Life Sciences Commons^™

Mitochondria-Mediated Epigenetic Transfer Between Chondrosarcoma And Wild-Type Cells, Caleb C. J. Wyckoff

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Glioblastoma (GB), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), cholangiocarcinoma, and chondrosarcoma (CS) cancers all contain mutations in the gene isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2). The mutant IDH2 enzyme exhibits transformation of alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) into the oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG) in the mitochondria of these cancers. Mitochondrial-mediated transfer between cancer cells and recipient cells is a significant event that impacts the physiology of the receiving cell, specifically the epigenetic landscape. Previous experiments indicating increased DNA methylation in mesenchymal stem cells exposed to IDH1 or IDH2 conditioned medium underscore the potential role of D2HG to alter methylation states. Additionally, the presence of …

Right Place, Right Time: Intermittent Habitats And Mosaic Structure Drive Juvenile Coho Salmon Growth In A Subarctic Alaska Watershed, Andrew Rothenberger

Fisheries

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) rely on diverse freshwater habitats to complete their lifecycle. Within Alaska’s short summer season, juveniles use a complex mosaic of habitats that vary in quality across space and time, but the patterns of habitat use in large complex watersheds are poorly known and difficult to document. To evaluate how habitat conditions of hydrology types influence juvenile performance, I conducted an in-situ enclosure experiment in the Fox River watershed of Kachemak Bay, Southcentral Alaska, measuring age-0 coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) growth across four hydrologic types: a glacial and snow-fed natal creek, a groundwater-fed natal creek, a non-natal …

Environmental Change In The Northeast Pacific: Climate Impacts On Phenology, Life History, And Population Dynamics In Marine And Aquatic Populations, Genoa Sullaway

Fisheries

Climate change is rapidly transforming Northeast Pacific ecosystems and fundamentally altering environmental conditions that drive species' survival, growth, and life histories. This dissertation examines relationships between environmental change and population-level processes across Northeast Pacific marine and freshwater ecosystems. This dissertation focuses on understanding the influence of environmental change on foundational zooplankton communities in the Bering Sea and Pacific salmon populations, specifically Yukon River Chum salmon and Bristol Bay Sockeye salmon. This research addresses knowledge gaps in zooplankton systems modeling, zooplankton phenology, and salmon population dynamics. First, this dissertation evaluated the performance of a systems model that utilizes climate and physical …

Ontogenetic Analysis Of Parasaurolophus Braincases (Ornithischia, Hadrosauridae) From The Kaiparowits Formation (Upper Cretaceous) Of Utah, Usa: Comparing Juvenile And Adult Morphology, Amanda "Billie" C. Guerrero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study documents the ontogenetic development of the braincase in Parasaurolophus, a lambeosaurine hadrosaurid dinosaur known for its distinctive cranial crest. Whereas the crest has been extensively examined for its roles in communication and display, the braincase remains less understood, despite its structural and functional relationship with the crest. This research compares the braincase morphology of a juvenile specimen (RAM 14000, "Baby Joe"), a subadult specimen (RAM 17000), and an adult P. tubicen (NMMNH P-25100), to investigate how developmental changes influenced sensory systems, neurocranial architecture, and biomechanical adaptations across ontogeny.

Detailed morphological analysis reveals progressive changes from juvenile to …

Analyzing The Impact Of Diet On Dusky Gopher Frog (Lithobates Sevosus) Development In Head Start Programs, Mckalyn Nelson

Honors Theses

Species are constantly impacted by human activity, directly or indirectly. One critically endangered species under investigation is the dusky gopher frog (Lithobates sevosus), which is an endemic species of frog found in the southeastern United States. Historically found from Louisiana to Alabama, a drought in 2002 narrowed the dusky gopher frog range even further. Head start programs have been shown to be effective in increasing population numbers; however, there is not much published data on the effectiveness of captive rearing diets for these programs. The dusky gopher frog head start program at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Lake …

Functional Characterization Of The Hssb1 K94q Mutation, Isaiah Singleton

All Theses

Genome stability depends on precise DNA repair pathways such as homologous recombination (HR), where human single-stranded DNA-binding protein 1 (hSSB1) stabilizes single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) intermediates and recruits repair complexes. Post-translational modifications, including acetylation, are known to regulate hSSB1 activity, but their molecular effects remain poorly defined. This study examined the role of lysine 94 (K94) acetylation using a glutamine substitution mutant (K94Q) that mimics the acetylated state. Recombinant hSSB1 wild type (WT) and hSSB1_K94Q were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni–NTA affinity chromatography. Biochemical analyses, including electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), single-strand annealing assays, and displacement loop …

Reproduction And Larval Development Of The Invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle In South Carolina, Lindsey A. Stone

All Theses

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky; ALB) is a major threat to forest health due to the damage done by larval feeding in host trees. In 2020, ALB was discovered in Charleston County, South Carolina, which presents a novel climate for this invasive pest in North America. I investigated the reproductive biology and larval development of ALB to support detection and management efforts. By exposing 19 host trees to mated pairs of adults, I was able to determine rates of oviposition success (55%), egg viability (55%), and early larval survival (56%). On average, females chewed nearly 1 egg …

Investigating The Impacts Of Azole Antifungals On Growth Of Cryptococcus Neoformans, Gnanambika Sindhe

All Theses

Cryptococcus neoformans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen is responsible for cryptococcosis, leading to approximately 181,000 deaths annually, predominantly in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa. Fluconazole, a widely used fungistatic azole, is often administered due to its relative affordability and lower toxicity. However, resistance to fluconazole in C. neoformans can arise through aneuploidy, complicating treatment efforts. This study aims to deepen our understanding of resistance mechanisms to azole drugs by comparing fluconazole with other azoles, including both clinical and agricultural azole antifungals. Disk diffusion assays were performed to evaluate the ability of C. neoformans to develop resistance to these compounds, focusing …

Citrullus Amarus Drought Tolerance: An Above And Below Ground Analysis, Ben A. Hyland

All Theses

Ever rising environmental temperatures threaten global food security by worsening severity and increasing the occurrence of drought. Commercially cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), have reduced drought tolerance due to a narrow genetic base caused by breeding for desirable traits such as sweetness, size, and flesh/rind color. Comparatively, the crop wild relative desert watermelon variety (Citrullus amarus), while more drought tolerant than their commercially cultivated relatives (C. lanatus), still require large amounts of water to grow and produce reliable fruit yields. Watermelon root morphology plays a key role in their ability to tolerate drought, with more …

Plant Community Responses To Wildfire, Timber Thinning, And Bison Reintroduction On The Northern Great Plains, Ethan H. Van-Derpoel

All Theses

The Northern Great Plains (NGP) is one of the largest intact grasslands remaining in the world. These two studies examine a few of the ecological concerns on the NGP today. First, the woody encroachment of conifers into grasslands and the effects of wildfires. Second, the effects of bison (Bison bison) reintroduction on plant communities. In Chapter 1, this study aims to examine the effects of wildfire and mechanical timber thinning, using a two-by-two factorial design, on plant community responses and forage quality in the Bull Mountains area of central Montana, USA. We found that our treatments had varying …

Soundscapes Of Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain: Implications For Wildlife, Maxwell Plichta

Biological Sciences

Passive acoustic monitoring is an effective tool for collecting baseline acoustic data in remote locations and for advancing our understanding of soundscapes, the sound that emanates from a landscape. Terrestrial Arctic soundscapes remain understudied. The Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of northern Alaska is an ecologically, culturally, and economically significant region, containing a mix of land-uses and management practices. This study leverages a spatially large (~8,000 km2), multi-year dataset of acoustic recordings and paired images collected across the ACP to investigate how natural and anthropogenic factors influence the soundscape (Chapter 2), and how acoustic metrics influence the behavior of caribou (Rangifer …

Serum Concentrations Of Inflammatory Markers And Selected Nutrient Metabolites In Holstein And Jersey Cows Across The Transition Period, Avery Orr

Master's Theses

The transition period, spanning the weeks surrounding parturition, requires dairy cows to undergo synchronized metabolic, endocrine, and immunological adjustments that support the onset of lactation but also heighten disease susceptibility. Although individual inflammatory or metabolic biomarkers have been extensively studied, the integrated immunometabolic dynamics that occur across this period and the difference between breeds is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to characterize longitudinal patterns in key nutrient metabolites and inflammatory markers in Holstein and Jersey cows and assess how these systems interact across the transition period.

A total of 63 Holstein and Jersey cows were sampled …

Testing For Local Adaptation In Sympatric Monkeyflowers Growing In Serpentine Seeps And Adjacent Rock Outcrops, Avin Niknafs

Master's Theses

Divergent selection across heterogeneous environments can drive ecological differentiation and the evolution of locally adapted populations, even when gene flow occurs. We tested for local adaptation between two sympatric monkeyflowers, Erythranthe guttata and E. serpentinicola (formerly Mimulus), which co-occur on the central coast of California. Erythranthe guttata is a perennial species primarily found in moist serpentine seeps, whereas E. serpentinicola is an annual species restricted to adjacent serpentine rock outcrops. Using a reciprocal transplant experiment with second-generation, greenhouse-derived seed, we quantified germination, survival, and reproductive success across contrasting microhabitats. We further evaluated the relative contributions of species, lineage, …

Robustness Of Network Inference Algorithms Under Network Class Misspecification, Roberto Ceja

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Inferring phylogenies in the presence of hybridization remains a difficult problem. As a result, many current methods for reconstructing phylogenetic networks are restricted to a simple class of networks known as level-1. This restriction arises from theoretical considerations rather than empirical evidence, with real data possibly arising from complex networks. In this work, we evaluate the robustness of two level-1 network inference methods, SNaQ and NANUQ+, through a simulation study, when the input data originates from a more complex network. Specifically, we investigate whether these methods can accurately recover important features of the true species network, such as the circular …

Interactions Between Black, Brown, Blue And Green Carbon From Terrestrial To Marine Ecosystems: A Critical Review, Allison White, Richard Kline, Md. Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Black and brown carbon are byproducts of the incomplete combustion of biomass or fossil fuels. These light-absorbing aerosols influence climate by altering the radiative balance through the absorption and scattering of sunlight, exacerbating global climate change. Their subsequent deposition on terrestrial and marine environments affects surface albedo, snow and ice melt, and biogeochemical processes, leading to further environmental consequences. In contrast, green and blue carbon refer to carbon stored in terrestrial vegetation and marine ecosystems, respectively. These ecosystems play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by sequestering atmospheric carbon; however, they are increasingly threatened by climatic disturbances, anthropogenic activities, …

Leptinotarsa Texana Schaeffer And Gargaphia Arizonica Drake & Carvalho As Potential Biocontrol Agents For The Noxious Weed Solanum Elaeagnifolium Cav, Samikshya Subedi, Stephanie L. Kasper, Alexis Racelis, Greg Lefoe, Rupesh R. Kariyat

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.; SLN) is a perennial forb native to the southern United States, Mexico and South America that has become a serious agricultural weed across the world. Biological control has emerged as a significant alternative for the management of (SLN) due to the challenges and high costs associated with chemical and mechanical controls. In this study, we used a combination of field and laboratory studies to (1) explore the fundamental and realized host ranges of two North American insects, Leptinotarsa texana Schaeffer and Gargaphia arizonica Drake & Carvalho and (2) assess their suitability as potential biological …

Fast & Forensic: Rapid Detection & Quantitation Of 30 + Emerging Novel Psychoactive Substances In Hair Using Lc-Ms/Ms, Seokjin Hwang

Student Theses

The continuous emergence of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) poses a significant challenge for forensic and clinical toxicologists, due to their structural diversity, rapid turnover on the illicit drug market, and limited toxicological information. Hair is a powerful matrix for retrospective drug exposure assessment and monitoring NPS worldwide. Not only does it provide a broad window of detection but also a simple sample exchange amongst laboratories. However, the extraction of multi-class NPS in a single method remains an analytical challenge. Therefore, there is an urgent need for extraction techniques and analytical methods that are both rapid and capable of multi-class quantitation …

Context Dependent Regulation Of Dicer Function During Oocyte-To-Embryo Transition, Nick A. Newkirk

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Over two decades ago, Dicer was discovered as the primary enzyme responsible for the generation of small RNAs known as the microRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Spatiotemporal regulation of Dicer-dependent small-RNA biogenesis affects many aspects of biology, including aging, disease progression, fertility, and cancer. Interestingly, a distinct population of Dicer-dependent small RNAs, known as the endogenous siRNAs (endo-siRNAs), are uniquely abundant in the germ cells and gametes, and are critical for normal fertility. Despite their function regulating new life, the mechanisms controlling their biogenesis and subsequent germ cell functions remain poorly defined. Work to parse these mechanisms in …

Capsinoids, Non-Pungent Trpv1 Agonists, Induce A Mild Hypothermia That Provides Short- And Long-Term Neuroprotection After Ischemic Stroke, Alexander Andersohn, Alexander Andersohn

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) has demonstrated neuroprotection in instances of cardiac arrest and neonatal hypoxia/ischemia but faces different challenges in application to stroke due to the activation of cold defense mechanisms in conscious patients. This dissertation examines the efficacy and specificity of capsinoids (a purified mixture of capsiate and dihydrocapsiate) to induce a sustained mild hypothermia in conscious mice that is neuroprotective after stroke. Capsinoids function as TRPV1 agonists. However, unlike capsaicin, capsinoids are vulnerable to esterase-mediated breakdown, thus significantly restricting their action to the site of delivery. We showed that capsinoids delivered intraperitoneally (IP) to mice induced a TRPV1-dependent drop …

Functional Analysis Of Ftsa-Mediated Recruitment Of Ftsk In Escherichia Coli, Abbigale Perkins

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Bacterial cytokinesis requires precise coordination between cytoplasmic and periplasmic components of the divisome to ensure that membrane constriction and chromosome segregation occur in synchrony. The actin-like protein FtsA plays a central role in this process by tethering FtsZ to the membrane and recruiting downstream division proteins. Despite its essential function, the mechanisms by which FtsA coordinates divisome activation and the recruitment of late-acting proteins remain incompletely defined. To address this, the role of FtsA in activating septal synthesis and recruiting the DNA translocase FtsK was examined using mutational analysis in Escherichia coli.

The FtsA^{M96E R153D} variant, which has …

Neural Dynamics Supporting Flexible Cognition, Meredith J. Mccarty

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Flexible cognition enables humans to adapt their behavior to changing circumstances by prioritizing relevant information and filtering out distractions. This process is thought to be supported by the integration of ongoing behavioral goals with incoming sensory information, but how this integration is realized in the human brain remains unclear. It is unknown how high-order sensory cortices can balance specialized processing with flexible integration of changing behavioral goals. In the following investigations, we use intracranial EEG (iEEG) recordings in humans to study the neural dynamics of flexible cognition during high-order sensory processing. First, we validated assumptions about the locality of iEEG …

Orthogonal Comparison Of Nuclear And Mitochondrial Clonal Architectures In Hematologic Malignancies, Nehali Shah

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by accumulation of mutations that disrupt hematopoietic differentiation and promote clonal expansion. Understanding how these mutations arise and evolve is essential for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment stratification. Current methods are limited by either restricted genomic coverage (targeted panels) or low throughput and high cost (in single-cell whole genome sequencing, scWGS). An emerging alternative is the use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations as clonal markers.

This study aims to determine whether mitochondrial-derived clonal architectures correlate with nuclear-derived clonal architectures in AML, thereby evaluating mtDNA as a scalable orthogonal tool for lineage …

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Weather And Climate Science Curriculum Pilot In South Carolina K-12 Schools, 4-H, And Agricultural Education Programs, Emily B. Hood

All Dissertations

Weather and climate science topics in K-12 education are more important now than ever due to extreme weather and climate events happening worldwide. Most U.S. science teachers included climate science in their courses, but they may not have a sufficient background in the topic which can hinder their efforts, or there is no explicit curriculum for the teacher to utilize. Research indicates that there is a need for innovation in the curriculum to help prepare children to become the next generation of leaders and address complex problems, such as issues related to weather and climate science. There are a few …

Horticultural Strategies To Improve Yield And Efficiency For Controlled-Environment Cannabis Production, Michael John Alden

All Dissertations

Controlled-environment cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) production is a novel horticultural industry due to long-standing federal prohibitions associated with production, distribution, and consumption of this species. Many cannabis production methods are based on legacy knowledge and hypotheses that often contradict standard practices used in the agriculture and floriculture sectors. During this research, several horticultural practices were evaluated, including shoot number manipulation, fertilizer restriction, harvest timing, and photoperiod manipulation. Shoot number manipulation was achieved by repeatedly pinching apical shoots, which reduced reproductive shoot length (cm/shoot) and improved inflorescence:trim ratio, both of which can reduce material cost in production and labor cost …

Breeding For Disease Resistance In Melon And Watermelon, Venkata Rao Ganaparthi

All Dissertations

Watermelon and cantaloupe are two widely consumed cucurbits, but their acreage in the United States reduced by nearly 50% in last two decades. Fusarium wilt caused by a soil borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum(Fon) race 2 is a major limiting factor in watermelon production as it reduces yields by 80%. Grafting watermelon plants onto the root stock of wild, disease-resistant varieties like ‘Carolina Strongback’ is the best strategy to manage Fon race 2. Though effective, this approach increases production costs.

Part of this dissertation focused on finding more sustainable, cost-effective solutions to control Fusarium wilt …

Uncovering The Diversity Of Bats In The Mbam Minkom Massif, Cameroon: Insights Into The Importance Of Tropical Inselbergs, Amanda L. Grunwald, Terrence C. Demos, Patrick J. Atagana, Courtney M. Volk, Ara Monadjem, Franck P. Meyo Konoo, Yvette Ngueagni, R. Travis Merrill, Daniel J. Ballhorn, Luis A. Ruedas, Multiple Additional Authors

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We report the results of two expeditions (2019 and 2022) to the Mbam Minkom Massif (Centre Region, Cameroon), focused on an assessment of the montane area's bat fauna. We describe bat species' richness and highlight the incredible diversity and ecological importance of this highly threatened ecosystem. Across both years, we captured a total of 36 bat species representing 21 genera and six families on Mbam Minkom Massif and in the surrounding lowland forest. Our findings include two new species records for Cameroon, and two additional records of the recently described bat, Pseudoromicia mbamminkom. We provide accounts for all captured species, …

Comparative Assessment Of Lower Limb Neuromusculoskeletal Activation And Joint Kinematics In Normal And Impaired Gait, Jack Ryan Schule

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates whether accessible and affordable technologies can provide clinically significant, quantifiable gait analysis comparable to traditional marker-based motion capture systems. Modern high-end systems offer excellent accuracy but remain financially and logistically inaccessible to many clinicians and researchers. To address this gap, a framework was developed using markerless pose estimation using the model, MediaPipe, inertial measurement units (IMUs) processed through an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), and surface electromyography (sEMG) to measure joint kinematics and neuromuscular activity during gait. An experiment was performed where data was collected from participants with both normal gait and pathologies including: Osgood–Schlatter disease, Plica Band …

A Novel Drying Technology Based On Supercritical Carbon Dioxide To Enhance The Functional Properties Of Red Lentil Proteins, Niveditha Asaithambi, Arda Tuhanioglu, Ali Ubeyito

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Red lentils are protein-rich sources that are highly regarded in the plant-based food industry for their color. Appropriate drying methods are essential for maintaining the physicochemical and nutritional properties of the proteins. This study investigates the impact of three drying methods, namely oven drying, freeze-drying, and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) drying, on the physicochemical and functional properties of red lentil proteins (RLP). SC-CO₂ drying was optimized at varying temperatures (35–55 °C), pressures (10–20 MPa), and CO₂ flow rates (2–3 L/min), with optimal drying observed at 55 °C, 20 MPa, and 3 L/min, resulting in significantly reduced moisture content (5.7 %). …

Testing Microscopic Approaches For Cementochronology In The 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection, Portugal, Amando Luis Montalvo Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Age-at-death estimation is a key component to the creation of a biological profile in forensic anthropology. Acellular extrinsic fiber cementum annulations have been shown to correlate with chronological age. Cementochronology examines this correlation through the sum of the alternating translucent bands and opaque annuli, and the age of eruption of a tooth. While several microscopy techniques have been used, there is no consensus on the most optimal. This study will assess the reliability, precision and accuracy of three microscopy techniques: Brightfield (BF), Phase Contrast (PC) and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC). PC was the most reliable (rTEM= 10.4%), the most precise …

Taxonomy Of Endophytic Fungi Associated With Vallisneria Neotropicalis, Md. Arafat Rashid

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This study presents the first comprehensive taxonomic and ecological investigation of endophytic fungi (EF) associated with the submerged aquatic macrophyte Vallisneria neotropicalis in the southern United States. Over a 12 month period, from April 2023 to March 2024, leaf samples were collected from two distinct sites in Mobile Bay, Alabama a disturbed, brackish Causeway location and a cleaner, less impacted site at Meaher State Park. Using culture dependent methods, a total of 257 fungal endophytes were isolated from 1,200 leaf segments. All isolates belonged to the phylum Ascomycota, distributed across 3 classes, 6 orders, 10 families, and 19 taxa. The …