A Comparative Study Of Sleep, Diurnal Patterns, And Eye Closure Between The House Mouse (Mus Musculus) And African Spiny Mouse (Acomys Cahirinus),
2018
University of Kentucky
A Comparative Study Of Sleep, Diurnal Patterns, And Eye Closure Between The House Mouse (Mus Musculus) And African Spiny Mouse (Acomys Cahirinus), Chanung Wang
Theses and Dissertations--Biology
To understand the function and origins of sleep, sleep needs to be studied across many different species. Although it is well conserved throughout mammals, 95% of papers are restricted to just three species, Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, and Rattus norvegicus. We aimed to characterize sleep and wake in a Murid rodent Acomys cahirinus in greater detail alongside the well-studied laboratory house mouse (Mus musculus) and wild M. musculus using a well validated, non-invasive, piezoelectric system for sleep and activity monitoring. We confirmed A. cahirinus, M. musculus, and wild M. musculus to be primarily …
Increasing Alligator Snapping Turtle Head-Starting Success Through Housing Enrichment And Inoculation Of Hatchlings With Digestive Microbiota,
2018
Missouri State University
Increasing Alligator Snapping Turtle Head-Starting Success Through Housing Enrichment And Inoculation Of Hatchlings With Digestive Microbiota, Kristen Erin Sardina
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Due to historic overharvest and habitat degradation, the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) has experienced population declines throughout its range. Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in southern Oklahoma began a captive head-start program for this species in 2000 and has since released over 1,400 turtles in the region. However, there has been a recurring trend of turtles growing faster after release than while in captivity. My research sought to investigate this pattern by determining: 1) the influence of housing enrichment and housing density on juvenile growth rates and stress in indoor enclosures, and 2) the effects of supplementing hatchlings …
Cold Tolerance, Diapause And Winter Survival Of The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha Halys),
2018
Central Washington University
Cold Tolerance, Diapause And Winter Survival Of The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha Halys), Naomi Sibayan
All Master's Theses
The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is native to eastern Asia and is an invasive pest in the United States. Limited research has been done regarding the factors influencing this species’ winter survival within invaded northern regions. Cold tolerance has been previously evaluated in the eastern United States, bot nut within western populations. Winter diapause. Along with any potential links between diapause and cold tolerance remain unstudied. I examined characteristics of cold tolerance, diapause and overwintering sites to evaluate the factors contributing to the winter survival and, ultimately, persistence of this pest within central Washington. This study measured seasonal …
Evaluation And Adaptation Of Live-Cell Interferometry For Applications In Basic, Translational, And Clinical Research,
2018
Virginia Commonwealth University
Evaluation And Adaptation Of Live-Cell Interferometry For Applications In Basic, Translational, And Clinical Research, Kevin A. Leslie
Theses and Dissertations
Cell mass is an important indicator of cell health and status. A diverse set of techniques have been developed to precisely measure the masses of single cells, with varying degrees of technical complexity and throughput. Here, the development of a non-invasive, label-free optical technique, termed Live-Cell Interferometry (LCI), is described. Several applications are presented, including an evaluation of LCI’s utility for assessing drug response heterogeneity in patient-derived melanoma lines and the measurement of CD3+ T cell kinetics during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The characterization of mast cells during degranulation, the measurement of viral reactivation kinetics in Kaposi’s Sarcoma, and drug …
Natural And Anthropogenic Drivers Of Tree Evolutionary Dynamics,
2018
Virginia Commonwealth University
Natural And Anthropogenic Drivers Of Tree Evolutionary Dynamics, Brandon M. Lind
Theses and Dissertations
Species of trees inhabit diverse and heterogeneous environments, and often play important ecological roles in such communities. As a result of their vast ecological breadth, trees have become adapted to various environmental pressures. In this dissertation I examine various environmental factors that drive evolutionary dynamics in threePinusspecies in California and Nevada, USA. In chapter two, I assess the role of management influence of thinning, fire, and their interaction on fine-scale gene flow within fire-suppressed populations of Pinus lambertiana, a historically dominant and ecologically important member of mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada, California. Here, I find evidence …
Migratory Patterns And Population Genetic Structure In A Declining Wetland-Dependent Songbird,
2018
Virginia Commonwealth University
Migratory Patterns And Population Genetic Structure In A Declining Wetland-Dependent Songbird, Matthew G. Desaix
Theses and Dissertations
Understanding migratory connectivity is essential for assessing the drivers behind population dynamics and for implementing effective management in migratory species. Genetic markers provide a means to describe migratory connectivity, as well as incorporate population genetic analyses, however genetic markers can be uninformative for species with weak genetic structure. In this study, we evaluate range-wide population genetic structure and migratory connectivity in the prothonotary warbler, Protonotaria citrea, a wetland-dependent neotropical migratory songbird, using high-resolution genetic markers. We reveal regional genetic structure between sampling sites in the Mississippi River Valley and the Atlantic Seaboard with overall weak genetic differentiation among populations …
The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms,
2018
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne
Human–Wildlife Interactions
The federal government owns approximately 47% of all land in the western United States. In the state of Utah, about 64% of the land base is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The government has historically issued permits to owners of private lands to allow the owners to graze their livestock on public lands. The permits (allotments) are generally of 10-year duration and allow for an annual season of use. In some cases, continued and repeated historical annual grazing practices may not be ideal for permit holders and their communities nor …
The Influence Of Physiological And Abiotic Factors On The Sensitivity Of The Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus) To The Lampricide 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol (Tfm),
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
The Influence Of Physiological And Abiotic Factors On The Sensitivity Of The Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus) To The Lampricide 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol (Tfm), Alexandra Muhametsafina
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Great Lakes are controlled using the pesticide (lampricide) 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), which is applied to nursery streams containing larval lamprey. The toxicity of TFM to lamprey is affected by various environmental and physiological factors, which can lead to residual lamprey that survive TFM treatment. The goal of this study was to investigate how abiotic (season and temperature) factors interacted with physiological parameters (whole body and tissue energy reserves) to influence TFM sensitivity in sea lamprey. Toxicity tests were conducted at different times of the year (spring, early and late summer, fall) and …
Distribution And Stability Of The Lampricide 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol (Tfm) In Non-Target Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And White Sucker (Catostomus Commersonii),
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Distribution And Stability Of The Lampricide 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol (Tfm) In Non-Target Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And White Sucker (Catostomus Commersonii), Darren Foubister
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
The lampricide 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) is applied to tributaries of the Great Lakes to control invasive sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus). Although TFM is selectively toxic to larval sea lampreys, non-target mortality can occur during lampricide treatments. It is important to know whether or not TFM played a role in the death of these fishes, and the most direct means to do this is using forensic science principles. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the acute toxicity of TFM to the non-target fishes, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and white sucker (Catostomus commersonii), and how the lampricide is …
Charecterization Of The Innate Immune Response In The Rat Intervertebral Disc At The Tissue And Cellular Level,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Charecterization Of The Innate Immune Response In The Rat Intervertebral Disc At The Tissue And Cellular Level, Matthew Guerreiro
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Low back pain (LBP) affects up to 80% of the global population at some point during their life. The costs associated with LBP are estimated at $100 billion per year, putting significant strains on our healthcare system. As intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation is one of the major causes of LBP we decided to focus on herniation facilitated inflammatory responses, where damage caused by herniation triggers an innate immune response which likely results in pain, inflammation, and recruitment of specialized innate immune cells like macrophages to the affected area. Since the role of the inflammatory response is relatively uncharacterized in the …
An Assessment Of The Plant And Mycorrhizal Community At Steeves Lake Shoreline, Colomac Mine, Nwt,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
An Assessment Of The Plant And Mycorrhizal Community At Steeves Lake Shoreline, Colomac Mine, Nwt, Rebekah Hamp, Dr. Kevin Stevens
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
This study focused on the environmental impacts of mining and potential techniques to mitigate them. The goals of this study were to (1) Quantify vegetation and fungal colonization at a remediated mine site in northern Canada, and to determine if there were effects from petroleum hydrocarbon contamination, (2) Determine the response of northern plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi to diesel contamination. Mycorrhizal colonization was observed in field collected roots and trends in colonization and vegetation cover suggested that these communities were no longer impacted by residual contamination. Mean hyphal colonization of Elymus trachycaulus roots collected over two years was 47.3±3.8% …
Establishing Relationships Among Environmental Stressors, Host Immune Status, And Wasting Disease Susceptibility In The Dominant Seagrass Species Thalassia Testudinum,
2018
University of North Florida
Establishing Relationships Among Environmental Stressors, Host Immune Status, And Wasting Disease Susceptibility In The Dominant Seagrass Species Thalassia Testudinum, Paige Joy Duffin
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
A growing body of evidence supports the observation that marine disease outbreaks, especially those caused by opportunistic pathogens, are increasing in frequency and severity. One genus of such pathogens, Labyrinthula, has been identified as the causative agent of seagrass wasting disease, an epidemic that has historically plagued seagrass beds around the world. It is suspected that pathogenicity is intimately linked to the ability of the host to initiate defense responses, but a lack of compelling evidence prevents any meaningful application of preliminary observations. This body of work investigated the roles of host genotype, host immune status, and environmental stressors …
Molecular Characterization Of The Mummichog (Fundulus Heteroclitus) Ovarian Steroidogenic Pathway And Implications For Exogenous Estrogen Effects During Follicular Development,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Molecular Characterization Of The Mummichog (Fundulus Heteroclitus) Ovarian Steroidogenic Pathway And Implications For Exogenous Estrogen Effects During Follicular Development, Thiviya Kanagasabesan
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
This study investigated ovarian development in Fundulus heteroclitus (mummichog), through molecular characterization of key mediators in the ovarian steroidogenic pathway; these included ovarian StAR (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein), cytochrome P450 enzymes, estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ1 and ERβ2), and gonadotropin receptors (FSHr and LHr); additionally, hepatic vitellogenin (VTG1) and ERs, and brain P450 aromatase (P450arom; CYP19b) were studied. Fish were staged into cortical alveolus, vitellogenic, early mature, late mature, and ovulating stages of maturation; blood (plasma), ovary (tissue and isolated ovarian follicles per stage), liver, and brains were collected. Testosterone (T), 17β-estradiol (E2) and maturation inducing steroid (MIS), measured …
Evidence For Extra-Gastric Expression Of The Proton Pump H+/K+ -Atpase In The Gills And Kidney Of The Teleost Oreochromis Niloticus,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Evidence For Extra-Gastric Expression Of The Proton Pump H+/K+ -Atpase In The Gills And Kidney Of The Teleost Oreochromis Niloticus, Ebtesam Barnawi
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
It is well known that stomach acid secretion by oxynticopeptic cells of the gastric mucosa is accomplished by the H+/ K+-ATPase (HKA), which is comprised of the HKα1 (gene: atp4a) and HKβ (gene: atp4b) subunits. However, the role of the HKA in extra-gastric organs such as the gill and kidney is less clear especially in fishes. This pump may contribute to active ion and/or acid-base regulation either through direct ion transport or through secondary transport proteins against unfavorable concentration gradients via the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis. In the present work I have demonstrated …
Gill Structure & Function In Parasitic And Non-Parasitic Lampreys: The Effects Of Metamorphosis And Freshwater-Seawater Transfer,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Gill Structure & Function In Parasitic And Non-Parasitic Lampreys: The Effects Of Metamorphosis And Freshwater-Seawater Transfer, Julia Sunga
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Lamprey (Petromyzontiformes) are a phylogenetically ancient group of jawless fishes that begin their lives as filter-feeding larvae (ammocoetes) before undergoing a complex metamorphosis into juvenile lamprey that involves major changes to their internal and external body plan. Some parasitic species, such as the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), migrate to sea following metamorphosis, where they use their oral discs and rasping tongue to attach to and ingest vast quantities of blood from fishes. Thus, sea lamprey have to counter the simultaneous challenges of hyposmoregulation in sea water and the generation of large quantities of ammonia due to the …
Near-Surface Permafrost Ground Ice Characteristics And Ecological And Physical Drivers Of Transient Layer Ice Content In Discontinuous Permafrost,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Near-Surface Permafrost Ground Ice Characteristics And Ecological And Physical Drivers Of Transient Layer Ice Content In Discontinuous Permafrost, Jason Paul
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Accelerated climate warming in northern regions is causing permafrost degradation, leading to the reduction of the areal extent of permafrost. Permafrost is the foundation for many northern ecosystems and communities, so its thaw can have important ecological and societal consequences. Thaw of ice-rich permafrost can cause subsidence of the ground surface proportional to excess ice content. Terrain settlement can cause ponding or damage to infrastructure. Following a surface disturbance that removes much of the vegetation cover, a shift in the ground thermal regime can cause an increase in active layer thickness and rapid thaw of the top portion of permafrost. …
Relationships Between Factors Influencing Biofilm Formation And Pathogen Retention In Complex Rhizosphere Microbial Communities,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Relationships Between Factors Influencing Biofilm Formation And Pathogen Retention In Complex Rhizosphere Microbial Communities, Aaron Coristine
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Riparian wetlands are unique habitats facilitating all forms of life. The riverbanks of these environments provide ideal conditions for bacteria, plants, and higher organisms. Of particular interest to this research was the variation in microbial community structure at high, intermediate and poor water quality impacted areas. Assessing the capabilities of plants to retain microbial pathogens was identified. Root systems and corresponding soil are ideal locations for bacterial deposition, resulting in attachment at these areas. Biofilm production in these regions is important for long-term establishment, leading to persistence and potential naturalization. Opportunistic pathogens originating from mammalian fecal matter are introduced into …
The Influence Of Water Chemistry And Gill Physiology On The Uptake Of The Lampricide Tfm By Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens),
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
The Influence Of Water Chemistry And Gill Physiology On The Uptake Of The Lampricide Tfm By Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens), Scott Leslie James Hepditch
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Application of 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) to control invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) within the Laurentian Great Lakes seldom causes non-target mortality. However, under certain conditions, TFM can harm species such as the lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Lake sturgeon less than 100mm in length are particularly vulnerable to TFM-induced mortality, and are more sensitive to TFM toxicity with increasing water alkalinity as compared to sea lamprey. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of pH and alkalinity on the uptake of TFM by juvenile sturgeon using radio-labeled TFM (14C-TFM). An additional objective was …
Forensic Markers Of Lampricide Toxicity In Oncorhynchsus Mykiss,
2018
Wilfrid Laurier University
Forensic Markers Of Lampricide Toxicity In Oncorhynchsus Mykiss, Chris White
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
The lampricide 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) has been used for decades to control invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) populations in the Great Lakes, normally with little harm to other fish populations. However, due to the nature of lampricide treatments and the chemical properties of TFM, adverse effects to non-target fishes and non-target mortality occasionally occur. However, investigations of non-target mortality can be complex, particularly if fish deaths are not noticed immediately, due to decomposition of the carcasses. The objectives of this thesis were to expose rainbow trout (Oncorhynchsus mykiss) to TFM in order to: (i) identify forensic markers …
Role Of Transforming Growth Factor (Tgf) – Β Signaling In Craniofacial Development, Malignancies And Regeneration,
2017
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Role Of Transforming Growth Factor (Tgf) – Β Signaling In Craniofacial Development, Malignancies And Regeneration, Jingpeng Liu
Theses & Dissertations
The transforming growth factor (TGF) – β signaling pathway regulates a diversity of fundamental cellular processes such as cell growth and proliferation, cell differentiation, migration, apoptosis and other biological functions, both during embryogenesis and in adult tissue homeostasis. TGF-β is known to play a critical role in palatal development as in TGF-β knockout murine models, TGF-β deficiency causes cleft palate, a common craniofacial deformity in humans due to the abnormality of growth, elevation or fusion of the two palatal shelves. In order to investigate the mechanisms of how TGF-β regulates palatogenesis, we generated TGF-β3 knockout (-/-) murine models, performed systematic …
