Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Seasonal Variations, El Niño-Southern Oscillation, And Climate Change On The Tuna-Dolphin Association, Caitlynn Birch, Michael D. Scott, Zhi-Yong Yin, Lisa T. Ballance

Theses

Tuna and dolphins swim together in the waters of the eastern tropical Pacific, and this association has long benefitted tuna fishermen and intrigued scientists. Although the tuna-dolphin association is often referred to as a “mystery,” much is known about the association. Yellowfin tuna are primarily caught with spotted dolphins and, to a lesser extent, spinner dolphins; historically the spotted dolphin has borne the brunt of the bycatch mortality. The tuna-dolphin association is thought to be a product of the distinct oceanography of the ETP: a shallow mixed layer, a thick oxygen minimum zone, and warm surface waters. As the mixed …

Prevalence, Antibiotic-Resistance And Growth Profile Of Vibrio Spp., Isolated From Imported Fish In The Local Markets, Tarfa Ali Mohamed Abdalla

Theses

Seafood and fish are important food components for a large section of the world population. Seafood is prone to bacterial contamination, many are pathogenic to human and marine animals, and three species, Vibrio mimicus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus, are responsible for most cases of seafood-related human illness caused by Vibrio species. The study on the prevalence of these microorganisms in seafood of the United Arab Emirates is vital due to the cultural background of the Emiratis as a coastal heritage. A study was conducted to assess the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in imported fishes from local …

The Association Of Dna And Histone Methyltransferase Genes With Different Methylation Levels In Fragile X Syndrome Individuals, Sara Humaid Sembaij

Theses

Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 (FMR1) gene produces an FMR protein (FMRP) which is known to regulate the translation process in various organs. It has a significant role in neurons function, maturation, and synaptic plasticity. FMR1 gene encompasses 5 - 30 CGG repeats and the greater number of repeats has the potential to expand during gametogenesis. The expansion depending on the number of CGG repeat undergoes hyper-methylation and is considered as a dynamic mutation in which the expansion increases through generation. Methylation of expanded CGG repeats results in inhibiting the transcription and silencing the gene. There are two types of …

Prevalence, Antibiotic-Resistance And Growth Profile Of Vibrio Spp., Isolated From Imported Fish In The Local Markets, Tarfa Ali Mohamed Abdalla

Theses

Seafood and fish are important food components for a large section of the world population. Seafood is prone to bacterial contamination, many are pathogenic to human and marine animals, and three species, Vibrio mimicus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus, are responsible for most cases of seafood-related human illness caused by Vibrio species. The study on the prevalence of these microorganisms in seafood of the United Arab Emirates is vital due to the cultural background of the Emiratis as a coastal heritage. A study was conducted to assess the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in imported fishes from local …

Evaluation Of Phytochemical Composition And Anti-Cancer Potential In Root Extracts Of Moringa Peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori, Salama Khamis Sultan Saeed Al Kaabi

Theses

Natural products provide many bioactive lead molecules for the discovery of new medicines. Naturally, derived phytochemicals have exhibited tremendous biological activities including anticancer activity. More than 60% of antitumor medicines are closely associated with natural products. In the present study, hexane, chloroform, acetone and, methanol extracts from roots of Moringa peregrina were screened for phytochemical analysis and anticancer activity. Phytochemical analysis was performed by Gas Chromatography and Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The anticancer potential of the extracts was done on the human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and cell viability was measured using WST-1 Cell Proliferation Assay Kit. The cell line …

Protein Inter-Residue Distance Prediction Using Residual And Capsule Networks, Andrew Dillon

Theses

The protein folding problem, also known as protein structure prediction, is the task of building three-dimensional protein models given their one-dimensional amino acid sequence. New methods that have been successfully used in the most recent CASP challenge have demonstrated that predicting a protein's inter-residue distances is key to solving this problem. Various deep learning algorithms including fully convolutional neural networks and residual networks have been developed to solve the distance prediction problem. In this work, we develop a hybrid method based on residual networks and capsule networks. We demonstrate that our method can predict distances more accurately than the algorithms …

The Distribution And Demography Of The Invasive Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea Gigas, And Native Olympia Oyster, Ostrea Lurida, In The San Diego River, Jason Langevin

Theses

Even though the introduction of the Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas, to the west coast of North America, happened roughly a century ago, it has only been in the past 15 to 20 years that C. gigas has started to become an established and conspicuous species along Southern California’s coast. The establishment of C. gigas in Southern California has the potential to heavily influence many native species, as it has done globally. In Southern California, this invasion is particularly relevant for the native Olympia Oyster, Ostrea lurida. The Olympia oyster has both historical and present-day threats to its population, …

Spatial And Temporal Variation In The Diet Composition Of Zooplankton In Mission Bay, Bryanna Paulson

Theses

Analyses of quantitative data on zooplankton diets are vital for understanding the drivers of zooplankton abundance within an ecosystem. Such analyses also provide insight into trophic pathways within the lower planktonic food web, which support populations of higher trophic level species. This study used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of size-fractionated plankton in Mission Bay, San Diego, CA to examine the spatial and temporal variation in zooplankton trophic ecology and determine potential environmental drivers of zooplankton community structure. Carbon stable isotopes reflect primary production sources in an organism’s diet, and nitrogen stable isotope ratios can be used to estimate …

A Taxonomic Revision Of The Genus Burmeistera (Campanulaceae) In Ecuador, Brock Mashburn

Theses

The genus Burmeistera (Campanulaceae) consists of approximately 120 species of herbaceous trailing shrubs, found mostly in cloud forests from Guatemala to Peru. Taxonomic work is difficult for the genus because of its relatively recent diversification (5–12 mya) and the morphological lability of its species. The last monograph for the genus was completed in 1943, followed periodically by country-level treatments. For Ecuador, the most recent treatment of Burmeistera was nearly 40 years ago, in Stig Jeppesen’s 1981 treatment in the Flora of Ecuador. Jeppesen’s treatment recognized 32 species and subspecies. Since then, nine new species have been described and hundreds of …

Hyperspectral Imaging Evaluation Of The Freshness Of Mushrooms (Agaricus Bisporus), Meera Hmoud Saeed Aldhaheri

Theses

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a non-destructive analytical tool that can be used for sensing multiple attributes of foods. This thesis evaluates the application of HSI for measuring the freshness of the mushroom Agaricus bisporus (A. bisporus) in comparison with traditional seed methods. Three separate experiments were performed with 135 mushroom samples stored either in packed or unpacked conditions for 11 days. The overall results suggest that the HSI spectral region between 400 and 1000 nm is suitable for the inspection of mushroom freshness. Two distinguishing variables that aligned with physicochemical and microbiological analysis were recognized. Moisture loss was the main …

The Role Of Parathyroid Hormone 1 Receptor (Pth1r) Signaling In Gastric Epithelial Homeostasis, Maram Maher Al-Hasan

Theses

In the stomach, the epithelial stem cells are responsible for glandular homeostasis. These stem cells continuously undergo cellular proliferation and differentiation to balance the death of senescent cells. Studies conducted on gastric cancers showed a significant increase in parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHLH). Moreover, both PTHLH along with parathyroid hormone (PTH) act as endogenous ligands for parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R) which belongs to family B of G- protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). This receptor functions by mediating many different signaling pathways and the most studied pathway is the stimulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) as a second messenger.

There are very few …

Enhancement Of Vegetative Growth And Nutrient Concentration Of Date Palm After Inoculation With An Isolate From Uae Of The Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Rhizoglomus Intraradices, Khuloud Nasser Mohammed Al Kayyoomi

Theses

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is considered the main agricultural crop in many dry regions of the world, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It has been demonstrated that the date palm forms a beneficial symbiotic association with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. AM fungi are known to improve plant growth, increase nutrient uptake and assist plant growth under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency at which an isolate of the AM fungus Rhizoglomus intraradices improves the vegetative growth and nutrient content of two date palm varieties in …

Evaluating The Therapeutic Potential Of Crocin Against Diethylnitrosamine Induced Experimental Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Rats, Basma Ali Mustafa Awad

Theses

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common type of cancer and the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Liver cancer is the result of repeated injuries to the liver triggered by different causes. Currently, sorafenib is the only drug U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved targeted therapy. Sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, which inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells and blocks angiogenesis. Sorafenib has been shown to treat early and mild HCC lesions and it helped increase the survival rates at one year, but for only 44% of patients. Chemotherapies are an important line of defense when it comes …

Functionality Assessment Of The Newly Discovered Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (Am) Fungus From Uae, Dominikia Emiratia, Laila Ahmed Al Dhaheri

Theses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal species form symbiotic associations with the vast majority of terrestrial plants. These associations help plants to improve their water and nutrient uptake. In return, plants provide a suitable habitat for the fungi to flourish. From across the globe, approximately 300 AM fungal species have been described to date. Most recently, Dominikia emirate from UAE joined the list of known AM fungal species. It was found in Sweyhan, Abu Dhabi, associated with several plants within two different types of farming systems, namely organic and conventional. The discovery of the new species provides an opportunity for applied and …

Farm Financial Analysis For Small-Scale, Organic Mixed Vegetable Operation, Janet Ayobami Osawere

Theses

The small farmers in the United States face challenges from market uncertainties and climate variations. Many small farmers do not keep consistent financial records, thus making it difficult to analyze their profitability and make decisions in planning. This research is to use a real farm production stimulation from Goldsboro, North Carolina, to collect data from 2017 to 2018 for farm financial analysis that mimics a small-scale certified organic mixed vegetable production. The goal is to use the stimulating information from Goldsboro, North Carolina to help small-scale organic mixed vegetable farmers to identify the main strengths and weaknesses of farm operation; …

Fat Uptake Reduction In Deep-Fried Chicken Breast, Lovie G. Matthews

Theses

Obesity is the deposit of excessive adipose tissue on the body due to the overconsumption of nutritionally inadequate foods. The fat in the deep-fat fried chicken is derived from the oil absorption during frying. High consumption of deep-fat fried foods may lead to cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The main objectives of this experiment were to reduce the fat uptake in deep-fat fried chicken breast by developing an edible coating made of chicken breast protein isolates (CPI) as well as replace the corn starch in batter with sweet potato starch to further examine the quality attributes of the battering systems. In …

A Modified Rcm Medium For The Growth Of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Ayowole Caleb Oyeniran

Theses

In this study, we modified reinforced clostridial medium (RCM) to selectively enumerate and isolate Lactobacillus bulgaricus, a probiotic and an important starter culture in the dairy industry. The disparity in the reported carbohydrate fermentation pattern of L. bulgaricus was used to develop a growth medium not only selective for L. bulgaricus but significantly inhibitory to the growth of other lactic acid bacteria. A recently modified RCM (mRCM) was optimized for this study by the addition of 0.5% fructose, 0.5% dextrose, 1% maltose and 0.25% sodium pyruvate while replacing lactose as a carbohydrate source. The cell recovery and bacterial counts of …

Modelling And Simulation Of Renewable Technologies For Economic And Environmental Analysis And Optimization Of Dairy Farms, Michael Christopher Breen

Theses

The aim of this thesis was to develop a dairy optimisation platform to optimise investments in dairy farm technology and changes to on-farm management practices and electricity tariffs, in order to maximise profitability and minimise environmental impacts. Increased dairy herd sizes and milk production levels in Ireland as well as changing regulations concerning emissions, renewable penetration and energy efficiency have necessitated a means of financial decision support for farmers. Therefore this body of work focused on the creation of a comprehensive method for optimising dairy farm technology selection, management practices and electricity tariffs. The measures which could be implemented on …

Isolation, Identification And Characterisation Of Enterococcus Faecalis Isolates For The Generation Of Multifuctional Bioactive Peptides From Milk, Kenneth Patrick Graham

Theses

Enterococci are lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that have the paradoxical position of possessing biochemical properties of technological importance, but are also considered as opportunistic pathogens capable of causing infection in immunocompromised patients. However, they have a long history of safe use in foods and have been evaluated in several studies for their role as starter, adjunct, probiotic and protective cultures. They show higher proteolytic activities than other LAB and have demonstrated the ability to produce bioactive peptides during the fermentation of milk. The aim of this project was to identify proteolytic Enterococcus faecalis isolates capable of generating health-promoting bioactive peptides …

Crystallographic Studies On Host-Interacting Proteins Of Phage K Virion, Antonio Pichel Beleiro

Theses

Phage K is a lytic bacteriophage that infects a broad range of staphylococci, including some methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Phage K attaches to its host via a baseplate. The contracted conformation of the baseplate contains a fiber and two receptorbinding proteins responsible for the interaction with the host. The native conformation of the baseplate also includes a tail central spike that shears off after contraction. The aim of the thesis is the structural characterization of phage K receptor-binding proteins and tail central spike. Experimentally, the thesis relies on crystallographic methods, which encompass: production of suitable sample, crystallization, diffraction, and data …

The Occurrence Of Listeria Monocytogenes In The Mushroom Production Chain And The Use Of Bacteriophage For Its Control, Vincenzo Pennone

Theses

In Agaricus bisporus production, the occurrence of L. monocytogenes is still poorly understood. A number of studies have shown the presence of L. monocytogenes in the mushroom processing environment, suggesting its source from raw materials storage areas (Viswanath et al, 2013; Murugesan et al, 2015). In this study, 10 mushroom producers and three raw material (compost and casing) producers participated in two surveys on the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in the most high-risk areas of the production environment. In the first survey, floors, drains, platforms, crates, raw materials and mushrooms were tested for L. monocytogenes presence and the results were …

Crystallographic Structure Determination Of Bacteriophage-Encoded Enzymes That Specifically Target Pathogenic Bacteria, Marta Sanz Gaitero

Theses

Antibiotic resistance is becoming a serious public health concern. Infections that some decades ago could be treated with antibiotics now sometimes do not respond to traditional treatment, causing higher mortality and economic losses. An alternative to the use of antibiotics are bacteria's natural predators, bacteriophages (or phages), and specifically their lytic enzymes. These proteins are produced by phages to degrade bacterial peptidoglycan to inject their genetic material into the bacteria (virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases) or to release their progeny once the infection is finished (endolysins). They can be applied exogenously to lyse Gram-positive bacteria or be genetically engineered to lyse Gram-negative …

Impact Of Usmca On The U.S. Beef Industry, Theophilus Amoah

Theses

Policies implemented to govern trade between two or more countries have proved vital as it affects the economies of nations. Political inputs into trade certainly establish effects that impact the livelihood of people in the economy. Every sector in an economy faces its impacts when there are changes in trade agreements. The extent to which this impact is always significant to note as it helps to determine the sustainability of trade agreements, which in turn sets the path for sectorial and national developments. This study utilizes the Computable General Equilibrium modeling to predict the impact of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement …

Effects Of International Trade On Food Security Of Selected Low Income And Low-Middle Income Economies, Rose Anapoka Anaabah

Theses

Food security has been a challenge for most people all over the world, especially among people living in low income countries. Food security is considered a complex sustainable development issue and is linked to health through malnutrition due to poverty. Food security became a major challenge following the sharp increase in global food prices during the last decade. Several factors contribute to food security. One factor is international trade which plays a major role in shaping the economy in most countries of the world. Access to food which is supposed to be an entitlement, or a basic right can be …

Consumer Considerations Of Local Value-Added Dairy Products In North Carolina's Triangle, Gabriel Adjei Agyekum

Theses

The global and domestic dairy markets promise exciting opportunities for companies willing to adapt to a continuously evolving consumer market. However, local dairy farmers face a myriad of challenges as they navigate low milk prices, shrinking margins, increasing production cost, and a rising demand for plant-based varieties of milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy-based foods. The goal of this research was to investigate consumer behavior towards value-added local dairy products in North Carolina’s Triangle cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Data were used from an overarching project with collected data from food consumers in the triangle tri-city area using …