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Articles 181 - 210 of 300

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Drosophila Studies Support A Role For A Presynaptic Synaptotagmin Mutation In A Human Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, Mallory C. Shields, Matthew R. Bowers, Mckenzie M. Fulcer, Madelyn K. Bollig, Patrick J. Rock, Bryan R. Sutton, Alysia D. Vrailas-Mortimer, Hanns Lochmüller, Roger G. Whittaker, Rita Horvath, Noreen E. Reist Sep 2017

Drosophila Studies Support A Role For A Presynaptic Synaptotagmin Mutation In A Human Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, Mallory C. Shields, Matthew R. Bowers, Mckenzie M. Fulcer, Madelyn K. Bollig, Patrick J. Rock, Bryan R. Sutton, Alysia D. Vrailas-Mortimer, Hanns Lochmüller, Roger G. Whittaker, Rita Horvath, Noreen E. Reist

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

During chemical transmission, the function of synaptic proteins must be coordinated to efficiently release neurotransmitter. Synaptotagmin 2, the Ca2+ sensor for fast, synchronized neurotransmitter release at the human neuromuscular junction, has recently been implicated in a dominantly inherited congenital myasthenic syndrome associated with a non-progressive motor neuropathy. In one family, a proline residue within the C2B Ca2+-binding pocket of synaptotagmin is replaced by a leucine. The functional significance of this residue has not been investigated previously. Here we show that in silico modeling predicts disruption of the C2B Ca2+-binding pocket, and we examine the in vivo effects of the homologous …


Transcriptome Sequencing And Delimitation Of Sympatric Oscarella Species (O. Carmela And O. Pearsei Sp. Nov) From California, Usa, Alexander V. Ereskovsky, Daniel J. Richter, Dennis V. Lavrov, Klaske J. Schippers, Scott A. Nichols Sep 2017

Transcriptome Sequencing And Delimitation Of Sympatric Oscarella Species (O. Carmela And O. Pearsei Sp. Nov) From California, Usa, Alexander V. Ereskovsky, Daniel J. Richter, Dennis V. Lavrov, Klaske J. Schippers, Scott A. Nichols

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

The homoscleromorph sponge Oscarella carmela, first described from central California, USA is shown to represent two superficially similar but both morphologically and phylogenetically distinct species that are co-distributed. We here describe a new species as Oscarella pearsei, sp. nov. and re-describe Oscarella carmela; the original description was based upon material from both species. Further, we correct the identification of published genomic/transcriptomic resources that were originally attributed to O. carmela, and present new Illumina-sequenced transcriptome assemblies for each of these species, and the mitochondrial genome sequence for O. pearsei sp. nov. Using SSU and LSU …


Comparison Of The Neuroprotective And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of The Anthocyanin Metabolites, Protocatechuic Acid And 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid, Aimee N. Winter, Matthew C. Brenner, Noelle Punessen, Michael Snodgrass, Caleb Byars, Yingyot Arora, Daniel A. Linseman Jun 2017

Comparison Of The Neuroprotective And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of The Anthocyanin Metabolites, Protocatechuic Acid And 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid, Aimee N. Winter, Matthew C. Brenner, Noelle Punessen, Michael Snodgrass, Caleb Byars, Yingyot Arora, Daniel A. Linseman

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Anthocyanins are being increasingly investigated for their neuroprotective and antineuroinflammatory effects; however, the overall bioavailability of many anthocyanins is relatively low. In contrast, phenolic acids, metabolites of many polyphenols, including anthocyanins, have been shown to accumulate in tissue at higher concentrations than those of parent compounds, suggesting that these metabolites may be the bioactive components of anthocyanin-rich diets. We examined the neuroprotective capacity of two common phenolic acids, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and protocatechuic acid (PCA), in primary cultures of cerebellar granule neurons. Both HBA and PCA are capable of mitigating oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide, which is thought to …


Male And Female Parental Care In The Golden-Rumped Euphonia (Euphonia Cyanocephala), Zachary Wright, Jeff Port, Harold F. Greeney Jan 2017

Male And Female Parental Care In The Golden-Rumped Euphonia (Euphonia Cyanocephala), Zachary Wright, Jeff Port, Harold F. Greeney

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A single nest of the Golden-rumped Euphonia (Euphonia cyanocephala) was filmed for 72 hours near the Yanayacu Biological Station in Ecuador located in tropical montane forest. Recording was between 15-21 February 2014. We report the first observations of incubation and feeding behavior by individual parents. We use the collected observations collected during the six day period after hatching to analyze visit frequency, duration, time, and activity patterns during visits. Both male and female visited at similar rates (mean male = 20.2 ± 1.8, mean female = 21.0 ± 1.3 visits/day) with an alternation of visits by members of the pair …


Small Rho Gtpase Family Member Cdc42 And Its Role In Neuronal Survival And Apoptosis, Noelle Christine Punessen Jan 2017

Small Rho Gtpase Family Member Cdc42 And Its Role In Neuronal Survival And Apoptosis, Noelle Christine Punessen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are caused by a progressive and aberrant destruction of neurons in the brain and spinal cord. These disorders lack effective long term treatments, and existing options focus primarily on either delaying disease onset or alleviating symptomology. Dysregulated programmed cell death, known as apoptosis, is one of the most significant contributors to neurodegeneration, and is controlled by a number of different factors. Rho GTPases are a protein class with recognized importance in proper neuronal development and migration, and have more recently emerged as regulators of apoptosis and neuronal survival. …


Tumor-Derived Factors And Reduced P53 Promote Endothelial Cell Centrosome Over-Duplication, Zhixian Yu, Kevin P. Mouillesseaux, Erich J. Kushner, Victoria L. Bautch Dec 2016

Tumor-Derived Factors And Reduced P53 Promote Endothelial Cell Centrosome Over-Duplication, Zhixian Yu, Kevin P. Mouillesseaux, Erich J. Kushner, Victoria L. Bautch

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Approximately 30% of tumor endothelial cells have over-duplicated (>2) centrosomes, which may contribute to abnormal vessel function and drug resistance. Elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor A induce excess centrosomes in endothelial cells, but how other features of the tumor environment affect centrosome over-duplication is not known. To test this, we treated endothelial cells with tumor-derived factors, hypoxia, or reduced p53, and assessed centrosome numbers. We found that hypoxia and elevated levels of bone morphogenetic protein 2, 6 and 7 induced excess centrosomes in endothelial cells through BMPR1A and likely via SMAD signaling. In contrast, inflammatory mediators IL-8 …


Investigations On The Vampire Moth Genus Calyptra Ochsenheimer, Incorporating Taxonomy, Life History, And Bioinformatics (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Calpinae), Julia L. Snyder Dec 2016

Investigations On The Vampire Moth Genus Calyptra Ochsenheimer, Incorporating Taxonomy, Life History, And Bioinformatics (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Calpinae), Julia L. Snyder

Open Access Theses

The seventeen species and two subspecies described in the genus Calyptra are known to be obligate fruit piercers, with some species being of economic importance. Males within the genus have not only been observed piercing their fruit hosts, but have also been documented to occasionally feed on mammalian blood. The genetic and ecological mechanisms contributing to host preference for either plant or vertebrate hosts in this lineage are unknown. Thus, the focus of this study was to investigate the chemosensory systems between and among Calyptra species exhibiting differential feeding strategies. Before investigating the chemosensory systems within Calyptra, the taxonomy …


Naturally Occurring Mellein-Type 3,4-Dihydroisocoumarins And Related Lactones: Synthetic Approaches - A Review, Stephen Jm Mdachi Jul 2016

Naturally Occurring Mellein-Type 3,4-Dihydroisocoumarins And Related Lactones: Synthetic Approaches - A Review, Stephen Jm Mdachi

Tanzania Journal of Science

Mellein and its derivatives are the most common 3,4-dihydroisocoumarins and are known to exhibit an array of biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, antiallergic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, pheromonal, plant growth-promoting and antileukemic activities. Other mellein derivatives are recognized phytotoxins, neurotoxins, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins and teratogens. Consequently, considerable efforts have been directed at studying these natural products. While most of the reported studies have focused on the isolation, characterization and bioassay studies of melleins, a number of synthetic studies have also been reported. This paper focuses on synthetic approaches towards these biologically active and, thus, potentially useful natural products. The aim …


Identification Of Tanzanian Saprophytic Edible Mushrooms By Amplification And Sequencing Of Its/Lsu Regions Of Ribosomal Rna Operon, Ibrahim Juma, Anthony Manoni Mshandete, Donatha Damiani Tibuhwa, Amelia Kajumulo Kivaisi Jul 2016

Identification Of Tanzanian Saprophytic Edible Mushrooms By Amplification And Sequencing Of Its/Lsu Regions Of Ribosomal Rna Operon, Ibrahim Juma, Anthony Manoni Mshandete, Donatha Damiani Tibuhwa, Amelia Kajumulo Kivaisi

Tanzania Journal of Science

In this study, ten wild saprophytic edible mushrooms samples, collected from Tanzania natural forests and planted trees, and their two domesticated forms were characterized by in-vitro/in-vivo amplification and sequencing of ITS/LSU regions. Mushroom genomic DNA was extracted by ZR Fungal/Bacterial DNA MniPrep Kit. ITS and LSU regions were amplified using ITS-4/ITS-5 and LR16/LROR primers, respectively and sequenced. The amplicons with messy sequences were cloned. For analyzing recombinant E. coli DH5α cells, colony PCR and sequencing were done using M13-F/M13-R primers. The studied mushrooms were identified as Amylosporus sp. IJ-2014, Polyporales sp., Polyporus tenuiculus, Pleurotus cystidiosus, Laetiporus sp. IJ-2014, Lentinus sajor-caju, …


Spread Of Tylodelphys Mashonense (Digenea: Diplostomidae) By Grey Heron Ardea Cinerea And Great White Egret A. Alba In Lake Victoria, Tanzania, Fred D. Chibwana, Gamba Nkwengulila Jul 2016

Spread Of Tylodelphys Mashonense (Digenea: Diplostomidae) By Grey Heron Ardea Cinerea And Great White Egret A. Alba In Lake Victoria, Tanzania, Fred D. Chibwana, Gamba Nkwengulila

Tanzania Journal of Science

Despite the fact that Tylodelphys mashonense, parasites of the cranial cavity of the catfish Clarias gariepinus, are ubiquitous in freshwater systems, little is known on their spread. As such, we examined a total of 152 piscivorous birds, belonging to 6 species; 43 great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, 33 grey heron Ardea cinerea, 26 hamerkop Scopus umbretta, 22 great white egret Ardea alba, 15 marabou stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus and 13 pied kingfisher Ceryle rudis foraging in the Lake Victoria. Out of the six bird species only A. cinerea and A. alba were found infected by T. mashonense with prevalence of 42.4% and …


Variation Of Small Mammal Populations Across Different Habitat Types In The Serengeti Ecosystem, Flora J Magige Jul 2016

Variation Of Small Mammal Populations Across Different Habitat Types In The Serengeti Ecosystem, Flora J Magige

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study investigated the abundance and diversity of small mammals in cultivated land (unprotected area) and wooded grassland in the Serengeti National Park (protected area) in the Serengeti ecosystem. Small mammal populations were sampled through capture-mark-recapture trapping techniques in March-April 2010. A total of 896 trap nights covering wet season, 9 species of rodents and 1 species of soricomorphs (shrew family) were captured. Overall, Multimammate rat Mastomys natalensis (Smith) was by far the most abundant rodent in cultivated land (28%) while inside the park, shrew Crocidura sp., was high in numbers (8%). A significantly higher abundance (trap success) of small …


Ligninolytic Enzymes Of The Fungus Isolated From Soil Contaminated With Cow Dung, Rose J. Masalu Jul 2016

Ligninolytic Enzymes Of The Fungus Isolated From Soil Contaminated With Cow Dung, Rose J. Masalu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Lignin is the complex polymer and very few microorganisms are able to degrade it. The study aimed at isolating lignin degrading fungi from soil contaminated with cow dung using ligninolytic screening media. The study was able to isolate one ligninolytic fungus by using lignin media. The strain was screened for  production of ligninolytic enzymes  using Rhemazol Brilliant blue R (RBBR) dye, 2,2-azino-bis (3- ethylbenzthiazoline)-6-sulfonate (ABTS) and guaiacol in a semi-solid medium. The isolate decolourized RBBR dye, ABTS and guaiacol in a semi solid media. The strain was further tested for lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase (Lac) enzymatic …


Conserved Expression Of Vertebrate Microvillar Gene Homologs In Choanocytes Of Freshwater Sponges, Jesús F. Peña, Alexandre Alié, Daniel J. Richter, Lingyu Wang, Noriko Funayama, Scott A. Nichols Jul 2016

Conserved Expression Of Vertebrate Microvillar Gene Homologs In Choanocytes Of Freshwater Sponges, Jesús F. Peña, Alexandre Alié, Daniel J. Richter, Lingyu Wang, Noriko Funayama, Scott A. Nichols

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Background

The microvillus is a versatile organelle that serves important functions in disparate animal cell types. However, from a molecular perspective, the microvillus has been well studied in only a few, predominantly vertebrate, contexts. Little is known about how differences in microvillar structure contribute to differences in function, and how these differences evolved. We sequenced the transcriptome of the freshwater sponge, Ephydatia muelleri, and examined the expression of vertebrate microvillar gene homologs in choanocytes—the only microvilli-bearing cell type present in sponges. Sponges offer a distant phylogenetic comparison with vertebrates, and choanocytes are central to discussions about early animal evolution …


Seasonal Changes In Atmospheric Noise Levels And The Annual Variation In Pigeon Homing Performance, Jonathan T. Hagstrum, Hugh P. Mcisaac, Douglas P. Drob May 2016

Seasonal Changes In Atmospheric Noise Levels And The Annual Variation In Pigeon Homing Performance, Jonathan T. Hagstrum, Hugh P. Mcisaac, Douglas P. Drob

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Repeated releases of experienced homing pigeons from single sites were conducted between 1972 and 1974 near Cornell University in upstate New York and between 1982 and 1983 near the University of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, USA. No annual variation in homing performance was observed at these sites in eastern North America, in contrast to results from a number of similar experiments in Europe. Assuming pigeons home using low-frequency infrasonic signals (~0.1–0.3 Hz), as has been previously proposed, the annual and geographic variability in homing performance within the northern hemisphere might be explained, to a first order, by seasonal changes in …


Data For Amino Acid Alignment Of Japanese Stingray Melanocortin Receptors With Other Gnathostome Melanocortin Receptor Sequences, And The Ligand Selectivity Of Japanese Stingray Melanocortin Receptors, Akiyoshi Takahashi, Perry Davis, Christina Reinick, Kanta Mizusawa, Tatsuya Sakamoto, Robert Dores Apr 2016

Data For Amino Acid Alignment Of Japanese Stingray Melanocortin Receptors With Other Gnathostome Melanocortin Receptor Sequences, And The Ligand Selectivity Of Japanese Stingray Melanocortin Receptors, Akiyoshi Takahashi, Perry Davis, Christina Reinick, Kanta Mizusawa, Tatsuya Sakamoto, Robert Dores

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

This article contains structure and pharmacological characteristics of melanocortin receptors (MCRs) related to research published in “Characterization of melanocortin receptors from stingray Dasyatis akajei, a cartilaginous fish” (Takahashi et al., 2016) [1]. The amino acid sequences of the stingray, D. akajei, MC1R, MC2R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R were aligned with the corresponding melanocortin receptor sequences from the elephant shark, Callorhinchus milii, the dogfish, Squalus acanthias, the goldfish, Carassius auratus, and the mouse, Mus musculus. These alignments provide the basis for phylogenetic analysis of these gnathostome melanocortin receptor sequences. In addition, the Japanese stingray melanocortin …


Rab8 Directs Furrow Ingression And Membrane Addition During Epithelial Formation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lauren M. Mavor, Hui Miao, Zhongyuan Zuo, Ryan M. Holly, Yi Xie, Dinah Loerke, J Todd Blankenship Feb 2016

Rab8 Directs Furrow Ingression And Membrane Addition During Epithelial Formation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lauren M. Mavor, Hui Miao, Zhongyuan Zuo, Ryan M. Holly, Yi Xie, Dinah Loerke, J Todd Blankenship

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

One of the most fundamental changes in cell morphology is the ingression of a plasma membrane furrow. The Drosophila embryo undergoes several cycles of rapid furrow ingression during early development that culminate in the formation of an epithelial sheet. Previous studies have demonstrated the requirement for intracellular trafficking pathways in furrow ingression; however, the pathways that link compartmental behaviors with cortical furrow ingression events are unclear. Here, we show that Rab8 has striking dynamic behaviors in vivo. As furrows ingress, cytoplasmic Rab8 puncta are depleted and Rab8 accumulates at the plasma membrane in a location that coincides with known regions …


Neuroprotection Comparison Of Different Nutraceutical Compounds Against Mechanistically Distinct Cell Death Inducing Agents, Faten I. Taram Jan 2016

Neuroprotection Comparison Of Different Nutraceutical Compounds Against Mechanistically Distinct Cell Death Inducing Agents, Faten I. Taram

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), include the progressive loss of structure and function of neurons leading to neuronal death. All of these diseases are fatal, as there is no cure for them. The causes of these diseases are unknown; however, there are many proposed mechanisms that lead to neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress is the leading cause of cell death in neurodegenerative diseases, in addition to other mechanisms including endoplasmic reticulum stress, proteasome inhibition, nitrosative stress, inflammation and excitotoxicity. More understanding of the death mechanisms at work in neurodegeneration is necessary to …


The Role Of P38 Mapk In Protein Homeostasis And Aging, Sarah Mae Ryan Jan 2016

The Role Of P38 Mapk In Protein Homeostasis And Aging, Sarah Mae Ryan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging is characterized by a failure to maintain proper protein homeostasis, potentially leading to tissue dysfunction. Though a variety of genes have been found to regulate lifespan and age-related behaviors how these genetic factors contribute to protein homeostasis has not been fully explored. Here, we report that the evolutionarily conserved aging gene p38 MAPK (p38Kb) regulates age-dependent protein homeostasis. Over-expression of p38Kb results in reduced protein aggregation, while knockout of p38Kb leads to increased protein aggregation. Furthermore, we find that p38Kb regulates protein homeostasis, lifespan, and age-dependent locomotor functions through an interaction with the Chaperone Assisted Selective Autophagy complex; a …


Metabolomics Of Mammalian And Cellular Models Of Aging, Nathan Gonzales Duval Jan 2016

Metabolomics Of Mammalian And Cellular Models Of Aging, Nathan Gonzales Duval

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging is often associated with impaired cognition and a progressive loss of organ function over time accompanied by an increased susceptibility for many disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), heart disease, osteoporosis, type II diabetes, and many forms of cancer. With a rapidly aging population, the negative impacts of aging and age-related disorders is a major cause of increased human suffering both for affected individuals and for families and caregivers. Metabolic changes are also apparent in normal aging, but may increase in magnitude or nature with accompanying disease states or with accelerated aging. Thus, studying aging in a …


Females Sample More Males At High Nesting Densities, But Ultimately Obtain Less Attractive Mates, R. M. Tinghitella, Chelsea Stehle, Janette W. Boughman Sep 2015

Females Sample More Males At High Nesting Densities, But Ultimately Obtain Less Attractive Mates, R. M. Tinghitella, Chelsea Stehle, Janette W. Boughman

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Background: Sexual selection is largely driven by the availability of mates. Theory predicts that male competition and female choice should be density-dependent, with males competing more intensely at relatively high density, and females becoming increasingly discriminating when there are more males from whom to choose. Evidence for flexible mating decisions is growing, but we do not understand how environmental variation is incorporated into mate sampling strategies. We mimicked threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) breeding conditions in pools with high and low densities of nesting males and allowed females to search for mates to determine whether 1) mate search strategies change with …


Oil Biosynthesis In A Basal Angiosperm: Transcriptome Analysis Of Persea Americana Mesocarp, Aruna Kilaru, Xia Cao, Parker B. Dabbs, Ha-Jung Sung, Mahbubur Rahman, Nicholas Thrower, Greg Zynda, Ram Podicheti, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Luis Herrera-Estrella, Keithanne Mockaitis, John B. Ohlrogge Aug 2015

Oil Biosynthesis In A Basal Angiosperm: Transcriptome Analysis Of Persea Americana Mesocarp, Aruna Kilaru, Xia Cao, Parker B. Dabbs, Ha-Jung Sung, Mahbubur Rahman, Nicholas Thrower, Greg Zynda, Ram Podicheti, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Luis Herrera-Estrella, Keithanne Mockaitis, John B. Ohlrogge

ETSU Faculty Works

The mechanism by which plants synthesize and store high amounts of triacylglycerols (TAG) in tissues other than seeds is not well understood. The comprehension of controls for carbon partitioning and oil accumulation in nonseed tissues is essential to generate oil-rich biomass in perennial bioenergy crops. Persea americana (avocado), a basal angiosperm with unique features that are ancestral to most flowering plants, stores ~ 70 % TAG per dry weight in its mesocarp, a nonseed tissue. Transcriptome analyses of select pathways, from generation of pyruvate and leading up to TAG accumulation, in mesocarp tissues of avocado was conducted and compared with …


Deep Sequencing Of The Mexican Avocado Transcriptome, An Ancient Angiosperm With A High Content Of Fatty Acids, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Alfonso Méndez-Bravo, Claudia Anahí Pérez-Torres, Victor A. Albert, Keithanne Mockaitis, Aruna Kilaru, Rodolfo López-Gómez, Jacob Israel Cervantes-Luevano, Luis Herrera-Estrella Aug 2015

Deep Sequencing Of The Mexican Avocado Transcriptome, An Ancient Angiosperm With A High Content Of Fatty Acids, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Alfonso Méndez-Bravo, Claudia Anahí Pérez-Torres, Victor A. Albert, Keithanne Mockaitis, Aruna Kilaru, Rodolfo López-Gómez, Jacob Israel Cervantes-Luevano, Luis Herrera-Estrella

ETSU Faculty Works

Background: Avocado (Persea americana) is an economically important tropical fruit considered to be a good source of fatty acids. Despite its importance, the molecular and cellular characterization of biochemical and developmental processes in avocado is limited due to the lack of transcriptome and genomic information.

Results: The transcriptomes of seeds, roots, stems, leaves, aerial buds and flowers were determined using different sequencing platforms. Additionally, the transcriptomes of three different stages of fruit ripening (pre-climacteric, climacteric and post-climacteric) were also analyzed. The analysis of the RNAseqatlas presented here reveals strong differences in gene expression patterns between different organs, …


Long-Term Shifts In The Phenology Of Rare And Endemic Rocky Mountain Plants, Seth M. Munson, Anna A. Sher Aug 2015

Long-Term Shifts In The Phenology Of Rare And Endemic Rocky Mountain Plants, Seth M. Munson, Anna A. Sher

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Premise of the study: Mountainous regions support high plant productivity, diversity, and endemism, yet are highly vulnerable to climate change. Historical records and model predictions show increasing temperatures across high elevation regions including the Southern Rocky Mountains, which can have a strong influence on the performance and distribution of montane plant species. Rare plant species can be particularly vulnerable to climate change because of their limited abundance and distribution.

• Methods: We tracked the phenology of rare and endemic species, which are identified as imperiled, across three different habitat types with herbarium records to determine if flowering time has changed …


Traditional Medicinal Uses Of Small Mammal Products: A Case Study Of The African Savannah Hares, Crested Porcupines And Rock Hyraxes In Serengeti District, Tanzania, Flora John Magige Jul 2015

Traditional Medicinal Uses Of Small Mammal Products: A Case Study Of The African Savannah Hares, Crested Porcupines And Rock Hyraxes In Serengeti District, Tanzania, Flora John Magige

Tanzania Journal of Science

Traditional medicines, both plant and animal products, have been used to cure various diseases since time immemorial especially in rural areas worldwide. Many studies have focused on traditional plant products, but little research has been conducted on animal traditional medicines. This study investigated  the use of small mammal  products for medicinal purposes in three villages bordering Serengeti National Park in Serengeti District, Tanzania. A total of 71 respondents were interviewed in Kisangura, Nyamburi and Machochwe villages in November 2010, using questionnaires. Villagers hunted small mammals mainly by dogs for cultural and ornamental reasons. Products of African savannah hare (Lepus microtis), …


Regulation Of Synaptogenesis By The Mirna Pathway And Fmr/P Bodies, Jacqueline Rochelle Furlong Jan 2015

Regulation Of Synaptogenesis By The Mirna Pathway And Fmr/P Bodies, Jacqueline Rochelle Furlong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA is facilitated by different mechanisms, such as microRNA (miRNA) induced gene silencing or fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) mediated repression either independent of or acting through cytoplasmic RNA Processing bodies (P bodies). DPTP99A, Lar, and Wg have known functions during synaptogenesis and may be targets of miR-8. Here, we provide evidence that miR-8 regulates DPTP99A in vitro. Non-endogenous miR-8 expressed using an UAS driver regulates Lar. Endogenous miR-8 may regulate DPTP99A in vivo. Here we show that FMRP is capable of colocalizing with the P body components: DCP1, HPat, and Me31B, but not …


Spatial Patterns Of Zooplankton Distribution And Abundance In Relation To Phytoplankton, Fish Catch And Some Water Quality Parameters At Shirati Bay, Lake Victoria-Tanzania, Revania K. Waya, Samwel M. Limbu, Godfrey W. Ngupula, Chacha J. Mwita, Yunus D. Mgaya Nov 2014

Spatial Patterns Of Zooplankton Distribution And Abundance In Relation To Phytoplankton, Fish Catch And Some Water Quality Parameters At Shirati Bay, Lake Victoria-Tanzania, Revania K. Waya, Samwel M. Limbu, Godfrey W. Ngupula, Chacha J. Mwita, Yunus D. Mgaya

Tanzania Journal of Science

Spatial patterns and abundance of zooplankton in aquatic habitats are important determinants for production of fish species, invertebrates and availability of phytoplankton. Weekly monitoring for zooplankton abundance was conducted in Shirati Bay, Lake Victoria, to explore their spatial patterns in relation to phytoplankton, fish catch and some water quality parameters. The vertical distribution of zooplankton was generally higher close to the bottom as compared to surface waters of the lake. Zooplankton vertical distribution positively correlated with water transparency (r = 0.680, p = 0.011). The horizontal abundance of zooplankton was not significantly different amongst the three stations (p = 0.5143). …


Analysis Of Body Shapes Among Barbus Trimaculatus, Barbus Paludinosus And Barbus Jacksonii (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae) From Malagarasi And Pangani River Basins Based On Geometric Morphometric Method, Chacha J. Mwita, B.G. Kamugisha Nov 2014

Analysis Of Body Shapes Among Barbus Trimaculatus, Barbus Paludinosus And Barbus Jacksonii (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae) From Malagarasi And Pangani River Basins Based On Geometric Morphometric Method, Chacha J. Mwita, B.G. Kamugisha

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study analyzed variability in body shapes among the small Barbus species of the family Cyprinidae currently occurring in the Malagarasi and Pangani River basins years after uplift of the east African topology. Fish specimens were collected from Songati, Muumbara and Nyamagoma within the Malagarasi River basin; Hale and Pangani fall located on Pangani River. It was found that although the landmarks were placed at the same anatomical regions, significant body shapes variations existed. The relative warps analysis for Barbus trimaculatus and Barbus jacksonii populations from Malagarasi and Pangani wetlands revealed intra-locality variations as for populations from other African countries. …


Activity-Regulated Micrornas: Modulators Of Synaptic Growth At The Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction, Katherine Ruth Nesler Jan 2014

Activity-Regulated Micrornas: Modulators Of Synaptic Growth At The Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction, Katherine Ruth Nesler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is well established that long-term changes in synaptic structure and function are mediated by rapid activity-dependent gene transcription and new protein synthesis. A growing body of evidence supports the involvement of the microRNA (miRNA) pathway in these processes. We have used the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) as a model synapse to characterize activity-regulated miRNAs and their important mRNA targets. Here, we have identified five neuronal miRNAs (miRs-1, -8, -289, -314, and -958) that are significantly downregulated in response to neuronal activity. Furthermore we have discovered that neuronal misexpression of three of these miRNAs (miR-8, -289, and -958) is capable …


Investigating The Interactions Between Cyanobacteria And Vibrio Parahaemolyticus, Caroline E. Ward Jan 2014

Investigating The Interactions Between Cyanobacteria And Vibrio Parahaemolyticus, Caroline E. Ward

Honors Theses and Capstones

One well-known pathogen that has been the topic of many recent studies is Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which causes thousands of foodborne illnesses a year, mostly from the ingestion of raw or undercooked oysters. It has been shown cyanobacteria can act as a long-term reservoir of Vibrio cholerae, another pathogenic Vibrio, by encasing the cells within mucilaginous sheaths during which Vibrios enter a viable but non-culturable state. In this study we investigated the interaction of V. parahaemolyticus with cyanobacteria to determine whether cyanobacteria aid in the longevity and survival of V. parahaemolyticus. We found that non-pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus …


Diel Vertical Migration Strategies Of Zooplankton In Oligotrophic Russell Pond, New Hampshire, Kelsey Ann Dobe Jan 2014

Diel Vertical Migration Strategies Of Zooplankton In Oligotrophic Russell Pond, New Hampshire, Kelsey Ann Dobe

Honors Theses and Capstones

Russell Pond is an ultra-oligotrophic lake with low chlorophyll a (1.9 mg L-1), total phosphorus (3.4 mg L-1), high Secchi Disk (10.4 m) and high light transmission (water coefficient of water, kw=0.33). Vertical migration of Chaoborus, Bosmina, Daphnia, and copepods were examined using net collections of zooplankton discrete depth counts and sonar. Three contrasting patterns of vertical migration were observed in Russell Pond. Chaoborus punctipennis larvae vertical migration began at 7 pm and migrated through the entire lake water column, a total of 23 m from the sediments to the surface water in …