Biology Commons^™

An Exploration Of The Widely Observed Mechanisms Permitting Freeze Tolerance & The Potential Of Cope’S Gray Treefrog, Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Samuel A. Ripley

Honors Theses

Over 80% of the Earth’s surface is exposed to seasonal cold temperatures less than 5.0oC. Ectotherms implement a variety of strategies to survive seasonal, or permanent, cold exposure. Some of the most common overwintering strategies are migration, hibernation, and freeze avoiding behavior. However, freeze tolerance is a minority choice among ectotherms. This strategy permits organisms to survive between 50.0 to 70.0% of their total body water volumes frozen primarily in extracellular spaces for up to several months at a time. Freeze tolerant organisms undergo minimal supercooling of their body fluids to ensure ice formation is slow and produce a wide …

Particle Tracking Reveals Pelagic Red Crabs As Indicators Of Climate-Driven Range Expansion In The California Current, Elizabeth Saraf

Senior Honors Projects

Since their first recorded occurrence in 1859, Pelagic Red Crabs (PRC; Pleuroncodes planipes) have experienced increased frequency of episodic mass stranding events in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. PRC’s are transported over 1,000 km northward of their central domain from the coast of central Baja California, Mexico. They have been reported by the thousands on the beaches of central and southern California. Their presence influences the surrounding ecosystem and commercial fisheries because they are nutritional prey items and large predators change their diet to incorporate PRC’s when they are available. Seasonal coastal currents and the California Undercurrent transport warmer waters …

Composition, Diversity, Abundance, And Spatial Variation In The Floral Nectar Mycobiome Of Rhododendron Catawbiense And Lobelia Cardinalis, Ayesha Khan

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plant nectar microbiome, primarily consisting of fungi and bacteria, can qualitatively and quantitively alter the floral rewards by exploiting the chemical composition of the nectar which can thus impact plant-pollinator interactions, and ultimately affect plant reproductive success. Evidence suggests that changes in the microenvironmental conditions across various spatial gradients can induce changes in the floral nectar microbiome, which can account for microbial variation not only across plant species, but also within. Furthermore, nectar microbiome is also contingent on the pollinator systems and nectar quality. In this study, we used Rhododendron catawbiense (bee-pollinated; highly toxic nectar) and Lobelia cardinalis (hummingbird-pollinated; mildly …

Synthetic Viral Pyrogen Induces Behavioral Fever In Plethodon Glutinosus Salamanders, Nicholas Britt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Behavioral fever is an essential coping mechanism across ectothermic phyla to aid in combating pathogenic threats. Ectotherms lack internal temperature regulation associated with fever in endotherms; thus, ectotherms can exhibit a behavioral fever response when immunocompromised to thermoregulate by moving to warmer locations. The salamander order Caudata, tend to be keystone species in their resident ecosystems through their role as secondary consumers of invertebrates to maintain the food chain. With growing interest about ecology and conservation of salamanders as species diversity declines, this study was designed to determine if salamanders use their environment to take advantage of behavioral fever. The …

The Effects Of Timing And Long-Term Estrogen Deficiency On Cardiac Fibrosis Following Chronic Sympathetic Stimulation, Samuel Wisecarver

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Evidence in animal studies show that estrogen in women is cardioprotective, but discrepancies remain between clinical and animal studies regarding progression of cardiovascular disease after menopause. Cardiac fibrosis, the build-up of type I and III collagen fibers, is a staple of cardiac remodeling. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of long-term estrogen loss in the heart; this study includes two time points (1-month and 5-month) post-ovariectomy. Mice were randomly selected for 4 treatment groups: SHAM, Ovariectomy (OVX), Isoproterenol (ISO) (a β-adrenergic agonist used to mimic chronic sympathetic stimulation) and OVX+ISO. Mice were infused with either Saline …

Biases And Blind-Spots In Genome-Wide Crispr-Cas9 Knockout Screens, Merve Dede

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Adaptation of the bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 system to mammalian cells revolutionized the field of functional genomics, enabling genome-scale genetic perturbations to study essential genes, whose loss of function results in a severe fitness defect. There are two types of essential genes in a cell. Core essential genes are absolutely required for growth and proliferation in every cell type. On the other hand, context-dependent essential genes become essential in an environmental or genetic context. The concept of context-dependent gene essentiality is particularly important in cancer, since killing cancer cells selectively without harming surrounding healthy tissue remains a major challenge. The toxicity of …

Assessing The Level Of Perception Of Knowledge About Ticks And Tick-Borne Diseases Among The Residents Of Several Cities In The Transboundary Region Of U.S.-Mexico, Consuelo Aguilar

Theses and Dissertations

The transboundary region of U.S.-Mexico possesses similar weather conditions and habitats favoring insects (vectors) like ticks. Several tick species found in the transboundary region of U.S.-Mexico can transmit pathogens. In the last three years, a total of 40 cases of Rickettsial infections, 28 in Tamaulipas and 12 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, have been reported. A low level of knowledge about diseases that ticks can transmit along with a lack of appropriate protection practices can severely affect human health. Limited surveys on ticks and tick-borne disease are available. Our goal was to (1) assess the perception of knowledge of …

Occupancy Modeling Of Western Monarch Thanksgiving Counts: Negative Impacts Of Incomplete Resurveys And Uneven Sampling Efforts, Keegan M. Mclean

Biological Sciences

Western monarch butterflies (sp. Danaus plexippus) are undergoing a severe decline that rivals those occurring among insects across the globe. Despite the estimation of population abundance, growth rates, and extinction probabilities, no analyses have investigated spatiotemporal patterns of decline in the western monarch population. I performed occupancy modeling of Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count (WMTC) data. The data was constrained spatially and temporally, with sites grouped into occupancy bins by latitude and year. Occupancy probabilities (psi) were estimated for each intersection of a latitude and time bin and detection probabilities (p) were estimated for each time bin. Psi increased slightly …

Understanding An Inflammatory Pathway In Diabetic Retinopathy, Reanna Raye Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. However, not much is known of its molecular pathway and how it attributes to increases in inflammatory response in the eye. One avenue we will investigate is the transforming growth factor beta (TGFB) signaling pathway and its effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion and cell viability. VEGF is the hallmark that exacerbates DR progression in prolonged diabetes. Some major concern that have arisen are the underlying effects of oxidants and antioxidants in elevating VEGF secretion in diabetes. In attempt to learn more, we evaluated how an …

Winners And Losers In Reforestation Efforts In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, And The Predictive Power Of Xylem Anatomy On Long-Term Growth And Survival, Clifton F. Albrecht

Theses and Dissertations

Reforestation has been ongoing in the Lower Rio Grande Valley annually since the 1980s, and to date over 6400 ha of land has been reforested in this area. However, there has been little subsequent study of the change and development of those forests as they mature. This thesis consists of two, interrelated, studies: (1) surveys of a five-site chronosequence of restored forests and (2) quantification of xylem anatomical traits of a subset of species present at the reforestation sites. Surveys showed a consistent reduction in species diversity and stem number density on the landscape, and identified a suite of species …

Opa1 Modulation Of Mitochondrial Dynamics In Ac16 Cardiomyocytes, Patrick De La Torre Schutz

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores mitochondrial dynamics in the AC16 cardiomyocytes. Mitochondria are capable of fission and fusion, controlled by specific proteins that respond to cell stress. The transmembrane potential(∆ψm) of the mitochondria is responsible for both bioenergetic functions and regulating the activation of the OMA-1 protein, which regulates the cutting of OPA-1. OPA- 1 has two isoforms: a long (active) and short (inactive) isoforms. Our research is exploring the impact of the levels of OPA1 expression on the observed ∆ψm threshold of mitochondrial fusion. Our laboratory has demonstrated that 143B cells lose L-OPA1 isoforms at [CCCP]> 4.75 µM and …

Understanding The Ecological Role, Population Dynamics, And Geographic Distribution Of Manihot Walkerae, Gisel Garza

Theses and Dissertations

Walker’s Manihot, Manihot walkerae Croizat (Euphorbiaceae), is an endangered plant that is endemic to the Tamaulipan thornscrub ecoregion. Understanding M. walkerae’s geographic distribution, populations, and species interactions can provide essential information for the development of sound conservation strategies. To this aim, I asked the following questions: 1) What is the potential geographic distribution for M. walkerae? and, will it be affected by climate change? 2) Using global and regional extinction risk assessments, what is the extinction risk category for M. walkerae after incorporating species distribution models? 3) What do natural history observations reveal about M. walkerae’s population …

Physical And Chemical Defense Mechanisms In Aloe Barbadensis Against Insect Herbivores, Zachary Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: This chapter provides an overview of insect herbivore impacts on plants and plant defense mechanisms to combat them. I particularly focused on physical and chemical defenses in the broader sense.

Chapter 2: This chapter describes the experiments that showed the effects of extracts from Aloe barbadensis on the growth and development of tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), model herbivores used to understand herbivore growth and plant defenses. This study shows that extracts from the Aloe differentially affected the growth and development of M. sexta and S. frugiperda. This chapter …

The Effect Of Egcg-P Containing Formulations On Bacillus Spp., Sabrina A. Lopez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The Gram-positive Bacillus species is known for their spore-forming abilities. These spores are highly resistant to a multitude of factors such as heat, UV radiation, and chemical solvents, which can be attributed to the location of its DNA, and other components that make up the spore as a whole. Bacillus spp. can be detrimental to the food & beverage industry and the medical field due to their production of enterotoxins, which can manifest as bacterial infections. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria towards current treatments are of major concern, and thus the need for alternative therapeutic agents is urgent. The beneficial health properties of …

Antibacterial Activity Of Pogostemon Cablin, Elizabeth Wong

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth. of the mint family Lamiaceae) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plant valued for its aromatherapy, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study examined the antibacterial effect of patchouli extract (PCE) on Grampositive Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) with microplate assays, CFU assays, fluorescent microscopy, molecular docking, and Omics data analysis. Microplate assay of E. coli and S. epidermidis showed that Pogostemon cablin extract (PCE) is bacteriostatic in E. coli with a MIC of 1.66 mg/ml PCE and in S. epidermidis with an MIC greater than 1.66 mg/ml PCE. Fluorescent microscopy and …

Color Of Pan Trap Influences Sampling Of Bees In Livestock Pasture Ecosystem, Roshani S. Acharya, Timothy Leslie, Emily Fitting, Joan Burke, Kelly Loftin, Neelendra K. Joshi

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The decline in insect pollinators has increased the importance of accurately monitoring pollinator diversity and abundance over time. Sampling techniques include the use of passive insect traps such as pan traps, yet there is still discussion over their utility and effectiveness in different ecosystems. The objective was to examine four different colors of pan traps (blue, green, yellow, and purple) for their utility in sampling bees in native forages rotationally grazed by sheep and to compare the relative abundance, richness, similarity, and community assemblage patterns among the four trap colors. Most bees were from the Halictidae family (89%). The most …

Molecular Drivers Of Bladder Cancer Motility, Bryan Wehrenberg

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Bladder cancer (BC) progression is measured by the degree of tumor cell invasion into the bladder wall and dissemination to distant sites. The study of BC cell motility will both enable development of anti-invasion therapeutics to limit progression of early-stage disease and improve our understanding of the metastatic process which drives patient mortality in BC. BCs display a great deal of intertumoral heterogeneity, and can be divided into basal and luminal subtypes, which are biologically and clinically distinct entities. Here, I examine the invasion phenotypes of BC as a function of both subtype and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) status. …

Studies Of The Dutpase Of The Western Corn Rootworm, Carlos A. Riera-Ruiz

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is a major corn pest in the United States and Europe. WCR has developed resistance to multiple management strategies, including Cry proteins. Even though the biology and ecology have been thoroughly studied in WCR, their genome and molecular mechanisms are understudied. This work focuses on the ubiquitous enzyme deoxyuridine triphosphatase (dUTPase) encoded by the DUT gene. dUTPase hydrolyzes dUTP into dUMP and pyrophosphate. It contributes to genome stability by keeping the uracil-to-thymine ratio at a certain level. In WCR, two dUTPase isoforms were predicted using transcriptome analyses. These two potential isoforms …

Characterization Of A Novel Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (Gpd2) In The Alga Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Itzela A. Cruz Powell

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, like many eukaryotic microalgae, accumulates triacylglycerol (TAG) under certain environmental stresses, such as nitrogen deprivation. TAG is of interest because it is an essential precursor for biofuel production. Canonical glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenases catalyze the synthesis of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), a key precursor for glycerolipid and TAG synthesis in eukaryotes. The C. reinhardtii genome encodes six GPD homologs. Interestingly, GPD2 is a novel multidomain enzyme, consisting of a phosphatase motif fused to a G3P dehydrogenase domain. GPD2 expression is significantly up-regulated under nutrient deprivation or high salinity, coincidental with the accumulation of TAG or glycerol. Conversely, RNA-mediated …

Roles Of Holocene Climate And Pastoralism In Shaping Andean Landscapes, Courtney Renee Shadik

Theses and Dissertations

The Holocene (c. 11,700years ago –present) was a time rich in Andean climatic, environmental, and cultural changes. Assemblages were reforming after the last ice age, millennial scale wet and dry events caused the largest changes in lake level of the last 100,000 years, and humans came to dominate the landscape. Against the backdrop of ecological change, this study asks the following questions-Was the onset of camelid domestication associated with mid-Holocene aridity? Are modern, high-elevation vegetation assemblages a product of manufactured landscapes? What are the long-term effects of intense agropastoralism on paleoecological reconstructions of Andean landscapes? Did Holocene agropastoral domesticates coevolve? …

Exploration Of Antimicrobial And Cell Proliferation Properties Of Nanofibers Incorporating Nopal (O. Cochenillifera) Extract, Cristobal Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the fabrication of Forcespinning® nanofibers composed of Opuntia cochenillifera, ‘nopal’, mucilage (N) extract, chitosan (CH), and pullulan (PL) (N/CH/PL) were developed with an optimum fiber average diameter of 406±127 nm, and studied for their ability to sustain adhesion and proliferation of mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH 3T3) cells. After a 6-day incubation period, N/CH/PL nanofibers displayed robust cell proliferation, while also exhibiting inhibitory properties through an N extract dip-coating process against gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli in a 24 h bacterial growth study. A demonstration of integrated natural bioactive compounds with combined biodegradable polymers, provide an enhanced …

Investigating Bmp7 Expression In Glioblastoma Multiforme, Yajaira Janett Macias

Theses and Dissertations

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway regulates important cell processes such as growth, survival, motility, inflammation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is aberrant as it is almost always active. This results in the deregulation of downstream molecules and ultimately leads to cancer progression and maintenance in GBM tumors. In this study, we used RNA-sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in U87MG GBM cells treated with NVP-BEZ235, a dual inhibitory drug targeting PI3K and mTOR. A total of 7,803 differentially expressed genes were identified via RNA-seq. GEPIA2 online tool was used to assess differential gene expression …

Examining The Role Of The Drosophila Melanogaster Unc13 Protein In Open Field Activity Using Rnai, Islam Orabi

Honors Theses

Unc13 are proteins in the presynaptic neurons essential in controlling synaptic vesicle fusion and synaptic transmission. Recently, the reduction of Drosophila melanogaster Unc13 proteins (Dunc13), were found to result in a resistance to alcohol, highly reminiscent of tolerance formation. I investigated whether genetically reducing Dunc13 activity in Drosophila brain regions leads to different forms of behavioral plasticity using an open field activity paradigm. In my approach, a Dunc13 RNAi transgene was expressed in the Drosophila brain within the mushroom body, the ellipsoid body, and in all neurons. The activities of the flies were examined in the open field paradigm to …

Effectiveness Of Visual Representations In Undergraduate Human Anatomy And Physiology I & Ii, Mary Agnes Mestayer

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to explore intersections between student preferences and student performance on anatomical visual representations in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Visual representations are a critical resource for the formation of relationships between function and structure furthermore; students interpret these representations uniquely based on specific factors (learning objective, prior knowledge, the diagram studied, etc.). Phase I of this project gathered undergraduate responses to ten Likert-style questions on their opinions on diagrams and their use in the A&P classroom. Phase II of this project presented participants with twelve manipulated diagrams sourced from three diagram with …

The Importance Of A Multidisciplinary Approach To Public Health: Addressing Food Insecurity Through A Biological And Sociological Lens, Chloe Grant

Honors Theses

Plants can sense the change of 1 ^oC in their growth environment and thus global climate change has a great impact on plant growth and development. The phenomenon that warm non-stress temperatures promote stem and petiole elongation, as well as leaf hyponastic growth, is collectively known as thermomorphogenesis. While it is known that the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor PIF4 is highly inducible by temperature elevations and controls thermomorphogenesis in dicots (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana), the molecular mechanism underlying thermomorphogenetic growth in monocots is not clear. In this study, I identify PIF4 orthologs in several economically important monocotyledonous species and …

Development And Characterization Of The Next Generation Drug For The Direct Targeting Of The Fkbp52 Co-Chaperone For The Treatment Of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer, Ashley Nichole Payan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men, the third highest mortality rate. Current treatment options consist of androgen deprivation therapies, actual or chemical castration, and the use of androgen blockers called anti-androgens. Ultimately the disease advances to a hormone-independent state known as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The folding, activation, and nuclear translocation of steroid hormone receptors requires the sequential action and cooperation of at least twelve proteins that make up four distinct complexes. At least one of these proteins, the FKBP52 cochaperone, is a promising therapeutic target for disrupting several mechanisms important in prostate cancer (PCa). FKBP52 …

Characterization Of Gabaergic Horizontal Cells In The Mouse Retina, Zulema Uresti

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The inner nuclear layer of the mammalian retina contains the cell bodies of the amacrine, bipolar and horizontal neurons. About 90% of the amacrine neurons are glycinergic and GABAergic and marked by the expression of the vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter, VIAAT. By contrast, the phenotype in horizontal inhibitory neurons vary among different mammals. In the primate retina, experimental evidence suggests the absence of VIAAT and hypothesizing that GABA could be released by efflux through the GABA transporters. On the other hand, in rodents, the horizontal cells express the VIAAT and carry out vesicle-dependent GABA release. Although the retina cells …

Effects Of Anthropogenic Light And Noise On Anuran Breeding Behavior, Ashley Kobisk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The natural environment can be negatively impacted by a variety of human activities, including the production of artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise. Recent studies suggest that pollution from anthropogenic light and noise alters animal behavior. Despite being highly nocturnal and vocal animals, little attention has been given to anurans and the effects artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise have on their behavior. This study investigated the effects of artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise on anuran breeding systems in eastern Texas. Specifically, this study investigated whether (1) artificial light and anthropogenic noise altered calling behavior in …

Evaluation Of Nickel Stress On Anabaena Cylindrica, Danielle L. Maragh

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Heavy metal contamination due to anthropogenic activities has steadily been on the rise over the past few decades. Cyanobacteria can thrive in water bodies that have been contaminated by heavy metal runoffs and are able to tolerate heavy metal stress even in relatively high concentrations. Cyanobacterial species can secrete toxins which can prove harmful to humans and life stock. Due to their high adaptation to heavy metal stress, understanding the potential mechanism behind their response may lead to solutions in curbing excessive cyanobacterial growth especially in water bodies that serves as sources of drinking water. Anabaena spp. is a genus …

Harmful Algal Blooms In The Ohio River: Spatial And Temporal Differences., Bevin Hardy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The frequency of harmful algal blooms (HABs) has been increasing across the globe, especially in river ecosystems. Although more common in lakes, more HABs have been reported in rivers in the past decade, particularly in the Ohio River. In 2019, a HAB stretched 200 to 300 miles throughout the Ohio River from September to October. Samples were collected for the duration of the 2019 bloom (August-October) in the McAlpine Pool in Louisville, KY to compare microcystis toxin (microcystin) concentrations on a temporal and spatial scale. Different habitats (bay, creek, river) were sampled throughout the bloom, and two additional sampling days, …