Biology Commons^™

Level Of Uv-B Radiation Influences The Effects Of Glyphosate-Based Herbicide On Fitness Of The Spotted Salamander, Nicholas A. Levis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Numerous causes have been implicated in contributing to amphibian population declines since the 1980's, with habitat modification, ultraviolet radiation (UV-B) and environmental contaminants (such as glyphosate-based herbicide) being among the most common. This study identifies the effects of a generic glyphosate-based herbicide (GLY- 4 Plus) on mortality, immune function, body condition, and morphological plasticity of larvae of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) under conditions that reflect open and closed canopy light regimes. Larval salamander responses to glyphosate-based herbicide varied depending on UV-B conditions. In general, it appears that an open canopy (i.e. greater UV-B exposure) may confer fitness benefits. In …

Characterization Of The Ependymal Barrier Due To Human Aging And Injury In Murine Models, Ye Sun

University Scholar Projects

Ventriclulomegaly, or the expansion of the ventricles in the brain, is a phenomenon associated with age and injury to the brain. The ependymal layer that encases the ventricles displays certain degrees of plasticity and regenerative ability due to its associated stem cell niche, the subventricular zone (SVZ). Previous research in the Conover Lab has shown that in the mouse, which maintains an actively proliferating SVZ into adulthood, there is an intact ependymal monolayer throughout normal aging, with maintained lateral ventricle size with some degree of stretching. In contrast, the human SVZ declines in proliferative capacity after infancy, and age-related changes …

Wire Netting Reduces African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana) Impact To Selected Large Trees In South Africa, Kelly Derham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) are ecosystem engineers in that they substantially alter the environment through their unique foraging and feeding habits. At high densities, elephants potentially have negative impacts on the environment, specifically to large trees. Because of this, recent increases of elephants in the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) on the Western Boundary of Kruger National Park, South Africa have caused concern regarding the health of several species of tree. My objective was to assess the effectiveness of wrapping protective wire netting around the trunk of the tree in preventing and reducing bark stripping by elephants. 2,668 …

The Genus Palaeagapetus Ulmer (Trichoptera, Hydroptilidae, Ptilocolepinae) In North America, Tomiko Ito, Robert W. Wisseman, John C. Morse, Murray H. Colbo, John S. Weaver Iii

Publications

The genus Palaeagapetus Ulmer (Trichoptera, Hydroptilidae, Ptilocolepinae) is revised in North America. Descriptions of the western species, P. nearcticus Banks 1938, are provided with the first descriptions of the female, pupa, larva, egg and case and with notes on food, habitat and annual life cycle. The male and female of the eastern species, P. celsus Ross 1936, are described or redescribed with some ecological notes. Distributions of the two species are summarized.

Diverse Gastropod Hosts Of Angiostrongylus Cantonensis, The Rat Lungworm, Globally And With A Focus On The Hawaiian Islands, Jaynee Kim, Kenneth Hayes, Norine Norine W Yeung, Robert Cowie

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

Eosinophilic meningitis caused by the parasitic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging infectious disease with recent outbreaks primarily in tropical and subtropical locations around the world, including Hawaii. Humans contract the disease primarily through ingestion of infected gastropods, the intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Effective prevention of the disease and control of the spread of the parasite require a thorough understanding of the parasite's hosts, including their distributions, as well as the human and environmental factors that contribute to transmission. The aim of this study was to screen a large cross section of gastropod species throughout the main Hawaiian Islands …

Characterization Of A Putative Cephalotoxin From The Hemocytes Of Euprymna Scolopes, Jessie E. Scott

University Scholar Projects

Many organisms have beneficial microbial symbionts, and complex interactions between the immune system and the bacteria must occur to allow these symbioses to persist. The host immune system must recognize and preferentially tolerate the beneficial microorganisms, while simultaneously eliminating harmful pathogens. The Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, is a model organism for host-microbe interactions because of the unique light organ symbiosis. Hemocytes, the squid’s primary immune cell, infiltrate and patrol the light organ and continuously interact with the symbiont Vibrio fischeri. Using this model, several innate immunity genes have been shown to be differentially expressed in the hemocytes …

Biological Sciences Newsletter - May 2014, Department Of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University

Biological Sciences Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Pro-Inflammatory Biomarkers As Potential Early Indicators Of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (Ards), Makda Solomon Gebre

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Infections with the 2009 pandemic influenza A(HlNl) virus often leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in high-risk patients. In these patients, ARDS has a mortality rate of 40-50 % [1]. Patients may die before any intervention is possible since there are few if any early biomarkers that are indicative of ARDS and can be used for diagnosis. In a search for biomarkers that signal early disease progression in mice, multiple acute phase proteins involved with inflammatory responses to infectious stimuli were proposed. Three biomarkers were evaluated for this project. These included C-reactive protein (CRP), Serum Amyloid A (SAA) and …

An Evaluation Of An Auditory Neurophysiological Model, Alysha Nicole Waters

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Individuals with normal hearing are adept at understanding speech in the presence of noise, such as other speakers or environmental sounds. In contrast, individuals with hearing loss struggle to understand speech in the same adverse conditions. Neural processing in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the brainstem appears to contribute to the ability to separate simultaneous competing sounds. A computational model developed in the Sinex lab reproduces the responses of IC neurons to complex sound mixtures. It seems likely that the model can be applied to improve the processing of speech in noise. The computational model's effectiveness at improving the processing …

Evaluating Process- And Constraint-Based Approaches For Modeling Macroecological Patterns, Xiao Xiao

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Macroecological patterns, such as the highly uneven distribution of individuals among species and the monotonic increase of species richness with area, exist across ecological systems despite major differences in the biology of different species and locations. These patterns capture the general structure of ecological communities, and allow relatively accurate predictions to be made with limited information for under-studied systems. This is particularly important given ongoing climate change and loss of biodiversity. Understanding the mechanisms behind these patterns has both scientific and practical merits.

I explore two conceptually different approaches that have been proposed as explanations for ecological patterns – the …

Synthesizing Research And Education: Ecology And Genetics Of Independent Fern Gametophytes And Teaching Science Inquiry And Content Through Simulations, Aaron M. Duffy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The mission statements of Utah State University and the Department of Biology, as well as the requirements of funding agencies like the National Science Foundation encourage an integration of teaching and research. I have attempted to achieve that in my dissertation work by using tools I originally created to support and inform my biological research projects to teach science content and inquiry to middle school and undergraduate students.

Chapter 2 of this dissertation reports the results of surveys for Hymenophyllum wrightii, a fern with independent gametophyte populations in the Pacific Northwest, which improved our understanding of the range, distribution, …

The Role Of Trpm5 In Dietary Fat Preference, Intake, And Body Composition, Dulce M. Minaya

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We recently showed a critical role of Trpm5 in the transduction pathway for long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the present study, I have begun to investigate dietary fat preference and the propensity to develop dietary-induced obesity in Trpm5^-/- mice. My preliminary data shows that in male mice placed on a high fat diet, Trpm5^-/- mice did not enhance their caloric intake as observed in wild type mice. Most surprisingly, however, was that I did not observe the same differences in between female mice, which posits a potential gender effect of this pathway on dietary fat intake. Also, …

Foraging Ecology Of Cougars In The Pryor Mountains Of Wyoming And Montana, Linsey Blake

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We conducted this study to better understand the impact of cougar (Puma concolor) predation in the Pryor Mountains of Wyoming and Montana. Managers of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range were concerned that cougars were having a negative impact upon a small, isolated Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) population and were hoping predation might be limiting a feral horse population (Equus caballus) that was in excess of the Appropriate Management Level set by the Bureau of Land Management. Wildlife tourism brings revenue to the park …

Investigations Of Cho 1-15 And Silk Gland Cell Line Development, Susan Kathleen Robinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The BioProcessing Demonstration and Training Laboratory was established with a collaboration between Utah State University and Thermo Fisher-Scientific, Inc. This lab was developed into a fully functioning tissue culture facility. Demonstration of tissue culture procedures were necessary for the lab to be industry-fully qualified. The CHO 1-15 cell line protocols were optimized by establishing conditions for reproducibility in shaker flasks and bioreactors (2 to 250 L capacity). CHO 1-15 is the cell line of choice for protein production in the bio-manufacturing industry. Oxidative stress is a problem in the industry because it can cause a decrease in protein production. Mesobiliverdin …

Tactical Adjustment Of Signaling Leads To Increased Mating Success And Survival, Laura Sullivan-Beckers, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Most sexually reproducing animals overcome the challenge of searching for and attracting mates by utilizing signals that are broadcast through a spatially and temporally varying environment. A diverse suite of behavioral solutions exist for overcoming such environmental variability, including the adjustment of signaling behavior based upon receiver feedback. Few studies have directly examined the relationship between such tactical signaling adjustments and proxies of male fitness; the few that have, failed to find a relationship. Using the wolf spider, Schizocosa rovneri, we set out to first quantify among-male variation in the form and degree of responsiveness to female feedback. Following …

A Comparison Of Antlions, Bees, Darkling Beetles And Velvet Ants Across Sand Dune And Non-Sand Dune Habitats At Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nicole F. Boehme

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (AMNWR) supports nearly 30 organisms found nowhere else in the world. Most of these species are aquatic, dwelling in more than 50 seeps and springs within the over 24,000 acres of the refuge. Much of the research at AMNWR has centered on these unique and abundant springfed pools across the desert landscape. Many of the terrestrial habitats and species at the refuge have not been as well studied. In 2008, Bio-West, Inc. in Logan, Utah was contracted to inventory the terrestrial organisms present on the refuge. To investigate the terrestrial invertebrate fauna, with special interest …

Influence Of Wildfire Disturbance And Post-Fire Seeding On Vegetation And Insects In Sagebrush Habitats, Ashley T. Rohde

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Disturbance events alter community composition and structure because of differences in resistance and resilience of individual taxa, changes in habitat resulting in colonization by new taxa and alteration of biotic interaction patterns. Recent changes in disturbance types, frequencies and intensities caused by anthropogenic activities may further alter community composition and structure if these disturbances exceed the tolerances or adaptations of some taxa. In sagebrush steppe habitats of the western United States, wildfire is the current dominant disturbance type, burning millions of hectares annually. Further, up to 90% of sagebrush-steppe ecosystems are affected by anthropogenic influences such as invasive species. Post-fire …

Sequencing The Plasmid In Synechococcus Sp. Iu 625 And Identification Of Stress Responsive Genes, Anna Slusarczyk

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Cyanobacteria increased their attention after the breakthrough that they are responsible for the development of Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms (FHAB). Cyanotoxins created by cyanobacteria impact aquatic biota and humans. Synechococcus sp. IU 625 [SIU 625) is one of the cyanobacteria that are blamable for the production of algal blooms. Due to its uncomplicatedness to culture, it has been used as a potential environmental pollution indicator, especially for heavy metal contamination.

Many EPA targeted metals such as Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu etc. have been considered. In this study, large plasmid was under investigation. Plasmid isolation of 5. IU 625 …

Assessment Of The Human Pathogen Vibrio Vulnificus In Louisiana Eastern Oysters Crassostrea Virginica Harvested From Barataria Bay At Different Salinities With Subsequent Depuration Treatment, Sarah Beth Theriot

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Arabidopsis Siamese-Related Cell Cycle Regulators On Root Growth During Phosphate Starvation And Salt Stress, Cody Neal

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Reconstructing New World Monkey Phylogeny: Alu Elements In The Common Marmoset Genome, Catherine Fontenot

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Directed Evolution Of Desiccation Tolerance In Escherichia Coli, Dieu Doan

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Reproduction And Nesting In Teleost Fish, With A Focus On Reproduction In Centrarchids And Specific Analysis Of Nesting In Lepomis Megalotis, Rebecca Irene Allee

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Fish represent the most diverse and oldest living class of vertebrates, making up approximately 48% of all known members of the subphylum Vertebrata (Bolis, et al. 2001). They are able to live in a wide variety of habitats, from salt water to fresh water and from cold polar seas to areas of intense pressure in the depths of the ocean (Moyle and Cech 1996). Because of this overwhelming diversity, the evolution and ecology of fishes has been a dynamic field of study (Moyle and Cech 1996). Researchers have generally divided fish into three distinct groups: jawless fishes (Class Agnatha), …

Role Of 12-Oxo-Phytodienoic Acid And Β-Glucan Elicitor In Prevention Of Fungal Infection In Mnium Cuspidatum, Robert E. Spiller

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The moss, Mnium cuspidatum and the fungus, Pythium irregulare, were used to study the role of the plant hormone, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) and the elicitor, β-glucan in the prevention of fungal infection. Each compound was applied before the inoculation of a fungal cube and a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses were done in order to determine the degree of infection within the moss. It was found that P. irregulare does infect and kill the cells of M. cuspidatum through chloroplast degradation, stem browning and appressoria injections within 24 hours. The pre-application of OPDA or β-glucan were unable to prevent …

The Effects Of Transfusion On Blood Composition And Characteristics After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Christopher Keith Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Transfusion has been associated with increased morbidity and short- and longterm mortality after cardiac surgery. However, the physiological effects of transfusion in this setting are poorly described. This study aimed to examine the effects of transfusion on blood composition and characteristics after cardiac surgery.

1,134 patients underwent an isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery with no post-operative complications. Of these, 407 (35.8%) patients received a transfusion. Propensity-matching was used to generate a balanced cohort of 636 patients. 26 variables from standard blood tests were retrospectively collected. A repeated measures analysis of variance test was used to examine how these variables …

The Relationship Between Ectomycorrhizae And Metal Contamination In An Urban Brownfield, Jessica Marta Evans

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examined ectomycorrhizal and plant relationships in contaminated soil in situ to determine the interactions between these three factors. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) were identified by physical morphotyping followed by sequencing of ribosomal DNA. Plant productivity was assessed through Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements taken from May through August of 2012 and 2013. Changes in EMF community composition and plant productivity were observed based on their position on the metal contamination gradient. While EMF composition changed depending on the level of metal contamination, none of the ectomycorrhizal species consistently outcompeted other species in the highly contaminated environments. Cenococcum geophilum was …

Identification And Expression Analysis Of Sugar Transporters In Microbotryum Violaceum., Jared Morris Andrews

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Cell Kinase Inhibitor Panel Reveals Multiple Targets To Prevent Replication Of Varicella-Zoster Virus, Bryan Egan Bunnell

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The alphaherpesvirus that causes chicken pox and shingles, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), infects skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes. These cells are typically quiescent and it is known that VZV manipulates their intracellular environment to activate MAPK signaling cascades, cell cycle regulators, and many transcription factors for its replication. We hypothesized that inhibition of cell kinases would prevent VZV replication and also elucidate which pathways are most important. We evaluated 80 kinase inhibitors for cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative effects on human foreskin fibroblasts, and then determined their antiviral efficacy against VZV-ORF9-Luc strain. Ten well-tolerated, potent kinase inhibitors whose targets are critical mediators of VZV …

Bidirectional Influence Of Epinephrine On Hippocampal Ltp Via Β-Adrenergic Receptors, Georgia Christine Buscaglia

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The formation and storage of memories within the brain remains a subject that is not well understood. The hippocampus has been identified by many studies as a likely center for memory formation (Lynch, 2004), and further research into this subject has begun to suggest that synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus could be partly responsible for the physical changes in the brain, which underlie memory formation. Long Term Potentiation is a form of synaptic plasticity, and is considered to be a physical increase in the strength of connection between neurons or groups of neurons. Much like memories, the duration of a …

Progesterone Signaling In Mouse Oocyte Development Via The Pgrmc1 And Pgrmc2 Receptors And The Pairbp1 Protein, Amanda M. Catchings

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

There are thought to be many different causes that can lead to the development of infertility in females. Many of the causes for this condition present themselves before birth, which can predetermine a woman’s fertility capability before she is even born. The complex process of germ cell development possesses possibilities for error and malfunction that can have permanent, lasting effects on a developing fetus. The process of oocyte development is initiated when primordial germ cells migrate to the embryotic gonad and begin dividing mitotically. As mitosis proceeds, the process of cytokinesis does not go to completion, which maintains the cells …