Life Sciences Commons^™

Comparative Study Of Spinning Field Development In Two Species Of Araneophagic Spiders (Araneae, Mimetidae, Australomimetus), Mark A. Townley, Danilo Harms

Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences

External studies of spider spinning fields allow us to make inferences about internal silk gland biology, including what happens to silk glands when the spider molts. Such studies often focus on adults, but juveniles can provide additional insight on spinning apparatus development and character polarity. Here we document and describe spinning fields at all stadia in two species of pirate spider (Mimetidae: Australomimetus spinosus, A. djuka). Pirate spiders nest within the ecribellate orb-building spiders (Araneoidea), but are vagrant, araneophagic members that do not build prey-capture webs. Correspondingly, they lack aggregate and flagelliform silk glands (AG, FL), specialized for forming prey-capture …

The Effect Of Preflood Nitrogen And Flood Establishment Timing On Rice Development, Nitrogen Uptake And Grain Yield, Tyler Richmond

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Urea-N fertilizer is typically applied at the 5-leaf stage to rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in a dry-seeded, delayed-flood production system. How long the preflood-N can be delayed without adverse effects on yield potential is poorly understood. The research objective was to determine the effects of preflood-N application and flood establishment timing on aboveground-N content, 50% heading, yield components, and grain yield. Trials were established on silt loam soils at the Pine Tree Research Station (PTRS) and Rice Research and Extension Center (RREC) during 2015 and 2016. Urea-N was applied at 0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg N ha-1 …

Impacts Of Oil Exposure During Early Life Development Stages In Sheepshead Minnows (Cyprinodon Variegatus) Under Different Environmental Factors, Danielle Simning

Master's Theses

The release of approximately 5 million barrels of crude oil into the northern Gulf of Mexico during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill jeopardized estuarine ecosystem health from Texas to Florida. These estuarine habitats, which serve as nurseries for many important fisheries are also prone to rapid fluctuations in environmental stressors such as oxygen concentration, and salinity. The consequence of combined exposure to crude oil and suboptimal environmental factors during early life stage development of fish is still largely unknown. The objective of this project was to investigate the impacts of exposure to crude oil in combination with varying environmental …

Development Of An Animal Model For Enterovirus For Evaluation D68 For Screening Of Antiviral Therapies, W. Joseph Evans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) virus has become more prevalent over the last 15 to 20 years. EV-D68 attacks the respiratory system and can cause severe disease in individuals who have underlying respiratory problems. There have also been reports of individuals with EV-D68 showing signs of neurological system problems and acute flaccid paralysis. Because of the increase in patients with EV-D68 and also the potential for neurological disease, an animal model is needed to study the disease and to evaluate experimental therapies for EV-D68 infection.

To develop the animal model, 4-week old AG129 mice that lack alpha and beta interferon receptors, making …

Effects Of Ocean Warming And Acidification On Fertilization Success And Early Larval Development In The Green Sea Urchin, Lytechinus Variegatus, Brittney L. Lenz

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is predicted to affect the larval stages of many marine organisms. Ocean warming can reduce larval survival and hasten larval development, whereas ocean acidification can delay larval development. Ocean acidification is especially concerning for marine organisms that develop and grow calcified shells or skeletons in an environment undersaturated with calcium carbonate minerals. This study assessed the effects of ocean warming and acidification on the fertilization and larval development of the green sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus, a tropical species common in Florida and the Caribbean. After spawning, gametes were fertilized and embryos/larvae were reared at: 1) 28°C and …

Development Of Murine Model For Enterovirus D68 In Ag-129 Mice, John Mcclatchy, Joseph Evans, Brett Hurst, Bart Tarbet

Biology Posters

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is an emerging picornavirus virus which typically causes respiratory disease. In 2014, a nationwide outbreak of EV-D68 occurred, with a portion of these cases associated with neurological disease. At the time of this outbreak, no animal models existed for Enterovirus D68, making it difficult to characterize pathology and test potential therapeutics. To address this, we developed a mouse model of EVd68 infection in AG-129 mice (immuno-compromised mice).

Hplc Method Development And Instrument Qc For Aldehyde And Ketone Compounds, Trevor O'Neil, Seth Lyman

Biology Posters

The Uintah Basin periodically experiences high ozone levels during the winter season (Lyman et al). Carbonyl compounds are produced from various emission sources and are precursors to ground level ozone production. Of these compounds, several aldehydes and ketones are volatile and listed as hazardous under the Clean Air Act (1990). We regularly measure carbonyl concentrations in air via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as part of our efforts to better understand and improve air quality in the Uintah Basin. For this project, we investigated possible improvements to our HPLC system to increase resolution, identification, and quantification of carbonyls in collected air …

On Evangelii Gaudium: An Asia/Pacific Perspective, Young Back Choi

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

Evangelii Gaudium is largely divided into two parts: one is on evangelism and the other concerns the social and economic conditions of the time in which evangelism is to take place. The chief aim of Evangelii Gaudium is to restore, as an integral part of sharing the joy of the Gospel, the dignity of the poor, which is presumably lost because of inequality in the modern society. Pope Francis admits that “… neither the Pope nor the Church have a monopoly on the interpretation of social realities or the proposal of solutions to contemporary problems”. Pope Francis offers his views/diagnoses …

Cattle As Technological Interventions: The Gender Effects Of Water Demand In Dairy Production In Uganda, Elizabeth Ransom, Carmen Bain, Harleen Bal, Natasha Shannon

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Smallholder dairy production dominates the country of Uganda, with over 90% of the national herd owned by smallholders. To reduce hunger, malnutrition, and raise families out of poverty agricultural development, interventions in Uganda have focused on increasing milk production through the introduction of improved dairy cow breeds. Development actors, such as the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) program in Uganda, see crossbreed dairy cows as a key technological intervention for improving production. Drawing on a multi-method study (spatial analysis, surveys, and qualitative interviews) of dairy smallholders, our paper examines the gendered effects of the introduction of crossbreed dairy cows. To …

The Role Of T-Box Proteins In Vertebrate Germ Layer Formation And Patterning, Sushma Teegala

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

All of the tissues in triploblastic organisms, with the exception of the germ cells, arise from the three germ layers, ectoderm, mesoderm and the endoderm. The identification of the genes that underlie the differentiation of these layers is crucial to our understanding of development. T-box family proteins are DNA-binding transcriptional regulators that play important roles during germ layer formation in the early vertebrate embryo. Well-characterized members of this family, including the transcriptional activators Brachyury and VegT, are essential for the proper formation of mesoderm and endoderm, respectively. To date, T-box proteins have not been shown to play a role in …

Understanding And Optimizing Growth And Development Of California Yellowtail (Seriola Dorsalis) In Aquaculture Using Physiological Tools, Laura Schwebel

Theses

Physical fitness metrics were used to assess the health and development of California Yellowtail, Seriola dorsalis, in an aquaculture environment during two grow-out experiments. The first experiment sought to evaluate the effects of a common aquaculture deformity (an improperly inflated swim bladder) that has been hypothesized to impact energy allocation, growth, and development. Metrics including metabolic rate, critical swimming speed, feed conversion ratio, and growth rate, were monitored over a 32-week period in three groups of California Yellowtail: wild-caught (“wild”), healthy hatchery-reared (“inflated”), and hatchery-reared with uninflated swim bladders (“uninflated”). At the start of the grow-out period, wild fish …

Protecting The Environment: Awareness And Responsibility, Susan E. Mason, James J. Winkelman

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

Protecting the environment is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do, in terms of both short-term and long term business goals. Green businesses can realize immediate financial benefits from environmental sustainability and energy conservation, and there are branding benefits associated with developing and maintaining a reputation for integrity and social responsibility. All participants first answered demographic questions and then responded to a ten-item questionnaire, which was a modified version of Simpson’s (1998) environmental awareness questionnaire. In conclusion, the study revealed gender, age, and political affiliation difference in environmental awareness.

Novel Species-Specific Glycoprotein On The Surface Of Mytilus Edulis And M. Trossulus Eggs, Fiona M. Harper, Kasandra J. Riley, R. D. Rawson

Faculty Publications

Protein–protein interactions play a central role in the gamete attraction, binding, and fusion stages of gamete interactions and fertilization for broadcast spawning species, such as marine mussels in the Mytilus edulis species complex. Although assortative gamete interaction has been implicated in the level of reproductive isolation among the three species in this complex, the molecular basis of these interactions has not been elucidated. Using mass spectrometry peptide sequencing, cDNA sequencing, and bioinformatics approaches, we have investigated species-level variation in the proteins expressed on the surface of mussel eggs. We herein describe an extracellular protein, MESP-1, from the surface of the …

Supplemental Trace Minerals (Zn, Cu, And Mn) As Sulfates Or Hydroxy Trace Mineral Sources For Beef Heifers, Randy Hunter Burnett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Crossbred heifers (n = 286, 255 ± 4.5 kg initial BW, 295 ± 16.5 d of age) were used over a 2-yr period to determine the effects of mineral source on beef heifer development at 2 locations (n = 71 and n = 72, Fayetteville, blocks 1 and 4; n = 72 in each of 2 breeding groups, Batesville, blocks 2 and 3). Heifers were stratified based on initial BW, age, health, prior research projects, and sire, and then assigned to 6 groups of 12 heifers, that were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 trace mineral treatments. The 2 treatments …

Simplifying Methods For In Vitro Metamorphosis Of Glochidia, Morgan A. Kern

MSU Graduate Theses

Captive culture of Unionoid mussels is complicated by the parasitic larval stage, which normally requires a host fish for metamorphosis. Alternatively, some mussel species can metamorphose in vitro, i.e. in an artificial medium in Petri dishes. Most workers have used 5% CO₂ atmosphere and bicarbonate to stabilize pH, requiring a specialized incubator. In the present study, in vitro metamorphosis success of Anodonta oregonensis and other species were higher or similar in air than in 1%, or 5% CO₂. The nutritional role of the medium was tested by substituting physiological saline without nutrients at varying intervals before …

Methylglyoxal Influences Development Of Caenorhabditis Elegans Via Heterochronic Pathway, Jiaying Wang

Masters Theses

Methylglyoxal is a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound, which is widely distributed in food products and beverages, and is particularly high in Manuka honey. In addition to its antibacterial effects, methylglyoxal is also known as a major precursor of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), that produces altered macromolecules (such as proteins and DNA), leading to abnormal physiological changes. However, the effects of methylglyoxal on development is unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the role of methylglyoxal in this aspect using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Treatment of methylglyoxal at 0.1 mM and 1 mM for 48 h significantly inhibited …

Differential Requirement For Satellite Cells During Overload-Induced Muscle Hypertrophy In Growing Versus Mature Mice, Kevin A. Murach, Sarah H. White, Yuan Wen, Angel Ho, Esther E. Dupont-Versteegden, John J. Mccarthy, Charlotte A. Peterson

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Pax7+ satellite cells are required for skeletal muscle fiber growth during post-natal development in mice. Satellite cell-mediated myonuclear accretion also appears to persist into early adulthood. Given the important role of satellite cells during muscle development, we hypothesized that the necessity of satellite cells for adaptation to an imposed hypertrophic stimulus depends on maturational age.

Methods: Pax7^CreER-R26R^DTA mice were treated for 5 days with vehicle (satellite cell-replete, SC+) or tamoxifen (satellite cell-depleted, SC-) at 2 months (young) and 4 months (mature) of age. Following a 2-week washout, mice were subjected to sham surgery or 10 day …

Toxic Effects Of Hygromycin B On Kryptolebias Marmoratus Early Development, Michael J. Bland, Gretschen K. Bielmeyer, Brian C. Ring

Georgia Journal of Science

Krytptolebias marmoratus embryos were tested for susceptibility to hygromycin B under various concentrations prior to the late blastula stage of development. The concentrations arresting development to the point of lethality for 95% of K. mamoratus embryos within a 48 and 96 h period were 705 mg/l and 601 mg/l, respectively. Nearly half of all embryos were arrested with an effective concentration of 433 mg/l and 207 mg/l for 48 and 96 h, respectively. Data presented here are useful for potential transgenic K. mamoratus (or their embryonic cells) by use of hygromycin B selection for studying the midblastula transition during early …

Characterizing The Impacts Of Contaminants On Fish Embryogenesis And Revealing An Alternate Molecular Mechanism Of Ahr Mediated Cardiac Defects, Corinna Singleman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There is a long history of damage to natural ecosystems from environmental pollution. Many environmental contaminants are man-made and have been released with abandon over the last 100 years including dioxins, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals act on similar cellular processes and cause skin lesions, cancer, learning disabilities and reproductive problems in many vertebrates. There are many studies exploring various aspects of TCDD and PCB exposure on model and wild organisms. Few studies however, have compared effects of PCB mixtures on ecosystems to effects of individual PCBs in the lab. The first aim of this thesis is …

Modeling Complex Patterns Of Differential Dna Methylation That Associate With Expression Change, Christopher E. Schlosberg

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gene expression is driven by specific combinations of transcription factors binding to regulatory sequences to define cell type expression profiles. Changes in DNA sequence alter transcription factor binding affinities and gene expression, and DNA methylation is an additional source of variation that is maintained throughout cellular division. Numerous genomic studies are underway to determine which genes are abnormally regulated by DNA methylation in disease. However, we have a poor understanding of how disease-specific methylation variation affects expression. Global DNA demethylation agents have been clinically approved for use in cancer, which has spurred interest in identifying genes which would be most …

Impact Of Sublethal Exposure To A Pyrethroid-Neonicotinoid Insecticide On Mating, Fecundity And Development In The Bed Bug Cimex Lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), Sydney E. Crawley, Jennifer R. Gordon, Katelyn A. Kowles, Michael F. Potter, Kenneth F. Haynes

Entomology Faculty Publications

Sublethal exposure to an insecticide may alter insect feeding, mating, oviposition, fecundity, development, and many other life history parameters. Such effects may have population-level consequences that are not apparent in traditional dose-mortality evaluations. Earlier, we found that a routinely used combination insecticide that includes a pyrethroid and a neonicotinoid (Temprid^® SC) had deleterious effects on multiple bed bug (Cimex lectularius, L.) behaviors. Here, we demonstrate that sublethal exposure impacts physiology and reproduction as well. We report that sublethal exposure to Temprid SC has variable aberrant effects on bed bugs depending on the strain, including: a reduction in …

The Foxo Transcription Factor Controls Insect Growth And Development By Regulating Juvenile Hormone Degradation In The Silkworm, Bombyx Mori, Baosheng Zeng, Yuping Huang, Jun Xu, Takahiro Shiotsuki, Hua Bai, Subba Reddy Palli, Yongping Huang, Anjiang Tan

Entomology Faculty Publications

Forkhead box O (FOXO) functions as the terminal transcription factor of the insulin signaling pathway and regulates multiple physiological processes in many organisms, including lifespan in insects. However, how FOXO interacts with hormone signaling to modulate insect growth and development is largely unknown. Here, using the transgene-based CRISPR/Cas9 system, we generated and characterized mutants of the silkworm Bombyx mori FOXO (BmFOXO) to elucidate its physiological functions during development of this lepidopteran insect. The BmFOXO mutant (FOXO-M) exhibited growth delays from the first larval stage and showed precocious metamorphosis, pupating at the end of the fourth instar (trimolter) rather …

Complementary Multimodal Compartments In The Developing Inferior Colliculus, Roxana Behrooz

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The auditory system is responsible for detecting, encoding, and deciphering hearing. The inferior colliculus (IC) is a major relay hub situated in the midbrain, that is subdivided into a central nucleus, and surrounding dorsal and lateral cortices. The central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (CNIC) is organized tonotopically based on a frequency gradient and strictly processes auditory information. In contrast, recent studies show that the lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus (LCIC) is actually multimodal, receiving inputs from not just auditory sources, but also somatosensory and visual structures. The precise organization of patterned inputs to the LCIC and their development …

The Role Of Phototaxis In The Initial Swim Bladder Inflation Of Larval Yellow Perch (Perca Flavescens)., Christopher Ryan Suchocki

Theses and Dissertations

The North Central Regional Aquaculture Center has designated the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) as a high priority species for culture. The demand for this species is high and it is estimated that the market could readily consume 50 to 100 million pounds per year. Tank culturing of yellow perch has several advantages over pond culture and this method has been growing in popularity, but is currently held back by problems in larval development. One of these problems, failed swim bladder inflation (SBI), is frequently reported in the literature as a bottleneck in the culture of many fishes. Unsuccessful SBI increases …

Development Of Mechanosensory Innervation In The Frog, Xenopus Laevis, Peter Andrew Feuk

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DEVELOPMENT OF MECHANOSENSORY INNERVATION IN THE FROG, XENOPUS LAEVIS

by

Peter Feuk

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017

Under the Supervision of Dr. R. David Heathcote

This study aims to investigate whether a specific target cell in the epidermis of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, guides the initial outgrowth and pattern of Rohon-Beard (RB) cells and their survival. RB cells are primary mechanosensory neurons present during the early developmental stages of X. laevis. These neurons provide sensory input to the frog throughout embryonic and larval development before initiating apoptosis around the start of metamorphosis. The innervation of embryonic skin …

Zhx2 (Zinc Fingers And Homeoboxes 2) Regulates Major Urinary Protein Gene Expression In The Mouse Liver, Jieyun Jiang, Kate Townsend Creasy, Justin Purnell, Martha L. Peterson, Brett T. Spear

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

The mouse major urinary proteins (Mups) are encoded by a large family of highly related genes clustered on chromosome 4. Mups, synthesized primarily and abundantly in the liver and secreted through the kidneys, exhibit male-biased expression. Mups bind a variety of volatile ligands; these ligands, and Mup proteins themselves, influence numerous behavioral traits. Although urinary Mup protein levels vary between inbred mouse strains, this difference is most pronounced in BALB/cJ mice, which have dramatically low urinary Mup levels; this BALB/cJ trait had been mapped to a locus on chromosome 15. We previously identified Zhx2 (zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2) as …

A Comparison Of Electronic And Traditional Cigarette Butt Leachate On The Development Of Xenopus Laevis Embryos, Tatiana Tatum Parker, James Rayburn

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Potential developmental toxicities of three different cigarette butt leachates were evaluated using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay–Xenopus (FETAX). Xenopus laevis embryos were exposed to regular cigarette butt (RCB), menthol (MCB) and electronic (ECB) in concentrations ranging from 0 to 4 butts/l for RCB and MCB and 0–10 butts/l for ECB. The embryos were from stage 8 to 11 and were exposed for a 96-h period in static renewal test conditions. Median lethal concentration (LC50), malformation (EC50), non-observed adverse effect concentration (NOAEC), and lowest observed adverse effect concentration (LOAEC) were calculated. Results from these studies suggest that each tested leachate is …

Transcriptomic Response Of Wolf Spider, Pardosa Pseudoannulata, To Transgenic Rice Expressing Bacillus Thuringiensis Cry1ab Protein, Juan Wang, Yuande Peng, Kaifu Xiao, Baoyang Wei, Jilin Hu, Zhi Wang, Qisheng Song, Xuguo Zhou

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: Bacillum thuringiensis (Bt) toxin produced in Cry1-expressing genetically modified rice (Bt rice) is highly effective to control lepidopteran pests, which reduces the needs for synthetic insecticides. Non-target organisms can be exposed to Bt toxins through direct feeding or trophic interactions in the field. The wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata, one of the dominant predators in South China, plays a crucial role in the rice agroecosystem. In this study, we investigated transcriptome responses of the 5th instar spiders fed on preys maintained on Bt- and non-Bt rice.

Results: Comparative transcriptome analysis resulted in 136 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) …

Differences In Preservice Teachers’ Readiness To Use Ict In Education And Development Of Tpack, Erkko Sointu, Teemu Valtonen, Christine E. Cutucache, Jari Kukkonen, Matthew C. Lambert, Kati Mäkitalo‐Siegl

Biology Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Education for the 21st century society requires the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education. This presents challenges for preservice teacher education. Thus, more cognate understanding about preservice teachers’ readiness to use ICT in education, coupled with knowledge related to ICT in education, is needed. Furthermore, it is important to understand that preservice teachers have various levels of readiness to use ICT in education, thereby creating a demand to investigate sub-groups within preservice teachers. This study focuses on differences of readiness and development of knowledge between preservice teachers’ based on two theoretical constructs: Theory of Planned Behavior and …

The Role Of Sibling Configuration In Identity And Career Development, Alyssa Sullinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This synthetic literature review examines the characteristics of sibling configurations— which refer to the ordinal position of siblings, age spacing, and sex composition—in a traditional family setting. A general review of the literature on sibling configurations and relationships is presented, and their potential roles in the development of personality traits, self-concept and identity, and career choices are explored. This synthesis describes how sibling birth rank is affiliated with generalized personality traits and likelihood of siblings with these traits identifying with corresponding career interest-types associated with Holland’s vocational theory. Suggestions for future research include empirical studies investigating these connections, such the …