Life Sciences Commons^™

Next-Generation Biotechnology And Breeding Strategies For The Development Of Biotic Stress-Resistant Sugar Beet, Songül Gürel, Mehmet Cengi̇z Baloğlu, Pinar Baloğlu, Mehmet Kolçak, Ferhat Ulu, Ömer Can Ünüvar, Mehmet Örgeç, Özge Kaya, Ramazan Polat, Cemi̇le Köseoğlu, Yasemi̇n Çeli̇k Altunoğlu, Hati̇ce Korkmaz Güvenmez, Ekrem Gürel

Turkish Journal of Botany

Sugar beet is a high-sucrose crop primarily used for sugar production, and it is now gaining attention as a promising source for bioethanol production and cattle feed. This crop is also utilized for the extraction of pectin and the production of molasses. Despite its utilization across a wide range of industries, abiotic and biotic stress factors greatly reduce the productivity of the cash crop sugar beet. In this paper, we focus on the development of biotic stress-resistant sugar beet plants through various classical and biotechnological applications. In recent decades, omics technologies, next-generation sequencing, gene editing/silencing, and overexpression techniques have been …

Floral Trait Diversity Supports Multiple Pollination Systems Across Urban Habitats In One Of The World's Greenest Cities, Ana Paula Sales De Araujo Franco, Maxwell Da Rosa Oliveira, Evaldo Benedito De Souza, Ingrid Lohani Degering Brand, Marcus Paulo Goncalves Rosa, Bruno Henrique Dos Santos Ferreira, Maria Rosângela Sigrist

Turkish Journal of Botany

Green cities comprise a variety of habitats subject to different levels of anthropogenic pressure, ranging from completely unvegetated areas to vast green spaces such as linear parks. In this scenario, cities can support different ecological processes and ecosystem functions, which vary qualitatively and quantitatively between different habitat types along the urbanization gradient. Specifically, green spaces and ruderal plants can support pollination services in urban ecosystems, providing food resources (e.g., nectar, pollen, oil), reproduction supports (copulation sites), and nesting sites for pollinators. As a result, plant species and their floral resources are important for pollinator diversity and the maintenance of the …

Comparative Pollen Morphology Of The Genus Rhaponticoides Vaill. (Asteraceae) In Türkiye: Implications For Taxonomy And Phylogeny, Foroogh Tavakoli, Gürkan Semi̇z, Batikan Günal, Meryem Bozkurt, Tuna Uysal

Turkish Journal of Botany

The main focus of this research is the palynological investigation of Rhaponticoides Vaill. species naturally occurring in Türkiye. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to examine the pollen morphology of nine Rhaponticoides species in detail. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was also conducted to identify closely related species and distinguish the investigated taxa based on palynological traits. The study found that the pollen grains were tricolporate, isopolar, monad, and radially symmetric, with an oblate-spheroidal shape as indicated by the polar/equatorial (P/E) ratio. The pollen measurements derived from the P/E ratio ranged between 0.85 and 1, values associated with …

Comparative Analysis Of The Complete Chloroplast Genome Of The Rare Endemic Palm Pinanga Arinasae Witono From Bali, Indonesia, Ni Putu Sri Asih, Risha Amilia Pratiwi, Istiana Prihatini, Paramita Cahyaningrum Kuswandi, Evy Yulianti, Arief Priyadi

Turkish Journal of Botany

Pinanga arinasae is an endangered species endemic to Bali, Indonesia. Our study aims to characterize its chloroplast genome, compare it with other chloroplast genomes, including its phylogenetic position within the Arecoideae subfamily, and identify potential molecular markers. P. arinasae chloroplast genomes characterization involves Illumina-based sequencing, de novo genome assembly, gene annotation, amino acid frequency, codon usage pattern analysis, and Simple Sequence Marker (SSR) identification. Comparative analysis include phylogenetic tree reconstruction, comparison of amino acid frequency, codon usage pattern, SSR number, inverted repeat junction arrangement, genome length, GC content, and gene number. Nucleotide diversity is calculated to identify substitution markers. The …

Investigating The Role Of Chaperones And Sequestrases In Misfolded Protein Sequestration, Sarah Rose Rolli

Dissertations (1934 -)

Protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, is responsible for a folded and functional proteome and is essential for cell survival. Proteins can misfold during stress or because of mutation. The accumulation of misfolded proteins is observed in many diseases, including Huntington’s disease. Misfolded proteins will clump together into inclusions, which can be sequestered to membrane-less compartments by proteostasis mechanisms. Several proteins, including chaperones, co-chaperones, and other proteins, have been identified as sequestrases that target inclusions and misfolded proteins to different protein quality control (PQC) compartments. The juxtanuclear quality control (JUNQ) compartment forms in the nucleus-vacuole junction in yeast cells, and several soluble …

Cells Stably Expressing Shrna Against Myo10 Display Altered Cell Motility, Joanna A. Mas, Chase E. Cristella, Vu Hao M. N. Phan, Lillian S. Wendt, Charlotte A. Rose, Abigail Ali, David F. Carpio, Christine Cole, Paige Embley, Jack E. Hoskins-Harris, Delia Johnson, Noelle Ledoux, Hannah W. Lwin, Sarah Salah, Erin Weisbart, Stacey J. Criswell, Omar A. Quintero-Carmona

Biology Faculty Publications

Myosin-X (MYO10) is an actin-based motor protein involved in cytoskeletal dynamics, membrane interactions, and integrin-mediated adhesion. To investigate MYO10's cellular roles, we generated MYO10 knockdown (MYO10KD) HeLa and COS7 cell lines using lentiviral shRNA. Compared to wild-type cells, both MYO10KD lines showed reduced proliferation and impaired cell migration in wound assays. Additionally, there were fewer edge filopodia in HeLa cells. Furthermore, MYO10KD cells demonstrated increased spreading on laminin-coated substrates, suggesting altered integrin activation and cytoskeletal linkage. Our results reinforce MYO10’s importance in cell proliferation, adhesion, and migration. These MYO10KD lines provide an accessible cell culture model for future study of …

Ground-Based Modeling Of Deep-Space Risks To The Spleen And Intestine In Mice, Edith Nathalie Pineda Sotomayor

Theses and Dissertations

Deep-space missions, such as those planned for the cis-lunar space and Mars, pose unique challenges to astronaut health due to prolonged microgravity (MG) exposure and low-dose chronic irradiation (CIR). Understanding the impact of these stressors on secondary lymphoid tissues, such as the spleen and intestine, is crucial for ensuring crewmembers' well-being, given the impracticality of conducting this research with human samples. Using a ground-based facility, we exposed C57BL/6 female and male mice to CIR (1.74 Gy at a dose rate of 0.0029 Gy/h) and/or simulated MG (SMG) via hind limb unloading (HLU) for one month. Spleen and intestinal tissues were …

Metabolic Shifts In Murine Inner Ears Mimicking Erythrocytes And Plasma Reveal Diagnostics And Early Predictors For Age-Related Hearing Loss, Qi Guo, Zhenjiang Li, Cheng Luo, Changhan Chen, Xi Long, Yidan Wang, Qingfen Qiang, Fang Yu, Wuping Liu, Yujin Zhang, Rodney E Kellems, Yang Xia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a major public health concern, driven by the interplay of multiple factors. Here, we reveal spatiotemporal metabolic shifts in murine inner ears mirroring erythrocytes and plasma. Isotope-labeled glucose tracing demonstrates a metabolic rerouting favoring glycolysis over the pentose phosphate pathway, alongside downregulation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, indicating impaired energy production and redox homeostasis. Accumulation of medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines further exacerbates lipotoxicity. Notably, age-dependent depletion of arginine, lysine, proline, and glycine disrupts the arginine-polyamine-urea cycle. Translationally, UK Biobank plasma metabolomics links omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, glycine, and albumin to ARHL resilience, while branched-chain …

Human Cerebral Organoids Model Tumor Initiation And Infiltration In An Autologous Astrocyte-Supported Setting, Esther Schickel, Tamara Bender, Leon Kaysan, Simone Hufgard, Margot Mayer, David R Grosshans, Christiane Thielemann, Insa S Schroeder

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Efforts to efficiently target brain tumors are constrained by the dearth of appropriate models to study tumor behavior toward treatment approaches as well as potential side effects to the surrounding normal tissue. We established a reproducible cerebral organoid model of brain tumorigenesis in an autologous setting by overexpressing

Editorial: Molecular Mechanisms Of Ion Channel Activation And Modulation, Meng Cui, Miao Zhang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Ion channels are integral membrane proteins that regulate the passage of ions across cell membranes, thereby shaping processes as diverse as neuronal signaling, muscle contraction, and hormone secretion. Channel activation is typically initiated by a stimulus such as voltage, ligand binding, or mechanical stress that induces conformational changes and opens the channel pore. Beyond activation, channels are subject to fine-tuned modulation by a wide range of endogenous and exogenous agents, from lipids and neurotransmitters to pharmacological drugs. Modulators can stabilize the open, closed, or inactivated states, shift ligand affinities, or alter gating kinetics. Dissecting the structural and dynamic basis of …

New Wisconsin State Records For Two Species Of Eusphalerum Kraatz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae), Daniel K. Young, Jordan Marché Ii

The Great Lakes Entomologist

ABSTRACT: In Wisconsin, only one published species record exists for the omaliine rove beetle genus Eusphalerum. Two card-mounted specimens of Eusphalerum pothos were located in the research collection at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The collection event label provided no date but the Bayfield, Wisconsin location is consistent with an 1895 species list provided by Wickham.

New state records are confirmed for two species: Eusphalerum carolinensis and Eusphalerum convexum. A single specimen of E. carolinensis was collected on Rubus sp. in Dane County on 27 May 2017, while a series of 10 E. convexum came from Prunus spp. in Monroe County …

A Bumble Bee In A Haystack: Chance Observation Of An Overwintering Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, Bombus Affinis (Hymenoptera:Apidae) Gyne, Bradley M. Herrick, Susan G. Carpenter

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Bombus affinis (rusty-patched bumble bee) Cresson is listed as a federally endangered species in the United States and Canada. It is globally “imperiled” (G2) and listed as “critically endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. While the causes of the species’ precipitous decline are relatively unknown, researchers suspect introduced pathogens, habitat loss and degradation, competition with non-native bees, and climate change. Conservation strategies should encompass all aspects of the species’ life cycle. However, habitat selection of new overwintering gynes (gynes become queens when they establish nests in the spring) is the …

Injury To Soybean Seedlings From Alfalfa Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Larvae, Robert L. Koch, M. Lourdes Chamorro

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is primarily a pest of alfalfa, but it has been reported feeding on other plants, including soybean. The relatively limited literature on H. postica in soybean indicates that adults and larvae can feed on soybean, but it is not suitable for larval development and survival. There have been instances of H. postica adults moving from alfalfa to nearby soybean fields where they have inflicted significant injury to the soybean plants. Here we report an instance of H. postica larvae causing severe feeding injury to soybean. This infestation of soybean was the result of …

Variability In Arthropod Community Surveys: Observations Of Ground-Dwelling Arthropods Are Dependent On Methodological Choices, Katherine Mcnamara Manning, Kayla I. Perry, Christie A. Bahlai

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Sampling approaches are commonly adapted to reflect the study objectives in biodiversity monitoring projects. This approach optimizes findings to be locally relevant but comes at the cost of generalizability of findings. Here, we detail a comparison study directly examining how researchers’ choice of arthropod trap and level of specimen identification affects observations made in small-scale arthropod biodiversity studies. Four arthropod traps (pitfall traps, yellow ramp traps, yellow sticky cards, and novel jar ramp traps) were compared with respect to an array of biodiversity metrics calculated at two levels of identification. The arthropod community captured varied by trap type. Pitfalls and …

Pollen Loads Of Insects Caught In Cultivated Fields Of Oilseed Pennycress, Frank Forcella, Ellinor Sheik, Michael Zavada, Mark Bernards

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Although many insects are known to be associated with the floral canopies of oilseed pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), those that carry the crop’s pollen are unknown. During early spring of 2024 insects associated with pennycress flowers in Illinois and Minnesota were captured in sweep nets, frozen, sorted by species, and sonicated to remove pollen. Pollen grains were counted, and pollen loads per individual insect were calculated. Members of the orders Diptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera accounted for 66%, 16%, and 14% of the 850 insects examined, but these same orders were responsible, respectively, for 18%, 3%, and 78% of the …

Nest Pollen Provisions From An Urban Population Of Megachile Campanulae (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) In Minnesota Are Consistent With Oligolectic Classification., Lam D. Le, Thea A. Evans, Colleen Satyshur

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The conservation of bees is crucial for maintaining the essential ecological services they provide. Understanding bee species' risk of extinction is a key part of conservation efforts, and can include assessment of dietary specialization, which has been linked to higher extinction risk. Dietary specialization in bees, called oligolecty, occurs when females select pollen only from closely related plants to feed their larvae. While the solitary bee, Megachile (Chelostomoides) campanulae (Robertson 1903), has been associated with flowers in the genus Campanula L. (Campanulaceae: Asterales), evidence from pollen analysis is limited, and dietary classification is reported inconsistently. This study examined dietary specialization …

Nocturnal Flight Periodicity Of Caddisflies (Trichoptera) Along The Lake Huron Shoreline Of Drummond Island, Michigan (Usa), Robert A. Haack, David Houghton

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Over 7000 caddisfly specimens, representing 33 species in 10 families, were collected between sunset and sunrise on 12 nights: three nights each during early July and early August in both 2023 and 2024. Collections were made on the southwestern side of Drummond Island along the shoreline of Lake Huron. Sampling occurred for five minutes at 15-minute intervals from near sunset (21:00) to 01:00 and then once again at 03:00 and 05:00. Nocturnal flight periodicity was broadly similar between years and months, with mean caddisfly abundance and species richness peaking at about one hour after sunset. Mean species accumulation varied between …

Initial Changes In Ground Beetle (Carabidae: Coleoptera) Assemblages After Creating Gaps Of Varying Sizes In Mature Northern Hardwoods Forests In Wisconsin, Robert A. Haack, Robert E. Acciavatti, Toby R. Petrice, Robert L. Davidson, Terry F. Strong

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Managers of northern hardwood forests in the Great Lakes region create gaps in the forest canopy of various sizes during harvesting to achieve different silvicultural objectives. Single-tree harvesting favors recruitment of shade-tolerant tree species by creating small gaps in the canopy, whereas group selection creates larger gaps that can favor shade-intolerant tree species. We evaluated changes in carabid beetle abundance and diversity in harvest-created gaps of five sizes (gap diameters of 6, 10, 20, 30, and 46 m) and uncut forests in northern Wisconsin where sugar maple (Acer saccharum) was the dominant tree species. Gaps were cut during …

Michigan Entomological Society Becomes The Great Lakes Entomological Society, John Douglass, Robert Haack

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Michigan Entomological Society Becomes the Great Lakes Entomological Society. An overview of the rational of the change and history of the society.

Cover Art For Tgle Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Art for TGLE Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

Cover Pages For Tgle Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Pages for TGLE Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

Full Issue For Tgle Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Full Issue for TGLE Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

Treatment Of Tics In Pediatric Patients With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Faiza Ahmad

Research Colloquium

Background: The prevalence of chronic and transient tic disorders in children with neurodevelopmental delays is substantially higher than in the general pediatric population. Disorders including Tourette’s Syndrome, Chronic Persistent Motor Tic Disorder or Provisional Tic Disorder, can present challenges in treatment when comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down’s Syndrome or other developmental delays may not be able to participate in first-line behavioral interventions like CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics) therapy. Therefore, optimization of pharmacologic treatment is often necessary in this population, especially in the case of severe, refractory tics. Additionally, pharmacologic treatment can be …

From Venom To Medicine: Harnessing Animal Toxins For Drug Discovery, Christine Vega, Ying Jia

Research Colloquium

Background: Drug development research has long focused on synthesizing novel therapeutics while overlooking isolation from naturally available sources such as animal venoms. Recently, the discovery of the therapeutic effects of highly bioavailable animal venom caused the field of venom research to soar in popularity. Animal venom serves as a natural, sophisticated tool optimized over millions of years by evolution with the ability to bind to ion channels such as nAChRs, non-specific ligand-gated ion channels distributed throughout the human nervous system. However, purifying individual venom toxins from crude venom is challenging due to its availability. Therefore, synthesizing large quantities of venom …

A Case Study Of Long-Term Disease Burden In A Rural Community Near An Open Burn Facility, Arundhati Bakshi, Liana Baconguis, Md Abdullah Al-Mamun, Qingzhao Yu, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, Stephania A. Cormier

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Open burning and open detonation (OB/OD) of explosive and hazardous wastes creates various toxic waste products, including particulate matter, that is released into the atmosphere and capable of generating significant health impacts upon exposure. The last commercially run OB/OD thermal treatment facility in operation in the United States is located near the rural community of Colfax in central Louisiana. To evaluate the community’s concerns about the potential health impacts from air pollution due to the facility’s regular open burning of explosive and hazardous wastes, we examined the disease burden in Colfax compared to the surrounding parish and state. In a …

Sensory And Chemical Characterization Of Upcycled Pomace- And Whey-Based Piquette Beverages, Dean G. Hauser, Rahul Sen, Scott R. Lafontaine, Chris Gerling, Luann M. Preston-Wisley, Timothy A. Demarsh, Samuel D. Alcaine

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Upcycling, or utilizing materials that would otherwise go to waste, enables the creation of novel products that offer sustainability advantages and generate additional value. This study evaluates the feasibility of producing alcoholic beverages using yogurt acid whey (YAW) and grape pomace (GP), byproducts of the dairy and wine industries, respectively, and compares them to commercial grape pomace beverages (piquettes) in terms of sensory attributes and chemical composition. Two YAW-GP piquettes were produced, and five commercial piquettes were obtained. Sugars and organic acids were quantified using HPLC-RID, and semi-quantitative volatile composition was determined using HS-SPME-GC-MS/MS. Descriptive analysis was conducted using a …

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi As Key Drivers Of Plant Resilience: Mechanisms Of Stress Adaptation In Saline Environments, Rayna Elizabeth Koberstein

Dissertations and Theses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a critical role in mediating plant responses to environmental stress, yet their ecological significance in saline wetland restoration remains underexplored. This greenhouse experiment investigated the effects of salinity, root-zone barrier type (solid, mesh, none), and neighboring species identity on AMF colonization and physiological responses in three native estuarine plants: Carex densa, Juncus patens, and Scirpus microcarpus. Results demonstrated species-specific physiological responses to salinity, with Juncus patens showing greater resilience in maintaining photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) and percent cover at higher salinity levels, while Scirpus microcarpus exhibited a significant decline. Mesh barriers, which permitted …

Connecting Innovation And Trust Through Translational Sciences – A Need For A Community Focus And Effective Education Strategiess, Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Michelle Borrero, Josué Pérez-Santiago, Rubén García-García, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Report of a conference held in Puerto Rico, this article highlights how interdisciplinary translational science-anchored in education, public trust, and equity-can accelerate innovation in cancer therapy while empowering underserved communities through inclusive training, collaboration, and research participation.

Development And Validation Of An Analytical Method For Determination Of Bongkrekic Acid In Biofluids For Toxin Monitoring, Ying-Tzu Shieh, Te-I Weng, Ju-Yu Chen, I-Ting Wang, Kevin Shu-Leung Lai, Chia-Mo Lin, Chu-Yun Teng, Guan-Yuan Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Bongkrekic acid (BKA) poisoning is a severe foodborne illness with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to identifyBKA in postmortem tissues from poisoning victims in Taiwan and to develop a reliable analytical method for detectingBKA in biofluids to aid clinical diagnosis and treatment. BKA was identified in postmortem samples using high-reso-lution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and confirmed with an independent ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatographycoupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method. To meet clinical needs, a UHPLC-MS/MS methodwas developed and validated for BKA detection in plasma and urine. Method optimization included adjustments to ionsource conditions for multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions and …

The Economic Burden Of Covid-19 In A Region With Stringent Response Measures: A Case Study Of Taiwan, Elise Chia-Hui Tan, Fei-Yuan Hsiao, Ming-Chin Yang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a significant economic burden globally, particularly in regions with stringentresponse measures. This study aimed to assess the economic impact of COVID-19 in Taiwan, focusing on both directand indirect costs. A cost-of-illness analysis was conducted, utilizing data from the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control(CDC), national databases, epidemiological studies, and economic surveys. The analysis included both direct costs (e.g.,hospital admissions, outpatient care) and indirect costs (e.g., productivity losses due to long COVID, absenteeism, caregiving duties). The study encompassed Taiwan's population of 23.2 million, with particular attention to age-specific impacts on economic outcomes. The total economic burden of …