Life Sciences Commons^™

Hummingbird Diversity, Abundance, And Feeding Interactions Across Three Floral Communities On Mount Totumas, Chiriquí, Panamá, Zachary Ginn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

(Trochilidae) are a large Neotropical bird family of nectar-feeders that have evolved as pollinators of many Neotropical plants. Interactions between hummingbirds and plants form mutualistic networks that may change in structure over environmental and anthropogenic gradients. While the unique dynamics of hummingbird diversity and floral interactions have been studied throughout the Neotropics, differing drivers between locations emphasizes the need for further local research. This deficit is especially crucial in biodiverse and understudied locations like the Western Highlands of Panamá. In this study, I investigated how hummingbird diversity, abundance, and floral interactions differed between Cloud Forest, Garden, and Oak Forest on …

“Hadithi Ya Matunda”: The Informal Fruit Economy On Unguja Island: A Study Of The Livelihoods Of Smallholder Producers, Intermediaries, And Sellers, Daisy Kettle

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This is the story of fruit on Unguja Island. It illuminates the livelihoods of farmers, intermediaries, and sellers and each of their roles in the island’s fruit commodity chain. Linkages between these actors are known to play increasingly important roles in agricultural economies across the world due to their ability to create “multiplier effects” through networks of non-farm income opportunities (Wineman, 2020). Through interviews with 19 Zanzibaris who work in this trade network, I learned about the intricacies of these networks. My data revealed that the fruit flow chain on Unguja creates a network of extensive backward and forward economic …

Caviar Of The Pacific: Palolo Fishing Today And Its Association With Coral Reef Health, Emma Letti Lee

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Palolo is a traditional delicacy of Samoa. It is the reproductive part of a marine worm that is released twice a year, October and November in Samoa, making palolo season a culturally significant time. Coral reefs, the palolo worm’s habitat, is under a plethora of environmental threats, which is an extremely prevalent concern for Pacific Islanders. Hundreds of palolo harvesters walking on corals twice a year adds extra pressure on coral reefs. Despite these vulnerabilities, prices of palolo are soaring year by year, while there is little to no research about the palolo worm and documentation of current harvesting practices …

Treatments Of Cyanobacteria On Mariculture Sponges In Jambiani, Tanzania, Sally Thornton-White

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since 2009, Marine Cultures, an NGO, has explored sponge farming in Jambiani to develop secure and sustainable livelihoods for the community. While sponge farming provides economic opportunity for an industry that functions within ecological boundaries, it faces unique issues that threaten its success. As climate change increases global water temperatures, cyanobacteria are causing increased death rates among mariculture sponges. Mitigating these negative effects with sustainable and reliable solutions can help Marine Cultures grow their positive impact. Alternative methods for mitigating cyanobacteria growth were tested during three study phases. Phase 1 tested how sponge health and algae growth responds to being …

Explore The Regulatory Roles Of Micrornas In Sperm Formation And Function Of C. Elegans, Lu Lu

Dissertations (1934 -)

Gene regulation mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs) at the post-transcriptional level is important for producing functional sperm in diverse species including C. elegans. However, the specific regulatory roles of miRNAs in this process are largely unknown. The central goal of my dissertation is to address this question. I proposed to study the function of miRNAs enriched in male gonads, which are approximately 95% germ cells and 5% somatic cells. I isolated adult gonads of males and hermaphrodites for small RNA sequencing and the analysis revealed a differential miRNA expression profile between hermaphrodite and male gonads. 29 male gonad-enriched miRNAs have the …

Louisiana Agriculture Fall, 2022

Louisiana Agriculture

Livestock industries contribute $2.5 billion to the state’s economy, and beef cattle production is one of the most important sectors of the state’s agricultural enterprise. LSU AgCenter researchers study how to improve cattle production at research stations across the state. AgCenter Extension agents in every parish connect producers with their findings.

In this issue of Louisiana Agriculture magazine, livestock agents and research faculty describe the many programs they have developed to educate cattle producers and help 4-H’ers raise and show animals. Producers discuss what they have learned from Master Cattleman classes, and writer V. Todd Miller details how some cattle …

Meta-Analysis Reveals Challenges And Gaps For Genome-To-Phenome Research Underpinning Plant Drought Response, Anthony E. Melton, Stephanie J. Galla, Carlos Dave C. Dumaguit, John M.A. Wojahn, Stephen Novak, Marcelo Serpe, Peggy Martinez, Sven Buerki

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Severe drought conditions and extreme weather events are increasing worldwide with climate change, threatening the persistence of native plant communities and ecosystems. Many studies have investigated the genomic basis of plant responses to drought. However, the extent of this research throughout the plant kingdom is unclear, particularly among species critical for the sustainability of natural ecosystems. This study aimed to broaden our understanding of genome-to-phenome (G2P) connections in drought-stressed plants and identify focal taxa for future research. Bioinformatics pipelines were developed to mine and link information from databases and abstracts from 7730 publications. This approach identified 1634 genes involved in …

Nebline, October 2022

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

4-H Youth Thrive at Super Fair With Community Support

Apples by Nebraska Extension Staff and Interns

Recipes of the Month: Crunchy Apple Roll and Easy Apple Salad by Kayla Colgrove

Fall Watering Aids Tree & Shrub Health by Sarah Browning

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Maintaining Your Septic System by Becky Schuerman

A Wasp in Disguise: The Velvet Ant by Kait Chapman

4-H’ers Test Family and Consumer Science Skills at Life Challenge

4-H’ers Test Their Knowledge of Animals and Decision-Making Skills at PASE

4-H Announcements for 4-H'ers and Volunteers

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Capital City Horse and …

Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus): A Species Conservation Assessment For The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, Melissa J. Panella, Dan Fogell, Colleen Rothe-Groleau

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in the development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) as a Tier 1 at-risk species. Provided here are general management recommendations regarding timber rattlesnakes. Conservation practitioners will need to use their professional judgment for management decisions based on objectives, location, and site-specific conditions. Based on the body of literature and available data, this species conservation assessment provides an overview of our current knowledge of timber …

Glutathione And Glutaredoxin In Redox Regulation And Cell Signaling Of The Lens, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The ocular lens has a very high content of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and the enzymes that can recycle its oxidized form, glutathione disulfide (GSSG), for further use. It can be synthesized in the lens and, in part, transported from the neighboring anterior aqueous humor and posterior vitreous body. GSH is known to protect the thiols of the structural lens crystallin proteins from oxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) so the lens can maintain its transparency for proper visual function. Age-related lens opacity or senile cataract is the major visual impairment in the general population, and its cause is closely …

Herbicide Spray Drift From Ground And Aerial Applications: Implications For Potential Pollinator Foraging Sources, Thomas R. Butts, Bradley K. Fritz, K. Badou-Jeremie Kouame, Jason K. Norsworthy, L. Tom Barber, W. Jeremy Ross, Gus M. Lorenz, Benjamin C. Thrash, Nicholas R. Bateman, John J. Adamczyk

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

A field spray drift experiment using florpyrauxifen-benzyl was conducted to measure drift from commercial ground and aerial applications, evaluate soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] impacts, and compare to United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) drift models. Collected field data were consistent with US EPA model predictions. Generally, with both systems applying a Coarse spray in a 13-kph average wind speed, the aerial application had a 5.0- to 8.6-fold increase in drift compared to the ground application, and subsequently, a 1.7- to 3.6-fold increase in downwind soybean injury. Soybean reproductive structures were severely reduced following herbicide exposure, potentially negatively …

Filamentous Green Algae (Cladophora Glomerata) In Near Shore Lake Ontario: An Investigation Of Tissue And Water Nutrient Dynamics Through A Period Of Growth And Decomposition., James L. Wagner Jr

Biology Theses

Cladophora glomerata, a filamentous green alga abundant in the Laurentian Great Lakes, has long been considered a nuisance throughout the region. Previous phosphorus (P) abatement practices and legislation successfully reduced the abundance of the algae, but with the introduction of dreissenid mussels, a resurgence has been observed. Though there is substantial literature and modeling of the growth cycle of Cladophora, relatively little research has been dedicated to the decomposition stage of the algae, a period which may contribute to a substantial influx of nutrients to near-shore environmental regions. By first examining a period of in-situ growth within Lake …

Exposure To Violence As An Environmental Pathway Linking Low Socioeconomic Status With Altered Neural Processing Of Threat And Adolescent Psychopathology, David G. Weissman, Maya L. Rosen, Natalie L. Colich, Kelly A. Sambrook, Liliana J. Lengua, Margaret A. Sheridan, Katie A. Mclaughlin

Neuroscience: Faculty Publications

Low childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with increased risk for psychopathology, in part because of heightened exposure to environmental adversity. Adverse experiences can be characterized along dimensions, including threat and deprivation, that contribute to psychopathology via distinct mechanisms. The current study investigated a neural mechanism through which threat and deprivation may contribute to socioeconomic disparities in psychopathology. Participants were 177 youths (83 girls) aged 10–13 years recruited from a cohort followed since the age of 3 years. SES was assessed using the income-to-needs ratio at the age of 3 years. At the age of 10–13 years, retrospective and current …

Recreational Fishing For Western Rock Lobster: Estimates Of Participation, Effort And Catch In 2021/22, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Alissa C. Tate, Lucy J. Rudd

Fisheries Research Reports

The Western Rock Lobster (WRL) (Panulirus cygnus) is the most commonly caught Rock Lobster (RL) species in Western Australia. Catches from the commercial and recreational sectors are required to determine and monitor Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC), Total Allowable Recreational Catch (TARC) and proportion of Allowable Harvest Level (AHL) achieved. The TARC is set at 5% of the AHL and evaluated in the harvest strategy based on a 5-year average. Since 2018/19, data for the recreational sector have been collected using phone- recall surveys to provide estimates of participation, fishing effort and retained catch (by numbers) from recreational fishers who …

Cataloging And Engineering Temperate Coliphages Of The Human Urinary Microbiome, Elias Crum

Master's Theses

In the US, around 60% of females will be diagnosed with a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in their lifetime, and Escherichia coli is the most implicated etiological agent in UTIs. Despite its frequent association with lower urinary tract symptoms, recent studies have found that the urinary microbiome (UMB), the viral, bacterial, and fungal resident members of the urinary tract, of healthy females can also consist of E. coli. While most research has focused on the bacterial constituents of the UMB, bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are far more abundant. Bacteriophages (phages) of other human microbiomes have been shown to play …

Exploring The Role Of Lactobacillus Jensenii And Lactobacillus Mulieris In The Urogenital Tract, Adriana Daniela Ene

Master's Theses

Lactobacillus is a predominant species of the urogenital tract and it has been found in females with and without lower urinary tract symptoms. The Lactobacillus genus is thought to be beneficial to the host due to its capability to produce hydrogen peroxide, secondary metabolites, and lactic acid. L. jensenii is an organism frequently isolated from the urogenital tract. In March 2020, a new sister taxon of L. jensenii was described, L. mulieris. Shortly thereafter we produced a genomic analysis of all publicly available genomes (n = 43) which reclassified some L. jensenii as L. mulieris. This motivated the in-depth study …

Polyomavirus Jcpyv And Its Role In The Urinary Tract, Rita Lauren Mormando

Master's Theses

Polyomaviruses are the smallest closed-circular supercoiled double-stranded viruses found in the human microbiota. The polyomavirus JC (JCPyV) is most commonly found within the urinary tract, and prior studies estimate that 20-80% of older adults carry JCPyV. In very rare cases, JCPyV leaves the kidneys, causing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. However, the role of JCPyV within the urinary tract remains an open question. In a prior study conducted by our group, the bladder microbiota of females with and without overactive bladder symptoms (OAB) were sequenced. Interestingly, JCPyV was only detected in females with OAB; none of the control (“asymptomatic”) microbiota contained JCPyV. …

Phylogenetic Relationships Among Fishes In The Order Zeiformes Based On Molecular Data From Three Mitochondrial Loci, Lindsay Scarpitta

Master's Theses

The Zeiformes (dories) are mid-water or deep (to 1000 m) marine acanthomorph fishes with a global, circumtropical, and circumtemperate distribution. Some species have a near-worldwide distribution, while others appear to be regional endemics, e.g., near New Zealand. Six families, 16 genera, and 33 species are currently recognized as valid. Relationships among them, however, remain unsettled, especially in light of recent proposals concerning the phylogenetic placement of zeiforms within the Paracanthopterygii rather than allied with beryciforms or percomorphs. The present study uses mtDNA characters to investigate zeiform interrelationships given their revised phylogenetic placement and attendant changes to their close outgroups, carried …

The Impacts Of Framework Mutations On Steady-State Kinetics Of An Aldolase Abzyme, Charles Andrew Mettler

Master's Theses

During affinity maturation, antibodies acquire point mutations that lead to enhanced binding strength to a particular ligand while simultaneously becoming more conformationally restricted as they become increasingly complementary to their ligand’s electrostatic geometry. This property has catalytic potential in transition-state (TS) stabilization whereby kinetic barriers (i.e., the energetic gap between the substrate and its TS) are reduced and reaction rates are enhanced. This basic mechanism is thought to underlie the majority of the rate enhancement observed for enzymes. A key integration of antibody binding specificity and strength with enzymatic catalytic strategy is the development of catalytic antibodies (“abzymes”). Abzymes are …

Investigation Of Poultry Meat Consumption Habits In Turkish And World Cuisine, Busra Erilmez Ilter, Dilek Dulger Altiner

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

It is very important to include animal foods in the human diet. When the animal production data in the world is examined, it is seen that poultry meat farming is increasing every day. Poultry meat is the name given to poultry animals whose meat can be consumed, such as chicken, turkey, quail, goose, duck, partridge. Poultry meat is consumed by billions of people all over the world every year. Poultry meat consumption amounts vary according to growing conditions, consumer income level, local cuisine culture, differences in rural or urban lifestyles, consumption frequency and amount. Since poultry meats have strategic importance …

Characteristic Of Turkey Registered Geographical Indications (Gi) Of Food And Agricultural Products In Regions, Nihan Akdemir, Aykut Simsek

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Geographically Indications (GI) is as a niche market for countries, creates value-added and has a strong link with origin and cultural heritage. The aim of this study is to examine registered GI products that can be considered as gastronomically in Turkey in terms of regions and product groups determined by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. For this purpose, the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office Geographical Indications Portal (www.ci.turkpatent.gov.tr) was examined in depth, based on the descriptive scanning model. As a result of the examinations, it has been seen that Turkey has 825 registered GI of food and agricultural. It …

The Role Of Women In Migration And Urbanization-Culinary Culture Interaction, Gozde Yilmaz, Selda Uca, Emrah Ozkul

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The kitchen is one of the most important components reflecting the culture of a society. Individuals and communities have first fronted to getting know culinary cultures in order to adapt to new places of life due to migration. Women have been seen as an important factor in ensuring the interaction and continuity of culinary cultures. In this study, how can women have a role on culinary culture in the interaction of migration and urbanization- culinary culture based on the question of migration and culture in this context, it is aimed to evaluate the research conducted on culinary culture and women …

Local Food In The Menus: The Case Of Denizli, Sule Demirbas, Serkan Bertan

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Local cuisine is an important element in the destination selection of tourists. In this study, the place of local dishes in the menus of restaurant businesses was examined. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with hotel and restaurant business managers and chefs in Denizli. As a result of this study, it is seen that businesses partially include local dishes in their menus, and businesses take into account profitability, price, value and customers' taste while determining their menus. It has been determined that customers prefer familiar dishes more, they tend to other dishes instead of local dishes due to the fast à la …

Determination Of Tourists’ Raw Food Perceptions, Duran Cankul, Aleyna Kol

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

In this study, it is aimed to determine the perceptions of domestic tourists towards Raw food diet, which is one of the trends that emerge in line with the preferences of conscious consumers in the science of gastronomy. For this purpose, the phenomenological research type, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The participants of the research are domestic tourists. In the research, the data were collected through a semi-structured interview form with 12 tourists determined by the purposeful sampling method. In order to analyze the data obtained in the research in the best …

Creating Sustainable Biofuels Using Essential Oil Distillery Leaf Waste Near Vohimana Reserve, Ashley Cohen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Like most of Madagasacar’s population, people around Vohimana Reserve rely on traditional fuels like firewood and charcoal for cooking and heating. As a result, the region is facing deforestation, which poses a threat to biodiversity and the livelihoods of local populations. A local essential oil distillery was created by the NGO L’Homme et L’Environnement as a sustainable income generator to combat deforestation and protect biodiversity. The distillery produces leaf biomass that can be mixed with binding agent(s) and transformed into biofuel as a sustainable alternative to traditional fuels. 14 biofuels were created by combining distillery leaf biomass and various percent …

[Tilapia (Oreochromis)] Neurocranium, Kaylee J. Czachorowski, Mackenzie S. Magyar, Haley Minne, David William Kerstetter

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

Neurocranium [Oreochromis] by Kaylee Czachorowski, Haley Minne, Mackenzie Magyar

The Relationship Between Performance, Body Composition, And Processing Yield In Broilers: A Systematic Review And Meta-Regression, Diego A. Martinez, Jordan T. Weil, Nawin Suesuttajit, Cole Alan Umberson, Abdullah Scott, Craig N. Coon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study aims to model the relationship among performance, whole body composition, and processing yield through meta-regression. Scientific papers found in Scopus and Google Scholar were included if they reported results and variability values of an actual experiment in the three mentioned groups of variables using a single broiler genetic line. Weighted mean effect sizes were determined with a random model, the risk of bias was determined, and heterogeneity was considered an indicator of usefulness. Meta-regressions considered the effect sizes of the response variable and the percent change in one or more variables as predictors. A 78-row database was built …

Interaction Between The Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal And Thyroid Axes During Immobilization Stress, Hakeem J. Kadhim, Wayne J. Kuenzel

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The location of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRH-R2) on thyrotropes within the avian anterior pituitary (APit) and its activation by different stressors indicate a possible communication between hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and thyroid (HPT) axes. Therefore, an experiment was designed to 1) compare the timing of major components of the HPT axis to those of the HPA axis; 2) address whether stressors activating the HPA axis may simultaneously upregulate components of the HPT axis. Blood, brain, and APit were sampled from chicks prior to stress (control) and 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min following immobilization (IM) stress. The nucleus of the …

Coastal Stormwater Pond Pollutants And The Potential For Development Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Vibrio And Enterococcus Bacteria, Cassandra L. Horton

Theses and Dissertations

The Southeastern coastal plain is the most rapidly urbanizing region in the United States. Associated landscape changes which increase imperviousness lead to hydrological cycle alterations, increasing runoff of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Urban and agricultural NPS runoff is generally discharged into stormwater ponds, which sequester chemical contaminants, nutrients, and microbes to reduce loading into coastal ecosystems. Studies of these ponds have indicated elevated levels of trace metals, antimicrobial compounds, and bacterial contamination (SCSGC 2018).

Interactions of aquatic pathogens Vibrio vulnificus and Enterococcus faecium with trace metals (arsenic, copper, zinc) and clinically relevant antimicrobials (triclosan, ciprofloxacin, oxytetracycline) commonly found in coastal …

Uncovering The Diverse Roles Of The Human Cst (Ctc1-Stn1-Ten1) Complex In Resolving Genomic Stress, Percy Logan Schuck

Theses and Dissertations

The CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) complex is a heterotrimeric single-stranded DNA binding protein known to stimulate polymerase α-primase (Pol α) and promote telomere length regulation, genome-wide DNA replication and double strand break repair. However, much of its cellular function remains unknown. The focus of my dissertation work was to uncover novel roles of CST in DNA stress response pathways. In particular, my work relates to understanding the function of CST in sister chromatid cohesion (SCC) and base excision repair (BER) as well as characterizing CST protein interactions. SCC is established following DNA replication by loading of the cohesion complex, which encircles replicated …