Biology Commons^™

Histopathologic Aspects In Plagioscion Squamosissimus (Heckel, 1940) Induced By Neoechinorhynchus Veropesoi, Metacestodes And Anisakidae Juveniles = Aspectos Histopatólogicos Em Plagioscion Squamosissimus Induzidos Por Neoechinorhynchus Veropesoi, Metacestódeos E Juvenis Da Família Anisakidae, Francisco Tiago De Vasconcelos Melo, Rogério Antonio Ribeiro Rodrigues, Elane Guerreiro Giese, Scott Lyell Gardner, Jeannie Nascimento Dos Santos

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Abstract

Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel 1840), a fish endemic to the Amazon Basin and commonly known as the “silver croaker,” plays an important role in the ecology and economy of Pará State, Brazil. Knowledge of host-parasite relationships is important to understanding the role of parasites in the control of natural host populations. This work describes histopathological aspects caused by several common intestinal parasites found during a helminthological survey of fish in northern Brazil. We observed a high prevalence of helminth infection, especially by J₃ nematode juveniles of the family Anisakidae and metacestodes of the family Protocephalidae (both with 100% prevalence). …

The Vibrio Cholerae Type Vi Secretion System Employs Diverse Effector Modules For Intraspecific Competition, Daniel Unterweger, Sarah T. Miyata, Verena Bachmann, Teresa M. Brooks, Travis Mullins, Benjamin Kostiuk, Daniele Provenzano, Stefan U. Pukatzki

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

Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that consists of over 200 serogroups with differing pathogenic potential. Only strains that express the virulence factors cholera toxin (CT) and toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) are capable of pandemic spread of cholera diarrhoea. Regardless, all V. cholerae strains sequenced to date harbour genes for the type VI secretion system (T6SS) that translocates effectors into neighbouring eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Here we report that the effectors encoded within these conserved gene clusters differ widely among V. cholerae strains, and that immunity proteins encoded immediately downstream from the effector genes protect their host from neighbouring bacteria …

A Course-Based Research Experience: How Benefits Change With Increased Investment In Instructional Time, Christopher Shaffer, Consuleo Alvarez, April Bednarski, David Dunbar, Anya Goodman, Catherine Reinke, Anne Rosenwald, Michael Wolyniak, Cheryl Bailey, Daron Barnard, Christopher Bazinet, Dale Beach, James Bedard, Satish Bhalla, John Braverman, Martin Burg, Vidya Chandrasekaran, Hui-Min Chung, Kari Clase, Randall Dejong, Justin Diangelo, Chunguang Du, Todd Echdahl, Heather Eisler, Julia Emerson, Amy Frary, Donald Frohlich, Yuying Gosser, Shubha Govind, Adam Haberman, Amy Hark, Charles Hauser, Arlene Hoogewerf, Laura Hoopes, Carina Howell, Diana Johnson, Christopher Jones, Lisa Kadlec, Marian Kaehler, Catherine Silver-Key, Adam Kleinschmit, Nighat Kokan, Olga Kopp, Gary Kuleck, Judith Leatherman, Jane Lopilato, Christy Mackinnon, Juan Carlos Martinez-Cruzado, Gerard Mcneil, Stephanie Mel, Hemlata Mistry, Alexis Nagengast, Paul Overvoorde, Don Paetkau, Susan Parrish, Celeste Peterson, Mary Preuss, Laura Reed, Dennis Revie, Srebrenka Robic, Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield, Michael Rubin, Kenneth Saville, Stephanie Schroeder, Karim Sharif, Mary Shaw, Gary Skuse, Christopher Smith, Mary Smith, Sheryl Smith, Eric Spana, Mary Spratt, Aparna Sreenivasan, Joyce Stamm, Paul Szauter, Jeffrey Thompson, Matthew Wawersik, James Youngblom, Leming Zhou, Elaine Mardis, Jeremy Buhler, Wilson Leung, David Lopatto, Sarah C.R. Elgin

Biology Faculty Research

There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant …

Benthic And Planktonic Microalgal Community Structure And Primary Productivity In Lower Chesapeake Bay, Matthew Reginald Semcheski

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Microalgal populations are trophically important to a variety of micro- and macroheterotrophs in marine and estuarine systems. In Chesapeake Bay, microalgae facilitate the survival and development of ecologically and economically relevant fauna, including shellfish and finfish populations. While regarded as significant components of coastal environments, microphytobenthic communities are historically understudied. In Chesapeake Bay, the importance of phytoplankton to the ecosystem is understood, but the contribution of microphytobenthos remains unclear. This project surveys intertidal microphytobenthic communities, in relation to phytoplankton communities, around lower Chesapeake Bay describing the taxonomic makeup of these populations, coupled with quantification of cell abundance, biomass, and primary …

Prepubertal Exposure To Arsenic(Iii) Suppresses Circulating Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (Igf-1) Delaying Sexual Maturation In Female Rats, Michael P. Reilly, James C. Saca, Alina Hamilton, Rene F. Solano, Jesse R. Rivera, Wendy Innis-Whitehouse, Jason Parsons, Robert K. Dearth

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

Arsenic (As) is a prevalent environmental toxin readily accessible for human consumption and has been identified as an endocrine disruptor. However, it is not known what impact As has on female sexual maturation. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of prepubertal exposure on mammary gland development and pubertal onset in female rats. Results showed that prepubertal exposure to 10 mg/kg of arsenite (As(III)) delayed vaginal opening (VO) and prepubertal mammary gland maturation. We determined that As accumulates in the liver, disrupts hepatocyte function and suppresses serum levels of the puberty related hormone insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) …

Identification Of Transcriptionally Quiescent Regions In The Neurospora Crassa Genome, Katie Marie Groskreutz

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual reproduction and genetic exchange via meiosis are important and highly conserved processes in many living organisms. Occasionally, complications occur during meiosis that can result in chromosome abnormalities. In humans, improper chromosome development can cause life altering disorders such as Down Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, and Patau Syndrome. Unfortunately, despite its importance, gaps remain in our knowledge of how this process works. For instance, little is known about how homolog identification occurs and what proteins identify matching chromosomes during pairing. This fundamental process occurs early during meiosis and ensures proper development of gametes.

Understanding the proteins involved during homolog pairing may …

Transcriptional Control Of Toxoplasma Development, Joshua Byran Radke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of animals and man. The asexual life cycle of Toxoplasma involves three very distinct, but tightly coordinated developmental stages. In nature, the sporozoite (contained within an oocyst) and bradyzoite (contained within a tissue cyst) initiate infection of the intermediate host, followed by rapid differentiation into the actively replicating tachyzoite. When countered by an effective host response, the tachyzoite differentiates back into the latent bradyzoite and this unique ability of Toxoplasma to interconvert between the replicating tachyzoite and the latent bradyzoite within a single host is the cause of life long infection. The …

Extracts Of Trichostema Lanatum Inhibit The Growth Of Gram-Positive Bacteria And An Escherichia Coli Δtolc Mutant Strain, Matthew C. Fleming

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

The Chumash Native Americans of Southern California have well-documented traditions of using plants for medicinal purposes. If a specific plant has traditionally been used for the treatment of cuts, wounds and infections, it may contain chemicals with anti-bacterial properties. One plant that fits these criteria is Trichostema lanatum (woolly blue curls). We tested extracts of T. lanatum for their ability to inhibit the growth of a variety of bacteria. Because of the widespread use of antibiotics over the past sixty years bacteria are evolving greater resistance to known antibiotics, but unfortunately the rate of antibiotic discovery has diminished during the …

Cardiovascular Health Among Us And Argentine University Students: A Comparative Study Of Behaviors And Risk Factors, Gina Fitzgerald, Gabriella Smith

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Cardiovascular disease for some time has been the leading cause of death in the Western world. Primary prevention is the only way to halt the onset of cardiovascular disease, yet there is little information on the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adults. This study seeks to evaluate students from the Catholic University of Argentina and Pepperdine University of America for the prevalence of CVD risk factors, as well as knowledge of CVD and daily habits that contribute to heart health. Thus we compared two cultures with very different lifestyles and prevalence of risk factors. We hypothesized …

The Effect Of Shear Stress, Potassium, And Adenosine On Α-1 Adrenergic Vasoconstriction Of Rat Soleus Feed Arteries, Tanner J. Heckle

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

During exercise, sympathetic nerve activity increases, augmenting the release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) at the arterial wall and into the blood. NE binds to arterial adrenergic receptors to cause vasoconstriction, yet arteries in contracting skeletal muscle dilate during exercise. Previous evidence from Ives et al. suggests that heat and acidosis may partially inhibit constriction resulting from α-1 adrenergic receptors (termed sympatholysis). Our lab has previously demonstrated that rat soleus feed arteries respond to sympathetic signaling solely by α-1 adrenoceptors. We hypothesized that increased levels of arterial wall shear stress, potassium, or adenosine also contribute to sympatholysis, thereby reducing sympathetic …

Influence Of Temperature On The Tensile Strength Of Spider Silk (Araneus Gemmoides), Victoria Lekson

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Temperature ranges between day and night in southern California can be as great as 30°C and may influence vital functioning of ectothermic organisms. Arachnids produce silks from a pair of spinnerets in their abdomen and rely on variance in protein composition to make different types of silks. Temperature may influence tensile strength of filaments. We tested the effects of temperature on tensile strength of dragline silk of five specimens of Araneus gemmoides (orb-weaver) which were collected from Malibu Creek State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains of southern California, under five temperature conditions. Each specimen was placed in a 0.0283 …

Nanoparticle Exposure Activates An Inositol Triphosphate Receptor-Dependent Elevation Of Reactive Oxygen Species And Apoptosis In Human Alveolar Lung Cells, Briana Manes, Sarah Alvarado

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

The signaling of cell stress in response to organelle dysfunction, toxin exposure, and mutation is complex; generating responses that can include adaptation, or in severe cases, cellular apoptosis. Nanoparticles (20-100 nm diameter) have been shown to induce cell stress in lung cells, potentially identifying a cause of lung disease in areas with high levels of particulate-based air pollution. This study examines the effect of carbon black (CB) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on stress signaling and apoptosis in cultured A549 human alveolar epithelial cells. CB and TiO2 powders were dispersed throughout a buffered solution containing bovine serum albumin using probe …

The Regulatory Effect Of Semaphorin 7a On Proliferation And Migration In Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells, Steven R. Fleming

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Semaphorin 7A (SEMA 7A), a factor originally identified as regulating axon growth, has recently been implicated as a pro-angiogenic factor. The molecular mechanisms for this ability to stimulate angiogenesis have not been identified. This study examines if SEMA 7A can have a direct effect on vascular endothelial cells or whether it indirectly induces angiogenesis through stimulation and recruitment of macrophages as has been suggested. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the ability of SEMA 7A to affect proliferation and migration was examined. HUVECs were exposed to SEMA 7A directly or to conditioned media collected from macrophages exposed to SEMA …

Are U, Ni, And Hg An Environmental Risk Within A Rcra/Cercla Unit On The U.S. Department Of Energy's Savannah River Site?, Paul G. Edwards, Karen F. Gaines, A. Lawrence Bryan Jr., James M. Novak, Susan A. Blas

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) is a former nuclear weapon production facility. From 1954–1985, releases of Al, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, U, and Zn were discharged into the Tims Branch-Steed Pond water system. This study investigates whether metal concentrations in Tims Branch's sediment, biofilm and other biota exceed screening level risk calculations to determine if remedial actions should be pursued for the Contaminants of Potential Concern (U, Ni, Hg). Transfer factors (TFs) were calculated to determine metal concentration changes throughout lower trophic levels and results were compared with sediment benchmarks to create hazard quotients (HQs) …

Interaction Between Allelic Variations In Vitamin D Receptor And Retinoid X Receptor Genes On Metabolic Traits, Karani S. Vimaleswaran, Alana Cavadino, Diane J. Berry, Massimo Mangino, Peter Andrews, Jason H. Moore

Dartmouth Scholarship

Low vitamin D status has been shown to be a risk factor for several metabolic traits such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The biological actions of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D, are mediated through the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which heterodimerizes with retinoid X receptor, gamma (RXRG). Hence, we examined the potential interactions between the tagging polymorphisms in the VDR (22 tag SNPs) and RXRG (23 tag SNPs) genes on metabolic outcomes such as body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), high- and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols, serum triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and glycated haemoglobin in the 1958 …

Testing The Feasibility Of Bioacoustic Localization In Urban Environments, Blaire O'Neal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bioacoustics is a relatively new field of research focused on studying the acoustic signals of vocal animal species. The field has been a topic of interest for many years due its passive approach and avoidance of species-level limitations, such as tracking rare or nocturnal species. It has been used to locate birds in terrestrial environments; however, localization in urban environments remains unstudied. This research aims to fill the gap by attempting to estimate the location of 30 discrete calls in eight unique, urban environments. Sites represented two distinct traffic scenarios: moderate traffic and high traffic. Three system arrays of three …

Engaging Non-Scientists In Stem Through Problem-Based Learning And Service Learning, Andrew Tawfik, Rebecca J. Trueman, Matthew M. Lorz

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This study follows the evolution of a single biology course designed for non-science majors. In its original design, the course used only traditional pedagogical techniques, such as lecture and textbook homework assignments. Over several iterations of the course, the class combined problem-based learning (PBL) and service learning to better support student knowledge. For this study, our goal was for students to learn biology concepts as they engaged in a lake cleanup project within the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Data sources consisted of pretest, posttest, and final exam scores to assess learning. The results suggest the combination of PBL and service …

Dietary Antiaging Phytochemicals And Mechanisms Associated With Prolonged Survival, Hongwei Si, Dongmin Liu

Human Sciences Faculty Research

Aging is well-known an inevitable process that is influenced by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the aging process are not well understood. Increasing evidence shows that aging is highly associated with chronic increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), accumulation of a low-grade proinflammatory phenotype and reduction in age-related autophagy, suggesting that these factors may play important roles in promoting aging. Indeed, reduction of ROS and low-grade inflammation and promotion of autophagy by calorie restriction or other dietary manipulation can extend lifespan in a wide spectrum of model organisms. Interestingly, recent studies show that some food-derived …

Stüve-Wiedemann Syndrome: Lifr And Associated Cytokines In Clinical Course And Etiology, Dawn Mikelonis, Cheryl L. Jorcyk, Ken Tawara, Julia Thom Oxford

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Stüve-Wiedemann syndrome (STWS; OMIM #610559) is a rare bent-bone dysplasia that includes radiologic bone anomalies, respiratory distress, feeding difficulties, and hyperthermic episodes. STWS usually results in infant mortality, yet some STWS patients survive into and, in some cases, beyond adolescence. STWS is caused by a mutation in the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) gene, which is inherited in an autosomally recessive pattern. Most LIFR mutations resulting in STWS are null mutations which cause instability of the mRNA and prevent the formation of LIFR, impairing the signaling pathway. LIFR signaling usually follows the JAK/STAT3 pathway, and is initiated by …

Correction Of The Caulobacter Crescentus Na1000 Genome Annotation, Bert Ely, Latia Etheredge Scott

Faculty Publications

Bacterial genome annotations are accumulating rapidly in the GenBank database and the use of automated annotation technologies to create these annotations has become the norm. However, these automated methods commonly result in a small, but significant percentage of genome annotation errors. To improve accuracy and reliability, we analyzed the Caulobacter crescentus NA1000 genome utilizing computer programs Artemis and MICheck to manually examine the third codon position GC content, alignment to a third codon position GC frame plot peak, and matches in the GenBank database. We identified 11 new genes, modified the start site of 113 genes, and changed the reading …

Influence Of Introgression And Geological Processes On Phylogenetic Relationships Of Western North American Mountain Suckers (Pantosteus, Catostomidae), Peter J. Unmack, Thomas E. Dowling, Nina J. Laitinen, Carol L. Secor, Richard L. Mayden, Dennis K. Shiozawa, Gerald R. Smith

Biological Sciences Faculty Research Publications

Intense geological activity caused major topographic changes in Western North America over the past 15 million years. Major rivers here are composites of different ancient rivers, resulting in isolation and mixing episodes between river basins over time. This history influenced the diversification of most of the aquatic fauna. The genus Pantosteus is one of several clades centered in this tectonically active region. The eight recognized Pantosteus species are widespread and common across southwestern Canada, western USA and into northern Mexico. They are typically found in medium gradient, middle-elevation reaches of rivers over rocky substrates. This study (1) compares molecular data …

Evolutionary Relationships Of The Critically Endangered Frog Ericabatrachus Baleensis Largen, 1991 With Notes On Incorporating Previously Unsampled Taxa Into Large-Scale Phylogenetic Analyses, Karen Siu-Ting, David J. Gower, Davide Pisani, Roman Kassahun, Fikirte Gebresenbet, Michele Menegon, Abebe A. Mengistu, Samy A. Saber, Rafael O. De Sá, Mark Wilkinson, Simon P. Loader

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: The phylogenetic relationships of many taxa remain poorly known because of a lack of appropriate data and/or analyses. Despite substantial recent advances, amphibian phylogeny remains poorly resolved in many instances. The phylogenetic relationships of the Ethiopian endemic monotypic genus Ericabatrachus has been addressed thus far only with phenotypic data and remains contentious.

Results: We obtained fresh samples of the now rare and Critically Endangered Ericabatrachus baleensis and generated DNA sequences for two mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. Analyses of these new data using de novo and constrained-tree phylogenetic reconstructions strongly support a close relationship between Ericabatrachus and …

P-19 Hcnabc Operon Transcription Of Pseudomonas Putida Under Varying Iron And Oxygen Concentrations And Culture Age, Christine Lee

Honors Scholars & Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Programs

The species Pseudomonas putida produces hydrogen cyanide (HCN) through the transcription of the hcnABC operon. The purpose of this experiment is to determine how the hcnABC operon is affected by varying levels of iron and oxygen, and age of bacteria culture. To test this, P. putida is grown under five conditions: the presence of iron, the absence of iron, with aeration, without aeration, and without iron and aeration. At 8, 18, and 30 hours, the cultures are assessed for HCN production and cell density. HCN production is measured via bioluminescence; light emission occurs whenever HCN is produced because the modified …

Structural Insights Into The Interaction Between A Potent Anti-Inflammatory Protein, Viral Cc Chemokine Inhibitor (Vcci), And The Human Cc Chemokine, Eotaxin-1, Nai-Wei Kuo, Yong-Guang Gao, Megan Schill, Nancy Isern, Cynthia Dupureur, Patricia Liwang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Works

Chemokines play important roles in the immune system, not only recruiting leukocytes to the site of infection and inflammation but also guiding cell homing and cell development. The soluble poxvirus-encoded protein viral CC chemokine inhibitor (vCCI), a CC chemokine inhibitor, can bind to human CC chemokines tightly to impair the host immune defense. This protein has no known homologs in eukaryotes and may represent a potent method to stop inflammation. Previously, our structure of the vCCI·MIP-1β (macrophage inflammatory protein-1β) complex indicated that vCCI uses negatively charged residues in β-sheet II to interact with positively charged residues in the MIP-1β N …

Analysis Of The Skin Transcriptome In Two Oujiang Color Varieties Of Common Carp, Chenghui Wang, Michael Wachholtz, Jun Wang, Xiaolin Liao, Guoqing Lu

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Body color and coloration patterns are important phenotypic traits to maintain survival and reproduction activities. The Oujiang color varieties of common carp (Cyprinus carpio var. color), with a narrow distribution in Zhejiang Province of China and a history of aquaculture for over 1,200 years, consistently exhibit a variety of body color patterns. The molecular mechanism underlying diverse color patterns in these variants is unknown. To the practical end, it is essential to develop molecular markers that can distinguish different phenotypes and assist selective breeding.

Methodology/Principal Findings: In this exploratory study, we conducted Roche 454 transcriptome sequencing of …

Student Identity Considerations And Implications Associated With Socioscientific Issues Instruction, Mitchel James Ruzek

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to explore how aspects of identity, perceived levels of controversy, and the strength of a student's attachment to their controversial identity relate to conceptual understanding and knowledge acquisition during socioscientific issues (SSI) based instruction in a biology classroom. The knowledge gained from this study will have the capacity to enhance our understanding of the role that attachment to identity plays during SSI negotiation. Additionally, insight was gained into the role played by aspects of identity in conceptual understanding of scientifically controversial topics during SSI based instruction.

This study contributed to the existing knowledge base …

Second-Grade Science Collaborations: Exploring States Of Matter, Forces, Motion, And Energy, Emily F. Schmitt Lavin, K. Donovan, C. Hughes, D. Boruch

Biology Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

No abstract provided.

Programmed Allee Effect In Bacteria Causes A Tradeoff Between Population Spread And Survival, Robert P. Smith, Cheemang Tan, Jaydeep K. Srimani, Anand Pai, Katherine A. Riccione, Hao Song, Lingchong You

Biology Faculty Articles

Dispersal is necessary for spread into new habitats, but it has also been shown to inhibit spread. Theoretical studies have suggested that the presence of a strong Allee effect may account for these counterintuitive observations. Experimental demonstration of this notion is lacking due to the difficulty in quantitative analysis of such phenomena in a natural setting. We engineered Escherichia coli to exhibit a strong Allee effect and examined how the Allee effect would affect the spread of the engineered bacteria. We showed that the Allee effect led to a biphasic dependence of bacterial spread on the dispersal rate: spread is …

Assessing Commercial Harvesting Pressure On Aquatic Turtles Of The Mississippi Alluvial Plain Of Northeast Arkansas, John Joseph Kelly

Student Theses and Dissertations

Commercial turtle harvesting, fueling the Asian turtle market, has led to the rapid decline of turtle populations worldwide. I investigated the effects of the domestic turtle trade on the carapace length (CL) of aquatic turtles in Arkansas between 2011-2012, hypothesizing that smaller CL might be found among turtle populations in areas with high harvest pressure. I conducted a two-year mark recapture study throughout three rivers in Northeast Arkansas. Study locations were marked as low, moderate, and high harvest pressure. Male and female red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta) collected from low harvest sites were 2.2 cm and 1.9 cm larger than turtles …

Using Progesterone As An Indicator Of Ovarian Response To Stimulation In Cattle, Kayla Mariah Kauffman

Animal Science

No abstract provided.