Biology Commons^™

Osmotic Activation Of Sperm Motility Via Water Flow Through Aquaporins In The Freeze-Tolerant Cope's Gray Treefrog, Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Deja Miller

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Gametes of gray treefrogs, Dryophytes chrysoscelis, are deposited into freshwater ponds. Sperm undergo spermatogenesis and maturation beginning in the seminiferous tubules and migrating to the lumen. In mammals and fishes, these cells are immotile within the isosmotic fluid of the testes and have motility activated by exposure to a hyper- or hypoosmotic medium. Water flows into or out of the sperm cell, altering intracellular ionic concentrations, and ultimately stimulates flagellar movement. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to a hypotonic environment activates motility of gray treefrog sperm. We also hypothesized that osmotic water uptake is facilitated by expression of water …

Modeling Virus Coinfection To Inform Management Of Maize Lethal Necrosis In Kenya, Frank H. Hilker, Linda S. J. Allen, Vrushali A. Bokil, Cheryl J. Briggs, Zhilan Feng, Karen A. Garrett, Louis J. Gross, Frédéric M. Hamelin, Michael J. Jeger, Carrie A. Manore, Alison G. Power, Margaret G. Redinbaugh, Megan A. Rúa, Nik J. Cunniffee

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN) has emerged as a serious threat to food security in sub-Saharan Africa. MLN is caused by coinfection with two viruses, Maize chlorotic mottle virus and a potyvirus, often Sugarcane mosaic virus. To better understand the dynamics of MLN and to provide insight into disease management, we modeled the spread of the viruses causing MLN within and between growing seasons. The model allows for transmission via vectors, soil, and seed, as well as exogenous sources of infection. Following model parameterization, we predict how management affects disease prevalence and crop performance over multiple seasons. Resource-rich farmers with …

New Record Of Asian Pied Starling (Gracupica Contra Contra) From Kalar Kahar (Pakistan), Usman Hanif, Fakhar-I- Abbas, Zahid Iqbal Khan, Afsar Mian

Journal of Bioresource Management

A pair of Asian Pied Starling or Pied Myna (Gracupica contra contra) was sighted in reed vegetation present around Kalar Kahar Lake (northwestern Salt Range, Pakistan). Subspecies has been sighted for the first time west of Sialkot and Lahore. Further studies are required to determine the status of the population of the subspecies in Kalar Kahar to suggest an extension in distribution range of the species.

Allergen Homologs In The Euroglyphus Maynei Draft Genome, S. Dean Rider, Majorie S. Morgan, Larry G. Arlian

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Euroglyphus maynei is a house dust mite commonly found in homes worldwide and is the source of allergens that sensitize and induce allergic reactions in humans. It is the source of species-specific allergens as well as allergens that are cross-reactive with the allergens from house dust mites Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus, and the ectoparasitic scabies mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The genomics, proteomics and molecular biology of E. maynei and its allergens have not been as extensively investigated as those of D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus, and S. scabiei where natural and recombinant allergens from these species have been characterized. Until now, …

The Effects Of Nitrogen And Potassium On The Growth Of Brassica Rapa, Kimberly Truong

Best Integrated Writing

Truong conducted an experiment to observe the effect that nitrogen and potassium from organic sources has on plant growth. Truong makes suggestions for further research.

Identification Of Antigenic Sarcoptes Scabiei Proteins For Use In A Diagnostic Test And Of Non-Antigenic Proteins That May Be Immunomodulatory, Majorie S. Morgan, S. Dean Rider, Larry G. Arlian

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Scabies, caused by the mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, infects millions of humans, and many wild and domestic mammals. Scabies mites burrow in the lower stratum corneum of the epidermis of the skin and are the source of substances that are antigenic or modulate aspects of the protective response of the host. Ordinary scabies is a difficult disease to diagnose.

Objective

The goal of this project was to identify S. scabiei proteins that may be candidate antigens for use in a diagnostic test or may be used by the mite to modulate the host’s protective response.

Methods

An aqueous …

Animals And Their Epibiota As Net Autotrophs: Size Scaling Of Epibiotic Metabolism On Snail Shells, Nicole Lukens, Benjamin Kraemer, Vanessa Constant, Ellen J. Hamann, Ellinor Michel, Anne M. Socci, Yvonne Vadeboncoeur, Peter B. Mcintyre

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Animals are heterotrophic by definition, but species from many taxonomic groups are hosts to epibiota that may alter their net metabolism. We tested the degree to which snail-shell epibiota can generate net ecosystem productivity for snails and their epibiota (snail–epibiota ecosystems; SEEs) after accounting for snail respiration. We focused on 3 species from the Lavigeria snail assemblage in Africa’s Lake Tanganyika and quantified the scaling of SEE metabolism with shell size under light and dark conditions. The metabolism of snails and their epibiota shifted significantly across the size gradient. SEEs of large snails (>20 mm) were consistently autotrophic during …

Impact Of A Co2 Gradient On The Behavior Of The Red Crayfish, Procambarus Clarkii, Elise N. Paietta, Lynn K. Hartzler

Biological Sciences Student Publications

With carbon dioxide levels on the rise, studies to investigate the possible detriment that climate change will have on our ecosystems and the organisms that live within them are essential. The field lacks an abundance of studies focusing on the effects of rising CO2 levels on freshwater organisms. This study looks at the effects of a CO2 gradient on the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii. The gradient allows the crayfish to choose to avoid or prefer the higher carbon dioxide levels. Previous studies have looked at the effect of high CO2 levels, decreased pH, on a variety of crustaceans, but did …

Breeding Bird And Bat Activity Surveys At Dairymen's Inc., Mandy M. Salminen

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The purpose of this study is to conduct baseline inventories of breeding birds and bat activity for the Dairymen's Inc. property. In addition, I compared the breeding bird communities of two habitats, black ash swamp and alder thickets. I conducted line transects and point counts to collect data on the breeding birds. For bat activity levels, I conducted acoustic point counts on the Dairymen's lakes. The data from this study, was used to predict the outcome of the white-nose syndrome and emerald ash borer becoming part of the landscape. The inventory data will be used to create a baseline for …

Feeding Selectivity Of An Algivore (Tropheus Brichardi) In Lake Tanganyika, Robin Richardson-Coy

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Algivorous fish remove attached algae (periphyton) from the benthos in near shore areas of lakes. Periphyton has a complex three-dimensional structure dominated by Bacillariophyta (diatoms), Chlorophyta (green algae), and Cyanophyta (cyanobacteria). These three phyla vary in nutritional quality with diatoms providing essential fatty acids that consumers need for growth and reproduction. Selection of specific phyla may be driven by nutritional quality or it may be a function accessibility due to both mouth morphology of the fish and location of the algae in the periphyton community. I investigated whether Tropheus brichardi, an algivorous cichlid of Lake Tanganyika, selectivity feeds on …

Evidence Of Morphological And Functional Variation Among Bluegill Lepomis Macrochirus Populations Across Grand Lake St Mary's Watershed Area, Anthony Bell, Stephen J. Jacquemin

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A myriad of factors have been shown to influence the morphology offreshwaterfish. However, studies that parse out where variation is comingfrom (e.g. body size, sex, and habitat) as well as what potential thesechanges have to influence function (e.g. swimming performance) areunderstudied. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to describemorphological variation of BluegillLepomis macrochirusacross the GrandLake St Mary’s watershed area (northwest OH, USA) and test forcovariation of morphology with size, sex, and habitat as well as to assessswimming performance to discern whether any differences in habitat (andmorphology) correspond with functional aspects related to criticalswimming velocity. Geometric morphometric methods were used …

First Definitive Fossil Of An Oestroid Fly (Diptera: Calyptratae: Oestroidea) And The Dating Of Oestroid Divergences, Pierfilippo Cerretti, John O. Stireman Iii, Thomas Pape, James E. O'Hara, Marco A. Marinho, Knut Rognes, David A. Grimaldi

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Calyptrate flies include about 22,000 extant species currently classified into Hippoboscoidea (tsetse, louse, and bat flies), the muscoid grade (house flies and relatives) and the Oestroidea (blow flies, bot flies, flesh flies, and relatives). Calyptrates are abundant in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems, often playing key roles as decomposers, parasites, parasitoids, vectors of pathogens, and pollinators. For oestroids, the most diverse group within calyptrates, definitive fossils have been lacking. The first unambiguous fossil of Oestroidea is described based on a specimen discovered in amber from the Dominican Republic. The specimen was identified through digital dissection by CT scans, which provided morphological …

A New Tachinid Genus And Species Record For North America: Iceliopsis Borgmeieri Guimarães, John O. Stireman Iii, Jane E. Dell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Iceliini are a small, enigmatic New World tribe of Tachininae consisting of three genera, Icelia RobineauDesvoidy, Iceliopsis Guimarães, and Erviopsis Townsend, and five recognized species (Guimarães 1976). All known species are exclusively Neotropical in distribution with the exception of Icelia triquetra (Olivier), which ranges from Brazil, through Central America, and as far north as New York state (O’Hara & Wood 2004). Members of the tribe are generally medium-sized (ca. 7–12 mm), elongate, yellowish or grayish in color, and resemble Dexiini or Leskiini in general appearance. Species of Iceliini are relatively rarely collected and there is but a single host …

Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Augments Myoblast Adhesion And Fusion Through Homophilic Trans-Interactions, Francis X. Pizza, Ryan A. Martin, Evan M. Springer, Maxwell S. Leffler, Bryce R. Woelmer, Issac J. Recker, Douglas W. Leaman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The overall objective of the study was to identify mechanisms through which intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) augments the adhesive and fusogenic properties of myogenic cells. Hypotheses were tested using cultured myoblasts and fibroblasts, which do not constitutively express ICAM-1, and myoblasts and fibroblasts forced to express full length ICAM-1 or a truncated form lacking the cytoplasmic domain of ICAM-1. ICAM-1 mediated myoblast adhesion and fusion were quantified using novel assays and cell mixing experiments. We report that ICAM-1 augments myoblast adhesion to myoblasts and myotubes through homophilic trans-interactions. Such adhesive interactions enhanced levels of active Rac in adherent and …

Synaptic Up-Scaling Preserves Motor Circuit Output After Chronic, Natural Inactivity, Joseph Michael Santin, Mauricio Vallejo, Lynn K. Hartzler

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Neural systems use homeostatic plasticity to maintain normal brain functions and to prevent abnormal activity. Surprisingly, homeostatic mechanisms that regulate circuit output have mainly been demonstrated during artificial and/or pathological perturbations. Natural, physiological scenarios that activate these stabilizing mechanisms in neural networks of mature animals remain elusive. To establish the extent to which a naturally inactive circuit engages mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity, we utilized the respiratory motor circuit in bullfrogs that normally remains inactive for several months during the winter. We found that inactive respiratory motoneurons exhibit a classic form of homeostatic plasticity, up-scaling of AMPA-glutamate receptors. Up-scaling increased the …

Energy Budget For The African Cichlid, Tropheus Duboisi, Cortney Kay Morris

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Herbivorous fish living in Lake Tanganyika rely on algae as their main source of food and are constantly feeding on low quality (low energy) food. The lake is warming leading to fewer nutrient upwelling’s that are likely limiting the amount of energy available to fish. I calculated an energy budget to compare energy intake against energy expenditure of the African cichlid, Tropheus duboisi, by measuring metabolic rates at rest, while feeding, digesting and being aggressive as well as the caloric content of food, feces, and urine. Fish fed a low quality diet of algae contaminated with sediments had lower growth …

Infection Prevalence In A Novel Ixodes Scapularis Population In Northern Wisconsin, Mary Lynn Westwood

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Ixodes scapularis (i.e. the blacklegged or deer tick) is an important vector of emerging human pathogens. Over the past few decades, the incidence of blacklegged tick-associated zoonotic diseases have increased in accordance with an expansion of the blacklegged tick geographic range. Data concerning the infection prevalence of blacklegged ticks in this region is highly variable and fragmentary. Using a novel population of these ticks, constituting part of the invasion front in Vilas County, Wisconsin, I examined infection prevalence and vector aspects of their ecology. During the summer of 2016, I collected 461 blacklegged ticks and screened them using a standard …

Insights Into The Ecology, Genetics And Distribution Of Lucanus Elaphus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), North America's Giant Stag Beetle, Michael D. Ulyshen, Louis G. Zachos, John O. Stireman Iii, Thomas N. Sheehan, Ryan C. Garrick

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

1. Little is known about the biology or conservation status of Lucanus elaphus Fabricius in North America despite well-documented declines of a related species, Lucanus cervus (L.), in Europe. This study provides information critical to developing conservation plans for L. elaphus including the species’ larval substrate requirements, genetic data and range-wide estimates of habitat suitability. 2. In Mississippi floodplain forests, larval L. elaphus were recovered from a wide range of log sizes and rot types and were either found tunnelling within the wood or feeding beneath logs at the soil–wood interface. The species appears to require 1–2 years to complete …

Survey Of A Neotropical Anuran Assemblage (Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, Peru), Eric Woebbe

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The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve of Peru is one of the largest protected areas of the Amazon rainforest, yet it has hosted only a few studies of frogs and toads (anurans). The primary goals of my study are: 1) To conduct an inventory of the local anuran species, 2) to quantify richness among habitats, 3) to compare differences in beta diversity across a river versus a continuous landscape, and 4) to compare difference in body size between nocturnal and diurnal individuals. After eight weeks of daytime and nighttime surveys during the dry season, a total of 601 individuals were identified across …

The Impacts Of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Herbivory On The Forage Quality Of Forest Vegetation, Jonathan David Becker

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White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are abundant across North America. Deer impact ecosystems, both directly and indirectly. These impacts are driven by the foraging preferences of deer. The energy, protein, mineral, fiber, and secondary metabolite content of plants are important factors that inform the selective herbivory of deer. I examined the interactions between forage quality and deer impacts in northern Wisconsin using deer exclosures. I examined the forage quality of four focal species (Acer saccharum, Maianthemum canadense, Dryopteris intermedia and Carex pensylvanica) in both control and exclosure plots. Forage quality parameters measured were energy, protein, ash, phosphorus, silica, fiber, and saponins. …

Determinants Of Host Use In Tachinid Parasitoids (Diptera: Tachinidae) Of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) In Southwest Ohio, Matthew W. Duncan

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Tachinid parasitoids in the subfamily Phasiinae are important natural enemies of heteropteran bugs. Host location by these flies occurs via antennal reception to the pheromones of their hosts; however little is known regarding the mechanisms which underlie host selection. Halyomorpha halys, the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, represents a potential novel host species in North America. This study was conducted to determine the suitability of H. halys as a host for phasiine species, and to assess cues used in host selection by the species Gymnoclytia occidua. Field attraction to pentatomid pheromones by both phasiines and pentatomids in Southwest Ohio were …

Enhanced Neurogenesis In Subventricular Zone Of Rats That Voluntarily Ingest Fluoxetine And Simavastatin Combination Treatment, Tiffany L. Flannery

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Stroke is one of the leading causes of deaths as the risk factors, both controllable and uncontrollable, are many. We first concentrated on a stress-free way to deliver the drugs. Our preference was to have the animals ingest the drugs, which led us to a reliable method for orally administering medication to the animal models. Using three different drug combinations, we tested the effects on neurogenesis without stroke. We found the drug combination of Fluoxetine/Statin/Ascorbic acid increases neurogenesis 19 fold when compared with control. Lastly, we looked at the gene changes in the cortex of the animal models that had …

Impacts Of Invasive Alliaria Petiolata On Two Native Pieridae Butterflies, Anthocharis Midea And Pieris Virginiensis, Danielle Marie Thiemann

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Invasion of Alliaria petiolata has negative direct and indirect impacts on the systems in which they invade. This study focuses on further identifying impacts which this non-native A. petiolata has on herbivores whose range they have invaded. Oviposition on A. petiolata by the specialist butterfly, Pieris virginiensis, is known to be a mismatch event leading to larval death from sinigrin and alliarinoside. To observe if the related specialist, Anthocharis midea, falls into the same oviposition sink paired plot comparisons between native Cardamine concatenata and non-native A. petiolata were conducted. Early in the season paired-plot comparisons showed a preference for native …

Toxic Effect Of Lead Chloride On Antioxidant Enzyme In The Liver And Kidney Of Fish, Bakhtawar Raza, Muhammad Javed, Faiza Ambreen, Fariha Latif

Journal of Bioresource Management

The contamination of aquatic habitats has become a serious problem for sustainability of the fisheries sector in Pakistan. Among different pollutants, heavy metals are very toxic. Their toxicity can be assessed by using antioxidant enzymes as biomarkers. These enzymes protect the living organisms from the oxidative stress caused by the heavy metals. Therefore, the effect of lead chloride (PbCl2) on the peroxidase enzyme activity in the tissues (liver and kidney) of Cirrhinamrigala was investigated. Four groups of Cirrhinamrigala were exposed, separately, to 96-hr LC50 concentration of PbCl2 along with its sub-lethal concentrations, viz.2/3rd, 1/4th and 1/5th for a period of …

Black-Legged Kittiwake (Rissa Tridactyla) In Karakoram: Record On Vagrancy, Fakhar -I- Abbas, Madeeha Manzoor, Imran Shah, Afsar Mian

Journal of Bioresource Management

A Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla; BLK) circumpolar shore bird was recorded on the Borith Lake (36°25'54.31"N, 74°51'44.09"E) 4,000-5,000 km away from the gull family bird's eastern or western normal habitat and 2000 km from its last report few years ago and 1500 km from nearest seashore. This report discusses the possible reasons and so far reported vagrancy of this bird.

Characterization And Analysis Of Pcs1 Gene From Wheat, Haris Ahmed Khan, Ayaz Ahmad, Sehar Nawaz

Journal of Bioresource Management

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is an important cereal crop grown worldwide on large areas. Yields of wheat are decreasing worldwide due to heavy metal contamination. A number of genes have been characterized as those that confer tolerance to cadmium stress. PCS1 is one of them. Phytochelatins have a key role in the detoxification of heavy metals in plants. However, the mechanism behind the detoxification remains unknown and wheat genes related to detoxification have not yet been identified. Here we report the isolation of cDNA encoding of phytochelatin synthase (PCS) from wheat (var. Galaxy 2013). The AtPCS1 cDNA sequence contained …

Effect Of Manganese Chloride (Mncl2) On Peroxidase Activity In Labeo Rohita, Nadia Altaf, Muhammad Javed, Sidra Abbas

Journal of Bioresource Management

Four groups (n=10) of one year old Labeo rohita were exposed to 96-hr LC50 and sub-lethal (2/3rd, 1/4th and 1/5th) concentrations of MnCl2 for a duration of 30 days in the glass aquaria of 50L water capacity. After an exposure period of 30 days, the activity of peroxidase enzyme in the liver and brain of MnCl2 exposed fish was measured and compared with the control group. Physico-chemical parameters of the test media, viz. pH, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, total ammonia, total hardness, calcium and magnesium were also monitored on a 12 hour basis during the whole experimental duration by following …

Commentary: The Spinal Cord Has An Intrinsic System For The Control Of Ph, Joseph M. Santin, Tobias Wang, Saihari S. Dukkipati, Lynn K. Hartzler

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Most physiological processes are sensitive to pH (i.e., hydrogen ion activity) and regulation of pH within tissues and body fluids represents a fundamental homeostatic process in living organisms. At the organismal level, acid-base balance is achieved by fast respiratory modulations of the partial pressure of CO2 in combination with slower transepithelial ion movements to accommodate excretion and retention of bicarbonate and protons in response to acid-base disturbances. At the cellular and subcellular levels, acid-base balance is achieved by ion exchange.

An Investigation Of The Major Wheat Weeds In Different Zones Of Dera Ismail Khan, Zahid Usman, Ejaz Ahmad Khan, Iqtidar Hussain, Anis Ali Shah, Kalim Ullah, Muhammad Sadiq

Journal of Bioresource Management

On account of huge yield losses, weed infestation is a serious threat in wheat crops throughout the country. A comprehensive survey to find out the major weeds in wheat in Dera Ismail Khan was carried out during the crop season of 2012-13. Wheat fields at seed farms of Rakhmanghan, RakhZandani, Rata Kulachi and adjacent farmer’s fields to each seed farm were investigated. Data was collected at the peak growth stage of weeds and the quadratic method was used to record relative density (RD), relative frequency (RF), relative crowding coefficient (RCC) and importance value index (IVI). The results revealed that the …

Metal Mixtures Toxicity And Bioaccumulation In Tilapia Nilotica At 96-Hr Lc50 Exposure, Faiza Ambreen, Muhammad Javed

Journal of Bioresource Management

Laboratory tests were conducted on fingerlings of Tilapia nilotica to check the bioaccumulation patterns of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and cobalt (Co) during acute toxicity at constant water temperature, pH and total hardness. Metal mixtures viz. Lead + Cadmium, Cobalt-Lead and Cadmium-Cobalt were selected to assess the acute toxicity in terms of 96-hr LC50 along with bioaccumulation patterns in selected organs of Tilapia nilotica (skin, muscles and liver). Sensitivity of Tilapia nilotica in terms of 96-hr LC50 for all mixtures varied significantly. The 96-hr LC50 of binary metal mixtures agreed in that order: cadmium-cobalt > lead-cadmium > cobalt-lead with statistically significant differences …