Life Sciences Commons^™

Contribution To The Knowledge Of Cave-Dwelling Fauna From The Prokletije Mountains, Joanna Kocot-Zalewska, Iwona Słowińska, Paweł Domagała, Jakub Bienias, Dominik Szymański, Dawid Szymański, Hubert Szymański, Paweł Sienkiewicz, Andrzej Józef Woźnica

International Journal of Speleology

The article presents the results of the study on invertebrate fauna inhabiting caves in the Prokletije Mountains. This mountain range is located on the border of Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. During the expeditions to Albania in 2021 and to Montenegro in 2022–2023, 17 caves and one bauxite mine were visited altogether. All the studied caves are located very high, above 1,700 m a.s.l., where the temperature inside is low, and several are filled with ice or snow. During the Albanian expedition 102 arthropods have been collected altogether. Among these were 19 beetles (Coleoptera), 44 flies (Diptera), three crickets (Orthoptera), five …

Enhancing State-Of-The-Art Motor Imagery Classification With Reinforcement Learning, Anton Shepelev

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the key obstacles to the rapid adoption of non-invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) for Motor Imagery (MI) is the low signal-to-noise ratio, and the substantial data requirements which can be mentally taxing for users. EEGNet, a compact Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), has long been considered the state-of-the-art (SOTA) for MI classification, demonstrating strong performance even with limited data. However, recent studies advocate for integrating Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) to further enhance classification accuracy by dynamically optimizing feature extraction and decision-making processes. Despite this potential, practical implementations remain scarce due to challenges in stabilizing RL training and adapting it to …

Dnajb6: A Potent Dnajb Chaperone In Regulating Tau Proteostasis, Abigail R. Esquivel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases often feature the pathological buildup of misfolded proteins, and tau is a principal culprit in multiple tauopathies. One chaperone of emerging interest is DnaJB6b, a member of the Hsp40/DnaJ family, which exhibits potent anti-aggregation activity against several disease-related proteins. Recent investigations highlight its unique capacity to recognize and neutralize aggregation-prone forms of tau. DnaJB6b appears potent against multiple variants of tau and may be acting against tau, in part, by directing misfolded tau toward proteasomal clearance. The first lines of evidence come from systematic chaperone screens, where DnaJB6b repeatedly emerged as a strong suppressor of tau seeding. Further …

Murine Studies On Ketogenic Modulation Of Metabolism And Epigenetics In Olfaction- Based Learning, Lps Inflammatory Response, And Sex Dimorphisms In Dietary Response, Sara E. H. Moss

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ketogenic diets are well-established therapeutic interventions for epilepsy, with documented neuroprotective effects arising from their metabolic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Beyond epilepsy, ketogenic therapies are under investigation for various conditions including Alzheimer disease, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. These diets suppress insulin levels and shift metabolic physiology toward fat and ketone body metabolism. This elevates circulating levels of ketone bodies, namely beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone, which serve as both energy substrates and signaling molecules. The state of elevated ketone bodies (ketosis) can be achieved with various formulations of a ketogenic diet as well as exogenous ketone supplementation, though the signaling …

Barriers To Engagement Of Care For Patients Presenting With Comorbid Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv) And Major Depression Or Anxiety Disorder Diagnoses, Rachel C. V. Kingsley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite significant global advancements in HIV care, engagement in continuous HIV care remains a challenge, particularly for individuals living with comorbid HIV and mental health disorders. This dissertation examines the barriers to continuous HIV care for those individuals living with comorbid HIV and depression and/or anxiety in the Tampa Bay area. This dissertation argues that dual health challenges are dually challenging. This study highlights how structural vulnerabilities, how feelings of inclusion and exclusion impact engagement in care, and socioeconomic challenges intersect to shape patient experiences and impact adherence to treatment. Drawing on critical medical anthropology, structural violence, embodied belonging, and …

Growing The Future: Community Gardens In Hillsborough County, Florida, Nicole M. Kennady

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project was an evaluation on community gardens in Hillsborough County, Florida from May 2024 to November 2024, built off of Homegrown Hillsborough’s first year evaluation of the current Hillsborough County food system. Homegrown Hillsborough is a network of community members with a mission to grow a strong food system in Hillsborough County by assisting in all areas of the food system from food production to food waste. Homegrown Hillsborough plans to act as a development initiative focused on community nutrition. Over the next two years, Homegrown Hillsborough plans to focus on food production, food access, and economic development. Through …

Cyanobacteria And Algae From Chýnov And Koněprusy Caves (Czech Republic), Michaela Wipplingerová, Jan Pokorný, Jan Kaštovský

International Journal of Speleology

Algae and cyanobacteria have been studied in two so far phycologically unexplored show caves (Chýnov and Koněprusy) in the Czech Republic. Taxa were identified morphologically using cultivation and subsequent light microscopy, while problematic cyanobacterial species were verified by sequencing the genes for 16S rRNA and 16S–23S internal transcribed spacer. A total of 13 cyanobacterial taxa were found, two Bacillariophyceae, three Xanthophyceae, four Chlorophyceae, six Trebouxiophyceae, 11 Streptophyta, and three Euglenida; many of these species were found for the first time in the caves. The darker parts of the caves were dominated by cyanobacteria, and green algae were found predominantly right …

Exploring Religious Leaders’ Perspectives On Genetic Counseling, Testing, And Related Technologies, Kristina M. Wittenburg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Religion significantly influences healthcare decisions, including those related to genetic testing, by shaping ethical and emotional considerations. While some religious groups provide formal stances on genetic testing, others lack clear guidelines, leaving both patients and healthcare providers without consistent resources for navigating faith-informed decisions. Understanding religious leaders’ perspectives is critical to bridging this gap and supporting diverse patient needs. This study aimed to examine religious leaders’ perspectives on genetic testing, genetic counseling, in vitro fertilization (IVF), gene therapy, stem cell research, and abortion. These topics were explored to understand the role of religious beliefs in healthcare decisions, and to develop …

Genetic Counseling Student Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, And Study Strategy Use For The Genetic Counseling Board Certification Exam., Teagan E. Nunnery

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With a 76% pass rate for the 2024 American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) certification exam, it's crucial to evaluate the study strategies used by candidates and their alignment with evidence-based practices. This study surveyed 84 genetic counseling students and graduates from 35 U.S. and Canadian training programs, focusing on demographic data, study strategy usage, anxiety, and self-efficacy. Study strategies were categorized into one of three groups: 1) active strategies, which promote recall and understanding, 2) passive strategies, and 3) hybrid, for strategies that involve both active and passive engagement as well as three metacognitive strategies: regulating learning, monitoring learning, …

Evaluating And Improving The Serious Game Life With Hereditary Cancer, Jenna K. Peterson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hereditary cancer syndromes increase cancer risks for individuals with pathogenic variants and their family members, yet many at-risk individuals do not pursue genetic testing due to barriers in family communication. Serious games—interactive tools designed to educate through gameplay—offer a promising approach to addressing these barriers by engaging users and creating supportive learning environments. LIFE with Hereditary Cancer is a serious game designed to improve genetic literacy, promote informed decision-making, and encourage family conversations about hereditary cancer risks and genetic testing. This evaluation used a mixed-methods approach to assess participant emotions, perceptions, and experiences with LIFE with Hereditary Cancer and identify …

Identifying Racial Disparities In Patient Activation Outcomes In Genetic Counseling Sessions, Moriah M. Melhado

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Patient empowerment and activation are critical determinants of health outcomes, fostering patients’ confidence, knowledge, and engagement in their care. While the influence of race and ethnicity on patient activation has been extensively studied with other healthcare providers such as physicians and nurses, limited research has explored this dynamic within genetic counseling (GC). This study combines a systematic literature review, following PRISMA guidelines, a secondary data analysis , and an exploratory qualitative analysis of patient interviews post-session to examine relationships between race, ethnicity, and patient activation or empowerment in GC. Search terms identified 536 peer-reviewed articles, of which 44 met inclusion …

Developing Sustainable Medical Tourism: A Framework In The Perspective Of Developing Countries, Abel Ansporthy Mamboleo Dr.

Journal of Sustainability and Resilience

This study reviewed the literature to develop the framework for sustainable medical tourism in developing countries. According to the findings, the development of a sustainable tourist destination necessitates the involvement of various stakeholders and adherence to sustainability principles. The framework suggests five essential tasks for sustainable medical tourism development. It contributes to the knowledge of sustainable medical tourism by suggesting the framework for analysing a specific situation for the development of a medical tourist destination. It provides a better understanding of sustainable medical tourism operations by integrating medication, travel, hospitality, and tourism. Moreover, it contributes to the sphere of medical …

Assessing The Impacts, Risks, And Vulnerabilities Of Extreme Heat In Learning Environments Of Puerto Rico In 2023, Pablo Méndez-Lázaro, Laura T. Cabrera-Rivera, Digna T. Rueda-Roa, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Manuel Heredia Morales, Monica V. Sanchez-Sepúlveda, Ernesto Rodríguez, Odalys Martínez, Ernesto Morales, Patricia Chardon-Maldonado, Wanda I. Crespo-Acevedo, Sarah Molinari, Masoud Ghandehari, Jorge E. Gonzalez-Cruz

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Introduction

Puerto Rico is experiencing anomalous heat episodes. The year 2023 was marked by unprecedented extreme heat events with negative impacts in Puerto Rico’s learning environments. This study aimed to understand the context, barriers, knowledge, risks, vulnerabilities, perceptions, employees’ profiles, attitudes, and symptoms related to extreme heat in learning environments.

Materials and Methods

We employed a mixed-methods approach combining: (1) Earth Observation Data and geospatial analysis, (2) an online survey for teachers, administrative staff, and other school employees from diverse educational settings and levels and (3) a series of participatory activities with stakeholders, practitioners and decision makers that led to …

Dissolved Organic Carbon In Coastal Waters: Global Patterns, Stocks And Environmental Physical Controls, Christian Lønborg, Isabel Fuentes-Santos, Cátia Carreira, Valentina Amaral, Javier Arístegui, Punyasloke Bhadury, Mariana Bernardi Bif, Maria Ll. Calleja, Qi Chen, Luiz C. Cotovicz, Stefano Cozzi, Bradley D. Eyre, E. Elena García-Martín, Michele Giani, Rafael Gonçalves-Araujo, Renee Gruber, Dennis A. Hansell, Johnna M. Holding, William Hunter, J. Severino Ibánhez, Valeria Ibello, Piotr Kowalczuk, Federica Maggioni, Paolo Magni, Patrick Martin, S. Leigh Mccallister, Xosé Anxelu Morán, Joanne M. Oakes, Helena Osterholz, Hyekyung Park, Digna Rueda-Roa, Jiang Shan, Eva Teira, Nicholas Ward, Youhei Yamashita, Liyang Yang, Qiang Zheng, Xosé Antón Álvarez-Salgado

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in coastal waters is integral to biogeochemical cycling, but global and regional drivers of DOC are still uncertain. In this study we explored spatial and temporal differences in DOC concentrations and stocks across the global coastal ocean, and how these relate to temperature and salinity. We estimated a global median coastal DOC stock of 3.15 Pg C (interquartile range (IQR) = 0.85 Pg C), with median DOC concentrations being 2.2 times higher than in open ocean surface waters. Globally and seasonally, salinity was the main driver of DOC with concentrations correlated negatively with salinity, without a …

Chiropterophagy By The Siberian Weasel (Mustela Sibirica): The First Record In The Russian Far East, Valeriya E. Omelko, Mikhail P. Tiunov

International Journal of Speleology

Chiropterophagy is a widespread phenomenon, but only one case of bat consumption by sable has been documented in the Russian Far East. This study presents the first recorded instance of chiropterophagy by the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) in the southern Russian Far East, based on excrement collected from the Solyanik Cave in the southern Sikhote-Alin Mountains in 2007. The excrement included bones from three bat species (Murina hilgendorfi, Myotis bombinus, Plecotus ognevi) and one vole species (Myodes rutilus). Our findings suggest that the Siberian weasel visits caves during the cold season, although …

Degradation Of Cyanobacteria And Microalgae Using Ultraviolet Radiation At 222 Nm And Its Application In The Bleaching Of Lampenflora On Cave Rock Surfaces, Keisuke Naito, Shuji Watanabe, Masuo Komukai, Takehiro Kazama, Masayuki Itoh, Masahiro Kawasaki

International Journal of Speleology

Cyanobacterial and microalgae blooms negatively affect ecological environments. One of the emerging problems of these blooms occurs in calcareous caves, where visible lighting systems in tourist caves induce the formation of photosynthetic biofilms known as lampenflora on rock surfaces. In this study, we evaluated the inactivation effect of ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation at 222 nm (rare gas halide lamp) and 254 nm (mercury lamp) on cyanobacteria and microalgae in a laboratory and on lampenflora in Ryusenshindo Cave in Japan. Based on the laboratory experiments, irradiation at 222-nm was more effective than that at 254-nm for degrading plants. The photosensitivity of …

3d Reconstruction And Comparative Anatomical And Kinematic Analyses Of The Foot Of Archaeopteryx, Alexander M. Kirk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on the evolution of dinosaur flight has long been dominated by the wing, often overlooking the foot. The foot of Archaeopteryx, the “icon of evolution”, thus offers a unique opportunity to investigate this critical evolutionary stage. Chapter I of this dissertation integrates advanced 3D reconstruction techniques, combining photogrammetry with X-ray data, to create a high-resolution model of the foot of the Thermopolis specimen of Archaeopteryx for visualization and analysis. Driven by 3D coordinate axes derived from joint surface topology, the analyses in Chapter II reveal terrestrial adaptations -- such as a medially oriented hallux (81°), serially shorter phalanges on …

The Regulation Of The Secreted Proteases In Usa300 Isolates Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Jessica K. Jackson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen capable of causing myriad diseases, ranging from skin infections to pneumonia, endocarditis, and sepsis. It does this via the production of an array of virulence factors including toxins, adhesins, immunoglobulin-binding proteins, and proteases. Towards these latter elements, S. aureus produces ten secreted proteases that play a dual role in infection: firstly, by modulating the stability and abundance of other virulence factors, and secondly, by cleaving host factors to facilitate infection. Given their importance, we set out to explore the natural variability of protease production in a collection of clinical isolates from Tampa General …

Assessing Fish Species Richness Using Edna And Seine Nets In A Restored Estuary In Tampa Bay, Florida, Us, Alex Seigel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal estuarine systems associated with the Tampa Bay region along the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, US, are critical to the region’s fishing industry, which contributes significantly to Florida’s economy. Restoring estuaries along the Gulf Coast of Florida is an investment in Florida’s environmental health and economic stability. Estuaries serve as nurseries for many marine species, including commercially important organisms like finfish. Restoring these areas can enhance fish stocks and, by extension, boost the economic returns from commercial and recreational fishing. In this study, differences in fish species richness were compared among a seven-month period in 2022, seine nets (once in …

Ecological Epidemiology Of The Fungal Pathogen Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola In Southeastern U.S. Snake Populations: Distribution, Drivers, And Anthropogenic Risk Factors, Shivam Shukla

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studying wildlife diseases is an important conservation measure, as many pathogens are a critical threat to biodiversity worldwide. Ophidiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease caused by the invasive fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola that affects a wide variety of snake species, often causing mortality. There has been limited surveillance for ophidiomycosis in the southeastern United States’ (US) snake populations and research into the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on disease spread is also lacking. Thus, this project aimed to quantify the distribution and drivers (taxonomic, anthropogenic, and morphological) of ophidiomycosis in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi’s free ranging snakes as well as study …

Species Distribution Modeling With Environmental Time Series Data And Deep Learning, Austin M. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Species distribution models (SDM) are frequently used to gain ecological understanding and guide conservation decisions. These models are developed with a wide variety of procedures - from regression-based approaches to more modern machine learning algorithms - but a requirement almost all share is the use of predictor variables that strongly simplify the temporal variability of driving factors. These static features are chosen by the user, which can incorporate unnecessary bias into a study. Additionally, current data preparation techniques often remove variables from the process entirely, which inherently removes information that may still be of importance. Conversely, novel architectures of deep …

Γ -Aapeptides Targeting Amyloid-Β Pathway And Neural Repair For Alzheimer’S Disease Treatment, Ning Shen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and progressive neuronal degeneration. Despite extensive research, no treatments have been able to effectively halt or reverse the progression of the disease. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of two novel γ-AApeptides, HW-C9 and 125-6b, in AD treatment, assessing both their individual and combined effects. HW-C9 was designed to inhibit Aβ aggregation, while 125-6b was developed to promote neuronal growth and repair. Initially, the therapeutic effects of HW-C9 and 125-6b were assessed both in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that HW-C9 …

Analysis Of Adverse Events Associated With Sglt2 Inhibitors And Molecular Mechanisms Using Faers Database And Transcriptome Data, Rahinatu Bawah Ali

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we explored the differential effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on cardiovascular and renal health, utilizing both clinical data and molecular insights. Focusing on three commonly prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors—Dapagliflozin, Canagliflozin, and Empagliflozin—we employed the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database to assess adverse events, including myocardial infarction, cardiac failure, tachycardia, acute kidney injury (AKI), renal failure, urinary tract infections, and fungal infections. This analysis was complemented by transcriptomic data from kidney cell lines treated with these drugs, processed through NCBI’s GEO2R and Limma programs, to reveal the gene expression profiles linked to these …

Determining The Role Of The Histone Demethylase Kdm5b In Microglial Reactivity To Ethanol, Jessica Wohlfahrt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Through their involvement in various processes such as phagocytosis of foreign materials and damaged cellular debris, regulatory factor release, and surveillance, the macrophages of the brain, microglia, maintain homeostasis within the central nervous system. These diverse microglial functions therefore require transition to a range of phenotypic states. The epigenetic regulation of this activity, especially through trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3, and its regulator, lysine demethylase (KDM)5B, is an emerging research area. KDM5B has been implicated in several diseases including cancer, inflammatory disorders, and alcohol use disorder (AUD), the latter being the focus of this dissertation project. Deep proteomic …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Coastal Nekton Metacommunities In The Western Atlantic, Jonathan A. Peake

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The processes of diversification, selection, dispersal, and stochastic drift can combine in many ways to assemble ecological communities. A key focus in ecology is to describe and quantify the relative influences of these processes for different systems and explain the mechanisms by which these processes produce patterns of community structure. To accomplish this goal, ecologists have developed several frameworks that seek to integrate processes that occur locally andregionally. The metacommunity concept treats local communities as pieces of a broader landscape that are connected through dispersal of their constituent organisms. Empirical studies have generally lagged behind the development of metacommunity theory. …

Analyzing And Extending Machine Learning Frameworks On High Risk Domains, Chengbin Hu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning (ML) has become a transformative force in high-risk domains such as genomics and cybersecurity, where accurate predictions and robust defenses are essential. This dissertation advances ML frameworks in these areas by developing methods to enhance predictive power in health applications and assess vulnerabilities in machine learning systems.

In the genomics field, the work addresses challenges in Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) of monogenic disorders by proposing a deep learning model that reconstructs the fetal genome using maternal plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and parental whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. This model achieves high accuracy in single nucleotide variation (SNV) prediction, surpassing …

Targeting Tumor Microenvironmental Factors In Bladder Cancer To Enhance Responses With Immunotherapy, Sarah Bazargan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bladder cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the world and has one of the highest recurrence rates. Despite the local delivery options and mutational status of bladder tumors, responses with immunotherapies have been limited with low durability. The bladder tumor microenvironment is enriched with highly immunosuppressive populations and harsh conditions that restrict anti-tumor immunity and subsequently attenuate immunotherapy response. We predict that targeting two of these immunosuppressive components, namely acidity and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), will bolster T cell responses and enhance outcomes with immunotherapy. In Chapter 2, we characterized the effects of acidity on T cell …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Aggregate Formation In The Cystic Fibrosis Airway, Alexa D. Gannon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial aggregates are observed in both natural and artificial environments. In the context of disease, aggregates have been isolated from both chronic and acute infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) aggregates contribute significantly to chronic infections, particularly in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Unlike the large biofilm structures observed in vitro, Pa in CF sputum forms smaller aggregates (~10-1000 cells), and the mechanisms behind their formation remain underexplored. This study aims to identify genes essential and unique to Pa aggregate formation in a synthetic CF sputum media (SCFM2). We cultured Pa strain PAO1 in SCFM2 and LB, both with …

A Phenotypic Characterization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia Clinical Isolates, Sara Dj Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen of serious concern because of its ability to cause serious and wide-ranging disease. Of particular concern is the ability of S. aureus to cause bacteremia (SAB), allowing the bacteria to disseminate and spread to various organs. This study addressed this issue through the phenotypic characterization of two methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) clinical isolates taken from patients with sustained complicated bacteremia at Tampa General Hospital, referred to as SA1097 and SA1098. A battery of phenotypic tests was conducted on these strains, including a growth curve, hemolysis and proteolysis screenings, cytotoxicity assays using human neutrophils, blood …

Rictor, A Mtorc2 Protein, Regulates Lymphatic Valve Formation And Maintenance Through The Akt-Foxo1 Signaling Axis, Richa Banerjee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lymphatic vasculature maintains tissue fluid homeostasis by absorbing interstitial fluid to form lymph and transporting it back to the bloodstream. Collecting lymphatic vessels have lymphatic valves (LVs) that prevent the retrograde flow of lymph generated by hydrostatic pressure from the blood vasculature. Backflow and accumulation of lymph leads to a lymphatic pathology called lymphedema. This implicates the involvement of defective LVs in the pathogenesis of lymphedema and warrants the study of lymphatic valve development and maintenance. The LVs are formed through a process called mechanotransduction which signals through the intracellular PI3K-AKT pathway in lymphatic endothelial cells. However, the activation …