Life Sciences Commons^™

Likelihood Adaptively Incorporated External Aggregate Information With Uncertainty For Survival Data, Ziqi Chen, Yu Shen, Jing Qin, Jing Ning

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Population-based cancer registry databases are critical resources to bridge the information gap that results from a lack of sufficient statistical power from primary cohort data with small to moderate sample size. Although comprehensive data associated with tumor biomarkers often remain either unavailable or inconsistently measured in these registry databases, aggregate survival information sourced from these repositories has been well documented and publicly accessible. An appealing option is to integrate the aggregate survival information from the registry data with the primary cohort to enhance the evaluation of treatment impacts or prediction of survival outcomes across distinct tumor subtypes. Nevertheless, for rare …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Anmon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Ammon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Identification Of A Single-Dose, Low-Flip-Angle-Based Cbv Threshold For Fractional Tumor Burden Mapping In Recurrent Glioblastoma, Aliya Anil, Ashley M Stokes, John P Karis, Laura C Bell, Jennifer Eschbacher, Melissa A Prah, Jerrold L Boxerman, Kathleen M Schmainda, C Chad Quarles

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and purpose: DSC-MR imaging can be used to generate fractional tumor burden (FTB) maps via application of relative CBV thresholds to spatially differentiate glioblastoma recurrence from posttreatment radiation effects (PTRE). Image-localized histopathology was previously used to validate FTB maps derived from a reference DSC-MR imaging protocol by using preload, a moderate flip angle (MFA, 60°), and postprocessing leakage correction. Recently, a DSC-MR imaging protocol with a low flip angle (LFA, 30°) with no preload was shown to provide leakage-corrected relative CBV (rCBV) equivalent to the reference protocol. This study aimed to identify the rCBV thresholds for the LFA protocol …

The Cochlear Dose And The Age At Radiotherapy Predict Severe Hearing Loss After Passive Scattering Proton Therapy And Cisplatin In Children With Medulloblastoma, Mohammad H Abu-Arja, Austin L Brown, Jack M Su, M Fatih Okcu, Holly B Lindsay, Mary Frances Mcaleer, Murali M Chintagumpala, Arnold C Paulino

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Hearing loss (HL) is associated with worse neurocognitive outcomes among patients with medulloblastoma. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with severe HL and to evaluate the generalizability of a published HL calculator among patients treated with passive scattering proton therapy (PSPT) and cisplatin.

Methods: We identified patients aged 3-21 years who were treated at our centers between 2007 and 2022. Audiograms were graded using the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) Boston scale. Time to grades 3-4 HL was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox models to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Seventy-nine patients …

The Biological Significance Of Tumor Grade, Age, Enhancement, And Extent Of Resection In Idh-Mutant Gliomas: How Should They Inform Treatment Decisions In The Era Of Idh Inhibitors?, Martin J Van Den Bent, Pim J French, Daniel Brat, Joerg C Tonn, Mehdi Touat, Robert J Young, Andreas Von Deimling, Felix Sahm, Dominique Figarella Branger, Raymond Y Huang, Michael Weller, Ingo K Mellinghoff, Tim F Cloughsey, Jason T Huse, Kenneth Aldape, Guido Reifenberger, Gilbert Youssef, Philipp Karschnia, Houtan Noushmehr, Katherine B Peters, Francois Ducray, Matthias Preusser, Patrick Y Wen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The 2016 and 2021 World Health Organization 2021 Classification of central nervous system tumors have resulted in a major improvement in the classification of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant gliomas. With more effective treatments many patients experience prolonged survival. However, treatment guidelines are often still based on information from historical series comprising both patients with IDH wild-type and IDH-mutant tumors. They provide recommendations for radiotherapy and chemotherapy for so-called high-risk patients, usually based on residual tumor after surgery and age over 40. More up-to-date studies give a better insight into clinical, radiological, and molecular factors associated with the outcome of patients with …

Whole-Exome Sequencing Uncovers The Genetic Complexity Of Bicuspid Aortic Valve In Families With Early-Onset Complications, Sara Mansoorshahi, Anji T Yetman, Malenka M Bissell, Yuli Y Kim, Hector I Michelena, Laura Muiño Mosquera, Anthony Caffarelli, Maria G Andreassi, Ilenia Foffa, Dongchuan Guo, Rodolfo Citro, Margot De Marco, Justin T Tretter, Shaine A Morris, Simon C Body, Jessica X Chong, Michael J Bamshad, Dianna M Milewicz, Siddharth K Prakash

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart lesion with an estimated population prevalence of 1%. We hypothesize that specific gene variants predispose to early-onset complications of BAV (EBAV). We analyzed whole-exome sequences (WESs) to identify rare coding variants that contribute to BAV disease in 215 EBAV-affected families. Predicted damaging variants in candidate genes with moderate or strong supportive evidence to cause developmental cardiac phenotypes were present in 107 EBAV-affected families (50% of total), including genes that cause BAV (9%) or heritable thoracic aortic disease (HTAD, 19%). After appropriate filtration, we also identified 129 variants in 54 candidate …

Romi: A Randomized Two-Stage Basket Trial Design To Optimize Doses For Multiple Indications, Shuqi Wang, Peter F Thall, Kentaro Takeda, Ying Yuan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Optimizing doses for multiple indications is challenging. The pooled approach of finding a single optimal biological dose (OBD) for all indications ignores that dose-response or dose-toxicity curves may differ between indications, resulting in varying OBDs. Conversely, indication-specific dose optimization often requires a large sample size. To address this challenge, we propose a Randomized two-stage basket trial design that Optimizes doses in Multiple Indications (ROMI). In stage 1, for each indication, response and toxicity are evaluated for a high dose, which may be a previously obtained maximum tolerated dose, with a rule that stops accrual to indications where the high dose …

Effects Of Lactate On Corticospinal Excitability: A Scoping Review, Jess T. Gibson, Hudson J. Barr, Shaun G. Boe

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(2): 1429-1443, 2024. Aerobic exercise has been shown to impact corticospinal excitability (CSE), however the mechanism(s) by which this occurs is unclear. Some evidence suggests an increase in blood lactate concentration resulting from exercise may be what is driving these changes in corticospinal excitability. The extent of literature examining this effect and whether it is consistent across the literature is unknown. As such, the objective of this scoping review was to summarize the existing literature examining the effect of lactate on corticospinal excitability and to determine any trend(s) in the effect. Embase, CINAHL, Medline, SPORTDiscus, …

Diversity Of Porifera Along The Coasts Of Türkiye, Alper Evcen, Bülent Topaloğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study compiled data on the distribution of sponge species on the coasts of Türkiye. The checklist consists of 183 speciesbelonging to 52 families, 16 orders, and 3 classes. The orders Haplosclerida (32 species), Poecilosclerida (28 species), Tetractinellida (26species), Dictyoceratida (21 species), and Suberitida (18 species) have the highest numbers of species found in the region. The Aegeancoast has the highest number of sponge species (155 species), followed by the Sea of Marmara (84 species), the Levantine coast (50species), and the Black Sea coast (24 species). Among the species, Niphates toxifera and Paraleucilla magna are alien species. A total of …

Diversity Of Cnidaria And Ctenophora From The Coasts Of Türkiye, Meli̇h Ertan Çinar, Şermi̇n Açik, Hali̇m Vedat Aker

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The compilation of papers on the phyla Cnidaria and Ctenophora inhabiting the coasts of Türkiye (Black Sea, Sea of Marmara,Aegean Sea, and Levantine Sea) together with the new records of cnidarian species presented in this study yielded 296 cnidarian and8 ctenophore species. Among the cnidarian groups, Hydrozoa were represented by 160 species, Scyphozoa by 16 species, Anthozoa by87 species, and Myxozoa by 31 species. The number of species of cnidarians and ctenophores varies greatly between regions due to thedifferent environmental conditions of the seas and the level of scientific effort in each sea. A total of 47 cnidarian and five …

Diversity Of Platyhelminthes, Xenacoelomorpha, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Brachiopoda, Kinorhyncha, Nemertea, Chaetognatha, Tardigrada, Gastrotricha, Rotifera, Phoronida, Echinodermata And Chordata (Tunicata, Cephalochordata And Hemichordata) From The Coasts Of Türkiye, Meli̇h Ertan Çinar, Derya Ürkmez, Baki̇ Yokeş

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The current biodiversity of 14 phyla, namely Platyhelminthes, Xenacoelomorpha, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Brachiopoda,Kinorhyncha, Nemertea, Chaetognatha, Tardigrada, Gastrotricha, Rotifera, Phoronida, Echinodermata, and Chordata (invertebratesonly, including the subphyla Tunicata, Cephalochordata, and Hemichordata) from the coasts of Türkiye is revisited. It was found thata total number of 695 species occur along all the coastlines of Türkiye, with the Black Sea being represented by 297 species, the Sea ofMarmara by 305 species, the Aegean Sea by 308 species, and the Levantine Sea by 204 species. The most species-rich phyla in theseregions were Platyhelminthes (249 species), Nematoda (131), Echinodermata (98), and Chordata (85). A total of …

Diversity Of Annelida From The Coasts Of Türkiye, Meli̇h Ertan Çinar, Şermi̇n Açik, Güley Kurt, Deni̇z Erdoğan Dereli̇

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The compilation of scientific papers dealing with marine annelids (including Sipuncula) along the coasts of Türkiye (Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea and Levantine Sea) together with the new records of polychaete species (22 species) presented in this study resulted in 827 species belonging to 63 families. Polychaeta were represented by 782 species, Sipuncula by 21 species, Oligochaeta by 18 species, Hirudinea by 5 species and Echiura by 1 species. Syllidae (127 species), Spionidae (57 species) and Serpulidae (56 species) were the most species-rich families and their numbers varied among the seas. Most annelid species were benthic (808 species), …

Diversity Of Mollusca Along The Coasts Of Türkiye, Bi̇lal Öztürk, Banu Bi̇tli̇s, Nesli̇han Türkçü

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The present study is based on a species list published in 2014 and a compilation of data from papers on marine molluscs along the coasts of Türkiye published from that date until the end of April 2024, along with six new records presented herein. Mollusca were represented by 1133 species classified into 7 classes, 255 families and 617 genera on the Turkish coasts. The Pyramidellidae (92 species) and Rissoidae (64 species) were species-rich mollusc families. Most of the listed molluscs were benthic, except for 26 pelagic species and 119 parasitic taxa. The Aegean Sea has the highest number of species …

Diversity Of Marine Arthropoda Along The Coasts Of Türkiye, Ahmet Kerem Bakir, Hali̇m Vedat Aker, Özge Özgen, Furkan Durucan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The aim of this publication is to compile an updated list of marine arthropod species reported from the coasts of Türkiye. As of the first half of 2024, a total of 1886 arthropod species have been reported in the marine and brackish water environments of Türkiye. The class Malacostraca, having the highest number of species, is followed by Copepoda, Ostracoda, Arachnida, Pycnogonida, Thecostraca, Branchiopoda, and Insecta in terms of species diversity. Additionally, 83 alien species have been identified.

Diversity Of Fishes Along The Coast Of Türkiye, Murat Bi̇lecenoğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The Turkish marine fish diversity was revised and updated in this study based on data published in the last decade. There arecurrently 552 species in the inventory, reflecting an increase of 7.8% since the previous checklist and belonging to the classes of Teleostei(479 spp.), Elasmobranchii (68 spp.), Chondrostei (3 spp.), Petromyzonti (1 sp.), and Holocephali (1 sp.). Twelve species were excludedfrom the faunal list due to the lack of valid proof of their presence, the distribution ranges of an additional 12 species were corrected, twonew records (Istiompax indica (Cuvier, 1832) and Mola alexandrini (Ranzani, 1839)) previously unknown from Türkiye were …

Diversity Of Marine Tetrapods (Reptiles, Seabirds, And Mammals) Along The Coasts Of Türkiye, Harun Güçlüsoy, Ortaç Onmuş

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This paper presents the occurrence of a total of 72 marine tetrapod species, comprising 3 sea turtles, 54 seabirds, and 15 marine mammals. The distribution of each reported species along the Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean, and Levantine coasts of Türkiye is described with key references.

Diversity Of Bryozoa Along The Coasts Of Türkiye, Ferah Koçak, Si̇nem Aydin

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The current status of bryozoan species distributed along the coast of Türkiye were revised and an updated checklist including 185 species (24 cyclostomatids, 20 ctenostomatids and 141 cheilostomatids) was presented. Cheilostomes largely prevail (141 species, 87 genera and 50 families) followed by cyclostomes (24 species, 15 genera and 9 families) and ctenostomes (20 species, 9 genera and 8 families) in bryozoan fauna of Türkiye. The distribution of species and genera highlights the Aegean Sea as the most diverse, hosting 146 species. In this study, Hornera frondiculata (Lamarck, 1816), Amathia verticillata (delle Chiaje, 1822), Bugulina fulva (Ryland, 1960), Tricellaria inopinata d'Hondt …

Analyses Of Whole-Genome Sequences From 185 North American Thoroughbred Horses, Spanning 5 Generations, Ernie Bailey, Carrie J. Finno, Jonah N. Cullen, Ted Kalbfleisch, Jessica Lynn Petersen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Whole genome sequences (WGS) of 185 North American Thoroughbred horses were compared to quantify the number and frequency of variants, diversity of mitotypes, and autosomal runs of homozygosity (ROH). Of the samples, 82 horses were born between 1965 and 1986 (Group 1); the remaining 103, selected to maximize pedigree diversity, were born between 2000 and 2020 (Group 2). Over 14.3 million autosomal variants were identified with 4.5–5.0 million found per horse. Mitochondrial sequences associated the North American Thoroughbreds with 9 of 17 clades previously identified among diverse breeds. Individual coefficients of inbreeding, estimated from ROH, averaged 0.266 (Group 1) and …

Coyotes Can Do ‘Puppy Dog Eyes’ Too: Comparing Interspecific Variation In Canis Facial Expression Muscles, Patrick Cunningham, Mahita Shankar, Bridgett Vonholdt, Kristin Brzeski, Sarah S. Kienle

Michigan Tech Publications

Facial expressions are critical for non-verbal communication. The Canis genus epitomizes the interplay between behaviour and morphology in the evolution of non-verbal communication. Recent work suggests that the levator anguli oculi medialis (LAOM) muscle is unique to dogs (Canis familiaris) within the Canis genus and evolved due to domestication. The LAOM raises the inner eyebrows, resulting in the ‘puppy dog eyes’ expression. Here, we test whether the LAOM is a derived trait in dogs by (i) examining the facial expression muscles of a closely related and ancestral wild Canis species, the coyote (C. latrans) and (ii) comparing our results with …

Why Tariffs Are A Tax On American Consumers, Timothy Meyer

Cornhusker Economics

Summary

The takeaway from this article should be that tariffs are a political tool, not an economic one. They do raise prices and revenue, but not as much as advertised (by either side).

At its core, Economics is the study of how scarcity is solved. That is, how limited resources are best utilized. Time and time again, Adam Smith’s idea that the invisible hand of markets would guide us to welfare-maximizing solutions, largely through specialization and trade. It’s why most of us specialize in one career and trade our hard-earned money for goods and services instead of producing them at …

Synergic Activity Of Fgfr2 And Mek Inhibitors In The Treatment Of Fgfr2-Amplified Cancers Of Unknown Primary, Andrea Cavazzoni, Irene Salamon, Claudia Fumarola, Giulia Gallerani, Noemi Laprovitera, Mattia Riefolo, Elisa Porcellini, Tania Rossi, Martina Mazzeschi, Maria Naddeo, Salvatore Serravalle, Elisabetta Broseghini, Federico Agostinis, Olivier Deas, Roberta Roncarati, Giorgio Durante, Ilaria Pace, Mattia Lauriola, Ingrid Garajova, George A Calin, Massimiliano Bonafè, Antonia D'Errico, Pier Giorgio Petronini, Stefano Cairo, Andrea Ardizzoni, Gabriele Sales, Manuela Ferracin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) carry the double burden of an aggressive disease and reduced access to therapies. Experimental models are pivotal for CUP biology investigation and drug testing. We derived two CUP cell lines (CUP#55 and #96) and corresponding patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), from ascites tumor cells. CUP cell lines and PDXs underwent histological, immune-phenotypical, molecular, and genomic characterization confirming the features of the original tumor. The tissue-of-origin prediction was obtained from the tumor microRNA expression profile and confirmed by single-cell transcriptomics. Genomic testing and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis identified FGFR2 gene amplification in both models, in …

Calibrating Tumor Growth And Invasion Parameters With Spectral Spatial Analysis Of Cancer Biopsy Tissues, Stefano Pasetto, Michael Montejo, Mohammad U Zahid, Marilin Rosa, Robert Gatenby, Roberto Diaz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The reaction-diffusion equation is widely used in mathematical models of cancer. The calibration of model parameters based on limited clinical data is critical to using reaction-diffusion equation simulations for reliable predictions on a per-patient basis. Here, we focus on cell-level data as routinely available from tissue biopsies used for clinical cancer diagnosis. We analyze the spatial architecture in biopsy tissues stained with multiplex immunofluorescence. We derive a two-point correlation function and the corresponding spatial power spectral distribution. We show that this data-deduced power spectral distribution can fit the power spectrum of the solution of reaction-diffusion equations that can then identify …

Synergic Activity Of Fgfr2 And Mek Inhibitors In The Treatment Of Fgfr2-Amplified Cancers Of Unknown Primary, Andrea Cavazzoni, Irene Salamon, Claudia Fumarola, Giulia Gallerani, Noemi Laprovitera, Mattia Riefolo, Elisa Porcellini, Tania Rossi, Martina Mazzeschi, Maria Naddeo, Salvatore Serravalle, Elisabetta Broseghini, Federico Agostinis, Olivier Deas, Roberta Roncarati, Giorgio Durante, Ilaria Pace, Mattia Lauriola, Ingrid Garajova, George A Calin, Massimiliano Bonafè, Antonia D'Errico, Pier Giorgio Petronini, Stefano Cairo, Andrea Ardizzoni, Gabriele Sales, Manuela Ferracin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) carry the double burden of an aggressive disease and reduced access to therapies. Experimental models are pivotal for CUP biology investigation and drug testing. We derived two CUP cell lines (CUP#55 and #96) and corresponding patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), from ascites tumor cells. CUP cell lines and PDXs underwent histological, immune-phenotypical, molecular, and genomic characterization confirming the features of the original tumor. The tissue-of-origin prediction was obtained from the tumor microRNA expression profile and confirmed by single-cell transcriptomics. Genomic testing and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis identified FGFR2 gene amplification in both models, in …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of An Integrated Nutrition Education Curriculum And The Impact On Preschoolers' Food Liking, Alicia Stapp, Laurel Lambert, Georgianna Mann, Kaitlyn Sills, Kenya Wolff

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Nutrition education during early childhood that includes experiential learning, modeling, and family engagement can support lifelong healthy eating habits.

Purpose: The present study examined the impact of a nutrition-integrated, 32-week supplemental curriculum entitled Growing Healthy Minds, Bodies, and Communities on children’s exposure to fruits and vegetables, ability to identify fruits and vegetables, liking of fruit and vegetables, and teachers’ perceptions of the curriculum.

Methods: A pre- and post- fruit and vegetable pictorial Likert survey was administered to 261 Pre-K4 children. To investigate teachers’ perceptions of the curriculum, a post-intervention focus group was conducted with 19 teachers.

Results: Significant differences …

A Lidar-Driven Pruning Algorithm To Delineate Canopy Drainage Areas Of Stemflow And Throughfall Drip Points, Collin Wischmeyer, Travis E. Swanson, Kevin E. Mueller, Nicholas R. Lewis, Jillian Bastock, John T. Van Stan Ii

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Precipitation channelled down tree stems (stemflow) or into drip points of 'throughfall' beneath trees results in spatially concentrated inputs of water and chemicals to the ground. Currently, these flows are poorly characterised due to uncertainties about which branches redirect rainfall to stemflow or throughfall drip points. We introduce a graph theoretic algorithm that 'prunes' quantitative structural models of trees (derived from terrestrial LiDAR) to identify branches contributing to stemflow and those contributing to throughfall drip points. To demonstrate the method's utility, we analysed two trees with similar canopy sizes but contrasting canopy architecture and rainfall partitioning behaviours. For both trees, …

A Sex Comparison Of The Physical And Physiological Demands Of United States Marine Corps Recruit Training, Bridget A. Mcfadden, Harry P. Cintineo, Alexa J. Chandler, Gianna F, Mastrofini, Caroline Vicenty, Patrick Peterson, Mita Lovalekar, Bradley Nindl, Shawn M. Arent

Faculty Scholarship

PURPOSE: to monitor USMC recruits throughout training to comparatively assess workload, sleep, stress, and performance responses in men and women.

METHODS: 278 recruits (M = 180 & W = 98; Age = 19 ± 2y) were monitored and tested. Workload, sleep, and stress assessments occurred at weeks 2, 7/8, and 11 of training. Workload (energy expenditure per kg body mass [EE], distance [DIS], steps) and sleep (continuity & duration) were tracked over 72-hour periods using wearable accelerometry and heart rate devices. Stress was determined through salivary cortisol. Performance testing (vertical jump [CMJ] and isometric mid-thigh pull [IMTP]), occurred …

Life, Death And Energy: What Does Nature Select?, James H. Brown, Chen Hou, Charles A.S. Hall, Joseph R. Burger

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Evolutionary biology is poised for a third major synthesis. The first presented Darwin's evidence from natural history. The second incorporated genetic mechanisms. The third will be based on energy and biophysical processes. It should include the equal fitness paradigm (EFP), which quantifies how organisms convert biomass into surviving offspring. Natural selection tends to maximize energetic fitness, formula presented, where formula presented is mass-specific rate of cohort biomass production, formula presented is generation time, formula presented is fraction of cohort production that is passed to surviving offspring, and formula presented is energy density of biomas. At steady state, parents replace themselves …

Effects Of Roadways On Seasonal Movement Strategies And Mate Location Success In An Imperiled Pit Viper (Crotalus Horridus), Elizabeth J. Noble

Graduate Research Showcase

A detailed understanding of animal movement behavior is fundamental to effective conservation and management. Within populations, a diversity of movement strategies can be displayed in search of critical resources, and these strategies are influenced by multiple interacting factors related to individuals and the environment. Mating partners are one critical resource that often serves as a prominent selective force shaping movement during mating seasons. For many large-bodied snakes, such as pit vipers (Viperidae: Crotalinae), male mate- searching movements are the primary determinant of mate location success. During this time, males incur significant risks associated with elevated movement. In an increasingly human- …

Resource Selection Of The Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) In The Coastal Plain Of Virginia, Marissa H. Guill, Jesse L. De La Cruz, K. Marc Puckett, W. Mark Ford

Virginia Journal of Science

The southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) is a subspecies of fox squirrel that ranges from southeastern Virginia to northern Florida. Throughout its Southeastern range, southern fox squirrel habitat of natural mixed pine-hardwood forests has been fragmented by agriculture and short-rotation pine plantations. In Virginia, remaining habitat has been transformed by fire suppression on the landscape and has in turn resulted in small, disjunct populations of southern fox squirrels. We sought to identify the home range and resource utilization of southern fox squirrels in the southern Coastal Plain of Virginia. From established nest boxes, we captured, radio collared …