Life Sciences Commons^™

Investigating The Threshold Of Opa1-Mediated Mitochondrial Fusion In Shsy5y Cells, Jorge Alberto Elizondo

Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondrial dynamics occurring under stress-induced conditions in SHSY5Y neuroblastoma cells provide insight into the OPA1-mediated mitochondrial fusion threshold in cells of varying energetic demands. Mitochondria are dynamic structures that are continuously balancing fusion and fission, depending on cellular needs. The ability to fuse and divide relies on the maintenance of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Stress-induced conditions in SHSY5Y cells were induced via utilization of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), a protonophore that disrupts the transmembrane potential. OMA1 protein reacts to the loss of transmembrane potential and subsequently cleaves the fusion-active isoforms of OPA1, L-OPA1. This causes an accumulation of S-OPA1, the …

Foxo Factors’ Ability In Binding To And Inducing Tcf7 In Glioblastoma Cells, Stephanie Oyervides

Theses and Dissertations

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive astrocytoma tumor type with a poor prognosis and limited immunotherapeutic options for those inflicted. Stem gene expression of this cancer indicates a direct relationship with the transcription factors, Forkhead box subfamily O (FOXO-1, -3 and - 4). These transcription factors are evolutionarily conserved, partially redundant. They are involved in diverse and fundamental biological processes such as cell survival, stem cell homeostasis, cell fate determination, cell cycle maintenance, metabolism, and apoptosis. Increasing evidence suggests interconnectivity between the WNT Pathway and FOXO transcription factors; however, the mechanism and full extent to which these interactions play a …

Oxytocin As A Possible Vegf Inhibitor For Treatment Of Diabetic Retinopathy, Daira Yepez

Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major complication of diabetes and a leading cause of vision loss largely driven by the overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which promotes neovascularization and vascular permeability in the retina. Current treatments, primarily anti-VEGF injections, inhibit the effects of VEGF once it has been secreted but can be ineffective in a certain subset of patients. Recent studies suggest that oxytocin (OXT), a neuropeptide mainly known for its roles in reproduction and social bonding, may downregulate VEGF expression. This study aimed to investigate whether OXT influences VEGF secretion in the human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) …

L-Quebrachitol Modulates The Anti-Convulsant Effects Of Carbamazepine Possibly Through Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blocking Mechanism In Chicks: In Vivo And In Silico Studies, Asifa Asrafi, Mohammad Aslam, Ali G. Alkhathami, Md. Sakib Hossain, Imam Hossen Rakib, Md. Sakib Al Hasan, Feroz Khan Nun, Md. Faisal Amin, Muhammad Torequl Islam

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: L-Quebrachitol (LQB), a naturally occurring bioactive compound, exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic properties. However, its therapeutic potential in convulsant management remains largely unexplored. The objective of this study was to investigate the anticonvulsant effects of LQB in an In Vivo model and to examine its molecular interactions via In Silico docking simulations.

Methods: In the In Vivo study, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 80 mg/kg to induce convulsions, and the test animals were treated orally with three doses of LQB (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg), with carbamazepine (CBZ) at 80 mg/kg as a standard drug.

Results: …

Cytidine Triphosphate Specifically Modulates Parb-Mediated Dna Compaction: Insights From Single-Molecule Analysis And Parb C-Terminal Lysine Mutagenesis, Lois Akosua Serwaa

Theses and Dissertations

ParB is a central player in bacterial chromosome segregation, and cytidine triphosphate (CTP) is known to modulate its DNA compaction activity. This study explored whether CTP’s regulatory effect is due to specific molecular interactions beyond its known CTP-binding pocket. Using single-molecule flow-stretching and TIRF microscopy, we showed that CTP significantly reduces DNA compaction by wild-type Bacillus subtilis ParB, while ATP has no effect, supporting the hypothesis that CTP acts through specific recognition rather than general charge. CTP’s modulatory effect persisted across C-terminal domain (CTD) lysine mutants. Compaction was reduced in wild-type and K255A but abolished in K252A and K259A. The …

Contributions Of Citizen Science Data To Butterflies Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Akane Jazmyn Benitez

Theses and Dissertations

Citizen science-provided insect data inherently exhibits variability in accuracy. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), butterfly occurrence reporting is predominantly reliant on citizen science contributions. My research compared fieldwork conducted monthly over a year to occurrence records submitted by visitors at the National Butterfly Center and in Mission, Hidalgo County, Texas. I hypothesized that butterfly occurrences at the Center would be maximized during the fall and minimized during winter and summer months. My research findings revealed that butterfly taxa richness is contingent upon the following factors: 1) the impact of citizen science submitting reports, and 2) monthly butterfly activity …

The Impact Of Respiratory Muscle Training On Respiratory Function In Patients With Neuromuscular Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Nancy Y. Ortiz-Garcia, Diego Eduardo Rueda-Capristran, Ajay Kumar, Domenica Alejandra Herrera, Angie Carolina Alonso-Ramírez, Diana Othón-Martínez, Jonathan Reyes-Rivera, Frances Marie Mejia, Jonathan David Martinez-Illan, Carla Isabella Miret Durazo

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) can impair respiratory muscle function, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Respiratory muscle training (RMT) is widely used to manage these respiratory complications, but its efficacy across different NMDs remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the impact of physiotherapy interventions, specifically RMT, on respiratory muscle function in NMD patients.

Methods: A systematic search of multiple databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane, CRS-Web, PEDro, LILACS, ICTPR, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, and ClinicalTrials.gov, was conducted up to February 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies evaluating RMT's effect on lung volumes …

Updated Take Estimates Of Marine Turtles In The Guajira Peninsula, Venezuela, Royner Carrasquero-Labarca, Matthew Ware, Jordano Palmar, Daniela Rojas-Cañizales, Héctor Barrios-Garrido

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Guajira Peninsula is one of the most important foraging grounds areas for marine turtles in Venezuela. There, five species converging: the green turtle, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and olive ridley. The Wayuú indigenous people are inhabits of the Guajira Peninsula. They have a close relationship with these animals, and for generations, they have used these species as subsistence resources. Marine turtle take has always occurred in this area and has historically been high; it is still happening now, but the current extent is unknown. For that reason, we aimed to assess and update the estimate for marine turtles take in …

Integrative Taxonomy Confirms The Synonymy Of Three Springsnail Species (Hydrobiidae: Pyrgulopsis), Kathryn E. Perez, Megan Solis, Michelle Flores, Chanté Lundskog

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

The small, spring-dwelling snails, Pyrgulopsis Call & Pilsbry, 1886, form a diverse radiation in Western North America. In this study, we examine the validity of three species of Pyrgulopsis, Pyrgulopsis pilsbryana (Baily & Baily, 1952), P. nonaria Hershler, 1998, and P. transversa Hershler, 1998. These three species of Pyrgulopsis are found primarily in Utah, with ranges extending into Idaho, Wyoming, and Nevada. They were originally diagnosed primarily on the number and position of penial glands, but subsequent examination with mitochondrial DNA data suggested they should be synonymized. Here, we incorporate additional mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data, increased geographic sampling, …

Vitamin D And Cognition: Demographic Disparities In Memory Recall And Word Intrusion In A Multiethnic Cohort, Juan Lopez-Alvarenga, Isabel Omaña-Guzmán, Oscar Rosas-Carrasco, Jose E. Cavazos, Michael C. Mahaney, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Background

Vitamin D3 is essential for calcium metabolism and exerts pleiotropic effects, including neuroprotective activities in cognition. Its insufficiency has been linked to dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and cognitive impairments. The association between vitamin D3 and particular cognitive functions, including memory recall and word intrusion, remains imprecise, particularly among diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

Objective

To examine the relationship between vitamin D3 levels with memory recall and word intrusion in individuals aged 60 and above, emphasizing demographic differences.

Methods

Data was collected from 2759 individuals in the NHANES 2011–2014 surveys. Cognitive performance was evaluated with the CERAD Word Learning, Animal Fluency, …

Kaiso Mediates Transcription And Rna Splicing In Colorectal Carcinoma: Role Of Brca1 In The Kaiso Enhanceosome, Weifeng Luo, Manish Kumar Tripathi, Qi Liu, Lei Chen, Robert W. Cowan, Juliet M. Daniel, Chi Yan, Ann Richmond, Albert B. Reynolds

School of Medicine Publications

Kaiso (ZBTB33) is a transcription factor involved in mitotic clonal expansion and tumorigenesis in association with Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) loss of heterozygosity. ENCODE data show strong overlap of the Kaiso promoter-binding site—encode-derived Kaiso-binding site (eKBS) and many other transcription factors, including BRCA1. Here we sought to determine whether BRCA1 is a component of the Kaiso enhanceosome that regulates gene transcription. Using proximal ligation assays, immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry, luciferase assays and ChIP-seq experiments, we evaluated the association between BRCA1 and Kaiso. Kaiso nuclear extract immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Kaiso associates strongly with genes involved in RNA splicing and …

Genetic Analysis Of Psychosis Biotypes: Shared Ancestry-Adjusted Polygenic Risk And Unique Genomic Associations, Cuihua Xia, Ney Alliey Rodriguez, Carol A. Tamminga, Matcheri S. Keshavan, Godfrey Pearlson

School of Medicine Publications

The Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network for Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP) created psychosis Biotypes based on neurobiological measurements in a multi-ancestry sample. These Biotypes cut across DSM diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder with psychosis. Two recently developed post hoc ancestry adjustment methods of Polygenic Risk Scores (PRSs) generate Ancestry-Adjusted PRSs (AAPRSs), which allow for PRS analysis of multi-ancestry samples. Applied to schizophrenia PRS, we found the Khera AAPRS method to show superior portability and comparable prediction accuracy as compared with the Ge method. The three Biotypes of psychosis disorders had similar AAPRSs across ancestries. In genomic analysis of Biotypes, 12 genes, …

Assessing Illegal Take Of Sea Turtle In Bocas Del Toro, Panamanian Caribbean, Daniela Carolina Rojas-Cañizales

Theses and Dissertations

In Bocas del Toro, Panama, sea turtles were exploited for generations to supply local, national, and international markets. Today, sea turtle species are globally protected by different laws, and Panama is no exception. However, the use of sea turtles in Bocas del Toro and local perceptions regarding the consumption of these reptiles are unknown. Accordingly, during May of 2024, I conducted twenty-five semi-structured interviews with key informants selected by targeted and snowball sampling. Sea turtle consumption persists, and there is a clandestine network to sell turtle meat and derived products in Bocas del Toro. This study provides the first assessment …

Impact Of Seed Moisture And Temperature On Hemp Seed Germination, Paul Cockson, Andrea Webb, Natalia Martinez-Ochoa, Lindsey Moffitt, Robert Pearce, Manohar Chakrabarti

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Germination rates of commercial lots of hemp have been highly variable, resulting in poor stand establishment. Germination rates in some seed lots have decreased by 50% after only 1 year of storage. The objective of this trial was to investigate the impact of seed storage conditions on seed germination over time. Industrial hemp (IH) seeds (cv. NWG2730) were harvested from the field. The seeds were cleaned, sorted, and dried to specific moisture contents (MC) 6%, 8%, 10%, and 14%. Seeds were subdivided, placed in hermetically sealed packets, and stored at temperatures of −20°C, 4°C, 10°C, or 21°C for 3, 6, …

Exposure To Metoprolol And Propranolol Mixtures On Biochemical, Immunohistochemical, And Molecular Alterations In The American Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, Andrew Salinas, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Pharmaceutical drugs, particularly beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, propranolol, etc.), are extensively used to treat human cardiovascular conditions, yet pose significant risks to non-target aquatic organisms when introduced into coastal and marine environments via wastewater effluent. This study aimed to investigate the effects of short-term exposure (one week) to environmentally relevant concentrations of metoprolol and propranolol (MP) mixtures (low-dose: 50 ng/L propranolol and 250 ng/L metoprolol, and high-dose: 250 ng/L propranolol and 650 ng/L metoprolol) in the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica, a commercially and ecologically important marine bivalve mollusk) under controlled laboratory conditions. Histopathological assessments revealed structural damage to gills, …

Dynamic Environments Generate Geographic Fluctuations In Population Structure Of An Inland Shorebird, Andrea Contina, Scott W. Yanco, Allison K. Pierce, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Craig A. Stricker, Gabriel J. Bowen, Michael B. Wunder

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Species distributions depend on fine-scale ecological processes and population growth trajectories and are influenced by climate and weather changes. However, the characterization of inter-population dynamics underlying the geographic distributions of migratory organisms remains challenging. We adopted a stable isotope approach to investigate the dynamic population geography of a terrestrial migratory bird across multiple generations. We found that the age-specific geographic source of Mountain Plovers sampled during winter shifted over four years across a latitudinal gradient. Moreover, our results show that differential effects of climate on the probability of occurrence at the wintering ground could be a driver of population turnover …

A Scan Of Pleiotropic Immune Mediated Disease Genes Identifies Novel Determinants Of Baseline Fviii Inhibitor Status In Hemophilia A, Marcio Almeida, Vincent P. Diego, Kevin R. Viel, Bernadette W. Luu, Eron G. Manusov, Juan M. Peralta, Satish Kumar, Sarah Williams-Blangero, John Blangero, Tom Howard

School of Medicine Publications

Hemophilia-A (HA) is the X-linked bleeding disorder caused by heterogeneous factor (F)VIII gene (F8)-mutations and deficiencies in plasma-FVIII-activity that prevent intrinsic-pathway mediated coagulation-amplification. Severe-HA patients (HAPs) require life-long infusions of therapeutic-FVIII-proteins (tFVIIIs) but ~30% develop neutralizing-tFVIII-antibodies called “FVIII-inhibitors (FEIs)”. We investigated the genetics underlying the variable risk of FEI-development in 450 North American HAPs (206 and 244 respectively self-reporting black-African- or white-European-ancestry) by analyzing the genotypes of single-nucleotide-variations (SNVs) in candidate immune-mediated-disease (IMD)-genes using a binary linear-mixed model of genetic association with baseline-FEI-status, the dependent variable, while simultaneously accounting for their genetic relationships and heterogeneous-F8-mutations to …

Wildlife Road Mortalities During Covid-19 Pandemic-Related Lockdown In South Texas: A Comparative Survey, Bradley Evan Beer, Kevin W. Ryer, Md Saydur Rahman, John H. Young Jr., Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Mortalities of wildlife caused by collisions with vehicles along roads are increasing in prevalence, threatening the existence of various species and populations. The COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown provided an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how wildlife vehicle mortality occurrences change in response to anthropogenic variables and how varying survey methods influence obtaining mortality data. In this study, data were collected in three observation periods: pre-lockdown (PreL), during lockdown (DL), and post-lockdown (PostL) in south Texas. There were 194 wildlife mortalities recorded during weeks 4–27 of 2020. Results of this study showed that road mortality survey counts did not change …

Endophenotype-Informed Association Analyses For Liver Fat Accumulation And Metabolic Dysfunction In The Fels Longitudinal Study, Ariana L. Garza, John Blangero, Miryoung Lee, Cici X. Bauer, Stefan A. Czerwinski, Audrey Choh

School of Medicine Publications

The identification of causal genomic regions for liver fat accumulation in the context of metabolic dysfunction remains a challenging goal. This study aimed to identify potential endophenotypes for liver fat content and employ them in bivariate linkage searches for pleiotropic genetic regions where targeted association analysis is more likely to reveal significant variants. Multiple metabolic risk and adiposity distribution traits were assessed using the endophenotype ranking value. The top-ranked endophenotypes were then used in a bivariate linkage analysis, paired with liver fat content. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) identified as significant or suggestive were targeted for measured genotype association analyses. The …

Lifespan Reference Curves For Harmonizing Multi-Site Regional Brain White Matter Metrics From Diffusion Mri, Alyssa H. Zhu, Talia M. Nir, Shayan Javid, Julio E. Villalón-Reina, Amanda L. Rodrigue, Lachlan T. Strike, Greig I. De Zubicaray, Katie L. Mcmahon, Margaret J. Wright, John Blangero

School of Medicine Publications

Age-related white matter (WM) microstructure maturation and decline occur throughout the human lifespan, complementing the process of gray matter development and degeneration. Here, we create normative lifespan reference curves for global and regional WM microstructure by harmonizing diffusion MRI (dMRI)-derived data from ten public datasets (N = 40,898 subjects; age: 3–95 years; 47.6% male). We tested three harmonization methods on regional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based fractional anisotropy (FA), a metric of WM microstructure, extracted using the ENIGMA-DTI pipeline. ComBat-GAM harmonization provided multi-study trajectories most consistent with known WM maturation peaks. Lifespan FA reference curves were validated with test-retest data …

Quantification Of Blue Carbon Within The Marine Animal Forest On The Rio Grande Valley Artificial Reef, Michelle Kathryn King

Theses and Dissertations

The protection and enhancement of coastal ecosystems provides a number of benefits such as heightened biodiversity, increased fisheries, and enhanced carbon capture (Yeemin et al., 2024). The study of blue carbon ecosystems has expanded rapidly in the last two decades since the term was coined in 2009 (Lovelock & Duarte, 2019). The most well-known blue carbon ecosystems include vegetation-dominated ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, salt marshes, and mangrove forests (Howard et. al., 2014). Prior studies have overlooked Marine Animal Forests (MAF) ability to capture carbon, until recent studies on soft coral (Coppari et al., 2019) and sponge (Rix et al., …

Cover Crop-Induced Improvements To Soil Hydraulic Properties And The Role Of Termination Time In Mitigating Negative Soil Moisture Impacts, Fabrizio Javier Pilco

Theses and Dissertations

In the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, water scarcity and drought pose ongoing challenges for farmers. Although cover crops are promoted for improving soil health and moisture, their effects on soil hydraulic properties in this region remain understudied. This thesis addresses both long-term (Chapter 2) and short-term (Chapter 3) impacts of cover crops on soil hydraulic properties and soil moisture. Long-term effects were evaluated through a three-year participatory field trial across four farms using a BACI design, while short terms were evaluated using a complete randomized block design. Soil hydraulic properties (residual water content θr, saturated water content …

Drug-Target Binding Affinity Prediction With Graph-Based Models: The Impact Of 3d Structural Information, Angel Antonio Peredo

Theses and Dissertations

Drug–target affinity (DTA) prediction is a critical step in accelerating drug discovery and reducing its associated costs. Existing computational approaches often employ one-dimensional protein sequences or two-dimensional molecular graphs, which can overlook important three-dimensional (3D) structural features. The present study investigates whether incorporating 3D information of both proteins and ligands can yield more meaningful representations for binding affinity prediction. Specifically, Graph Transformers (GT) are utilized, and the integration of Equivariant Graph Neural Networks (EGNN) is explored to preserve and leverage spatial information during learning.

Using the CrossDocked2020 dataset, which provides protein structures in Protein Data Bank (PDB) format, proteins and …

Identification Of Cadmium As A Structural And Functional Modulator Of Psd-95 Regulating Nmdars At Postsynaptic Membranes, Claudia Garza

Theses and Dissertations

Postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95) is an essential scaffolding protein in excitatory neurons. PSD-95’s N-terminal palmitoylation region elicits synaptic plasticity by targeting, anchoring, and trafficking glutamate receptors, such as N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDAR), to the postsynaptic membrane. The molecular interactions of PSD-95 and its dysregulation in excitatory synapses are currently being explored as primary causes of neurodegenerative diseases and disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies demonstrate an overaccumulation of zinc at two cysteines (C3 and C5) and two histidines (H24 and H28) of PSD-95 blocks palmitoylation, causing a loss of NMDAR at the postsynaptic membrane. In addition, exposure …

Climate Resilience In Texas Assessing The Impact Of Extreme Weather On Energy Poverty And The Mitigating Role Of Tree Canopy Coverage, Yongwen Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Extreme weather events, including severe heat and cold waves —increasingly threaten public health, economic stability, and energy equity. This two-part study examines the interplay between extreme weather, energy poverty, and green infrastructure (tree canopy coverage) in Texas, a state characterized by climatic extremes and socioeconomic diversity.

This study consists of four chapters. The first chapter in the Introduction includes the research background, existing research, research gaps, research questions, and potential contributions. Followed by two core chapters. Chapter II aims to assess the impact of extreme weather on energy poverty at the household level. Chapter III aims to identify whether tree …

Survival, Biofilm Formation, And Control Of Foodborne Pathogens In Hydroponic Systems, Sai Rithin Reddy Kothur Thirupathi

Theses and Dissertations

The growing global population and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns have intensified the demand for sustainable food production methods. Hydroponics, a form of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), has gained attention as a viable solution due to its efficient use of resources such as land and water. Although hydroponic systems are perceived as safer alternatives to conventional farming, recent foodborne outbreaks associated with these systems have raised significant public health concerns. This thesis research investigated the food safety risk in hydroponic, particularly the survival and persistence of foodborne pathogens. Chapters I and II provide a comprehensive overview of hydroponics and the microbial …

The Influence Of Solar Energy Infrastructure On Pollinators And Crops, Deisy Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

As the human population grows, demand for agriculture and renewable energy rises. Landuse competition is caused by the expansion of area-intensive solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities. While solar energy is crucial to mitigate climate change, it presents challenges related to land availability and effects on habitats for essential pollinators. In Chapter II, a spatial analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between solar panel density and pollinator diversity, exploring regions with the least interaction between these two factors. Our findings can inform solar siting and management strategies at landscape levels, in conjunction with field studies, that both mitigate potential interaction and …

Cloning And Heterologous Expression Of Human Nachrs And A Unique Spider Venom Toxin, Christine M. Vega

Theses and Dissertations

Drug development research has long focused on synthesizing novel therapeutics while overlooking isolation from naturally available sources. Recently, the discovery of the therapeutic effects of highly bioavailable animal venom caused the field of venom research to soar in popularity. Animal venom serves as a natural, sophisticated tool optimized over millions of years by evolution with the ability to bind to ion channels such as nAChRs, non-specific ligand-gated ion channels distributed throughout the human nervous system, with high selectivity and specificity. However, purifying individual venom toxins from crude venom is challenging due to its availability. Therefore, synthesizing large quantities of venom …

A Comparative Study Of Urban And Natural Nesting Gray Hawks In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of South Texas, Evan Farese

Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization can negatively impact birds of prey, which occupy higher trophic levels. The Gray Hawk (Buteo plagiatus) is a neotropical raptor inhabiting the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas, where it is threatened. The species’ ecology has been little studied and it is unclear how urbanization may affect population viability. I studied Gray Hawk reproductive success, diet, and thermal ecology at nests in urban and natural habitats in the LRGV. Camera trap data showed adults at urban nests delivered mostly avian prey, while mammalian prey was most frequently brought to natural nests. Data from temperature loggers showed …

Effects Of Environmentally Relevant Concentrations Of Roundup On Oxidative-Nitrative Stress, Cellular Apoptosis, Prooxidant-Antioxidant Homeostasis, Renin And Cyp1a Expressions In Goldfish: Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Kidney Damage During Roundup Exposure, Md Imran Noor, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Roundup is one of the most widely used glyphosate-based harmful herbicides in the United States as well as globally, which poses a severe risk for terrestrial and aquatic organisms. In order to identify the detrimental effects of Roundup exposure in aquatic organisms, we investigated the environmentally relevant concentrations of Roundup exposure (low dose: 0.5 μg/L and high dose: 5.0 μg/L for 2 weeks) on renin expression, oxidative-nitrative stress biomarkers (e.g., 2,4-dinitrophenol, DNP; and 3-nitrotyrosine protein, NTP), prooxidant-antioxidant enzymes expressions (e.g., superoxide dismutase, SOD; and catalase, CAT), cellular apoptosis, and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) mRNA levels in the kidneys of goldfish …