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- Title
- A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE: HOW CAMERA POSITIONING INFLUENCES MEMORY FOR EVERYDAY EVENTS.
- Creator
- Hagen, Allen C., Kersten, Alan, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The current study examined how viewing an event from different perspectives (eye-level and elevated) at both encoding and retrieval changes the recognition of that event. Specifically, participants were shown various manipulations to the scenarios that they witnessed at encoding. The primary focus of the study was the participants’ ability to identify old scenarios along with scenarios that had been manipulated through differences in character clothing, object placement, or temporal order of...
Show moreThe current study examined how viewing an event from different perspectives (eye-level and elevated) at both encoding and retrieval changes the recognition of that event. Specifically, participants were shown various manipulations to the scenarios that they witnessed at encoding. The primary focus of the study was the participants’ ability to identify old scenarios along with scenarios that had been manipulated through differences in character clothing, object placement, or temporal order of events, while still resembling the old scenario in every other way. No support was found to support the prediction that perspective at either encoding or retrieval had an effect on recognition of the scenario or the different manipulation types. An exploratory analysis revealed a trend towards significance for perspective at encoding. An eye-level perspective at encoding was more likely to result in a higher rejection rate for temporal manipulations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014217
- Subject Headings
- Memory, Perspective
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A MONTE CARLO STUDY OF THE NEUTRON AMBIENT DOSE EQUIVALENT FROM A PROTON PENCIL BEAM MEDICAL THERAPY UNIT.
- Creator
- Llanes, Alejandro Rene Lopez, Muhammad, Wazir, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Physics, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Proton Therapy, an effective cancer treatment, poses unintended consequences for patients and personnel due to secondary neutron production. This study investigates neutron attenuation in shielding materials like concrete using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to optimize shielding requirements. Experimental limitations, such as detector sensitivity, energy range response, and spatial resolution, lead to inaccurate evaluations. MC simulations address that by modeling radiation transport and...
Show moreProton Therapy, an effective cancer treatment, poses unintended consequences for patients and personnel due to secondary neutron production. This study investigates neutron attenuation in shielding materials like concrete using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to optimize shielding requirements. Experimental limitations, such as detector sensitivity, energy range response, and spatial resolution, lead to inaccurate evaluations. MC simulations address that by modeling radiation transport and neutron interactions with shielding materials. The TOPAS-MC code simulated secondary neutrons generated by a 226.5 MeV energy proton beam on a 30 cm diameter tissue-equivalent target. The target was placed in a 200 cm spherical concrete shell with a 100 cm inner radius and 2.3 g/cm3 density. Energy deposition and particle fluence were scored in 20 radial points across 18 angular positions, and the mean value per particle was estimated. Neutron fluence to ambient dose equivalent conversion coefficients from ICRU Report No. 95 were used to calculate the total dose equivalent values, which were scaled based on distance and concrete shield thickness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014213
- Subject Headings
- Proton Therapy, Monte Carlo simulation, Neutrons
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- AMYLOIDOGENICITY OF THE PEPTIDE FRAGMENT IN MICROTUBULE BINDING REPEAT DOMAIN OF TAU.
- Creator
- Islam, Majedul, Du, Deguo, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Tau, a microtubule-associated protein, is involved in more than 20 different tauopathic disorders characterized by aberrant intracellular aggregation of tau in the brain. However, it is still unclear how this highly soluble tau protein aggregates inside the brain. Thus, understanding the mechanistic details of tau aggregation is critical for unraveling the underlying pathology of tauopathies and developing effective strategies to inhibit tau aggregation. Herein, we investigated the...
Show moreTau, a microtubule-associated protein, is involved in more than 20 different tauopathic disorders characterized by aberrant intracellular aggregation of tau in the brain. However, it is still unclear how this highly soluble tau protein aggregates inside the brain. Thus, understanding the mechanistic details of tau aggregation is critical for unraveling the underlying pathology of tauopathies and developing effective strategies to inhibit tau aggregation. Herein, we investigated the aggregation of a novel 20-residue model peptide, tau₂₉₈₋₃₁₇, derived from the key microtubule-binding domain of the full sequence tau. Our study demonstrates that tau₂₉₈₋₃₁₇ highly mimics full-length tau's physical and aggregation properties. The fibrillation of the peptide is strongly dependent on external factors. The presence of polyanionic heparin (Hep) significantly promotes the aggregation of this peptide to form amyloid fibrils. The Hep-induced aggregation is sensitive to the ionic strength of the solution, suggesting an important role of electrostatic interactions in the mechanism of Hep-mediated aggregation. In addition, two positively charged polysaccharides, chitosan (CHT) and its quaternary derivative N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC), effectively inhibit Hep-induced aggregation of tau₂₉₈₋₃₁₇ in a concentration-dependent manner. Attractive electrostatic interactions between the positively charged moieties in CHT/TMC and the negatively charged residues of Hep play a critical role in inhibiting Hep–peptide interactions and suppressing peptide aggregation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014211
- Subject Headings
- tau Proteins, Tauopathies, Amyloidogenic Proteins
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- CAN GENOMIC AND ALGAL SYMBIONT DATA PREDICT CORAL RESTORATION SUCCESS? CORAL AND ALGAL SYMBIONT SEQUENCING IN A MULTI-SPECIES SOUTH FLORIDA CORAL RESTORATION EXPERIMENT.
- Creator
- Bell, Sydney L., Voss, Joshua D., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) emerged in 2014 and has since spread across Florida’s Coral Reef (FCR) and the Caribbean. This thesis is part of a larger project assessing the efficacy of restoring SCTLD-susceptible corals Montastraea cavernosa, Orbicella faveolata, and Pseudodiploria clivosa in SCTLD endemic areas. As part of Florida’s largest coral restoration experiment to date, 1,152 cement bases with 5,760 coral fragments from 99 source colonies were outplanted across six regions...
Show moreStony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) emerged in 2014 and has since spread across Florida’s Coral Reef (FCR) and the Caribbean. This thesis is part of a larger project assessing the efficacy of restoring SCTLD-susceptible corals Montastraea cavernosa, Orbicella faveolata, and Pseudodiploria clivosa in SCTLD endemic areas. As part of Florida’s largest coral restoration experiment to date, 1,152 cement bases with 5,760 coral fragments from 99 source colonies were outplanted across six regions throughout FCR and monitored monthly over two years for survival, disease, and growth. Before outplanting, coral tissue samples were collected for high-resolution 2bRAD and ITS2 sequencing to genotype the corals and characterize their initial algal symbiont communities. Neither host genetic lineages nor algal symbiont types significantly affected SCTLD susceptibility or survival, negating the hypothesis of SCTLD-resistant “super coral” lineages. Results from this study will inform the feasibility and design of future coral restoration efforts in SCTLD endemic zones to maintain or enhance coral biodiversity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014204
- Subject Headings
- Corals--Diseases, Coral reef restoration
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- CHARACTERIZATION OF PROCONVULSANT MECHANISMS ON GABAERGIC NEUROTRANSMISSION IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS.
- Creator
- Suthakaran, Nirthieca, Dawson-Scully, Ken, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Epilepsy is a prevalent brain disorder that affects more than 1 in 26 people in the United States. The recurring increased neuronal excitability during seizures results in sleep disturbances and muscle convulsions that reduce the quality of life and increase the healthcare costs for these patients. An epilepsy diagnosis is made when patients have had two or more seizures. There are many types of seizures and an individual can have more than one type. Seizures are classified into two groups, 1...
Show moreEpilepsy is a prevalent brain disorder that affects more than 1 in 26 people in the United States. The recurring increased neuronal excitability during seizures results in sleep disturbances and muscle convulsions that reduce the quality of life and increase the healthcare costs for these patients. An epilepsy diagnosis is made when patients have had two or more seizures. There are many types of seizures and an individual can have more than one type. Seizures are classified into two groups, 1) generalized seizures that affect both sides of the brain and 2) focal seizures that are located in just one area of the brain. The causes of epilepsy vary by the age of the person, some with no clear cause may have a genetic form of epilepsy. Due to the various causes and types of seizures, many treatments including invasive surgeries and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) do not work for all epileptic/seizure patients and are merely used to ease symptoms. The physiological complexity of the disorder and limited knowledge on its specific molecular mechanisms may contribute to the lack of effective treatment. In recent years, there has been an estimated average cost in billions of dollars to bring new medicine to the market; due to the lack of novel antiseizure targets and mechanism-based therapies on seizure phenotypes. In response to this, we utilized the electroconvulsive seizure behavioral assay to characterize one generalized seizure phenotype, tonic-clonic/grand mal seizures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014198
- Subject Headings
- Epilepsy, Epilepsy--physiopathology, Seizures, Caenorhabditis elegans
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- EFFECTS OF HOST POPULATION FRAGMENTATION AND ISOLATION ON THE GENETIC STRUCTURE OF AN OBLIGATE ENDOPARASIT.
- Creator
- Maggio, Garrett J., McCoy, Michael W., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Environmental Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Pleurogonius malaclemys is a digenean trematode with a life cycle that begins in Ilyanassa obsoleta as a first and second intermediate host and Malaclemys terrapin as a definitive host. The fluke matures and reproduces within terrapins and, therefore, relies on terrapins for dispersal. Thus, we hypothesized that the genetic structure of flukes would reflect contemporary changes in the connectivity of terrapin populations. Flukes were sampled by dissecting mudsnails collected from eight sites...
Show morePleurogonius malaclemys is a digenean trematode with a life cycle that begins in Ilyanassa obsoleta as a first and second intermediate host and Malaclemys terrapin as a definitive host. The fluke matures and reproduces within terrapins and, therefore, relies on terrapins for dispersal. Thus, we hypothesized that the genetic structure of flukes would reflect contemporary changes in the connectivity of terrapin populations. Flukes were sampled by dissecting mudsnails collected from eight sites along the eastern United States. Following amplification of the COI mitochondrial marker, 21 haplotypes were identified and a high degree of structure was detected. We propose that this suggests the parasite could serve as a tool for monitoring terrapin populations. This study sets a foundation for the genetic diversity of the fluke, and provides a first step towards developing the species as a proxy for studying terrapin population size, connectivity, and health, which may help conserve both species.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014214
- Subject Headings
- Trematoda, Endoparasitic flukes, Terrapins, Host-parasite relationships
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COMPARATIVE PHARMACOKINETICS, BIODISTRIBUTION AND DOSIMETRY OF 212Pb (ALPHA-EMITTER) LABELED ANTIBODY VS PEPTIDE VS SMALL MOLECULE.
- Creator
- Moshiri, Nader Sedeh, Leventouri, Theodora, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Physics, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
With the advent of newly and more reliably designed targeted therapy methods in the past several years, targeted radionuclide therapy has attracted more attentions around the world as a more reliable treatment modality in combination with other well established traditional cancer treatments i.e., external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Alpha particles have a high relative biological effectiveness (RBE) due to their high linear energy transfer (LET). However, to utilize them for...
Show moreWith the advent of newly and more reliably designed targeted therapy methods in the past several years, targeted radionuclide therapy has attracted more attentions around the world as a more reliable treatment modality in combination with other well established traditional cancer treatments i.e., external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Alpha particles have a high relative biological effectiveness (RBE) due to their high linear energy transfer (LET). However, to utilize them for therapeutic purposes, precise human body dosimetry calculation is required. The measurement of their uptake and biodistribution can be quite challenging. Also, due to the complex biology of different types of cells, their shapes and functions, there is not a simple and clear understanding of the mechanism of action that fits all. This study aims to estimate and compare the human organ dosimetry of the alpha emitter, 212Pb, from animal data assuming that it is conjugated with three different types of commonly used targeting nanoparticles. For this purpose, the pre-published animal data of three different radionuclide labeled peptide, antibody, and small molecule carriers were selected and converted to human data. Then a compartmental model was designed for each of them to fit the model to the human data with 212Pb, half-life of 10.64 hours. Once each model reached the desired fit, the area under the curves were extracted then the estimated human organ dosimetry calculations took place via the MIRD scheme. The organ dosimetry results for 212Pb + three different carriers are presented in Tables 14, 17, and 20.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014215
- Subject Headings
- Cancer--Treatment, Lead-212, Nuclear Medicine
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- HYPOSALINITY STRESS TOLERANCES OF THE CORALS MONTASTRAEA CAVERNOSA AND PORITES ASTREOIDES IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA AND IMPLICATIONS FOR COASTAL FRESHWATER MANAGEMENT.
- Creator
- Davis, Haley A., Voss, Joshua, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Coastal development shifts natural hydrology through water redirection, increased impervious surfaces, and increased connectivity to the coastal ocean through inlets. In Southeast Florida, watershed alterations can cause flash-freshening in nearshore coastal habitats, threatening coral reef ecosystems. This study assessed the hyposalinity tolerance threshold of two prominent scleractinian corals in Southeast Florida. In a series of experiments, we determined that Montastraea cavernosa corals...
Show moreCoastal development shifts natural hydrology through water redirection, increased impervious surfaces, and increased connectivity to the coastal ocean through inlets. In Southeast Florida, watershed alterations can cause flash-freshening in nearshore coastal habitats, threatening coral reef ecosystems. This study assessed the hyposalinity tolerance threshold of two prominent scleractinian corals in Southeast Florida. In a series of experiments, we determined that Montastraea cavernosa corals have an LC50 of 19 PSU but can survive for at least 21 days at an intermediately stressful salinity of 25 PSU. Porites astreoides corals demonstrated an LC50 of 19 PSU, but experienced mortality when exposed to 25 PSU for 17–18 days. Prior to mortality, corals displayed decreased polyp activity, altered coloration, and decreased tissue integrity. These data suggest that lower-volume, longer-duration releases of freshwater from reservoirs may preserve coral health in Southeast Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014207
- Subject Headings
- Montastraea, Porites, Coral reef ecology--Florida, Hydrology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Fibropapillomatosis in stranded green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Florida: 20 years of spatiotemporal trends and associations with environmental factors.
- Creator
- Niland, Hannah, Perrault, Justin, Salmon, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor disease that has reached panzootic proportions in green turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP is associated with chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5, although the etiology of FP is likely multifactorial, since high FP prevalence is often observed in degraded habitats. However, specific environmental cofactors for tumor development remain unknown. To explore this, I collated statewide green turtle stranding data from 2000–2020 to evaluate spatiotemporal trends of FP in...
Show moreFibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor disease that has reached panzootic proportions in green turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP is associated with chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5, although the etiology of FP is likely multifactorial, since high FP prevalence is often observed in degraded habitats. However, specific environmental cofactors for tumor development remain unknown. To explore this, I collated statewide green turtle stranding data from 2000–2020 to evaluate spatiotemporal trends of FP in Florida, and co-analyzed these data alongside patterns of river flow, chlorophyll-a (Chla), sea surface temperature (SST), El Niño (ENSO), and red tide (HAB). I found that FP was stable during 2000–2020. HAB (positively) and SST (negatively) correlated with statewide FP prevalence, as well as several interactions between various factors. These results suggest that SST and HABs may act as cofactors in the development of FP, and future work should be equally interdisciplinary in their investigation of this multifactorial disease
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014191
- Subject Headings
- Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, Sea turtles--Diseases
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- GENDER, N170 EVENT RELATED POTENTIAL, AND IMPLICIT RACIAL BIAS.
- Creator
- Heerdegen, Dieter, Anzures, Gizelle, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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To better understand the N170 event related potential (ERP), we examined how factors such as participant gender and implicit racial bias might reflect upon amplitude and latency. White male (18) and female (34) participants performed an implicit association test (IAT) and Simple viewing EEG task with own-race White and other-race Asian faces. We were able to make several conclusions from the data. (1a) Participants generally showed an implicit racial bias favoring their own race group. (1b)...
Show moreTo better understand the N170 event related potential (ERP), we examined how factors such as participant gender and implicit racial bias might reflect upon amplitude and latency. White male (18) and female (34) participants performed an implicit association test (IAT) and Simple viewing EEG task with own-race White and other-race Asian faces. We were able to make several conclusions from the data. (1a) Participants generally showed an implicit racial bias favoring their own race group. (1b) The degree of this implicit racial bias did not differ between male and female participants. (2) Male, compared to female, participants expressed longer N170 latencies but similar amplitudes. (3) Lower compared to higher levels of implicit racial bias did not appear to influence the N170. (4) Participant gender, stimulus race, and implicit racial bias did not interact to influence the N170.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014210
- Subject Headings
- Evoked Potentials, Racial bias, Bias, Implicit
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COMPARISON OF CLASSIFYING HUMAN ACTIONS FROM BIOLOGICAL MOTION WITH ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS.
- Creator
- Wong, Rachel, Barenholtz, Elan, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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The ability to recognize human actions is essential for individuals to navigate through their daily life. Biological motion is the primary mechanism people use to recognize actions quickly and efficiently, but their precision can vary. The development of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) has the potential to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of accomplishing common human tasks, including action recognition. However, the performance of ANNs in action recognition depends on the type of...
Show moreThe ability to recognize human actions is essential for individuals to navigate through their daily life. Biological motion is the primary mechanism people use to recognize actions quickly and efficiently, but their precision can vary. The development of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) has the potential to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of accomplishing common human tasks, including action recognition. However, the performance of ANNs in action recognition depends on the type of model used. This study aimed to improve the accuracy of ANNs in action classification by incorporating biological motion information into the input conditions. The study used the UCF Crime dataset, a dataset containing surveillance videos of normal and criminal activity, and extracted biological motion information with OpenPose, a pose estimation ANN. OpenPose adjusted to create four condition types using the biological motion information (image-only, image with biological motion, only biological motion, and coordinates only) and used either a 3-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (3D CNN) or a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) to classify the actions. Overall, the study found that including biological motion information in the input conditions led to higher accuracy regardless of the number of action categories in the dataset. Moreover, the GRU model using the 'coordinates only' condition had the best accuracy out of all the action classification models. These findings suggest that incorporating biological motion into input conditions and using numerical format input data can benefit the development of accurate action classification models using ANNs.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014164
- Subject Headings
- Neural networks (Computer science), Human activity recognition, Artificial intelligence
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Childhood Stability and Adult Relationship Functioning.
- Creator
- Szabolcsi, Vanessa, Maniaci, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Previous research has demonstrated the harmful impacts of adverse childhood circumstances on adult romantic relationships. The current study examines the negative influence of childhood unpredictability on adult relationships and how this effect may be buffered and enhanced, respectively, by cognitive ability and Machiavellianism. A total of 256 participants completed measures of childhood unpredictability, Machiavellianism, cognitive ability, and relationship satisfaction. Individuals who...
Show morePrevious research has demonstrated the harmful impacts of adverse childhood circumstances on adult romantic relationships. The current study examines the negative influence of childhood unpredictability on adult relationships and how this effect may be buffered and enhanced, respectively, by cognitive ability and Machiavellianism. A total of 256 participants completed measures of childhood unpredictability, Machiavellianism, cognitive ability, and relationship satisfaction. Individuals who experienced childhood unpredictability reported lower adult romantic relationship satisfaction. Machiavellianism was found to significantly enhance the negative effects of childhood unpredictability on adult relationships for men only. Cognitive ability was not a significant moderator.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014199
- Subject Headings
- Interpersonal relations, Social psychology, Machiavellianism (Psychology), Adverse Childhood Experiences
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- IDENTIFICATION OF NOVEL DRUGS THAT MIMIC LETHAL ANTIBODY BINDING TO PfGARP IN P. FALCIPARUM.
- Creator
- Simkovitch, Ashley, Oleinikov, Andrew, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The current work investigates the identification of novel drugs that have the potential to be suitable anti-malarials against Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. The growing resistance to current therapeutic modalities necessitates the development of new emerging and effective compounds. The target of these compounds in this work will be PfGARP (P. falciparum glutamic-acid-rich protein), a surface antigen of infected erythrocytes (IEs) found only in P. falciparum that has been...
Show moreThe current work investigates the identification of novel drugs that have the potential to be suitable anti-malarials against Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. The growing resistance to current therapeutic modalities necessitates the development of new emerging and effective compounds. The target of these compounds in this work will be PfGARP (P. falciparum glutamic-acid-rich protein), a surface antigen of infected erythrocytes (IEs) found only in P. falciparum that has been recently recognized as a valuable drug target and vaccine candidate. Using a two-step approach designed in our lab, we were able to efficiently screen large libraries of small molecules provided by ChemBridge and the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies (TPIMS). We base the current work on our preliminary results, obtained with a subset of 6,400 compounds of DIVERSet library, reasoning that there may be other individual compounds that can be identified as having equal or greater parasiticidal activity. In this work, initial screening of the ChemBridge DIVERSet library subset of other 3,600 compounds organized into compound mixtures using Bio-Plex technology resulted in the identification of the most active mixtures (HITS-1), which were further deconvoluted into simpler mixtures (HITS-2). Screenings of HITS-2 yielded two mixtures of interest that did not portray any noticeable binding inhibition, and the deconvolution process was thus forfeited.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014197
- Subject Headings
- Plasmodium falciparum, Antimalarials, Antimalarials--Development
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Crafting Attractive Non-Covalent Interactions for the Study of β-Hairpins with Long Loops.
- Creator
- Richaud, Alexis D., Roche, Stéphane P., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
In this study, we developed a new peptide motif called β-strap (strap = strand + cap) used to fold β-hairpins of varying length. β-Straps are mean to be short sequences (4 to 8 a-amino acids) forming β-sheets using a judicious combination of non-covalent interactions (NCI) to overcome the entropic penalty inherent to long loop closure. Among those, we proved that a couple of CH-π / NH-π interactions from a tryptophan zipper motif were critical to create a stable packing of the structure. To...
Show moreIn this study, we developed a new peptide motif called β-strap (strap = strand + cap) used to fold β-hairpins of varying length. β-Straps are mean to be short sequences (4 to 8 a-amino acids) forming β-sheets using a judicious combination of non-covalent interactions (NCI) to overcome the entropic penalty inherent to long loop closure. Among those, we proved that a couple of CH-π / NH-π interactions from a tryptophan zipper motif were critical to create a stable packing of the structure. To optimize these interactions, we incorporated unnatural tryptophan derivatives having functionalized indole side chains. Finally, the innate ability of the β-strap to bring β-stand in close contact was exploited to promote macrocyclization of long coiled peptides (up to 16 residues). Then, we studied a more complex β-hairpin loop mimics found at the apex of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) complementary determining region 3 (CDR-H3). Using a set of bioinformatics tools, a search of PDB crystal structures revealed that a large set of mAb crystals possess a β-bulge, located at the edge of CDR-H3 loops. A cluster analysis revealed it has an impressive adaptability towards different H3-loop sizes and conformations. In order to evaluate its function in antibodies, we synthesized several β-hairpin models bearing a prototypical β-bulge. By combining short β-straps and the β-bulge, we were able to design β-hairpin peptides mimic of mAb with a variety of lengths and rigidity while retaining a high degree of folding. Starting from pembrolizumab, the most outstanding blocker of the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint currently available in clinic, we scoped ~30 CDR-H3 mAb mimics (H3 loop). As a result, several novel β-hairpin peptide inhibitors of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway were identified (IC50 <0.3 μM).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014154
- Subject Headings
- Antibodies, Peptides, Biochemistry, β-Hairpins
- 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
-
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
- POSSIBLE MORPHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGES FOR TOLERATING HIGH TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY IN A SUBTROPICAL PASSERINE (PEUCAEA AESTIVALIS).
- Creator
- Abbott, Billy, Anderson, Rindy, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Environmental Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Animals face both natural and sexual selection pressures, and at times, these pressures conflict with one another. This results in a tradeoff between sexual and natural selection. In my thesis, I examine aspects of Bachman’s sparrows’ behavior and morphology in relation to weather conditions in light of these two conflicting pressures. Large bill size is selected for by the natural selection pressures of thermoregulation. Smaller bills are selected for by the sexual selection pressures of...
Show moreAnimals face both natural and sexual selection pressures, and at times, these pressures conflict with one another. This results in a tradeoff between sexual and natural selection. In my thesis, I examine aspects of Bachman’s sparrows’ behavior and morphology in relation to weather conditions in light of these two conflicting pressures. Large bill size is selected for by the natural selection pressures of thermoregulation. Smaller bills are selected for by the sexual selection pressures of song quality. Both thermoregulation and song are important behaviors/processes that have fitness implications. By looking at bill size in relation to thermoregulatory ability and song quality I examined the tradeoff between these two selection pressures acting on the bill of Bachman’s sparrows
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014203
- Subject Headings
- Bachman's sparrow, Peucaea aestivalis, Morphology
- 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)
- Title
- Predictors of English Reading Skill in Children from Spanish Speaking Homes: A Longitudinal Study from Five to 10 Years.
- Creator
- Tulloch, Michelle K., Hoff, Erika, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Learning to read is a fundamental skill that is understudied among children who hear more than one language at home. A particular limitation in the extant literature is that the samples are often Spanish-dominant and come from low-income households. This literature has evidence that Spanish skills – both language-specific (i.e., vocabulary) and language-general (i.e., phonological processing) – predict English reading ability. In the current study, we investigated the effect of oral language...
Show moreLearning to read is a fundamental skill that is understudied among children who hear more than one language at home. A particular limitation in the extant literature is that the samples are often Spanish-dominant and come from low-income households. This literature has evidence that Spanish skills – both language-specific (i.e., vocabulary) and language-general (i.e., phonological processing) – predict English reading ability. In the current study, we investigated the effect of oral language skills in both English and Spanish, as well as other pre-literacy skills, on the English reading skill of Spanish-English bilinguals who are English dominant and received English only instruction from school entry. The oral language skills and other pre-literacy skills of 101 Spanish-English dual language learners were assessed at 5 years. English reading skill was measured annually from 6 to 10 years. Latent growth curve analysis was used to model initial English reading skill at 6 years and the growth of English reading skill from 6 to 10 years. Four sets of hypothesized foundational skills measured at child age 5 years were tested as predictors of subsequent English reading skill: (1) English oral language skills, (2) Spanish oral language skills, (3) English and Spanish oral language skills, and (4) English and Spanish oral language skills, with other pre-literacy skills. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that English vocabulary and phonological awareness measured in Spanish were significant predictors when English and Spanish skills were entered separately. When English and Spanish oral language skills were included together, Spanish oral language skills did not explain English reading growth better than when oral language skills were modeled independently. The best model of predictors of English reading for bilingual 5-year-olds included only English vocabulary and English letter recognition.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014162
- Subject Headings
- Reading, English language--Study and teaching--Spanish speakers
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- SEDIMENT CORE AND REMOTE SENSING ANALYSIS OF MODERN ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE WITHIN A CYPRESS SWAMP FOREST, COLLIER COUNTY, FL.
- Creator
- Swick, Kathryn, Johanson, Erik, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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The Florida Everglades is a vast subtropical wetland that historically spanned over 1,000,000 hectares, but much of the Everglades has changed in the last 100 years due to anthropogenic activity. Collier County was subject to alteration in the form of logging, road building, and canal digging. These actions disrupted the natural sheet flow of water and had large environmental impacts on the region, impacts which are slowly being addressed by Everglades restoration efforts. The aim of this...
Show moreThe Florida Everglades is a vast subtropical wetland that historically spanned over 1,000,000 hectares, but much of the Everglades has changed in the last 100 years due to anthropogenic activity. Collier County was subject to alteration in the form of logging, road building, and canal digging. These actions disrupted the natural sheet flow of water and had large environmental impacts on the region, impacts which are slowly being addressed by Everglades restoration efforts. The aim of this project was to observe the effects of environmental change at a cypress swamp forest in Collier County within the Big Cypress National Preserve. Using sediment core data including charcoal analysis, loss on ignition, and peat humification, as well as remote sensing techniques, this project uses a novel approach to assess local environmental conditions in the modern era. Historical records and contemporary data are used to evaluate change over time, and satellite imagery is used to quantify vegetative health. Modification of the environment related to anthropogenic activity is noted, and evidence of progress from restoration efforts is observed from the last two decades in our study’s data.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014160
- Subject Headings
- Nature--Effect of human beings on, Anthropogenic effects on nature, Wetland ecology--Florida--Big Cypress National Preserve, Ecology--Remote sensing
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Relocation and Flood Impacts on Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Nest Success.
- Creator
- Esposito, Lisa Anne, Milton, Sarah L., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Sea level rise threatens loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests laid close to the high tide line (HTL) with inundation from washover. Boca Raton, Florida is a relatively steep, dynamic beach with changes in beach morphology even during nonactive hurricane seasons. One potential solution to conserve sea turtle nests is to relocate nests laid at or below the HTL closer to the dune. In this study, I examined reproductive success for in situ vs relocated nests. Relocation did not decrease...
Show moreSea level rise threatens loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests laid close to the high tide line (HTL) with inundation from washover. Boca Raton, Florida is a relatively steep, dynamic beach with changes in beach morphology even during nonactive hurricane seasons. One potential solution to conserve sea turtle nests is to relocate nests laid at or below the HTL closer to the dune. In this study, I examined reproductive success for in situ vs relocated nests. Relocation did not decrease reproductive success, while nests left near the HTL were at risk of washout. During a dry season, nests that experienced one to three days of washover had significantly higher reproductive success than nests that experienced no washover. Relocation can be a useful method to preserve nests against sea level rise, but nonrelocated nests near the HTL may sometimes benefit from washover to cool the nests during hot and dry years.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014177
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, Sea turtles--Nests
- Format
- Document (PDF)