Life Sciences Commons^™

Kingfish Neurocranium, Kaden R. Mackey, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

This is the skull of a kingfish with the nasal bone included.

The Centennial Of The Pecking Order: Current State And Future Prospects For The Study Of Dominance Hierarchies, Eli D. Strauss, James P. Curley, Daizaburo Shizuka, Elizabeth A. Hobson

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

A century ago, foundational work by Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe described a ‘pecking order’ in chicken societies, where individuals could be ordered according to their ability to exert their influence over their group-mates. Now known as dominance hierarchies, these structures have been shown to influence a plethora of individual characteristics and outcomes, situating dominance research as a pillar of the study of modern social ecology and evolution. Here, we first review some of the major questions that have been answered about dominance hierarchies in the last 100 years.Next,we introduce the contributions to this theme issue and summarize howthey provide ongoing insight in …

Identification Of Tuna Species In Raw And Processed Products Using Dna Mini-Barcoding Of The Mitochondrial Control Region, Jiahleen Roungchun, Amanda M. Tabb, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Accurate species identification methods are needed to combat tuna fraud, improve tuna stock regulation, and mitigate health risks associated with mislabeled tuna products. The objective of this study was to conduct a market survey of raw and processed tuna products using a DNA mini-barcoding system based on the mitochondrial control region (CR). A total of 80 samples of raw, dried, and canned tuna products were collected at the retail level for CR mini-barcoding analysis. The samples underwent DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequencing of the 236-bp CR mini-barcode. The resulting sequences were searched against GenBank using the …

Grey Triggerfish (Balistes Capriscus) Neurocranium, Madelynn Sampson, Hailey Levine, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Grey Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) neurocranium preparation by Madelynn Sampson and Hailey LeVine.

The Molecular Basis For Natural Competence In Acinetobacter, Yafan Yu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bacteria use Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) to acquire genetic material, leading to the development of novel traits, such as the spread and development of antibiotic resistance. Natural competence is one type of HGT accomplished by DNA uptake from the environment and incorporation into the genome. Bacteria from Acinetobacter are wildly distributed in the environment and are naturally competent. This propensity is a key factor to the steady increase in drug resistance in Acinetobacter, which is a cause for concern in human health as Acinetobacter is a major source of nosocomial infections. During natural competence, type IV pili (T4P) and related …

The Application Of Mathematical Optimization And Flavor-Detection Technologies For Modeling Aroma Of Hops, Yutong Liu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In recent years, proprietary hops (Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic) become the most sought-after hops among brewers due to their excellent aroma. However, they are restricted to the owners unless other growers purchase the costly licensing agreements. Many public hops are available to the growers without any additional costs, but their aroma is difficult to match to the proprietary hops. Although proprietary and public hop varieties are unique in their aroma profiles, all hops varieties contain similar volatile compounds, merely differ in the quantity of different individual compounds. The main objective of this thesis was to investigate the feasibility of matching …

Soil Microbial Community Dynamics In Response To Prescribed Extreme Fires Following Juniperus Virginiana Invasion In The Loess Canyons Of Nebraska, Julie A. Fowler

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In Nebraska and other regions of the Great Plains, the conifer Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) is converting grasslands to dense woodlands. This is driven by the interacting drivers of fire suppression, altered grazing regimes, climate change and other anthropogenic factors, impacting the provisioning of ecosystem services. This vegetation state transition modifies water resource regulation and biogeochemical cycles leading to altered edaphic properties including soil microbial community composition. To restore these grasslands and control J. virginiana spread, prescribed extreme burns are implemented as a management tool through local prescribed burn associations. We hypothesized that the alternative state transition to dense J. …

Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena Hippurus) Neurocranium, Alexia J. Hilber, Caileigh Craddock, Kiara Belanger, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), collected in 3/2021 by Katerina Sawickji

Genomic Epidemiology Of Clostridium Difficile Colonization And Transmission In An Intensive Care Unit Cohort, Brianne Ciferri

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

Genomic epidemiology of Clostridium difficile colonization and transmission in an intensive care unit cohort

by Brianne Ciferri, MPH

Advisor: C. Mary Schooling, PhD

Introduction: Clostridiodes difficile (C. difficile) is a leading cause of healthcare associated infections (HAI) in the United States and responsible for an estimated incidence of 223,900 cases and 12,800 deaths per year^1,2. C. difficile can cause gastrointestinal illness with symptoms ranging from mild diarrheal illness to a life-threatening condition. C. difficile is an opportunistic pathogen in which spores can live in an undisturbed dormant state within the intestinal tract and become …

The Effects Of Chronic Ethanol Exposure On Caenorhabditis Elegans Germline, Andrea Zegarra

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Ethanol is the most commonly abused drug in the world. Alcohol consumption increases a number of health risks, morbidity and mortality, and chronic and acute diseases. Some health risks include high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, cancer, and can include mental health and social problems. Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to learning and memory problems, along with alcohol dependence. Additionally, alcohol consumption has an impact on ovarian reserve, steroid hormone production, sperm quality, fecundity, and fertility treatments. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of ethanol exposure on fertility of the N2 wild type as measured by …

The Nutritional Profiles Of Five Important Edible Insect Species From West Africa—An Analytical And Literature Synthesis, Jacob P. Anankware, Benjamin J. Roberts, Xavier Cheseto, Isaac Osuga, Vincent Savolainen, C. M. Collins

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Undernutrition is a prevalent, serious, and growing concern, particularly in developing countries. Entomophagy—the human consumption of edible insects, is a historical and culturally established practice in many regions. Increasing consumption of nutritious insect meal is a possible combative strategy and can promote sustainable food security. However, the nutritional literature frequently lacks consensus, with interspecific differences in the nutrient content of edible insects generally being poorly resolved. Aims and methods: Here we present full proximate and fatty acid profiles for five edible insect species of socio-economic importance in West Africa: Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly), Musca domestica (house fly), Rhynchophorus …

Pelagic Habitat Use By Benthic Fishes – Juvenile Scorpaenoids Of The Oceanic Gulf Of Mexico, Drew W. Mertzlufft

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The suborder Scorpaenoidei is among the most speciose fish taxa of the World Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Most adult scorpionfishes are benthic and have a pelagic juvenile phase. Although the species descriptions and distributions of adult scorpionfishes within the GoM are well documented, their juvenile forms are largely undescribed. Due to the poorly resolved taxonomic status of juvenile scorpionfishes, their assemblage dynamics have not been accurately assessed. Specimens were collected from the GoM during seven research cruises (2010-2011), as part of the NOAA-supported Offshore Nekton Sampling and Analysis Program (ONSAP), and during six research cruises (2015-2018), as …

A Temporal Analysis Of The Microbiota And Biofouling Development On Artificial Substrates In The Port Everglades Inlet, Florida, Denise Swack

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

A pilot project was deployed in Port Everglades Inlet, Florida that aimed to evaluate the biofilm composing the microbiome on ecologically engineered artificial substrates used to build Coastal Marine Infrastructure. In April of 2017, an Articulated Concrete Block Mattress comprised of an ecological engineered concrete substrate and a standard smooth surface control substrates were compared. This study will provide a profile on the microbiome community on artificial substrates within Port Everglades Inlet on bio-enhancing concrete-based solutions in our Coastal Marine Infrastructure. To study the microbial community, the 16s rRNA technology was used in Illumina’s high-throughput DNA sequencing. Samples were collected …

Novel Approaches For Enhancing Cell Survival And Function In Vivo, Ou Wang

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

FDA has approved several cell-based therapeutics and hundreds of cell therapy clinical trials are ongoing. Cells will be a significant type of medicine after small molecule and protein drugs. However, several obstacles need to be addressed to achieve the widespread use of cellular therapeutics. The first challenge is the low efficacy of cell transplantation due to low retention, survival, integration, and function of cells in vivo. The second challenge is producing a massive number of cells for clinical treatment with cost-effectively and reproducibly technologies.

In this thesis, we proposed and investigated two approaches to address these challenges. To begin …

Bile Acid Profiling Reveals Distinct Signatures In Undernourished Children With Environmental Enteric Dysfunction, Xueheng Zhao, Kenneth D R. Setchell, Rong Huang, Indika Mallawaarachchi, Lubaina Ehsan, Edward Dobrzykowski Iii, Junfang Zhao, Sana Syed, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Junaid Iqbal, Kamran Sadiq, Sheraz Ahmed, Syed Asad Ali

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Intestinal inflammation and malabsorption in environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) are associated with early childhood growth faltering in impoverished settings worldwide.
Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify candidate biomarkers associated with inflammation, EED histology, and as predictors of later growth outcomes by focusing on the liver-gut axis by investigating the bile acid metabolome.
Methods: Undernourished rural Pakistani infants (n = 365) with weight-for-height Z score (WHZ) < -2 were followed up to the age of 24 mo and monitored for growth, infections, and EED. Well-nourished local children (n = 51) were controls, based on consistent WHZ > 0 and height-for-age Z score (HAZ) > -1 on 2 consecutive visits at 3 and 6 mo. Serum bile acid (sBA) profiles were measured by tandem MS at the ages of 3-6 …

Uncoupled Seasonal Variability Of Transparent Exopolymer And Coomassie Stainable Particles In Coastal Mediterranean Waters: Insights Into Sources And Driving Mechanisms, Marina Zamanillo, Eva Ortega-Retuerta, Carolina Cisternas-Novoa, Cèlia Marrasé, Carles Pelejero, Josep Pascual, Josep M. Gasol, Anja Engel, Rafel Simó

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and Coomassie stainable particles (CSP) are gel-like particles, ubiquitous in the ocean, that affect important biogeochemical processes including organic carbon cycling by planktonic food webs. Despite much research on both groups of particles (especially TEP) over many years, whether they exist as distinctly stainable fractions of the same particles or as independent particles, each with different driving factors, remains unclear. To address this question, we examined the temporal dynamics of TEP and CSP over 2 complete seasonal cycles at 2 coastal sites in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, the Blanes Bay Microbial Observatory (BBMO) and the L’Estartit …

The Effect Of Cellulase On Cell Wall Structure And The Rumen Digestion Of Timothy Silage, A. Aniwaru, T. Ishida, T. Watanabe, K. Tomiyama, H. Terui, K. Ataku, L. E. Chase

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of additives on the structure changes of related tissues during the ensiling process and the rumen digestion of timothy. In the first cut-timothy, the addition of LC+AC improved the fermentation qualities of the silage. Addition of cellulase resulted in significant decreases in NDF, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose content. SEM examination of the samples suggests that the degradation of parenchymal tissues was enhanced by the cellulase, but no significant differences were observed among the additives in the rumen digestion. The NDF and cellulose digestibility of the AC- and LC+AC-treated silages were …

Quality Of Ammoniated Brachiaria Decumbens Hay, L. O. Fernandes, Ricardo A. Reis, L. R. A. Rodrigues

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The experiment was conducted at UNESP-Jaboticabal to evaluate the quality of Brachiaria decumbens hays harvested after seed ripening. The hays were submitted to the following treatments: control, anhydrous ammonia (3.0% NH₃ in the DM), and urea (5.0% in the DM). The chemical composition, digestibility and the performance of steers were evaluated using a complete randomized block design with three treatments and six replications. The ammoniation either with NH3 or urea increased (P< 0.05) the CP content, and the IVDMD. The NH₃ treatment reduced (P < 0.05) the contents of NDF and ADF, and the urea application reduced (P < 0.05) the contents of hemicellulose and lignin. The ammoniation did not affect (P > 0.05) the neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen, and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen values. Steers receiving Brachiaria hay plus soybean meal (1.08 kg DM.day), hay …

Ensiling Of Different Legumes Compared To Grass, S. Slottner, C. Rammer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to examine the ensiling characteristics of four different forage legumes: galega (Galega orientalis), lucerne (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens) and red clover (Trifolium pratense), and compare these with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), using different additives. The crops were mowed using a sickle bar mower and chopped using a precision chop harvester. The crops were ensiled either direct cut or wilted to 35-45% DM. Wilting took place on a barn drier. Forages were ensiled either untreated or with addition of formic acid, Promyr or …

Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated From Forage Crops And Silage Fermentation, Yimin Cai, Ryuichi Uegaki, Y. Fujita

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Six strains, Lactobacillus plantarum CM 1, Lactobacillus rhamnosus CM 2, Pediococcus acidilactici CM 4 Enterococcus faecalis CM 5, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides CM 7 and Weissella paramesenteroides CM 8 isolated from forage crops were used as additives at 1.0x10⁵ cfu g^-1 of fresh matter to Italian ryegrass and alfalfa, and their effect on silage fermentation was studied. The two silage’s treated with strains CM 1, CM 2 and CM 4 were well preserved; had significantly lower pH values, butyric acid and ammonia N concentrations; and had significantly higher lactic acid content than did the respective control, strains CM 5, CM …

A New Species Of Vaejovis From The Mule Mountains Above Bisbee, Arizona (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Brandon T. Myers, Richard F. Ayrey

Euscorpius

No abstract provided.

Wild Bee Visitors And Floral Source Associations In The Conservation Reserve Program Habitat In Ne Iowa, Ai Wen, Kenneth J. Elgersma, Mark E. Sherrard, Laura L. Jackson, Justin Meissen, Mark C. Myers

Data Sets

The spreadsheet documents data collected in the study described in the manuscript “Wild bee visitors and their association with sown and unsown floral resources in reconstructed pollinator habitats within an agriculture landscape”. Data included in the spreadsheet shows the name of each collected wild bee specimen and the flower species where the bee was collected. Data were used to construct the bee-pollinator network and calculate the network metrics for each study site.

Doors Pushed Open: For Devin Gibbs, College Seemed Like A Longshot--Until It Wasn't, Kardelen Koldas

Colby Magazine

Before enrolling, Devin Gibbs ’14 received an invitation from Colby. The letter offered to bring him to campus and provide accommodations so he could get a feel for the school. What it didn’t say was he had, in essence, been admitted. Gibbs, who lived in Waterville just minutes from campus, thought the letter was a scam. “I had never gotten anything for free before,” he said.

A Better Way, Gerry Boyle

Colby Magazine

Alane O’Connor ’96 studied environmental economics at Colby. Associate Professor of Statistics Liam O’Brien first studied physics and mathematics.Together the pair has combined their broad experience to produce groundbreaking research that is changing the way clinicians around the world treat pregnant and opioid-addicted women and their unborn children.

Ict Based Agricultural Knowledge Transfer Of Women Farmers: A Case Of Gender Responsiveness From A Developing Country Perspective, Susmita Das, Paritosh Mondal, Rajesh Kumar Das

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Women are increasingly becoming an integral part of the rural economy. Feminization and empowerment in agriculture is taking place while outmigration of males in the rural Bangladesh is visible due to higher off farm income. The objective of this study is to determine the current state of the ICT-based agricultural knowledge transfer of female farmers in Bangladesh involved in agricultural operations. Data were collected through survey method using structured questionnaire from 140 female farmers involved in public ICT service centers of Bangladesh. The questionnaire was administrated face-to-face and collected data were analysed with SPSS version 23.0. The result from the …

Rhizobium Symbiotic Capacity Shapes Root-Associated Microbiomes In Soybean, Yuanhui Lu, Bin Ma, Wenfeng Chen, Klaus Schlaeppi, Matthias Erb, Erinne Stirling, Lingfei Hu, Entao Wang, Yunzeng Zhang, Kankan Zhao, Zhijiang Lu, Shudi Ye, Jianming Xu

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Root-microbiome interactions are of central importance for plant performance and yield. A distinctive feature of legumes is that they engage in symbiosis with N₂-fixing rhizobia. If and how the rhizobial symbiotic capacity modulates root-associated microbiomes are still not yet well understood. We determined root-associated microbiomes of soybean inoculated with wild type (WT) or a noeI mutant of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA 110 by amplicon sequencing. UPLC-MS/MS was used to analyze root exudates. The noeI gene is responsible for fucose-methylation of Nod factor secreted by USDA 110 WT strain. Soybean roots inoculated with the noeI mutant showed a significant decrease …

Identification And Management Of Phytophthora Aerial Blight Caused By Phytophthora Nicotianae On Catharanthus Roseus, Fulya Baysal-Gurel, Ravi Bika, Terri Simmons, Farhat A. Avin

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Phytophthora nicotianae is the most common pathogen in nurseries and gardens, infecting both woody and herbaceous ornamental plants. Phytophthora aerial blight symptoms such dull water-soaked lesions on shoot tips and leaf petioles, girdling on the main stem, necrosis, and wilting of annual vinca were observed in a commercial greenhouse in Warren Co., Tennessee, USA in May 2016. The objective of this study was to identify the causal agent of Phytophthora aerial blight and develop a fungicide management recommendation for ornamental producers. Attempts to isolate the pathogen from symptomatic leaf tissue were conducted and excised leaf pieces were embedded in the …

A Dystrophin Exon‐52 Deleted Miniature Pig Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy And Evaluation Of Exon Skipping, Yusuke Echigoya, Nhu Trieu, William Duddy, Hong M. Moulton, Haifang Yin, Terence A. Partridge, Eric P. Hoffman, Joe N. Kornegay, Frank A. Rohret, Christopher S. Rogers, Toshifumi Yokota

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Centropomus Undecimalis, Common Snook Neurocranium, Victoria Rose Kelley, Savanna Duda, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Centropomus undecimalis (Common Snook), collected from NSU Oceanographic Campus Boat Basin on 24/03/2021 by Savanna Duda.

[Red Grouper (Epinephelus Morio)] Neurocranium, Laurel Gallaudet, Robert Spekis

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 14.1 cm total length (TL) Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio), collected from Miami on 13/10/21 by Laurel Gallaudet.