Life Sciences Commons^™

Water Color: Inspiring Conservation Of Freshwater Ecosystems By Painting With Algae, Kate Lochridge

Honors Projects

“Water Color: Inspiring Conservation of Freshwater Systems by Painting With Algae” is a project that focuses on raising awareness of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie through the creation of algae-based paint. Its goal is to provide a multidisciplinary outlet for understanding complex interactions between the causes, effects, and solutions of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). The novel part of this project is the creation of watercolor paint from algae cells. This paint was used to create algae-based artwork that facilitates an aesthetic interaction with the science of HABs when other informative materials- such as journal articles- can be confusing and …

Sex- And Age - Specific Migratory Strategies Of Blue Whales In The Northeast Pacific, Christina Blevins

Biology ETDs

Sequential subsampling of blue whale baleen plates can yield information of individual migratory plasticity of this endangered species in the northeast Pacific Ocean. We measured δ13C and δ15N isotope values along baleen from thirteen whales of different age and sex. Results showed sex/age-specific migratory strategies. Adult females exhibited relatively stable cyclical movements between temperate and subtropical regions. Adult males exhibited two strategies, most remained within temperate latitudes, whereas two migrated to subtropical latitudes. Movement patterns in juveniles were erratic. These patterns are potentially driven by energetic requirements of females, intraspecific competitions among adult males, and inexperience in locating prey in …

The Art Of Amphibian Conservation: Linking In-Situ And Ex-Situ Populations Of Endangered Species Through Genome Banking, Isabella Joann Burger

Theses and Dissertations

Limited breeding success in captive breeding programs has necessitated the development of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to preserve and increase genetic variation and population numbers of both captive and wild amphibian groups. ART has been shown to be successful in numerous anuran species, and current studies focus on the application of ART in ex-situ populations. The focus of this project is to show that linking in-situ and ex-situ amphibian populations through sperm cryopreservation, genome banking, and in-vitro fertilization is possible, with the goal of increasing gene diversity throughout groups in order to produce self-sustaining, wild populations in the future. Specific …

People That Score High On Psychopathic Traits Are Less Likely To Yawn Contagiously, Andrew Gallup, Mariska E. Kret, Omar T. Eldakar, Julia Folz, Jorg J. M. Massen

Biology Faculty Articles

Considerable variation exists in the contagiousness of yawning, and numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the proximate mechanisms involved in this response. Yet, findings within the psychological literature are mixed, with many studies conducted on relatively small and homogeneous samples. Here, we aimed to replicate and extend upon research suggesting a negative relationship between psychopathic traits and yawn contagion in community samples. In the largest study of contagious yawning to date (N = 458), which included both university students and community members from across 50 nationalities, participants completed an online study in which they self-reported on their yawn contagion …

An Insider's Guide To Cell Biology, Katie Ludwig

Honors Projects

An Insider's Guide to Cell Biology is a comic book that follows Alanine the amoeba who tells the reader all about how the cell works.

An Investigation Of Chronic Pain As A Much-Neglected Symptom Of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Sydney Collins

Honors Theses

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a group of heritable loose connective tissue disorders with 13 distinguished subtypes. The hypermobile type of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is the most common subtype and is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to defective collagen fibrils. This leads to joint instability and hypermobility, skin elasticity, widespread pain, fatigue, and generalized tissue fragility. Chronic pain is reported to be a symptom in as high as 92% of the hEDS population (Voermans et al., 2010); despite this prevalence, there is a significant lack of research, awareness, and treatment standardization regarding pain in hEDS. This literature review …

The Scoop On Composting: A Comprehensive Literature Review On Composting With A Focus On Grand Valley State University, Alexandria Snabes

Honors Projects

This comprehensive review discusses the main microbial processes, methods, efficiency strategies, benefits, and drawbacks related to composting. Specifically, anaerobic, aerobic, and intermediate, or cold composting, decomposition processes are defined and assessed. This leads into a discussion of some common methods of composting, both large- and small-scale, which utilize these microbial processes to result in differing advantages and disadvantages. The efficiency of these methods can be increased using strategies that monitor oxygen levels, moisture levels, temperate levels, and overall size. Some benefits of composting discussed include diverting waste from landfills, improving soil nutrition and quality long-term, and increasing plant growth and …

Aquaporin Expression And Cholesterol Content In Eel Swimbladder Tissue, Victoria Drechsel, Gabriel Schneebauer, Birgit Fiechtner, Christopher P. Cutler, Bernd Pelster

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

Leakiness of the swimbladder wall of teleost fishes must be prevented to avoid diffusional loss of gases out of the swimbladder. Guanine incrustation as well as high concentrations of cholesterol in swimbladder membranes in midwater and deep-sea fish has been connected to a reduced gas permeability of the swimbladder wall. On the contrary, the swimbladder is filled by diffusion of gases, mainly oxygen and CO2, from the blood and the gas gland cells into the swimbladder lumen. In swimbladder tissue of the zebrafish and the Japanese eel, aquaporin mRNA has been detected, and the aquaporin protein has been considered important …

Synthetic Hagfish Slime Mimetics: Mechanical Characterization, Hayden Johns, Spencer Walker

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Hagfish are ancient animals that eject a slime when attacked by predators. The slime that the hagfish emit is almost entirely composed of water but protein strands within the slime cause the slime to have incredible strength. However, these protein strands will be formed synthetically for the purposes of our experiment. To defend against foes, the Navy launches plastic ropes into the propellers of enemy warships in order to decrease the thrust of the motors. In a push to find a more biodegradable solution, the utilization of hagfish slime has shown great promise in stopping propellers.While we know that the …

Effect Of Basal Diet And Black Raspberry Supplementation On Gene Biomarkers Of "Leaky Gut" In Mouse Model Of Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer, Eliza Stewart

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Colorectal cancer is currently the third leading cause of cancer death in the world. The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases significantly in individuals who suffer from colitis, which is inflammation of the colon lining, seen in Irritable Bowel Disease. The term “leaky gut” is often used to describe increased intestinal permeability and is closely related to colitis. Leaky gut is associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, which can occur through diet. This dysbiosis leads to pro-longed inflammation and affects genes that encode for proteins involved in the tight junctions between cells. Compromised intestinal integrity allows for translocation of …

Surface Architecture Of The Mouth Cavity Of Pagellus Affinis (Boulenger, 1888), Kamal Ahmed Baaoom, Manal Haj Obbed

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

The topological characteristics of the mouth cavity of the carnivorous fish Pagellus affinis was studied by using a light microscope. The results revealed that all the teeth of P. affinis are pointed and canine-like, papilliform teeth present on the premaxillae and the anterior regions of the dentaries are associated with seizing, grasping and holding of prey. The morphology and distribution of different taste buds of P. affinis were predominantly localized at the anterior and tongue regions of the mouth cavity. Two types of taste buds are elevated from the epithelium at different levels, which may be useful for ensuring full …

Field Study To Identify The Composition Of Plant Vegetation In Wadi Al- Ain - Hadramout – Yemen, Murad Mohammed Kanji, Mohammed Saeed Bn Qadim, Alawiya Abdullah Al Awad, Abdulkarim Saber Ali

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

This study was conducted during the period of April 2016 - December 2017 to determine the plant vegetation of Wadi Al-Ain. The results of the field survey identified a total of 86 plant species 37 families and 77 genera, including 58 wild plant species grown naturally. The total number of cultivated plants was 26 plant species, but only two plant species are grown as both wild and cultivated species. The number of plant species that appeared as an ecological form of shrubs reached 34 plant species, while the number of plant species that appeared ecologically in the form of herbs …

The Effect Of Flaveria Trinervia Plant Extract On Germination And Growth Of Onion Seeds (Allium Cepa L), Mahrous Abdullah Bahoirth, Yaser Saeed Bahurmuz

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

This part of the study applied in the laboratory experiment to know the effect of water extracts of the vegetation and rootlet of the Flaveria trinervia in the four levels (0,10,20,30%) on germination and growth onion seeds. These crop was added 10 seeds in a petri dish, and 5 mL of the extract was added, with four replicates per treatment. After two weeks, the measurements were taken on the studied traits (germination ratio, speed, length of the plumule, the rootlet, the soft and dry weight of the plumule and the rootlet). The results showed that the effect of the rootlet …

A Survey Of Weeds Present In Al- Qatten Diroctorate Farms Hadhramout Governorate, Yaser Saeed Bahurmuz, Ahmed Subait Bamosa, Abdulgader Ali Hassan

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

An exclusive study of weeds present in Alqatten Directorate farms, was carried out this study aimed to identify types and number of weeds in the farms. The study area included (20) Farms in five different regions. 39 plant species belonging to 20 plant Family have been identified. Grassy famil was the most present with 7 species. the most wide spread grass was, Cynodon dactylon and Setaria verticillata; as they were found in all studied farms. While Withania somnifera and Rhazya stricta, were less prevalent, as they were present in two farms only.The study reveals that there is defference in the …

Limited Range-Filling Among Endemic Forest Herbs Of Eastern North America And Its Implications For Conservation With Climate Change, Stephanie K. Erlandson, Jesse Bellemare, David A. Moeller

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Biodiversity hotspots host a high diversity of narrowly distributed endemic species, which are increasingly threatened by climate change. In eastern North America, the highest concentration of plant diversity and endemism occurs in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (SAM). It has been hypothesized that this region served as a refugium during Pleistocene glacial cycles and that postglacial migration northward was dispersal limited. We tested this hypothesis using species distribution models for eight forest herb species. We also quantified the extent to which the geography of suitable habitat shifted away from the current range with climate change. We developed species distribution models for …

Annotated Checklist Of The Bryophytes Observed At The Gordon Natural Area West Chester University, Pa) 2007-2021. Version Ii, Nur Ritter, Noah Long

Gordon Natural Area Baseline Plant Survey Documents

Summary: Data Number of Taxa: 38 Species, in 31 Genera, 24 Families, and 13 Orders.

Description: The bryophytes are an informal group that is composed of three divisions of non-vascular plants: the liverworts, hornworts, and mosses. Of these, the mosses are the most familiar to most people, but the three groups are similar in appearance, and differ only in their reproductive structures. All bryophytes lack specialized tissues for transporting resources (i.e., vascular tissue); hence, they are characteristically small in stature. Additionally, bryophytes do not produce flowers or seeds; rather, reproduction is through spores. Bryophytes have received relatively little investigation at …

Annotated Checklist Of Invertebrate Species Observed At The Gordon Natural Area (West Chester University, Pa) 2007-2021. Version Iii, Nur Ritter

Gordon Natural Area Biodiversity Studies Documents

Description: As with some of the other biotic groups, the research pattern for invertebrates at the GNA might best be described as ‘intermittent.’ Former WCU professor Win Fairchild and his students conducted research on aquatic invertebrates in Plum Run, both inside and outside of the boundaries of the GNA. To date, the only data from that work that we’ve been able to obtain are from the 2007 MS thesis of Danielle DiFederico.

Since that time, the only ‘directed’ invertebrate research at the GNA has been the annual monitoring in Plum Run by the Stroud Water Research Center (SWRC). This research …

Scorpionfish (Scorpaena Porcus) Neurocranium, Erin Porter, Cairone Reft, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium preparation of a Scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus) by Erin Porter and Cairone Reft for the Biology of Fishes course at Nova Southeastern University taught by Dr. Kerstetter.

Mass Spectra Of Mesonic Molecules At Finite Temperature, Arezu Jahanshir, Mohammad Reza Soltani

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

At a finite temperature, exotic hadronic systems, mass spectrum was studied using the quark structure and the radial Schrödinger equation with the Cornell interaction potential representing the hadronic interaction. The projective unitary representation has been used in the study of hadronic ground states in physics. A relativistic bound state's mass spectrum with temperature dependence is shown to have a unique feature. The resulting values are compared to experimental and theoretical values, and the study showed a high level of conformity with additional values wherever feasible.

Efficiency Of +Idonblender Photogrammetric Tool In Facial Prosthetics Rehabilitation – An Evaluation Study, Mohammed R. Falih, Fanar M. Abed, Rodrigo Salazar-Gamarra, Luciano Lauria Dib

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Several open-source 3D modeling software tools have recently been featured to reconstruct a 3D image-based model using Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithms such as +IDonBlender. It is, therefore, necessary to evaluate the accuracy of the models extracted from this tool to prove effectiveness for different applications. This paper aims to evaluate the +IDonBlender methodology tool in rehabilitating facial deformations. +IDonBlender is an add-on tool programmed within Blender software and designed for medical applications. In this research, two individuals from different genders have volunteered to contribute to this study, one with severe facial deformation and the other is healthy with no …

Proposed Hybrid Correlationfeatureselectionforestpanalizedattribute Approach To Advance Idss, Doaa Nteesha Mhawi, Prof. Soukaena H. Hashem

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

NetworkIntrusionDetectionSystem(NIDS), widely used network infrastructure. Although many datamining has been used to increase the effectiveness of IDSs, current ID still struggle to perform well. therfore; proposed a new NIDS focused on feature_selection. The proposed CorrelationFeatureSelection_ForestPanalizedAttributes(CFS_FPA) used for dimensionality_reduction and selects the optimal_subset. based on two steps: first check each feature with a target(class) and choose only features that most effective by applying CFS filter using a statistical_method, then applied FPA to select only features will enhance ID and reduce_dimensionality. proposal tested with the NSLKDD experimental results of accuracy 0.997% and 0.004 FAR, wherein UNSWNB15_dataset accuracy and FAR are 0.995%, 0.008 …

Analysis Of Modern Communication Protocols For Iot Applications, Neerendra Kumar, Pragti Jamwal

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

To facilitate increasing interactions of machines, various protocols are building up for IoT applications. Safeguarding communication among devices is necessary. In this paper, various protocols have been studied and compared using six parameters: Communication overhead, Security, Packet Loss, Throughput, Bandwidth and Support to QoS. LIDOR is found as the most successful communication protocol. A tabulated comparison of various communication protocols have been provided by comparing the parameters. Further, six star rating for the various protocols have been proposed. The study shows that LIDOR increases reliability under DoS attacks. Considering the existing literature, new research gaps and challenges have been presented.

The Effect Of Diode Laser On The Life And Appearance Of White Ant (Psammotermes Hypostoma), Estabraq Mahmood Mahdi Msc, Sahar Naji Rashid Msc., Saeed Maher Lafta Ph.D., Arshad Mahdi Hamad Msc

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This work focused on studying effect of diode laser on external appearance of white ants, and finding the percentage of mortality resulting from this beam of (650nm),(5mW),exposure times (60,70,80,90,100)sec at (3,5)cm for each exposure. The results recorded showed a clear increase in death rates, and increase in deformations as laser exposure times increased (higher percentage at lower distance), where laser was used to capture results of this therapeutic effect after passage time periods (12,24,48,72)hours. These results, show laser thermal effects resulting from its interaction with tissues, thermal propagation leads to ravage to the structures, thus to an increase death rates.

Calculation And Comparison Of Certain Physical Properties Of Sample Irregular Galaxies With The Milky Way Galaxy, Hasanain Hassan Al-Dahlaki Msc

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Irregular galaxies often include a mix of old and young celestial populations, as well as dust and gas. This study makes an early effort at the morphological classification of irregular galaxies. These sources have been chosen from (70) irregular galaxies data samples from a Catalogue survey. We present a statistical analysis of the physical properties for the chosen data from the database and a collection of tools that used to study the physics of galaxies and cosmology HYPERLEDA (http://atlas.obshp.fr/hyperleda/) and NASA /IPAC Extragalactic Database NED (https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/) survey.

Seasonal Variation Of Microbiota In Shank Acanthopagrus Latus Living In Both Brackish And Fresh Water, Ali A. Al-Hisnawi Ph.D., Jassim M. Mustafa, Yass K. Yasser, Khalid A. Hussain, Ameera M. Jabur

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The present study was conducted to monitor the microbiota in the posterior intestine of Shank fish living in the river (fresh water) and Al-Razzaza lake (salt or brackish water) in Kerbala, Iraq. Cultivable bacteria were calculated and identified from specimens obtained from the posterior intestine of mucosa (PM) and digesta (PD) during summer and winter seasons. The total culturable bacteria (TCB) of bacteria isolated from both intestinal regions from fresh water fish during summer time were higher than counterparts in winter time. In contrast, the TVC of bacteria isolated from the PM from salt water fish during winter time were …

Evaluation Of The Healing Activity Of Cucurbita Spp. Leaf And Seed Extracts On Experimental Thermal Burns, Sanaa Jameel Thamer Ph.D., Prof. Maha Khalil Ibrahim, Dr. Khalid Shanshal Alnema

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Burns are the most common skin injuries associated with many complications and high incidences of wound infections. Many compounds of plant products have been assessed to accelerate wound healing or reduce contamination. The possible healing effect of two Cucurbita spp. in skin burns was investigated. Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita pepo leaves and seeds were extracted using ethanol and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Second-degree burn wounds were made on laboratory rats, and the burn wounds were applied topically with extracts for 14 days and silver sulfadiazine (SS) for comparison. Serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was analyzed post-treatment. Hydroxyproline content …

Energy Conservation Approach Of Wireless Sensor Networks For Iot Applications, Suha Abdulhussein Abdulzahra Msc, Ali Kadhum M. Al-Qurabat Ph.D., Prof. Dr. Ali Kadhum Idrees

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Wireless Sensor Network is one of the most important contributors to IoT and performs significant role in people's lives due to its extensive use in many applications. Energy-saving is essential since sensor nodes are working by their restricted battery. In this article, data reduction method proposed to work at Gateway level of network. In GW, proposed method works as filtering via enabling GW to identify, then remove, sets of data that are redundant and produced by neighboring nodes. Principle idea of method recommended at this level is to exploit the advantage of spatial correlation between sensors to minimize energy depletion.

Biosynthesis, Characterization And Antiproliferative Activity Of Green Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles Using Lantadene A Extracted From Lantana Camara, Dawood Ali Salim Dawood, Lee Suan Chua Ph.D, Tian Swee Tan Ph.D, Ahmed F. Alshemary Ph.D

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study was focused on the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles loaded with lantadene A (LA-AuNPs) from Lantana camara extract and the antiproliferative effects on prostate cancer cells (LNCaP). The synthesized LA-AuNPs had smooth surface, and nearly spherical in shape (67.94 nm) with the zeta potential (-30.11±0.83 mV). LAAuNPs showed a dose dependent cytotoxic activity with IC50, 126.82 µg/mL against LNCaP, but non-cytotoxic to normal prostate cells. The intrinsic pathway of apoptosis was caused by the increase of caspases-3/7 and -9 activity and cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Therefore, LA-AuNPs could be a potent lead to inhibit LNCaP

An Online E-Voting System Based On An Adaptive Ledger With Singular Value Decomposition Technique, Rihab Habeeb Sahib, Prof. Dr. Eman Salih Al-Shamery

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Regular E-voting systems for elections may count the votes in less time,less cost,save the privacy of citizens,but still considered risky as votes can be tampered.E-voting systems based on a network distributed ledger show fast results,more trusted,save privacy,cannot be tampered,and distributed in which no central organization controls the system.This paper illustrate an e-voting system to solve the challenge of a massive ledger that is distributed among network-nodes using a data reduction technique as a security-matching-tool,singular value decomposition(SVD) that handle a copy of election results in another form and matched with the SQL-database results to announce a successful election-event representing a transparency-powerful-secured-system

Detecting Malicious Dns Queries Over Encrypted Tunnels Using Statistical Analysis And Bi-Directional Recurrent Neural Networks, Mohammad Al-Fawa'reh, Zain Ashi, Mousa Tayseer Jafar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The exponential rise in the number of malicious threats targeting computer networks and digital services puts network infrastructure in jeopardy. Domain name protocol attacks are one of the most pervasive network attacks posing a threat to networks, whereby attackers send harmful information to the network; this type of threat is identified as DNS tunneling. The DNS protocol has recently gained increased attention from cyber-attackers, targeting organizations with a web presence or reliance on e-commerce businesses. Cyber-attackers can subtly exploit the contents of encrypted DNS packets that are sent across covert network tunnels, which are difficult for firewalls and blacklist detection …