and environmental sociology to understand aspects of human dynamics that influence the conservation of birds. Using survey data collected from birdwatchers visiting coastal Alabama, the first study examined the local economic impact of birdwatching tourism and the factors that participants deemed important with respect to their recreation. Birdwatchers spent $103,305 during the four month study period. The total annual economic impact of this recreation on the area was estimated at $937,470, producing a multiplier of 1.48 and the equivalent of 20.3 full time jobs. Infrastructural variables (parking, bathrooms, site …

Phytoplankton Community Distribution And Light Absorption Properties In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Sumit Chakraborty

Dissertations

The theme of this dissertation was to understand the spatio-temporal dynamics of the phytoplankton community, its light absorption properties, and its relationship to underlying physicochemical processes. Understanding these phenomena will benefit efforts to predict pathways of carbon transformation in the ocean, to estimate primary productivity (PP) and to characterize distributions of phytoplankton communities using ocean color remote sensing.

This research entailed four different studies, which address different objectives. The first two studies dealt with phytoplankton community composition and its relationship to environmental variables. A chemotaxonomic approach was used, which was successful in revealing distinct phytoplankton assemblages in distinct water mass …

Investigating The Function Of The Mold Specific Gene M46, In The Pathogenic Dimorphic Fungus Histoplasma Capsulatum, Davida Lashaundra Crossley

Dissertations

Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) is a dimorphic fungus that is the etiologic agent for the respiratory infection histoplasmosis. The fungus is found in the environment in contaminated soils of birds and bat excreta as a multi-cellular saprophytic mold. Once the soil is disturbed, spores are released and are inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, the fungus converts to uni-cellular parasitic yeast (Maresca & Kobayashi, 1989). The conversion from mold to yeast is a requirement for pathogenesis. Previously, several mold specific genes have been isolated by our laboratory from a subtracted cDNA library. One such gene, is M46. M46 is a …

Effects Of Food Dispersion On Dominance Related Behaviors In Garnett's Bushbaby (Otolemur Garnettii)?, Kyle Daniel Edens

Dissertations

Socio-ecological theorists tie primate social structure diversity to variations in habitats within which primate species reside. This premise permits laboratory researchers to investigate specific factors that influence or relate to social structure formation and maintenance. The focus of the current investigation was three fold. We first aimed to determine the relationships between traditional and non-traditional behavioral measures of dominance, then evidence for dominance hierarchy formation was examined, and various hypotheses were tested to discern if adjustments in the foraging context altered social behaviors in Garnett’s bushbaby (Otolemur garnettii). It was determined that animals likely to displace conspecifics were …

Interrelationships Between Testosterone, Aggression, And Parental Care Of A Temperate-Zone, Resident Songbird, The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis), Margaret Susan Devries

Dissertations

Interrelationships among testosterone (T), aggression, and parental care have received much investigative attention. Within birds, many studies have focused on examining such relationships using species characterized by relatively brief periods of territoriality and breeding. Few have investigated links between circulating T and reproductive behavior in birds that are year-round territorial residents and have lengthy breeding seasons, such as the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The following six chapters report and discuss findings from this dissertation’s examination of aspects of T production and potential interconnections with circulating T, aggression, and parental care in male and female cardinals. This work suggests …

Tactile Behavior In A Group Of Captive Rough-Toothed Dolphins As A Function Of Opportunities To Play With Objects, Kelly Ann Caffery

Dissertations

Cetaceans live in complex physical and social environments that are frequently changing. In contrast, the captive environment for marine mammals is often lacking in stimulation. As a result, enrichment is often used to increase species-typical behaviors and enhance the well-being of the animals. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of enrichment objects on the social behavior of a group of seven captive rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis). Observations of this species in the wild suggest it may have a particular affinity for tactile and object play behaviors. Therefore, these behavior categories were a primary focus …

Investigations Toward Tunability Of Mechanical, Thermal, And Impact Properties Of Thiol-Ene Networks For Novel High Energy Absorbing Materials, Olivia Devon Mcnair

Dissertations

The UV polymerization of thiols with electron rich alkenes is a highly resourceful reaction that has been utilized by scientists within various disciplines to produce an even more versatile display of applications. This dissertation focuses on a newer application, thiol-ene network (TEN) materials for energy absorption devices. TEN networks display a host of positive polymer properties such as low stress, high optical clarity and uniformity, but they also suffer from unfavorable mechanical properties such as low toughness and elongation at break. The poor mechanical properties demonstrated by TENs prohibit them as choice materials for applications requiring thicker material forms, including …

Accessing Learning In The Adult Zebrafish With A Novel Associative Learning Task, David Joseph Jouandot Ii

Dissertations

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is accepted in the developmental and genomic communities as a model organism. However, the capacity for the zebrafish as a behavioral model has yet to be fully acknowledged. The research presented provides evidence validating the novel task, aids in gaining a better understanding of the learning processes, and identifies individual differences. The novel associative learning task differs from any present well established behavioral model and lends itself to future development. The task provides the zebrafish community with a high output behavioral task which is readily replicated and allows one researcher to test between eight …

The Effectiveness Of Internet And Instant Messaging Approaches In Promoting Intention To Breastfeed, Brigett Landry Scott

Dissertations

Breastfeeding rates for the southern portion of the United States are low compared to the rest of the country. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of electronic delivery of breastfeeding education compared to written education in regards to intention to breastfeed in a convenience sample of pregnant women in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi. The final sample included 147 women randomized into one of three groups to complete the six week education intervention study. Questionnaires measuring demographics, Need for Cognition Scale (NFC), the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and the IFI Feeding Intentions Assessment were utilized. MANCOVA was used …

Drosophila T-Box Transcription Factor Midline Functions In The Notch-Delta Signaling Pathway To Regulate Sensory Organ Precursor Cell Fate And Cell Survival And Embryonic Development Profile Of Midline, Senseless, And Achaete In The Cns And Pns, Joseph D. Saucier

Honors Theses

The gene mid of Drosophila is a highly conserved gene that codes for a T-box transcription factor with similar functionality to its vertebrate homolog Tbx20. Mid and Tbx20 are important for their roles in heart and CNS development. Additionally, these transcription factors aid in proper eye development but this area of research is vastly understudied. This study uses the eye of Drosophila to report that mid and its paralog H15 expression aid in the specification of sensory organ precursor (SOP) cell fates and cell survival in the pupal eye imaginal disc. Using RNAi interference to reduce mid expression resulted in …

Identification Of An Unknown Intracellular Organism In Karenia Brevis, Daniel O. Mcarthur

Honors Theses

The dinoflagellate K. brevis is a mixotrophic marine alga that is of ecological importance in coastal waters especially along the Gulf of Mexico. They are one of a few species of algae responsible for the production of “harmful algae blooms” or HABs in which they release neurotoxins called brevetoxins which negatively impact fishing industries, local wildlife, tourism, and coastal health. Because of the danger these algae pose their lifecycle and characteristics merit intensive study.

During a previous experiment in Dr. McLean’s lab involving salinity stressing cultured K. brevis, the stressed cultures exhibited an unusual data pattern when having their …

Fluctuating Asymmetry Of Menidia Beryllina As A Measure Of The Environmental Stress Caused By The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Savannah A. Michaelsen

Honors Theses

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is often used as an indicator of environmental stress on a population. Stress encountered during development can result in asymmetries in bilateral traits. By quantifying fluctuating asymmetry in Menidia beryllina, FA can be used as an indicator of possible environmental stress linked to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The hypothesis states that the levels of FA will be greater in M. beryllina from post oil spill samples compared to pre oil spill samples. Menidia beryllina were used because they are a numerically dominant species found in high wave action coastal …

Deletion Of Putative Msa Operon Gene Fragment And Its Phenotypic Characterization In Community Acquired-Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Usa300 Strain Lac, Reem A. Dawoud

Honors Theses

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that causes a wide variety of diseases. Many S. aureus strains have emerged which are resistant to the penicillin class of antibiotics. Of primary importance is methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which has cause frequent hospitalizations due to infections. In the past, MRSA was typically confined to hospital settings, but recently, community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) have been reported. CA-MRSA poses a major public health threat because of increased virulence and success in infecting otherwise healthy individuals. Previously we discovered a gene, msa, which plays a critical role in biofilm formation and regulation of the …

Biophysical Characterization And Cross-Seeding Properties Of Lfaos, Novel Prion-Like Oligomers Of The Amyloid-Beta Peptide Involved In Alzheimer’S Disease, Morgan C. Woodrow

Honors Theses

The amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein is known to play an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aβ peptide aggregates in the brains of AD patients to form soluble oligomers as well as insoluble fibrils. Oligomers of Aβ are now known to be the primary toxic agents in AD. Evidence is beginning to emerge regarding a conserved prion-like propagation mechanism in AD. One of the principal characteristics of prion diseases is their ability to self-propagate via a template-assisted-corruptive mechanism. Our lab has previously characterized a unique ‘Aβ prion’ called Large Fatty-Acid- Derived Oligomers (LFAOs). This project examines the ability …

The Relationship Between Calcium Intake And Body Mass Index In The Participants Of Hub City Steps, Laura P. Ewoldt

Honors Theses

Background: The social, economic, and health impacts of unhealthy dietary behaviors and sedentary lifestyles are quite significant and even more so in the rural South. The majority of individuals in the US do not adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, specifically fruits, vegetables, and calcium.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to address the issue of calcium intake and obesity in a population of primarily African American women in south Mississippi and to determine if levels of calcium intake had a relationship with body mass index.

Methods and Analysis: Data for the current study was …

Using Manipulative Models To Develop Tree-Thinking, Donaven C. Mclaurin

Honors Theses

It is well known that students often struggle with tree-thinking, a core aspect of evolutionary education. Scientists consider phylogenetic trees multidimensional hypotheses of evolutionary relationships. However, student view textbook diagrams as static, two-dimensional images. Physical manipulatives have been used to facilitate learning science content in areas such as genetics, but these instructional tools have not yet been tested in tree-thinking. In order to circumvent students’ tree-thinking struggles, I investigated the use of manipulative, three-dimensional tree models in an introductory biology course designed for non-science majors (n=163). Specifically my research questions included: What are the differences in tree-thinking learning gains when …

A Quantitative Comparison Of Energy Expenditure Between Exergames And Physical Activity Recommendations, Dalton A. Newell

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the energy expenditure associated with two commercially available exergames (Dance Dance Revolution 2 (DDR2) and Wii Sports 1: Tennis) and evaluate whether or not this type of activity could be used as a means to obtain the recommended amount of physical activity. Thirty individuals (15 males, 15 females) participated in the study. Each participant attended 3 sessions: a 30-min familiarization session and 2, 45-min testing sessions. During each testing session, participants played one of the exergames for 30 min while continuously being measured for oxygen consumption (VO₂), respiratory exchange ratio …

Delivery Of Antiviral Sirna With Gold Nanoparticle Against Dengue Virus, Amanda J. Cooley

Honors Theses

The goal of this study was to use specific small-interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences to target the E gene of the Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2). It was predicted that this targeted binding of siRNA would prevent subsequent translation of the E gene protein, as well as virion production in infected cells. Due to the instability of the antiviral siRNA, the siRNA was conjugated to gold nano-particles (AuNP) in order to provide stability during delivery to the infected Vero cells. Cells were transfected with siRNA-AuNP complexes prior to DENV-2 infection. The siRNA-AuNP complexes tested included two different siRNA sequences (at varying …

The Characterization Of Aunp-Pei Conjugates For Sirna Delivery To Cancer Cells, Albert J. Nosser

Honors Theses

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death for people in the United States. Despite the numerous cancer treatments available, many of these chemotherapy treatments cause negative side effects such as hair and weight loss. With this in mind, in the past 15 years, researchers have discovered a mechanism known as RNA interference, which can be used to control certain genes and their activity. This mechanism is based on the function of siRNA molecules, which can be inserted into cells.(12) These siRNA molecules can be manipulated to target and eliminate specific cancer cells. However, these siRNA molecules are normally …

Diel Vertical Movements Of A Scalloped Hammerhead, Sphyrna Lewini, In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Eric R. Hoffmayer, James S. Franks, William B. Driggers, Paul W. Howey

Faculty Publications

Despite the circumglobal distribution of scalloped hammerheads, Sphyrna lewini (Griffith and Smith, 1834), little information is available regarding fine-scale movement and habitat use patterns for this species. Over a 27-d period, data were collected on diel habitat use and environmental preferences of a 240 cm (total length) female S. lewini. The shark exhibited a consistent and repeated diel vertical movement pattern, making more than 76 deep nighttime dives; the maximum depth reached was 964 m, where the temperature was 5.8 degrees C. The purpose of the nightly oscillatory deep diving pattern is unknown but could possibly represent feeding behavior. These …

Diet Of Juvenile Alabama Shad (Alosa Alabamae) In Two Northern Gulf Of Mexico Drainages, Paul F. Mickle, Jacob F. Schaefer, Donald A. Yee, Susan B. Adams

Faculty Publications

Understanding food-web ecology is valuable to conservation by linking interactions of multiple species together and illustrating the functionality of trophic exchange. Alosa alabamae (Alabama Shad), an anadromous species, reproduces in northern Gulf of Mexico drainages from February through May, and for this study, the Pascagoula and Apalachicola rivers were chosen to sample juvenile Alabama Shad. The age-0 fish mature within these rivers and have the potential to impact the food web of the systems in which maturation occurs. The focus was to determine if diet changes as Alabama Shad mature, and to identify diet differences between drainages. Diets of Alabama …

Quantifying Intrapopulation Variability In Stable Isotope Data For Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion Nebulosus), Richard S. Fulford, Kevin Dillon

Faculty Publications

Stable isotope (SI) values of carbon (delta C-13) and nitrogen (delta N-15) are useful for determining the trophic connectivity between species within an ecosystem, but interpretation of these data involves important assumptions about sources of intrapopulation variability. We compared intrapopulation variability in delta C-13 and delta N-15 for an estuarine omnivore, Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), to test assumptions and assess the utility of SI analysis for delineation of the connectivity of this species with other species in estuarine food webs. Both delta C-13 and delta N-15 values showed patterns of enrichment in fish caught from coastal to offshore sites and …

Lake Macrophyte Nutrient Index Of Standing Waters In Serbia (Limnis), Dušanka Laketić, Snežana Radulović, Milica Živković, Tamara Jurca, Mac H. Alford

Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to derive a Macrophyte Nutrient Index for standing waters in Serbia, based on the LEAFPACS method and to correlate it against existing Lake Typology.

A single data matrix of 46 species and 1463 sample quadrats was compiled from two datasets: a revised phytocenological database given according to Braun-Blanquet Cover Abundance Scale and a database of sample quadrats collected during the summer months of 2009, 2010 and 2011 at 31 lakes in Serbia. The nutrient indices (MSI) for 46 lake hydrophytes were calculated using the Reprediction Algorithm on N-Ellenberg's values. A Macrophyte …

Covariance Localization With The Diffusion-Based Correlation Models, Max Yaremchuk, Dmitry A. Nechaev

Faculty Publications

Improving the performance of ensemble filters applied to models with many state variables requires regularization of the covariance estimates by localizing the impact of observations on state variables. A covariance localization technique based on modeling of the sample covariance with polynomial functions of the diffusion operator (DL method) is presented. Performance of the technique is compared with the non-adaptive (NAL) and adaptive (AL) ensemble localization schemes in the framework of numerical experiments with synthetic covariance matrices in a realistically inhomogeneous setting. It is shown that the DL approach is comparable in accuracy with the AL method when the ensemble size …

Notes On The Biology Of Invasive Lionfish (Pterois Sp.) From The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson, J. Read Hendon

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The first confirmed sightings of lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico occurred in 2010 (Schofield 2010), where they were reported in the southern GOM off the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico (Aguilar-Perera and Tuz-Sulub 2010); in 2012 more than 1,500 lionfish were collected from northern GOM locations ranging from Florida to Texas (Fogg et al. 2013). However, other than visual observations (mostly from recreational divers), there is relatively little information on the biology and ecology of lionfish in the northern GOM. The life history of invasive species can vary as they colonize new habitats and areas (Bøhn et al. 2004); thus, biological …

Characterization Of Ichthyoplankton In The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico From Seamap Plankton Surveys, 1982-1999, Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz, David S. Hanisko, Kenneth J. Sulak, Malgorzata Konieczna, Pamela J. Bond

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Data for 61 selected ichthyoplankton taxa from 1,166 bongo and neuston net samples at 72 stations comprising the USGS Northeastern Gulf of Mexico Ichthyoplankton Synopsis (UNIS) study area were analyzed. These data were taken during annual spring and fall Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Gulfwide plankton surveys over the period 1982-1999. The UNIS study area contributed disproportionately more fish eggs, total larvae and net-caught zooplankton biomass to survey totals than would be expected from the number of samples taken in the study area. This pattern was more evident during spring than fall surveys and is probably related to …

Sand Bottom Microalgal Production And Benthic Nutrient Fluxes On The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico Nearshore Shelf, Jeffrey G. Allison, M.E. Wagner, M. Mcallister, A.K.J. Ren, R.A. Snyder

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Benthic microalgal production on the continental shelves may be an important contributor to the overall productivity of offshore ecosystems. We used light and dark benthic chambers to measure in situ production, respiration, and benthic nutrient flux on the nearshore quartzite sands of the northeast Gulf of Mexico shelf. Net exchange of O₂, NH₄⁺, NO₃^- + NO₂^-, PO₄^-3, and SiO₂ was measured in samples taken from chambers at depths of 15 to 16 m offshore of Pensacola, FL. Phytoplankton production and respiration in near-bottom water was determined …

Neutrophil In Viral Infections, Friend Or Foe?, Brandon D. Drescher, Fengwei Bai

Faculty Publications

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes or neutrophils are the first immune cells to the site of injury and microbial infection. Neutrophils are crucial players in controlling bacterial and fungal infections, and in particular secondary infections, by phagocytosis, degranulation and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). While neutrophils have been shown to play important roles in viral pathogenesis, there is a lack of detailed investigation. In this article, we will review recent progresses toward understanding the role of neutrophils in viral pathogenesis. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing Pcr Amplification Of Dna From Recalcitrant Plant Specimens Using A Trelahose-Based Additive, Tharangamala Samarakoon, Shiao Y. Wang, Mac H. Alford

Faculty Publications

Premise of the study: PCR amplification of DNA extracted from plants is sometimes difficult due to the presence of inhibitory compounds. An effective method to overcome the inhibitory effect of compounds that contaminate DNA from difficult plant specimens is needed.

Methods and Results: The effectiveness of a PCR additive reagent containing trehalose, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and polysorbate‐20 (Tween‐20) (TBT‐PAR) was tested. PCR of DNA extracted from fresh, silica‐dried, and herbarium leaf material of species of Achariaceae, Asteraceae, Lacistemataceae, and Samydaceae that failed using standard techniques were successful with the addition of TBT‐PAR.

Conclusions: The addition of TBT‐PAR during routine …

Record Body Size For The Red Lionfish, Pterois Volitans (Scorpaeniformes), In The Southern Gulf Of Mexico, Alfonso Aguilar-Perera, Leidy Perera-Chan, Luis Quijano-Puerto

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Non-native species are those that have been transported, via human actions, from one continent and introduced into another (Lockwood et al. 2007). In the 1980s, red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758), traded in the US aquarium industry from the Pacific Ocean, was introduced into the coral reefs off Florida's coast by aquarium hobbyists (Morris and Whitfield 2009). It is unknown how this introduction occurred, but after more than 20 years the red lionfish population is widespread, occupying a large portion of the Western Atlantic (Schofield 2010) where it represents a threat to the marine ecosystem (Green et al. 2012). The …