Prioritizing The Largest, Oldest Corals For Disease Intervention In A Coral Disease-Ravaged Area: Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area, 2020 Nova Southeastern University
Prioritizing The Largest, Oldest Corals For Disease Intervention In A Coral Disease-Ravaged Area: Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area, Alysha Brunelle
All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations
Coral diseases appear to be more devastating than ever before. When a virulent disease ravages a coral ecosystem, it can significantly change the population’s demographics and cause local extinctions. Disease intervention response during such an event is impossible at a landscape scale, therefore priorities must be considered. Saving the largest, oldest colonies of reef-building species is a good choice due to their high fecundity and ecological function. Their size, as a proxy for age, is an indicator of their resistance to previous perturbations which may indicate higher fitness. Their size also provides habitat to many organisms and wave resistance in …
Adapting Biotoxin Monitoring For The Future: An Opportunity For A Harmful Algae Bloom (Hab) Network In Casco Bay, Maine, 2020 University of New England
Adapting Biotoxin Monitoring For The Future: An Opportunity For A Harmful Algae Bloom (Hab) Network In Casco Bay, Maine, Zachary B. Gordon
All Theses And Dissertations
Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) related to marine biotoxins have considerable impacts on coastal communities and have been increasing in size and frequency globally. Maine is recognized as a leader in biotoxin management as it relates to bivalve shellfish, but it has been unclear how current management practices effect the growth of shellfish aquaculture and how they will adapt to future conditions. This research uses a collaborative approach to analyze the current state of biotoxin management in Maine. First, the current management practices in Maine were compared and contrasted with five other states dealing with similar issues. Then, the perspectives of …
The Mayfly Newsletter, 2020 Southwestern Oklahoma State University
The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson, Peter M. Grant
The Mayfly Newsletter
The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.
Advancing Human Health In The Decade Ahead: Pregnancy As A Key Window For Discovery: A Burroughs Wellcome Fund Pregnancy Think Tank., 2020 Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA
Advancing Human Health In The Decade Ahead: Pregnancy As A Key Window For Discovery: A Burroughs Wellcome Fund Pregnancy Think Tank., Yoel Sadovsky, Sam Mesiano, Graham J Burton, Michelle Lampl, Jeffrey C Murray, Rachel M Freathy, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, Ashley Moffett, Nathan D Price, Paul H Wise, Derek E Wildman, Ralph Snyderman, Nigel Paneth, John Anthony Capra, Marcelo A Nobrega, Yaacov Barak, Louis J Muglia
Articles, Abstracts, and Reports
Recent revolutionary advances at the intersection of medicine, omics, data sciences, computing, epidemiology, and related technologies inspire us to ponder their impact on health. Their potential impact is particularly germane to the biology of pregnancy and perinatal medicine, where limited improvement in health outcomes for women and children has remained a global challenge. We assembled a group of experts to establish a Pregnancy Think Tank to discuss a broad spectrum of major gestational disorders and adverse pregnancy outcomes that affect maternal-infant lifelong health and should serve as targets for leveraging the many recent advances. This report reflects avenues for future …
Regulators Of Ectopic Calcification In A Mouse Model Of Dish: A Multi-Omics Perspective, 2020 The University of Western Ontario
Regulators Of Ectopic Calcification In A Mouse Model Of Dish: A Multi-Omics Perspective, Matthew A. Veras
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a non-inflammatory spondyloarthropathy and the second most common form of arthritis characterized by formation of ectopic mineral along the spine. Pathological findings in DISH include regional calcification of the anterior longitudinal ligament, paraspinal connective tissues, and annulus fibrosus (AF) of the intervertebral disc (IVD). Clinical symptoms of DISH include increased spine stiffness, decreased spinal range of motion, and in severe cases dysphagia and spinal cord/nerve root compression. The molecular pathways responsible for DISH have not been delineated and as such, there are no disease-modifying treatments. Clinical treatment for DISH is limited to surgical resection …
Metabolic Network Analysis Of Filamentous Cyanobacteria, 2020 Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Metabolic Network Analysis Of Filamentous Cyanobacteria, Daniel Alexis Norena-Caro
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Cyanobacteria were the first organisms to use oxygenic photosynthesis, converting CO2 into useful organic chemicals. However, the chemical industry has historically relied on fossil raw materials to produce organic precursors, which has contributed to global warming. Thus, cyanobacteria have emerged as sustainable stakeholders for biotechnological production. The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. UTEX 2576 can metabolize multiple sources of Nitrogen and was studied as a platform for biotechnological production of high-value chemicals (i.e., pigments, antioxidants, vitamins and secondary metabolites). From a Chemical engineering perspective, the biomass generation in this organism was thoroughly studied by interpreting the cell as a microbial …
The Prairie Naturalist, Vol. 52, Issue 1, June 2020, 2020 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
The Prairie Naturalist, Vol. 52, Issue 1, June 2020
The Prairie Naturalist
EDITOR’S NOTE • Jane E. Austin, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief
Factors Associated with Larval Freshwater Drum Annual Peak Density in a Nebraska Irrigation Reservoir • Brett T. Miller, Brian C. Peterson, Keith D. Koupal, and Casey W. Schoenbeck
Small mammal communities in grasslands at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, USA • Lynda R. Lafond, Elizabeth H. Rave, and Kathryn A. Yurkonis
Evaluation of Four Larval Fish Sampling Methods in a Large Midwestern River • Nathan J. Lederman, Anthony R. Sindt, Douglas J. Dieterman, John D. Krenz, and Shannon J. Fisher
Wood Frogs (Rana sylvatica) in Southwestern Roberts …
Coping With Stress: The Caulobacter Approach, 2020 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Coping With Stress: The Caulobacter Approach, Bronson R. Weston, Yang Cao, John J. Tyson
Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference
No abstract provided.
A Phosphoinositide-Based Model Of Actin Waves In Frustrated Phagocytosis, 2020 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
A Phosphoinositide-Based Model Of Actin Waves In Frustrated Phagocytosis, Marco A. Avila Ponce De Leon
Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference
No abstract provided.
The Critical Role Of Tnf Receptors Versus Nadph Oxidase In Controlling Babesia Microti Infection, 2020 Touro College and University System
The Critical Role Of Tnf Receptors Versus Nadph Oxidase In Controlling Babesia Microti Infection, Amal Balahmar
NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations
Babesia microti is an apicomplexan parasite transmitted by tick bite that infects red blood cells. It is increasingly associated with transfusion-transmitted infections including fatal infection as the parasite survives blood banking procedures. The infection can range from asymptomatic to fatal. The parasite can persist in relatively asymptomatic individuals for up to two years. The host and parasite determinants of severity of infection and/or parasite clearance remain largely unknown. However, asplenic and immune suppressed individuals including the very young and relatively old, greater than 50 years of age, are more vulnerable to severe disease. The goal of the current research is …
Modeling Hybrid Novel Traits: A Case Study In Complex Petal Pigment Patterning In Hybrid Mimulus, 2020 William & Mary
Modeling Hybrid Novel Traits: A Case Study In Complex Petal Pigment Patterning In Hybrid Mimulus, Xingyu Zheng
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Hybridization between species, by introducing dramatic trait variation into the population and creating viable, transgressive offsprings with novel phenotypes, can have huge evolutionary implications. Some hybrid traits have been studied in the classical genetics or population genetics context, but most complex traits are determined by multiple causes, e.g. the number of loci involved, the rewiring of the genetic circuitries, and the changes in gene expression pattern. Using the hybrid monkeyflower petal pigment patterning as an example, we present a case study to investigate complex hybrid traits in a systematic manner that includes empirical data analysis and quantitative mathematical modeling of …
Dugesia Japonica Is The Best Suited Of Three Planarian Species For High-Throughput Toxicology Screening, 2020 Swarthmore College
Dugesia Japonica Is The Best Suited Of Three Planarian Species For High-Throughput Toxicology Screening, D. Ireland, Veronica Bochenek , '22, Daniel Chaiken , '20, C. Rabeler, Sumi Onoe , '21, Ameet Soni, Eva-Maria S. Collins
Biology Faculty Works
High-throughput screening (HTS) using new approach methods is revolutionizing toxicology. Asexual freshwater planarians are a promising invertebrate model for neurotoxicity HTS because their diverse behaviors can be used as quantitative readouts of neuronal function. Currently, three planarian species are commonly used in toxicology research: Dugesia japonica, Schmidtea mediterranea, and Girardia tigrina. However, only D. japonica has been demonstrated to be suitable for HTS. Here, we assess the two other species for HTS suitability by direct comparison with D. japonica. Through quantitative assessments of morphology and multiple behaviors, we assayed the effects of 4 common solvents (DMSO, …
Metabolic Modeling Of Multispecies Microbial Biofilms, 2020 University of Massachusetts Amherst
Metabolic Modeling Of Multispecies Microbial Biofilms, Poonam Phalak
Doctoral Dissertations
Biofilms are ubiquitous in medical, environmental, and engineered microbial systems. The majority of naturally occurring microbes grow as mixed species biofilms. These complicated biofilm consortia are comprised of many cell phenotypes with complex interactions and self-organized into three-dimensional structures. Approximately 2% of the US population suffers from non-healing chronic wounds infected by a combination of commensal and pathogenic bacteria whereas about 500,000 cases of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) are reported annually. These polymicrobial infections are often resilient to antibiotic treatment due to the nutrient-rich environments and species interactions that promote community stability and robustness. This thesis focusses on developing metabolic …
Yeast Copper Proteins And Reactive Oxygen Species In Effecting Lifespan, 2020 Linfield College
Yeast Copper Proteins And Reactive Oxygen Species In Effecting Lifespan, Megan Bestwick
Post-Grant Reports
Mitochondria are essential organelles in most eukaryotic cells because of their role in metabolism and the production of ATP by the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway, as well as other key cellular processes. Metal cofactors, such as copper (Cu) and iron (Fe), are incorporated into OXPHOS protein complexes of yeast located within the inner membrane of the mitochondria. Misincorporation or modulation of these available metals in mitochondrial enzymes leads to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are reactive molecules containing oxygen such as peroxides, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals. Yeast are a good model for studying aging and the effect …
Micom: Metagenome-Scale Modeling To Infer Metabolic Interactions In The Gut Microbiota., 2020 Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Micom: Metagenome-Scale Modeling To Infer Metabolic Interactions In The Gut Microbiota., Christian Diener, Sean M Gibbons, Osbaldo Resendis-Antonio
Articles, Abstracts, and Reports
Compositional changes in the gut microbiota have been associated with a variety of medical conditions such as obesity, Crohn's disease, and diabetes. However, connecting microbial community composition to ecosystem function remains a challenge. Here, we introduce MICOM, a customizable metabolic model of the human gut microbiome. By using a heuristic optimization approach based on L2 regularization, we were able to obtain a unique set of realistic growth rates that corresponded well with observed replication rates. We integrated adjustable dietary and taxon abundance constraints to generate personalized metabolic models for individual metagenomic samples. We applied MICOM to a balanced cohort of …
The Bioethical Significance Of “The Origin Of Man’S Ethical Behavior” (October 1941, Unpublished) By Ernest Everett Just And Hedwig Anna Schnetzler Just, 2020 Southern Methodist University
The Bioethical Significance Of “The Origin Of Man’S Ethical Behavior” (October 1941, Unpublished) By Ernest Everett Just And Hedwig Anna Schnetzler Just, Theodore Walker Jr.
Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science
Abstract –
E. E. Just (1883-1941) is an acknowledged “pioneer” in cell biology, and he is perhaps the pioneer in study of egg cell fertilization. Here we discover that Just also made pioneering contributions to general biology and evolutionary bioethics.
Within Just’s published contributions to observational cell biology, there are substantial fragments of his theory of ethical behavior, a theory with roots in cell biology. In addition to such previously available fragments, Just’s fully developed theory is now available. This recently discovered unpublished book-length manuscript argues for the biological origins of ethical behavior (evolving from cells to humans, within a …
Factors Associated With Larval Freshwater Drum Annual Peak Density In A Nebraska Irrigation Reservoir, 2020 University of Nebraska at Kearney
Factors Associated With Larval Freshwater Drum Annual Peak Density In A Nebraska Irrigation Reservoir, Brett T. Miller, Brian C. Peterson, Keith D. Koupal, Casey W. Schoenebeck
The Prairie Naturalist
Freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) represent one of the most widely distributed fish species in North America. Identifying biotic and abiotic factors that influence larval freshwater drum densities can improve understanding of early life history. Our objective was to investigate correlations between annual peak density of larval freshwater drum and combinations of five variables (chlorophyll a, growing degree days [GDD], reservoir discharge, turbidity, and cladoceran density) from a longterm (2003–2017) monitoring program in a Nebraska irrigation reservoir. Twenty-eight a priori candidate models were assessed to determine the relative support of explanatory variables associated with annual peak density of larval freshwater drum …
Small Mammal Communities In Grasslands At The Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, Usa, 2020 University of North Dakota
Small Mammal Communities In Grasslands At The Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, Usa, Lynda R. Lafond, Elizabeth H. Rave, Kathryn A. Yurkonis
The Prairie Naturalist
Small mammals are important in grasslands but are often overlooked in management and reconstruction efforts. We sampled small mammals in three sites on the Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) located in central Grand Forks County, North Dakota, USA. The study sites varied in their management history and represented the three major types of grasslands (reconstructed prairie, old field, and hay field) within Grand Forks County. We captured 463 individuals of six species with Sherman live traps in summer (June, July, August) 2014 and 2015. We captured the most individuals and species (295 individuals of 5 species), including all shrews …
Comparing Native Bee Communities On Reconstructed And Remnant Prairie In Missouri, 2020 University of Missouri
Comparing Native Bee Communities On Reconstructed And Remnant Prairie In Missouri, Joseph Larose, Elisabeth B. Webb, Deborah Finke
The Prairie Naturalist
The tallgrass prairie of North America is an imperiled ecosystem that has been the subject of considerable restoration effort and research in the past two decades. While native prairie plant species are purposely introduced during restoration, prairie invertebrates, including native bees (Anthophila), are not and must colonize from surrounding remnants. Prairie restorations may not support the same bee communities as remnant prairies because of habitat differences and dispersal limitations. We sampled native bees on reconstructed and remnant prairies in Missouri in the summers of 2016 and 2017 and compared the communities by evaluating species richness, diversity, and community composition. We …
Using Dendrochronology To Create A Timescale Of Succession On Nurse Logs In The Olympic Temperate Rainforest, 2020 University of Puget Sound
Using Dendrochronology To Create A Timescale Of Succession On Nurse Logs In The Olympic Temperate Rainforest, Sean Grealish
Summer Research
Previous work on the Olympic peninsula in Washington State has shown that recently fallen trees provide a germination location for seeds that cannot do so on the forest floor due to thick moss mats. My field work over two summers dating and surveying nurse logs yielded a crossover at ~70 years where ground mosses start to dominate over tree mosses and seedling abundance begins to decrease.