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(1 - 10 of 10)
- Title
- Embryonic and early larval development of Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus.
- Creator
- Ashley N. Morgan, Susan B. Fogelson, Paul S. Wills, Tracy Mincer, Sahar Mejri, Annie Page
- Abstract/Description
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The Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus, is an ideal species for commercial aquaculture because of its rapid growth, tolerance to a range of environmental parameters, and high demand in the seafood market. This study detailed embryonic and early larval development of this species. Florida pompano followed similar developmental sequences to those observed in other marine teleosts, and embryos hatched between 22 and 28 h post-fertilization. Significant brain lobe differentiation occurred...
Show moreThe Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus, is an ideal species for commercial aquaculture because of its rapid growth, tolerance to a range of environmental parameters, and high demand in the seafood market. This study detailed embryonic and early larval development of this species. Florida pompano followed similar developmental sequences to those observed in other marine teleosts, and embryos hatched between 22 and 28 h post-fertilization. Significant brain lobe differentiation occurred prior to hatching. Pectoral fins were functional within 1-day post-hatch (dph). Substantial eye development occurred within 3 dph, indicating visual acuity prior to the onset of exogenous live feeding. Intestinal segments were differentiated by 3 dph, and rotifers were seen in the digestive tract by 4 dph. Digestive functions were limited through the first 7 dph because of the absence of functional gastric glands and gastric mucous cells in the rudimentary stomach, lipid vacuoles in the anterior intestines, and the persistence of acidophilic supranuclear vesicles in the posterior intestines. Within 7 dph, the pharyngeal arches differentiated, and hematopoietic tissue and mesonephric tubules were visible in the larval kidney. Their rapid larval development and organogenesis are additional factors that make Florida pompano an ideal species for aquaculture production and should encourage continued efforts toward commercialization
Show less - Date Issued
- 2024
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUIR000545
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Polystyrene: Light in Weight, Heavy with Environmental Implications.
- Creator
- Frey, Briana, Mincer, Tracy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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This past year has seen an exponential increase in the amount of polystyrene foam products utilized for convenience purposes. Home food delivery services, takeout, and packaging from the surplus of online shopping are major contributors to the overall presence of polystyrene foam products polluting the environment. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), is made from petroleum, like most common plastics. However, polystyrene (PS) foam comprises over 90% air which makes it difficult to recycle due to its...
Show moreThis past year has seen an exponential increase in the amount of polystyrene foam products utilized for convenience purposes. Home food delivery services, takeout, and packaging from the surplus of online shopping are major contributors to the overall presence of polystyrene foam products polluting the environment. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), is made from petroleum, like most common plastics. However, polystyrene (PS) foam comprises over 90% air which makes it difficult to recycle due to its lightweight and bulky nature. The polystyrene foam is therefore discarded with trash or littered in the environment. The foam products become lost in the environment and make their way to rivers and the ocean to begin the decomposition process which is sped up by UV irradiation. The microplastics and nanoplastics resulting from breaking down PS products will subsequentially impact the wildlife with effects that were made clear in various studies that have been conducted.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00169
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AN ANALYTICAL STUDY AND DESCRIPTION OF COLOBOMA AND CHARGE SYNDROME.
- Creator
- Toledo, Ana, Mincer, Tracy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Coloboma and CHARGE Syndrome are rare congenital conditions that arise in about 1 in 10,000 children. Coloboma is a defect in the eyes. CHARGE Syndrome involves Coloboma, Heart defects, Atresia choanae (also known as choanal atresia), Restricted growth and development, Genital abnormalities, and Ear abnormalities. This thesis aims to spread awareness about the medical and physical complications that come with these conditions and the impacts they have on individuals. This thesis not only...
Show moreColoboma and CHARGE Syndrome are rare congenital conditions that arise in about 1 in 10,000 children. Coloboma is a defect in the eyes. CHARGE Syndrome involves Coloboma, Heart defects, Atresia choanae (also known as choanal atresia), Restricted growth and development, Genital abnormalities, and Ear abnormalities. This thesis aims to spread awareness about the medical and physical complications that come with these conditions and the impacts they have on individuals. This thesis not only meticulously studies and characterizes the mutations and symptoms involved in Coloboma and CHARGE Syndrome, but also provides insight on treatment and possibilities of a cure.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00224
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- “The Neurological Effects of Domoic Acid Toxicosis on Marine Mammals and Its Implications on Florida Wildlife”.
- Creator
- Grace Putnam, Grace, Mincer, Tracy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The dwindling population of the Florida manatee faces greater threats every year. With the addition of a domoic acid (DA) producing algal bloom of Pseudo-nitzschia, in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), they may have yet another threat. This study uses prior literature to compare and contrast the neuroanatomy of the California Sea Lion, Zalophus californianus, and the Florida Manatee, Trichechus manatus, to predict the effects of DA toxicosis in manatees. It also investigates the possible effects...
Show moreThe dwindling population of the Florida manatee faces greater threats every year. With the addition of a domoic acid (DA) producing algal bloom of Pseudo-nitzschia, in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), they may have yet another threat. This study uses prior literature to compare and contrast the neuroanatomy of the California Sea Lion, Zalophus californianus, and the Florida Manatee, Trichechus manatus, to predict the effects of DA toxicosis in manatees. It also investigates the possible effects of this kind of harmful algal bloom (HAB) in the IRL and for the people living near it. This study demonstrates, based on DA research in sea lions, that manatees could have decreased survivability due to DA induced hippocampal lesion development causing perseveration behaviors and loss of memory and goal directed behaviors. As well as decreased survivability to cold stress syndrome due to increased levels of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) .
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00211
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A REVIEW OF COVID-19 INDUCED TASTE AND SMELL DYSFUNCTION INCLUDING PREVALENCE, PROGNOSIS, DIAGNOSIS AND A POSSIBLE ROUTE TO THE BRAIN.
- Creator
- Pillay, Delsin, Mincer, Tracy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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SARS-CoV-2 is a viral pathogen that causes a disease termed coronavirus disease 2019. In December of 2019 the virus spread all over the world, causing a global pandemic. The disease mostly affects the respiratory system and common symptoms include fever, dry cough, labored breathing, and others. Among the other symptoms something noteworthy was found; COVID-19 caused olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in some affected individuals. The mechanisms relating to olfactory and gustatory...
Show moreSARS-CoV-2 is a viral pathogen that causes a disease termed coronavirus disease 2019. In December of 2019 the virus spread all over the world, causing a global pandemic. The disease mostly affects the respiratory system and common symptoms include fever, dry cough, labored breathing, and others. Among the other symptoms something noteworthy was found; COVID-19 caused olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in some affected individuals. The mechanisms relating to olfactory and gustatory dysfunction can shed light on the pathology of SARS-CoV-2 and how it uses the body to proliferate. This thesis will explore the prevalence, diagnosis, and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, as well as a potential route into the brain due to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00236
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Summary of SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Omicron’s Evolution.
- Creator
- Freedman, Brandon, Mincer, Tracy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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SARS-CoV-2, commonly referred to by the disease it causes, COVID-19, took the world by surprise in late 2019 and triggered a multi-year-long pandemic. Helped by its initial airborne infectivity, the virus accumulated mutations causing the disease to become even more infectious and lethal. This led to variants that struck the globe in waves, outcompeting their predecessors and leading to yet more mutations. However, this trend ended with the emergence of Omicron, the present dominant variant,...
Show moreSARS-CoV-2, commonly referred to by the disease it causes, COVID-19, took the world by surprise in late 2019 and triggered a multi-year-long pandemic. Helped by its initial airborne infectivity, the virus accumulated mutations causing the disease to become even more infectious and lethal. This led to variants that struck the globe in waves, outcompeting their predecessors and leading to yet more mutations. However, this trend ended with the emergence of Omicron, the present dominant variant, which exhibits greater infectivity but lessened lethality. Notably, the same mutations have repeatedly emerged, evolving from independent lineages all around the planet. This paper aims to identify and compare these mutations, and evaluate their influence on the variants that they inhabit. Using this information, this paper predicts characteristics of future SARS-CoV-2 variants by speculating what changes Omicron may undergo.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00231
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- MICROPLASTIC EXTRACTION FROM INDIAN RIVER LAGOON SEDIMENT SAMPLES.
- Creator
- Corellis, Brianna, Mincer, Tracy, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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Sediments are the ultimate resting place of plastics in the ocean, providing information on plastics that have escaped from the waste stream through freshwater input, marinas, and agricultural runoff. Sediment samples taken as part of a previous study in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, may shed light on the speculation of microplastics in this environment. These samples were taken in four seasons (2 wet and 2 dry) during 2016, 2017, and 2018 in Harbor Branch, Jensen Beach, Fort Pierce, and...
Show moreSediments are the ultimate resting place of plastics in the ocean, providing information on plastics that have escaped from the waste stream through freshwater input, marinas, and agricultural runoff. Sediment samples taken as part of a previous study in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, may shed light on the speculation of microplastics in this environment. These samples were taken in four seasons (2 wet and 2 dry) during 2016, 2017, and 2018 in Harbor Branch, Jensen Beach, Fort Pierce, and Vero Beach. Plastic particles were extracted from the sediments with >95% efficiency through density separation, filtration, and scanned using infrared spectroscopy. Analysis identified plastics as small as 30 μm, the most common polymers individuated being ~100μm. A preliminary overview of the study has revealed the presence of microplastics in the majority of the sediments analyzed. Future in depth analysies of these samples is planned to determine the polymers present.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00230
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Hematological changes in Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) supplemented with β-glucan and Pediococcus acidilactici synbiotic.
- Creator
- Ashley N. Morgan, Susan B. Fogelson, Paul S. Wills, Tracy Mincer, Sahar Mejri, Annie Page
- Abstract/Description
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Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) are a species of growing interest for commercial aquaculture. Effective health monitoring is crucial to the successful growout of the species, and prophylactic and therapeutic use of chemicals and antibiotics has been the traditional strategy for promoting stock health. However, concerns about antimicrobial resistance, chemical residues in seafood products and the environment, and resultant immunosuppression have prompted the industry to identify...
Show moreFlorida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) are a species of growing interest for commercial aquaculture. Effective health monitoring is crucial to the successful growout of the species, and prophylactic and therapeutic use of chemicals and antibiotics has been the traditional strategy for promoting stock health. However, concerns about antimicrobial resistance, chemical residues in seafood products and the environment, and resultant immunosuppression have prompted the industry to identify alternative management strategies, including supplementation with prebiotics, probiotics, and combinations of both (synbiotics). The objectives of this study are to determine and compare hematological, plasma biochemical, and plasma protein electrophoresis data of synbiotic-supplemented (β-glucan and Pediococcus acidilactici) and nonsupplemented Florida pompano. Reference intervals for blood analytes are provided for both groups and for subgroups (females, males, large, and small fish) where statistically significant results exist. There are no differences between the hematological and plasma biochemistry analytes between the supplemented and control groups, except for blood urea nitrogen and carbon dioxide, indicating a possible effect of synbiotic supplementation on gill function and osmoregulation. Sex-related and sizerelated differences are observed within each of the control and supplemented groups; however, biometric measurements do not strongly correlate with blood analytes. These data represent baseline hematological and plasma biochemical data in the Florida pompano and indicate the safety of synbiotic supplementation in this commercially important species. This study serves to further the commercialization of Florida pompano by providing blood analyte reference intervals for health monitoring in the aquaculture setting.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUIR000547
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A SHOTGUN METAGENOMIC APPROACH TO THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF MARINE NATURAL PRODUCTS.
- Creator
- Miller-Xavier, René Kathleen, Mincer, Tracy, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Genomics has been revolutionized by improved sequencing technologies, allowing for the detailed exploration of microbial dark matter and complex microscopic ecosystems. The bottleneck in genomic workflows has shifted from high-throughput sequencing to data analysis. This dissertation developed the Florida Center for Coastal and Human Health Shotgun Metagenomics Workflow (FCHsm) that is easy to use and tailor to unique datasets. This work acts as the beta-testing for the workflow, as it...
Show moreGenomics has been revolutionized by improved sequencing technologies, allowing for the detailed exploration of microbial dark matter and complex microscopic ecosystems. The bottleneck in genomic workflows has shifted from high-throughput sequencing to data analysis. This dissertation developed the Florida Center for Coastal and Human Health Shotgun Metagenomics Workflow (FCHsm) that is easy to use and tailor to unique datasets. This work acts as the beta-testing for the workflow, as it analyzes disparate biomes (environmental and host microbiomes) at varying sequencing depths (shallow and deep). FCHsm was used to resolve molecular dynamics and mine trans-kingdom metagenomes for secondary metabolic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in two marine environments— Indian River Lagoon toxic harmful algal blooms (IRL HABs) and the medicinal Leiodermatium sponge holobiont. First, an in silico mock dataset was analyzed to benchmark the FCHsm workflow. Sourmash, coupled with the Genome Taxonomy Database, outcompeted the other taxonomic profilers by accurately predicting the size of the mock metagenome (450 genomes) and recalling the highest number of species (82 %) and strains (44 %). Nonpareil calculated the sequencing effort needed for 100 % coverage for all the datasets and correctly estimated the 75 Gbp of sequencing needed for almost 100 % coverage of the mock metagenomes (99.5 %). Next, the trans-kingdom metagenomes of the IRL were explored, and potential HAB biomarkers were identified.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014186
- Subject Headings
- Marine natural products, Metagenomics
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Plastic Debris in the Marine Environment: Fate, Fragmentation, and Niche Opportunities of the Plastisphere.
- Creator
- Bos, Ryan P., Mincer, Tracy J., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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The goal of this dissertation was to examine the fate and fragmentation of plastic debris in the marine environment and characterize the microbial communities colonizing naturally occurring substrates and geologically recent plastic inputs in the ocean using analytical chemistry and genomic techniques. Altogether, the data presented herein reveal the presence of heretofore undescribed plastic accumulation zones in the ocean and depict a stark contrast in microbial traits between early and...
Show moreThe goal of this dissertation was to examine the fate and fragmentation of plastic debris in the marine environment and characterize the microbial communities colonizing naturally occurring substrates and geologically recent plastic inputs in the ocean using analytical chemistry and genomic techniques. Altogether, the data presented herein reveal the presence of heretofore undescribed plastic accumulation zones in the ocean and depict a stark contrast in microbial traits between early and mature plastic biofilm stages. These data further suggest that emergent plastic biofilm properties can be forecasted across environmental gradients, with the largescale genomic characteristics of early colonizers varying little across conditions. Chapter I of this thesis is an introduction to the current body of work regarding the plastisphere. Chapter II explores the ‘cradle to grave’ fragmentation, transformation, and transport of model microplastic particles and single-use plastic items in an artificial beach setting. Chapter III presents the first metagenomic insights into early biofilm formation on virgin microplastic surfaces in the marine environment and how early colonizers self-assemble, compared to mature, taxonomically, and metabolically diverse biofilms residing on free-drifting plastic pollution. Chapter IV further investigates microbial adaptations for initial colonization of virgin control and plastic surfaces and examines biofilm assemblage dynamics by employing metagenomics on a 16-day time series in a wastewater treatment facility. Chapter V synthesizes observations from the previous core chapters and discusses what these findings mean in a broader ecological and evolutionary perspective. Appendix 1 is a reprint of the manuscript describing the distribution of microplastics beneath the inner and outer plastic accumulation zones of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre. Appendix 2 is a submitted manuscript detailing the isolation, characterization, and selective adaptations of Vibrio bacteria colonizing eel leptocephali, free-drifting plastic pollution, Sargassum, and seawater in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014127
- Subject Headings
- Plastic scrap, Plastic scrap--Environmental aspects, Biofilms, Fragmentation (Chemistry)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
