Biology Commons^™

Correlation Of Amyloid Beta And Spatial Learning And Memory Deficits On A Thy1-App Mouse Model For Alzheimer's Disease, Amber Lynn Betz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The McGill-Thy1 APP mouse is a triple transgenic model of Alzheimer disease, which has the mutant amyloid precursor protein to synergistically over-produce amyloid beta plaques. These mice exhibit visuo-spatial learning impairment at 3 months of age and memory impairment at 10-13 months of age in the Morris water maze. To extend these findings mice at 3, 5, and 7 months of age were tested on the Barnes maze. Non-Transgenic and Transgenic mice showed improvement during acquisition. However, 3 month and 5 month McGill Thy1- APP mice showed impaired acquisition learning while 7 month showed a learning and memory deficit compared …

Restoration Strategies To Migrate Shrub Encroachment Into Coastal Prairies, Erick Mark Verderber

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Shrub encroachment into grasslands is a phenomenon facilitated by fire suppression, climate warming, and overgrazing of grasses by cattle, and if left unmanaged, can alter ecosystem structure and function. In this study, I compare the effectiveness and cost/benefit of various restoration strategies (prescribed fire, mechanical, and chemical) used singly and in different combinations at decreasing two shrubs, honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr.) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.), and promoting growth and survival of gulf cordgrass (Spartina spartinae (Trin.) Merr. ex Hitchc.), the dominant coastal prairie grass within the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge-Bahia Grande Unit in deep south Texas. …

The Role Of Oxidative Stress In The Rotenone Model Lymnaea Stagnalis, Homero L. Cantu

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, characterized by progressive depletion of dopamine (DA). Rotenone, a common pesticide, can induce PD like symptoms in animal models. The goal of this thesis is to quantify the levels and effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in brain tissue of the common neurobiological gastropod model, Lymnaea stagnalis, after treatment with Rotenone. The results show that rotenone causes a behavioral deficit and increases ROS production, especially superoxide. Furthermore, glutathione was depleted and protein carbonyl formation increased. These results are consistent with findings in human PD and the high levels of ROS …

Biological Flora Of Coastal Dunes And Wetlands: Borrichia Frutescens (L.) Dc., Robert I. Lonard, Frank W. Judd, Richard Stalter

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

Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC. is a New World warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical zone, perennial subshrub that is an important species in hypersaline coastal sites. Also known as sea ox-eye, it tolerates salinities ranging from less than 20 ppt to 130 ppt. It occurs in substrates low in organic matter and deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nearly all reproduction is vegetative from an extensive rhizome system. Populations of this species recover quickly after coverage by wrack. Stands of B. frutescens often dominate the landward border of salt marshes.

Characterization Of Continuously Oscillating Neurons (Cons) Of The Medial Septum Of Rats, Nadia Noel Carreon

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Theta oscillation is the largest extracellular synchronous signal that can be recorded from the mammalian brain. It is known to influence information retention in the hippocampus, which plays a key role in declarative memory, recognition memory, working memory, and spatial memory. The theta oscillation field frequency is between 3 and 12 Hz and is present during exploratory behavior and sleep in rodents. Theta rhythm in the hippocampus is postulated to be produced by the rhythmical activity of pacemaking cells in the medial septumvertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca (MS-vDBB). Previous work in our laboratory demonstrated the existence of …

Differential Gene Expression Between Two Developmental Stages Of The Gené'S Organ In The Cattle Fever Tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Microplus, Jason P. Tidwell

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The southern cattle fever tick (SCFT), Rhipicephalus microplus, is considered the most economically important ectoparasite of livestock worldwide and ranks sixth among the most pesticide resistant arthropods globally. This single-host hard tick is a vector of the infectious agents causing bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis. The estimated impact of these SCFT-borne diseases on the livestock industry in the world is $7 billion annually. This project focuses on the Gené’s organ and addresses the need to identify novel targets that can serve as the basis for sustainable SCFT control strategies. Wax secreted by the Gené’s organ protects tick eggs from desiccation, bacterial …

Animal Habitat Utilization And The Impacts Of Small-Scale Disturbances On Vegetation Within Larch Forests In Northeastern Siberia, Aaron Phillip White

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Boreal forests support a variety of animals distributed across a matrix of habitat patches including forests of different ages and stand densities. These forests occur at high latitudes where cold and moist conditions favor ground layer dominance by mosses and slow decomposition rates, resulting in a thick soil organic layer (SOL) comprised primarily of decomposing mosses and roots. However, limited information is available on how animal use varies across habitat types in northeastern Siberia. Boreal forests of this region are unique because they are comprised of a single deciduous conifer, Cajander larch (Larix cajanderi). These forests also occur on a …

Long-Term Changes In Seasonal Fish Assemblage Dynamics In An Adventitious Desert Stream, Seiji Miyazono, Christopher M. Taylor

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

Tornillo Creek, a tributary of the Rio Grande in Texas, United States, has historically been an important nursery and spawning habitat for several native fish species. We examined variation in the seasonal fish assemblages in Tornillo Creek within and between two time periods (1967–1970 vs. 2009–2011), and contemporary fish assemblage–environment associations, in order to understand what environmental factors were associated with seasonal fish abundance and occupancy patterns. Our results indicated that fish assemblages were very different between the two time periods. Contemporary seasonal fish assemblage patterns in Tornillo Creek were less variable than historical assemblages and were linked to several …

Long-Term Changes In Seasonal Fish Assemblage Dynamics In An Adventitious Desert Stream, Seiji Miyazono, Christopher M. Taylor

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

Tornillo Creek, a tributary of the Rio Grande in Texas, United States, has historically been an important nursery and spawning habitat for several native fish species. We examined variation in the seasonal fish assemblages in Tornillo Creek within and between two time periods (1967–1970 vs. 2009–2011), and contemporary fish assemblage–environment associations, in order to understand what environmental factors were associated with seasonal fish abundance and occupancy patterns. Our results indicated that fish assemblages were very different between the two time periods. Contemporary seasonal fish assemblage patterns in Tornillo Creek were less variable than historical assemblages and were linked to several …

Attraction, Repellence, And Predation: Role Of Companion Plants In Regulating Myzus Persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphidae) In Organic Kale Systems Of South Texas, Carlos R. Moreno, Alexis Racelis

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

Annual outbreaks of green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), limit commercial production of brassica crops, especially in organic systems in subtropical areas such as South Texas. We assessed the influence of companion plants that emit attractant, repellent, and natural enemy-attractant stimuli (i.e., insectary plants) on abundance of green peach aphid in organic kale (Brassica oleracaea L. var. acephala) fields in South Texas. We also monitored the assemblage of arthropod predators and parasitoids on kale and evaluated the response of numerically dominant species to companion plants. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Vassiliĭ Matveievitch Czernajew; attractant), dill (Anethum graveolens L.; repellent), fennel …

Prevalence Of Borrelia Burgdorferi-Infected Ticks From Wildlife Hosts, A Response To Norris Et Al., Maria Dolores Esteve-Gassent, Abha Grover, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Ivan Castro-Arellano, Raul F. Medina, Guadalupe Gordillo Pérez, Adalberto A. Pérez De León

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

In a recent Letter to the Editor, Norris et al. questioned the validity of some of our data reported by Feria-Arroyo et al. The main issue investigated by us was the potential impact of climate change on the probable distribution of the tick vector Ixodes scapularis in the Texas-Mexico transboundary region. As an ancillary issue, an analysis of sequence data for the intergenic spacer of Borrelia burgdorferi was conducted. In the present letter, we provide further evidence supporting our original results, and advocate that extensive study of the population genetics of B. burgdorferi is needed in the Texas-Mexico transboundary …

Assessing Infection Patterns In Chinese Mystery Snails From Wisconsin, Usa Using Field And Laboratory Approaches, Brittany Harried, Kyle Fischer, Kathryn E. Perez, Gregory J. Sandland

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

The success of invasive species establishment in new habitats depends, in part, on interactions with other members of the invaded community. Cipangopaludina chinensis, the Chinese mystery snail (CMS), is an exotic, invasive snail in North America. Since its introduction in the 1890s, CMS have spread to a number of watersheds across the United States and parts of Canada. This invasion has generated questions about the snail’s capacity to serve as a host for parasites within local habitats, including parasites with conservation implications. To begin addressing these questions, we necropsied 147 wild-caught snails from 22 lakes across Wisconsin, finding only two …

Detection Of Temporal Changes In Vegetative Cover On South Padre Island, Texas Using Image Classifications Derived From Aerial Color-Infrared Photographs, Ruben A. Mazariegos, Kenneth R. Summy, Frank W. Judd, Robert I. Lonard, James H. Everitt

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Supervised image classifications developed from 23 x 23 cm aerial color-infrared aerial photographs (1:5,000 scale) were used to evaluate temporal changes in vegetative cover occurring within three 150 x 300-m research sites on South Padre Island, Texas. Use of high-resolution digitized imagery (ground pixel resolution of ca. 0.1 m) and survey-grade GPS for positional measurements of ground control points (20-25 1.0m2 targets within each research site) resulted in consistently high levels of geometric accuracy, with root mean square errors (RMSEs) ranging between 0.397 – 2.867. Similarly, use of relatively simple information categories (dry and wet sand, live and dead vegetative …

Relationship Between Stream Velocity & Depth And Snail Size Distribution & Density Of The Balcones Elimia, Elimia Comalensis (Pilsbry, 1890) (Gastropoda: Pleuroceridae) In Comal Springs, Texas, Kathryn E. Perez, Russell L. Minton, Scott A. Reese, David M. Haye

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

Pleurocerid snails are important components of aquatic ecosystems and the majority of species are threatened or endangered. This study describes aspects of the life-history of Elimia comalensis, specifically population density in relationship to water velocity and depth, and seasonal change. Also examined are spatial segregation of different E. comalensis age groups and the relationship of snail size (proxy for age) to 110w, depth, and seasonal change. The study was carried out in the lotic portion of spring run 3, Coma! Springs, New Braunfels, Texas, by quadrat sampling at 10 in intervals from the spring head to Landa Lake in Fall. …

Preliminary Transcriptome Analysis And Homeobox Gene Isonlation For Tomocerus Minor (Entomobryomorpha: Tomoceridae), Alejandro Alaniz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Collembola, or “springtails,” are small, edaphic arthropods classified as Entognatha; a group traditionally included as part of Hexapoda and sister-group to the true insects. However, some genetic studies suggest that they may instead have derived from a separate crustacean lineage rather than from a proto-Insecta lineage. The unique abdominal structures that develop on the collembolan ventral abdomen appear to be appendicular in origin – atypical to the canonical, appendage-less insect abdomen ground plan. I developed culture and embryo fixation protocols for; and sequenced and analyzed a multi-stage embryo transcriptome for Tomocerus minor (Collembola: Entomobryomorpha). This analysis annotated 14,417 distinct genes, …

Differential Response By Bronzed Cowbirds To Songs Of Potential Hosts In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Mary J. Janecka, Timothy Brush

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

How bronzed cowbirds (Molothrus aeneus) find nests to parasitize is poorly known, especially whether they use host vocalizations as sources of information about nest location and status. We conducted 120 point-count surveys, followed by broadcasts of host songs, at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in 2008 and 2009. Bronzed cowbirds responded to songs of potential host species by flying toward the source of the playback as single females or males or multiple females and males. Bronzed cowbirds responded in greater numbers to the songs of oriole species (Icterus) …

Establishment And Spread Of A Single Parthenogenic Genotype Of The Mediterranean Arundo Wasp, Tetramesa Romana, In The Variable Climate Of Texas, John A. Goolsby, John F. Gaskin, Daniel V. Tarin, Alan E. Pepper, Don C. Henne, Allan Auclair, Alexis Racelis, Kenneth R. Summy, Patrick J. Moran, Donald B. Thomas

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

As part of a biological control program for the invasive weed, Arundo donax L., several genotypically unique populations of the parthenogenetic stemgalling wasp, Tetramesa romana Walker (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), from Spain and France were released in an infested riparian zone along the Rio Grande from Brownsville to Del Rio, TX. An adventive population of the wasp of unknown origin with limited distribution in Texas was also discovered, evaluated, and released as part of the program. More than 1.2 million wasps representing the mixture of genotypes were aerially released from 2009 to 2011. Wasps dispersed from their original release locations and now …

Pathogenic Landscape Of Transboundary Zoonotic Diseases In The Mexico–Us Border Along The Rio Grande, Maria Dolores Esteve-Gassent, Adalberto A. Pérez De León, Dora Romero-Salas, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Ramiro Patino, John A. Goolsby

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

Transboundary zoonotic diseases, several of which are vector borne, can maintain a dynamic focus and have pathogens circulating in geographic regions encircling multiple geopolitical boundaries. Global change is intensifying transboundary problems, including the spatial variation of the risk and incidence of zoonotic diseases.The complexity of these challenges can be greater in areas where rivers delineate international boundaries and encompass transitions between ecozones.The Rio Grande serves as a natural border between the US State ofTexas and the Mexican States of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, andTamaulipas. Not only do millions of people live in this transboundary region, but also a substantial amount …

A Comparison Of Fish Communities Over Different Reef Configurations In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Catheline Y. M. Froehlich

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

High fishing pressure and limited natural habitat characterize the otherwise barren northwestern Gulf of Mexico. South Texas lacks extensive research of local natural and artificial reefs, and few studies report fish community and sportfish analysis of different reef densities. To alleviate this lack of data, fish abundances were monitored at different reef configurations in the PS-1047 Reef, 13 km off Port Mansfield, Texas, where 4000 concrete culverts were placed in 2011. Four culvert categories (CC1: 1-30 culverts, CC2: 31-70 culverts, CC3: 71-120 culverts, and CC4: 121-190 culverts in a 30-m radius), natural reefs and bare areas were sampled. Species abundances …

Metformin And Erlotinib Synergize To Inhibit Basal Breast Cancer, Ying-Ka Ingar Lau, Xing Du, Vinayak Rayannavar, Benjamin Hopkins, Jacquelyn Shaw, Eliana Bessler, Tiffany Thomas, Maira M. Pires, Megan Keniry

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

Basal-like breast cancers (BBCs) are enriched for increased EGFR expression and decreased expression of PTEN. We found that treatment with metformin and erlotinib synergistically induced apoptosis in a subset of BBC cell lines. The drug combination led to enhanced reduction of EGFR, AKT, S6 and 4EBP1 phosphorylation, as well as prevented colony formation and inhibited mammosphere outgrowth. Our data with other compounds suggested that biguanides combined with EGFR inhibitors have the potential to outperform other targeted drug combinations and could be employed in other breast cancer subtypes, as well as other tumor types, with activated EGFR and PI3K signaling. Analysis …

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park Breeding Bird Monitoring Data Fy 2014, Kenneth D. Pruitt

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

Data are part of the GULN Inventory and Monitoring Program Land bird monitoring project for PAAL. Data were collected by Kenneth Pruit through a cooperative agreement with GULN and UT Brownsville in 2014. A separate reference is available for the Field Sheets that accompanies this data set.

https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2218507

Resaca Ecosystem Development: Colonization And Succession Of The Macroinvertebrate Community, Leah M. Mcintosh

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Freshwater wetlands in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas are locally known as resacas. Resacas are remnants of the Rio Grande River channel that were cut off by sedimentation and erosion of river banks. Many are maintained as permanent wetlands through intermittent water pumping from the river; and provide valuable habitat for fish, invertebrates, migratory birds and a diverse floral community in the semi-arid environment of South Texas. Three resacas in different stages of ecosystem development were studied, including one from day zero after re-flooding. The objectives were to document the colonization process of the re-flooded resaca and the …

Recruitment Patterns Of Juvenile Fish At An Artificial Reef In The Gulf Of Mexico, Rachel Noel Arney

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In 2011, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department deployed 4,000 culverts as an artificial reef off Port Mansfield, TX to serve as habitat for sport fish species in the Gulf of Mexico. The aim of this study was to assess juvenile fish recruitment at particular culvert densities among the reef. Standard monitoring units for the recruitment of reef fish (SMURFs) were used in this study and acted as sampling devices. SMURFs were placed at thirteen sampling stations among four different reef patch densities and sampled repeatedly from 2013-2014. Culvert densities included stations with: zero culverts, 1-50 culverts, 51-100 culverts, and …

Two Roads Converging: Mitochondria And Inflammatory Signaling, Robert Gilkerson, Luis Materon

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

As the complexity of cellular signaling in inflammatory response emerges, it is increasingly clear that mitochondria are directly involved in, and in some cases are even required for, activation of inflammatory response. As a bioenergetic organellar network, mitochondria dynamically modulate their organization and function in response to cellular signaling cues and metabolic demand. The NLRP3 inflammasome, a caspase-activating multifactor scaffolding assembly, is directly activated by mitochondrial factors and functional parameters. Mitochondria are also heavily implicated as downstream targets of inflammation in a variety of tissues. Elevated inflammation and cytokine-mediated damage to mitochondria are implicated in the pathogenesis of disparate conditions …

Expression And Functional Characterization Of Mtp Genes From Arabidopsis Thaliana In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Yessica E. Cerino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In this study the functional characterization and overexpression of Metal Tolerance Protein (MTP) cDNA were evaluated using a transgenic yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) model system as a preliminary means for the characterization of metal tolerance conferred by putative Group III MTP genes from Arabidopsis thaliana. Metal disc assays for nickel, zinc, cobalt and cadmium treatments were performed to measure the tolerance imparted to yeast by the MTP cDNAs. Statistical analysis from zinc and cadmium assays showed AtMTP1 imparted the highest zinc tolerance in yeast, while AtMTPB1 imparted the highest cadmium and cobalt tolerance. However, AtMTPA2 and AtMTPB produced a decrease in …

Analysis Of High Fat Diet Induced Genes During Mammary Gland Development: Identifying Role Players In Poor Prognosis Of Breast Cancer, Raquel C. Martinez-Chacin, Megan Keniry, Robert Dearth

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

Background

Epidemiological studies have shown that consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) increases the risk of developing breast cancer (BC). Studies in rodents have shown HFD causes changes in the genetic programming of the maturing mammary gland (MG) increasing the susceptibility of developing the disease. Less is known about how HFD induced genes impact BC development. HFD exposure two weeks before conception to six weeks of age was previously shown to dramatically change MG gene expression in 10 week old mice. Therefore, we investigated these differentially expressed HFD-induced genes for their expression in BC using the NKI 295 breast tumor …

Management Of Silverleaf Whitefly, Bemisia Argentifolii Bellows And Perring (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Using Non-Crop Companion Plants In Organically-Managed Cantaloupe Systems In South Texas, Ruth Renee Colyer

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Field trials in three separate phases of research were carried out from March, 2010, to August, 2012, to determine the effects of inter-cropping cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) with select non-crop companion plants in an effort to develop organic production strategies for melons in South Texas without the use of pesticides. A research program was designed and initiated to assess the effects of the companion plants and their ability to: 1) attract insect pollinators, and 2) repel or suppress pest species without affecting beneficial natural enemy complexes. The hypotheses were: 1) that organically-managed cantaloupe systems grown with non-crop companion plants …

Isolation And Characterization Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (Pcb) Degrading Bacteria Isolated From A Pcb Contaminated Reservoir In Donna, Tx, Sergio Cepeda

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The Donna Irrigation System (DIS) located in Donna, Hidalgo County, TX, was confirmed to be contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 1993 and remediation of the site will be attempted in the future. The need to isolate novel PCB degrading bacteria for bioremediation has been an active area of research in recent decades; thus, it was hypothesized that a variety of microorganisms able to degrade PCBs could be isolated from sediments taken from the DIS. Two genes of the PCB degradation pathway, bphA1 and bphC, were detected in 43 bacterial isolates grown from DIS sediments using molecular and culture-based methodology, …

The Dominance Concept Inventory: A Tool For Assessing Undergraduate Student Alternative Conceptions About Dominance In Mendelian And Population Genetics, Joel K. Abraham, Kathryn E. Perez, Rebecca M. Price

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

Despite the impact of genetics on daily life, biology undergraduates understand some key genetics concepts poorly. One concept requiring attention is dominance, which many students understand as a fixed property of an allele or trait and regularly conflate with frequency in a population or selective advantage. We present the Dominance Concept Inventory (DCI), an instrument to gather data on selected alternative conceptions about dominance. During development of the 16-item test, we used expert surveys (n = 12), student interviews (n = 42), and field tests (n = 1763) from introductory and advanced biology undergraduates at public …

Range Extension Of The Macroalgae Anadyomene Stellata (Wulf. In Jacquin) C. Agardh And Re-Appearance Of Caulerpa Sertularioides (S. G. Gmel.) M. Howe In The Lower Laguna Madre, Texas, Hudson R. Deyoe, Joseph L. Kowalski

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

We report one new species of macroalgae, Anadyomene stellata, for the Lower Laguna Madre of Texas, and range extensions that have occurred in the past 16 years for this and four other green algae. Anadyomene stellata occurs only as an epiphyte on the red macroalgae, Digenia simplex. Caulerpa sertularioides has not been seen in the Lower Laguna Madre since 1962. It has either been present in cryptic habitats for 50 years near the Lower Laguna Madre or has recently expanded its range again into the Lower Laguna Madre. Ecological consideration of the presence of these species is discussed.