Biology Commons^™

Reconstruction Of Family-Level Phylogenetic Relationships Within Demospongiae (Porifera) Using Nuclear Encoded Housekeeping Genes, Malcolm Hill, April L. Hill, Et. Al.

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Demosponges are challenging for phylogenetic systematics because of their plastic and relatively simple morphologies and many deep divergences between major clades. To improve understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within Demospongiae, we sequenced and analyzed seven nuclear housekeeping genes involved in a variety of cellular functions from a diverse group of sponges.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We generated data from each of the four sponge classes (i.e., Calcarea, Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, and Homoscleromorpha), but focused on family-level relationships within demosponges. With data for 21 newly sampled families, our Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian-based approaches recovered previously phylogenetically defined taxa: Keratosa^p, Myxospongiae …

Trichoptera Of Mindoro, The Philippines I. New Species And Records From The Baroc River Catchment, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro (Insecta, Trichoptera), Hendrik Freitag, Wolfram Mey

Biology Faculty Publications

The study of a collection of caddisflies from Mindoro yielded a total of 34 species. Eight species proved to be unknown taxa and are described in the present article as: Rhyacophila crenophysetis spec. nov., Agapetus parallelaria spec. nov., Stactobia roxasi spec. nov., Paduniella vicentis spec. nov., Paduniella prodita spec. nov., Psychomyia taugadensis spec. nov., Tinodes hypoplectis spec. nov., and Ecnomus biundularia spec. nov. A list of all collected species is provided.

A New Intertidal Shore Bug (Heteroptera: Saldidae) From The Philippines, Hendrik Freitag, Herbert Zettel, Clister V. Pangantihon

Biology Faculty Publications

Salduncula carmencitae sp.n. is described, its habitus and the paramere and parandria of the male are illustrated. This shore bug was found on Mindanao Island, the Philippines, in the intertidal zone. Habitat and behaviour of the species are briefly described. The distinguishing diagnostic characters of species of Salduncula Brown, 1954 are discussed.

Ancyronyx Erichson, 1847 (Coleoptera, Elmidae) From Mindoro, Philippines, With Description Of The Larvae And Two New Species Using Dna Sequences For The Assignment Of The Developmental Stages, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

Ancyronyx buhid sp. n. and Ancyronyx tamaraw sp. n. are described based on adults and larvae, matched using their cox1 or cob DNA sequence data. Additional records of Ancyronyx schillhammeri Jäch, 1994 and Ancyronyx minerva Freitag & Jäch, 2007 from Mindoro are listed. The previously unknown larva of Ancyronyx schillhammeri is also described here, aided by cox1 data. The new species and larval stages are described in detail and illustrated by SEM and stacked microscopic images. Keys to the adult and larval Ancyronyx species of Mindoro and an updated checklist of Philippine Ancyronyx species are provided. The usefulness as bioindicators, …

Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) Ateneo, New Species (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae) And Other Aquatic Polyphaga From A Small Habitat Patch In A Highly Urbanized Landscape Of Metro Manila, Philippines, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

Seven species of Hydraenidae, Hydrophilidae and Elmidae are recorded from temporary freshwater habitats at the Ateneo de Manila University Campus in the metropolitan area of Manila, Philippines. They were identified as Enochrus (Lumetus) fragiloides d’Orchymont, Helochares (Hydrobaticus) lepidus d’Orchymont, Helochares (Helochares) pallens (MacLeay), Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) scabra d’Orchymont, Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) palawanensis Freitag & Jäch (new record for Luzon Island), Stenelmis sp. A further hydraenid species was unknown to science and is newly described: Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) ateneo Freitag, sp. n. Aedeagus, gonocoxite, spermatheca, and female tergite X are illustrated by …

Inferring Phylogenetic Relationships In The Conifer Family Cupressaceae, Erik Garcia

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cupressaceae are a diverse and important family of conifers, found in temperate regions worldwide. My goal was to improve the understanding of phylogenetic relationships among Cupressaceae genera, while testing a new marker, the low copy nuclear gene XDH. To gather XDH sequence data, I PCR-amplified the gene from DNA samples of 13 representative genera, sequenced the PCR products, aligned the sequences, and then performed phylogenetic analyses using Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Maximum Likelihood (ML). The results showed the XDH contains useful phylogenetic information. With the exception of the placement of Callitris, the trees estimated by the two methods (MP …

Populations Of Daphnia Melanica Vary In Their Behavioral Response To Visible And Uv Light, Amanda Tompkins

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Daphnia are a genus of freshwater zooplankton that inhabit ponds and lakes. They are commonly used as a model organism for ecological genomics because they are easy to manipulate in the lab, can reproduce clonally, and are considered a keystone species in pond ecosystems. Daphnia melanica in high alpine ponds of the Olympic National Park are exposed to high levels of UVB. UVB rays cause DNA damage that can be detrimental to the organism if not fixed. Daily migration up and down the water column, known as diel vertical migration, is a key aspect of Daphnia ecology and behavior. In …

Nitric Oxide As A Mediator Of Hookworm Infection Ancylostoma Ceylanicum, Amanda Berndt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hookworm infection is a major cause of anemia, malnutrition, growth delay and cognitive defects in resource poor countries. Human and animal studies suggest that infection with these intestinal nematodes is associated with impaired cellular immunity, characterized by reduced lymphocyte proliferation in response to both parasite and heterologous antigens. In vitro studies have shown that nitric oxide (NO) is one of the leading agents causing impaired cellular responses, Spleenocytes from infected hamsters secreted more NO in culture than did those from naive animals. In order to further identify the role of NO in hookworm pathogenesis and pathology, we conducted an experiment …

Bacterial Colonization And Extinction On Marine Aggregates: Stochastic Model Of Species Presence And Abundance, Andrew M. Kramer, M. Maille Lyons, Fred C. Dobbs, John M. Drake

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Organic aggregates provide a favorable habitat for aquatic microbes, are efficiently filtered by shellfish, and may play a major role in the dynamics of aquatic pathogens. Quantifying this role requires understanding how pathogen abundance in the water and aggregate size interact to determine the presence and abundance of pathogen cells on individual aggregates. We build upon current understanding of the dynamics of bacteria and bacterial grazers on aggregates to develop a model for the dynamics of a bacterial pathogen species. The model accounts for the importance of stochasticity and the balance between colonization and extinction. Simulation results suggest that while …

Comparison Of Th1 Cytokines And T Cell Markers Gene Expressions Between Virulent And An Attenuated Eiav Vaccine Strain, Talia R. Henkle

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

The equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is closely related to HIV and has been used as a model to identify protective mechanisms against lentivirus infection. In horses, EIA infection progresses for about a year before infected horses manage to control virus replication. This naturally-gained protection is absolutely dependent on active immune responses as evidenced by the fact that immunosuppressive drugs can induce the recurrence of disease. As the resolution of initial viremia correlates with the appearance of virus specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), we believe that cellular immune responses play a key role in controlling EIAV in the horse. In …

White Bass Assessment In Regards To Changes In Water Level On Lake Traverse, Aaron Wilson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Until recently the white bass Morone chrysops has been somewhat ignored by anglers, more so in Minnesota than other states; most likely due to their limited distribution throughout the state. However, with more anglers becoming aware of the sporting and culinary potentials of white bass, interests have risen. With this rise in angler interest, there should be a rise in white bass assessments. Knowing what factors may be influencing white bass population dynamics will allow fisheries professionals to better manage and protect white bass fisheries. White bass are often found in rivers and impoundments were dams are present and water …

Mass Spectrometric Analysis Of Oxidized Eicosapentaenoic Acid Sodium Salt, Kelsey D. Jordan, Rita K. Upmacis

Student-Faculty Research Projects

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) with 20 carbon atoms and 5 carbon-carbon double bonds. Mammalian cells cannot synthesize long chain PUFAs such as EPA de novo, and, thus, the most effective way to enrich cells in EPA is by dietary intake of fish oils. EPA supplementation causes an increase in its concentration in plasma lipids and in cell membrane phospholipids. Many beneficial effects of EPA supplementation have been noted, including (1) the potential to sensitize cancerous tumors towards chemotherapy, (2) the promotion of cardiovascular health, and (3) the alleviation of some mental disorders, but results …

Developing First-Year Students' Biological Information Literacy:Collaboration Between Libraries And Disciplinary Faculty In Impact Classrooms, Nancy Pelaez, Clarence Maybee, Maribeth Slebodnik

IMPACT Presentations

This project enabled students in an introductory biology course to learn biological information literacy. The section of the course described utilized a peer-led team learning (PLTL) model in which 50 students met twice a week. The students also divided into teams that met weekly for a workshop facilitated by a peer leader. The first time the course was taught in this way information literacy tasks were added to the weekly problem sets that the students worked on with their teams each week. By examining recorded footage of team meetings, it was determined that the students did not always see the …

Sinularia Leptoclados (Ehrenberg, 1834) (Cnidaria: Octocorallia) Re-Examined, Catherine S. Mcfadden, Leen P. Van Ofwegen, Yehuda Benayahu

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Sinularia leptoclados (Ehrenberg, 1834) is re-described. Sinularia leptoclados var. gonatodes Kolonko, 1926 is synonymized with S. maxima Verseveldt, 1977. Two new species of Sinularia with digitiform lobules, leptoclados-type surface clubs and unbranched interior spindles, are described. An updated maximum likelihood tree of Sinularia species with leptoclados-type clubs (clade 5C) based on two mitochondrial genes (mtMutS, COI) and a nuclear gene (28S rDNA) is presented.

Molecular Phylogenetic Evidence Supports A New Family Of Octocorals And A New Genus Of Alcyoniidae (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea), Catherine S. Mcfadden, Leen P. Van Ofwegen

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Molecular phylogenetic evidence indicates that the octocoral family Alcyoniidae is highly polyphyletic, with genera distributed across Octocorallia in more than 10 separate clades. Most alcyoniid taxa belong to the large and poorly resolved Holaxonia–Alcyoniina clade of octocorals, but members of at least four genera of Alcyoniidae fall outside of that group. As a first step towards revision of the family, we describe a new genus, Parasphaerasclera gen. n., and family, Parasphaerascleridae fam. n., of Alcyonacea to accommodate species of Eleutherobia Pütter, 1900 and Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758 that have digitiform to digitate or lobate growth forms, completely lack sclerites …

Matrix Gla Protein Reinforces Angiogenic Resolution, Bikram Sharma, Allan R. Albig

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Matrix Gla Protein (MGP) is an ECM molecule commonly associated with dysfunctions of large blood vessels such as arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. However, the exact role of MGP in the microvasculature is not clear. Utilizing a mouse MGP knockout model we found that MGP suppresses angiogenic sprouting from mouse aorta restricts microvascular density in cardiac and skeletal muscle, and is an endogenous inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis. Similarly, morpholino based knockdown of MGP in zebrafish embryos caused a progressive loss of luminal structures in intersegmental vessels, a phenotype reminiscent of Dll4/Notch inhibition. Accordingly, MGP suppressed Notch-dependent Hes-1 promoter activity and expression of …

Impacts Of Anthropogenic Disturbances And Drought On Breeding Bird Abundance And Diversity In The Rolling Plains Ecoregion Of Texas, Natalie Ellen Hubbard

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Bird species, especially grassland species have undergone widespread decline in arid grasslands due to anthropogenic disturbance such as different land use including cattle grazing and agriculture and addition of physical structures such as buildings, roads and fences which can negatively impact both animals and native vegetation. The objective of this research was to determine the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance (i.e., presence of oil pump jacks and cattle grazing) and drought on breeding bird community dynamics in the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of Texas. The study involved four sites encompassing different land uses including a natural-non-cattle grazed, cattle-grazed, oil field pump jacks …

Nematodes With Three Genders: Models For The Evolution Of Mating Systems, Parasitism And Aging, Jyotiska Chaudhuri

Biology Dissertations - Archive

All living organisms reproduce and age. These are the two basic facets of life, but in many aspects poorly understood. The majority of the species are male/female. The proportion of genders in population can vary significantly among animals and plants, but the mechanisms and evolutionary reasons for such variation are poorly understood. In some species of nematode (roundworm) parasites, for example, only female progeny is generated after a cross between a male and female. To understand how gender-ratio distortion happens and how it evolved, we are using a non-parasitic nematode that can be cultured in the laboratory, but that is …

Saponins As Agents Preventing Infection Caused By Waterborne Pathogens, Alisa Moric Johnson

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Waterborne diseases are the leading cause of deaths globally, estimated to result in more than 3.4 million deaths and approximately 4 billion cases of diarrhea annually according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The United Nations estimates that 4000 children die each day as a result of water-related disease caused by enteric pathogens of bacterial and viral origin that reside in water sources contaminated by raw sewage. Natural compounds from plants have been the source of a number of antimicrobials drugs. Saponins are a diverse group of glycosides that are widely distributed within the plant kingdom and have an equally …

Use Of A Tri-Axial Accelerometer, Behavioral Observation, And Gps To Monitor The Activity Of Female Asian Elephants In A Zoo, Karen Sloane Soulsby

Biology Theses - Archive

Wild elephants spend approximately 90% of their day actively foraging. Reduced activity in captive elephants may increase the risk of obesity and the formation of stereotypical behaviors. In order to evaluate and enhance strategies for managing elephants in captivity, new methods to quantify elephant activity are needed. GPS has been used to measure distances walked during the day in captive elephants. An accelerometer may also be a useful tool for quantifying elephant activity including recording specific behavior patterns without the need for constant observation. In this study, tri-axial accelerometers were tested for measurements of total activity, distances traveled, and activity …

2013 Ii Cu Suri (Common Poster), Vanessa Selimovic, Loriann Reese, Ruthie Nelson, Emma Sleeman, Hibery Ho, Maria Polozova

CUP Undergraduate Research

A common poster providing information for several research projects: aerosol particles, deoxycytidine kinase, squaraine rotaxanes, glycol nucleic acied, and Kombucha.

No Evidence For A Relationship Between Hemolymph Ecdysteroid Levels And Female Reproductive Behavior In Schizocosa Wolf Spiders, Reed M. Stubbendieck, Anthony J. Zera, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

This study used radioimmunoassay (RIA) to explore the relationship between levels of hemolymph ecdysteroids and female reproductive behavior in Schizocosa wolf spiders. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between circulating ecdysteroid concentrations in females and 1) likelihood to copulate, or female receptivity [Experiment I— Schizocosa avida (Walckenaer 1837)], 2) time post copulation (Experiment 2— Schizocosa rovneri Uetz & Dondale 1979) and 3) exposure to conspecific male courtship (Experiment 3— Schizocosa uetzi Stratton 1997). In Experiment 1, we expected higher levels of circulating ecdysteroids in receptive versus unreceptive females, based upon prior research demonstrating an increase in receptivity following injections of 20-hydroexyedysone …

Food Limitation As A Potentially Emerging Contributor To The Asian Vulture Crisis, Fakhar -I- Abbas, Thomas P. Rooney, Jibran Haider, Afsar Mian

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

It was believed that the reason for decline in Asian vulture population is the drug, Diclofenac sodium (DFS), used in livestock. Even after declaring the DFS use banned by the government, apparent decrease in the population of vultures was reported. Alternate hypothesis was suggested that food limitation may be a cause of Asian vulture crisis in Pakistan. Very recent shifts in livestock utilization observed in Pakistan may present a significant barrier to vulture recovery. Increased livestock utilization is translated to fewer carcasses. Since 2005, no livestock carcasses were found in 1650 km transect in the habitat of vultures. Carcasses recorded …

Game-Based Curricula In Biology Classes: Multi-Level Assessment Of Science Learning, Troy D. Sadler, William L. Romine, Parker E. Stuart

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Video games played on computers, game consoles, tablets and smart phones have become a very popular medium in our society. A growing body of scholarship suggests that video games can support substantial learning (for reviews see Gee, 2007; Honey & Hilton, 2011; Squire, 2011). Research has documented ways in which games engage students deeply in thinking, learning, and collaboration (Gee, 2005). Evidence suggests that games can support development of critical thinking (Squire, 2006), creativity (Annetta, Cheng, & Holmes, 2010), and mastery and application of target concepts (Squire, 2011).

To 'Die Hel' And Back. Expeditions Of The Phylogeny Of World Tachinidae Project. Part I: Western Cape, South Africa, Pierfilippo Cerretti, James E. O'Hara, John O. Stireman Iii, Isaac S. Winkler, Ashley H. Kirk-Spriggs

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The “Phylogeny of World Tachinidae” project kicked off with an operational meeting in June 2012 at the Canadian National Collection of Insects (CNC) in Ottawa. Goals were discussed, work plans prepared, and of course the destinations and timing of major field expeditions were debated. During our three years of National Science Foundation funding we hope to gather fresh material for molecular analysis from all biogeographic regions of the world.

Dna Barcoding Of Jatropha Curcas, Terence L. Stephens

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"DNA barcoding involves sequencing a standard region of DNA to be used as a tool for rapid species identification. The cytochrome C oxidase gene (COXI) is widely accepted as the standard barcode for animals and currently there is no barcode for land plants. The Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL) has proposed two regions of DNA to be used as a dual-locus barcode. In this study I examine the two proposed barcoding regions, ribulose-1 ,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL) and maturase K (matK) for their ease of amplification, discrimatory power, and sequence quality in Jatropha curcas, Jatropha podagrica, Latuca sativa, and …

Efficacy Of Tamoxifen And Thymoquinone On Tumor Development, Lipid Peroxidation, And Total Antioxidant Capacity In Dmba Induced Mammary Carcinoma In Female Sprague-Dawley Rats, Nadiah S. Alotaibi

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Tamoxifen (TAM) is a drug used for treatment and prevention of breast cancer. However, TAM has been reported to induce liver tumors in several animal models due to overproduction of free radicals and lipid peroxidation. Thymoquinone (TQ), from Nigella sativa seeds, is a Middle East natural medicine and it has been used to treat a number of diseases, including cancer. The aim of my study was to investigate the effect of TQ and TAM on tumor development, lipid peroxidation level, and total antioxidant capacity in DMBA treated female Sprague-Dawley rats. Five groups of 10 rats (control, DMBA, TAM, TQ, and …

Refining Molecular Approaches For Bacterial Source Tracking (Bst) In Texas, Joy Truesdale

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Bacterial source tracking (BST) is a new science that aids in identifying sources of human and animal fecal contamination of environmental water. There are currently two approaches used in BST, library-dependent and library-independent methods. The fecal bacterium E. coli is often used in library dependent methods because it indicates fecal contamination, has been used in human health risk assessments, and has water quality regulatory significance. A disadvantage of E. coli library dependent BST methods is that identification libraries of E. coli isolated from known fecal sources are needed to identify the sources of E. coli isolated from water samples. Further, …

Ruthenium-Azole Complexes As Chemotherapeutic Agents Against Leishmaniasis, Eva Iniguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Poor efficacy and high toxicity of the limited treatment options demonstrate the need for the development of new chemotherapeutic agents to treat this disease. In order to respond this concern, the development of novel Ru-azole complexes as chemotherapeutic agents by inhibiting the cytochrome P-450 dependent C14-α-demethylation of lanosterol to ergosterol which is essential for the parasite survival. In addition, Ruthenium would enhance the activity of the parental drug, by helping ketoconazole/clotrimazole to cross the parasite membrane, together presenting low toxicity. The viability and citotoxicity of the Ru-azole compunds was …

Brown Trout Spawning Location And Relationship To Suitable Winter Habitat, Matthew L. Skoog

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Brown trout are a popular game fish throughout much of the world. Understanding habitat requirements is necessary for the successful management of brown trout. This study looks at the spawning habitat preferences and relationship of redd location to wintering habitat of brown trout in the Straight River, Minnesota. Brown trout in the Straight River were found to spawn in similar habitat to brown trout looked at in previous literature. All redds were located on gravel substrate. Seventy eight percent of redds were associated with some sort of cover. Water velocities at the redd sites. (mean=0.456 ms/cm), dissolved oxygen (mean=9.78 mg/L), …