Biology Commons^™

Winter Skate (Leucoraja Ocellata) Jaw, Emily M. Salonia, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Jaw 11.7 cm total length (TL) from Winter Skate (Leucoraja ocellata) collected from NSU Fisheries and Avian Ecology Laboratory on 3/23/21 by Emily Salonia.

Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus Limbatus) Jaw, Katerina D. Sawickij, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Jaw from 176.1 cm total length (TL) Carcharhinus limbatus (Blacktip), collected from Hollywood Beach, FL on 3/13/21 by Katerina Sawickij.

Civic Agriculture In Review: Then, Now, And Future Directions, Allison Kaika, Alexis Racelis

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

"Civic agriculture," a term first coined by rural sociologist Thomas Lyson, refers to forms of agriculture that occur on a local level, from production to consumption, and are linked to a community's social and economic development. Sixteen years since its original articulation, the term "civic agriculture" has taken on greater significance in research, political activism, and community organizing. Grown from the roots of civic community theory, civic agriculture functions as a new branch of civic community theory that is ripe for theorization. In revisiting the foundations of the term, this review paper seeks to consolidate current and future research in …

Transcriptome Prediction Performance Across Machine Learning Models And Diverse Ancestries, Paul Chukwuebuka Okoro, Ryan Schubert, Xiuqing Guo, W. Craig Johnson, Jerome I. Rotter, Ina Hoeschele, Yongmei Liu, Hae Kyung Im, Amy Luke, Lara R. Dugas, Heather Wheeler

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Transcriptome prediction methods such as PrediXcan and FUSION have become popular in complex trait mapping. Most transcriptome prediction models have been trained in European populations using methods that make parametric linear assumptions like the elastic net (EN). To potentially further optimize imputation performance of gene expression across global populations, we built transcriptome prediction models using both linear and non-linear machine learning (ML) algorithms and evaluated their performance in comparison to EN. We trained models using genotype and blood monocyte transcriptome data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) comprising individuals of African, Hispanic, and European ancestries and tested them using …

Longnose Skate Jaw (Beringraja Rhina), Golda Stewart, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Jaw from female Longnose Skate (Beringraja rhina) collected on 30/3/2021 by Golda Stewart.

The Giant Axolotl Genome Uncovers The Evolution, Scaling, And Transcriptional Control Of Complex Gene Loci, Siegfried Schloissnig, Akane Kawaguchi, Sergej Nowoshilow, Francisco Falcon, Leo Otsuki, Pietro Tardivo, Nataliya Timoshevskaya, Melissa C. Keinath, Jeramiah J. Smith, S. Randal Voss, Elly M. Tanaka

Biology Faculty Publications

Vertebrates harbor recognizably orthologous gene complements but vary 100-fold in genome size. How chromosomal organization scales with genome expansion is unclear, and how acute changes in gene regulation, as during axolotl limb regeneration, occur in the context of a vast genome has remained a riddle. Here, we describe the chromosome-scale assembly of the giant, 32 Gb axolotl genome. Hi-C contact data revealed the scaling properties of interphase and mitotic chromosome organization. Analysis of the assembly yielded understanding of the evolution of large, syntenic multigene clusters, including the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and the functional regulatory landscape of the Fibroblast Growth …

Bycatch Reduction Devices As A Method To Reduce Mortality Rates Of Malaclemys Terrapin In Crab Pots, Benjamin Lowstuter, Leslie Delong, Corey Hymel

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) currently face population loss along their broad coastal North American range, spanning from Massachusetts down to Texas. This species is suggested to be an important indicator of environmental change within the limited brackish water habitat along the coastlines. Terrapin mortality predominantly stems from human activities, such as commercial and recreational blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) trapping. Once caught in one of many crab pots littered throughout their aquatic habitat, terrapins can easily drown in several hours upon capture. In reviewing published research, the use of bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) have been shown to reduce the number of …

Eclp Invasive Plant Project: Spot The Invaders, Aida Washburn

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

An Environmental Center Leadership Program Project

Amelia Island is home to many beautiful native plants, but some invasive species have taken residence in the beach area and caused issues to the ecological system. The invasive plants outcompete our native species and can disrupt the shore bird and sea turtle nesting sites. Invasive plants also destabilize our dunes. A native plant is identified as a species that has naturally existed in each place for an extended length of time. Whereas an invasive species displaces and prevents native species from establishing. The goal of this project was to remove invasive plant species …

Why Are You So Slimy?, Lindsay Dillman, James Gelsleichter, Laura Habegger

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

The epithelium of vertebrates is a complex tissue that houses a large variety of cells with different functions. One of its most important functions is protection and in many cases this function is achieved by exuding copious amounts of mucous that fight off diseases, harmful toxins and overall protect the species from external invaders. Mucous, made of mucin, is produced by specialized epithelial cells called goblet cells. Among vertebrates’, fishes are perhaps one of the major groups known to produce mucous, particularly stingrays. The Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina is one of the few cartilaginous fishes known to inhabit both freshwater …

Using Ph And Cell Growth To Measure The Urease Activity Of Sporosarcina Pasteurii In Stuart’S Urea Broth With Bromothymol Blue, Olivia Wright, Terri N. Ellis

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

Sporosarcina pasteurii can perform microbially-induced calcite precipitation (MICP)—when bacteria hydrolyze urea and precipitate calcium carbonate crystals. This has potential applications in biocementation, though there are many barriers to implementation. One way to overcome these barriers is to measure cell growth and urease activity of S. pasteurii. Because urea hydrolysis increases the surrounding pH, urease activity could be measured using Stuart’s Urea Broth with the pH indicator bromothymol blue. Additionally, a standard curve was generated to quantify pH change, and cell growth of S. pasteurii was measured before and after urea hydrolysis. It was found that that higher …

Different Assessments Of Reactions To Child Sexual Abuse, Dawson Jubin, Louanne Hawkins, Mary Geary

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

The minimization effect occurs when reactions to child sexual abuse are the least negative for adult females and male victims (Cromer & Goldsmith, 2010; Denov, 2003). This effect may be a function of sex stereotypes about men (mean) and women (nurturant) as well as boys (sexually adventurous) and girls (vulnerable) (Leone et al. 2018). We systematically assessed the roles of stereotypes in the minimization effect using multiple measures: self-reported (attitudes) and salivary cortisol (psychophysiological stress). The former is subject to socially describe responding whereas the latter is not. Participants provided an initial saliva sample and were randomly assigned to read …

Characterization Of The Expression Of Basigin And Monocarboxylate Transporters 1 And 4 In Aged Mouse Brains In Response To Acute And Chronic Inflammation, Falont Laveus, Alicia Gonzalez, Judith Ochrietor

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Project of Merit Winner

Chronic inflammation, or prolonged activation of the immune system, is a major hallmark of many age-related diseases, including heart disease, COVID-19, and neuroinflammation. Typically, the central nervous system (CNS) is protected by a barrier that forms through the coordinated efforts of blood vessel endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes. However, as that barrier breaks down because of chronic inflammation, neuroinflammation can occur. Blood vessel endothelial cells express membrane association proteins, including the cell adhesion molecule Basigin and the transporter protein Monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1). A related MCT protein named MCT4 often increases in expression during chronic inflammation. …

No Evidence Of Heteroplasmy Found In Mitochondrial Dna Of Fundulus Heteroclitus And Fundulus Grandis Hybrids, Kiley Robertson, Matthew Gilg

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Project of Merit Winner

Hybridization between closely related species is fairly common in the wild, occurring in areas designated as hybrid zones. In these areas, the ranges of two species overlap enough to allow them to produce hybrid offspring, often in a directional manner, where females of one species are more successful at the production of hybrid offspring than the other. The direction of such a cross can be detected via mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which in many species is inherited entirely from the mother due to egg-sperm recognition mechanisms, which can purge male mtDNA from the offspring. However, in some …

Investigating The Roles Of The Canonical Wnt And Notch Signaling Pathways In Establishment Of The Tardigrade Anteroposterior Axis, Raul Chavarria, Frank W. Smith

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

The canonical Wnt (cWnt) signaling pathway plays a prominent role in establishing the anteroposterior (AP) body axis in many bilaterians. Later, this pathway typically interacts with the Notch signaling pathway to regulate posterior growth, a process that intercalates a relatively large mid-trunk region to the AP axis of many bilaterians. Tardigrades have lost posterior growth and the mid-trunk region that develops by this process. Therefore, we aimed to determine the roles, if any, of the cWnt and Notch signaling pathways during establishment of the highly compact AP axis in the tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris. Gene expression of orthologs …

Conserved And Divergent Aspects Of Leg Development In Tardigrada, Mandy Game, Frank W. Smith

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

Legs are a defining characteristic of Panarthropoda, a lineage of animals that includes Arthropoda, Onychophora, and Tardigrada. Arthropod and onychophoran leg development are well studied, but little is known about the leg development of tardigrades. Our recent investigations revealed several intriguing examples about the conservation and diversification of downstream developmental mechanisms in the appendages of the tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris. In arthropods and onychophorans, the leg gap genes homothorax, extradenticle, dachshund, and Distal-less regulate appendage growth and specify proximodistal leg identities. However, in tardigrades the leg gap genes are not expressed in the regionalized patterns that are seen …

Modulation In The Expression Levels And Protein Localization Of Cell Volume And Actin Cytoskeleton Associated Proteins By The Slit/ Robo Signaling Pathway In Glioblastoma Multiforme., Montserrat Roberts, Natanael Zarco, Hugo Guerrero- Cazares

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and malignant primary brain tumor in adults1. Even after surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation, the average patient survival rate is 14 months2. Recent studies indicate that GBM tumors that contact the lateral ventricles within the subventricular zone (SVZ) tend to migrate and recur at distal locations after surgical resection3. One important signaling pathway in Neural Progenitor Cells (NPCs) migration from the SVZ to the olfactory bulbs is the Slit/Robo signaling pathway4. Slit2 proteins are produced by the choroid plexus and create a gradient across ependymal cells. Slit2 proteins then interact …

Acquisition Of A Flocculent Phenotype In Response To In Vitro Exposure Of Klebsiella Pneumoniae To The Antibiotic Cephalothin., Sean M. Dorenkott

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative bacterial pathogen that is notorious for being the causative agent of many hospital-acquired infections. K. pneumoniae infections have become increasingly of interest due to the rise of hypervirulent variants and multidrug resistant strains. Modeling how antibiotic resistance evolves in K. pneumoniae will allow us to better understand exactly how bacterial populations acquire resistance to various antibiotics. Presently, it is the aim of our laboratory to determine if different genomic mutations in K. pneumoniae acquired in response to antibiotic treatment could result in the same endpoint of antibiotic resistance. In our current experiment, five cultures of …

Determination Of The Traits In Leguminous Crops Under Saline Condition, Tojiddin Kuliev, Karomat Ismailova

Karakalpak Scientific Journal

In this study, the variability and determination of genetic traits for winter legume crop varieties the Vostok-55 (Pisum arvense L) and Mirzachul-1 (Vicia villoza Roth L) were investigated under moderate saline soil condition. Results show that the weight of the bean was marked as variable and highly deterministic, and the height of the plants was the most stable. The selection of plants based on these traits is the most effective way of salinity. Both variety the forage pea Vostok-55 and vetch Mirzachul-1 is highly recommended as a sideration and forage crop in saline lands.

The American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius) Genoscape: Implications For Monitoring, Management, And Subspecies Boundaries, Michaela Brinkmeyer, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Identifying population genetic structure is useful for inferring evolutionary process and comparing the resulting structure with subspecies boundaries can aid in species management. The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is a widespread and highly diverse species with 17 total subspecies, only 2 of which are found north of U.S./Mexico border (F. s. paulus is restricted to southeastern United States, while F. s. sparverius breeds across the remainder of the U.S. and Canadian distribution). In many parts of their U.S. and Canadian range, American Kestrels have been declining, but it has been difficult to interpret demographic trends without a …

Using Modeling To Investigate Factors Driving Avian Diversity In Urban Ecosystems, Clay Bliznick

Scholars Week

Anthropogenic influences have altered global landscapes considerably throughout the past two centuries, resulting in the decline of natural land cover types. Conversely, land cover types such as cropland and urban areas that are derived from human activities have experienced vast expansion. This landscape transition has serious implications for ecosystem services. To mitigate the loss of these services, it is necessary to maintain ecological integrity within these anthropogenically-influenced systems. Being able to support high biodiversity is an indicator of well-functioning ecosystems, thus quantifying biodiversity and assessing its contributing factors can be useful for developing management strategies in artificial environments. Our objective …

Enamel Corrosion Levels On Squirrel Teeth From The Fox Canyon Locality, Pliocene Of Kansas, Emma Tennyson

Honors Theses

The enamel of teeth may be corroded after death, especially if the teeth pass through the digestive tract of a predator with low gastric pH. This study characterized enamel corrosion of fossil squirrel teeth from two species (Otospermophilus rexroadensis and Ictidomys meadensis) obtained from the Fox Canyon locality of Kansas. Using microscopic imaging, I categorized teeth based on corrosion level. Overall, 45% of specimens exhibited heavy to extreme corrosion. There were no significant differences in the distribution of corrosion categories between both upper and lower teeth of either species (O. rexroadensis: X2 (3, N = 140) = .562, p= .905; …

Evaluation Of Phonotactic Behavior In Male-Exposed Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Janelle An

Honors Theses

Phonotaxis is defined as the movement of organisms in response to an auditory stimulus. It plays an important role in helping animals find a potential mate, and thus it is worthwhile to understand what factors may influence phonotaxis. Phonotactic behavior in virgin female cricket Acheta domesticus has been the focus of multiple studies, which have reported a degree of variability among individuals. Several factors that have been reported to influence such variability include age, environmental temperature, and the presence of certain neuromodulators. This study investigated possible changes in the behavioral responses of young females when raised with males but not …

Modulation Of Apoptosis In Breast Cancer Cells Mda-Mb-157, 93a And 93b By Aqueous Extract Of Chinese Medical Herb Scutellaria Barbata, Nathaly Manrique

Honors Theses

Scutellaria barbata (S. barbata), a Chinese herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine has been known to contain anti-cancer properties. SB has been investigated as a potential treatment for multiple types of cancer including colon cancer, glioblastoma, and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157 and its APC-mutants 93A and 93B are more resistant to treatment due to genetic modifications. In this study, the effectiveness of S. barbata in apoptotic modulation of breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157, 93A, and 93B was investigated. Assessments were performed using green/red/blue fluorescent Apoptosis/Necrosis Detection Kit and the Human Apoptosis Antibody Array - Membrane (43 Targets) …

Comparison Of Enamel Microstructure Of Ictidomys Tridecemlineatus Formed During Hibernation Versus The Active Season, Amanda Cho

Honors Theses

Ground squirrel incisors grow continuously, preserving a record of their most recent weeks of life. Previous research demonstrated that an abnormality in the surface of incisor enamel and dentin of thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) corresponded with hibernation. Using scanning electron microscopy, we compared internal microstructure of incisor enamel deposited during and outside of hibernation to determine if surface disruptions corresponded to differences in internal microstructure. For one specimen, hibernation enamel displayed irregularities in microstructure that were not present in non-hibernation enamel, but this difference was not observed in other specimens. Given these inconclusive results, further research is warranted.

Black Apollo Of Science: The Life Of Ernest Everett Just - Summarizing Timeline, Sumitography And Concept Poster, Lillie R. Jenkins

Perkins Faculty Research and Special Events

This two-part chronology is based on Kenneth R. Manning’s biography, Black Apollo of Science: The Life of Ernest Everett Just (1983). Like other such timelines, this one details Just’s life and pioneering research work. Additionally, and distinctively, this timetable lays out Just’s pioneering fund-seeking and his work mentoring African American female co-researchers (Part 1). A sumitography featuring the United States Postal Service’s postage stamp (1996) recognizes Just’s innovative thinking in biology (Part 2). Following this logic, the author includes a proof-of-concept poster commending E.E. Just’s work as a forward-thinking administrator. This timeline summarizes, chronicles, and aims to re-frame Just’s …

Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias) Jaw Prep, Meredith M. Pratt, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Spiny dogfish jaw prep performed at NSU's Fisheries and Avian Ecology lab.

Modeling Neoplastic Growth In Renal Cell Carcinoma And Polycystic Kidney Disease, Cassandra Millet-Boureima, Stephanie He, Thi Bich Uyen Le, Chiara Gamberi

Biology

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) share several characteristics, including neoplastic cell growth, kidney cysts, and limited therapeu-tics. As well, both exhibit impaired vasculature and compensatory VEGF activation of angiogenesis. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Ras/Raf/ERK pathways play important roles in regulating cystic and tumor cell proliferation and growth. Both RCC and ADPKD result in hypoxia, where HIF-α signaling is activated in response to oxygen deprivation. Primary cilia and altered cell metabolism may play a role in disease progression. Non-coding RNAs may regulate RCC carcinogenesis and ADPKD through their varied effects. Drosophila exhibits remarkable conservation of the …

Ceramic Studio Assistant, Allison Jones, Adam Yungbluth

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations

The research project will focus on learning the various activities involved in running a college level Ceramics Studio. Activities will include clay mixing for Ceramics 1 courses, mixing studio glazes & slips, firing bisque, reduction, soda, & wood kiln, and other activities to improve the Ceramics Studio.

The Art Of Preservation, Sinclaire Dorsey, Melissa Yungbluth

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations

Proper preservation of creative works is imperative to sustaining documentation for future generations’ education. Exhibition designers, such as the students awarded with the undergraduate research fellowship for the Golding-Yang gallery, must be mindful of the environmental factors that impact creative works. For instance, light sensitivity of the materials can be overwhelmed by ultraviolet and infrared radiation produced by the sun. Atmospheric humidity, when not regulated, will destroy irreplaceable artwork that could provide future historians a better understanding of modern culture. Extreme temperatures are devastating to the preservation of artistic works. The regulation of these environmental factors will provide future generations …

Low Stress Handling Techniques In Shelter Animals And The Overall Effects On Physiological Parameters, Ashley Swim, Courtney Smart, Amy Staton

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations

Animal shelters tend to be a very stressful environment for dogs as there are many new sounds, smells, and animals. This stress is not only bad for their psychological health and can lead to behavioral issues, but it can also have an impact on their physical health. Stress impacts multiple systems of the body, resulting in increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, temperature and even blood glucose levels in dogs. The impact stress has on these systems can lead to a compromised immune system and increases the probabilities of the dog becoming ill. However, by using Fear Free methods, …