Life Sciences Commons^™

Seroprevalence Of Sars-Cov-2 Antibodies, The Gut Microbiome, And Peripherally Circulating Cytokines In Pregnant Hispanic Females, Tina Susanna Mutka

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pregnant Hispanic females have been disproportionately impacted by SARS-CoV-2 andhave experienced high rates of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, unrecognized infection. Acute SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with gut microbiome changes and altered peripherally circulating cytokine levels in symptomatic, non-pregnant individuals.

This study investigated the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in a sample of pregnant Hispanic females (n = 197). A sub-sample of SARS-CoV-2 seropositive and seronegative pregnant Hispanic females were followed across pregnancy and their bacterial gut microbiome was characterized, and cytokine levels measured to investigate relationships between SARS-CoV-2 serostatus, the gut microbiome, and peripherally circulating cytokine levels across pregnancy. …

Reflections On Beam Configuration Optimization For Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy, Wenhua Cao, Humberto Rocha, Radhe Mohan, Gino Lim, Hadis M Goudarzi, Joana M Dias

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Presumably, intensity-modulated proton radiotherapy (IMPT) is the most powerful form of proton radiotherapy. In the current state of the art, IMPT beam configurations (i.e. the number of beams and their directions) are, in general, chosen subjectively based on prior experience and practicality. Beam configuration optimization (BCO) for IMPT could, in theory, significantly enhance IMPT's therapeutic potential. However, BCO is complex and highly computer resource-intensive. Some algorithms for BCO have been developed for intensity-modulated photon therapy (IMRT). They are rarely used clinically mainly because the large number of beams typically employed in IMRT renders BCO essentially unnecessary. Moreover, in the newer …

Ten Steps To Organize A Virtual Scientific Symposium And Engage Your Global Audience, Jiye Son, Jasmine Sabio, Ankit Jain, Rein V. Ulijn

Publications and Research

The paper describes guidelines for the planning, organization, and successful execution of virtual, global scientific conferences for global audiences. The guidelines are based on experience and lessons learned during the organization of the 3-day 2020 Virtual Systems Chemistry Symposium hosted on Zoom webinar and Twitter, held on May 2020 with over 1000 registered participants from 46 different countries.

The Ddt-Induced Decline Influenced Genetic Diversity In Naturally Recovered Peregrine Falcons (Falco Peregrinus) Nesting Within The Alaska Arctic And Eastern Interior, Sarah A. Sonsthagen,, Ted Swem, Skip Ambrose, Melanie J. Flamme, Clayton M. White, George K. Sage, Sandra L. Talbot

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

We assessed the influence of the severe mid-20th century population decline on genetic diversity in nonaugmented Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus populations nesting within the Alaska Arctic and eastern Interior. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data were analysed for Peregrine Falcons sampled from three periods: pre-decline, decline and post-decline. The influence of the decline on genetic diversity differed between the two locales. The Alaska Arctic was characterized by shifts in mtDNA haplotype frequencies, increased inbreeding coefficient, reduction in effective population size and increase in private haplotypes, and a signature of post-decline population growth was detected; by contrast, the eastern Interior showed …

Role Of Lipid-Lowering Therapy In Peripheral Artery Disease, Agastya Deepak Belur, Aangi J. Shah, Salim S. Virani, Mounica Vorla, Dinesh K. Kalra

Office of the Provost

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial, lipoprotein-driven condition that leads to plaque formation within the arterial tree, leading to subsequent arterial stenosis and thrombosis that accounts for a large burden of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality globally. Atherosclerosis of the lower extremities is called peripheral artery disease and is a major cause of loss in mobility, amputation, and critical limb ischemia. Peripheral artery disease is a common condition with a gamut of clinical manifestations that affects an estimated 10 million people in the United States of America and 200 million people worldwide. The role of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins, such as LDL and remnant …

Optimizing Process-Based Models To Predict Current And Future Soil Organic Carbon Stocks At High-Resolution, Marie-Anne De Graaff, Ryan Will

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

From hillslope to small catchment scales (< 50 km²), soil carbon management and mitigation policies rely on estimates and projections of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Here we apply a process-based modeling approach that parameterizes the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) model with SOC measurements and remotely sensed environmental data from the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in SW Idaho, USA. Calibrating model parameters reduced error between simulated and observed SOC stocks by 25%, relative to the initial parameter estimates and better captured local gradients in climate and productivity. The calibrated parameter ensemble was used to produce spatially continuous, high-resolution (10 m …

Associations Of Dietary Antioxidants With Glycated Hemoglobin And Insulin Sensitivity In Adults With And Without Type 1 Diabetes, Arpita Basu, Amy C. Alman, Janet K. Snell-Bergeon

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) has been associated with increased risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and poor glycemic control and oxidative stress play a major role in its pathology. There is a lack of data on the role of dietary antioxidant micronutrients, including vitamins and trace elements, in glycemic control in T1D. The aim of this study is to examine associations of dietary intakes of micronutrients with glycemic status. We report data from a cross-sectional analysis from the coronary artery calcification in type 1 diabetes (CACTI) study (n = 1257; T1D: n = 568; nondiabetic controls: n = 689) collected between …

Occult Polyclonality Of Preclinical Pancreatic Cancer Models Drives In Vitro Evolution, Maria E Monberg, Heather Geiger, Jaewon J Lee, Roshan Sharma, Alexander Semaan, Justin Wong, Shaoheng Liang, Daniel B Swartzlander, Bret M Stephens, Matthew H G Katz, Ken Chen, Nicolas Robine, Paola A Guerrero, Anirban Maitra

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Heterogeneity is a hallmark of cancer. The advent of single-cell technologies has helped uncover heterogeneity in a high-throughput manner in different cancers across varied contexts. Here we apply single-cell sequencing technologies to reveal inherent heterogeneity in assumptively monoclonal pancreatic cancer (PDAC) cell lines and patient-derived organoids (PDOs). Our findings reveal a high degree of both genomic and transcriptomic polyclonality in monolayer PDAC cell lines, custodial variation induced by growing apparently identical cell lines in different laboratories, and transcriptomic shifts in transitioning from 2D to 3D spheroid growth models. Our findings also call into question the validity of widely available immortalized, …

Scorpions Of China: An Updated Checklist With Comments On Some Taxonomic Issues (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Victoria Tang

Euscorpius

An updated checklist of scorpions of China (52 species belonging to 13 genera and six families) is provided, with Chinese name equivalents and an illustrated map of all localities. Colored photos of the Chinese population of Mesobuthus thersites (C. L. Koch, 1839) and one Olivierus sp. in vivo habitus are provided for the first time. The recent taxonomic changes are summarized. The monotypic genus Tibetiomachus (Hormuridae) with its single species T. himalayensis is considered a nomen dubium. The validity of the previously synonymized Scorpiops atomatus Qi et al., 2005 and S. validus (Di et al., 2010) (Scorpiopidae) is questioned, …

Plcg2m28l Interacts With High Fat/High Sugar Diet To Accelerate Alzheimer's Disease-Relevant Phenotypes In Mice., Adrian L Oblak, Kevin P Kotredes, Ravi S Pandey, Alaina M Reagan, Cynthia Ingraham, Bridget Perkins, Christopher Lloyd, Deborah Baker, Peter B Lin, Disha M Soni, Andy P Tsai, Scott A Persohn, Amanda A Bedwell, Kierra Eldridge, Rachael Speedy, Jill A Meyer, Johnathan S Peters, Lucas L Figueiredo, Michael Sasner, Paul R Territo, Stacey J Sukoff Rizzo, Gregory W. Carter, Bruce T Lamb, Gareth R Howell

Faculty Research 2022

Obesity is recognized as a significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies have supported the notion that obesity accelerates AD-related pathophysiology in mouse models of AD. The majority of studies, to date, have focused on the use of early-onset AD models. Here, we evaluate the impact of genetic risk factors on late-onset AD (LOAD) in mice fed with a high fat/high sugar diet (HFD). We focused on three mouse models created through the IU/JAX/PITT MODEL-AD Center. These included a combined risk model with

Variation On A Theme: The Structures And Biosynthesis Of Specialized Fatty Acid Natural Products In Plants, Samuel Scott, Edgar B. Cahoon, Lucas Busta

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Plants are able to construct lineage-specific natural products from a wide array of their core metabolic pathways. Considerable progress has been made toward documenting and understanding, for example, phenylpropanoid natural products derived from phosphoenolpyruvate via the shikimate pathway, terpenoid compounds built using isopentyl pyrophosphate, and alkaloids generated by the extensive modification of amino acids. By comparison, natural products derived from fatty acids have received little attention, except for unusual fatty acids in seed oils and jasmonate-like oxylipins. However, scattered but numerous reports show that plants are able to generate many structurally diverse compounds from fatty acids, including some with highly …

Advances In Antifungal Development: Discovery Of New Drugs And Drug Repurposing, Jong H. Kim, Luisa W. Cheng, Kirkwood M. Land

Pacific Faculty Work

No abstract provided.

New Species, New Synonymies, A New Rank, And New Records In Desmiphorini, Saperdini, And Hemilophini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), Antonio Santos-Silva, Robert A. Androw

Insecta Mundi

New information is presented for Neotropical Cerambycidae (Coleoptera). Dolichestola vittipennis Breuning, 1948 is synonymized with D. annulicornis Breuning, 1942, and the species is newly recorded from the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Dolichestola densepunctata Breuning, 1942 is newly recorded from Venezuela and Brazil, and the difference between it and D. annulicornis is reported. Mecas skillmani Santos-Silva and Androw, new species, is described from Mexico (Jalisco). Pannychella callicera (Bates, 1881) is illustrated, and notes on the genus and species are provided. Pannychis Thomson, 1864 is considered a genus different from Mecas LeConte, 1852, and notes on the genus …

A New Species Of Epeolus Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) From Western North America, Thomas M. Onuferko, Cory S. Sheffield

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Epeolus Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)—E. emiliae Onuferko and Shef­field, new species—is described from North America west of the Great Plains. It is morphologically most similar to Epeolus autumnalis Robertson, 1902, a species known exclusively from east of the Rocky Moun­tains. DNA barcode sequences from representatives of E. autumnalis and E. emiliae share a barcode index number (i.e., BIN: BOLD:AAF2361), but the two species exhibit marked and consistent differences in integu­ment coloration and the patterns of pubescence on the metasoma, and their distributional ranges, based on known specimens, show no overlap. This discovery increases …

Three New Species Of Cautethia Grote (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) From The Lucayan Archipelago And Keys To West Indies Species, Jacqueline Y. Miller, Deborah L. Matthews, Riley J. Gott

Insecta Mundi

. Five species of Cautethia Grote (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) occur in the Lucayan (Bahamas) Archipelago, three of which are new to science. Cautethia simoni Miller, Matthews, and Gott, new species, is described and illustrated from Mayaguana Island, Bahamas, and Providenciales and Grand Turk of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Cautethia gossi Miller, Matthews, and Gott, new species, is described and illustrated from Great Inagua, Bahamas. Cautethia geraceorum Miller, Matthews, and Gott, new species, is described from San Salvador Island. Diagnoses are provided and new island records are reported for the two previously described Bahamas species, Cautethia grotei Edwards …

Enhanced Force Field Analysis (E-Ffa) Templates, Alisha Redelfs, Leah D. Whigham

Faculty Publications

Evaluation is an essential component of public health practice to understand the reach and impact of a program or the functioning of a system. We propose that Enhanced Force Field Analysis (E-FFA), incorporating strategic planning (force field analysis), participatory approaches, and elements of Appreciative Inquiry, is a powerful and versatile tool for evaluators, program developers, and community organizations to optimize programs, understand systems, or assess innovations. E-FFA can work with large or small groups and is flexible enough to work in many contexts.

These E-FFA printable templates include a facilitator's guide, a participant handout (2 per sheet), and scorecards (8 …

Comparing Brood Care Behaviors Across Five Fertility Castes In The Invasive Fire Ant,Solenopsis Invicta,And The Expression Of Inotocin, Alexis Masnjak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is one of the most successful of the invasive eusocial invertebrates. The fire ant’s prolific reproductive capacity and its division of labor among five fertility castes are key factors to its successful invasion and global colonization across all continents except Antarctica. Although the rate of self-care and brood care by sterile S. invicta workers is well known, little is known about the rate of self-care and brood care by the other four fertility castes. In this study, I quantified the frequency and duration of behaviors by alate males, alate queens, newly mated queens, older mature …

The Molecular Mechanism Of Load Adaptation By Branched Actin Networks, Tai-De Li, Peter Bieling, Julian Weichsel, R Dyche Mullins, Daniel A. Fletcher

Advanced Science Research Center

Branched actin networks are self-assembling molecular motors that move biological membranes and drive many important cellular processes, including phagocytosis, endocytosis, and pseudopod protrusion. When confronted with opposing forces, the growth rate of these networks slows and their density increases, but the stoichiometry of key components does not change. The molecular mechanisms governing this force response are not well understood, so we used single-molecule imaging and AFM cantilever deflection to measure how applied forces affect each step in branched actin network assembly. Although load forces are observed to increase the density of growing filaments, we find that they actually decrease the …

Student Self-Grading Form, Brett Whysel

Open Educational Resources

This is a word document that students use at the beginning, midpoint, and end of a semester to set relevant goals, measure progress towards goals, and self-grade. It is intended to build motivation, metacognition, and accountability. Instructors may use it on its own or to supplement other assessment tools, and improve the accuracy, validity, and fairness of final grades.

Bioelectrical Impedance Changes Of The Trunk Are Opposite The Limbs Following Acute Hydration Change, Dale R. Wagner

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

This study aimed to evaluate the changes in impedance and estimates of body composition variables obtained from segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (SMFBIA) following acute hydration change. All participants (N = 11 active adults) had SMFBIA measurements at baseline (euhydration), post-dehydration, and post-hyperhydration in an experimental repeated-measures design. Dehydration and hyperhydration trials were randomized with the opposite treatment given 24 h later. Dehydration was achieved via a heat chamber of 40 °C and 60% relative humidity. Hyperhydration was achieved by drinking lightly-salted water (30 mmol·L^-1 NaCl; 1.76 g NaCl·L^-1) within 30 min. Post-measurements were taken 30 min …

A New Species Of Neostenoptera Meunier (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae) From Hawai‘I, John D. Plakidas, Nhu H. Nguyen, Michael L. Ferro

Insecta Mundi

A new paedogenetic midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae: Heteropezini) from O‘ahu Island, Hawai‘i, Neostenoptera hawaiiensis Plakidas, Nguyen, and Ferro, new species, is described and illus­trated. A key to all species in the genus is provided. Specimens were emergent from deadwood gathered at Waimea Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Neostenoptera appalachiensis Plakidas and Ferro were collected from the same set of samples in Hawai‘i, and additional specimens are reported from Georgia and South Carolina, three new state records. The discovery of two paedogenetic midges in Hawai‘i poses a unique set of questions as to their possible mode of arrival on an …

Tomoxia Bucephala A. Costa (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), A Palearctic Tumbling Flower Beetle Established In North America, R. F. C. Naczi, Robert A. Androw, John Rosenfeld

Insecta Mundi

Tomoxia bucephala A. Costa (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), a Palearctic tumbling flower beetle native to Europe, Asia, and northernmost Africa, is now known from North America. The first known occurrences were in 2015 in Essex and Union counties, New Jersey, U.S.A. and in 2019 in Passaic County, New Jersey, all in the New York City metropolitan area. An additional collection documents the species in 2016 from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The multiple occurrences, the large distance between those in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and multiple detections in natural areas indicate T. bucephala is established in North America and …

Positive Rate-Dependent Action Potential Prolongation By Modulating Potassium Ion Channels, Candido Cabo

Publications and Research

Pharmacological agents that prolong action potential duration (APD) to a larger extent at slow rates than at the fast excitation rates typical of ventricular tachycardia exhibit reverse rate dependence. Reverse rate dependence has been linked to the lack of efficacy of class III agents at preventing arrhythmias because the doses required to have an anti-arrhythmic effect at fast rates may have pro-arrhythmic effects at slow rates due to an excessive APD prolongation. In this report we show that, in computer models of the ventricular action potential, APD prolongation by accelerating phase 2 repolarization (by increasing I_Ks) and decelerating …

Effects Of Self-Myofascial Release Instruments On Performance And Recovery: An Umbrella Review, Ricardo M. Ferreira, Pedro N. Martins, Rui S. Gonçalves

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(3): 861-883, 2022. Introduction: Currently, the use of self-myofascial release (SMR) instruments is not uncommon in our society, especially in sports. The most common SMR instruments are foam rollers, roller massagers, and balls. Regardless of the instrument used, the main objectives are to enhance performance and recovery. Nevertheless, many studies point out that there is still a lack of robust scientific evidence documenting the exact mechanisms that explain its true effects, therefore some authors affirm that the reported benefits are anecdotal in nature. Objective: This overview aims to summarize, from systematic reviews, the effectiveness of …

The Effects Of Acute Caffeine Supplementation On Repeated-Sprint Ability In Healthy Young Non-Athletes, Michael D. Belbis, Peter J. Chomentowski 3rd, Clayton L. Camic, Steve M. Howell, Shuqi Zhang

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(2): 846-860, 2022. The ergogenic effects of caffeine supplementation on repeated-sprint ability (RSA) have produced equivocal results. This study aimed to examine the effects of 200 mg of caffeine during repeated-sprint running on heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), blood lactate (BLa) concentration, and sprint time (ST). Thirty-two individuals (males: n = 17, females: n = 15; age: 22 ± 1 years) participated in the study. The study followed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design, in which each participant ingested 200 mg of caffeine or placebo on separate visits 60 minutes prior to …

Micro-Clustering: Bringing Innovation To Agritourism, Robin Back

Rosen Research Review

What’s better than simply drinking wine in a vineyard? Maybe a beautiful destination where the whole family can enjoy a day together, tasting wine, enjoying a variety of activities, and watching the kids play. Dr. Robin Back at the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management and his collaborators have examined a case example that presents a new business model for wine tourism—micro-clustering with diverse forms of ownership on two adjacent wine farms. The team reveals how a single South African agribusiness achieved success, and raises the possibility of other similar businesses doing the same.

Effects Of Forest Restoration On The Recovery Of Dead Wood, Associated Arthropods, And Insect-Mediated Wood Decomposition, Estefania Fernandez Barrancos

Dissertations

Dead wood represents 8% of terrestrial carbon stocks and is an important source of habitat and food for decomposer and non-decomposer arthropods. However, anthropogenic disturbance reduces the amount of dead wood, putting at risk the presence of a habitat that is essential for many arthropods and other organisms that rely on it for food and shelter. Forest restoration aims to assist the recovery of ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed and could be a means to recover both dead wood and its associated arthropod communities. This doctoral dissertation lies at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity loss and ecological …

Cdc20 Regulates Sensitivity To Chemotherapy And Radiation In Glioblastoma Stem Cells., Diane D Mao, Ryan T Cleary, Amit D Gujar, Tatenda Mahlokozera, Albert H Kim

Faculty Research 2022

Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) are an important subpopulation in glioblastoma, implicated in tumor growth, tumor recurrence, and radiation resistance. Understanding the cellular mechanisms for chemo- and radiation resistance could lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies. Here, we demonstrate that CDC20 promotes resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. CDC20 knockdown does not increase TMZ- and radiation-induced DNA damage, or alter DNA damage repair, but rather promotes cell death through accumulation of the pro-apoptotic protein, Bim. Our results identify a CDC20 signaling pathway that regulates chemo- and radiosensitivity in GSCs, with the potential for CDC20-targeted therapeutic strategies in the treatment …

Nitrogen Fixation Rates In Forested Mountain Streams: Are Sediment Microbes More Important Than Previously Thought?, Erica A. H. Bakker, Carmella Vizza, Clay Arango, Sarah S. Roley

Biology Faculty Scholarship

1. Biological nitrogen (N) fixation, the microbial conversion of N₂ gas to ammonia, makes N available to food webs. Low-N streams often have a high relative abundance of N-fixing taxa, suggesting that N fixation is an important N source in these systems. Despite this potential, stream N fixation has not been well-characterised, particularly compared to lakes and marine environments. One unknown is the relative contributions of various N-fixing organisms, particularly heterotrophic microbes.
2. In low-N streams in the Cascade Mountains (Washington, USA), three groups of N-fixers predominate: cyanobacteria (Nostoc paramelioides) colonies that house a midge symbiont (Cricotopus spp.), …

Metaphylactic Antimicrobial Effects On Occurrences Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Salmonella Enterica, Escherichia Coli And Enterococcus Spp. Measured Longitudinally From Feedlot Arrival To Harvest In High-Risk Beef Cattle, Nathan S. Long, James E. Wells, Elaine D. Berry, Jerrad F. Legako, Dale R. Woerner, Guy H. Loneragan, Paul R. Broadway, Jeff A. Carroll, Nicole C. Burdick Sanchez, Samodha C. Fernando, Carley M. Bacon, Cory L. Helmuth, Taylor M. Smock, Jeff L. Manahan, Ashley A. Hoffman, Kristin E. Hales

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Aims: Our objective was to determine how injectable antimicrobials affected populations of Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. in feedlot cattle.

Methods and Results: Two arrival date blocks of high-risk crossbred beef cattle (n = 249; mean BW = 244 kg) were randomly assigned one of four antimicrobial treatments administered on day 0: sterile saline control (CON), tulathromycin (TUL), ceftiofur (CEF) or florfenicol (FLR). Faecal samples were collected on days 0, 28, 56, 112, 182 and study end (day 252 for block 1 and day 242 for block 2). Hide swabs and subiliac …