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open access

Respiratory Responses in the Freshwater Snail (Pomacea Bridgesii) are Differently Affected by Temperature, Body Mass,and Oxygen Availability

Description: Pomacea bridgesii is a snail species native to tropical and sub-tropical regions, where it usually faces variability in water, temperature and oxygen level. This study of the effect of temperature on mass-specific oxygen consumption (ṀO2) and its relation to body weight shows that the ṀO2 of juvenile snails in normoxia (18-21 kPa) acclimated at temperature of 25°C ranged from 5 to 58 µMol O2/g/h, with a mean of 41.4 ± 18.3 µMol O2/g/h (n=7). Adult snails in normoxia at 25°C show less variat… more
Date: August 2016
Creator: Frifer, Wenasa Salem
open access

Restoration Techniques for Northern Bobwhites

Description: Isolated populations of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have declined causing many quail managers to attempt population restoration by releasing captive-reared bobwhites or translocating wild bobwhites. I evaluated three restoration techniques: (1) release of captive-reared bobwhites, (2) translocation of bobwhites from high densities to low densities, and (3) release of captive-reared and translocated bobwhites acclimated on site prior to release. These results show that captive-reare… more
Date: May 2015
Creator: Newman, William L.
open access

Retinoic acid Treatment Affects Kidney Development and Osmoregulatory System in the Developing Chicken (Gallus Gallus)

Description: Development is a dynamic process characterized by critical periods in which organ systems are sensitive to changes in the surrounding environment. In the current study, critical windows of embryonic growth and kidney development were assessed in the embryonic chicken. All‐trans retinoic acid (tRA) influences not only organogenesis and cell proliferation, but also targets metanephric kidney nephrogenesis. Embryonic chickens were given a single injection of tRA on embryonic day 8. tRA decre… more
Date: May 2011
Creator: Alvine, Travis Douglas
open access

Revisiting the Neuroprotective Role of 17B-Estradiol (E2): A Multi-Omics Based Analysis of the Rat Brain and Serum

Description: The ovarian hormone 17β-estradiol (E2) is one of the central regulators of the female reproductive system. E2 is also a pleiotropic regulator since it can exert its non-reproductive role on other organ systems. E2 is neuroprotective, it maintains body's energy homeostasis, participates in various repair mechanism and is required for neural development. However, there is a substantial evidence suggesting that there might be a molecular reprogramming of E2's action when it is supplied exogenously… more
Date: August 2018
Creator: Zaman, Khadiza
open access

The Role of Cysteinyl Leukotriene Receptor 2 in Thrombocyte Aggregation

Description: Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 2, a G-protein coupled receptor known to be expressed and functional on human platelets. However, it seems that upon ligand activation the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 2 activates a variety of signaling pathways in multiple cell types among different species. Previously, a former laboratory member Vrinda Kulkarni found cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 2 to be expressed on the surface of adult zebrafish thrombocytes. In this work I studied the characteristics of ag… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Reyna, Julianna
open access

Role of GPR17 in Thrombocyte Aggregation in Adult Zebrafish

Description: GPR17, a uracil nucleotide cysteinyl leukotriene receptor, belongs to the GPCR (G protein coupled receptor) family. It has been shown recently that inhibiting this protein in the nervous system in mice can lead to blockage of oligodendrocyte maturation, which supports myelin repair. Interestingly, our laboratory found GPR17 in thrombocytes. However, we do not know whether it has any function in thrombocyte aggregation or the nature of the ligand. In this paper, we studied the role of GPR17 in h… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Bohassan, Maruah Hejey
open access

Role of N-Acylethanolamines in Plant Defense Responses: Modulation by Pathogens and Commercial Antimicrobial Stressors

Description: N-acyl ethanolamines (NAEs) are a class of lipids recently recognized as signaling molecules which are controlled, in part, by their degradation by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). On the basis of previous studies indicating increased NAE levels in a tobacco cell suspension-xylanase elicitor exposure system and the availability of FAAH mutants, overexpressor and knockout (OE and KO) genotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana, further roles of NAEs in A. thaliana plant defense was investigated. The com… more
Date: August 2010
Creator: Vadapalli, Vatsala
open access

The Role of the Actin Cytoskeleton in Asymmetric Cell Division in Maize

Description: Stomata are specialized plant structures required for gaseous exchange with the outer environment. During stomata formation, the cytoskeleton plays an important role in controlling the division of the individual cells leading to the generation of the stomata complex. Two mutants that affect microfilament and microtubule organization in subsidiary mother cells include brk1 and dcd1. While only 20% of the subsidiary cells in the brk1 and dcd1 single mutants are abnormally shaped, it was reported… more
Date: August 2014
Creator: Alhassan, Hassan Hamdan
open access

The Role of Thyroid Hormone across Avian Development Spectrum: Investigations on Systemic Development, Metabolism and Ontogeny of Endothermy

Description: Achievement of endothernic capacity is vital for independence from ambient temperature changes, sustained activity, optimal biochemical reactions and optimization of parental care. During early avian development, the core tenets of transition from ectothermy to endothermy are development of metabolic capacity (oxygen consumption, mitochondrial bioenergetics), enhanced cardiovascular function (heart rate and cardiac output), pulmonary ventilation and thermogenic capacity. Thyroid hormones, parti… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Sirsat, Tushar Saoji
open access

The Role of Thyroid Hormone on the Development of Endothermy in White Leghorn Chickens (Gallus gallus)

Description: As chickens hatch, there is a rapid change in their physiology and metabolism associated with attaining endothermy. It is thought that thyroid hormones (TH) play a major role in regulating developmental changes at hatching. In birds, TH regulates skeletal muscle growth, which has a direct impact on the chick's ability to thermoregulate via shivering thermogenesis. To better understand the role of TH in the timing of hatching, development of thermogenic capacity, and metabolic rate, we manipu… more
Date: August 2018
Creator: Rippamonti, Jessica D.
open access

The Role of Transmembrane Protein 59 in Thrombocyte Function and the Effect of MS-222 on Hemostasis in Zebrafish

Description: Transmembrane protein 59 (tmem59) is a gene that encodes a protein involved in autophagy and apoptosis in human. A previous study in zebrafish showed that tmem59 mRNA was several folds higher in thrombocytes than those found in red blood cells (RBCs). Therefore, we hypothesized that tmem59 has a role in thrombocytes function. We injected a hybrid of control vivo-morpholino (cVMO) and tmem59 specific antisense standard oligonucleotide (tmem59SO) into adult zebrafish to knockdown tmem59.This pigg… more
Date: August 2018
Creator: Deebani, Afnan Omar M.
open access

Roles of Primary Cilia in the Oligodendrocyte Lineage

Description: Primary cilia are nonmotile, hair-shaped organelles that extend from the basal body in the centrosome. The present study is the first investigation of this organelle in the oligodendrocyte lineage in vivo. I used immunohistochemical approaches in normal and cilia-deficient mutant mice to study cilia in relation to oligodendrogenesis and myelination. Primary cilia immunoreactive for Arl13b and ACIII were commonly present in NG2+ oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), in which cilia-associated … more
Date: December 2018
Creator: Subedi, Ashok
open access

Shortened in Vivo Bioconcentration Factor Testing in Cyprinus Carpio

Description: Bioconcentration factor testing serves as the most valuable surrogate for the assessment of bioaccumulation. The assessment of potentially harmful chemicals is crucial to not only the health of aquatic environments, but to humans as well. Chemicals that possess the ability to persist in the environment or that have the potential to bioaccumulate, pose a greater risk to organisms that are exposed to these chemicals. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Guideline 305 outlines… more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Cantu, Mark
open access

Simultaneous Electrophysiological and Morphological Assessment of Impact Damage to Nerve Cell Networks

Description: A ballistic pendulum impulse generator was used to impact networks in primary culture growing on microelectrode arrays. This approach has the advantage of imparting pure tangential acceleration insults (50 to 300 g) with simultaneous morphological and electrophysiological multichannel monitoring for days before and after the impact. Action potential (AP) production, network activity patterns, and cell electrode coupling of individual units using AP waveshape templates were quantified. Network … more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Rogers, Edmond A.
open access

A Socio-ecological Assessment of Watershed Ecosystem Services in Southern Patagonia

Description: This thesis utilizes a theoretical framework which links biophysical and social domains of ecosystems via ecosystem services (ES), in order to conduct a socio-ecological assessment of urban watersheds in three communities in Chilean and Argentine regions of southern Patagonia. Results from this study show that expanding urban areas may be undermining the ability of local watersheds to provide for high quality ES posing potential risks to community wellbeing. Secondly, researchers and decision m… more
Date: August 2012
Creator: Zagarola, Jean-Paul Aguirre
open access

Soil and Forest Variation by Topography and Succession Stages in the Greenbelt Corridor, Floodplain of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, North Texas.

Description: The Greenbelt Corridor (GBC), located in a floodplain of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, contains patches of bottomland forest and serves as part of Lake Lewisville’s flood control backwaters. This study examines forest structure and composition in relation to topographic position and forest stage in the GBC. Thirty two plots were surveyed within various stage classes, topographic positions, and USDA soil types. Trees were identified and measured for height and DBH. Density, basal area, and … more
Date: August 2011
Creator: Rijal, Rajan
open access

Solvent Effects and Bioconcentration Patterns of Antimicrobial Compounds in Wetland Plants

Description: This study looked at effects of organic solvents dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylformamide and acetone at 0.01%, 0.05% and 0.1% concentration on germination and seedling development wetland plants. Even at 0.01% level, all solvents affected some aspect of seed germination or seedling growth. Acetone at 0.01% was least toxic. Root morphological characteristics were most sensitive compared to shoot morphological characteristics. This study also looked at bioconcentration patterns of antimicrobial comp… more
Date: May 2011
Creator: Adhikari, Sajag
open access

Somatostatin Receptors on Neuronal Cilia: Evidence for Neuroprotection

Description: Primary cilia are essential in brain development, as mediators of sonic hedgehog signaling. However, their role in mature neurons remains elusive. One means to elucidate their function may be to investigate the function of the somatostatin type 3 receptor (SstR3), which is concentrated on the primary cilia of neurons. The inhibitory and anticonvulsant properties of somatostatin suggest that ciliary SstR3 might protect neurons against excitotoxicity, as seen in epileptic seizures. C57BL/6 wi… more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Evans, Shakila K.
open access

Spatial Variations and Cultural Explanations to Obesity in Ghana

Description: While obesity is now recognized as a major health concern in Ghana, the major drivers, causal factors, and their spatial variation remain unclear. Nutritional changes and lack of physical activity are frequently blamed but the underlying factors, particularly cultural values and practices, remain understudied. Using hot spot analysis and spatial autocorrelation, this research investigates the spatial patterns of obesity in Ghana and the explanatory factors. We also use focus group discussions t… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Asubonteng, Agnes
open access

Stability of Myosin Subfragment-2 Modulates the Force Produced by Acto-Myosin Interaction of Striated Muscle

Description: Myosin subfragment-2 (S2) is a coiled coil linker between myosin subfragment-1 and light meromyosin (LMM). This dissertation examines whether the myosin S2 coiled coil could regulate the amount of myosin S1 heads available to bind actin thin filaments by modulating the stability of its coiled coil. A stable myosin S2 coiled coil would have less active myosin S1 heads compared to a more flexible myosin S2 coiled coil, thus causing increased force production through acto-myosin interaction. The … more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Singh, Rohit Rajendraprasad
open access

Stress Response by Alternative σ-factor, RpoH, and Analysis of Posttranslational Modification of the Heat Shock Protein, Dnak, in Escherichia coli

Description: Bacteria have developed specialized responses that involve the expression of particular genes present in a given regulon. Sigma factors provide regulatory mechanisms to respond to stress by acting as transcriptional initiation factors. This work focuses on σ32 during oxidative stress in Escherichia coli. The differential response of key heat shock (HS) genes was investigated during HS and oxidative stress using qPCR techniques. While groEL and dnaJ experienced increases in transcriptional respo… more
Date: May 2015
Creator: Martinez, Sarah N.
open access

Stretching the Flexible Myosin II Subfragment Using the Novel Gravitational Force Spectroscope, and the Uncoiling of S2

Description: Familial Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) causes ventricle walls to thicken and often leads to sudden death especially in adults. Mutations in the subfragment 2 (S2) of β-cardiac myosin are implicated in the genetic disorder. This S2 region is a coiled-coil rod region resulting from the dimeric form of myosin II. It has been proposed that an elastic quality allows normal S2 to absorb force during the powerstroke according to the sliding filament model. To test the flexibility of single mo… more
Date: May 2010
Creator: Dunn, James W.
open access

Studies in Trypsin as an Alarm Substance in Zebrafish

Description: Previous studies have shown that fish release alarming substances into the water to alert their kin to escape from danger. In our laboratory, we found that zebrafish produce trypsin and release it from their gills into the environment when they are under stress. By placing the zebrafish larvae in the middle of a small tank and then placing trypsin at one end of the tank, we observed that the larvae moved away from the trypsin zone and almost to the opposite end of the tank. This escape response… more
Date: August 2018
Creator: Alsrhani, Abdullah Falleh
open access

Studies on Plant-aphid Interactions: a Novel Role for Trehalose Metabolism in Arabidopsis Defense Against Green Peach Aphid

Description: Myzus persicae (Sülzer), commonly known as the green peach aphid (GPA), is a polyphagous insect that can infest over 100 families of economically important plants and is major pest for vegetable crops. This study utilizes the Arabidopsis-GPA model system with the aim to elucidate the role of the plant disaccharide trehalose in providing defense against GPA. This study demonstrates a novel role for TPS11 in providing defense against GPA. TPS11 expression was found to be transiently induced in Ar… more
Date: May 2012
Creator: Singh, Vijay
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