Biology Commons^™

Genetic Diversity And Differentiation Patterns In Micromeria From The Canary Islands Are Congruent With Multiple Colonization Dynamics And The Establishment Of Species Syngameons, Manuel Curto, Pamela Puppo, S. Kratschmer, H. Meimberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Background

Especially on islands closer to the mainland, such as the Canary Islands, different lineages that originated by multiple colonization events could have merged by hybridization, which then could have promoted radiation events (Herben et al., J Ecol 93: 572–575, 2005; Saunders and Gibson, J Ecol 93: 649–652, 2005; Caujapé-Castells, Jesters, red queens, boomerangs and surfers: a molecular outlook on the diversity of the Canarian endemic flora, 2011). This is an alternative to the scenario where evolution is mostly driven by drift (Silvertown, J Ecol 92: 168–173, 2004; Silvertown et al., J Ecol 93: 653–657, 2005). In the former case …

Winter Diet Of Bobolink, A Long-Distance Migratory Grassland Bird, Inferred From Feather Isotopes, Rosalind B. Renfrew, Jason M. Hill, Daniel H. Kim, Christopher Romanek, Noah G. Perlut

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Effective conservation of migratory bird populations depends on advancements in our understanding of processes throughout the life cycle. Fundamental information about wintering ecology (e.g., habitat use and diet composition) remains limited, which limits assessment of threats to populations during winter. Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) is a year-round grassland obligate and Nearctic-Neotropical migrant that undergoes 2 complete molts each year, including a complete prealternate molt on the South American wintering grounds. This unusual winter molt provides a rare opportunity to examine, using stable isotope analysis, the timing and contribution of foraging resources in the Bobolink diet prior to northbound migration from disparate …

Arginine Vasotocin And Neuropeptide Y Vary With Seasonal Life-History Transitions In Garter Snakes, Ashley R. Lucas, Daelyn Y. Richards, Lucy M. Ramirez, Deborah Lutterschmidt

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transitions between life-history stages are often accompanied by dramatic behavioral switches that result from a shift in motivation to pursue one resource over another. While the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate such behavioral transitions are poorly understood, arginine vasotocin (AVT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are excellent candidates because they modulate reproductive and feeding behavior, respectively. We asked if seasonal changes in AVT and NPY are concomitant with the seasonal migration to and from the feeding grounds in red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). Male and female snakes were collected in different migratory states during both the spring and fall. The total …

Utilizing Modular Labs In Human Anatomy And Physiology: Lessons Learned From A First Time Experience, Jennifer Zitzner

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Anatomy and physiology laboratory experiences build upon concepts that are presented in the lecture part of the course. Our anatomy and physiology laboratory class meets weekly for approximately three hours and includes a compilation of activities that are to be completed during the laboratory period. While exercises are built off of topics presented in lecture and predominantly hands-on in nature, many students were not taking advantage of the self-directed learning experiences, especially those employing anatomical models. Some students were content to simply take photographs of models with their cell phones and complete only the graded portions of the laboratory assignment …

Understanding The Biology Of Clover Root Curculio And Improving Their Management Using Biofumigation In Alfalfa, Steven J. Price

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Clover root curculio (CRC) is a pest of alfalfa where larvae feed belowground damaging alfalfa roots. Regional knowledge of CRC activity and biology is limited making the development of pest management strategies difficult. One potential management technique for soil-dwelling pests is the use of biofumigant containing cover crops. Biofumigation can affect the survival and behavior of pest insects. However, biofumigant crops have not been evaluated against CRC or as a rotational crop compatible with alfalfa. The goals of this research were to determine 1) phenology, population sizes, and root damage severity of CRC occurring in the Intermountain region and 2) …

Bridging Post-Wildfire Communication Gaps Between Managers, Researchers, And Local Communities, Including A Biological Soil Crust Case Study, Hilary Louise Whitcomb

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Immediately after a wildfire land managers act quickly to protect water supplies, soil stability, habitat, and forage. We don't currently understand how managers make trade-off decisions between social, political, and ecological factors in these tight timelines or if they are able to use new science. We do know ecosystems often benefit from local engagement, and new, scientifically-grounded methods that improve restoration efforts are needed. As post-wildfire timelines don’t often allow for outside input, I asked managers what they and stakeholders think about post-wildfire projects and what managers think about new science. I asked local citizens what they think about postwildfire …

Seasonal Development Of The Biological Control Agent Of Dalmatian Toadflax, Mecinus Janthiniformis (Curculionidae: Coleoptera), In Utah: Phenology, Overwintering Success, And Mortality, Samantha A. Willden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

By outcompeting desirable vegetation, invasive weeds can dominate field crops and rangelands, drastically reducing yield and land value. One option in controlling the impact and spread of such weeds is reuniting them with their natural insect herbivores, a process called biological control. When successful, biocontrol can be the cheapest way to provide long-term control of invasive weeds, but continual monitoring of insect and weed activity is required to ensure success.

Dalmatian toadflax is an invasive weed that occurs widely throughout the northwestern U.S., and that is spreading south each year to warmer and drier regions, including sites in Utah. Although …

Spatiotemporal Regulation Of Nervous System Development In The Annelid Capitella Teleta, Abhinav Sur, Craig R. Magie, Elaine C. Seaver, Néva P. Meyer

Biology

Background: How nervous systems evolved remains an unresolved question. Previous studies in vertebrates and arthropods revealed that homologous genes regulate important neurogenic processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the mechanisms through which such homologs regulate neurogenesis across different bilaterian clades are variable, making inferences about nervous system evolution difficult. A better understanding of neurogenesis in the third major bilaterian clade, Spiralia, would greatly contribute to our ability to deduce the ancestral mechanism of neurogenesis. Results: Using whole-mount in situ hybridization, we examined spatiotemporal gene expression for homologs of soxB, musashi, prospero, achaete-scute, neurogenin, and neuroD in embryos and …

A Leptin-Regulated Circuit Controls Glucose Mobilization During Noxious Stimuli, Jonathan N. Flak, Deanna M. Arble, Warren Pan, Christa Patterson, Thomas Lanigan, Paulette B. Goforth, Jamie Sackner, Maja Joosten, Donald A. Morgan, Margaret B. Allison, John Hayes, Eva Feldman, Randy J. Seeley, David P. Olson, Kamal Rahmouni, Martin G. Myers Jr.

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Adipocytes secrete the hormone leptin to signal the sufficiency of energy stores. Reductions in circulating leptin concentrations reflect a negative energy balance, which augments sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation in response to metabolically demanding emergencies. This process ensures adequate glucose mobilization despite low energy stores. We report that leptin receptor–expressing neurons (LepRb neurons) in the periaqueductal gray (PAG), the largest population of LepRb neurons in the brain stem, mediate this process. Application of noxious stimuli, which often signal the need to mobilize glucose to support an appropriate response, activated PAG LepRb neurons, which project to and activate parabrachial nucleus (PBN) …

Ventricular Action Potential Adaptation To Regular Exercise: Role Of Β-Adrenergic And KAtp Channel Function, Xinrui Wang, Robert H. Fitts

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Regular exercise training is known to affect the action potential duration (APD) and improve heart function, but involvement of β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) subtypes and/or the ATP-sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channel is unknown. To address this, female and male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to voluntary wheel-running or control groups; they were anesthetized after 6–8 wk of training, and myocytes were isolated. Exercise training significantly increased APD of apex and base myocytes at 1 Hz and decreased APD at 10 Hz. Ca²⁺ transient durations reflected the changes in APD, while Ca²⁺ transient amplitudes were unaffected by wheel …

A Multi-Indicator Assessment Of Conservation Success Across A Populated Forest Anthrome, Emma Cook, Natalie Ribble, John Quinn

Biology Presentations

The heterogeneous landscape of the eastern United States has resulted in a diversity of conservation interventions including public protected areas, private lands held in easements, and open space managed at various levels of intensity. Given the pressures of expected land use and land cover change, particularly in the Southern Piedmont ecoregion, multi-scale and comprehensive data are needed to prioritize conservation actions. We assessed local and regional indicators of conservation success across an urban-rural gradient by analyzing local bird abundance and diversity as a factor of forest patch area, land use matrix, and land management strategy. The study was conducted across …

Using Silkworms As A Host To Spin Spider Silk-Like Fibers, Xiaoli Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Using silkworms as the potential host to spin spider silk-like fibers is an area of intense research world-wide. The conventional methods used to create transgenic silkworms hosting spider silk-like gene limits the incorporation of spider silk-like protein and do not improve the mechanical performance of the composite silkworm/spider silk fibers. In this dissertation, synthetic spider ampullate genes were incorporated into the precise site of the fibroin heavy chain or light chain using the latest genome editing technology CRISPR/cas9 guided non-homologous end joining as opposed to conventional random integration using transposon-based piggyBac system. These protocols, with extensive applicability to other silkworm …

Comparison Of Chikungunya Virus Strains In Disease Severity And Susceptibility To T-705 (Favipiravir), In Vitro And In Vivo, Makda Gebre

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Chikungunya is a mosquito-transmitted disease caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Symptoms of Chikungunya include debilitating joint pain and swelling, fever and rash. CHIKV was first discovered in 1953 in Tanzania, and has since caused periodic outbreaks of disease. The virus reemerged recently in 2004 and has since spread around the world affecting more than 3 million people. The different strains of CHIKV have been grouped into three phylogenetic clades: West African, Asian and East/Central/South African (ECSA). There are no FDA approved medicines or vaccines used to treat or prevent CHIKV infection. The antiviral drug, T-705 (commercially known as Favipiravir), has …

The Behavioral Effects Of Feeding Enrichment On A Zoo-Housed Herd Of African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Caroline Marie Driscoll

Graduate Theses

A comprehensive study on the behavioral effects of feeding enrichment was conducted on six African elephants housed at the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro, NC. The herd is comprised of are two adult males, three adult females, and one subadult female. The study was conducted over a 10-month period and consisted of focal sample observations across three conditions. Observations were recorded during the baseline condition (June to September) and continued through the introduction of feeding enrichment. Behavioral data were also collected when enrichment items were present but food presentation followed the historical husbandry routine, known as the experimental control …

Examining The Role Of Hres On The Regulation Of Opioid Receptor Gene Expression In Neuronal Cells Undergoing Hypoxic Mimic Condition, Alberto Herrera

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Hypoxia is a condition of inadequate oxygen supply, which can induce cell death. Using human neuronal cells treated with a hypoxia memetic compound, desferoxamine (DFO), a hypoxic cell model system was created. Our lab reported previously that treatment with DFO resulted in the decrease of cell viability. However, there were still surviving neurons. The surviving cells did not exhibit significant morphological changes, as compared to the control cells, under confocal microscopy analysis using annexin-V-FLUOS and propidium iodide staining, indicating that they were not at apoptotic or necrotic stages. These surviving neurons, therefore, developed adaptive responses under hypoxic challenge. Several changes …

Plant Size And Competitive Dynamics Along Nutrient Gradients, Deborah E. Goldberg, Jason P. Martina, Kenneth J. Elgersma, William S. Currie

Faculty Work

Resource competition theory in plants has focused largely on resource acquisition traits that are independent of size, such as traits of individual leaves or roots or proportional allocation to different functions. However, plants also differ in maximum potential size, which could outweigh differences in module-level traits. We used a community ecosystem model called mondrian to investigate whether larger size inevitably increases competitive ability and how size interacts with nitrogen supply. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that bigger is better, we found that invader success and competitive ability are unimodal functions of maximum potential size, such that plants that are too …

Mitochondrial D-Loop Markers And Size Variation Of Sorex Species, Joseph Andrew Osei

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Sorex hoyi share similar morphologies with various other shrew species, ranging from nose size to tail length, which makes identification between species difficult. Current species identification relies on specific morphological traits (including dentition), however due to hybridization, these techniques may be inaccurate in certain shrews. Dentition also requires lethal sampling of shrews, which would best be avoided to not impact the populations.

To remedy this problem, a procedure for identifying the species using the mitochondrial D-loop sequences of Sorex hoyi, Sorex cinereus, Sorexfumeus, Cryptotis parva. and Blarina brevicauda was designed. This procedure would look for speciesspecific differences in the shrews' …

The Antiviral Effect Of Epigallocatechin Gallate-Stearate On Enterovirus-69, Hager Mohamed

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Enteroviruses are single stranded RNA viruses responsible for diseases from respiratory illness to hand-foot-and-mouth disease. As a rapidly evolving group, enteroviruses often gain genetic variability which leads to emergence of additional types, one of which is Enterovirus 69 (EV-69). EV-69 has been associated with respiratory illness, possibly causing symptoms similar to those caused by EV-68. To challenge the ability of the virus to infect cells, this study examined the result of infection in lung cell lines A549 and MRC-5 in response to Epigallocatechin gallate-stearate (EGCG-S) treatment of the virus before infection. EGCG-S, a modified green tea polyphenol, was assessed for …

Starch Analysis Of Betula Populifolia And Populus Spp. In An Abandoned Urban Brownfield, Ariel Valverde

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In order to cope with a variety of environmental stresses, trees use starch storage as a buffering system to compensate for energy needs. Starch allocation into different tissues throughout the year can determine the health of deciduous trees. Natural environmental stresses including seasonal changes, water and nitrogen availability and defoliation are known to have direct effects on starch storage. Anthropogenic stresses such as heavy metal and other toxic contaminants in soils have not been investigated as factors that alter the normal starch trends in the different tissues of trees. This study assesses how starch storage in different tissues in B. …

A Small Molecule Egcg-S, A Modified Green Tea Polyphenol, As A Synergistic Agent To Enhance Antibacterial Activity Of Antibiotics On Bacterial Biofilms, Shrameeta Shinde

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The rapidly emerging phenomenon of antibiotic resistance is continually becoming uncontrollable. Over recent years there have been an alarming increase in untreatable multi-drug resistant (MDR) infections that need earnest attention. The mechanisms by which antibiotic resistance is achieved in pathogenic bacteria have been extensively researched and various alternate treatment or intervention strategies have been designed. However, a recently established means of antibiotic resistance observed in bacteria is the formation of a physiological state known as Biofilm. Biofilm are complex adhesive microbial communities known to habitat animate and fomite surfaces. High mortality clinically infectious cases have been associated to the biofilms …

A Study Of Salmonid Growth In Two Southern Appalachian Headwater Streams, Joshua Argo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sampled salmonid populations in two headwater streams in East Tennessee, Briar Creek and Left Prong Hampton Creek. Length and weight data were used to calculate the growth of these populations to determine if significant variation exists between isolated brook trout populations. Slope comparisons concluded that there was a difference in growth between brook trout populations of these streams (p

Simplifying Methods For In Vitro Metamorphosis Of Glochidia, Morgan A. Kern

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Captive culture of Unionoid mussels is complicated by the parasitic larval stage, which normally requires a host fish for metamorphosis. Alternatively, some mussel species can metamorphose in vitro, i.e. in an artificial medium in Petri dishes. Most workers have used 5% CO₂ atmosphere and bicarbonate to stabilize pH, requiring a specialized incubator. In the present study, in vitro metamorphosis success of Anodonta oregonensis and other species were higher or similar in air than in 1%, or 5% CO₂. The nutritional role of the medium was tested by substituting physiological saline without nutrients at varying intervals before …

Regulation Of Haplid Phenotypes In Ustilago Maydis By Ammonium Transporters And Components Of The B Mating Locus., Rena Margaret Wallen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fungi that can switch from budding to a filamentous infectious state have evolved mating type loci. Ustilago maydis, the maize pathogen, must mate with compatible partners possessing different alleles at two mating type loci for successful host infection. The a locus encodes pheromones and receptors, while the b locus encodes subunits of a heterodimeric transcription factor that regulates expression of virulence genes. Mating is triggered by environmental signals, including nutrient deprivation. My goal was to determine the fate of nitrogen starved haploid cells without a compatible mating partner. On solid low ammonium media, wild-type U. maydis filaments. I examined …

The Role Of Calcium In Regulation Of Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor By Skeletal Muscle Cells, Alicia M. Boynton

Masters Theses

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is an important signaling molecule for the somatic motor nervous system. GDNF protein is produced and secreted by skeletal muscle cells and helps maintain motor neuron innervation at the neuromuscular junction. Treatment with exogenous GDNF prevents denervation which is characteristic of aging and neurodegenerative disease. The therapeutic potential of GDNF cannot be fully explored without understanding the mechanisms by which GDNF protein production is regulated. The primary objective of this study was to determine the role of calcium in regulating GDNF protein expression by skeletal muscle cells. Skeletal muscle cells (C2C12) were grown in …

Effects Of Acute Sepsis On Renal Structure And Sympathetic Innervation In Mice, Tuqa Alkhateeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sympathetic nerves are important for renal physiology and sepsis pathophysiology. A recent study showed sprouting of sympathetic nerves in spleen of septic mice. This study was done to test if renal sprouting of sympathetic nerves also happens and to investigate renal morphology in septic mice. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used to induce sepsis and kidneys were removed for evaluation. Bowman’s space was diminished with cortical bubble cells present suggestive of acute renal pathology, however, renal function was unchanged. Acute sepsis did not affect either renal sympathetic innervation or non-neuronal cholinergic cells. Mouse kidneys had more epinephrine (EPI) than …