Life Sciences Commons^™

Author Correction: Herbivorous Turtle Ants Obtain Essential Nutrients From A Conserved Nitrogen-Recycling Gut Microbiome (Nature Communications (2018), Yi Hu, Jon G. Sanders, Piotr Łukasik, Catherine L. D'Amelio, Mark P. Schotanus, John T. Wertz

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

The originally published version of the Supplementary Information file associated with this Article contained an error in Supplementary Figure 3. Panel b was inadvertently replaced with a duplicate of panel a. The error has now been fixed and the corrected version of the Supplementary Information PDF is available to download from the HTML version of the Article.

Mechanisms Of S1p-Induced Endothelial Barrier Enhancement, Natascha Guimarães Alves

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Excessive microvascular permeability is a serious complication involved in traumatic injury and inflammatory diseases. Alcohol intoxication can exacerbate the physiological derangements produced by microvascular endothelial barrier dysfunction in such disease conditions. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has known endothelial barrier-protective properties, and has been shown to ameliorate microvascular leakage in a model of combined alcohol intoxication and hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (HSR). However, whether the barrier-protective properties of S1P extend to endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is unclear. The mechanisms of S1P-induced barrier protection during alcohol intoxication or HSR are also unknown. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that …

Aquatic Invasions: Causes, Consequences, And Solutions, Corey Ackerson, Melissa Carmichael, Olivia Carpenter, Hannah Crull, Jillian Henrichon, Maeve Mcgowan, Allison Mills, Nicholas Paolini, Everett Pierce, Nicole Scherer, Nicole Volosin, Kady Winsor, Markus Frederich

Marine Sciences Student Projects

Invasive species represent a global threat to ecosystems, human health, and the economy. A basic knowledge of invasive species biology is crucial to understand current and future impacts and implications. The purpose of this book is to provide a broad background on invasive species, and also details on specific examples through case studies.

The students in the course Aquatic Invasive Species (MAR 442) at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, have researched and reviewed scientific literature to educate readers about these issues. The class, comprised of twelve junior and senior Marine Science, Marine Affairs, Applied Mathematics, and Environmental …

Soil Health Effects And Stakeholder Perceptions Of Manure And Woody Biomass Application To Cropland In Nebraska, Linda R. Schott

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Organic products that have historically been viewed as waste products may improve soil health by adding carbon (C) and nutrients to soil. Two such products are woodchips, generated from forest or rangeland management activities, and livestock manure. In Nebraska, eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) is a native but invasive tree species inhibiting rangeland productivity. Livestock manure that is underutilized while inorganic fertilizers are imported for crop production presents a water quality risk by contributing to local- and regional-scale nutrient imbalances. Increasing the responsible use of livestock manure in crop fertility programs to improve sustainability of both livestock and crop farms …

Understanding Spatial Dynamics Of Tallgrass Prairie Dominated By Tall Fescue, Callie Griffith

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study was conducted on restored tallgrass prairie and invaded tallgrass prairie located in the Grand River Grasslands of southern Iowa to determine differences in heterogeneity of plant structure and functional group composition at different scales. Restored tallgrass prairies were seeded with a species-rich seeding mixture and managed by burning the entire prairie, every three years. Data were collected in August 2014 and 2015 to compare heterogeneity of restoration of native plant structure and functional group composition to the heterogeneity of invaded tallgrass prairies that were managed with patch burning and conventionally grazed. Invaded tallgrass prairies were managed with patch-burning …

Generation And Evaluation Of Modified Opaque-2 (O2) Popcorn Suggests A Route To Quality Protein Popcorn (Qpp), Ying Ren

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

I have been working on a Quality Protein Popcorn breeding project where QPM conversion is carried out simultaneously for several elite popcorn germplasms. During my study in the graduate program, I led the following aspects of the Quality Protein Popcorn Breeding Project:

1. Identified suitable QPMs as opaque-2 allele donors.

2.Examined the feasibility of quick introgression of the opaque-2 allele into popcorn lines via marker-assisted selection.

3. Monitored modification by SDS-PAGE zein profiling and light box phenotypic selection to make sure multiple modifier loci for opaque-2 were incorporated each time generation advancement was carried out.

4. Carried out high throughput …

Heteroleptic Nickel Complexes Of A Bulky Bis(Carbene)Borate Ligand, Jorge L. Martinez, Wei-Tsung Less, Maren Pink, Chun-Hsing Chen, Jeremy M. Smith

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Bis(carbene)borate ligand transfer to the nickel nitrosyl synthon Ni(NO)(PPh3)2Br provides the new nickel nitrosyl complex Ph2B(t BuIm)2Ni(NO)(PPh3). The solid state structure reveals a trigonal pyramidal nickel ion with a very long bond to the apical PPh3 ligand. The complex reversibly dissociates PPh3 in solution to afford three‐coordinate Ph2B(t BuIm)2Ni(NO), with NMR data providing evidence for PPh3 binding at low temperatures. Ligand transfer to Ni(PMe3)2Cl2 provides the square planar complex, Ph2B(t BuIm)2Ni(PMe3)Cl, which shows no evidence for rearranging to the form a homoleptic complex with two bis(carbene)borate ligands. This complex is a suitable synthon for the [Ph2B(t BuIm)2Ni]+ fragment, as demonstrated …

Motivations And Satisfaction Of North Dakota Deer Hunters During A Temporal Decline In Deer Populations, Kristen E. Black, William F. Jensen, Robert Newman, Jason Boulanger

Biology Faculty Publications

Achieving state wildlife agency biological goals for deer (Odocoileus spp.) management may often conflict with hunter desires. Concomitantly, better information is needed to optimize agency deer herd management goals with hunters’ social goals. In 2016, we surveyed 3,000 North Dakota, USA, resident deer hunters using a self-administered mail survey to gain a better understanding of motivations, satisfaction, and hunter demographics that may be used to inform hunter recruitment and retention (HRR) efforts during a period of reduced statewide deer populations. With deer-gun license availability strictly limited, we explored the possibility that some gun hunters may have been engaging …

Developing Ultra-High Throughput Sequencing Based Assay For Ligase Ribozymes For The Study Of Evolutionary Innovations, James Collet

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The study of evolutionary innovations, or novel traits, is integral to understanding evolution yet is poorly understood. By studying the regions between genotype networks that produce the same phenotype, we can better characterize the process by which innovation occurs. The overarching goal of this study is to assign fitness values to the overlapping genotype network of two catalytic RNA molecules, or ribozymes. Properly characterizing this region requires the study of thousands of individual sequences, which is achievable through the use of high-throughput sequencing analysis. This thesis focuses on developing assays for one of the ribozymes, the ligase ribozyme. Due to …

Microenvironmental Forces Regulate Notch Signaling Through Integrins, Michael Allen Detweiler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The extracellular microenvironment contributes significantly to a cell’s function and behavior. For instance, cell-cell interactions, cell-substrate interactions, and physical forces are all factors of the extracellular environment that can alter cellular behavior. Cells can receive these signals and forces through various membrane channels and receptors that transmit the signals from the extracellular to the intracellular space. Canonical Notch signaling is induced by ligand interactions with neighboring cells, but recent evidence has revealed that Notch signaling can occur through a variety of extracellular stimuli including hyperglycemia, hypoxia, multiple growth factors, fluid shear stress, and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. Although Notch activation …

Mastering Mycological Mysteries With Explorations Of Harpellales Associated With Culicidae And Other Dipterans In Idaho, Michael Mccormick

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Presented is the first field survey and laboratory-based study focused on Harpellales gut fungi found in Culicidae (mosquito) larvae collected from various parts of Idaho. Overall, 34 sites were sampled ranging from urban storm drains and irrigation puddles to pristine stream-side puddles. These sites yielded 17 different species of mosquitoes and three previously described species of gut fungi. Three species of mosquitoes were the first recorded observations as hosts of the following gut fungi: Culiseta alaskaensis was infested with Zancudomyces culisetae (from Renwyck Creek), Culex tarsalis with Smittium culicis (from Cottonwood Creek), and Ochleratus sp. with Smittium minutisporum (from Bear …

Statistical Analysis And Estimation Of The Regional Trend Of Aerosol Size Over The Arabian Gulf Region During 2002-2016, Alina Barbulescu, Yousef Nazzal, Fares Howari

All Works

© 2018 The Author(s). In this article, we present the results of the regional estimation of the evolution of monthly mean aerosol size over the Arabian Gulf Region, based on the data collected during the period July 2002 - September 2016. The dataset used is complete, without missing values. Two methods are introduced for this purpose. The first one is based on the partition of the regional series in sub-series and the selection of the most representative one for fitting the regional trend. The second one is a version of the first method, combined with the k-means clustering algorithm. Comparison …

Types Of Tobacco Consumption And The Oral Microbiome In The United Arab Emirates Healthy Future (Uaehfs) Pilot Study, Yvonne Vallès, Claire K. Inman, Brandilyn A. Peters, Raghib Ali, Laila Abdel Wareth, Abdishakur Abdulle, Habiba Alsafar, Fatme Al Anouti, Ayesha Al Dhaheri, Divya Galani, Muna Haji, Aisha Al Hamiz, Ayesha Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Houqani, Abdulla Al Junaibi, Marina Kazim, Tomas Kirchhoff, Wael Al Mahmeed, Fatma Al Maskari, Abdullah Alnaeemi, Naima Oumeziane, Ravichandran Ramasamy, Ann Marie Schmidt, Michael Weitzman, Eiman Al Zaabi, Scott Sherman, Richard B. Hayes, Jiyoung Ahn

All Works

© 2018, The Author(s). Cigarette smoking alters the oral microbiome; however, the effect of alternative tobacco products remains unclear. Middle Eastern tobacco products like dokha and shisha, are becoming globally widespread. We tested for the first time in a Middle Eastern population the hypothesis that different tobacco products impact the oral microbiome. The oral microbiome of 330 subjects from the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study was assessed by amplifying the bacterial 16S rRNA gene from mouthwash samples. Tobacco consumption was assessed using a structured questionnaire and further validated by urine cotinine levels. Oral microbiome overall structure and specific taxon …

Innate Immune Cell Phenotypes Are Dictated By Distinct Epigenetic Reprogramming, Kevin Douglas Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The innate immune system is the first line of host defense against external exposures. During these initial encounters, antigen presenting cells - specifically monocytes and macrophages - modulate further inflammatory responses. Macrophages exist along a spectrum of phenotypic programs; on the inflammatory M1 end they enhance immune activity while on the anti-inflammatory M2 end they suppress further immune activation. Furthermore, within M2 macrophages there exist many subpopulations, namely M2a and M2d, each with specific roles during infection or exposure. We sought to compare the epigenetic profiles of these subpopulations of macrophages to determine key regulatory gene networks and factors that …

Bobcat Abundance And Habitat Selection On The Utah Test And Training Range, Kyle David Muncey

Theses and Dissertations

Remote cameras have become a popular tool for monitoring wildlife. We used remote cameras to estimate bobcat (Lynx rufus) population abundance on the Utah Test and Training Range during two sample periods between 2015 and 2017. We used two statistical methods, closed capture mark-recapture (CMR) and mark-resight Poisson log-normal (PNE), to estimate bobcat abundance within the study area. We used the maximum mean distance moved method (MMDM) to calculate the effective sample area for estimating density. Additionally, we captured bobcats and estimated home range using minimum convex polygon (MCP) and kernel density estimation (KDE) methods. Bobcat abundance on the UTTR …

Methanogens, Plausible Extraterrestrial Life Forms On Mars, And Their Tolerance To Increasing Concentrations Of Illite Clay, Chandler Kern

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Methanogens, some of Earth’s most primitive prokaryotic organisms, are candidates for possible life forms capable of inhabiting Mars. Specifically, four different species (Methanobacterium formicicum, Methanococcus maripaludis, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanothermobacter wolfeii) were analyzed for their tolerance to the presence of illite clay. Illite is a crystalline mineral that has been identified from regions of Mars’s surface. Results indicated that all four species grew with some success in the illite at different concentrations. This experimentation with methanogens’ abilities to survive and reproduce in the presence of illite allows for a more accurate understanding of the potential capability of microbial …

Allergy Training Or Lack Thereof, Madelyn Freeman, Mary Kate Klenke

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food allergies affect many people in our society today, and the food service industry must keep up with the demand for allergen-free food from their customers. The objective of this research is to gain insight from the employee’s perspective of the importance of food allergies and what training method would help them learn best. Through this research we intend to learn how we can engage employees during training, increase training retention, and stress the importance to change their behaviors and utilize safe practices in regards to allergens. We compared both quick and full-service restaurants’ food-allergy training methods in this study …

The Effect Of The Zika Virus On Rna Stress Granule Components, Nina Williams

Biological Sciences

In recent years, Zika virus (ZIKV) has taken over mainstream media. It captivated the world with the images of microcephaly babies born to infected mothers and the appearance of Guillain-Barré syndrome emerging from infected adults. ZIKV is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. This virus is composed of a single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome that belongs to the Flaviviridae family. Our long-term goal is to understand the mechanisms in which the virus subverts the host organism’s translation machinery by modulation of RNA stress granules (SGs). Stress granules are RNA-protein complexes found in the cytoplasm that form when the cell is exposed to …

Breeding For Resilience To Increasing Temperatures: A Field Trial Assessing Genetic Variation In Soft Red Winter Wheat, Kathleen Russell, David Van Sanford

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Breeding for resilience to climate change is a daunting prospect. Crop and climate models tell us that global wheat yields are likely to decline as the climate warms, causing a significant risk to global food security. High temperatures are known to affect crop development yet breeding for tolerance to heat stress is difficult to achieve in field environments. We conducted an active warming study over two years to quantify the effects of heat stress on genetic variation of soft red winter (SRW) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Forty SRW cultivars and breeding lines were chosen based on marker genotypes at …

Local Delivery Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Expressing Osteogenesis-Inducing Microrna For Bone Tissue Engineering Applications, Marco Antonio Arriaga

Theses and Dissertations

Bone is capable of regenerating autonomously when the injury is small (< 2.5 cm), however, large (> 2.5 cm) or insufficiently vascularized defects require intervention to repair. The overall goal of this project is to contribute towards the development of novel strategies to aid bone tissue regeneration by delivering mesenchymal stem cells expressing microRNAs that induce expression of the runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). It was determined that porous polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds fabricated to have a higher surface area to volume ratio (SVR) (> 80) compared to lower SVR (< 80) were hydrolyzed at a higher rate. Scaffolds fabricated with 80 vol. %/300–500 µm porogen were optimal for cell colonization as higher absorbance of metabolized MTT was detected compared to other scaffold types. From the subset of 5 miRNAs tested, miRNA-26a, miRNA-196 and miRNA-218 demonstrated higher upregulation of RUNX2 gene expression and calcium mineralization and thus, are promising candidates for bone tissue regeneration.

Midguts, Microbes, And Mosquitoes: An Analysis Of The Microbiomes Of Aedes Aegypti And Aedes Albopictus, Flor Alicia Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

Experiment 1: Mosquito microbiomes are influenced by the environment and diets of mosquitoes. There is great variability within and among mosquito populations with few microbe inhabitants being well established among mosquitoes of similar species and environments. By understanding the potential variation in midgut microbiomes in lab and wild populations, we may assess the effect that microbiomes have on vector competency.

Experiment 2: Mosquito midgut microbes are essential for development and may influence the vector competency. Native and non-native strains of the midgut inhabitant, Cedecea, were introduced to laboratory colonies of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes to help elucidate …

Impacts Of Habitat Attributes And Community Gardens On Urban Bird Communities, Samuel Glenn Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande Valley of Southern Texas is a major agricultural region yet has some of the highest hunger rates in the USA. Urbanization and agriculture affect biodiversity, which is well studied, but little is known about how agriculture affects biodiversity in urban areas. We investigated how different urban attributes, including those related to urban farming, impact bird communities in Brownsville and Harlingen, TX, and compared sites that have community gardens to those that do not. To study three key urban habitat characteristics, we identified sites that exhibited all possible combinations of these factors, quantified land cover classes related to …

Effects Of Invasive Nilgai Antelope (Boselaphus Tragocamelus ) Browsing On Black Mangrove (Avicennia Germinans) In South Texas: A Study On Microenvironmental, Physiological, Structural, And Reproductive Parameters, Tianna Picquet

Theses and Dissertations

Mangroves are important for coastal systems because they provide habitat for fish and bird species, mitigate erosion, and create an area for carbon sequestration. Along the Gulf of Mexico, at the southern tip of Texas, recent observations have shown that A. germinans stands (the dominant species in Texas) are being browsed on by invasive nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus). The antelope were introduce to the south Texas region via King Ranch in the 1930’s and have since significantly increased in population and distribution. Previously thought to be grazers, B. tragocamelus were captured on camera utilizing A. germinans as a …

Contemporaneous Radiations Of Fungi And Plants Linked To Symbiosis, François Lutzoni, Michael D. Nowak, Michael E. Alfaro, Valérie Reeb, Jolanta Miadlikowska, Michael Krug, A. Elizabeth Arnold, Louise A. Lewis, David L. Swofford, David Hibbett, Khidir Hilu, Timothy Y. James, Dietmar Quandt, Susana Magallón

Biology

Interactions between fungi and plants, including parasitism, mutualism, and saprotrophy, have been invoked as key to their respective macroevolutionary success. Here we evaluate the origins of plant-fungal symbioses and saprotrophy using a time-calibrated phylogenetic framework that reveals linked and drastic shifts in diversification rates of each kingdom. Fungal colonization of land was associated with at least two origins of terrestrial green algae and preceded embryophytes (as evidenced by losses of fungal flagellum, ca. 720 Ma), likely facilitating terrestriality through endomycorrhizal and possibly endophytic symbioses. The largest radiation of fungi (Leotiomyceta), the origin of arbuscular mycorrhizae, and the diversification of extant …

The Relationship Between The Distance Of An External Focus Of Attention And Lower Body Power In Rugby Athletes, Donald Pump

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation is to examine the relationship between the distance effect on power output during countermovement jumps in Rugby athletes. Hypothesis Testing was conducted utilizing a Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (RM ANOVA) at a .05 significance level. A Pairwise comparison was conducted to determine if one variable had a greater amount of quantitative property. Statistical insignificance was determined after all data was analyzed Results were unable to show a positive relationship between the distance of an external focus of attention and lower body power output in rugby athletes.

Arabidopsis Thaliana Transformed With Streptanthus Farnsworthianus Metal Tolerance Protein 1 (Sfmtp1) Or The Native A. Thaliana Metal Tolerance Protein 1 ( Atmtp1) Cdna And The Effects On Sod Enzyme Activity Upon Nickel Treatment, Selina Urbina Fernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Superoxide Dismutase enzyme activity was analyzed in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, a non-accumulator weed plant species of the Brassicaceae family, that was transformed with Streptanthus farnsworthianus Metal Tolerance Protein1 (SfMTP1) or A. thaliana Metal Tolerance Protein 1 (AtMTP1 ). The transgenic A. thaliana was exposed to a 12 day treatment of 100 ?M Nickel Acetate in 1/10 X Hoaglands solution in hydroponics. Analysis of Super Oxide Dismutase activity determined that transgenic A. thaliana transformed with the AtMTP1 cDNA and treated with 100 µM Nickel showed a significant increase in Super Oxide Dismutase activity compared to A. thaliana …

Galleria Mellonella As An Alternate Infection Model For Burkholderia Species And A Comparison Of Suspension And Surface Test Methods For Evaluating Sporicidal Efficacy, Joseph D. Thiriot

Theses and Dissertations

Melioidosis is a neglected tropical disease that continues unabated in many countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. There is no vaccine and antimicrobial treatment is expensive and complicated. Virulence models are important tools used to investigate genes involved in pathogenesis. Galleria mellonella is the larvae of the wax worm moth that has been used to model various infections. Based on previous studies, we attempted to establish an infection model using Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia thailandensis, a related species which is avirulent in humans. Injections of various forms of these species (fresh and frozen) were used to develop Kaplan-Meier plots. We …

Evidence For Divergent Patterns Of Local Selection Driving Venom Variation In Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Scutulatus), Jason L. Strickland, Cara F. Smith, Andrew J. Mason, Drew R. Schield, Miguel Borja, Gamaliel Castañeda-Gaytán, Carol L. Spencer, Lydia L. Smith, Ann Trápaga, Nassima M. Bouzid, Gustavo Campillo-García, Oscar A. Flores-Villela, Daniel Antonio-Rangel, Stephen P. Mackessy, Todd A. Castoe, Darin R. Rokyta, Christopher L. Parkinson

Publications

Snake venoms represent an enriched system for investigating the evolutionary processes that lead to complex and dynamic trophic adaptations. It has long been hypothesized that natural selection may drive geographic variation in venom composition, yet previous studies have lacked the population genetic context to examine these patterns. We leverage range-wide sampling of Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus) and use a combination of venom, morphological, phylogenetic, population genetic, and environmental data to characterize the striking dichotomy of neurotoxic (Type A) and hemorrhagic (Type B) venoms throughout the range of this species. We find that three of the four previously identified …

High-Frequency Temperature Variability Mirrors Fixed Differences In Thermal Limits Of The Massive Coral Porites Lobata, Daniel J. Barshis, Charles Birkeland, Robert J. Toonen, Ruth D. Gates, Jonathon H. Stillman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Spatial heterogeneity in environmental characteristics can drive adaptive differentiation when contrasting environments exert divergent selection pressures. This environmental and genetic heterogeneity can substantially influence population and community resilience to disturbance events. Here, we investigated corals from the highly variable back-reef habitats of Ofu Island in American Samoa that thrive in thermal conditions known to elicit widespread bleaching and mortality elsewhere. To investigate the relative importance of acclimation versus site of origin in shaping previously observed differences in coral tolerance limits at Ofu Island, specimens of the common Indo-Pacific coral Porites lobata from locations with differing levels of thermal variability were …

Cold Acclimation Response Of Non-Native Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis Siculus) Populations From New York And California, Daniel Haro

Master's Theses

Understanding how organisms respond to climatic variability and novel conditions is becoming an increasingly important task for ecologists. For ectotherms in the northern hemisphere, the response to cold is of special interest, considering that poleward range expansion events and increasing variability of temperatures during winter are already being observed as consequences of a warming planet. Though direction of change in physiological variables in response to cold is well studied in ectotherms, the extent to which traits can change and the rate at which they can change is not.

We compared the extent and rate of change in cold tolerance (CT …