Biology Commons^™

Winner-Loser Effects Part 3, Omar T. Eldakar, Natalie Buckwold, Andrew C. Gallup

Biology Faculty Datasets

The dataset is part of an investigation of patterns of wins and losses of two-, three-, and four-game collegiate baseball series for analysis of winner and loser, and residency effects. The dataset is a compilation of publicly available data from Atlantic 10, Conference USA, and Sunbelt conferences for the years 2015-2019.

Overcoming Stress, Hunger, And Pain: Cocaineand Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Peptide's Promise, Willis K. Samson, Daniela Salvemini, Gina L.C. Yosten

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript encodes an eponymous peptide, CARTp, which exerts diverse pharmacologic actions in the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as in several endocrine organs, including pancreas. Here we review those diverse actions, the physiological relevance of which had remained unestablished until recently. With the identification of a CARTp receptor, GPR160, the physiologic importance and therapeutic potential of CARTp or analogs are being revealed. Not only is the CARTp-GPR160 interaction essential for the circadian regulation of appetite and thirst but also for the transmission of nerve injury-induced pain. Molecular approaches now are uncovering additional physiologically relevant actions, …

Regulation Of Antigenic Variation By Trypanosoma Brucei Telomere Proteins Depends On Their Unique Dna Binding Activities, Bibo Li Ph.D., Yanxiang Zhao

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Trypanosoma brucei causes human African trypanosomiasis and regularly switches its major surface antigen, Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG), to evade the host immune response. Such antigenic variation is a key pathogenesis mechanism that enables T. brucei to establish long-term infections. VSG is expressed exclusively from subtelomere loci in a strictly monoallelic manner, and DNA recombination is an important VSG switching pathway. The integrity of telomere and subtelomere structure, maintained by multiple telomere proteins, is essential for T. brucei viability and for regulating the monoallelic VSG expression and VSG switching. Here we will focus on T. brucei TRF and RAP1, two telomere …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, August 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 8.

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards and Recognition
Page 3 Student Summer Research
Page 4 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 5 Wintrode Student Success Center
Page 6-7 Welcome to our new Faculty & Staff!
Page 8 One Day for State: Thursday, Sept. 2nd
Page 7 Open PRAIRIE Data; Fall Faculty Retreat 2021

Long-Term Crop Rotation Diversification Enhances Maize Drought Resistance Through Soil Organic Matter, Leah L.R. Renwick, William Deen, Lucas Silva, Matthew E. Gilbert, Toby Maxwell, Timothy M. Bowles, Amélie C.M. Gaudin

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Climate change adaptation requires building agricultural system resilience to warmer, drier climates. Increasing temporal plant diversity through crop rotation diversification increases yields of some crops under drought, but its potential to enhance crop drought resistance and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted a drought manipulation experiment using rainout shelters embedded within a 36-year crop rotation diversity and no-till experiment in a temperate climate and measured a suite of soil and crop developmental and eco-physiological traits in the field and laboratory. We show that diversifying maize-soybean rotations with small grain cereals and cover crops mitigated maize water stress at the …

Twenty Years Of Land Use And The Impact Of Nitrate, E. Coli And Chlorophyll For Two Lakes In North Central Texas, Alicia Lee

Biology Theses - Archive

Clean and safe drinking water is a human right. Global, federal, and state agencies that monitor the source and quality of drinking water are limited in power and oversight. Historically, human groups have replaced wetland habitat with cropland, disregarding the abundance of resources. To mediate the loss, human constructed artificial wetlands aid in cleaning natural water ways. In chapter one, four floating wetland structures were installed on Lake Arlington and historical water quality data from 2001-2018 was analyzed. Historical data included six variables: Chlorophyll α, Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature, Specific Conductivity and Turbidity. The Mann Kendall Seasonality Trend test found that …

Chemical And Genetic Analysis Of The Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response, Mustafi Raisa Amin

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Mitochondria are essential for energy production, metabolic signaling, calcium homeostasis, and other roles. Consequently, mitochondrial dysfunction can result in cellular decline and the onset of disease. Cells use the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) to facilitate the recovery of damaged mitochondria to restore homeostasis. Recent studies have shown that the UPRmt plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and cancer survival. Therefore, UPRmt inhibition may be used as an anticancer strategy with great therapeutic results. Moreover, a known paradigm exists between mitochondrial stress signaling and the regulation of organismal lifespan. Since the UPRmt is activated during mitochondrial stress, it is believed …

Genomic Structure And Diversity In Neotropical Herpetofauna: The Role Of Demographic History And Gene Flow, Danielle George Rivera

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The effects of genetic introgression on species boundaries and how they affect species’ integrity and persistence over evolutionary time have received increased attention. The increasing availability of genomic data has revealed contrasting patterns of gene flow across genomic regions, which impose challenges to inferences of evolutionary relationships and of patterns of genetic admixture across lineages. By characterizing patterns of variation across thousands of genomic loci in a widespread complex of true toads (Rhinella), we assess the true extent of genetic introgression across species thought to hybridize to extreme degrees based on natural history observations and multi-locus analyses. Comprehensive geographic sampling …

Genetic Innovation Through Gene Duplication In Drosophila, Seyedeh Mirsalehi

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Among several mechanisms, whole gene duplication is one of the major sources for the generation of new genes. A large portion of young genes that emerged through whole gene duplication in Drosophila are specifically expressed in the testes and fast evolving, i.e., their proteins are changing very fast between species under positive selection. In this dissertation, we have studied the rates of duplications and functions of newly duplicated genes in three different projects to understand the evolutionary pressures/drivers of this gene innovation. Chapter 1 is an introductory section. In Chapter 2, by using a comprehensive, detailed phylogenomic study, we examined …

Investigating The Microevolutionary Processes That Promote And Maintain Biodiversity And Trait Novelty, Thomas Joseph Firneno

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Gene flow, mutation, selection, and genetic drift influence patterns of speciation, adaptation, and biodiversity. In the age of genomics, we have been increasingly able to understand the interplay between these microevolutionary processes at the genomic level, and their link to the phenotype and the environment. This, in turn, has provided clarity to the patterns of diversity and biological innovation that these processes generate. My dissertation examines how these microevolutionary processes have influenced patterns of diversity and the evolution of a novel trait in true toads (Anura: Bufonidae). First, I explore what processes (gene flow, incomplete lineage sorting, poor taxonomic resolution) …

Partnering With Archivists To Process The Manuscript Collection Present At The Marshall University Herbarium, Pamela Puppo, Lori Thompson

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

The Marshall University Herbarium (MUHW) is located on the third floor of the Science Building at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, United States. It was founded in the 1930's by Dr. Frank A. Gilbert when Marshall was still Marshall College. Today, MUHW is the second largest herbarium in West Virginia with about 50,000 specimens, including 20 types. Mostly composed of vascular plants, the herbarium also contains small collections of non-vascular plants, fungi, algae, fossils, and some ethnobotanical material, mainly brought from Ecuador by one of the former curators, Dr. Dan Evans between the 1980's and 2000's. Apart from these …

Exploring Microbiome Functional Dynamics Through Space And Time With Trait-Based Theory, Leonora S. Bittleston, Jessica R. Bernardin

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Microbiomes play essential roles in the health and function of animal and plant hosts and drive nutrient cycling across ecosystems. Integrating novel trait-based approaches with ecological theory can facilitate the prediction of microbial functional traits important for ecosystem functioning and health. In particular, the yield-acquisition-stress (Y-A-S) framework considers dominant microbial life history strategies across gradients of resource availability and stress. However, microbiomes are dynamic, and spatial and temporal shifts in taxonomic and trait composition can affect ecosystem functions. We posit that extending the Y-A-S framework to microbiomes during succession and across biogeographic gradients can lead to generalizable rules for how …

A Comparison Of Metagenomic Sequencing Using Targeted 16s And Whole Genome Shotgun Ngs On Microbial Dna Samples, Adam Daniel Parker

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS; Lacey Township, New Jersey, USA), affects the surrounding aquatic environment as the outflow water is approximately 5^oC warmer than ambient water temperature. A metagenomic analysis was performed to assess microbial biodiversity at 4 sites located in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, USA possibly in response to thermal gradients. A total of twelve samples from four sites was examined using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). These represented the outflow and intake of the OCNGS, as well as bay area and river control sites. In addition, we compared targeted (16S) and Whole Genome Shotgun (WGS) …

Investigating The Effects Of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms On The Vulnerability To Shell Disease Of Northern Red-Bellied Turtles (Pseudemys Rubriventris) In New Jersey, Stephanie Getto

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In 2019, an unknown shell disease was reported in Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris), a freshwater turtle species with a range that mainly includes southern New Jersey through North Carolina. This study investigates the effects of harmful cyanobacterial blooms on the vulnerability to shell disease of freshwater Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) in New Jersey by characterizing and enumerating cyanobacteria in lake water and within the epizoic community with a goal to provide data-driven recommendations for P.rubriventris conservation. Phytoplankton community composition and cyanotoxinconcentration were measured in two affected lakes (Daretown Lake and Elmer Lake) and one unaffected lake (Lake Fred) …

The Evolution Of Sex Differences In Mandrills (Mandrillus Sphinx): Micro- And Macroevolution, Jerred Klint Schafer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Primates show diverse patterns of adaptive color and body size dimorphism produced by inter- and intrasexual selection. However, the specific microevolutionary processes that produce variation in secondary sexual characteristics remain largely unexplored in primates. Furthermore, sexual conflict theory predicts that female and male secondary sexual traits can coevolve in an antagonistic manner and promote speciation. This dissertation explores the microevolution of secondary sexual characteristics in mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) and the macroevolution of these characters in anthropoid primates. I address the microevolution of mandrill facial coloration and body mass by estimating the heritability, phenotypic selection, and genetic evolution of these traits …

The Role Of Genome Duplication In Big Sagebrush Growth And Fecundity, Bryce A. Richardson, Matthew J. Germino, Marcus V. Warwell, Sven Buerki

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Premise: Adaptive traits can be dramatically altered by genome duplication. The study of interactions among traits, ploidy, and the environment are necessary to develop an understanding of how polyploidy affects niche differentiation and to develop restoration strategies for resilient native ecosystems.

Methods: Growth and fecundity were measured in common gardens for 39 populations of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) containing two subspecies and two ploidy levels. General linear mixed-effect models assessed how much of the trait variation could be attributed to genetics (i.e., ploidy and climatic adaptation), environment, and gene–environment interactions.

Results: Growth and fecundity variation were explained well …

Clinehelpr: An R Package For Genomic Cline Outlier Detection And Visualization, Bradley T. Martin, Tyler K. Chafin, Marlis R. Douglas, Michael E. Douglas

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Patterns of multi-locus differentiation (i.e., genomic clines) often extend broadly across hybrid zones and their quantification can help diagnose how species boundaries are shaped by adaptive processes, both intrinsic and extrinsic. In this sense, the transitioning of loci across admixed individuals can be contrasted as a function of the genome-wide trend, in turn allowing an expansion of clinal theory across a much wider array of biodiversity. However, computational tools that serve to interpret and consequently visualize ‘genomic clines’ are limited, and users must often write custom, relatively complex code to do so.

Results

Here, we introduce the ClineHelpR R-package …

Pedigree And Molecular Assessment Of Relatedness In A Captive Chimpanzee Population, Francesca Golus

Masters Theses

As a crucial component of biodiversity, genetic diversity contributes to variability among individuals, allowing populations of endangered species to be resilient in the face of changing environmental conditions. Zoological institutions have become a cornerstone of conservation efforts and a refuge for endangered species given threats imposed on wild populations by climate change, habitat fragmentation and degradation, and overexploitation. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are an endangered species experiencing drastic population decline in the wild, yet are common residents in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. To sustain long-term, genetically viable populations of species of concern, zoos use studbooks and paternity testing to …

An Assessment Of Inp/Zns As Potential Anti-Cancer Therapy: Quantum Dot Treatment Induces Stress On Hela Cells, Victoria Grace Davenport

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Indium Phosphide/Zinc Sulfide (InP/ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) are an emerging option in QD technologies for uses of fluorescent imaging as well as targeted drug and anti-cancer therapies based on their customizable properties. In this study we explored effects of InP/ZnS when treated with HeLa cervical cancer cells. We employed XTT viability assays, reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis, and apoptosis analysis to better understand cytotoxicity extents at different concentrations of InP/ZnS. In addition, we compared the transcriptome profile from the QDtreated HeLa cells with that of untreated HeLa cells to identify changes to the transcriptome in response to the QD. Intracellular …

Ecological Correlates Of Alligator Snapping Turtle Bite Performance, Ashley Herrin Gagnon

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is one of many turtle species facing conservation challenges. Nearly extirpated in the 1980s, it is currently the subject of a head-start initiative, of which, any lasting behavioral or physiological effects were—until now—unknown! To evaluate the ability of captive-reared individuals to excel in natural habitats, and to foresee any future research or conservation challenges regarding this animal, I explored a suite of variables that influence bite performance and behaviors including captive or free-ranging status, and environmental conditions including body temperature and season. My results indicated that free-ranging M. temminckii outperform those residing …

Photoperiod Manipulation Reveals A Light-Driven Component To Daily Patterns Of Ventilation In Male C57bl/6j Mice, Aaron A. Jones, Lauren R. Nelson, Gabriella M. Marino, Nakia A. Chappelle, Deborah A.M. Joye, Deanna M. Arble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that increases risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality. The severity of sleep-disordered breathing in obstructive sleep apnea patients fluctuates with the seasons, opening the possibility that seasonal changes in light duration, or photoperiod, can influence mechanisms of breathing. Photoperiod can have profound effects on internal timekeeping and can reshape metabolic rhythms in mammals. While the daily rhythm in ventilation is largely shaped by the metabolic rate, less is known about whether ventilatory rhythms are altered in accordance with metabolism under different photoperiods. Here, we investigate the relationship between ventilation and metabolism under …

Slow-Onset, Potent Inhibition Of Mandelate Racemase By 2-Formylphenylboronic Acid. An Unexpected Adduct Clasps The Catalytic Machinery, Colin D. Douglas, Lia Grandinetti, Nicole M. Easton, Oliver P. Kuehm, Joshua A. Hayden, Meghan C. Hamilton, Martin St. Maurice, Stephen L. Bearne

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

o-Carbonyl arylboronic acids such as 2-formylphenylboronic acid (2-FPBA) are employed in biocompatible conjugation reactions with the resulting iminoboronate adduct stabilized by an intramolecular N–B interaction. However, few studies have utilized these reagents as active site-directed enzyme inhibitors. We show that 2-FPBA is a potent reversible, slow-onset inhibitor of mandelate racemase (MR), an enzyme that has served as a valuable paradigm for understanding enzyme-catalyzed abstraction of an α-proton from a carbon acid substrate with a high pK_a. Kinetic analysis of the progress curves for the slow onset of inhibition of wild-type MR using a two-step kinetic mechanism …

Parasitic Disease Surveillance, Mississippi, Usa, Richard S. Bradbury, Meredith Lane, Irene Arguello, Sukwan Handali, Gretchen Cooley, Nils Pilotte, John M. Williams, Sam Jameson, Susan P. Montgomery, Kathryn Hellmann, Michelle Tharp, Lisa Haynie, Regina Galloway, Bruce Brackin, Brian Kirmse, Lisa Stempak, Paul Byers, Steven Williams, Fazlay Faruque, Charlotte V. Hobbs

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Surveillance for soil-transmitted helminths, strongyloidiasis, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis was conducted in Mississippi, USA. PCR performed on 224 fecal samples for all soil-transmitted helminths and on 370 samples for only Necator americanus and Strongyloides stercoralis identified 1 S. stercoralis infection. Seroprevalences were 8.8% for Toxocara, 27.4% for Cryptosporidium, 5.7% for Giardia, and 0.2% for Strongyloides parasites.

The Impacts Of Aging, Sedentarism, And Exercise On Neurotrophic Factor Expression And Innervation In The Heart And The Effects Of Treatment With Α-Cgrp On Heart Function, Gabriel Almeida Alves

Dissertations

Neurotrophic factors (NFs) are important molecules responsible for development, differentiation, regeneration, and maintenance of new and mature neurons. Neurotrophic factors act as neurocytokines and may assist with the regulation of axonal and dendritic arrangements and synaptic plasticity between neurons themselves or with other non-neural target tissues. In this study, we analyze the levels of two NFs: glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF). Cardiomyocytes produce these neurotrophic factors which assist with the innervation pattern of the heart. The heart is innervated by the two branches of the autonomic nervous system; namely the sympathetic nervous system and …

Induced Cell Proliferation Initiated By Roxarsone (Rox) Is Not Sufficient To Prevent Acrylamide Impairments In Beas-2b Cells., Brett Lavigna Afiwa Tapoyo

Theses (2016-Present)

Natural environmental contaminants and xenobiotic compounds consumed by humans are likely to be deleterious to human health. This study evaluates the effects of the organoarsenic compound roxarsone and the organic compound acrylamide on BEAS-2B cells. Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment in inorganic and organic forms. Inorganic arsenics are carcinogenic to humans. Organic arsenics (organoarsenics) are less toxic, yet their level of toxicity cannot be ignored. Roxarsone (4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzenearsonate) is a compound used as a poultry feed additive and antimicrobial agent. It promotes cell proliferation and possesses angiogenesis properties. Roxarsone (ROX) can be found in chicken breast meat; along with a …

Native And Non-Native Ant Impacts On Native Fungi, Chloe Mokadam

Biology Theses

Organisms produce weapons for defense against pathogens and competitors. In response, competitors and pathogens develop resistance to these weapons. However, when a species invades a new range, its “novel weapons” may be more effective against native species that did not co-evolve with them. Via specialized glands and microbial associates, ants produce antifungal weapons for defense against entomopathogenic fungi. However, these weapons may have unintended secondary effects on non-entomopathogenic, soil and seed-borne fungi. The antifungals of non-native ants may be novel weapons, with greater negative impacts on native fungi that have not co-evolved with them. This research aims to test the …

Investigation Into The Evolution Of Heterogeneity Within Secondary Replicons And Their Maintenance In Genus Variovorax, Christopher Ne Ville

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Approximately 10% of all bacterial genomes sequenced thus far contain a secondary replicon. This considerable genetic reservoir contains many potentially mobilizable elements, allowing for the formation of many unique secondary replicons. This property of bacterial populations vastly increases the genomic diversity available to species that effectively take up and maintain these replicons. Members of the genus Variovorax have extensive heterogeneity in genome architecture, including sequenced isolates containing plasmids, megaplasmids, and chromids. Using available Illumina data on the NCBI database, we have completed these assemblies using 3^rd generation sequencing methods on 17 members of this genus. We have sequenced, assembled, …

Investigating The Detoxification Of Cadmium By The Tardigrade Hypsibus Exemplaris., Adedamola Olatoregun

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Heavy metals such as Cadmium are known stressors in aquatic environments due to being persistent in nature and the ability to bioaccumulate in organisms. Cadmium ranks 7th on the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry’s 2019 Substance Priority List. It is also listed as a substance of very high concern by the European Chemicals Agency. Thus, it is considered one of the most important environmental and occupational pollutants existing. This study aimed at investigating the cellular responses to the heavy metal Cadmium (Cd) and observe the processes that are involved in its detoxification. Tardigrade specimens (Hypsibius exemplaris) were exposed …

Characterizing Bacterial Communities Across A Nutrient Gradient Over Winter Months, Emily Jin Searles Stone

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

When trying to understand how anthropogenic activities affect patterns in community ecology, bacterial communities are frequently neglected. These bacterial communities are essential to the overall health and stability of several different ecosystems. As nutrient pollution increases, some bacterial taxa may increase, causing an imbalance in food web dynamics and disrupting biogeochemical cycles. Next-generation sequencing coupled with water chemistry measurements has allowed for association testing between site water characteristics and bacterial taxa. By examining bacteria along a natural nutrient gradient over winter months in Overpeck Creek in northern New Jersey, this research shows that anthropogenic activities, specifically nutrient pollution, can alter …

Spatial And Seasonal Patterns Of Above- And Belowground Vegetation Biomass And Potential Drivers In The Pascagoula River Delta, Ms, Evan Grimes

Master's Theses

Coastal wetlands provide a valuable wealth of services to the greater coastal ecosystem and human communities. However, threats such as sea level rise and conservation projects, such as freshwater diversions, have the potential to alter coastal wetlands in different ways. In this thesis, I describe the effects of inundation and nitrogen on vegetation productivity using a field-sampling approach and an in situ controlled mesocosm experiment, called a marsh organ. The West Channel of the Pascagoula River contained significantly higher belowground biomass than the East Channel, which is more anthropogenically modified. Vertical distribution of belowground biomass did not strongly vary between …