Life Sciences Commons^™

Macroptilium Bracteatum - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Burgundy bean (Macroptilium bracteatum). Burgundy bean is a sub-tropical, short-lived perennial legume adapted to fertile, clay soils.

Prunus Persica - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Peach (Prunus persica). The peach is a deciduous tree native to northwest China, where it was first domesticated and cultivated. Western Australia's stone fruit production of nectarines, peaches, plums and apricots is from the Perth Hills, Southwest and Gingin regions. The potential to grow low-chill stonefruit in the inland Pilbara is being evaluated.

Stylosanthes Scabra - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Shrubby stylo (Stylosanthes scabra). Shrubby stylo (Stylosanthes scabra) is a shrubby, perennial legume, erect to suberect, with strong, woody stems, usually densely hairy and viscid, making them sticky under hot, dry conditions. It is a widespread and variable species, originating from South America and the Caribbean (Sousa Costa and Ferreira 1984) with two ecotypes identified …

Vicia Sativa - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Vetch, common vetch (Vicia sativa). Common vetch is a sprawling, climbing annual legume which has been grown in the Middle east and Europe since ancient times. It is a versatile legume for pasture, green manure, hay/silage and grain. Two subspecies are recognized: narrow-leaved vetch (Vicia sativa subsp. nigra) and common vetch (Vicia sativa subsp. sativa). …

Cross Species Use Of Human Microarray Genotyping Technology For Bornean Orangutan (Pongo Pygmaeus) Snp Discovery, Ruth Ella Linsky, R. Steven Wagner, Reniastoetie Djojoasmoro, Joseph G. Lorenz, Biruté M. F. Galdikas

Student Published Works

Previous genetic studies of orangutans (Pongo spp.) have relied mainly upon mitochondrial DNA or microsatellite short tandem repeats (STR) for genomic genotyping analysis. Scientists have yet to take advantage of the genetic closeness of the great apes to humans for genomic analysis by using advanced techniques available for human genotyping. To genotype orangutans at Tanjung Puting National Park, we developed a novel combination of a methyl-based magnetic enrichment capture of genomic fecal DNA with genotyping on a human targeted single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray, and compared this to additional microsatellite (STR) micro-capillary genotyping. We successfully isolated 125 known human genomic …

Effect Of Nest Box Temperature Mitigation Treatments On Nest Success And Nestling Condition In A Southeastern Population Of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis), Christopher G. Horacek, Katie Stumpf, Wayne Powell

Graduate Research Showcase

Understanding behavioral responses of wildlife to climate change will be important as global temperatures continue to rise. Effects of rising temperatures may impact many species, including those that breed in seemingly protected nests, such as cavity nesting birds. Variations in nest cavity microclimate during the early development of secondary cavity nesting passerines may affect the growth of offspring and impact nesting success and survival. We examined the effect of two heat mitigation treatments (white exterior, n=11, and an internal foil heat shield, n=16) and nest box opening orientation (north, south, east, west) on internal nest box temperatures and the effect …

Human Otop1 Proton Channel Can Function As A Monomer, Gabriella Abigail Ulloa

Theses and Dissertations

Otopetrins (OTOP) represent a new family of eukaryotic proton channels that do not share structural similarities with other renowned ion channels. Otop1 was initially known for its involvement in vestibular function and its significance for otoconia formation before it was established as a bona fide sour taste receptor. The cryo-EM structures for several Otop channels have been determined and demonstrated Otop1 as a homodimer comprised of two subunits. Each subunit constitutes twelve transmembrane helices that can be further partitioned into two structurally similar six transmembrane domains designated as the N and C domains. Molecular dynamic simulations have also previously shown …

Retinal Detachment: What Are The Types And Potential Causes?, Mera Skoblo

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Retinal detachment is one of the few ocular emergencies. Depending on the extensiveness of the detachment, and whether it is macula on or macula off, will affect the patient’s visual acuity after treatment. Therefore, it is vital that after experiencing any common retinal detachment symptoms, the patient sees an ophthalmologist immediately. High-risk factors for retinal detachment include aging, ocular trauma, high myopia, and prior eye surgery. Statistically, the cause of a given retinal detachment often determines the specific type of detachment that occurs. There are three forms of retinal detachment, categorized separately based on their anatomical characteristics.

Gene Therapy For Cancer Treatment, Nechama Grossman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Cancer is a genetic disease in which cells grow uncontrollably and can spread throughout the body. Cancer cells have distinguishing traits which facilitate their unlimited growth; these traits can be used in the development of gene therapy cancer treatment, which includes: CRISPR, a gene-editing tool that can precisely modify human DNA; Kymriah, which induces T cells to kill cancer cells; Gendicine and zinc metallochaperones, which utilize p53, a protein vital for the destruction of cancer cells. Scientists continue to improve gene therapy treatments, making them available to more patients and decreasing the toxicity of treatments.

Secrets Behind The Science Of Symmetry: Evolution And Symmetry, Yeongseo Ko

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Physical Therapy In The Treatment And Prevention Of Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions In Women, Tova Feigenbaum

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Pelvic floor dysfunctions are a widespread health issue that significantly disrupts the quality of life of those afflicted. This paper aims to present the research that proves how physical therapy, specifically pelvic floor muscle training, is an effective way to treat and prevent pelvic floor dysfunctions in women. Extensive research was done on the topic by exploring numerous scholarly databases and analyzing relevant articles on experimental trials, studies, and their results. After gaining an understanding of pelvic floor dysfunctions, studying the methodology of pelvic floor physical therapy, and examining numerous successful clinical trials, it has been determined that physical therapy …

The Impact Of Muscular Strength On Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors, Joel E. Harden, Leryn J. Reynolds, Patrick B. Wilson, Gena R. Gerstner

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters

The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between isokinetic leg muscular strength and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor characterizations in Americans aged 50 and older. Using a publicly available dataset from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a secondary analysis was conducted on participants (males ≥50 yrs; females ≥55 yrs; N=10,858) pooled from 1999 to 2002. CVD risk factors were determined using the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) cutoff values. CVD risk factor characterization was determined by creating CVD risk factor profiles (i.e., the total number of CVD risk factors an individual possesses), then …

Recombinant Ahpc Antigen From Mycobacterium Bovis Boosts Bcg-Primed Immunity In Mice, Özgün Firat Düzenli̇, Sezer Okay, İnci̇ Kazkayasi Bölük, Ayşe Fi̇li̇z Öner

Turkish Journal of Biology

Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the most common infectious diseases around the world despite the widespread use of BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) strain of Mycobacterium bovis as a vaccine. This vaccine does not always protect people from TB, and, thus, new effective vaccines or vaccination strategies are being investigated. In this study, alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (AhpC) from M. bovis was evaluated as a new candidate vaccine antigen against TB in BALB/c mice model. The ahpC gene was amplified from M.bovis genome, cloned, and expressed in Escherichia coli. Vaccine antigen AhpC was formulated with Montanide ISA 61 VG, an oil-based emulsion …

Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Animal Protein For Human Consumption., Homero Salinas

Title III Professional Development Reports

Livestock is a key to nutrition and food security. Livestock is key to livelihoods, and it is calculated that there are 400 million poor animal keepers.

There are two indicators of gas emissions. One is the GDP in $US per ton of CO2e, and the other is the gobs created per ton of CO2e. For this presentation, the comparison of interest is agriculture vs. other productive activities. So, at the broad word level, around 300% more GDP is produced from other goods than from agricultural goods per ton of CO2e. Even in high-income countries, there is 700% more GDP/CO2e than …

Directed Evolution Studies On A Firefly Luciferase Variant To Improve Signal Intensity For In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging, Allison Racela

Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Honors Papers

In previous research, bioluminescence proteins have been used for in vivo bioluminescence deep tissue imaging. A familiar organism that produces bioluminescent light, is a firefly. Firefly luciferase normally produces yellow-green light (λmax ~ 560 nm) with LH2. There are several reasons for improving bioluminescent light to emit in the near-infrared window (nIR) between 650 nm and 900 nm. The main reasons for improving nIR detectability include that the light transmits more efficiently through mammalian tissues due to less light scattering, nIR light is also less likely to be absorbed by hemoglobin, and water. Overall this provides better resolution for deep …

Characterization Of The Northern Star Coral, (Astrangia Poculata) Behavioral And Physiological Response To Microplastics, Alice Ball

Biology Honors Papers

Preliminary studies have shown that corals ingest microplastics mistaken as food or co-ingested as food, and that ingestion can have effects on physiology. Coral plastic feeding preferences and egestion times are still not well understood. In a series of experiments, I investigated how exposure to microplastics impacts Astrangia poculata, the Northern Star coral, behavior in response to microplastics (feeding and egestion), and whether microplastic exposure and ingestion has any physiology effects. In the first behavioral experiment, I exposed corals to either brine shrimp eggs, or 500 μm polyethylene spheres, and did not find a significant difference in feeding rates. In …

Investigating Distractor-Induced Effects In Visual Search Utilizing Eye-Tracking, Anjum Shaikh

Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Papers

The present study provides an insightful look into the effects of distractors using behavioral and eye-tracking measures. In this study, two eye-tracking experiments utilizing a feature search task were conducted to investigate the distractor-induced early quitting effect with a target prevalence of 50% rather than the 100% target prevalence typical of attentional capture studies. In Experiment 1, two independent variables of target (present/absent) and distractor (target/present) were examined with behavioral measures (accuracy and response time) as well as eye-tracking methods (total fixations, total fixation durations, and total distractor saccade percentages). Distractors were categorized as salient due to their red color, …

Uv Exposure Causes Energy Trade-Offs Leading To Increased Chytrid Fungus Susceptibility In Green Tree Frog Larvae, Rebecca L. Cramp, Michel E. B. Ohmer, Craig E. Franklin

Faculty and Student Publications

Levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation have increased in many parts of the world due to the anthropogenic destruction of the ozone layer. UV radiation is a potent immunosuppressant and can increase the susceptibility of animal hosts to pathogens. UV radiation can directly alter immune function via immunosuppression and photoimmunotolerance; however, UV may also influence pathogen defences by affecting the distribution of energy resources among competing physiological processes. Both defence against UV damage and repair of incurred damage, as well as the maintenance of immune defences and responding to an immune challenge, are energetically expensive. These competing demands for finite energy …

Avena Sativa - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Avena sativa. Oats are a widely sown temperate cereal crop grown across the cereal growing areas of southern Australia and in temperate environments around the world. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin and Asia (Hussey et al. 2007) with the crop varieties most likely originating from wild types in the Middle East. Milled (rolled) …

Golimumab, Inderbir S. Padda, Rajat Bhatt, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.

How Timing And Authority In Peer Review Impact Stem Students: A Comparative Assessment Of Writing And Critical Thinking In Kinesiology Courses, Joseph Zeccardi, Chi An Emhoff, Claire Williams, Robin Dunn, Additional Author(S)

Interdisciplinary Works

No abstract provided.

Design And In Vitro, In Vivo Evaluation Of Antioxidant Bioadhesive Gelsfor Burn Treatment, Göksel Gökçe, Si̇nem Yaprak Karavana, Hüsnü Alper Bağriyanik, Çeti̇n Pekçeti̇n, Evren Alğin Yapar, Gülşen Aybar Tural, Evren Homan Gökçe

Turkish Journal of Biology

Burn wounds are frequently encountered health problems, which need a new treatment approach especially in terms of good patient compliance. Availability of use of antioxidant agents and bio-adhesive gels in tissue healing can be an alternative as a new approach for wound healing. Antioxidant taurine containing bio-adhesive gels were prepared by using carbopol (CP) 940 and 934. Rheological and texture analyses were carried out on bio-adhesive gels for in vitro characterization. Wound model on Wistar rats was used to evaluate the in vivo evaluation of gels. Rheological and texture analyses showed that a carbopol bioadhesive gel has acceptable topically use …

Microplastic Abundances In The Guana River Estuary In Northeast Florida, Mckenna Keplinger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Plastic never fully disappears, but instead breaks into smaller pieces referred to as microplastics (< 5 mm length). Microplastics are common worldwide, and more studies are needed to understand the accumulation and diversity of microplastics found in various environments. In this study, six locations were sampled for one year in the Guana River Estuary, a partially impounded system with heavily urbanized headwaters. This study was conducted in conjunction with the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM NERR) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at their water sampling stations. The objectives of this study were to investigate: 1) distribution patterns across sample sites over time, 2) the color, size, and shape of microplastics found, and 3) polymer composition. Water samples were collected from surface waters in 1-L bottles, with five replicates at each site. Sampling occurred once a month, at the beginning of each month from August 2020-August 2021. Samples were analyzed for abundance and characteristics of microplastics using a dissecting microscope and the polymer composition was determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. No pattern was found in the distribution of microplastics from north to south or over time. Variations in plastic color, size, and polymer composition suggests that there are multiple sources of pollution into the Guana River Estuary.

Thermal Tolerances Of The Invasive Macrophyte Hydrilla Verticillata, Joshua Williams

Graduate Research Showcase

Invasive species often rapidly spread due to their ability to adapt to a wide range of habitats they can occupy and lack of competition. Hydrilla verticillata is an invasive aquatic macrophyte that has spread across the United States due to human activities. Like many aquatic plants, Hydrilla has the ability to reproduce through fragmentation of the mother plant. In this method, Hydrilla fragments are then dispersed by water current to other areas where they can settle and grow. To date, little is known about the abiotic conditions that may restrict the spread of invasive Hydrilla. However, compared to other macrophytes …

Predicting Gene Function Of Unknown Yeast Orfs Through Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis, Lewis Barr

Graduate Research Showcase

Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has been an instrumental model system for an extraordinary diverse array of research applications for over a century now. The S. cerevisiae genome was fully sequenced in 1996, and, as a result, 6,753 potential proteins were identified. These putative proteins were established by investigating likely open reading frames within the genome. Over the past few decades, nearly 5,000 open reading frames (ORFs) and their expressed proteins have been described, and the remaining undefined open reading frames are labeled as open reading frames of unknown function (ORFans). To better understand the remaining gaps within the S. …

Accelerometry Reveals Hidden Variation In The Movement Response Of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus) To Roadways, Anna F. Tipton, Morgan L. Thompson, Dominic L. Desantis

Graduate Research Showcase

Roadways are among the most widespread and disruptive anthropogenic land use features that influence the behavior and movement of wildlife. Negative impacts including vehicle-induced mortality, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and creating barriers to movement have been well documented across taxa, but the fine scale behavioral impact of roadways on smaller, cryptic species has yet to be directly examined. Using a novel integration of emerging spatial analyses and tri-axial accelerometry, we quantified spatial and temporal aspects of movement and space use in order to investigate the coarse and fine scale influence of roadways on the movement patterns of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus …

A Sweet Way To Increase The Metabolic Activity And Migratory Response Of Wound-Related Cells: Deoxy-Sugar Incorporated Natural Polymeric Fibres As A Potential Bioactive Wound Patch, Serkan Di̇ki̇ci̇

Turkish Journal of Biology

The selection of a wound dressing is crucial for successful wound management. Conventional dressings are preferable for the treatment of simple wounds. However, a bioactive wound dressing that supports wound management and accelerates the healing process is required when it comes to treating non-self-healing wounds. 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR) is a small deoxy sugar that naturally occurs in human body. Although we have previously demonstrated that 2dDR can be used to induce neovascularisation and accelerates wound healing in vitro and in vivo, the literature on small sugars is conflicting, and the knowledge on how 2dDR achieves its biological activity is very limited. …

Ahead Of His Time: Joseph Grinnell, Natural History, And Inclusion And Equity In Stem, David O. Ribble

Biology Faculty Research

Joseph Grinnell designed the Natural History of the Vertebrates (NHV) course at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California at Berkeley, over 100 years ago and the course has changed little over these years. In this essay, I connect modern pedagogical and cognitive understandings of what we know leads to success among students to the course. This analysis reveals that the course continues to be successful because it has all the elements of a student-centered, active-learning class that leads to better cognitive gains, better retention, and importantly, proportionately better gains for students from underserved populations. This study will be …

Fish Sound Production: The Swim Bladder, Michael L. Fine, Eric Parmentier

Biology Publications

Analogous to the syrinx in birds and larynx in mammals, the swim bladder is a major sound-producing organ in fishes. It also functions in hearing and is responsible for most returns from sonar. Historically, the swim bladder has been modeled as an underwater resonant bubble, whereas we provide evidence for a forced-response model in which viscous damping of the bladder wall inhibits resonance of the internal bubble. Further experimental work on the shape, wall structure, and mechanical behavior of the swim bladder is required.

An Investigation Of Bubble Resonance And Its Implications For Sound Production By Deepwater Fishes, Mark W. Sprague, Michael L. Fine, Timothy M. Cameron

Biology Publications

Although the continental slope and abyss comprise the largest habitat on earth, the absence of documented fish sounds from deep waters is striking. Fishes with sexually dimorphic muscles attached to their swim bladders suggests that sounds are likely used in male courtship on the upper, mid and lower continental slope. To investigate the effects of environmental extremes on fish sound production, the acoustic behavior of a driven bubble is examined. This study is also relevant to target strength of sonar returns from fish and hearing in auditory specialist fishes. A bubble is a classic, if imperfect, model for swim bladder …