Biology Commons^™

Vertebrate Natural History Notes From Arkansas, 2018, Renn Tumlison, D. Blake Sasse, Henry W. Robison, Matt B. Connior, Chris T. Mcallister, Kelly Jobe, Matthew Anderson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Because meaningful observations of natural history are not always part of larger studies, important pieces of information often are unreported. Small details, however, can fill gaps in understanding and lead to interesting questions about ecological relationships or environmental change. We have compiled recent important observations of distribution, deformities, and foods of various vertebrates, observations of winter activity of a woodchuck (Marmota monax) and winter torpor of a hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and also report a very unusual case of bilateral gynandromorphism in a Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). These unique observations continue to add immensely to …

Gene Flow And Genetic Structure Of Two Of Arkansas’S Rarest Darter Species (Teleostei: Percidae), The Arkansas Darter, Etheostoma Cragini, And The Least Darter, E. Microperca, Justin Baker, Brian Wagner, Robert Wood

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Distinguishing the effects of naturally caused historical fragmentation from those of contemporary landscape modification is critically important to understanding the consequences of human influences on patterns of gene flow and population dynamics. Nonetheless, relatively few recent studies focusing on this issue have dealt with species that showed evidence of historical fragmentation. In the current study, we disentangled the effects of fragmentation operating over separate timescales on two darter species, Etheostoma cragini and E. microperca, from the Ozark Highlands. Formerly more wide-spread within this region in Arkansas, these species now occur only in highly isolated habitats (i.e., spring-runs). …

Distribution Of Dracunculus Sp. Infection In River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) In Arkansas, Renn Tumlison, Allison Surf, Heather May

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Wild Type Drosophila Melanogaster Eye Pigments: Examining Absorbance Spectra And Light Sensitivity, Erin Brown, Taylor M. Delaney

A with Honors Projects

The eyes of wild type fruit flies contain various pigments that contribute to a brick red color. Chromatography techniques are used to separate and view these pigments. IN this project, the students extract and gather absorbance spectra for these pigments using three methods: eye pigment chromatography, pigment extraction and spectrophotometry, and spectrophotometry and photosensitivity. The methods are compared to determine how efficient they are at separating and extracting pigments and producing reliable results when examining absorbance spectra. To explore the photosensitivity of the pigments, we compare absorbance spectra changes to a pigment solution.

Rna-Seq Of Kaposi's Sarcoma Reveals Alterations In Glucose And Lipid Metabolism, For Yue Tso, Andrew V. Kossenkov, Salum J. Lidenge, Owen Ngalamika, John R. Ngowi, Julius Mwaiselage, Jayamanna Wickramasinghe, Eun Hee Kwon, John T. West, Paul M. Lieberman, Charles Wood

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). It is endemic in a number of sub-Saharan African countries with infection rate of >50%. The high prevalence of HIV-1 coupled with late presentation of advanced cancer staging make KS the leading cancer in the region with poor prognosis and high mortality. Disease markers and cellular functions associated with KS tumorigenesis remain ill-defined. Several studies have attempted to investigate changes of the gene profile with in vitro infection of monoculture models, which are not likely to reflect the cellular complexity of the in vivo lesion environment. Our approach …

The Contributions Of Fc Gamma Receptors And Macropinocytosis To The Internalization, Sorting And Clearance Of Antibody Coated Nanovesicles In Macrophages, George Opoku-Kusi Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages are tissue-resident phagocytes that play critical roles in immune response and tissue homeostasis. They have a tremendous capacity to internalize objects of various sizes ranging from nanoscale viral particles to micron sized bacteria and tumor cells. This phenomenon, termed phagocytosis for the uptake of large particles, or endocytosis for the uptake of small particles, is integral to the immune response in multicellular organisms. Macrophages express FcγRs, which are tyrosine kinase receptors that bind IgG on an opsonized target. Binding of IgG Fc domain to the extracellular domain of an FcγR triggers signaling cascades that coordinate internalization of the opsonized …

Evaluation Of Dietary Phytochemicals As Rumen Modifiers In Lactating Dairy Cows, Sonia Rodriguez Jimenez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phytochemicals such as tannins included in dairy cow nutritional programs, as a natural feed additive, promise to improve rumen bypass protein and consequently reduce the feeding cost by decreasing the amount of CP needed in the ration. Additionally, if tannins are fed along with high quality protein sources, this could improve the AA profile reaching the small intestine and potentially improving health and performance of dairy cows. The black pepper, specifically its alkaloid piperine, is a nontoxic, natural dietary compound with a broad range of physiological activity. Lactating dairy cows ingesting these phytochemicals (tannin extracts and black pepper) will potentially …

Mechanisms By Which Mechanotransduction Promotes Proliferation In Keratinocytes, Chhavi Chaudhary

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic wounds are wounds that do not heal within 30 days and often they can last over a year. Interference in any of the wound healing stages may hinder the process. Some of the local and systemic factors such as infection, old age, diabetes, AIDS, and the regular application of corticoids may also have negative effects on the healing process. Cell proliferation is an important phase in epidermal wound healing in which surviving epithelial cells replicate independently into daughter cells through mitosis and maintain a balance between cell growth and cell loss during the cell cycle. Physical and chemical stimuli …

Identification Of Macropinocytosis Regulating Proteins And Signaling From Macropinosomes, Louise Monga

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding macrophage cell biology is important due to macrophages key roles in human health and diseases including proper immune function, wound healing, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Despite their importance, relatively little is understood about macrophage activation, growth factor signaling, and cytoskeletal regulation. This thesis presents data from investigations into mechanisms of macrophage growth factor signaling and actin polymerization for ruffling and macropinocytosis. Alt-R CRISPR-Cas9 method and dextran uptake assay were used to knock out individual genes (SHP-1, Lyn, Syk, BTK, Vav1) and determine their role in macropinocytosis and CSF-1R signaling. Dextran uptake was disrupted in SHP-1 and Lyn targeted knockout cells, …

New Records Of The American Badger (Taxidea Taxus) In Arkansas, With An Updated Distribution Map, Renn Tumlison, D. Blake Sasse

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

45833 (Gmr19d09), Neha Gogia, Ankita Sarkar, Amit Singh

Dpp Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dpp enhancer - 45833

• Id - GMR19D09
• Location - 2L:2435128,2438996
• Base pairs – 3868 bp

48784 (Gmr17g08), Neha Gogia, Ankita Sarkar, Amit Singh

Dpp Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dpp enhancer - 48784

• Id - GMR 17G08
• Location 2L:2450278,2451074
• Base pairs – 796 bp

45437 (Gmr18b08), Neha Gogia, Ankita Sarkar, Amit Singh

Dpp Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dpp enhancer - 45437

• Id - GMR18B08
• Location - 2L:2455899,2457734
• Base pairs – 1835 bp

Leptodactylus Validus Garman, 1888 In Colombia: Its Distribution And Identification, Andres R. Acosta Galvis, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Leptodactylus validus is reported for the first time for Colombia, corresponding to the tenth species of the L. melanonotus species group occurring in the country. In collections, all L. validus specimens were identified as L. colombiensis. Morphological, coloration, and ecological characters are provided to differentiate the two species in Colombia. Furthermore, the distribution of L. validus is expanded based on the examination of specimens in both collections and literature records. In addition, the advertisement call of L. validus from Colombia is compared with those reported for other continental and insular populations; the calls are slightly more similar to those …

Physiological Responses To Elevated Temperature Across The Geographic Range Of A Terrestrial Salamander, Alexander J. Novarro, Caitlin R. Gabor, Cory B. Goff, Tori D. Mezebish, Lily M. Thompson, Kristine L. Grayson

Biology Faculty Publications

Widespread species often possess physiological mechanisms for coping with thermal heterogeneity, and uncovering these mechanisms provides insight into species responses to climate change. The emergence of non-invasive corticosterone (CORT) assays allows us to rapidly assess physiological responses to environmental change on a large scale. We lack, however, a basic understanding of how temperature affects CORT, and whether temperature and CORT interactively affect performance. Here, we examine the effects of elevated temperature on CORT and whole-organism performance in a terrestrial salamander, Plethodon cinereus, across a latitudinal gradient. Using water-borne hormone assays, we found that raising ambient temperature from 15 to 25°C …

Review Of The Family Rivulidae (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheiloidei) And A Molecular And Morphological Phylogeny Of The Annual Fish Genus Austrolebias Costa 1998, Marcelo Loureiro, Rafael O. De Sá, Sebastián W. Serra, Felipe Alonso, Luis Esteban Krause Lanés, Matheus Vieira Volcan, Pablo Calviño, Et. Al.

Biology Faculty Publications

The family Rivulidae is the fourth most diverse clade of Neotropical fishes. Together with some genera of the related African family Nothobranchiidae, many rivulids exhibit a characteristic annual life cycle, with diapausing eggs and delayed embryonic development, which allows them to survive in the challenging seasonal ponds that they inhabit. Rivulidae also includes two species known as the only the self-fertilizing vertebrates and some species with internal fertilization. The first goal of this article is to review the systematics of the family considering phylogenetic relationships and synapomorphies of subfamilial clades, thus unifying information that is dispersed throughout the literature. From …

Black Cohosh Seed Germination And Conservation, W. John Hayden

Biology Faculty Publications

Like many plant enthusiasts, I have spent a considerable amount of time planting seeds. Every year I grow many vegetables—my garden always includes some annual bedding plants—and I sow seeds of cover crops (winter wheat, winter rye, and buckwheat) by the tens of thousands. While I have committed vast numbers of propagules to moist soil, I cannot say that I have watched every single one sprout. Nevertheless, I certainly have observed the germination process many, many times for lots of different seeds. For these seeds of garden plants, germination is quite rapid, just a few days to maybe as much …

Blood Coagulation Properties In Hibernating And Non-Hibernating American Bullfrogs (Lithobates Catesbeianus), Stephen Cain

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Activated partial thromboplastin times (APTT) and factor deficiency assays were performed on the plasma of twenty American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) to test for potential changes and regulation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway during and after hibernation. Bullfrogs (pre-hibernating n=4, hibernating n=6, post-hibernating n=10) were housed in 10 gallon aquariums filled with RO water and placed in a temperaturecontrolled room. Hibernation was gradually induced by decreasing the temperature of the room from 24 C to 3 C in increments of 3 C per week. Blood (6-8 ml) was collected from individual non-hibernating frogs, hibernating frogs and post-hibernating frogs in 0.105M sodium …

Range Expansion Of Sigmodon Hispidus (Hispid Cotton Rat) Into Reclaimed Coal Surface-Mines In Southeastern Kentucky, Brittany L. Slabach, James J. Krupa

Biology Faculty Publications

Sigmodon hispidus (Hispid Cotton Rat) is the most wide-spread species of Sigmodon in North America. In recent years, this species has expanded northward and westward in the western part of its range due to changes in habitat and climate. Evidence suggests northward expansion is also occurring in Kentucky. Since the 1980s, extensive coal mining via surface mining and mountain-top removal has transformed more than 2300 km² of hardwood forests on the Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky. Mining has transformed the landscape, once characterized by forests with deep valleys, steep slopes, and narrow, winding ridgetops into reclaimed sites with a …

Exogenous Fniii 12-14 Regulates Tgf-Β1-Induced Markers, Hilmi M. Humeid

Theses and Dissertations

The extracellular matrix protein Fibronectin (FN) plays an important role in cell contractility, differentiation, growth, adhesion, and migration. The 12th -14th Type III repeats of FN (FNIII 12-14), also referred to as the Heparin-II domain, comprise a highly promiscuous growth factor (GF) binding region. This binding domain aids in cellular signaling initiated from the ECM. Additionally, FN has the ability to assemble into fibrils under certain conditions, mostly observed during cell contractile processes such as those that initiate due to upregulation of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF-β1) [1], [2]. Previous work from our lab has shown that self-assembly of …

Trimethyltin-Induced Cerebellar Damage On Adult Male Wistar Rats. Trimetil Estaño Induce Daño Cerebral En Ratas Machos Adultas Wistar., M. S. Ajao, A. Okesina, Martin C. Nwadiugwu

Interdisciplinary Informatics Faculty Publications

Abstract: This research work was done to investigate the acute toxicological effect of trimethyltin chloride on the cerebellum of Wistar rat. Ten adult male Wistar rats were used for the study. The animals were grouped into two: Group A and B, with five adult male Wistar rats in each group. Group A serves as the trimethyltin (TMT) group, while group B serves as the normal saline (NS) group. 3mg/kg of trimethyltin chloride was administered to animals in the TMT group, while 1.0mls of normal saline was administered to the animals in the NS group via intraperitoneal route for 3 …

Evolutionary History Of Plant Hosts And Fungal Symbionts Predicts The Strength Of Mycorrhizal Mutualism, Jason D. Hoeksema, James D. Beaver, Sounak Chakraborty, V. Bala Chaudhary, Monique Gardes, Catherine A. Gehring, Miranda M. Hart, Elizabeth Ann Housworth, Wittaya Kaonongbua, John N. Klironomos, Marc J. Lajeunesse, James Meadow, Brook G. Milligan, Bridget J. Piculell, Anne Pringle, Megan A. Rúa, James Umbanhowar, Wolfgang Viechtbauer, Yen-Wen Wang, Gail W.T. Wilson, Peter C. Zee

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Most plants engage in symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi in soils and net consequences for plants vary widely from mutualism to parasitism. However, we lack a synthetic understanding of the evolutionary and ecological forces driving such variation for this or any other nutritional symbiosis. We used meta-analysis across 646 combinations of plants and fungi to show that evolutionary history explains substantially more variation in plant responses to mycorrhizal fungi than the ecological factors included in this study, such as nutrient fertilization and additional microbes. Evolutionary history also has a different influence on outcomes of ectomycorrhizal versus arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses; the former …

Impact Of Human Disturbance On The Behavior And Physiology Of The Endangered Ringed Sawback Turtle (Graptemys Oculifera), Jessica Mary Heppard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Turtles are one of the most threatened taxa worldwide. In addition to direct anthropogenic impacts such as hunting and pollution, unintentional indirect human disturbance affects poikilothermic turtles by disrupting thermoregulatory basking behavior. In this thesis I assess the behavioral and physiologic impacts of high boat traffic, reductions of basking structures, and environmental factors on basking behavior, rates of disturbance, thermoregulation, parasite load, shell condition, and population recruitment in two populations of the endangered ringed sawback (Graptemys oculifera), also known at the ringed map turtle, on the Pearl River outside Jackson, MS. Basking behavior was influenced by availability of basking structures, …

Effects Of Clove Oil (Eugenol) On Proprioceptive Neurons, Heart Rate, And Behavior In Model Crustaceans, Samuel Wycoff, Kristin Weineck, Shannon Conlin, Chinni Suryadevara, Elizabeth Grau, Alec Bradley, Danielle Cantrell, Samantha Eversole, Carolyn Grachen, Kaylee Hall, Danielle Hawthorne, Claire Kinmon, Paula Ortiz Guerrero, Bhavik Patel, Kaitlyn Samuels, Gia Valdes, Andrew J. Ray, Leo J. Fleckenstein, Elena Piana, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

Clove oil contains eugenol as an active ingredient and is used as a topical anesthetic in mammals to remedy pain and to anesthetize fish and other seafood for short periods; however, the exact mechanism of action of eugenol is not fully understood. We examined use of eugenol as a reversible anesthetic in crustaceans by examining its effect on sensory and motor neurons in the Red Swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) with electrophysiological recordings. The neurogenic heart rate in the three species was also monitored along with …

Cold Exposure Effects On Cardiac Function And Synaptic Transmission At The Neuromuscular Junction In Invertebrates, Yuechen Zhu, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

This review emphasizes how ectothermic animals respond physiologically to environmental temperature changes and cold stress. Generally ectothermic animals cannot generate heat to maintain their body temperature but they can still survive in various temperature zones. Various organisms have been analyzed anatomically and physiologically in the attempt to understand the underlying mechanisms of this temperature adaptation. A few of the changes in the metabolic and molecular function of proteins are discussed. The potential of how hormonal modulation of cardiac and nervous systems which influences responses during exposure cold exposure is also addressed. The focus of this review is on the effect …

Investigating The Effects Of Homocysteine As An Agonist On Invertebrate Glutamatergic Synapses, Elizabeth Grau, Alexandra E. Stanback, Alec Bradley, Danielle Cantrell, Samantha Eversole, Carolyn Grachen, Kaylee Hall, Danielle Hawthorne, Claire Kinmon, Paula Ortiz Guerrero, Bhavik Patel, Kaitlyn Samuels, Chinni Suryadevara, Gia Valdes, Samuel Wycoff, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in mammals can produce neurological deficits, such as memory loss. The cause of the neurological issues is assumed to be due to homocysteine (HCY) binding to glutamatergic receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). High levels of HCY in the CNS are also associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease. Thus, understanding the detailed mechanisms of HCY in model preparations could be useful in developing potential treatments to neurodegenerative diseases with overlapping symptoms to HHcy. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of HCY as an agonist at glutamatergic synapses in invertebrates. The …

Transcriptome Analysis Of Root Development In Wheat Triticum Aestivum Using High Throughtput Sequencing Technologies, Ghana Challa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Root provides plant water, nutrients and anchorage from soil. Most our knowledge of molecular mechanisms of root development is from the dicot model plant Arabidopsis, but very few studies have done in monocot crop systems like rice, maize, and wheat. We are studying very short root (VSR) phenotype in wheat, and lack of a sequenced reference genome in wheat prompted us to sequence and assemble the root transcriptome of the reference cultivar Chinese Spring (CS). A root transcriptome was assembled from the sequenced reads generated from root tip and the mature root tissues of CS. Approximately 169 million reads were …

Neuromuscular Control Of The Calling Apparatus In The Túngara Frog (Engystomops Pustulosus), Kiran Kaur Grewal

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Male túngara frogs can add a distinctive note ("chuck”) to their mating call. Production of the chuck involves vibrating a pair of laryngeal fibrous masses that is attached to the vocal cords. The muscular control of this mechanism remains unknown. Recent studies revealed a split in the laryngeal dilator muscle, which unveiled the deep dilator as a novel laryngeal muscle with unique attachments, innervation, and (likely) function. The deep dilator may position the fibrous masses for chuck production. The goals of this study were 1) to confirm the innervation of the novel muscle through electrophysiology; and 2) to determine the …

Noradrenergic Tuning, Not Simple Rate Effects, Produces Temperature-Sensitivity Of The Respiratory Network In Bullfrogs, Mauricio Vallejo

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Animals match ventilation to metabolic and acid-base regulatory demands during changes in body temperature. Across vertebrates ventilation increases at warmer temperatures and decreases at cooler temperatures. At the organismal level this is attributed to metabolic feedback and/or alpha-stat pH regulation; however, the cellular mechanisms that produce ventilatory output in response to brain temperature changes remain unclear. To identify mechanisms underlying temperature-sensitivity of the respiratory control network, I used brainstem-spinal cord preparations producing spontaneously active, rhythmic motor output similar to breathing in vivo of adult bullfrogs Lithobates catesbeianus. In vitro brainstem-spinal cords were superfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) equilibrated at …

Characterization Of The Effect Of Optineurin On Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation And Toxicity In Yeast, Md Moydul Islam

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Optineurin, an autophagy adaptor protein genetically linked to Normal Tension Glaucoma and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, has been found in the pathological inclusions of various other neurodegenerative disorders, supporting an important role of optineurin in neurodegeneration. Using yeast as a model, we found that overexpression of optineurin drastically enhances the toxicity of the Parkinson's disease-causing protein, alpha-synuclein. Considering the conserved protein-protein interaction between optineurin and Ypt1, a yeast suppressor of the toxicity of both optineurin and alpha-synuclein, we hypothesize that cellular targets of optineurin underlie in the cytotoxicity and the enhancer effect. Using genome-wide yeast two-hybrid screens, we identified 97 yeast …