Life Sciences Commons^™

Relationship Between The California Drought And Almond Demand, Wayne E. Lacy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Areas of California's Central Valley are sinking at rates up to 1 foot per year due to subsidence caused, in part, by the state's years-long drought, challenging growers to locate additional water sources for their crops. Supply and demand theory guided this correlational study. The purpose of the study was to examine the financial impact of drought on almond demand. This study included annualized historical almond industry data for the United States (N = 97), downloaded from a United States Department of Agriculture database. The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the model was capable of predicting almond …

Phylogenomic Analysis Of Copepoda (Arthropoda, Crustacea) Reveals Unexpected Similarities With Earlier Proposed Morphological Phylogenies, Seong-Il Eyun

Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: Copepods play a critical role in marine ecosystems but have been poorly investigated in phylogenetic studies. Morphological evidence supports the monophyly of copepods, whereas interordinal relationships continue to be debated. In particular, the phylogenetic position of the order Harpacticoida is still ambiguous and inconsistent among studies. Until now, a small number of molecular studies have been done using only a limited number or even partial genes and thus there is so far no consensus at the order-level.

Results: This study attempted to resolve phylogenetic relationships among and within four major copepod orders including Harpacticoida and the phylogenetic position of …

Quorum Sensing In Candida Albicans: Farnesol Versus Farnesoic Acid, Wayne R. Riekhof, Kenneth Nickerson

Kenneth Nickerson Papers

Candida albicans is a clinically important dimorphic fungus that exhibits either a budding yeast or a mycelial-hyphal or pseudohyphal growth, depending on environmental conditions. The yeast-to-mycelia morphologic transition, which is generally regarded as an important virulence determinant, depends on the inoculum size of liquid cultures. The yeast form is favored when cultures are inoculated at > 10⁶ cells∙mL^–1, whereas the mycelial form is favored at inoculum densities < 10⁶∙mL^–1. Farnesoic acid (FA) and farnesol (FOH) are two related sesquiterpene quorum- sensing molecules that, upon accumulation, prevent the yeast-to-mycelial conversion. Oh et al. showed that C. albicans …

Deciphering Fungal Dimorphism: Farnesol’S Unanswered Questions, Kenneth Nickerson, Audrey L. Atkin

Kenneth Nickerson Papers

Candida albicans excretes E,E-farnesol as a virulence factor and quorum sensing molecule that prevents the yeast to hyphal conversion. Polke et al. (2016) identified eed1Δ/Δ as the first farnesol hypersensitive mutant of C. albicans. eed1Δ/Δ also excretes 10X more farnesol and while able to form hyphae, it cannot maintain hyphae. This mutant enables new research into unanswered questions, including the existence of potential farnesol receptors and transporters, regulation of farnesol synthesis, and relationships among farnesol, germ tube formation and hyphal maintenance. The eed1 farnesol hypersensitivity can be explained by higher internal concentrations of farnesol or lower thresholds for response. One …

Mucking About: Hydrologic Regime And Soil Carbon Storage In Restored Subtropical Wetlands, Alicia Huber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands are extremely important ecosystems that have declined drastically worldwide, continue to be lost, and are threatened globally. They perform a number of important ecosystem services such as flood control, provide habitat for many species, and have aesthetic and recreational value. Wetlands are also important to the global carbon (C) cycle. Wetland soils are especially effective C sinks because they have high primary productivity and low decomposition rates due to flooded, anoxic conditions. Increased recognition of wetlands' value has led to more ecological and hydrological restoration of degraded wetlands to mitigate the effects of wetland destruction. Hydrological restoration, which attempts …

Characterization Of Novel Borrelia Burgdorferi Transcripts Expressed During Tick And Mammalian Infection, Philip Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to characterize the transcriptome of Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi to discover novel transcripts, important for pathogenesis. As a spirochete and the etiological agent of Lyme disease, the foremost vector-borne bacterial infection in the world, B. burgdorferi fulfills a distinctive niche among bacterial pathogens. Persisting in the disparate environments of a tick vector and mammalian reservoirs, it is absolutely dependent on its hosts for transmission and nutrient acquisition. B. burgdorferi harbors a complex fragmented genome which is largely linear, unlike that of most prokaryotes, lacks an array of classically described metabolic genes, and contains an unusually …

Mechanical Basis Of Bone Strength: Influence Of Bone Material, Bone Structure And Muscle Action, N H. Hart, S Nimphius, T Rantalainen, A Ireland, Aris Siafarikas, R U. Newton

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

This review summarises current understanding of how bone is sculpted through adaptive processes, designed to meet the mechanical challenges it faces in everyday life and athletic pursuits, serving as an update for clinicians, researchers and physical therapists. Bone’s ability to resist fracture under the large muscle and locomotory forces it experiences during movement and in falls or collisions is dependent on its established mechanical properties, determined by bone’s complex and multidimensional material and structural organisation. At all levels, bone is highly adaptive to habitual loading, regulating its structure according to components of its loading regime and mechanical environment, inclusive of …

Quorum Quenching Activity Of Lysates From Bioluminescent Bacteria Isolated From Selected Philippine Marine And Freshwater Organisms, Janice A. Ragaza, Roja G. Angeles-Gumban, Mudjekeewis D. Santos, Minerva Fatimae H. Ventolero, Ronie J. Calugay

Biology Faculty Publications

Pathogens use cell density dependent gene expression known as Quorum Sensing (QS) to launch virulent factors. Targeting the QS circuit without killing the pathogens is a very promising alternative to using antibiotics which generate antibiotic resistance. The identity and diversity of bioluminescent bacteria associated with Philippine aquatic organisms, and their potential as sources of anti-QS or quorum quenching (QQ) molecules remain unknown. In this study, out of 43 organisms, 30 were observed to harbor bioluminescent bacteria with 26 from marine and four from freshwater sources. Purified bioluminescent bacterial cultures were screened for QQ activity using motility assay and the membrane …

Analysis Of The Oil Biosynthesis Transcripts Of The Moringa Oleifera Lam. Mature Seed Embryos Using Rna Sequencing, Vivian A. Panes, A Kitazumi, M Butler, R.D Baoas, B.G De Los Reyes

Biology Faculty Publications

Moringa oleifera seeds are capable of producing 40% edible oils that are gaining significance due to its nutritional advantages. Several studies have examined M. oleifera seed oil, nevertheless, these studies focused on the extraction of oil and methods of biodiesel production. There is a paucity of information on transcriptome level studies to determine the unigenes involved in oil biosynthesis metabolic pathways. The main objective of this study is to explore the transcriptome of the mature embryo of M. oleifera Lam. particularly the key genes related to oil biosynthesis. The transcriptome reflects the set of genes that are actively expressed at …

Plasticity Of Central And Peripheral Nervous System: Effects Of Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation (Ogd) And Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia (Cih), Jin Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transient receptor potential canonical 6 (TRPC6) channels are permeable to Na+ and Ca2+ and are widely expressed in the brain. In this study, we investigated the role of TRPC6 following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). We found that TRPC6 expression was increased in wild type (WT) mice cortical neurons following I/R and in primary neurons with OGD, and that deletion of TRPC6 reduced the I/R-induced brain infarct in mice and the OGD- /neurotoxin-induced neuronal death. Using live-cell imaging to examine intracellular Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i), we found that OGD induced a significant higher increase in glutamate-evoked Ca2+ influx compared to …

Investigating The Quantity And Types Of Microplastics In The Organic Tissue Of Oysters And Crabs In The Indian River Lagoon, Heidi Waite

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Microplastics are widespread and abundant. Few studies have examined the diversity and abundance of microplastics in wild organisms. This study determined the microplastic quantity and types in the organic tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and Atlantic mud crab Panopeus herbstii from the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). This study also investigated whether location affected the microplastic abundance and variety. Organisms were collected from three sites across Mosquito Lagoon in the northern IRL. Oysters were frozen after collection. Crabs were placed in containers for 5 days before freezing. The soft organic tissue was chemically digested using hydrogen peroxide, filtered, …

The Response Of Satellite Glial Cells To P2x7 Receptor Activation, Christina D. Kursewicz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Satellite glial cells (SGCs) surround the cell bodies of neurons of the peripheral nervous system, including those of the sensory ganglia. Their close apposition to the neuronal soma allows for bi-directional communication between neurons and SGCs, which are thought to regulate neuronal activity. After nerve injury, SGCs in the dorsal root ganglia contribute to neuropathic pain. Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, SGCs show increased coupling via gap junctions, and communicate with the neuron via bi-directional purinergic signaling after nerve injury. The increased coupling between SGCs and neurons may have implications for chronic pain following peripheral nerve injury. In …

An Rnai Screen To Identify Components Of A Polyamine Transport System, Adam J. Foley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Polyamines, specifically putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, are small cationic molecules found in all organisms. Cells can biosynthetically make these molecules, or alternatively, they can be transported from the extracellular environment. Malignant cells have been shown to require relatively high amounts of polyamines. There is a chemotherapeutic agent, DFMO, used to block the biosynthesis of polyamines. Many malignant cells can circumvent DFMO therapy by activating their transport system. A potential solution is to simultaneously block biosynthesis and transport of polyamines. However, little is known about the polyamine transport system in higher eukaryotes.

This thesis aims to add to the basic biological …

Alpha-Synuclein: Insight Into The Hallmark Of Parkinson's Disease As A Target For Quantitative Molecular Diagnostics And Therapeutics, Baggio A. Evangelista

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease. With 500,000 individuals currently living with Parkinson’s and nearly 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year, this disease causes significant financial burden on the healthcare system - amassing to annual expenditures totaling 200 billion dollars; predicted to increase through 2050. The disease phenotype is characterized by a combination of a resting tremor, bradykinesia, muscular rigidity, and depression due to dopaminergic neuronal death in the midbrain. The cause of the neurotoxicity has been largely discussed, with strong evidence suggesting that the protein, alpha-Synuclein, is a key factor. Under native conditions, …

The Relationship Between Sleep, Working Memory, And Decision Making In Young And Old Adult Populations, Melissa G. Merz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sleep is known to influence basic tasks concerning working memory, reaction time and executive functioning (Silva, Wang, Ronda, Wyatt, & Duffy, 2010; Nebes, Buysse, Halligan, Houck, & Monk, 2009). However, the amount that sleep influences these functions varies from study to study possibly due to differences in age and task design. Aim 1A of this study is to determine if sleep quality affects working memory. Aim 1B of this study is to determine if age affects sleep quality and working memory in comparison of young and old adult populations. Finally, Aim 2 of this study is to determine if there …

Characterizing The Function Of The N-Terminal Domain Of Omi/Htra2, Christine Nguyen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The yeast two-hybrid system was used to isolate and characterize protein interactors of the N-terminal domain of the serine protease Omi/HtrA2 (high temperature requirement protein A2) encompassing amino acids 31-133. This large domain of Omi/HtrA2 is usually cleaved and removed through autoproteolysis to produce the mature form of the protein. Whether the N-terminal domain has any function after its removal is unknown. Omi/HtrA2 is involved in a variety of diseases including cancers, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic disorders, but thus far, it is assumed that its normal function is the degradation of specific substrates. To characterize any potential function of Omi/HtrA2’s …

Caecidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) In Broward County, Florida, Andres S. Lester-Coll

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Caecidae is a widespread family of minute gastropod snails. Although a few species have previously been found in abundance in a few localized studies in Broward County waters, little is known about their richness, diversity, abundance and distribution in different habitats throughout local waters. This project examined species assemblages both qualitatively and quantitatively in a range of benthic habitats across Broward County. Samples were collected from five different habitat types from northern and southern Broward Country, and included two of each of the following five sites: mangrove, Intracoastal Waterway, creek, reef and rubble. Caecid specimens were removed from general samples, …

Kentucky Forestry Economic Contribution Report 2016, Jeff Stringer, Billy Thomas, Bobby Ammerman, Thomas Ochuodho, Alison Davis

Kentucky Forestry Economic Impact Reports

Forests play a pivotal role in Kentucky’s economy and in the lives of the citizens of our state. Forests are the single most dominant land type, covering nearly one-half of the state, providing a significant range of both economic and non-economic benefits to the Commonwealth. The majority of the economic contribution is derived from the harvesting of timber and processing of the wood resource. Analysis of Kentucky’s forest and wood industries in 2016 indicated an estimated direct economic contribution of $9 billion (down one percent from 2015). These industries employed over 27,700 individuals. Total economic contributions in 2016 were estimated …

A Family Of Genus-Specific Rnas In Tandem With Dna-Binding Proteins Control Expression Of The Bada Major Virulence Factor Gene In Bartonella Henselae, Nhan Tu, Ronan K. Carroll, Andy Weiss, Lindsey N. Shaw, Gael Nicolas, Sarah Thomas, Amorce Lima, Udoka Okaro, Burt Anderson

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

Bartonella henselae is a gram-negative zoonotic bacterium that causes infections in humans including endocarditis and bacillary angiomatosis. B. henselae has been shown to grow as large aggregates and form biofilms in vitro. The aggregative growth and the angiogenic host response requires the trimeric autotransporter adhesin BadA. We examined the transcriptome of the Houston-1 strain of B. henselae using RNA-seq revealing nine novel, highly-expressed intergenic transcripts (Bartonella regulatory transcript, Brt1-9). The Brt family of RNAs is unique to the genus Bartonella and ranges from 194 to 203 nucleotides with high homology and stable predicted secondary structures. Immediately downstream of each …

Changing Measurements Or Changing Movements? Sampling Scale And Movement Model Identifiability Across Generations Of Biologging Technology, Leah R. Johnson, Philipp H. Boersch-Supan, Richard A. Phillips, Sadie J. Ryan

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Animal movement patterns contribute to our understanding of variation in breeding success and survival of individuals, and the implications for population dynamics. Over time, sensor technology for measuring movement patterns has improved. Although older technologies may be rendered obsolete, the existing data are still valuable, especially if new and old data can be compared to test whether a behavior has changed over time. We used simulated data to assess the ability to quantify and correctly identify patterns of seabird flight lengths under observational regimes used in successive generations of wet/dry logging technology. Care must be taken when comparing data collected …

Genetic And Epigenetic Variation In Spartina Alterniflora Following The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Marta Robertson, Aaron Schrey, Ashley Shayter, Christina J. Moss, Christina Richards

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Catastrophic events offer unique opportunities to study rapid population response to stress in natural settings. In concert with genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms may allow populations to persist through severe environmental challenges. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill devastated large portions of the coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. However, the foundational salt marsh grass, Spartina alterniflora, showed high resilience to this strong environmental disturbance. Following the spill, we simultaneously examined the genetic and epigenetic structure of recovering populations of S. alterniflora to oil exposure. We quantified genetic and DNA methylation variation using amplified fragment length polymorphism and methylation …

Microbe Biogeography Tracks Water Masses In A Dynamic Oceanic Frontal System, Anni Djurhuus, Philipp H. Boersch-Supan, Svein-Ole Mikalse, Alex D. Rogers

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Dispersal limitation, not just environmental selection, plays an important role in microbial biogeography. The distance–decay relationship is thought to be weak in habitats where dispersal is high, such as in the pelagic environment, where ocean currents facilitate microbial dispersal. Most studies of microbial community composition to date have observed little geographical heterogeneity on a regional scale (100 km). We present a study of microbial communities across a dynamic frontal zone in the southwest Indian Ocean and investigate the spatial structure of the microbes with respect to the different water masses separated by these fronts. We collected 153 samples of free-living …

Analysis Of The Difference In Landing Between Male And Female High School Soccer Athletes, Jessica Vogt

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

Introduction: Females are consistently found to be at a higher risk of tearing their ACL. Extensive research has been completed previously to determine what causes an ACL tear and why this separation exists but a confirmed conclusion has not been found. Potential extrinsic factors such as decreased knee flexion and increased valgus have commonly been suggested as increased stressors on the ACL. The focus of this study is to determine if there is a significant difference in these two factors between males and females.

Methods: Seven healthy and highly trained subjects between the ages of 17 and 18 who do …

Woody Ornamentals For Bee-Friendly Landscapes (Ohio Valley Region), Bernadette Maria Mach, Daniel A. Potter

Entomology Reports

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Value Of Fiber In Distillers Grains Plus Solubles On Performance Of Finishing Cattle, Jordan E. Burhoop, Liesel J. Schneider, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, F. Henry Hilscher, Jim C. Macdonald, Rodney A. Moxley, David R. Smith, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing study was conducted to determine the value of the fiber in distillers grains plus solubles on cattle performance. Five treatments were evaluated: a corn control diet, 20 or 40% modified distillers grains plus solubles, plus two diets containing corn germ meal and corn bran balanced to equal the fiber content of the two modified distillers grains plus solubles diets. Th ere was a significant improvement in ADG and F:G for cattle fed modified distillers grains plus solubles compared to control. Cattle fed the corn germ meal and bran diets had increased DMI, slightly lower ADG, and poorer F:G …

The Effect Of Supplementing Mannan Oligosaccharide Or Finely Ground Fiber, During The Summer On Body Temperature, Performance, And Blood Metabolites Of Finishing Steers, Bradley M. Boyd, Terry L. Mader, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, Henry Hilscher, Gene Wijffels, John B. Gaughan, Megan Sullivan, Judy Cawdell- Smith, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Crossbred beef steers (12 pens, n=96) were used to determine the effect of adding Agrimos or 5% ground (1 in.) wheat straw compared to a control on body temperature, panting score and performance. Th ere were no differences in final BW, ADG, and DMI among treatments. Feed conversion was increased for cattle fed 5% additional ground straw when compared to control and Agrimos. Hot carcass weight, dressing %, LM area, and marbling score were not different among treatments. Cattle fed the control had greater 12th rib fat depth and USDA yield grade than cattle fed straw or Agrimos. Both average …

Effect Of Salt Reduction On The Quality And Shelf Life Characteristics Of Deli-Style Roast Beef, Chad G. Bower, Regan E. Stanley, Samodha Fernando Fernando, Gary A. Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Concerns with excessive sodium intake have led to increased pressure on meat processors to reduce added salt in meat products. Quality characteristics and microbial growth were evaluated on deli- style roast beef slices formulated to contain varying concentrations of added salt. Salt concentration had no effect on microbial community composition, however increasing salt slowed microbial growth over time. Increasing salt increased cooking yield and decreased water activity. Salt reduction negatively impacts the texture, yield, and shelf life of deli- style roast beef, however salt concentrations within this range do not significantly alter spoilage flora community composition.

Effect Of Crude Glycerin Concentration On Growing Steer Performance In Forage Diets, Robert G. Bondurant, Galen E. Erickson, Terry J. Klopfenstein Klopfenstein, James C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The effect of increasing crude glycerin concentration was evaluated in a 91- d growing trial utilizing 60 steers. Crude glycerin was included at 0, 4, 8, and 12% of dietary DM in diets consisting of 50% wheat straw; 22.9- 37.0% wet corn bran, and 8.0- 10.1% soybean meal. Crude glycerin replaced wet corn bran and soybean meal was added to maintain dietary CP. Steer ending BW was not different among treatments. Th ere was a quadratic increase in DMI from 0 to 8% crude glycerin and subsequent decrease at 12%. Th ere was no difference in ADG or feed efficiency …

Development Of Terminal And Maternal Economic Selection Indices In Beefmaster Cattle, Kathleen P. Ochsner, Michael D. Macneil, Ronald M. Lewis, Matthew L. Spangler

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two economic selection indices were developed for Beefmaster cattle, one for a terminal objective and one for a maternal objective. The terminal index was developed assuming bulls would be mated to mature cows with all resulting progeny harvested. The maternal index was developed assuming bulls would be mated to a combination of heifers and mature cows, with resulting progeny retained as replacements or sold at weaning. Relative economic values for the terminal objective traits hot carcass weight, marbling score, ribeye area, 12th- rib fat and feed intake were 91.29, 17.01, 8.38,- 7.07 and- 29.66, respectively. Relative economic values for the …

Organic Acids And Applications Used For Reduction Of E. Coli On Beef Shoulder Clods Used For Ground Beef, Kelly A. Mccarty, Gary A. Sullivan, Dennis E. Burson Burson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Small processors normally grind beef shoulder clods for ground beef that have not been previously tested for shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Three antimicrobial solutions were applied using three application methods to beef sub-primals to evaluate the effectiveness of reducing E. coli and the effects on quality attributes. Antimicrobials effectively reduced Rifampicin resistant E. coli. However, none of the treatments changed color attributes or total plate counts compared to a control. These results suggest that an appropriate antimicrobial solution and application method can be selected for use by small meat processors without affecting quality attributes.