Biology Commons^™

Post-Drought Recovery In The Chaparral Shrub Ceanothus Spinosus, Katie C. Lindley, Kylie N. Smith, Nina R. Duchild, Stephen D. Davis, Karagan L. Smith, Talia A. Cao

Featured Research

This study investigated the abilities of Ceanothus spinosus, or greenbark ceanothus, to recover after a historic drought. This plant is one of the hardiest in the Santa Monica Mountains, providing soil stabilization and nutrients to other organisms in the ecosystem. In a previous investigation done during the drought, it was found that C. spinosus subjects growing in their natural habitat experienced significant dieback, with predawn water potentials falling as low as -7 MPa and native embolisms at an average of 47.17% (Ross et al., 2016). Other parameters tested were stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Compared to the …

The Rate Of Fungal Pathogen Growth (Botryosphaeria Dothidea) 
In Stems Of The Chaparral Shrub Rhus Integrifolia, Jayla D. Simmons, Edward J. Ayala, Kamara J. Satcher, Stephen D. Davis, Karagan L. Smith, Talia A. Cao

Featured Research

The fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea will grow between one to five millimeters after a week on the chaparral species Rhus integrifolia. To test this, we inoculated six individual shrub located behind the greenhouse on Campus Walk Road . On each shrub we selected two branches, receiving adequate and equal sunlight and inoculated one branch with the fungus B. dothidea and the other with a plain gel in order to compare the growth with a control group. The data we collected at the end of the one week period was similar to our initial hypothesis. The shortest growth was on the …

Connectivity Motifs Of Inhibitory Neurons In The Mouse Auditory Cortex, Hysell V. Oviedo

Publications and Research

Connectivity determines the function of neural circuits and it is the gateway to behavioral output. The emergent properties of the Auditory Cortex (ACx) have been difficult to unravel partly due to our assumption that it is organized similarly to other sensory areas. But detailed investigations of its functional connectivity have begun to reveal significant differences from other cortical areas that perform different functions. Using Laser Scanning Photostimulation we previously discovered unique circuit features in the ACx. Specifically, we found that the functional asymmetry of the ACx (tonotopy and isofrequency axes) is reflected in the local circuitry of excitatory inputs to …

Fates Of Rare Species Under Siege From Invasion: Persistence Of Coccinella Novemnotata Herbst In Western North America Alongside An Invasive Congener, Edward W. Evans

Biology Faculty Publications

Species invading new geographic regions may threaten continued existence of similar, indigenous relatives, particularly those species whose rarity may reflect an already tenuous existence. The spectacular colonization of North America in recent decades by Coccinella septempunctata L. has generated widespread concern over potentially adverse effects on population viability of native species of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae). Coccinella novemnotata Herbst in particular has been hypothesized to be at great risk, as this species apparently dwindled in numbers across much of North America during the twentieth century. Here results of sampling diverse habitats over three decades are examined to address the fate of …

Testing For The Presence Of Botryosphaeria Dothidea In Ceanothus Spinosus, Brandon R. Grinovich, Chelsea N. Puncochar, Katarina L. Carter, Stephen D. Davis, Rodney L. Honeycutt, Talia A. Cao, Karagan L. Smith

Featured Research

Botryosphaeria dothidea is an opportunistic fungus found in some of the cavitated branches of the vegetation in the Santa Monica Mountains. In this study, we focused on finding the presence of Botryosphaeria dothidea in Ceanothus spinosus located on Pepperdine University’s campus. We wanted to test this hypothesis because we observed a large amount of dieback in the Ceanothus spinosus population and wanted to identify a possible contributor. Because of the large number of cavitated branches the Ceanothus spinosus contained, we hypothesized they contained fungus. To test this, we took twenty samples of twenty different Ceanothus spinosus, isolated the fungus …

Zinc Chloride Activates Phospho-Akt And Promotes Chondrocyte Maturation In The Atdc5 Chondrogenic Cell Line, Donya T. Burgess

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Fracture healing is characterized by inflammation, cartilage formation, bone deposition, and remodeling. Endochondral ossification is an important part of callus formation that relies on the maturation of chondrocytes. Early in their maturation these cells express collagen type II alpha 1 chain (COL2A1) and express collagen type X alpha 1 chain (COL10A1) as they mature further and become hypertrophic chondrocytes. Activation of the insulin pathway is considered a primary factor involved in the initiation of chondrogenesis and its progression during bone healing. Insulin mimetics like zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) have been shown to improve bone healing outcomes and enhance bone …

The Toxicity Of Nanoparticles Depends On Multiple Molecular And Physicochemical Mechanisms, Yue-Wern Huang, Melissa Cambre, Han-Jung Lee

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nanotechnology is an emerging discipline that studies matters at the nanoscale level. Eventually, the goal is to manipulate matters at the atomic level to serve mankind. One growing area in nanotechnology is biomedical applications, which involve disease management and the discovery of basic biological principles. In this review, we discuss characteristics of nanomaterials, with an emphasis on transition metal oxide nanoparticles that influence cytotoxicity. Identification of those properties may lead to the design of more efficient and safer nanosized products for various industrial purposes and provide guidance for assessment of human and environmental health risk. We then investigate biochemical and …

Telomerase Activity Is Required For The Telomere G-Overhang Structure In Trypanosoma Brucei, Ranjodh Sandhu, Bibo Li

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Trypanosoma brucei causes fatal human African trypanosomiasis and evades the host immune response by regularly switching its major surface antigen, VSG, which is expressed exclusively from subtelomeric loci. Telomere length and telomere proteins play important roles in regulating VSG silencing and switching. T. brucei telomerase plays a key role in maintaining telomere length, and T. brucei telomeres terminate in a single-stranded 3′ G-rich overhang. Understanding the detailed structure of the telomere G-overhang and its maintenance will contribute greatly to better understanding telomere maintenance mechanisms. Using an optimized adaptor ligation assay, we found that most T. brucei telomere G-overhangs end in …

Effects Of Trophic Relationships On Oyster Reef Restoration Success In The Mississippi Sound, Virginia Robin Fleer

Dissertations

Natural and anthropogenic changes resulting from altered hydrology, hurricanes, variable precipitation, and the BP oil spill have all taken their toll on oyster reefs in Mississippi. In response, oyster reef restoration efforts are currently underway within the Northern Gulf of Mexico. In order to understand why these efforts succeed or fail, it is crucial to consider predator-prey relationships within the context of the trophic dynamics of oyster reefs. Thus, for this dissertation study I integrated a multidisciplinary approach to understanding key trophic interactions affecting oyster recruitment, growth and survival, comprising field sampling, manipulative lab experiments, and individual-based modeling. Spat settlement …

Does Browsing Matter? : Predation And Population Declines In The Federally Endangered Schweinitz's Sunflower (Helianthus Schweinitzii T&G), Bryan Benson England Iii

Graduate Theses

Herbivory is a ubiquitous ecological process, yet its importance to plant community ecology and conservation biology is controversial. When Schweinitz's sunflower (Helianthus schweinitzii T&G) was listed as a federally endangered species in 1991, "Predation and Parasitism" were considered "not applicable" as threats, and it was the lack of large herbivores that was repeatedly identified as a threat to this species' survival. Two decades later, persistent negative population trends in many protected populations and anecdotal reports of "heavy browse pressure from white-tailed deer" led to suggestions that herbivory by deer could be impeding the recovery of this species. To test for …

Bet-Hedging In Bacteriocin Producing Escherichia Coli Populations: The Single Cell Perspective, Bihter Bayramoglu, David Toubiana, Simon Van Vliet, R. Inglis, Nadav Shnerb, Osnat Gillor

Biology Department Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Superresolution Imaging Identifies That Conventional Trafficking Pathways Are Not Essential For Endoplasmic Reticulum To Outer Mitochondrial Membrane Protein Transport., Kyle Salka, Shivaprasad Bhuvanendran, Kassandra Wilson, Petros Bozidis, Mansi Mehta, Kristin Rainey, Hiromi Sesaki, George H Patterson, Jyoti K. Jaiswal, Anamaris M. Colberg-Poley

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

Most nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins traffic from the cytosol to mitochondria. Some of these proteins localize at mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM), where mitochondria are closely apposed with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We have previously shown that the human cytomegalovirus signal-anchored protein known as viral mitochondria-localized inhibitor of apoptosis (vMIA) traffics from the ER to mitochondria and clusters at the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM). Here, we have examined the host pathways by which vMIA traffics from the ER to mitochondria and clusters at the OMM. By disruption of phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting protein 2 (PACS-2), mitofusins (Mfn1/2), and dynamin related protein 1 (Drp1), …

24-Month Hiv-Free Survival Among Infants Born To Hiv-Positive Women Enrolled In Option B+ Program In Kigali, Rwanda: The Kabeho Study, Michelle Gill, Heather J. Hoffman, Dieudonne Ndatimana, Placidie Mugwaneza, Laura Guay, +Several Additional Authors

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

Lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) provision to all pregnant HIV-positive women (“Option B+”) has been recommended by the World Health Organization since 2013, but there remain limited data on the effects of Option B+ on long-term HIV-free survival in breastfeeding HIV-exposed infants. The Kigali Antiretroviral and Breastfeeding Assessment for the Elimination of HIV (Kabeho) study enrolled HIV-positive women from the third trimester of pregnancy to 2 weeks postpartum in 14 heath facilities implementing Option B+ in Kigali, Rwanda. Mother–child pairs in the longitudinal observational cohort were followed until 24 months postpartum, with HIV diagnostic testing at 6 weeks, and 9, 18 …

Synthesis And In Vitro Antimycobacterial Activity Of Novel N-Arylpiperazines Containing An Ethane-1,2-Diyl Connecting Chain, Tomás Gonec, Ivan Malík, Jozef Csöllei, Josef Jampílek, Jirina Stolaríková, Ivan Solovic, Peter Miku, Stanislava Keltoová, Peter Kollár, Jim O'Mahony, Aidan Coffey

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

© 2017 by the authors. Novel 1-(2-{3-/4-[(alkoxycarbonyl)amino]phenyl}-2-hydroxyethyl)-4-(2-fluorophenyl)-piperazin-1-ium chlorides (alkoxy = methoxy to butoxy; 8a-h) have been designed and synthesized through multistep reactions as a part of on-going research programme focused on finding new antimycobacterials. Lipophilic properties of these compounds were estimated by RP-HPLC using methanol/water mobile phases with a various volume fraction of the organic modifier. The log kw values, which were extrapolated from intercepts of a linear relationship between the logarithm of a retention factor k (log k) and volume fraction of a mobile phase modifier (jM), varied from 2.113 (compound 8e) to 2.930 (8h) and indicated relatively high …

Establishment Of Lateral Organ Asymmetries In The Invertebrate Chordate, Ciona Intestinalis, Karl Palmquist , '17, Bradley Justin Davidson , '91

Biology Faculty Works

Background: The evolutionary emergence and diversification of the chordates appear to involve dramatic changes in organ morphogenesis along the left/right axis. However, the ancestral chordate mechanism for establishing lateral asymmetry remains ambiguous. Additionally, links between the initial establishment of lateral asymmetry and subsequent asymmetries in organ morphogenesis are poorly characterized. Results: To explore asymmetric organ morphogenesis during chordate evolution, we have begun to characterize left/right patterning of the heart and endodermal organs in an invertebrate chordate, Ciona intestinalis. Here, we show that Ciona has a laterally asymmetric, right-sided heart. Our data indicate that cardiac lateral asymmetry requires H+/K+ ion flux, …

Diversification On Continents And Islands: A Herpetological Perspective, Kyle Anthony O'Connell

Biology Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation seeks to understand the geological and climatological processes that have promoted diversification on continental and island systems. Using molecular genetic data generated using Sanger sequencing and Next Generation Sequencing platforms, I conduct phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses, estimate gene flow, and conduct species delimitation. Using these analyses, I explore diversification processes on continents and islands using reptile and amphibian systems. In Chapter 2 I evaluate the role of geographical features to whipsnake diversification. Chapter 3 resolves the taxonomy of several poorly understood whipsnakes species and tests the effect of missing data on species delimitation. Chapter 4 investigates the biogeographical …

Seasonal Distribution Of Sage-Grouse In Hamlin Valley, Utah And The Effect Of Fences On Grouse And Avian Predators, Heather Hedden Mcpherron

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) numbers have declined throughout the western US and are considered a species of concern in most of the eleven states that are within their range. Sage-grouse habitats have been reduced by approximately 44% since European settlement of the Western United States began (Miller et al. 2011). Loss of habitat has contributed to an average decline of sage-grouse populations by 33% across the range (Connelly and Braun 1997). To expand our knowledge of this species, I monitored 16 radio-collared sage-grouse captured from four leks in Hamlin Valley, Utah, USA in 2011 and 2012 …

Ecology Of Greater Sage-Grouse Inhabiting The Southern Portion Of The Rich-Morgan-Summit Sage-Grouse Management Area, M. Brandon Flack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) are sagebrush obligates and are therefore considered to be key indicators of sagebrush ecosystem health. Sage-grouse populations have declined range-wide over the last century due to loss and fragmentation of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats. Sage-grouse populations found in large intact sagebrush landscapes are considered to be more resilient, however, some small isolated populations persist and thrive in fragmented landscapes. Because of Utah’s unique topography and geography, sage-grouse habitat is discontinuous and populations are naturally dispersed throughout the state in suitable intact blocks or in disconnected islands of sagebrush habitat. Thus, Utah populations …

The Biogeography And Nesting Biology Of Anthophora, With A Revision And Phylogeny Of The Anthophora (Micranthophora), Michael C. Orr

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bees are necessary pollinators for a vast array of different plants, including many which we rely on for food. In order to grow sufficient crops to feed the world’s growing population, we need to make sure our crops are visited by the most effective possible pollinators. However, this is complicated by the fact that there are over 4,000 bee species in North America, many of which vary in their pollination effectiveness and are difficult to identify. My dissertation’s first two data chapters focus on classifying the species of the xeric solitary bee group Anthophora subgenus Micranthophora, including seven newly …

Heritable Sperm Chromatin Epigenetics: A Break To Remember, Ralph G. Meyer, Chelsea C. Ketchum, Mirella L. Meyer-Ficca

UAES Publications

Sperm chromatin not only has a unique structure to condense and protect the paternal DNA in transit, but also provides epigenetic information that supports embryonic development. Most of the unique sperm nuclear architecture is formed during the sweeping postmeiotic chromatin remodeling events in spermiogenesis, where the majority of nucleosomes are removed and replaced by protamines. The remaining histones and other chromatin proteins are located in structurally and transcriptionally relevant positions in the genome and carry diverse post-translational modifications relevant to the control of embryonic gene expression. How such postmeiotic chromatin-based programming of sperm epigenetic information proceeds, and how susceptible the …

The Effects Of Palmitate On The Expression Of G-Protein Coupled Receptors And Glut Transporters In Neuro2a Cells, Brian Montoya

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Palmitate (PA) is a saturated fatty acid that has been reported to be elevated in individuals with metabolic syndromes. The effects of fatty acids on the expression of various fatty acid receptors on neuronal cells is unknown, as is the effects of fatty acids on GLUT transporters. In this study, Neuro-2a (N2a) cells were treated with either 300μM of bovine serum albumin (BSA) or 300μM of palmitate conjugated to BSA (PA) at various time points to determine the effect of palmitate on the expression of various fatty acid receptors and GLUT transporters. RNA isolation followed by RT-PCR with primers specific …

Synchronization Of Reproduction In Deertoe Mussel (Truncilla Truncata), Kendell R. Loyd

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Freshwater mussels, Order Unionoida, are diverse and widespread in North America but have suffered general decline and many extinctions in recent decades. The reproductive biology of Unionoida is complex and may be vulnerable to human impacts. Male mussels release aggregates of sperm called spermatozeugmata that drift downstream. Females obtain spermatozeugmata from the water and brood the fertilized eggs internally during development. Many aspects of general reproductive biology are poorly understood, including the mechanisms that coordinate spawning and the route by which sperm meet eggs in the female. The present study focuses on reproduction in the Deertoe (Truncilla truncata), …

A Potential Solution To A Poopy Problem: Bile Salt Analogs As Prophylactics Against Clostridium Difficile Infection, Jacqueline Renee Phan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. In 2011, over 500,000 patients were diagnosed with CDI in the United States and over 29,000 people died of CDI-related complications. With an average of $35,000 to treat a single case of inpatient CDI, cost burden to the healthcare system can reach up to $3.2 billion annually. As both hospital- and community-acquired CDI incidences rise due to the emergence of hypervirulent strains and CDI reoccurrences of up to 25%, standard treatments are rendered less effective and new methods of prevention are critical.

CDI is caused by bacteria called Clostridium …

Effects Of Nicotine Exposure On Methamphetamine Oral Self-Administration, Extinction, And Reinstatement In Adolescent Rats, Zachary Robert Harmony

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adolescence is a vulnerable developmental period in regards to drug initiation and use. The gateway hypothesis suggests that adolescent cigarette smoking may result in a heightened risk for methamphetamine use. However, little is understood about the role of nicotine on adolescent methamphetamine addiction. The aim of the present study was to determine whether early, late, or continuous adolescent nicotine exposure would alter oral methamphetamine self-administration, extinction, or reinstatement. A total of 164 male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with saline or nicotine (0.16, or 0.64 mg/kg, sc) beginning on postnatal day (PD) 25 for 10 consecutive days. On PD …

Integrated Regulatory Network Reveals The Early Salt Tolerance Mechanism Of Populus Euphratica, Jiafei Chen, Jin Zhang, Jianjun Hu, Wenwei Xiong, Chunguang Du, Mengzhu Lu

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Salinization is one of the major factors that threaten the existence of plants worldwide. Populus euphratica has been deemed to be a promising candidate for stress response research because of its high capacity to tolerate extreme salt stress. We carried out a genome-wide transcriptome analysis to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) response to salt shock and elucidate the early salt tolerance mechanisms in P. euphratica. Both hierarchical clustering and DEG analysis demonstrated a predominant variation from time-course rather than NaCl intensity within 24 hours salt shock. Among the identified 1,678 salt-responsive DEGs, 74.1% (1,244) have not been reported before. …

Colorful Seashells: Identification Of Haem Pathway Genes Associated With The Synthesis Of Porphyrin Shell Color In Marine Snails, Suzanne T. Williams, Anne E. Lockyer, Patricia Dyal, Tomoyuki Nakano, Celia K. C. Churchill, Daniel Isaac Speiser

Faculty Publications

Very little is known about the evolution of molluskan shell pigments, although Mollusca is a highly diverse, species rich, and ecologically important group of animals comprised of many brightly colored taxa. The marine snail genus Clanculus was chosen as an exceptional model for studying the evolution of shell color, first, because in Clanculus margaritarius and Clanculus pharaonius both shell and foot share similar colors and patterns; and second, because recent studies have identified the pigments, trochopuniceus (pink-red), and trochoxouthos (yellow-brown), both comprised of uroporphyrin I and uroporphyrin III, in both shell and colored foot tissue of these species. These unusual …

Flushing Responses Of Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysaetos) In Response To Recreation, Robert J. Spaul, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Disturbance because of human activity, including recreation on wildlands, can affect bird behavior which in turn can reduce breeding success, an important consideration for species of management concern. We observed Golden Eagles (Aquila chysaetos) during the breeding season to determine whether the probability of flushing was affected by the type of recreationist, distance to encounter, eagle nest attendance, or date. We monitored eagles in 23 nesting territories from distant (600-1,200 m) observation points and recorded recreation activity within 1,200 m of eagles in the Owyhee Front of southwestern Idaho. In most (86%, n = 270) encounters, eagles did …

Commentary: Research Recommendations For Understanding The Decline Of American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) Across Much Of North America, Christopher J.W. Mcclure, Sarah E. Schulwitz, Richard Van Buskirk, Benjamin P. Pauli, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Across much of North America, populations of American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) have been in decline for decades (Farmer et al. 2008, Farmer and Smith 2009, Smallwood et al. 2009a, Paprocki et al. 2014, Sauer et al. 2014). Hypothesized causes of kestrel declines include predation by Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii; Farmer et al. 2008), pathogens (e.g., Nemeth et al. 2006), habitat loss (Sullivan and Wood 2005, Farmer et al. 2008, Bolgiano et al. 2015), pesticides (Smallwood et al. 2009a, Rattner et al. 2015), and climate change (Steenhof and Peterson 2009b), yet no hypothesized factor has been supported …

Phosphorus Retention In West Michigan Two-Stage Agricultural Ditches, Emily Kindervater

Masters Theses

Input of excess nutrients into a water body can negatively impact ecological structure and function, as well as the economic vitality of surrounding communities, by contributing to eutrophication. For example, phosphorus (P) and sediment inputs from agricultural drainage have facilitated the development of hypereutrophic conditions in Lake Macatawa, a drowned river mouth lake located in Holland, Michigan. Two-stage ditches, an agricultural best management practice (BMP), are used in some areas of the Midwest to reduce N export downstream via denitrification. This BMP simulates a mini-floodplain by replacing a traditional, trapezoidal ditch with a channel that has excavated benches on each …

Brook Trout Behavioral Thermoregulation And Habitat Selection In A Small Michigan Coldwater Stream: Implications For Successful Management, Justin Emory Wegner

Masters Theses

Global warming and conversion of forests for urbanization, agriculture and mineral extraction are increasing water temperatures throughout Brook Trout’s range causing population declines; particularly in populations persisting in marginal habitats and in the southern limits of their distribution. The Brook Trout is an ectotherm that can cope with elevated water temperature by moving to coldwater refuge such as groundwater seeps, coldwater tributary confluences, and headwaters. Availability of coldwater refuge is vital for the survival of Brook Trout populations threatened by increasing water temperatures. I used radio telemetry to study the movement, habitat use, and behavioral thermoregulation of Brook Trout living …