Biology Commons^™

Mesohabitat Associations Of The Devil Tryonia, Tryonia Diaboli (Gastropoda: Truncatelloidea: Cochliopidae), Peter H. Diaz, Dominique Alvear, Kathryn E. Perez

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

The Cochliopidae of Texas include both stygobitic species, those that occupy only underground habitats, and epigean species, those living only in aboveground habitats. The devil tryonia, Tryonia diaboli, was described from the Devils River of Texas from river wrack, without additional habitat information. This species has been largely ignored since its description, so details of its habitat and ecology are obscure. In Dolan Springs and Finegan Springs, flowing into the Devils River, we sampled macroinvertebrates at five sites that form a gradient from the aquifer to the mainstem Devils River. We found the highest abundances of T. diaboli in aquifer …

Soil Biotic And Abiotic Conditions Negate Invasive Species Performance In Native Habitat, Pushpa Soti, Matthew Purcell, Krish Jayachandran

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

Background: Most studies on plant invasion consider the enemy release hypothesis when analyzing native habitats. However, the lower performance of invasive species in the native habitats can be the result of unfavorable soil conditions in the native habitats. While soil biotic and abiotic factors have a potential to restrict the growth of invasive species in their native habitats, our understanding of belowground environment of invasive species in their native habitats is very limited. In this study, we analyzed soil characteristics associated with an exotic invasive plant, Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum), in its native habitat in Australia and the …

Cascading Effects Of Polyphenol-Rich Purple Corn Pericarp Extract On Pupal, Adult, And Offspring Of Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca Sexta L.), Mandeep Tayal, Pavel Somavat, Isabella Rodriguez, Leilani Martinez, Rupesh R. Kariyat

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

A major bottleneck in the commercialization of plant-based pest management compounds is that the extraction methods are complex, time-consuming, and even highly expensive. Using a recently developed inexpensive extraction and quantification methodology to isolate polyphenols (including anthocyanins and condensed tannins) from purple corn pericarp, we examined their effects on Manduca sexta, a common insect herbivore. Following up on our previous work which demonstrated the negative impacts of polyphenol-rich extract on larval stages, we further examined whether there are any cascading effects on subsequent life stages (pupal and adult) including any possible transgenerational effects. Our results show that polyphenol-rich purple corn …

Pthr1/Sox9 And Idh1/Idh2 Relative Expression In Primary Chondrocyte And Chondrosarcoma Cells Under The Synergistic Influence Of Inducible Hypoxia And Extracellular Acidosis, Kostika Vangjeli

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Cartilage cells (Chondrocytes) grow in rather unique environmental conditions in the human body. Cartilage is avascular tissue and lacks innervation. Its main source of nutrients is derived from the synovial fluid and/or perichondrium. Consequently, these cells must survive and thrive under hypoxic and acidic stressors. Published data suggests that there are a multitude of genes affected from either one of these two stressors or both. However, these factors are frequently overlooked in cartilage research, and results are reported in either normoxia/pH=7.0 conditions, or they only account for one of the conditions. The scope of this study is to examine how …

Diet Analysis Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Virginia, Kristen Marie Volker

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

This study describes the diet of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded in Virginia via stomach content analysis and considers factors such as proportion of numerical abundance and reconstructed mass, frequency of occurrence, average reconstructed prey size, prey diversity and quantity, and otolith degradation code. Fish size was estimated via regression equations established from local fish collected during the study that derive wet weight directly from otolith length or width. Squid size is estimated from previously published equations. Soniferous fishes dominated the diet, especially Atlantic croaker, spot, and seatrout spp., adding evidence to the theory that bottlenose dolphins passively …

Genetic Diversity Among Tilapia Species Farmed At Chita In Kilombero, Morogoro Region, Tanzania, Mussa G. Mndeme, Amon P. Shoko, Samwel M. Limbu, Chacha J. Mwita

Tanzania Journal of Science

The development of aquaculture industry in Tanzania cannot cope with the expected substantial increase in demand for fish and fish products due to several bottlenecks including unavailability of good quality feeds and fingerlings. Fish farmers often complain about slow growth rate of the farmed fish necessitating genetic characterization. This study identified and determined the genetic diversity of tilapia species farmed in Kilombero Districts at Chita earthen ponds. Fish samples were collected from nine earthen ponds belonging to small-scale fish farmers for genetic characterization. Total DNA was extracted by using the phenol-chloroform technique. The genetic diversity was calculated by using the …

Evaluation Of The Potential Of Freshly Bred Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Varieties In Combating Vitamin A Deficiency, Badi M. Bao, Leonard W.T. Fweja

Tanzania Journal of Science

Orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is advocated as a rich and readily accessible source of vitamin A. This study was done to evaluate the potential of the newly bred OFSP varieties in combating vitamin A deficiency. OFSP varieties and white fleshed sweet potato (WFSP) varieties were used for the study. β-carotene was extracted with acetone and  its spectrophotometric reading at 450 nm used to calculate its concentration. The optimum amount of OFSP required to meet vitamin A needs for children of different age groups were established. Results indicate that β-carotene was below detection levels in WFSP varieties but was detectable in …

A Survey Of Fish Parasites From Pangani Catchment And Lake Kitangiri In Singida, Tanzania, Fred D. Chibwana, Johnson G. Mshana, Jestina V. Katandukila

Tanzania Journal of Science

Inland water fisheries are a significant source of dietary protein to human populations, and consequently they are essential economic activities worldwide. However, both natural waters and aquaculture systems, which form the freshwater fisheries are faced with a problem of fish parasitic diseases which may result in reduced productivity and market value. The present study, therefore, carried out a survey on fish parasites from the Pangani catchment (Nyumba ya Mungu dam and Lake Jipe) and Lake Kitangiri in Singida Region in Tanzania to seal the gap of occurrence, diversity and abundance of helminths. Three species of fish viz. 111 African sharptooth …

Spore Germination For Three Edible Zimbabwean Mushrooms Using Biostimulants, Melody Pamire, Wilson Parawira

Tanzania Journal of Science

Spores play critical roles in the population and community development of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF), which grow naturally in the presence of host plants. EMFs have not been cultivated commercially in most countries including those in Africa. In vitro germination of their spores is refractory and has been witnessed only in the presence of stimulants. In this study, germination of spores for three wild ectomycorrhizal fungi commonly collected in Zimbabwe was investigated under the influence of three biostimulants in Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) media for the first time. The stimulatory capacity of tomato or potato roots …

Nutritional Evaluation Of Maize Plant Fodder Grown In Spring And Autumn Season In Punjab, Pakistan, Nafeesa Qudsia Hanif, Nadeem Akhtar

Journal of Bioresource Management

Present study was planned to assess the nutritional evaluation of maize plant grown in spring and autumn seasons. For this purpose, a total of 277 (n=130 in spring and n=147 in autumn season) samples were collected from high maize-growing localities i.e. Kasur, Pakpattan, Okara, Burewala, Sahiwal, Lahore and Melsi. These samples were analyzed for different parameters such as dry matter (DM) and Crude protein (CP) etc. It was noticed that during spring season the values of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and starch were significantly higher than autumn season values. On the other hand, …

Insect Diversity And Association With Plants: A Case Study In Rural Areas Of Dhirkot, Azad Kashmir Pakistan, Abu Ul Hassan Faiz, Mehboob Ul Hassan, Mikhail F. Bagaturov, Majid Mahmood, Ghazal Tariq, Lariab Zahra Faiz

Journal of Bioresource Management

Insects play a vital role for proper functioning of forest ecosystem, including positive roles as pollinators, seed dispersers, genetic linkers and detrimental effects by feeding on and/or killing trees. The present study was conducted to find insect association with plants in rural areas of Dhirkot. The study was conducted from March, 2019 to September, 2019. The sampling was carried out by line transect method. Thirty transects were taken for sampling insects. Sixty-five species of insects in association with 150 plants were recorded.

Association Of Interleukin 17f With Arthritis In Punjabi Families Of Pakistan, Asia Parveen, Andleeb Batool, Maryam Mukhtar, Abdul Wajid, Naila Malkani

Journal of Bioresource Management

Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes severe joint pain. Interleukin 17F (IL17F) is considered as a candidate gene functionally; it mediates pro-inflammatory responses, depending on the type and site of inflammation. The present study examined the polymorphism of IL17F (rs763780 and rs2397084) among the families affected by arthritis. Demographic data and blood samples were collected from the families with at least one affected offspring with arthritis. Analysis of the IL17F gene polymorphism was performed by the digestion of DNA with NlaIII and AvaII. The results showed that IL17F rs763780 (AA, AG and GG genotypes) and rs2397084 (AA, AG …

Seasonal Population Fluctuations In Some Non-Passeriformes At Marala Head, Pakistan, Zahid Bhatti, Asad Ghufran, Fakhra Nazir

Journal of Bioresource Management

Point count method was used to determine the relative abundance of non-passerine species at Marala wetlands (District Sialkot, Pakistan) during different calendar months between October, 2000 and September, 2001. Six species (Hoopoe, Lapwing, Spotted Owlet, Osprey, Indian Roller and Indian Nightjar) were recorded. Osprey and Spotted Owlet appearing in smaller numbers and Red Wattled Lapwing as a dominant resident. All the species were resident with some variation in population sizes during different seasons, though Osprey was a winter visitor.

Habitat Utilization Of Field Rats In Crop Fields And Adjacent Natural Vegetation In District Rawalpindi, Ali Hasnain Mosvi, Jibran Haider, Amir Naseer, Abdullah Ibrahim

Journal of Bioresource Management

Current study was designed to assess habitat utilization of field rats in crop fields and adjacent natural vegetation in District Rawalpindi. The rodents are widely distributed and a serious agricultural pest in Pakistan. Relative abundance of rodent populations changes seasonally under field conditions. The field trials were conducted in district Rawalpindi of the Pothwar area, Pakistan. Wild vegetation plays an important role for providing shelter/cover to the rodent during non-crop season. The dominant wild vegetation recorded from field boundaries were: Cynodon dactylon, Achyranthes aspera, Aerva javanica Saccharum griffithii, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Dichanthium annulatum, Desmostachya bipinnata, Imperata cylindrical, Ziziphus nummularia, Sorghum halepense …

Investigating Mechanisms Of Immune Suppression Secondary To An Inflammatory Microenvironment, Wendy Michelle Kandell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The immune system plays a dynamic role in cancer progression. The theory of immunoediting suggests that the relationship between the tumor cell and the immune cell is one that is in flux: initially highly active and responsive to tumor antigen to one that has escaped immune responsiveness. Once the tumor has formed and effectively “escaped”, there are multiple mechanisms that work against a conventional immune response. The tumor cell clones that have escaped the elimination phase are those that are less immunogenic. These clones downregulate MHC, have increased apoptosis through DAMP-driven mechanisms, and suppressive cell phenotypes are driven through cytokine-driven …

Sodium And Potassium Intakes And Their Ratio In Adults (18–90 Y): Findings From The Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey, Eoin James Morrissey, Miriam Giltinan, Laura Kehoe, Anne P. Nugent, Breige A. Mcnulty, Albert Flynn, Janette Walton

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

An individual’s sodium to potassium intake ratio (Na:K) has been shown to be an important predictor of hypertension. The aim of this study was to estimate the mean 24 h urinary Na, K and Na:K of Irish adults and to identify the foods that determine Na:K in a nationally representative sample of Irish adults. This study was based on data from the Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey (2008–2010) (NANS), which collected spot urine samples and dietary data in a nationally representative sample of Irish adults aged 18+ years. The mean urinary molar Na:K of Irish men and women was 1.90 …

Study Of Deformation Parameters (Β2, Δ) For 18,20,22,24,26,28ne Isotopes In Sdpf Shell, Ahmed H. Ali, Maha Taha Idrees

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The quadrupole deformation is basic to study the shape transitions; it is possible to predict many important properties of even-even nuclei as a function of the deformation parameter. The deformations of nuclei are important for understanding their shapes prolate or oblate. The quadrupole deformation parameters were calculated by the transition probability B (E2) for ^{18, 20, 22, 24, 26,28}Ne isotopes, were adopted different interactions three. The calculations are performed with the Bohr-Mottelson (B-M) effective charges, which represent the effect of the core-polarizations. Also, the deformation parameters were calculated for different nuclei and adopted two methods of calculation: from reduced …

Investigation Of Glucose Oxidation At Gold Nanoparticles Deposited At Carbon Nanotubes Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode By Theoretical And Experimental Methods., Farhat Saira, Humaira Razzaq, Misbah Mumtaz, Safeer Ahmad, Muhammad Aftab Rafiq, Azra Yaqub, Nabiha Dilshad, Ayesha Ihsan, Muhammad Masood Ul Hasan

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In the current research work, AuNPs-CNTs nanocomposite was synthesized chemically and decoration of AuNPs on the surface of MWCNTs was confirmed by UV-Vis, SEM and XPS analysis. Synthesized nanocomposite was utilized for its application towards non-enzymatic glucose sensing by modifying glassy carbon electrode with nanocomposite employing electrochemical techniques. In addition, theoretical calculations were performed by Density Functional Theory (DFT), employing B3YLP with basis set 6- 311+G(d,p) in gaseous phase and LANL2DZ basis set. Both theoretical and experimental results predicted Au-CNTs composite as a better candidate for glucose oxidation as compared to CNTs and AuNPs alone, owing to the synergistic effect …

A Study To Explore The Ldlr Gene Polymorphisms Contribute To Atorvastatin Response In A Sample Of Iraqi Population With Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease, Shaimaa Y. Abdulfattah, Salwa J. Abdullah, Hilal B. Alsaffar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Genetic factors will determine the higher variability, which found in response to lipid reduction treatment (statins). However, due to ethnicity the frequency and effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may differ. The main aim of lipid lowering medical treatment is to eventually prevent the endogenous production of cholesterol through inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase, The resulting decrease in hepatocyte cholesterol concentration triggers up-regulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptor expression by inducing sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) 2 cleavage, as SREBP-2 activates LDL receptor transcription. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) …

Using Freak Descriptor To Classify Plasma Influence In Mice Sperm, Ekhlas Falih, Alaa Noori Mazhar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Numerous classification mechanisms anticipate the class's instances to be carried out as the features' vectors, namely the points in a feature's space. It is oftentimes a chance to make an informative exemplification of an image's feature vector for classification problems in computer vision like utilizing global descriptors for the texture description or shape description. The proposed methodology is to classify the sperm image in mice that has been affected through plasma and this methodology consists of three stages. The points of interest could be elicited from sperm plasma images in the first stage by utilizing Adaptive and Generic Corner detector …

Editorial Board

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

No abstract provided.

Inferring Tunicate Relationships And The Evolution Of The Tunicate Hox Cluster With The Genome Of Corella Inflata, M. B. Debiasse, William N. Colgan , '19, Lincoln J. Harris , '17, Bradley Justin Davidson , '91, J. F. Ryan

Biology Faculty Works

Tunicates, the closest living relatives of vertebrates, have served as a foundational model of early embryonic development for decades. Comparative studies of tunicate phylogeny and genome evolution provide a critical framework for analyzing chordate diversification and the emergence of vertebrates. Towards this goal, we sequenced the genome of Corella inflata (Ascidiacea, Phlebobranchia), so named for the capacity to brood self-fertilized embryos in a modified, “inflated” atrial chamber. Combining the new genome sequence for Co. inflata with publicly available tunicate data, we estimated a tunicate species phylogeny, reconstructed the ancestral Hox gene cluster at important nodes in the tunicate tree, and …

C-Di-Gmp Modulates Type Iv Msha Pilus Retraction And Surface Attachment In Vibrio Cholerae, Kyle A. Floyd, Calvin K. Lee, Wujing Xian, Mahmoud Nametalla, Aneesa Valentine, Benjamin Crair, Shiwei Zhu, Hannah Q. Hughes, Jennifer L. Chlebek, Daniel C. Wu, Jin Hwan Park, Ali M. Farhat, Charles J. Lomba, Courtney K. Ellison, Yves V. Brun, Javier Campos-Gomez, Ankur B. Dalia, Jun Liu, Nicolas Biais, Gerard C. L. Wong, Fitnat H. Yildiz

Publications and Research

Biofilm formation by Vibrio cholerae facilitates environmental persistence, and hyperinfectivity within the host. Biofilm formation is regulated by 3’,5’-cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) and requires production of the type IV mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (MSHA) pilus. Here, we show that the MSHA pilus is a dynamic extendable and retractable system, and its activity is directly controlled by c-di-GMP. The interaction between c-di-GMP and the ATPase MshE promotes pilus extension, whereas low levels of c-di-GMP correlate with enhanced retrac- tion. Loss of retraction facilitated by the ATPase PilT increases near-surface roaming motility, and impairs initial surface attachment. However, prolonged retraction upon surface attach- ment results …

Genomics And Population History Of Black-Headed Bulbul (Brachypodius Atriceps) Color Morphs, Subir B. Shakya

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Intraspecific polymorphism in birds, especially color polymorphism, is an area of active research in evolutionary biology. In this dissertation, I applied WGS to uncover the potential genetic underpinnings of color polymorphism in the Black-headed Bulbul (Brachypodius atriceps) of Southeast Asia. This species was selected because of the heterogeneous dispersion of two morphs across its range: a yellow form predominating on mainland Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands and a gray morph on two islands—Bawean and Maratua.

I approached this project from three angles. First, I reconstructed the phylogeny of the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae, to examine patterns of coloration …

Characterization Of A New Mtdna Minicircle In A Chewing Louse, Geomydoecus Aurei, Ashley L. Campbell, Dino Bolic, James W. Demastes, Theresa A. Spradling

Research in the Capitol

The mitochondrion, an organelle responsible for generating cellular energy, is unlike the majority of organelles in animal cells. Because of its symbiotic origins, the mitochondrion contains its own genetic information (mtDNA) that is predominantly maternally inherited. In most animals, the mitochondrial DNA is arranged in one circular chromosome containing 13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNAs and two rRNAs. In Geomydoecus aurei, a chewing louse, these same genes have been disbursed among at least 13 independent minicircle chromosomes. We have worked to map this atypical genome to gain insights into its development and to further understanding of genomic rearrangements in this …

Spatiotemporal Changes Of Microbial Community Assemblages And Functions In The Subsurface, Madison C. Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The subsurface hosts diverse microbial community assemblages and functions. These communities play an important role in biogeochemical cycling and groundwater purification. Many physicochemical factors affect microbial communities and can cause short-term or long-term perturbations. Subsurface microbes are susceptible to anthropogenic changes in the environment, which can be caused by nutrient inputs or municipal groundwater extraction. Despite the importance of the subsurface microbiome, these microbial communities are poorly characterized. This dissertation describes the characterization of spatiotemporal drivers of subsurface microbial communities through a variety of techniques that include eDNA analyses, bioinformatics, hydrochemical analyses, stable isotope geochemistry, and multivariate statistics. Three coastal …

De Novo Sequencing And Analysis Of Salvia Hispanica Tissue-Specific Transcriptome And Identification Of Genes Involved In Terpenoid Biosynthesis, James Wimberley, Joseph Cahill, Hagop S. Atamian

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Salvia hispanica (commonly known as chia) is gaining popularity worldwide as a healthy food supplement due to its low saturated fatty acid and high polyunsaturated fatty acid content, in addition to being rich in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Chia leaves contain plethora of secondary metabolites with medicinal properties. In this study, we sequenced chia leaf and root transcriptomes using the Illumina platform. The short reads were assembled into contigs using the Trinity software and annotated against the Uniprot database. The reads were de novo assembled into 103,367 contigs, which represented 92.8% transcriptome completeness and a diverse set of Gene Ontology …

Sex And Suicide: The Curious Case Of Toll-Like Receptors, Paulo A. Navarro-Costa, Antoine Molaro, Chandra S. Misra, Colin D. Meiklejohn, Peter J. Ellis

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

During in vitro fertilisation (IVF), pharmacological activation of the murine X chromosome–encoded receptor proteins Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR8 reportedly results in male- biased litters by selectively disrupting the motility of X-bearing sperm cells. Thus—in the context of agonist treatment during IVF—these receptors act as ‘suicidal’ segregation distorters that impair their own transmission to the next generation. Such behaviour would, from an evolutionary perspective, be strongly selected against if present during natural fertilisation. Consequently, TLR7/8 biology in vivo must differ significantly from this in vitro situation to allow these genes to persist in the genome. Here, we use our …

Gaharitrema Droneni N. Gen., N. Sp. (Digenea: Zoogonidae: Lepidophyllinae) From The Pudgy Cuskeel, Spectrunculus Grandis (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae), From Deep Waters Off Oregon, With Updates Keys To Zoogonid Subfamilies And Genera, Charles K. Blend, Gábor R. Rácz, Scott Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Gaharitrema droneni n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Zoogonidae: Lepidophyllinae) is described from the intestine of the pudgy cuskeel, Spectrunculus grandis (Gu¨ nther, 1877) (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae), collected at 2,800 m depth from the northeastern Pacific Ocean off Oregon. The new genus is distinguished from Brachyenteron Manter, 1934 and Steganoderma Stafford, 1904, the 2 closest lepidophylline genera, and from 4 other zoogonid genera erected since 2007, the last major revision of the family, by a combination of diagnostic features including a pyriform or spindle-shaped body, smooth testes and ovary, narrow ceca that reach with the vitellarium into the hindbody, an unspecialized ventral …

A Brief Overview Of Burst Suppression: Causes And Effects On Mortality In Critical Illness, Jake Hogan, Haoqi Sun, Hassan Aboul Nour, Stephen Piccolo, Jacob Crandall, Steven Peck, M Brandon Westover

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the effects of brain inactivation (burst suppression) on mortality in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. Past research has associated burst suppression with increased mortality. However, the effects of burst suppression on ICU patients while taking into account the relative contributions of propofol (a sedative), and critical illness to mortality, and whether preventing burst suppression might reduce mortality, has not yet been quantified. This thesis explores this relationship, and the effect of critical illness and propofol infusion on burst suppression to understand what drives burst suppression.

To measure the relationship between burst suppression, critical illness, propofol infusion, and mortality, …