Life Sciences Commons^™

Marine Heatwaves Modulate The Genotypic And Physiological Responses Of Reef-Building Corals To Subsequent Heat Stress, Kristen T. Brown, Amatzia Genin, Matheus A. Mello-Athayde, Ellie Bergstrom, Adriana Campili, Aaron Chai, Sophie G. Dove, Maureen Ho, Devin Rowell, Eugenia M. Sampayo, Veronica Z. Radice

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Back-to-back marine heatwaves in 2016 and 2017 resulted in severe coral bleaching and mortality across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Encouragingly, some corals that survived these events exhibit increased bleaching resistance and may represent thermally tolerant populations that can better cope with ocean warming. Using the GBR as a natural laboratory, we investigated whether a history of minimal (Heron Island) or severe (Lizard Island) coral bleaching in 2016 and 2017 equates to stress tolerance in a successive heatwave (2020). We examined the genetic diversity, physiological performance, and trophic plasticity of juvenile (<10 cm) and adult (>25 cm) corals of two common genera ( …

Language Matters, Teya Brooks Pribac

Animal Sentience

The term sentience tends to be associated with affective valence along with affectively neutral sensory states. In the absence of evidence for affectively laden states in plants, the use of the term sentience in the exploration of plant sensory and behavioral complexity is misleading and ethically problematic for its potential to trivialize animal sentience.

Letter From The Dean, Jean-Francois Meullenet

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 24 2023, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Time-Restricted Feeding And Whey Protein Isolate Supplementation On Dietary Intake, Mood, And Sleep In A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial, Sydney E. Boudrey, Aubree L. Hawley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Obesity affects adults in the United States, leading to chronic diseases and reduced well-being. Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF) is a type of dietary intervention lacking current data regarding the effectiveness on facets of well-being. This study’s objective was to determine the effect of time-restricted feeding supplemented with whey protein isolate on food intake, sleep, and mood in overweight or obese adults. Nineteen participants were randomly assigned to the control or experimental group: 1) control, TRF, and 2) experimental, TRF with whey protein supplementation. Participants followed the assigned dietary intervention for 12 weeks. Every 4 weeks (baseline, week 4, week 8, and …

Rice Biomass Response To Various Phosphorus Fertilizers In A Phosphorus-Deficient Soil Under Simulated Furrow-Irrigation, Jonathan B. Brye, Kristofor R. Brye, Diego Della Lunga

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Wastewater-recovered phosphorus (P), in the form of the mineral struvite (MgNH4PO4∙6H2O), may provide a sustainable alternative to decreasing rock-phosphate reserves. Struvite can be generated via precipitation methods, potentially reducing the amount of P runoff to aquatic ecosystems. The objective of this greenhouse tub study was to evaluate the effects of chemically and electrochemically precipitated struvite (CPST and ECST, respectively) on aboveground plant response in a hybrid rice cultivar grown using furrow-irrigation compared to other common fertilizer-P sources [i.e., triple super phosphate (TSP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP)] using three replications of fertilizer treatment in a P-deficient silt loam (Typic Glossaqualfs). Aboveground …

Fostering Infant And Toddler Music Competence At The Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center, Ellen Mathews, Laura Herold, Shelley Mcnally, Donia Timby

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This paper presents a creative research project that introduced musical instruments in an outdoor setting to infants and toddlers ages 0-to-3 years old. It was grounded in research suggesting that music plays a vital component in expanding development in the early childhood years, helping to promote learning across many domains. This project began with a survey distributed to 7 infant and toddler classroom educators, after which responses were analyzed for themes regarding perceived infant interests. Subsequent observations were conducted to evaluate the best fit for the implementation of an outdoor experiential music space. Based on the findings, a developmentally appropriate …

Effects Of Cyclic Heat Stress On The Acute Inflammatory Response In Broilers, Alessandro J. Rocchi, Chrysta N. Beck, Jossie M. Santamaria, Gisela F. Erf

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Heat stress (HS) is a growing concern in broiler production. Little is known regarding the effect of HS on immune function. To examine the effects of HS on innate immunity, the local- and systemic-inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined in Cobb 500 male broiler chicks reared under thermoneutral (TN) or cyclic HS conditions. Beginning at four days of age, HS birds were subjected to 35 °C from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and TN temperatures from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. At 37 days of age, four groups of broilers were formed: LPS-TN (8 broilers), phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-TN (4 …

An Inclusive Playground For Infant And Toddler Development, Amanda M. Swartz, Jacquelyn D. Wiersma-Mosley, Donia Timby, Shelley Mcnally, Caitlyn Daniel

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The purpose of this project was to help children reach more developmental goals and to make outdoor play at the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center more inclusive for all children. Children gain many developmental goals from playing outside and being exposed to other environments as compared to just being inside the classroom. Outdoor play should be as inclusive as indoor play and offer many different activities and outlets, just as the indoor classroom does. The implementation of this service-learning creative project was to add more versatility to the outdoor area at the University of Arkansas Jean Tyson Child Development …

Validation Of A Diagnostic Marker For Primocane-Fruiting In Blackberry, Isabella Vaughn, Alexander Silva, Carmen Johns, Lacy Nelson, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Typical blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus) have perennial crowns and roots and biennial canes. The first-year canes (primocanes) are usually vegetative, while second-year canes (floricanes) produce fruit. Primocane-fruiting blackberries produce fruit on first-year canes and are desirable to growers because they potentially allow for a longer harvest season in temperate regions and enable production in tropical areas where no natural chill hours are accumulated. The development of molecular markers for desirable traits can potentially increase efficiency in blackberry breeding. However, to date, there are no diagnostic molecular markers for economically important traits in blackberries. Primocane-fruiting is recessively inherited, and tetraploid blackberries …

Genome-Wide Identification And Characterization Of Auxin Response Factor (Arf) Gene Family Involved In Wood Formation And Response To Exogenous Hormone Treatment In Populus Trichocarpa, Yingying Liu, Ruiqi Wang, Jiajie Yu, Shan Huang, Yang Zhang, Hairong Wei, Zhigang Wei

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Auxin is a key regulator that virtually controls almost every aspect of plant growth and development throughout its life cycle. As the major components of auxin signaling, auxin response factors (ARFs) play crucial roles in various processes of plant growth and development. In this study, a total of 35 PtrARF genes were identified, and their phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal locations, synteny relationships, exon/intron structures, cis-elements, conserved motifs, and protein characteristics were systemically investigated. We also analyzed the expression patterns of these PtrARF genes and revealed that 16 of them, including PtrARF1, 3, 7, 11, 13–17, 21, 23, 26, 27, 29, 31, …

In Silico Analyses Of Diversity And Dissemination Of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes And Mobile Genetics Elements, For Plasmids Of Enteric Pathogens, Suad Algarni, Jing Han, Dereje D. Gudeta, Bijay K. Khajanchi, Steven C. Ricke, Young Min Kwon, Douglas D. Rhoads, Steven L. Foley

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mobilome plays a key role in the dissemination of resistance genes encoded by mobile genetics elements (MGEs) including plasmids, transposons (Tns), and insertion sequences (ISs). These MGEs contribute to the dissemination of multidrug resistance (MDR) in enteric bacterial pathogens which have been considered as a global public health risk.

Methods: To further understand the diversity and distribution of AMR genes and MGEs across different plasmid types, we utilized multiple sequence-based computational approaches to evaluate AMR-associated plasmid genetics. A collection of 1,309 complete plasmid sequences from Gammaproteobacterial species, including 100 plasmids from each of the following …

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma And New Treatments In Development, Melissa J. Moisan

Biology and Microbiology Graduate Students Plan B Research Projects

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most frequently mutated (95%) 5exocrine pancreatic cancers. Patients with PDAC are also the least likely to survive more than 5 years with only 8% overall survivability. The median survival for patients with distant metastasis is less than one year. Most pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma occurs in the pancreatic head, and the remainder can be found within the body (5% to 15%) or tail (10% to 15%) (14). This extremely aggressive cancer has an increasingly large metastatic dissemination rate to surrounding organs such as the liver, lung, and peritoneum, or can be seen as distant metastases …

Role Of Histone Deacetylases In Regulation Of Macrophage Phagocytosis Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Benjamin Esiesimua

Biotechnology Theses

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains a global health emergency. Macrophages are critical in protection against TB by phagocytosis of Mtb. Although histone deacetylases (HDACs), are critical in macrophage differentiations, their roles in macrophage phagocytosis of Mtb remain unexplored. To explore this, I first established human monocyte derived macrophages (MDMs) phagocytosis of red zymosan beads. MDM phagocytosed zymosan beads at 37°C in a dose dependent manner in contrast to suppressed phagocytosis by the MDMs incubated with beads at 4°C or in the presence of cytochalasin D, actin polymerization inhibitor. Incubation of MDMs with 11 zinc-dependent HDAC inhibitors did …

Arginine-178 Is An Essential Residue For Itpa Function, Nicholas E. Burgis, Caitlin April, Kandise Vanwormer

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPA) enzyme plays a critical cellular role by removing noncanonical nucleoside triphosphates from nucleotide pools. One of the first pathological ITPA mutants identified is R178C (rs746930990), which causes a fatal infantile encephalopathy, termed developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 35 (DEE 35). The accumulation of noncanonical nucleotides such as inosine triphosphate (ITP), is suspected to affect RNA and/or interfere with normal nucleotide function, leading to development of DEE 35. Molecular dynamics simulations have shown that the very rare R178C mutation does not significantly perturb the overall structure of the protein, but results in a high level of structural …

Festival Of Research Abstracts, 2023, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

Festival of Research

The collection of abstracts accepted for the 2023 Festival of Research hosted by the Wright State University College of Science and Mathematics.

The Evaluation Of The Efficacy And Safety Of Different Methods Of Myopia Control, Chaya Feuchtwanger

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Myopia is the leading cause of preventable blindness in East Asia and has a rising global prevalence. If no treatment is done to curb myopic progression, the eye will continue to grow leading to high refractive errors. A higher prescription leads to an increased risk of developing sight-threatening diseases that can lead to irreversible blindness later in life. The discovery of a treatment that slows or even stops myopia from progressing is increasingly important with many studies being conducted worldwide. Currently, the most effective forms of myopia control are atropine eye drops and specialty contact lenses, with new studies exploring …

Epilepsy And Treatment Resistance, Eva Kowalsky

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Epilepsy is one of the most common debilitating neurological conditions. Individuals with epilepsy experience frequent seizures. Seizures are caused by hyperexcitable and hyper-synchronized neurons. Anti-seizure medications typically work to normalize the electrical activity in the brain. Many epileptic disorders are caused by genetic mutations, most of which cause mutations in ion channel mechanics. 30% of individuals with epilepsy do not respond to classic anti-seizure medications. A combination of factors typically contributes to treatment resistance. Individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy must turn to novel approaches for seizure relief. These approaches include following a ketogenic diet, using CBD products, utilizing a neurostimulator device, …

The Effects Of Nausea And Vomiting On Mother And Child, Mayane Bensoussan

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects that can occur during pregnancy. On one hand, it can lead to its severe form called hyperemesis gravidarum, which can lead to hospitalization for electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, muscle weakness, or arrhythmias. On the other hand, nausea and vomiting may be an indication of a statistically healthier fetus. Benefits of maternal nausea and emesis to the developing fetus include improved neural development, decreased risk for congenital heart defects, and decreased incidence of miscarriages. Additionally, benefits to the mother include decreased risk for lung, cervical, and rectal cancer. The mothers also had an overall decreased …

Effects Of Microdosing With Psilocybin Mushrooms, Chavivah Davis

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Microdosing with psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in certain species of mushrooms, has gained popularity in recent years as a means of enhancing mood, cognition, and creativity without inducing the full-blown psychedelic experience. There are many potential benefits associated with microdosing with psilocybin. Although studies do show many positive effects of microdosing with psilocybin, long-term research is required to make a conclusive statement regarding this topic. Furthermore, there are risks and concerns involved that need to be considered, including the illegality of psilocybin and the lack of research. This paper will review the available literature on microdosing with psilocybin. It …

Epinephrine And Cardiac Arrest: The Catch-22, Shaina Friedman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Epinephrine has been a standard of care treatment for cardiac arrest for the last century; however, the use of epinephrine began without a significant amount of research. In recent years, many have started to question whether epinephrine is an appropriate treatment for cardiac arrest. While epinephrine causes vasoconstriction of the blood vessels and directs much-needed blood flow to the heart, it has also been shown to harm the microvessels of the brain, causing ischemia and neurological damage. Many trials, studies, and surveys were conducted to determine the correct course of action involving the use of epinephrine during cardiac arrest. Additional …

The Impact Of Maternal Health On Breastfeeding Duration, Yael Weinberg

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The mechanism of breastfeeding is a complex biological process beginning with hormone production from the pituitary gland and ending with the ejection of milk from the breasts. Mothers are recommended to breastfeed exclusively for six months and then continue for another six with the addition of solid food. However, despite the countless health benefits associated with lengthened breastfeeding for both mother and infant, many women dismiss this recommendation. This paper aims to research the aspects of maternal health that can derail the recommended duration of breastfeeding, focusing on emotional health, nutritional intake, and various diseases or surgeries. It is found …

Do The Benefits Of Growth Hormone Outweigh The Risks?, Michael D. Goodstein

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Growth hormone treatment was introduced in the 1950s to confront growth hormone deficiency and metabolic irregularities. In 2003, however, the FDA approved growth hormone treatment for patients with abnormal growth rates unlinked to growth hormone deficiency. The treatment has become largely available to the general public, making the safety of growth hormone treatment an extremely important subject. This paper clarifies the benefits and efficacy of growth hormone treatment and analyzes the potential associated risks, including cancer and diabetes.

Investigating The Impacts Of Ammonium Phosphate-Based Fire Retardants On Cyanobacteria (Anabaena) Growth, Gavin Sutter, Brenda Gonzalez Flores, Grace Laskey, Shane Jurak

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

In recent years the effects of climate change have taken a devastating toll on ecosystems around the world. With high temperatures and extreme droughts, wildfires have become increasingly common. In order to combat these natural disasters wildland firefighters, drop millions of gallons of fire retardant on public lands and forests. These fire retardants consist of between 80%-100% ammonium phosphate which are incredibly effective as fire suppressants yet is more commonly known for its use in fertilizer. Ammonium phosphate fertilizers can lead to stream eutrophication and undesirable environmental impacts. Our research aims to address the effects of fire retardant on growth …

Essential Oils And Their Antimicrobial Effect On Serratia Marcescens, Seren C. Davies-Hughes, Patricia I. Marquez, Henna N. Schulz, Laura S. Sanchez

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

S. marcescens is a gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterium that is particularly aggressive in its growing capability. It is a concern in medical fields as well as home environments due to its resistance to most antibiotics, high mortality rate, and easy ability to colonize on soap and other fatty substances. Although testing of natural cleansers such as lemon juice, vinegar, and ammonia has been done on S. marcescens and essential oil efficacy has been tested on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, no literature has been published on the effect of essential oils on S. marcescens growth. The purpose of this experiment …

Climate, Physiology, And Distributions: The Role Of Thermal Physiology In Biological Invasions, Sean D. Powers

Theses and Dissertations

Climate is a primary factor influencing species range dynamics, particularly for ectotherms whose body temperature is closely tied to the surrounding conditions. While range shifts of ectotherms are attributed to climate warming, the mechanism driving these shifts are not well understood. Studies in macrophysiology demonstrate that the interaction of climate with thermal physiology plays a key role in determining large-scale spatial and temporal patterns for many temperature-sensitive physiological traits. This work has revealed a clear relationship between thermal tolerance breadth and range size. However, more recent analyses of this relationship demonstrate that thermal tolerance breadth only provides a partial explanation …

Consequences Of Shift Work And Job-Related Exposure On Sleep And Musculoskeletal Outcomes In Structural Firefighters, Jacob Dennis Jelmini

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Firefighting is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the workforce. Musculoskeletal injuries are consistently the most frequent, and most costly, documented non-fatal injuries in the firefighting setting. An increase in job stress, job exposure, and deprived sleep secondary to job-related duties are plausible explanations for the frequency in musculoskeletal injury. The aims of this dissertation were to ascertain not only how occupational exposure via firefighter emergency call volume may influence outcomes contributing to job stress and objective and subjective sleep metrics, but also its influence on the incidences of musculoskeletal pain.

The results showed that emergency call volume …

Of Dogs And Bonds, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

In four of Charles Darwin’s classic works (Darwin, 1859, 1868, 1871, 1872), the domestic dog (Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris)¹ featured prominently, offering key examples to illustrate his ideas about evolution, domestication, comparative behavior and cognition, and emotional expression. Darwin held a clear fondness for dogs, and when replying to letters detailing the “sagacity” of dogs, he remarked “I can believe almost anything about them” (Darwin, 2014). Despite the early interest in their behavior and cognition by a number of leading scientists, dogs were rarely subject to serious investigation as a study species for 150 years. …

Comparative Genomics Of The Putatively Asexual Powder Lichens Lepraria And Other Lecanoromycete Lichens, Bubba Pfeffer

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.