Life Sciences Commons^™

The Glass Vessels From ‘En Tamar (Pp. 73–75), Tamar Winter

'Atiqot

The glass finds from the salvage excavation at ‘En Tamar were in relatively poor condition. They comprise fragments of bowls, beakers and bottles, dating to the second−third centuries CE; one bottle dates to a later presence at the site, in the eighth−ninth centuries CE.

Subterranean Complex 147 At Maresha: The Construction Phases Of The Columbarium (Pp. 37–48), Ian Stern, Bernie Alpert, Amos Kloner

'Atiqot

Excavations in Subterranean Complex 147 in Maresha revealed several building phases of the large columbarium. The fill within the installation consisted of pottery ranging in date from the Iron Age II through the Hellenistic period, mainly from the second century BCE. Columbaria had an important function in the lifestyle of the local population in the Judean Shephelah in general, and at Maresha in particular. This is connected with fact that pigeons were a source of food, a cultic offering, and their droppings were used as fertilizer.

A Chalcolithic Settlement At Tel Shevaʻ (Hebrew, Pp. 43*–69*; English Summary, P. 106), Yael Abadi-Reiss

'Atiqot

Salvage excavations at Tel Shevaʻ uncovered the remains of a Chalcolithic-period settlement. The architectural remains consisted mainly of pits of different sizes and types, which were dug into the loess soil; they served as refuse pits in their final stage of use. The fill within the pits comprised soil and ash accumulations, mixed with potsherds, flints and animal bones, reflecting a broad range of domestic activities that had once been carried out on surface level. The site appears to have been the largest of the Ghassulian-culture sites in the Be’er Shevaʻ Valley.

Late Ptolemaic Assemblages Of Metal Artifacts And Bronze Coins Recovered Off The Coast Of ‘Atlit (Pp. 1–35), Ehud Galili, Danny Syon, Gerald Finkielsztejn, Varda Sussman, Guy D. Stiebel

'Atiqot

Artifacts uncovered during underwater excavations and surveys in the northern bay of ‘Atlit were assigned to seven assemblages dating to the Hellenistic period. The finds include a ship’s prow, a battering ram, a horse bridle and bit, bronze coins, square lead scale weights, lead pyramidal fishing sinkers, a bronze oil lamp and a lead sling shot. Some of the scale weights are inscribed and dated; most of the lead pyramidal fishing sinkers relate to a weight standard common in northern Phoenicia. It is assumed that several or all of the finds originated in the same wreckage event, possibly the consequence …

Front Matter, Editorial Board

'Atiqot

No abstract provided.

Remains From The End Of The Early Chalcolithic And The Late Chalcolithic Periods At Kaukab Springs In The Western Galilee (Hebrew, Pp. 1*–41*; English Summary, P. 103–105), Nimrod Getzov

'Atiqot

Excavations at the Kaukab Springs site revealed two Chalcolithic-period strata: one from Early Chalcolithic 3 (Stratum III) and the other from the Late Chalcolithic (Stratum II). The site is important for the study of the transition between the Early Chalcolithic 3 and the Late Chalcolithic periods. The architectural traditions and the finds from each of these periods indicate a clear relationship between the Galilee sites and ‘En ‘Esur, as well as local variations in the region between the Sharon plain and the Galilee. After its abandonment in the Late Chalcolithic period, the site was reoccupied in the Intermediate Bronze Age.

The Pottery From Stratum 2 At Khirbat Deiran, Rehovot (Hebrew, Pp. 91*–104*; English Summary, Pp. 173–175), Miriam Avissar

'Atiqot

Stratum 2 of Kogan-Zehavi’s excavations at Khirbat Deiran yielded pottery dating from the eighth to mid-ninth centuries CE. The earlier, Phase I, pottery included Fine Byzantine Ware and buff-colored vessels, dating from the second half of the eighth century CE. The Phase II pottery was very rich, presenting types common in the ninth century CE: glazed and unglazed bowls, baggy-shaped jars and saqiya vessels, buff-colored jugs and a decorated oil lamp. The ceramic finds from Phase III were dominated by jars. Only a few sherds, including a yellow-glazed bowl decorated with sgraffito, were recovered from Phase IV.

Remains Of An Early Islamic Settlement And A Hellenistic (Roman?) Tomb At Khirbat Deiran, Rehovot (Hebrew, Pp. 77*–90*; English Summary, Pp. 170–173), Elena Kogan-Zehavi

'Atiqot

Excavation at the site, located within the modern city of Rehovot, uncovered two occupation levels: from the Hellenistic and Roman periods (Stratum 1) and from the Early Islamic period (Stratum 2). The earlier stratum included the remains of a tomb hewn in kurkar. The later stratum included four architectural phases (I–IV) of a building that was constructed in the eighth century and continued to exist until the mid-ninth century CE. The finds within the building included pottery and glass vessels, metal artifacts, coins and two pieces of cotton textile. A gemstone, depicting the god Zeus and dating to the …

The Coins From Naḥal Daliya(Umm Tut)(Hebrew, Pp. 71*–75*; English Summary, P. 70), Helena Sokolov

'Atiqot

Thirty-eight coins were uncovered in the excavations at the site, of which twenty-seven were identified. The coins range in date from the third to the seventh centuries CE.

An Islamic Amulet From Khirbat El-Ni‘Ana (Pp. 163–164), Nitzan Amitai-Preiss

'Atiqot

A bronze amulet was found during the excavations at Khirbat el-Ni‘ana. Its obverse is artistically decorated with the motif of an arch supported by two pillars, from which hangs a mosque lamp. The reverse contains an eight-line pseudo-Arabic inscription.

Building Remains And An Installation From The Byzantine And Early Islamic Periods At Naḥal Daliya (Umm Tut) (Hebrew, Pp. 51*–70*; English Summary, Pp. 168–170), Ianir Milevski, Hamoudi Khalaily

'Atiqot

The pottery from the cave, comprising bowls, platters, jugs/cups, jars, pithoi and an amphoriskos, was mostly eroded. The flint assemblage included 198 artifacts: the debitage was dominated by primary elements and flakes; the debris comprised local large chunks. Among the tools were Canaanean blades. A single copper dagger was also found in the cave. The finds from the cave date from Early Bronze AgeI to Early Bronze AgeIV and are characteristic of the central and southern regions of the country.

The Finds From Cave 39c West Of Ḥorbat Barfiliya, Modi‘In (Pp. 1–9), Elena Kogan-Zehavi, Yehiel Zelinger

'Atiqot

Ḥorbat Barfiliya is one of the principle sites in the Modi‘in region. Surveys and salvage excavations conducted in the area revealed its agricultural nature. Two systems of irrigation were exposed; both seem to have been part of an organized initiative to establish a long-term farming enterprise. The meager pottery finds attest that the systems already existed during the later part of the Byzantine period. The rocky hills in the area were exploited for various installations, including winepresses. These operated from the end of the Hellenistic to the Ottoman periods. A cave (39C), which was first used for dwelling during the …

The Coins From Khirbat El-Ni‘Ana (Pp. 155–162), Ariel Berman

'Atiqot

Eighty-eight coins were recovered from the excavations at Khirbat el-Ni‘ana. They were divided into two groups: the earlier group, dated to the Late Roman period (mid-fourth–mid-fifth centuries CE), and the later, to the Mamluk period (mid-fourteenth–beginning of fifteenth centuries CE).

The Agricultural Hinterland West Of Ḥorbat Barfiliya, Modi‘In (Hebrew, Pp. 1*–27*; English Summary, Pp. 165–166), Nitzan Amitai-Preiss

'Atiqot

A bronze amulet was found during the excavations at Khirbat el-Ni‘ana. Its obverse is artistically decorated with the motif of an arch supported by two pillars, from which hangs a mosque lamp. The reverse contains an eight-line pseudo-Arabic inscription.

Local Glass Production In The Late Roman–Early Byzantine Periods In Light Of The Glass Finds From Khirbat El-Ni‘Ana (Pp. 73–154), Yael Gorin-Rosen, Natalya Katsnelson

'Atiqot

Excavations at Khirbat el-Ni‘ana uncovered large quantities of glass vessels in a fairly good state of preservation and remains of production debris. The number of vessels, the various shapes and the quality of their fabric suggest that they are the products of a local workshop. Some of the vessel types were widespread throughout the Mediterranean Basin during the fourth–fifth centuries CE and were produced in many local workshops; thus, they are considered a widespread trend. Other vessel types appear mostly in sites in Israel and are less frequent in neighboring countries. They are absent from European assemblages.

The Clay Oil Lamps From Khirbat El-Ni‘Ana (Pp. 53–72), Varda Sussman

'Atiqot

Excavations at Khirbat el-Ni‘ana yielded some 110 mold-made clay oil lamps, most of which were discovered in or around Tomb I. These lamps, spanning the time from the Late Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic periods, are typologically related to products of workshops that operated in the Judean Shephelah region. The lamp assemblage includes local Khirbat el-Ni‘ana-type lamps that have heretofar not been found outside of this site.

Two Pottery Assemblages From Khirbat El-Ni‘Ana (Pp. 21–52), Anna De Vincenz, Ofer Sion

'Atiqot

The pottery assemblage from Khirbat el-Ni‘ana is presented in two groups: waste from the Byzantine period (fourth–seventh centuries CE) and pottery from the Mamluk period. The earlier group, locally produced, including many types of basins, cooking pots and storage jars, and a substantial number of jugs and juglets, possibly manufactured in or around Jerusalem. The later group comprises material characteristic of the region, including handmade, as well as wheel-made pottery. Some of the vessels bear typical painted geometric designs.

The Excavations At Khirbat El-Ni‘Ana (Hebrew, Pp. 29*–49*; English Summary, Pp. 166–167), Ofer Sion

'Atiqot

Two areas were excavated along the eastern fringes of Khirbat el-Ni‘ana, revealing built tombs with vaulted roofs, refuse from glass and pottery workshops and temporary hearths. The built tombs are characteristic of the southern coastal plain during the fourth century CE. The findings point to the area’s function as both a cemetery and an industrial zone—both functions were traditionally situated on the outskirts of settlements for reasons of health and environmental considerations. The settlement might have been populated by Samaritans. After a gap in time, the site was resettled during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods.

Finds From The Hellenistic ‘Favissa’ At ‘Akko-Ptolemais (Pp. 11–20), Donald T. Ariel, Natalie Messika

'Atiqot

A salvage excavation conducted south of the central bus station in ‘Akko uncovered a Hellenistic-period pit. The fill in the pit contained a large quantity of potsherds, including 21 stamped amphora handles and 3 terracotta figurines. The stamped handles belong to the Rhodian class, dating from the end of the third quarter of the third century until the third quarter of the second century BCE. The terracotta figurines are made of well-levigated clay, bearing white slip and traces of black and brown paint. They represent a bird/dove, a female human and a horse-and-rider. The figurines belong to the Western Greek …

Comparing 17Β-Estradiol And Progesterone Concentrations In Young, Physically Active Females: Insights From Plasma Versus Serum Analysis, Samantha N. Rowland, Mariasole Da Boit, Rachel Tan, Liam M. Heaney, Stephen J. Bailey

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Serum measurements of 17β-estradiol and progesterone are widely used to verify menstrual cycle status and confirm contraceptive use, often through commercially available immunoassay kits. However, no studies have investigated whether blood collection tube chemistries influence hormone concentrations in young females, despite assays permitting the use of different biofluids with similar reference ranges. In this study, venous blood was sampled from physically active females (n = 25) using Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and serum vacutainers, and 17β-estradiol and progesterone concentrations were measured using competitive immunoenzymatic assays. Median plasma concentrations of 17β-estradiol and progesterone were 44.2% (plasma 40.75 vs. serum 28.25 pg/ml) and …

The Role Of Biofilm Matrix On The Growth, Survival, And Diagnosis In Enterobacteriaceae, Kavi Bharathi R

Theses and Dissertations

Bacteria in nature live together encased in a matrix creating community ecosystems called biofilms, this structured space protects them from hostile environments. This study aimed to understand the role of the biofilm matrix in the growth and survival of Enterobacteriaceae. Our hypothesis proposes that subgroups of individuals within a biofilm can specialize in the production of different matrix components.

Matrix expression is metabolically costly, despite its unicellular simplicity, microbes can coordinate complex behaviour like sharing of matrix between producers and non-producers as an adept evolutionary strategy. Their resilience to stress during biofilm formation was studied to assess their abilities to …

A New Species Of Parrot Snake, Leptophis (Serpentes: Colubridae) From The Brazilian Cerrado, Nelson R. Albuquerque, Roullien H. Martins, Priscila Carvalho, Donald B. Shepard, Diego J. Santana

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

We describe a new species of Leptophis (parrot snake) from the Cerrado ecoregion of Brazil. The new species, L. mystacinus sp. nov., differs from all other congeners in the following unique character combination: two Spectrum Green (129) to Light Parrot Green (133) dorsolateral stripes separated by a Buff (5) vertebral stripe, usually continuous onto the tail; loreal scale absent; postocular stripe Jet Black (300), wide and long (up 11 scales long onto nuchal region); maxillary teeth 21-25; ventrals 158-173; subcaudals 141-164; black spots on head absent; supracephalic plates of head not edged with black pigment; adult color pattern lacking dark …

Online Media Sentiment Analysis Of Shrimp And Salmon In The United States, Jingjing Tao, Kwamena K. Quagrainie

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

There is a growing interest in the U.S. seafood and aquaculture market; however, studies utilizing online information to understand this market are limited. This study employs online media analytics to obtain insights into consumer perceptions and potential demand signals for shrimp and salmon in the U.S. Our results show that platform X is the preferred medium for shrimp and salmon discussions, with shrimp's physical quality and salmon's environmental impact being the two major perception drivers. Additionally, autoregressive modeling is conducted to explore the dynamics of net sentiments. Farmed shrimp and salmon consistently exhibit lower net sentiments compared to their wild …

Molecular Modification Of Queen Bee Acid And 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid With Specific Tripeptides: Rational Design, Organic Synthesis, And Assessment For Prohealing And Antimicrobial Hydrogel Properties, Song Hong, Sachin B. Baravkar, Yan Lu, Abdul Razak Masoud, Qi Zhao, Weilie Zhou

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Royal jelly and medical grade honey are traditionally used in treating wounds and infections, although their effectiveness is often variable and insufficient. To overcome their limitations, we created novel amphiphiles by modifying the main reparative and antimicrobial components, queen bee acid (hda) and 10-hydroxyl-decanoic acid (hdaa), through peptide bonding with specific tripeptides. Our molecular design incorporated amphiphile targets as being biocompatible in wound healing, biodegradable, non-toxic, hydrogelable, prohealing, and antimicrobial. The amphiphilic molecules were designed in a hda(hdaa)-aa1-aa2-aa3 structural model with rational selection criteria for each moiety, prepared via Rink/Fmoc-tBu-based solid-phase peptide synthesis, and structurally verified by NMR and LC–MS/MS. …

Distinguishing Classes Of Neuroactive Drugs Based On Computational Physicochemical Properties And Experimental Phenotypic Profiling In Planarians, Danielle Ireland, Christina Rabeler, Sagar Rao , '22, R. J. Richardson, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

Mental illnesses put a tremendous burden on afflicted individuals and society. Identification of novel drugs to treat such conditions is intrinsically challenging due to the complexity of neuropsychiatric diseases and the need for a systems-level understanding that goes beyond single molecule-target interactions. Thus far, drug discovery approaches focused on target-based in silico or in vitro high-throughput screening (HTS) have had limited success because they cannot capture pathway interactions or predict how a compound will affect the whole organism. Organismal behavioral testing is needed to fill the gap, but mammalian studies are too time-consuming and cost-prohibitive for the early stages of …

Plasmids Encode And Can Mobilize Onion Pathogenicity In Pantoea Agglomerans, Gi Yoon Shin, Jo Ann Asselin, Amy Smith, Brenna Aegerter, Teresa Coutinho, Mei Zhao, Bhabesh Dutta, Jennie Mazzone, Ram Neupane, Beth Gugino, Christy Hoepting, Manzeal Khanal, Subas Malla, Claudia Nischwitz, Jaspreet Sidhu, Antoinette Machado Burke, Jane Davey, Mark Uchanski, Michael L. Derie, Lindsey J. Du Toit, Stephen Stresow-Cortez, Jean M. Bonasera, Paul Stodghill, Brian Kvitko

Biology Faculty Publications

Pantoea agglomerans is one of four Pantoea species reported in the USA to cause bacterial rot of onion bulbs. However, not all P. agglomerans strains are pathogenic to onion. We characterized onion-associated strains of P. agglomerans to elucidate the genetic and genomic signatures of onion-pathogenic P. agglomerans. We collected > 300 P. agglomerans strains associated with symptomatic onion plants and bulbs from public culture collections, research laboratories, and a multi-year survey in 11 states in the USA. Combining the 87 genome assemblies with 100 high-quality, public P. agglomerans genome assemblies we identified two well-supported P. agglomerans phylogroups. Strains causing severe …

Microbiome Metabolic Capacity Is Buffered Against Phylotype Losses By Functional Redundancy, Kayla Cross, Noelle Beckman, Benjamin Jahnes, Zakee L. Sabree

Biology Faculty Publications

Many animals contain a species-rich and diverse gut microbiota that likely contributes to several host-supportive services that include diet processing and nutrient provisioning. Loss of microbiome taxa and their associated metabolic functions as result of perturbations may result in loss of microbiome-level services and reduction of metabolic capacity. If metabolic functions are shared by multiple taxa (i.e., functional redundancy), including deeply divergent lineages, then the impact of taxon/function losses may be dampened. We examined to what degree alterations in phylotype diversity impact microbiome-level metabolic capacity. Feeding two nutritionally imbalanced diets to omnivorous Periplaneta americana over 8 weeks reduced the diversity …

Enhancing Immunotherapy Efficacy With Synergistic Low-Dose Radiation In Metastatic Melanoma: Current Insights And Prospects, Zahid Rafiq, Mingyo Kang, Hampartsoum B Barsoumian, Gohar S Manzar, Yun Hu, Carola Leuschner, Ailing Huang, Fatemeh Masrorpour, Weiqin Lu, Nahum Puebla-Osorio, James W Welsh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Recent advances in oncology research have highlighted the promising synergy between low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) and immunotherapies, with growing evidence highlighting the unique benefits of the combination. LDRT has emerged as a potent tool for stimulating the immune system, triggering systemic antitumor effects by remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Notably, LDRT demonstrates remarkable efficacy even in challenging metastatic sites such as the liver (uveal) and brain (cutaneous), particularly in advanced melanoma stages. The increasing interest in utilizing LDRT for secondary metastatic sites of uveal, mucosal, or cutaneous melanomas underscores its potential efficacy in combination with various immunotherapies. This comprehensive review traverses …

Identification Of Diverse Bacteriophages Associated With Bees And Hoverflies, Rohan A. Bandoo, Simona Kraberger, Cahit Ozturk, Michael C. Lund, Qiyun Zhu, Chelsea N. Cook, Brian Smith, Arvind Varsani

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Bacteriophages are the most numerous, ubiquitous, and diverse biological entities on the planet. Prior studies have identified bacteriophages associated with pathogenic and commensal microbiota of honeybees. In this study we expand on what is known about bacteriophages from the lineages Caudoviricetes, Inoviridae, and Microviridae, which are associated with honeybees (Apidae, Apis mellifera), solitary bees of the genus Nomia (Halictidae, Nomia), and hoverflies (Syrphidae). The complete genomes of seven caudoviruses, seven inoviruses, and 288 microviruses were assembled from honeybees (n = 286) and hoverflies in Arizona (n = 2). We used bacterial host predictive …

Pulsating Drought And Insect Herbivory Cause Differential Effects On Soybean (Glycine Max) Genotypes That Vary In Canopy Wilting Speed, Jessica Ayala, Manish Gautam, Adrianna Peissel, George Justin, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

As a result of climate change, global temperatures are increasing, and water scarcity is on the rise. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] is one of the most important crops in the world due to its importance as food and feed. One of the major limiting factors for soybean production is drought, which can cause up to 80% reduction in yield. Therefore, growers and plant breeders are turning to soybean accessions that demonstrate better water use efficiency (WUE). However, in addition to drought, insect herbivory by soybean looper (Chrysodeixis includens, SBL) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) can also reduce soybean …