Life Sciences Commons^™

Multiomic Hypotheses Underlying Behavioral Manipulation Of Camponotus Floridanus Ants By Ophiocordyceps Camponoti-Floridani Fungi, Ian Will

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Parasitic manipulation of host behavior lies at the intersection of disease, animal behavior, and coevolutionary processes. In many of these interactions, the underpinning biology is brought into sharp focus as they are obligate relationships, under strong selection to bring about specific changes in host behavior that determine if the parasite will transmit or die. However, experimental and molecular techniques to understand these interactions are still developing and identification of the mechanisms of manipulation is a primary goal in the field. As such, we investigated host-parasite interactions between Camponotus floridanus (Florida carpenter ant) and Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani (Florida zombie ant fungus) from …

The Effects Of Neural And Mechanical Interventions On Muscle Size Versus Function During Short Term Immobilization Of The Lower Limb, Kylie Harmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Limb immobilization is a commonly used therapeutic intervention during periods of recovery from injury. To improve rehabilitation outcomes, interventions that curtail the severe decrements in muscular size and strength that occur during immobilization are critically needed. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of two distinct interventions during one week of knee-joint immobilization on muscular size, strength, and neuromuscular function. Thirty-nine healthy, college-aged adults (21 males and 18 females) participated in this study. Participants were randomized into one of four groups: immobilization only (n = 9) , immobilization + action observation/mental imagery (AOMI) (n = 10), immobilization …

Small Interfering Rna (Sirna)-Based Therapy, Inderbir S. Padda, Arun U. Mahtani, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.

Sodium-Glucose Transport Protein 2 (Sglt2) Inhibitors, Inderbir S. Padda, Arun U. Mahtani, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.

Poststroke Seizure And Epilepsy: A Review Of Incidence, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, And Pharmacological Therapies, Joseph Phan, Mario Ramos, Theodore Soares, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

Stroke is the most common cause of epilepsy and ultimately leads to a decrease in the quality of life of those affected. Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes can both lead to poststroke epilepsy (PSE). Significant risk factors for PSE include age < 65age less than 65 years, stroke severity measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), cortical involvement, and genetic factors such as TRPM6 polymorphism. The diagnosis of PSE is made by using imaging modalities, blood biomarkers, and prognostic criteria. Electroencephalography (EEG) is currently the gold standard to diagnose PSE, while new combinations of modalities are being tested to increase diagnostic specificity. This literature review uncovers a newly found mechanism for the pathology of poststroke epilepsy. The pathogenesis of early-onset and late-onset is characterized by sequelae of neuronal cellular hypoxia and disruption of the blood-brain barrier, respectively. Interleukin-6 is responsible for increasing the activity of glial cells, causing gliosis and hyperexcitability of neurons. Epinephrine, high-mobility group protein B1, downregulation of CD32, and upregulation of HLA-DR impact the pathology of poststroke epilepsy by inhibiting the normal neuronal immune response. Decreased levels of neuropeptide Y, a neurotransmitter, act through multiple unique mechanisms, such as inhibiting intracellular Ca accumulation and acting as an anti-inflammatory, also implemented in the worsening progression of poststroke epilepsy. Additionally, CA1 hippocampal resonant neurons that increase theta oscillation are associated with poststroke epilepsy. Hypertensive small vessel disease may also have an implication in the temporal lobe epilepsy by causing occult microinfarctions. Furthermore, this review highlights the potential use of statins as primary prophylaxis against PSE, with multiple studies demonstrating a reduction in incidence using statins alone, statins in combination with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and statins with aspirin. The evidence strongly suggests that the second generation AEDs are a superior treatment method for PSE. Data from numerous studies demonstrate their relative lack of significant drug interactions, increased tolerability, and potential superiority in maintaining seizure-free status.

An Expert-Curated Global Database Of Online Newspaper Articles On Spiders And Spider Bites, Stefano Mammola, Laura Segura-Hernández, Et Al.

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mass media plays an important role in the construction and circulation of risk perception associated with animals. Widely feared groups such as spiders frequently end up in the spotlight of traditional and social media. We compiled an expert-curated global database on the online newspaper coverage of human-spider encounters over the past ten years (2010– 2020). This database includes information about the location of each human-spider encounter reported in the news article and a quantitative characterisation of the content—location, presence of photographs of spiders and bites, number and type of errors, consultation of experts, and a subjective assessment of sensationalism. In …

Elucidation Of Novel And Established Campylobacter Species With Clinical And Agricultural Significance Through Phenotypic, Genotypic, And Taxonomic Investigation, Caoimhe Lynch

Theses

Campylobacter spp. are well-established human, veterinary and economic pathogens, with a broad host range spanning from terrestrial and marine mammalian, avian and reptilian hosts. The scope of the study includes novel and notorious species within the genus, with reference to zoonotic agents Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli - the leading cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis in the EU and Ireland, Campylobacter fetus that represents the most common campylobacter causing bacteraemia and two novel species isolated from pigs not described in the literature previously. C. jejuni and C. coli isolates (n = 350) recovered from broiler caecal and neck skin samples, …

Optimising The Carcass Merit Of Irish Beef Cattle Using Genetic And Non-Genetic Information At The Animal And Herd Level, David Kenny

Theses

Failure of beef carcasses to achieve desirable carcass specifications represent inefficiencies within the supply chain, namely greater carcass processing costs and the inability of the resulting primal cuts to conform to high-value market specifications. Analysis of a representative sample of prime Irish beef cattle conducted in this thesis determined that 59% of cattle fail to achieve the desired carcass specifications of the supply chain at slaughter. The objective of this thesis was to use readily available information to define strategies that could help to reduce this statistic. Firstly, the likelihood of Irish beef carcasses achieving the desired carcass specifications was …

The Open-Ocean Gulf Of Mexico After Deepwater Horizon: Synthesis Of A Decade Of Research, Tracey T. Sutton, Rosanna J. Milligan, Kendra Daly, Kevin M. Boswell, April B. Cook, Maëlle Cornic, Tamara Frank, Kaitlin Frasier, Daniel Hahn, Frank Hernandez, John Hildebrand, Chuanmin Hu, Matthew W. Johnston, Samantha B. Joye, Heather Judkins, Jon A. Moore, Steven A. Murawski, Nina M. Pruzinsky, John A. Quinlan, Andrew Remsen, Kelly L. Robinson, Isabel C. Romero, Jay R. Rooker, Michael Vecchione, R. J. Wells

Marine Science Faculty Publications

The scale of the Deepwater Horizon disaster was and is unprecedented: geographic extent, pollutant amount, countermeasure scope, and of most relevance to this Research Topic issue, range of ecotypes affected. These ecotypes include coastal/nearshore, continental shelf, deep benthic, and open-ocean domains, the last of which is the subject of this synthesis. The open-ocean ecotype comprises ~90% of the volume of the Gulf of Mexico. The exact percentage of this ecotype contaminated with toxins is unknown due to its three-dimensional nature and dynamics, but estimates suggest that the footprint encompassed most of its eastern half. Further, interactions between the water column …

Status, Change, And Futures Of Zooplankton In The Southern Ocean, Nadine M. Johnston, Eugene J. Murphy, Angus Atkinson, Andrew J. Constable, Cédric Cotté, Martin Cox, Kendra L. Daly, Ryan Driscoll, Hauke Flores, Svenja Halfter, Natasha Henschke, Simeon L. Hill, Juan Höfer, Brian P. Hunt, So Kawaguchi, Dhugal Lindsay, Cecilia Liszka, Valerie Loeb, Clara Manno, Bettina Meyer, Evgeny A. Pakhomov, Matthew H. Pinkerton, Christian S. Reiss, Kate Richerson, Walker O. Jr., Deborah K. Steinberg, Kerrie M. Swadling, Geraint A. Tarling, Sally E. Thorpe, Devi Veytia, Peter Ward, Christine K. Weldrick, Guang Yang

Marine Science Faculty Publications

In the Southern Ocean, several zooplankton taxonomic groups, euphausiids, copepods, salps and pteropods, are notable because of their biomass and abundance and their roles in maintaining food webs and ecosystem structure and function, including the provision of globally important ecosystem services. These groups are consumers of microbes, primary and secondary producers, and are prey for fishes, cephalopods, seabirds, and marine mammals. In providing the link between microbes, primary production, and higher trophic levels these taxa influence energy flows, biological production and biomass, biogeochemical cycles, carbon flux and food web interactions thereby modulating the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Additionally, Antarctic …

Greening The Grassroots: Rethinking African Conserva-Tion Funding, R Paul, J Chick, Emanuel Sulle, F Nelson

East Africa Institute

The purpose of this report is to document these issues around existing funding practices in the conservation field in Africa, focusing on both challenges and emerging solutions. Through collecting feedback and insights from both African civil society organizations (CSOs) and funders, the report seeks to shed light on the key barriers and challenges that both groups face and to develop recommendations for ways to improve funding practices. The report thus provides greater empirical evidence for getting more and better funding into local hands at the point of impact.

Investigating The Development Of Alcohol Tolerance By The Opportunistic Pathogen Staphylococcus Aureus, Vaughn Perveiler

West Chester University Master’s Theses

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the use of alcohol-based antiseptics by the general public has greatly increased. While this form of antimicrobial is effective in stopping the spread of both bacterial and viral infections, little research has been conducted in the development of alcohol tolerance by microorganisms or its mechanisms. In this study, experimental evolution was conducted on four separate strains of Staphylococcus aureus to determine if tolerance can develop towards moderate to high concentrations of ethanol. Once ethanol tolerance was established in the evolved populations, whole genome sequencing was performed to identify the potential mutations responsible for the observed …

Development Of Hemic Neoplasia In The Soft-Shell Clam (Mya Arenaria) Along The East Coast Of The United States, Nicole B. Seitz

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Hemic neoplasia (HN) is a bivalve disease characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal hemocytes that invade solid tissue, similar to vertebrate leukemia, ultimately leading to death. High disease prevalence has been reported in many bivalve populations, yet disease etiology and development remain minimally understood. In this study, nine East Coast populations of soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria) were evaluated between 2011-2012 to identify environmental and health factors associated with HN. PCA analysis and statistical testing were used to compare data at and between each population based on HN status. The percentage of organisms with terminal stage 4 HN (76-100% …

Evaluation Of Oasl And Herc5’S Role In The Non-Lytic Clearance Of Influenza A Virus From Club Cells, Steve Crisafulli

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a highly infectious pathogen responsible for causing severe respiratory illness and death in humans and animals worldwide. Due to highly effective strategies to negate host antiviral defenses, IAV leads to the death of nearly all infected cells. Furthermore, IAV induces high levels of genome-damaging oxidative stress within infected cells and suppresses the cellular mismatch repair (MMR) mechanism, thereby inhibiting expression of key antiviral genes, which further contributes to cell death. However, recent studies have demonstrated that a subset of respiratory epithelial cells, called club cells, are able to non-lytically clear IAV and continue to survive …

The Effect Of Ethanol On Cellular Movements And Development In C. Elegans, Caitlin N. O'Connor

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Neural tube development, which gives rise to the central nervous system, is vital to embryonic development. Neural tube defects, like spina bifida, are serious and common congenital defects which can result in life-long medical complications. Folic acid has been used as a preventative measure for neural tube defects and has appeared to decrease the occurrences of neural tube defects. However, the mechanism behind folic acid’s role in neural tube development is unclear. Furthermore, some evidence suggests that ethanol decreases the levels of folates and folate coenzymes in the fetal brain and downregulates folic acid metabolism genes. To better understand the …

Effect Of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles On Bacterial Biofilms And On The Microbiome Of Girardia Tigrina, Azar Saikali

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Anthropogenically-produced nanoparticles are a form of nanotechnology being used in industries including food and textiles. Humans and livestock are frequently exposed to metal-containing nanoparticles (MCNPs), that have been washed into streams and rivers, have been deliberately used in food packaging as antimicrobials, preservatives or for supplementation. The animal microbiome, which consists of a diverse community of microorganisms, provides a number of benefits to the host in terms of nutrition availability, immune support, and can influence behavior. Biofilms of diverse microbes may cause detrimental effects, for instance by causing dental diseases in humans. However, the scientific community has not reached consensus …

Fibropapillomatosis And Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 Dynamics In Juvenile Green Turtles Of The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Usa, Jake Kelley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor-forming sea turtle disease that mainly affects juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in coastal foraging sites. The cause of FP is unclear, but likely involves the putative pathogen chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). The overall dynamics of this disease are poorly understood, in part due to the difficulty of inferring disease and infection statuses of turtles without evidence of FP. In this study, I investigated the FP disease system in juvenile green turtles of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, USA, to better understand disease and pathogen dynamics. First, I developed a hierarchical model for predicting FP …

Characterization Of A Malachite Green Dna Aptamer And Development Of Malachite Green Dna Aptamer Sensor, Martin O'Steen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Hydrogels have been extensively studied for use in applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, wound dressing, actuators, valves, and sensors in Micromechanical Systems (MEMS), among others. Thermo-responsive hydrogels in particular pose various advantages such as their capability to respond to an external stimulus and reverse the response when the stimulus is removed and the ability to imbibe a significant amount of solvent and increase their volume by over 1000%. Extensive research has been conducted to tune and improve hydrogel's rate and degree of swelling and mechanical properties. Previous work showed that when synthetic clay (Laponite) is cross-linked with …

The Risk Factors For Self-Monitoring Of Blood Glucose Among Individuals Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes In Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Abdulrahman Alsuliman, Qi Zhang, Shelley Mishoe, Praveen K. Durgampudi

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Lack of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is a known risk factor for controlling type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Nevertheless, little research has been conducted on SMBG among Saudis with T2DM.

Aim: The study aimed to investigate personal and cognitive-perceptual factors for SMBG among Saudis with T2DM guided by Health Promotion Model.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample size of 808 Saudi adults with T2DM utilizing secondary data from the Saudi Health Interview Survey for 2013.

Statistical Analysis: Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to examine the risk factors for SMBG among Saudis with T2DM. …

Pulmonary Capillary Recruitment And Distention In Mammalian Lungs: Species Similarities, David Langleben, Benjamin D. Fox, Stylianos E. Orfanos, Michele Giovinazzo, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Pulmonary arterial pressure rises minimally during exercise. The pulmonary microcirculation accommodates increasing blood flow via recruitment of pulmonary capillaries and, at higher flows, by distention of already perfused capillaries. The flow transition range between recruitment and distention has not been studied or compared across mammalian species, including humans. We hypothesised that the range would be similar. Functional pulmonary capillary surface area (FCSA) can be estimated using validated metabolic techniques. We reviewed data from previous studies in three mammalian species (perfused rabbit lungs and dog lung lobes, and exercising humans) and generated blood flow-FCSA curves over a range of flows. We …

In Vivo Metabolic Analysis Of The Anticancer Effects Of Plasma-Activated Saline In Three Tumor Animal Models, Miao Qi, Dehui Xu, Shuai Wang, Bing Li, Sansan Peng, Qiaosong Li, Hao Zhang, Runze Fan, Hai-Lan Chen, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

In recent years, the emerging technology of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) has grown rapidly along with the many medical applications of cold plasma (e.g., cancer, skin disease, tissue repair, etc.). Plasma-activated liquids (e.g., culture media, water, or normal saline, previously exposed to plasma) are being studied as cancer treatments, and due to their advantages, many researchers prefer plasma-activated liquids as an alternative to CAP in the treatment of cancer. In this study, we showed that plasma-activated-saline (PAS) treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth, as compared with saline, in melanoma, and a low-pH environment had little effect on tumor growth in …

Mechanisms Of Memory Updating: State Dependency Vs. Reconsolidation, Christopher Kiley, Colleen M. Parks

Psychology Faculty Research

Reactivating a memory trace has been argued to put it in a fragile state where it must undergo a stabilization process known as reconsolidation. During this process, memories are thought to be susceptible to interference and can be updated with new information. In the spatial context paradigm, memory updating has been shown to occur when new information is presented in the same spatial context as old information, an effect attributed to a reconsolidation process. However, the integration concept holds that memory change can only occur when reactivation and test states are the same, similar to a state-dependent effect. Thus, in …

Factors Related To Species Richness, Endemism, And Conservation Status Of The Herpetofauna (Amphibia And Reptilia) Of Mexican States, Geoffrey R. Smith, Julio A. Lemos-Espinal

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Fish Oil Intake During Gestation And Lactation Attenuated Stz-Induced Diabetes Inmale Offspring Via Activation Of Brown Fat And Modulating Oxylipin Profile, Rong Fan, Shalom Thomas, Mikyoung You, Zhuoheng Li, Brandt Bessell, Bhanwar Lal Puniya, Tomáš Helikar, Zhenhua Liu, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Fish oil (FO) has been demonstrated to activate brown thermogenesis and attenuate inflammation in the brown adipose tissue (BAT). Previously, we have reported thatmaternal FO supplementation promotes BAT activity of the weaned mice pups. However, whether maternal FO intake could confer sustainable metabolic benefits to offspring remains uncovered. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the differential impact of maternal FO during pregnancy versus lactation on BAT transcriptome and evaluate the role of bioactive lipid metabolites derived from maternal FO supplementation on the extended metabolic benefits of older pups in the context of type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Conclusions: Our results suggested …

Coordination Of Metal Center Biogenesis In Human Cytochrome C Oxidase, Eva Nývltová, Jonathan Dietz, Javier Seravalli, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Antoni Barrientos

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) or respiratory chain complex IV is a heme aa3- copper oxygen reductase containing metal centers essential for holo-complex biogenesis and enzymatic function that are assembled by subunit-specific metallochaperones. The enzyme has two copper sites located in the catalytic core subunits. The COX1 subunit harbors the CuB site that tightly associates with heme a3 while the COX2 subunit contains the binuclear CuA site. Here, we report that in human cells the CcO copper chaperones form macromolecular assemblies and cooperate with several twin CX9C proteins to control heme a biosynthesis and coordinate copper transfer sequentially to the …

Rethinking Reforestation: Sustainable And Economic Management Of Kentucky’S Forests, Braydan Roark

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Final Report Floating Upwelling System Harvest Road Oceans, Robert Michael, Scott Bennett

Fisheries Occasional Publications

A Floating Upwelling System or FLUPSY is a mechanical system for the culture of seed stock during the nursery stage of commercial bivalve production.

A Baraminological Analysis Of The Loons (Gaviiformes: Gaviidae) Reveals Their Holobaraminic Status, Timothy R. Brophy, Mary-Clark Matthews, Alexis Ramerth, Mckayla Guillory

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Where's The Beef? Meat Shortages, Farmer Needs, And Long-Term Recovery Policies In A Pandemic Era, Kim Vu-Dinh

Faculty Scholarship

COVID-19 not only affected every hospital bed in the nation--if not the world; it also affected nearly every dinner table in America and beyond. Supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic highlighted deep-seated problems with how we get our meat, and how difficult we make it for American farmers to sell to the family next door. Within a few months of the first reported case in the US, hundreds of workers from just two meat-processing plants on American shores became infected with COVID-19, and imports from around the world came to a standstill as factories and shipping companies were forced …

Parent-Prompted Dysregulation: Do Parents Serve As Cues For Dysregulation In Some Children?, Daniel Lee

Pitzer Senior Theses

Children occasionally encounter dysregulation when interacting with their parents in relatively neutral or positive scenarios. Given that the cause of dysregulation is usually relational, meaning it is often cued by someone who is seen to have power or control over the person, children could be particularly susceptible to dysregulation in the presence of their parents. However, when examining the existing literature, there appeared to be a lack of research and knowledge concerning this topic, with much of the literature focusing on the effect of child stressors on parental dysregulation. As a result, the term parent-prompted dysregulation was developed to refer …