Life Sciences Commons^™

Mining Climate Data For Shire Level Wheat Yield Predictions In Western Australia, Yunous Vagh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Climate change and the reduction of available agricultural land are two of the most important factors that affect global food production especially in terms of wheat stores. An ever increasing world population places a huge demand on these resources. Consequently, there is a dire need to optimise food production.

Estimations of crop yield for the South West agricultural region of Western Australia have usually been based on statistical analyses by the Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia. Their estimations involve a system of crop planting recommendations and yield prediction tools based on crop variety trials. However, many crop …

The Biology And Ecology Of Epinephilidae Speciea And Their Implications To Fisheries Management, Jason R. How

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines the biological and ecological aspects of members of the globally exploited Epinephilidae with reference to fisheries management and in particular the use of closures. The leopard coralgrouper Plectropomus leopardus is a common reef fish throughout the Indo-Pacific region and a major target of both commercial and recreational fisheries. There has been limited research on this species in the eastern Indian Ocean, where there are only two populations. An examination of the species found a number of significant biological differences to their eastern Australian con-specifics. Most noticeable was the strong size-related cue over their protogynous sex change. The …

Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Properties Of Metal-Ion Doped Borate Bioactive Glasses For Clinical Applications, Megan Ottomeyer

Masters Theses

"Bioactive glasses with antimicrobial properties can be implemented as coatings on medical devices and implants, as well as a treatment for tissue repair and prevention of common hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA A borate-containing glass, B3, is also undergoing clinical trials to assess wound-healing properties. The sensitivities of various bacteria to B3, B3-Ag, B3-Ga, and B3-I bioactive glasses were tested. In addition, the mechanism of action for the glasses was studied by spectroscopic enzyme kinetics experiments, Live-Dead staining fluorescence microscopy, and luminescence assays using two gene fusion strains of Escherichia coli.

It was found that gram-positive bacteria were more …

Prevalence Of Drug Resistance Associated Mutations In Plasmodium Vivax Against Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine In Southern Pakistan, Afsheen Raza, Najia K. Ghanchi, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, Mohammad Asim Beg

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: In Pakistan, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum co-exist and usage of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) against P. falciparum exposes P. vivax to the drug leading to generation of resistant alleles. The main aim of this study was to investigate frequency distribution of drug resistance associated mutations in pvdhfr, pvdhps genes and provide baseline molecular epidemiological data on SP-associated resistance in P. vivax from southern Pakistan.
Methods: From January 2008 to May 2009, a total of 150 samples were collected from patients tested slide-positive for P. vivax, at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, or its collection units located in Baluchistan and …

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate And Fingolimod (Fty720) Regulate Icl,Swell In Hl-1 Cardiac Myocytes Via Intracellular Binding And Mitochondrial Ros Production, Pooja Desai

Theses and Dissertations

Swelling-activated Cl− current (ICl,swell) is an outwardly-rectifying current that plays an important role in cardiac electrical activity, cellular volume regulation, apoptosis, and acts as a potential effector of mechanoelectrical feedback. Persistent activation of ICl,swell has been observed in models of cardiovascular disease. We previously suggested sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) activates volume-sensitive Cl- current (ICl,swell) by ROS-dependent signaling. S1P and its analog, FTY720 (fingolimod), primarily act via G-protein coupled receptors (S1PR; S1PR1-3 in heart), but several intracellular S1P ligands are known. We investigated how these agents regulate ICl,swell. ICl,swell was elicited by bath S1P (500 nM), FTY720 (S1PR1,3 agonist; 10 μM), and SEW2871 …

Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Ii Beta (Camkiiβ): A Regulator Of Oligodendrocyte Maturation And Myelination, Christopher Waggener

Theses and Dissertations

Oligodendrocytes are cells located in the central nervous system (CNS) that are responsible for the production of the lipid rich membrane, myelin. Myelin and the process of making and wrapping myelin around an axon (also known as myelination) are critical for normal development since they ensure proper signal conduction in the vertebrate CNS. The loss or damage of this myelin, which is typically associated with the demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis (MS), is associated with improper axonal protection along with disrupted nerve signaling which can lead to a variety of different debilitating phenotypic responses. It has been shown that there are …

Hormone Epimers Regulate Er Stress And Core Regulatory Genes: Network Analysis With Applications To Glioma And Chronic Pressure Ulcers, Thomas L. Shaak

Theses and Dissertations

DHEA has been determined to have medically significant activity and is the parent compound to the more active metabolites; 17α-AED, 17β-AED and 17β-AET, which exhibit strong biological activity that has been attributed to androgenic, estrogenic or anti-glucocorticoid activity in vivo and in vitro. This study compared DHEA, 17α-AED, 17β-AED and 17β-AET for their ability to activate the human AR, ER and GR receptors and determine the relative androgenicity, estrogenicity and glucocorticoid activity. The results show that, at the receptor level, these androstene hormones are weak AR and even weaker ER activators. Direct androstene hormone activation of the human AR, ERα, …

The Metabolic Transitions Regulated By The Estrogen-Related Receptor (Err) In Drosophila Melanogaster, Yan Li

Theses and Dissertations

In multicellular organism, bioenergetic metabolism is strictly regulated toward efficient generation of ATP. However, in certain situations, such as in limiting oxygen or in the rapidly proliferating system like growing juvenile or cancer cells, organisms apply the metabolic strategy that favors the production of biomass (e.g., nucleotides, amino acids, and lipids) over efficiency of ATP generation. The conserved estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) are master regulators in controlling metabolic homeostasis, and good candidates for mediating the metabolic transition induced by hypoxia and development. First, we investigate how dERR influences hypoxic adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster. We find that dERR is required for a …

Population Genetics Of Thomomydoecus Minor: Ectoparasitic Chewing Lice On Thomomys Bottae Pocket Gophers Of The Rio Grande Valley In New Mexico, Sheree Elizabeth Harper

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Thomomydoecus minor is an ectoparasitic chewing louse that lives in intimate association with the pocket gopher Thomomys bottae. Chewing lice are wingless, obligate, host specific parasites that spend their entire life cycle on the fur of their host. Pocket gophers are fossorial and asocial, cut off for most of their lives even from members of their own species. Thus, the life histories of both chewing lice and pocket gophers have been predicted to limit transmission of lice from host to host, thus limiting gene flow among louse infrapopulations found on different hosts and increasing the effect of louse population …

Response Of The Epiphytic Algal Communities To Experimentally Elevated Nutrient Levels In Intertidal Salt Marsh Habitats, Stephanie Verhulst

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Epiphytes are organisms attached to plants and are responsible for the majority of primary productivity in many aquatic systems. While epiphytes serve as a valuable food resource to herbivores, they may prove deleterious to the host plant by competing for light and nutrients, as well as increasing sheer stress. This study evaluated the impacts of nutrient additions, nitrogen and phosphorus, on the epiphytic algal community on Spartina alterniflora over the course of two growing seasons. Three nutrient treatments (N, P, and N+P) and one control treatment were placed in a salt marsh in the Tolomato River during the growing seasons …

Bacteriostatic Effects Of Sucralose On Environmental Bacteria, Arthur Phillip Omran Jr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sucralose is a zero calorie sweetener developed and manufactured by Tate and Lyle Sweetener Company in the 1980’s. They sell the sweetener compounded with maltodextrin and dextrose under the brand name Splenda®. Sucralose was developed as a low cost artificial sweetener that is non-metabolizable in humans and can withstand changes in pH and temperature. It is not degraded by the waste water treatment process. Since the molecule can withstand heat, acidification and microbial degradation it is accumulating in the environment, and has been found in waste water, estuaries, rivers and the Gulf Stream. The highest concentration of environmental sucralose detected …

The Spacial And Temporal Community Structure Of Ichthyoplankton In A Northeast Florida Estuary : A Study Of Ingress At A Faunal Boundary, Breanna Korsman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Estuaries are widely recognized as important habitats for the early life history stages of commercially and recreationally important marine fish species. In general the estuaries of northeast Florida are understudied, and there is a need to characterize the ichthyoplankton community at this important faunal boundary between temperate and tropical marine zones. To determine community structure and temporal patterns in the distribution and abundance of larval fish ingressing in to the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas (GTM) estuary through its two inlets (St. Augustine and Matanzas), ichthyoplankton were sampled bi-weekly for one year at both inlets during nighttime spring flood tides beginning in March 2012. …

Physiological And Biochemical Responses Of Bald Cypress To Salt Stress, Nathan T. Lauer

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) is native to freshwater wetlands of Florida. The vitality of cypress within coastal freshwater wetlands is threatened by saltwater intrusion. Biomarkers to detect sub-lethal salinity stress were developed using a controlled greenhouse study. Cypress saplings maintained at elevated salinities of 4 and 8‰ exhibited a decrease in maximum quantum yield (MQY) and an increase in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). Cypress leaves exhibited an increase in Na⁺, H₂O₂, and free proline content compared to plants maintained in freshwater. These biomarkers were used to detect salinity stress within a population …

The Effects Of Thermal Stress And Algal Competition On The Early Life-History Stages Of Porites Astreoides And The Development Of Stress-Detecting Biomarkers For Use In Scleractinan Corals, Kevin C. Olsen

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scleractinian coral populations are declining worldwide in response to numerous stressors operating on both global and regional scales. Rising sea surface temperatures associated with global climate change and the increasing frequency of coral-macroalgae competitive interactions are two of the gravest ecological drivers facing coral reef ecosystems. However, little is known about how these stressors interact to impact corals, their health, and potential modes of population recovery. These threats also highlight the need to develop reliable techniques that detect stress in multiple life-history stages of hermatypic corals prior to the degradation of coral reef habitats. To address these concerns we evaluated …

Comparative Sugar Transport By Crustacean Hepatopancreas And Intestine, Ada Duka

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Glucose is transported in crustacean hepatopancreas and intestine by Na⁺-dependent co-transport, while Na⁺-dependent D-fructose influx has only been described for the hepatopancreas. It is still unclear if the two sugars are independently transported by two distinct cotransporter carrier systems. In this study lobster (Homarus americanus) hepatopancreas brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) were used to characterize, in detail, the cation-dependency of both D-[³H] glucose and D-[³H] fructose influxes, while in vitro perfused intestines were employed to determine the nature of cation-dependent sugar transport in this organ. Over the sodium concentration range …

Desulfotomaculum Dissimilatory Reduction Of Iron (Iii), Jim Elric

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Excess plant nutrient, often from agricultural runoff, can cause uncontrolled algal growth that leads to eutrophic conditions in a water body. Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions to ferrous ions can aid in reduction of excess phosphate in a water body. This bacterium may use iron mine tailings as an inexpensive source of iron ions that can aid in elimination of excess nutrient load such as phosphates. As part of a remediation plan Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions can help restore and maintain a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The biochemical pathway of iron reduction by Desulfotomaculum sp. is unclear and …

The Cloning And Expression Of Histone Genes From The Archaeal Organisms Pyrococcus Furiosus And Methanobrevibacter Smithii In The Polycistronic Vector Pst44., Doha Abdullah Alqurashi

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The Euryarcheota branch of the Archaea contains histone proteins that are highly homologous to eukaryotic histones. Virtually all species within this group have two histone proteins (designated H1A and H2B). These proteins contain a canonical histone fold motif that stabilizes homo- and perhaps hetero-dimeric interactions. Molecular modeling calculations previously carried out in our laboratory revealed that both homo and hetero-dimers of histones from two euryarchaeal organisms are equally plausible. We have also shown through molecular modeling that inter-species hetero-dimers are structurally identical to existing solution structures archaeal histones. An interesting question that needs to be addressed is whether homo- and …

Recycling In Utah: Paper, Rebecca Mills, Craig Pearson

All Current Publications

This factsheet is part of a series highlighting different recyclable commodities and focuses on paper recycling.

Spiders, Ryan S. Davis, Ricardo A. Ramirez

All Current Publications

Spiders are arachnids, a group that includes other 8-legged arthropods like ticks, mites, sun spiders, scorpions, and harvestmen (daddy longlegs). There are approximately 621 species of spiders known to occur in Utah (Allred and Kaston, 1983). Spiders are beneficial predators and the majority of them are harmless to humans.

Gardening For Native Bees In Utah And Beyond, James H. Cane, Linda Kervin

All Current Publications

Utah is home to more than 20 percent of the 4,000+ named species of wild bees that are native to North America. Except for bumblebees and some sweat bees, our native bees are solitary, not social, many with just one annual generation that coincides with bloom by their favorite floral hosts. In contrast, the familiar honeybee is highly social, has perennial colonies, and was brought to North America by settlers from Europe.

The Effects Of Multiple Abiotic Stressors On The Susceptibility Of The Seagrass Thalassia Testudinum To Labyrinthula Sp., The Causative Agent Of Wasting Disease, Nichole Danielle Bishop

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the past century, seagrasses have experienced massive die off episodes in what has been collectively referred to as “wasting disease.” Researchers generally agree that wasting disease is caused by a protist of the Labyrinthula genus, and that environmental stressors can make some populations of seagrasses more susceptible to infection. The purpose of this study was to examine the combined effects of elevated salinity, elevated temperature, elevated sulfide and night-time hypoxia on Thalassia testudinum health and its response to Labyrinthula sp. infection under controlled conditions. To test these effects, microcosms were utilized and individual seagrass shoots were randomly assigned to …

Variations Of Ghrelin, Growth Hormone, And Insulin-Like Growth Factor I In The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus Manatus), Rachel Lynn Cimino

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The metabolic hormones ghrelin, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor I are influenced by developmental age, sex, and nutritional status in domestic and free-ranging species. However the role these hormones play has not previously been explored in sub-tropical/ tropical mammals. Furthermore, the seasonality of species with less dynamic environmental cues, such as the West Indian manatee, have not been studied. The West Indian manatee is and endangered species distributed in the southeastern United States and throughout the Caribbean basin, and its nutritional physiology is influenced by environmental factors. Understanding the hormone response to nutritional status in this species and its …

Nutrient Availability Affects Flowering Rate But Has Limited Influence On Morphology Of The Hooded Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia Minor., Justin M. Lemmons

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carnivorous plants perform as both producers and consumers. Botanical carnivory has evolved in sunny, moist, nutrient-poor environments, and the primary nutrient supplied by prey is proposed to be nitrogen. There is a trade-off between carnivorous and photosynthetic structures which corresponds to degree of carnivory expression and available nutrients. This study was conducted on the hooded pitcher plant, Sarracenia minor, which is a facultative wetland plant and Florida-threatened species. Sarracenia minor is considered a specialist myrmecophage and ants characterize the majority of attracted and captured prey. Ants not only provide nutritional benefit, but also protection against herbivory. A natural population …

Knockdown Of Vitellogenin By Rnai Increases Survivorship But Exhibits Similar Physiological Responses To Ovariectomy In Grasshoppers, Alicia G. Linquist

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reduced reproduction has been shown to increase lifespan in many animals, yet the mechanisms behind this trade-off are mostly unknown. A previous study has shown that in the lubber grasshopper, Romalea microptera, ovariectomized (OVX) individuals have a 30% increase in lifespan relative to controls (Sham). In a separate study, an increase in fat body mass and a halting of ovarian growth were seen upon reduction of vitellogenin transcript via RNAi (VgRNAi). These data suggest that VgRNAi increases lifespan through the trade-off between reproduction and longevity and animals with combined ovariectomy and VgRNAi, might show additive physiological responses. In this …

Impact Of Nutritional Status On The Somatotropic Axis And Ghrelin In Phocid Seals, Rachael Dailey

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic hormones and their axes, including the target tissues and receptors, regulate the tissue specific utilization of nutrients with in the body. The purpose of this research was to understand the hormonal control of complex nutrient partitioning mechanisms involved in young, growing animals. Specifically, this involved the investigation of metabolic hormones and the regulation of growth in two common species of phocids (true seals): harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) pups. This longitudinal study examines young phocids from nutritional nadir through realimentation (realimentation) to investigate how metabolic hormones involved in both food intake and nutrient partitioning …

A Survey Of The Taxonomy Of The Cyanobacteria From Northeast Florida, Descriptions Of Novel Taxa, And An Investigation Into The Factors Which Influence The Epibenthic Cyanobacterial Community, Holly Stephanie Stocks

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacteria are important components of the aquatic system, valued for their oxygen production, nitrogen fixation, and as the base of many aquatic food webs. This study investigated several aspects of cyanobacteria such as the diversity and response to nutrient enrichments. A survey of Northeast Florida was conducted between the years of 2010 and 2012; a total of 145 taxa were identified in freshwater habitats, such as springs, lakes, rivers, and retention ponds. While surveying the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, a novel Stigonematalean taxon was isolated and cultured. Subsequent morphological and genetic analyses indicate that this taxon is related …

The Effect Of A Barefoot Running Training Program On Running Economy And Performance, Neil James Baroody

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Importance Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Of Hspa9 In Dna Of Sarcoma Patients, Christine M. Hebert

Honors Theses and Capstones

The aim of this project was to identify genetic variants that may influence the risk and progression of sarcoma through targeted genotyping of HSPA9 gene. It is important to look at genetic variants in DNA samples because if a variant is determined to be more likely than another, a screening for the particular variant can be done to identify a patient’s risk of sarcoma. The study population was sarcoma patients from the International Sarcoma Kindred Study. These patients had no mutations in p53 or MDM2. Genotyping data from the HapMap project (hapmap.org) for HSPA9 was used to identify the polymorphisms …

Quantifying Carbon Allocation To Mycorrhizal Fungi By Temperate Forest Tree Species Across A Nitrogen Availability Gradient, Shersingh Joseph Tumber-Davila

Honors Theses and Capstones

Terrestrial ecosystems make up the largest carbon pool with a major portion of that being forests. With carbon being a major concern due to global climate change, being able to make accurate models is increasingly important. Studies have shown that trees may allocate up to 50% of their photosynthetically fixed carbon underground; however these values haven’t been accurately quantified and underground carbon allocation has been historically overlooked. Mycorrhizal fungi may be a large portion of underground carbon allocation, as they have a symbiotic relationship with trees where they provide the plant with water and nutrients in return for sugars (carbon). …

Enzyme Activity In Wheat Breeding Lines Derived From Matings Of Low Polyphenol Oxidase Parents, Somrudee Nilthong, Robert A. Graybosch, P. Stephen Baenziger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in grain plays a major role in time-dependent discoloration of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) products, especially fresh noodles. Breeding wheat cultivars with low or nil PPO activity can reduce undesirable product darkening. The low PPO line PI 117635 was crossed to two low PPO wheats, IDO580 and ‘IDO377s’, to determine whether matings between wheats with low levels of grain PPO would result in complementation, such that lines with still lower or nil PPO would be generated. Progeny in a population derived from PI 117635/ IDO580 displayed no variation in PPO activity. In the F_3:4 populations …