Biology Commons^™

Influences Of Egyptian Lotus Symbolism And Ritualistic Practices On Sacral Tree Worship In The Fertile Crescent From 1500 Bce To 200 Ce, J. Andrew Mcdonald

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Many conventional features of world tree motifs in the ancient Near East—including stalked palmettes, aureoles of water lily palmettes connected by pliant stems, floral rosettes, winged disks and bud-and-blossom motifs—trace largely from Egyptian practices in lotus symbolism around 2500 BCE, more than a millennium before they appear, migrate and dominate plant symbolism across the Fertile Crescent from 1500 BCE to 200 CE. Several of these motifs were associated singularly or collectively with the Egyptian sema-taui and ankh signs to symbolize the eternal recurrence and everlasting lives of Nilotic lotus deities and deceased pharaohs. The widespread use of lotus imagery in …

Isolation Of Enteric Glial Cells From The Submucosa And Lamina Propria Of The Adult Mouse, Zhen Wang, Ramon Ocadiz-Ruiz, Sinju Sundaresan, Lin Ding, Michael Hayes, Nirakar Sahoo, Haoxing Xu, Juanita L. Merchant

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The enteric nervous system (ENS) consists of neurons and enteric glial cells (EGCs) that reside within the smooth muscle wall, submucosa and lamina propria. EGCs play important roles in gut homeostasis through the release of various trophic factors and contribute to the integrity of the epithelial barrier. Most studies of primary enteric glial cultures use cells isolated from the myenteric plexus after enzymatic dissociation. Here, a non-enzymatic method to isolate and culture EGCs from the intestinal submucosa and lamina propria is described. After manual removal of the longitudinal muscle layer, EGCs were liberated from the lamina propria and submucosa using …

Questing Activity Of Cattle Fever Tick Larvae, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Microplus (Acari: Ixodidae): Environmental Influences And Implications For Control In South Texas, Brenda Leal

Theses and Dissertations

Questing ticks ascend stems, leaves, or rocks, extend their front legs, and wait poised for attachment to a passing host. Ixodid ticks have four developmental stages. Because ticks detach and molt between stages most ticks require three separate hosts to complete their lifecycle. Three-host ticks quest for a new host between each stage, whereas a few specialist tick species remain on and thus require only a single host. These one-host ticks only quest for hosts as larvae. As much as 90% of the life cycle may consist of questing when hosts are scarce. Most of the literature on questing relates …

Environmental Conditions In San Martin Lake: Effects Of Eutrophication In An Estuary Associated With The Laguna Madre, Wendy L. Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

San Martin Lake is a shallow water Estuary in the lower Laguna Madre off the Port of Brownsville Shipping channel. It is influenced both by incoming tides and waste water runoff both from local farms and the Brownsville water treatment plants. The resulting mixture of eutrophic water and incoming sea water creates the perfect mix for a potential algal bloom. This study looks at the nutrient levels and environmental conditions in the main basin of the estuary to establish baseline levels and to observe the rate of nutrient clearing being accomplished in this environment. As sport recreation in the area …

Survey Assessment Of Community Knowledge And Prevention Of Chagas Disease And Its Vector In Hidalgo And Cameron Counties, Adam Dennis Wiejaczka

Theses and Dissertations

Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, kills thousands of people annually and is the dominant cause of infectious myocarditis worldwide. Kissing bugs are vectors that carry T. cruzi . and are found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). There is no vaccination nor cure for Chagas. The best mechanism of prevention is to control vector infestations. Little research is available regarding the level of understanding local communities have about Chagas.

Our goal was to test the knowledge of several communities in the LRGV on Chagas disease. Our hypothesis states that local communities do not have sufficient …

Embryology And Wing Development In A Dragonfly (Tramea Onusta), Valeria M. Casas

Theses and Dissertations

Most phylogenetic research within the insect phylogeny is focused on higher order taxons. Therefore, to better understand insect wing and flight origin, genetic studies on more primitive insect orders is necessary. Odonata, the order including dragonflies, is one of the earliest insect taxa to develop wings. Hox genes are highly conserved regulatory genes involved in embryonic development of organisms. Hox gene expression studies in insects allow improved insight of body plan development including wings. Embryonic development of dragonfly, Tramea onusta, was analyzed at various developmental stages. Developmental genes Antennapedia, Distal-less, Ultrabithorax, abdominal-A, Abdominal-B, engrailed, Cadual, engrailed 2, Wingless, nubbin, …

Nannochloris Sp. And Oocystis Sp. Algae Exposed To Osmotic Stress For Increased Lipid Production For Use In Biofuels, Laura M. Chavez

Theses and Dissertations

Algal biofuel research is important due to the potential need for replacement of non-renewable fossil fuels and a changing global climate. Under stress, algal cells tend to increase neutral lipid production, which are a suitable source for biofuels. The goal of this study was to subject Nannochloris sp.. and Oocystis sp. algal cells to osmotic stress by modifying sucrose and salinity levels in different treatment medias.

The treatment containing the lowest salinity (15 ppt) and no sucrose yielded the highest lipid fluorescence/cell in Nannochloris sp.. cells (0.00142 ± 0.00044) on day 2 while the treatment containing highest salinity (35ppt) …

Field Data On Plant Growth And Insect Damage On The Noxious Weed Solanum Eleaegnifolium In An Unexplored Native Range, Rupesh R. Kariyat, Jesus Chavana

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

In this data article, we provide a novel data set on plant growth, insect damage levels, and herbivore community of the noxious and invasive weed Solanum eleaegnifolium (Solanaceae). The data is collected from disturbed and un-disturbed urban populations of the species from one of its unexplored native range in Southern United States (South Texas). The data include plant height measurements, insect damage levels, GPS coordinates of the populations, and their disturbance status. Additional data includes the number of chewing herbivore (specialist herbivore Texas potato beetle (Leptinotarsa texana; Chrysomelidae), their eggs, and any lepidopteran caterpillars found on the plants.

Snake Venom Phospholipase A2 And Its Antibacterial Potential, Pablo Olvera, Ying Jia

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

No abstract provided.

Trichomonas Vaginalis Cytoadherence Is Modulated By Oxidative Stress, Magali Ayala

Theses and Dissertations

The adherence of Trichomonas vaginalis to the human urogenital tract is a prerequisite for the pathogenesis of the infection. This multifactorial process is modulated by environmental factors such as iron, estrogen, temperature and pH and specific receptor/ligand interactions. During natural infections, the anaerobe T. vaginalis is exposed to oxygen resulting in oxidative stress. This environmental change may alter trichomonad cytoadherence to the ectocervical tissue. Therefore, it was hypothesized that changes in the redox status of T. vaginalis may modulate cytoadherence levels. Results showed that oxidative stress reduces levels of trichomonad cytoadherence to HeLa cells by > 50% when exposed to 150 …

Investigating The Role Of Nuclear Foxo3 In Pten-Null Glioblastomas, Lilia Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

The PI3K pathway activates AKT, leading to inactivation of FOXO transcription factors. Loss of PTEN results in constitutive inactivation of tumor suppressor FOXO. There is increasing evidence that FOXO resides and promotes transcriptional activity in the nucleus despite high PI3K output within certain advanced cancers and embryonic stem cells. Here, we investigate the regulation and roles of FOXO transcription factors in glioblastoma and basal breast cancer. First, we built and published genetic models to investigate the roles of FOXO transcription factors in cancer cell lines for glioblastoma (U87MG). We examined the function of FOXO transcription factors using these genetic models …

Oxidative Insults Disrupt Opa1-Mediated Mitochondrial Dynamics In Cultured Mammalian Cells, Iraselia Garcia, Wendy Innis-Whitehouse, Alma Lopez, Megan Keniry, Robert Gilkerson

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Objective: To explore the impact of oxidative insults on mitochondrial dynamics. In mammalian cells, oxidative insults activate stress response pathways including inflammation, cytokine secretion, and apoptosis. Intriguingly, mitochondria are emerging as a sensitive network that may function as an early indicator of subsequent cellular stress responses. Mitochondria form a dynamic network, balancing fusion, mediated by optic atrophy-1 (OPA1), and fission events, mediated by dynamin-related protein-1 (DRP1), to maintain homeostasis.

Methods: Here, we examine the impact of oxidative insults on mitochondrial dynamics in 143B osteosarcoma and H9c2 cardiomyoblast cell lines via confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and protein-based analyses.

Results: When challenged …

Invasive Aquatic Pets: Failed Policies Increase Risks Of Harmful Invasions, Jiří Patoka, André Lincoln Barroso Magalhães, Antonín Kouba, Zen Faulkes, Rikho Jerikho, Jean Ricardo Simões Vitule

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Businesses in the pet trade collect and transport many aquatic species around the globe, and some of these individuals are released into new habitats. Some jurisdictions have introduced laws intended to regulate this trade, but these regulations have rarely had the desired effects. Laws regarding pets and the pet trade are often poorly communicated, poorly enforced, and not aligned with hobbyists’ beliefs. Consequently, some laws may increase the number of unwanted introductions instead of decreasing them. A significant change in approach is needed, involving far greater communication with scientists, administrations, politicians, the pet industry, and pet owners, promoting euthanasia of …

A Comparison Of Salinity Effects From Hurricanes Dolly (2008) And Alex (2010) In A Texas Lagoon System, Joseph L. Kowalski, Hudson R. Deyoe, Gilbert H. Boza Jr., Donald L. Hockaday, Paul V. Zimba

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

A comparison of salinity effects from hurricanes Dolly (2008) and Alex (2010) in a Texas lagoon system.Hurricanes are not uncommon along the Gulf of Mexico coast, but there are few studies of the effects they have on coastal embayments. Hurricanes Dolly (2008) and Alex (2010) were both Category 2 storms affecting the Lower Laguna Madre (LLM) of Texas. Surveys were performed to assess poststorm water quality after landfall of both storms at up to 18 sample stations. The main difference between storm effects was salinity reduction because of stormwater input from the watershed. Effects from Hurricane Dolly were of short …

Metabolic Dysregulation: An Investigation Of The Role Of Foxo3 In Gluconeogensis In Pten-Null Glioblastomas, Victor Fanniel

Theses and Dissertations

Many processes are regulated by the Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway in the cell including cell survival, metabolism, and apoptosis. Increased activation of the PI3K pathway is a hallmark of many cancers which can be oftentimes attributed to the mutation of PTEN, which encodes an enzyme that performs the reverse reaction of PI3K. When PTEN is null-mutated, this creates a constitutively active PI3K pathway and constitutively active AKT. Since AKT phosphorylates conserved residues on FOXO transcription factors to mark them for nuclear export, this renders FOXO inactive. However, new research has provided evidence that FOXO is still present in …

Regional Distribution, Non-Invasive Detection, And Genetic Diversity Of The Black-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus Meridionalis), Evan A. Bare

Theses and Dissertations

The Black-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus meridionalis ) is one of three a salamander species native to Gulf Coast prairies of Texas and Mexico, with respective state and federal protections. This species has been neglected by the scientific community despite concerns of dramatic population declines and a globally endangered status, with the most recent work being conducted in the early 1990’s going unpublished. This study presents the most recent examination of the species providing probabilistic distribution maps, descriptions of three novel populations, assessments of surveying techniques, and the first known examination of intrapopulation genetics including the first documented genetic examination of …

Species Delimitation Among Southeastern Us Oxyloma (Gastropoda: Succineidae), Marco A. Martinez Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

The Succineid genus Oxyloma found throughout Canada and United States contains approximately 15 described species whose criterion for differentiation is considered unreliable. As a first step towards understanding the evolutionary history and revising the taxonomy of North American Oxyloma, we have sampled four species found in eastern North America (O. salleana, O. subeffusa, O. effusa, and O. retusa) from their type localities. We used mitochondrial COI, and nuclear LSU sequences with samples found across their range and members of the family to produce a phylogenetic hypothesis of evolutionary relationships and test species boundaries. Molecular phylogeny and species …

Progress And Potential Of Two Biological Control Agents Of The Invasive Giant Reed (Arundo Donax L.), Madeline Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

Biological control, or the use of natural enemies for pest management, may the best long-term option for managing the invasive Arundo donax , a noxious weed dominating riparian habitats globally and along the Rio Grande River. This work reports on the progress and potential of two arundo biological control agents permitted for release in Texas and Mexico. The arundo wasp, Tetramesa romana, released in 2009, is having significant impacts as reported from various field locations around the world, described here using standard exit hole counts. The highest density levels were found in Texas (introduced range) compared to relatively low …

Monitoring Wildlife Guards And Crossing Structures On A Divided Highway In South Texas, Tiffany C. Cogan

Theses and Dissertations

To mitigate ocelot (Leopardus pardalis albescens ) road mortality, Texas Department of Transportation installed fencing, wildlife road crossing structures (WRCS, n = 5), and wildlife guards (WG, n = 18) on divided State Highway 100 in Cameron County, Texas. During construction, active infrared (AIR, n = 24) and passive infrared (PIR, n = 24) cameras were side-by-side at WRCS (n = 6) and WG (n = 6). Community composition was significantly different (p = 0.0001) between camera types with AIR cameras detecting a more diverse and abundant community. Wildlife community was significantly different (p = 0.0002) between three WRCS …

A Phylogeographic Analysis Of Black Coral (Antipatharia) On Artificial And Natural Reefs In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Heather Otte

Theses and Dissertations

NOAA's Islands in the Stream concept (IitS) of designating networks of marine protected areas as refugia in the Gulf of Mexico depends on genetic connectivity. Isolated habitats like those proposed by the IitS occur naturally off the Texas coast where hard-bottom structures protrude from mudflats, offering a small-scale study of the IitS feasibility. Two sequences, mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA and nuclear internal transcribed spacer, were used to build haplotype networks of Antipatharians (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia), corals with planktonic larvae that can act as a proxy for connectivity of other organisms. Two species showed no significant genetic differentiation or pattern of genetic …

Leaf Trichomes Affect Caterpillar Feeding In An Instar-Specific Manner, Rupesh R. Kariyat, Sean B. Hardison, Aisling B. Ryan, Andrew G. Stephenson, Consuelo M. De Moraes, Mark C. Mescher

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Leaf trichomes play well-established roles in defense against insect herbivores, both as a physical barrier that impedes herbivore movement and by mediating chemical defenses. However, little work has examined how different trichome types influence herbivory by herbivores at different stages of development. We examined whether caterpillar instar and trichome type (glandular or non-glandular) affected the ability of the specialist herbivore caterpillar Manduca sexta to initiate feeding on 11 Solanaceous species exhibiting variation in the density and type of leaf trichomes. Our results suggest that non-glandular trichomes are far more effective than glandular trichomes in deterring the initiation of feeding by …

Use Of The Sea Hare (Aplysia Fasciata) In Marine Pollution Biomonitoring Of Harbors And Bays, Frank J. Dirrigl, Zachariah Badaoui, Carlos Tamez, Christopher Vitek, Jason Parsons

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Our study evaluated heavy metal concentrations in soft tissues of sea hare, Aplysia fasciata, from the Lower Laguna Madre, Texas. Heavy metals in tissues followed Se > As > Pb > Cd. Concentrations ranged As (BDL-28.08), Cd (BDL-5.50), Pb (BDL-12.85) and Se (4.25-93.43 ppm). Median As, Cd, Pb, and Se tissue levels exceeded exposure levels. Significant relationships occurred in metal-metal (As-Cd, As-Pb, Cd-Pb, Cd-Se, and Pb-Se), metal-tissue (significant Se uptake by inhalant and exhalant siphons and As in the hepatopancreas), and metal-metal within tissue (As-Pb in the hepatopancreas and Cd-Pb in the digestive cecum) analyses (p

A Protocol For Custom Crispr Cas9 Donor Vector Construction To Truncate Genes In Mammalian Cells Using Pcdna3 Backbone, Neftali Vasquez, Lilia Sanchez, Rebecca Marks, Eduardo Martinez, Victor Fanniel, Alma Lopez, Andrea Salinas, Itzel Flores, Jesse Hirshmann, Robert Gilkerson, Erin Schuenzel, Robert Dearth, Wendy Innis-Whitehouse, Megan Keniry

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Background: Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) RNA-guided adaptive immune systems are found in prokaryotes to defend cells from foreign DNA. CRISPR Cas9 systems have been modified and employed as genome editing tools in wide ranging organisms. Here, we provide a detailed protocol to truncate genes in mammalian cells using CRISPR Cas9 editing. We describe custom donor vector construction using Gibson assembly with the commonly utilized pcDNA3 vector as the backbone.

Results: We describe a step-by-step method to truncate genes of interest in mammalian cell lines using custom-made donor vectors. Our method employs 2 guide RNAs, mutant Cas9D10A nickase …

Population Dynamics Of Off-Host Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) Larvae In Response To Habitat And Seasonality In South Texas, Brenda Leal, Donald B. Thomas, Robert K. Dearth

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini), is an economically destructive arthropod because of its ability to vector bovine babesiosis. It is known that cattle ticks can spend 80–90% of their lifecycle as questing larvae, yet the effect of climatic factors on their off-host behavior and survival is unclear. The goal of this study was to measure the effects of specific ecological factors on off-host questing larvae in nature. The study was conducted in a south Texas pasture over a two-year period, during which time larval populations were surveyed. Simultaneously, weather variables—precipitation, relative humidity, and ambient temperatures—were recorded. Larval survival rates …

Winter Site Fidelity Of Orange-Crowned Warblers (Oreothlypis Celata) In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Mark H. Conway, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Abstract—We documented between-winter site fidelity of orange-crowned warblers (Oreothlypis celata) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, between 2004 and 2017. Overall, we recaptured 13.9% of the 201 banded birds in ‡1 subsequent winter season: 20.8% of the 101 birds banded in urban natural areas, and 7.0% of the 100 banded in rural areas. We recaptured 8 birds ‡3 winters after their initial capture, indicating extended winter site fidelity.

Resumen—Documentamos la fidelidad al sitio invernal de los chipes olivaceos (Oreothlypis celata) en el Valle del R´ıo Grande Baja de Texas entre 2004 y 2017. En general, se …

Efficacy Evaluation Of Six Entomopathogenic Nematode Species Against Engorged Females Of Southern Cattle Fever Tick, Rhipicephalus (=Boophilus) Microplus, N. K. Singh, John A. Goolsby, David I. Shapiro-Ilan, R. J. Miller, D. B. Thomas, Guilherme M. Klafke, Jason Tidwell, Alexis Racelis, Parwinder Grewal, Adalberto A. Perez De Leon

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The southern cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus microplus Canestrini, is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, causing huge economic losses to milk and meat production. Application of acaricides is the most widely used control strategy, but because of increasing evidence of resistance to acaricide and environmental concerns, novel strategies are needed. Use of entomopathogenic nematodes is a promising alternative for tick control. Six species of nematodes, Steinernema riobrave Cabanillas, Poinar, and Raulston (355 strain), S. carpocapsae (Weiser) (All strain), S. feltiae Filipjev (SN strain), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (VS strain), H. indica Poinar, Karunakar, and David (HOM1 strain), and H. floridensis …

Drivers And Mechanisms Of Tree Mortality In Moist Tropical Forests, Nate G. Mcdowell, Craig D. Allen, Kristina Anderson-Teixeira, Paulo Brando, Roel J. W. Brienen, Jeff Chambers, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Stuart Davies, Alvaro Duque, Fernando Espiritu-Santo

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Tree mortality rates appear to be increasing in moist tropical forests (MTFs) with significant carbon cycle consequences. Here, we review the state of knowledge regarding MTF tree mortality, create a conceptual framework with testable hypotheses regarding the drivers, mechanisms and interactions that may underlie increasing MTF mortality rates, and identify the next steps for improved understanding and reduced prediction. Increasing mortality rates are associated with rising temperature and vapor pressure deficit, liana abundance, drought, wind events, fire and, possibly, CO2 fertilization-induced increases in stand thinning or acceleration of trees reaching larger, more vulnerable heights. The majority of these mortality drivers …

Biotic And Abiotic Factors Influencing Infestation Levels Of The Arundo Leafminer, Lasioptera Donacis, In Its Native Range In Mediterranean Europe, Madeline Marshall, John A. Goolsby, Ann T. Vacek, Alexis Racelis

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Lasioptera donacis is a biological control agent of Arundo donax, which is an invasive weed in the riparian hab-itats of the Rio Grande Basin of Texas and Northern Mexico. Field research was conducted in the native range of L. donacis in Mediterranean Europe to evaluate the biotic and abiotic factors that influence its local infestation levels. Lasioptera donacis feeding damage was documented on 40.4 and 67.8 % of dead and decaying leaf sheaths respectively across all sites. Lasioptera donacis was active in all locations including highly disturbed sites, but showed a slight preference for sites near running freshwater sources and …

Many Paths Toward Discovery: A Module For Teaching How Science Works, Rebecca M. Price, Kathryn E. Perez

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Improving students' understanding of how science works requires explicit instruction. Here, we test the efficacy of a module based on two previously published activities (the "Cube Puzzle" and the case study "Asteroids and Dinosaurs") that teach how science works to college science majors. Students also use the How Science Works Flowchart from Understanding Science (http://undsci.berkeley. edu/) to reflect on these activities. To assess the efficacy of this module, we asked students to illustrate the process of science before and after the intervention. After the intervention, students' diagrams were significantly more complex and nonlinear. Students also incorporated more social aspects of …

Vegetation Demographics In Earth System Models: A Review Of Progress And Priorities, Rosie A. Fisher, Charles D. Koven, William R. L. Anderegg, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Michael C. Dietze, Caroline E. Farrior, Jennifer A. Holm, George C. Hurtt, Ryan G. Knox, Peter J. Lawrence

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Numerous current efforts seek to improve the representation of ecosystem ecology and vegetation demographic processes within Earth System Models (ESMs). These developments are widely viewed as an important step in developing greater realism in predictions of future ecosystem states and fluxes. Increased realism, however, leads to increased model complexity, with new features raising a suite of ecological questions that require empirical constraints. Here, we review the developments that permit the representation of plant demographics in ESMs, and identify issues raised by these developments that highlight important gaps in ecological understanding. These issues inevitably translate into uncertainty in model projections but …