Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of An Acute Bout Of Exercise On Postprandial Metabolic Responses In Younger And Older Adults, Hannah Frick

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Over 370,000 Americans, primarily between the ages of 60 and 79, die annually as a result of cardiovascular disease caused by physical inactivity and a diet that is calorically dense and high in fat. Current findings in young and middle-aged adults suggest that acute exercise with energy expenditure in excess of 500 kcals, may attenuate the deleterious health effects caused by consuming the typical American meal. Purpose:The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute exercise and aging on postprandial lipemia (PPL) and postprandial glycemia (PPG). We hypothesized that aerobic exercise performed prior to the consumption …

Effects Of A 12-Week Vigorous Interval Training Intervention On Pro-Inflammatory Markers In Post-Operative Bariatric And Obese Participants, Brittany Rood

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Increase prevalence of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases linked to inflammation has led to research on pro-inflammatory cytokines, like tumor necrosis factor - alpha (TNF-α) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA₂), in attempt to define the relationship between chronic disease, inflammation, and obesity. PURPOSE: Examine the effect of twelve weeks of vigorous intensity interval training on pro-inflammatory markers in post-operative bariatric and obese participants. METHODS: 9 post-operative bariatric individuals [1 man, 8 women; Body mass index (BMI) = 34.23 ± 2.54 kg/m²], 12 obese individuals [5 men, 7 women; BMI=35.77 ± 1.67 kg/m^{2 …}

Examining The Effect Of Interstitial Space On Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica): Applications Of Photogrammetry And Three-Dimensional Modeling, Bailie Lavan

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Global oyster populations have decreased by as much as 99% in the past century. Oysters are known ecosystem engineers, providing benthic habitat for macrofauna, linking benthic and pelagic food webs, improving water quality, and mitigating shoreline erosion. Restoration efforts are critical in re-establishing native oyster populations. In the Chesapeake Bay, where oyster loss is primarily due to severe over harvest, artificial substrates with geometric shapes are widely used in restoration efforts. However, natural oyster reefs form emergent shapes with a high degree of aggregation and many interstitial spaces (three-dimensional volumetric spaces between oysters within a reef). The lack of interstitial …

The Microcystis Microbiome: Interactions With Heterotrophic Bacteria In The Microcystis Phycosphere, Alexa Hoke

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Harmful algal blooms are a growing problem globally in both freshwater and marine systems. Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) can have numerous environmental and economic impacts. cHABs can reduce oxygen levels in the water column, ultimately leading to the death of larger organisms, and reduce light penetration, impacting aquatic vegetation. cHABs can also release toxins into the water and efforts to prevent toxins from entering drinking water can cost cities millions of dollars in added filtration. Microcystis is a freshwater cyanobacterium that is globally distributed. While many of the abiotic factors that can impact bloom formation are known, biotic factors, …

Expiratory Flow Limitation In Elite Youth Cyclists, Katherine R. Smith

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Expiratory flow limitation (EFL) has been reported in pre-pubescent adolescents and elite, adult endurance athletes; however, the occurrence of EFL in elite adolescent endurance athletes has not been determined. Purpose: To determine incidence and severity of EFL in elite youth male cyclists of adolescent age. We hypothesized that elite, endurance trained youth will experience a higher prevalence and severity of EFL and dyspnea compared to an untrained control group. Pulmonary function will be similar pre- to post-exercise with bronchodilation occurring in both groups. Methods: 12 elite endurance- trained (ET) youth male cyclists (16.3 ± 1.0 years; 176.5 ± …

Influence Of Post-Exercise Nutrient Intake On Recovery And Subsequent Exercise Performance In Youth Cyclists, Andrew Law

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if chocolate milk (CM) consumption after high-intensity cycling exercise affects post-exercise recovery and subsequent exercise performance in youth cyclists, compared to a carbohydrate-only (CHO) and a placebo (PL) beverage. Methods: Eight youth cyclists (15-18 y, VO_2peak = 61.8 ± 7.7 mL·kg^-1·min^-1) performed an exercise/recovery protocol consisting of 2 bouts of exercise, on 3 separate occasions, in a randomly counterbalanced crossover design. The first exercise bout (EX1) consisted of 30 min of constant-load cycling (40-60% W_max), and 60 min of high-intensity intervals (alternating 2 min …

Anti-Crispr Vs. Crispr: The Evolutionary Arms Race Between Microorganisms, Rachael M. St. Jacques

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

CRISPR arrays are a defense mechanism employed by bacteria against viral invaders. Cas proteins do the work in detecting, capturing, and integrating the viral DNA into the CRISPR array (Barrangou et al., 2007). Anti-CRISPR proteins are produced by phages, viruses that infect bacteria, to stop the bacterial host’s CRISPR-Cas complex from interrupting the phage life cycle (Bondy-Denomy, et al., 2015).

SEA-PHAGES is a course-based bacteriophage research network composed of 120 colleges and known at James Madison University as Viral Discovery. JMU uses the unsequenced Streptomyces griseus ATCC10137 as a host for bacteriophage discovery and propagation, and in this study we …

Does Acute Preprandial Exercise Modify Postprandial Inflammation After A High Fat Meal In Young And Older Adults?, William Wisseman

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

A single high-fat meal (HFM) can increase systemic inflammation (postprandial inflammation; PPI) and may be attenuated by recent exercise. However, the effect of preprandial exercise on PPI in older adults (OA) is not clear. Purpose: To determine if preprandial exercise attenuates PPI in YA and OA. Methods: 12 YA (23.3±3.9 years n= 5 M/7 F) and 12 OA (67.7±6 years, n= 8 M/4 F) completed two HFM challenges in a randomized order. During HFM alone, participants abstained from exercise 48 hours prior to the HFM session (except for the exercise session) and adhered to a 12 hour overnight …

How Successful High School Boys Soccer Coaches Perceive And Develop Cultural Competency: A Grounded Theory Approach, Lauren Jefferson

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this study was to examine how high school athletics coaches conceptualize the knowledge, values, and skills of cultural competence, with specific attention to learning processes and influences. In order to serve the increasingly diverse U.S. student population equitably and to the full holistic potential of extracurricular programming, high school coaches must develop a greater comfort with and capacity for exercising cultural competency. A qualitative approach using a grounded theory was applied. Seven coaches and one athletic director were recruited by purposive sampling. The research suggests a process-oriented, chronological model of how experienced coaches begin to work with …

Reproductive Character Displacement In Calopteryx Aequabilis And C. Maculata: Improving Species Recognition Through The Divergence Of Male Mating Preferences, Melissa Encinias

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

An ongoing evolutionary question is how co-occurring species maintain reproductive barriers when they are morphologically, behaviorally, and ecologically similar. Without geographic isolation, traits involved in species recognition may be under selection to enhance reproductive barriers. Exaggerated trait differences between species in sympatric populations may reflect selection to reduce misdirected mating between species, or reproductive character displacement. While this phenomenon is widely recognized as an important stage in the speciation process, there is little direct evidence of this process in nature. In two North American damselfly species, Calopteryx aequabilis and C. maculata, wing pigmentation is sexually dimorphic and also shows …

Assessing Populations Of Eastern Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Above And Below Waterfalls In Mountain Streams Of Virginia, Hannah Eisemann Macmillan

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Anthropogenically driven factors, such as increasing temperature and sediment in valley streams, acidification of mountain streams, and the introduction of non-native trout, are restricting habitat suitable for healthy populations of eastern brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) throughout their native Appalachian range. Brook trout are important as predators of insects in mountain streams and as a favorite of anglers. It is crucial that remaining populations in sustainable habitats be identified and preserved. Waterfalls are geologic knickpoints preventing base-level lowering that create unique, stable landscapes above them, which may alleviate the temperature-productivity/acidity “habitat squeeze” for populations of brook trout and could …

Herpetological Assemblages In Tropical Dry Forests Of The Azuero Peninsula, Panama: An Evaluation Of Reforestation, Tyler Kovacs

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Tropical dry forests are considered one of the most endangered tropical ecosystems making reforestation increasingly necessary to restore Panama’s unique ecoregion. The isolated dry ecoregion surrounding the Bay of Parita in Panama has a long history of deforestation and cattle grazing. Successful reforestation of this land is important to restore ecosystem health and biodiversity. In Panama, reforestation ranges from monocultures of exotic teak (Tectona grandis) to passive regeneration. Faunal recovery within these reforestation systems may vary due to different habitat characteristics. In this study, amphibian and reptile communities were compared in two types of reforestation systems and protected riparian forests …

In Vitro Propagation Of A Critically Endangered African Violets (Saintpaulia Rupicola B.L. Burtt), Thomas W. Lowry Iii

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The in vitro propagation is a promising method for the production of plants in species that are endangered, commercially valuable, and/or otherwise difficult to propagate through traditional horticultural methods. Leaf and petiole explants of critically endangered African violets (Saintpaulia rupicola B.L. Burtt) were cultured on a chemically defined medium that was supplemented with six different concentrations of thidiazuron (TDZ). The concentrations were used for either an induction medium on which the explants remained throughout development, or an induction medium on which the explants remained for 10 days followed by a basal growth medium for the remainder of the 12 …

Urban Stream Restoration: An Evaluation Of Material Processing And Conveyance Channels, Madeline Berg

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Stream restoration is gaining popularity in the Mid - Atlantic region to offset impacts from urbanization. Increased levels of impervious surfaces, decreased vegetation along banks, and changes in water flow patterns make urban stream ecosystems flashy and result in high erosion rates, increasing the amount of nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay. Different restoration practices can play a large role in the amount of nutrients and organic matter leaving a stream and the amount of habitat that is present in-stream.

Due to the recent interest in stream restoration as a tool to help the health of the Chesapeake Bay, this study …

Forest Structure Of Long-Term Conserved Areas Utilizing Different Strategies On A Continental, Glacial Moraine Formed Island, Christopher Coggin

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Understanding patterns of forest succession can help advise management plans within New England nature preserves. This study took place on Block Island, 13 miles off the coast of Rhode Island. The island has greater than 200+ years of farming practices. After 1960, conservation groups began reforesting the island using different strategies, such as actively planting with native and exotic tree species, mowing, and preventing further development. In 2018, woody vegetation was inventoried along transects within four reforested sites. Sites were characterized as the following: actively planted with exotic and native tree species and mowed (AP-M), actively planted with exotic and …

Assessing The Prevalence Of Multidrug Resistant Salmonella Enterica From Stream Sediment And Poultry Litter In The Shenandoah Valley Of Virginia, Noah Greenman

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Multidrug resistant Salmonella enterica present in stream sediment and poultry litter represent a critical health concern. A small number of S. enterica serotypes are responsible for most lab-confirmed infections in the US each year. To assess the prevalence of these significant strains, we isolated 88 S. enterica from stream sediment and poultry litter. Sequence data for all isolates were generated using an Illumina® sequencing platform, with long-reads for some isolates from the Oxford Nanopore MinION™ used in a hybrid genome assembly approach. Isolates were typed according to their serotype and multi-locus sequence type using SeqSero/SISTR and Enterobase respectively. Antibiotic resistance …

Microplastics In Full View: Birds As Bioindicators Of Malta's Coastal Ecosystem Health, Dalton Brauer

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Plastic pollution has recently become a widely studied topic, yet research on microplastics has remained lacking for specific geographic regions. Microplastics are small plastics resulting from degradation or the dumping of raw material and can lead to deleterious impacts on the coastal marine environment and its organisms. To assess Malta’s coastal environmental health, water birds (inshore, offshore and pelagic species) were used as bioindicators by assessing the presence and abundance of plastic within their stomach contents. The project hoped to fill some of the current gaps in knowledge on microplastics within Malta by creating a working baseline, as well as …

Potential Benefits Of Restored Riparian Zones In An Agricultural Matrix For Bat Communities, Matthew T. Harris

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Riparian buffers planted within agricultural matrices for wildlife conservation are expected to support numerous taxa, but a lack of empirical testing has limited evaluation of these practices. It is imperative that biologists and land managers understand how current conservation practices impact bats so that the ecosystem services provided by bats are maintained as farming practices continue to intensify in regions dominated by agriculture. This study evaluates the effects of planted riparian buffers along streams in an agricultural matrix by comparing acoustic bat activity along streams in active cattle pasture with activity at streams where riparian buffers have been planted. Forest …

Relationship Between Perceived And Actual Exertion And Enjoyment Of Exercise In Individuals With Autism, Nicole Fiscella

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Fiscella, N.A., Moran, T.E., Wigglesworth, J.K., and McKay, C.A. Relationship between Perceived and Actual Exertion and Enjoyment of Exercise in Individuals with Autism. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived exertion, actual exertion and enjoyment of exercise in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Methods: A total of 16 participants (12 males and 4 females) between the ages of 5 and 38 who were diagnosed with ASD participated in the study. The intervention lasted 10 weeks and consisted of participation in one of James Madison University’s Overcoming Barriers hour long physical activity programs. Heart …

Investigating Interspecific And Intraspecific Variation In Lung Development In Amphibians, Courtney Neumeyer

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Amphibians occupy an intermediate phylogenetic position between fish and tetrapods, making amphibians an essential model for understanding the evolution of air breathing organs in vertebrates. Amphibians have a uniquely biphasic life style allowing them to occupy aquatic and terrestrial habitats and to use multiple organs for gas exchange at different stages of life. This initial independence from lung breathing means that amphibians are developing their lungs while they are using them, which opens up the possibility that their rate of lung development is controlled in part by their breathing behavior. As such, amphibians provide a starting point for examining the …

Impacts Of Educational Programming At Dolphins Plus On Visitor Knowledge, Attitude And Behavior, Carley Rice

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Zoos, aquariums, and similar institutions have been transitioning for many years from venues of entertainment to institutions of informal environmental education. This transition has led to these institutions claiming missions of conservation and education. The conservation education impacts of zoos and aquariums are not well understood. The literature is limited and at times inconclusive. Claims of conservation and education should be formally evaluated through survey research projects to determine validity. These types of studies will shed light on these institutions and aid in improving educational programs to best benefit conservation of wildlife, habitats and the environment. The purpose of this …

Exploring The Microbiome: Diversity Of The Microbial Community Of Three Foam Nesting Frogs, Genus: Polypedates, Across A Developmental Gradient, Sarah Mcgrath

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Characterization of microbial biodiversity, including that of the amphibian skin-associated microbiome, is a frontier of research recently made accessible through advances in sequencing technology. Microbial interaction with a host has been determined to have profound influences on host health across a wide range of macroscopic organisms. For amphibians, the influence of the skin-associated microbiome has been found to have particular importance, as amphibians are currently one of the fastest disappearing vertebrate groups on the planet, largely in part to skin-associated diseases caused by pathogenic microbes. Therefore, it is important to characterize the amphibian skin-associated microbiome, particularly for species with no …

Circulating Microrna Following High Intensity Interval Cycling With And Without Post-Exercise Nutrient Consumption, Jeremy Via

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Introduction: MicroRNA (miRNA) are small, non-coding RNA that act post-transcriptionally to regulate gene expression. miRNA levels are modulated by acute aerobic exercise, yet little is known about how miRNA levels may change in response to high-intensity interval exercise. Further, almost nothing is known about the impact of post-exercise nutrition (carbohydrate and/or protein) on miRNA levels. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of high-intensity interval cycling and different post-exercise nutrients on ci-miRNA levels. Methods: Nine recreationally active males (age 21.9 ± 2.0yrs; VO_2max 49.6 ± 4.0mL/kg/min) competed three trials, each including identical exercise protocols. Protocol …

Morpho: Expectations & Mutations, Lynda Bostrom

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Morpho: Expectations & Mutations is a written document accompanying the culmination of my three years painting at a graduate level. The result of which is an autobiographical body of work navigating the tension of being a human with an invisible disease, while straining to understand Western societal constructs of women. I simultaneously reject these fairy tales as a standard recipe for happiness, yet identify with its visual language that is rooted in the vernacular of my generation. Redefining the elements I reject or embrace helps me to look beyond the boundaries of these constructs, and adopt an attitude of curiosity …

The Combined Effects Of Soil Fertility And Soil Amendments On The Growth And Mycorrhizal Associations Of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius), Emily Ann Murray

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are fungi that form symbiotic associations with 70-90% of plant families. They are known to allow for the extension of the root system as well as an increase in plant size by assisting with the uptake of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The role that AMF play in plant health and success has led to the development of commercial inoculum, which is used in agricultural settings. However, soil fertility, and soil amendments are known to affect AMF and plant associations. This study intends to look at how cultivated American Ginseng seedlings are affected by commercial …

Competition And Predation: Interactions Between American Eels (Anguilla Rostrata) And Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) In Virginia Mountain Streams, Jonathan Studio

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Competition has played a large role in structuring natural communities, especially with regards to vulnerable organisms. Brook trout and American eel populations have declined in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States as a result of anthropogenic development around freshwater ecosystems, and thus, subsequent conservation efforts of both species have included habitat restoration. Conservation efforts have increased the co-occurrence of these predatory fish species that are known to require similar resources. The main objective of this research was to elucidate the potential for competition between brook trout and American eels through analysis of their preferred prey, diet overlap, and supplementary …

Physiological And Anthropometric Profiles Of Elite Teen-Age Cyclists, David Lenzi

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Lenzi D. N., N. D. Luden, C. J. Womack, and M. J. Saunders. Physiological and anthropometric profiles of elite teen-age cyclists. Purpose: Previous research has demonstrated that maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), lactate threshold (LT), aerobic/anaerobic power output, and several anthropometric characteristics are related to elite cycling performance in adults. These values also improve during maturation in children. However, there is little research examining how these values differ between elite teen-age cyclists and their adult counterparts. Previous literature has also reported low bone mineral density (BMD) in adult cyclists when compared to recreationally active controls. This study sought to characterize the …

Isolation, Sequencing, And Characterization Of Four Transmissible Antibiotic Resistance Plasmids Captured From Bacteria In Stream Sediments, Curtis J. Kapsak

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Self-transmissible plasmids are key vectors in the transfer of resistance, catabolic, and other genes among bacteria native to environments such as streams and wetlands. The evolution of antibiotic resistance in particular is known to be powerfully affected by conjugative plasmid transfer due to the ease in which some plasmids can be horizontally transferred into a broad range of host bacteria and their ability to exchange mobile genetic elements that often contain antibiotic resistance genes.

In this study, we captured tetracycline resistance plasmids from stream sediments impacted by agricultural runoff. We selected for resistance plasmids using tetracycline, an antibiotic commonly used …

Characterizing Epigenetic Regulation In The Developing Chicken Retina, Bejan Abbas Rasoul

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The retina, the sensory neuronal tissue within the eye, is composed of three layers of neuronal cells connected by two synaptic layers lining the inside of the anterior portion of the eye. Multipotent retinal precursor cells are genetically homogeneous and differentiate into mature retinal neurons due to differential gene expression. Differences in gene expression have been correlated with epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation. DNA methylation of upstream regulatory elements is associated with transcriptional silencing of gene expression. Years of research in retinal development has identified the numerous genes expressed during the main steps of retinal development, however, it is …

Efficacy Of Magnesium Enriched Artificial Substrate For Oyster Restoration, Matthew Elder

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, is a keystone species that has undergone a large (> 95%) population decline due to overharvest, pollution, and disease. Restoration efforts focus on alternative larval attachment substrates such as concrete, to supplement the loss of natural oyster shell. Magnesium is a component of bivalve shells and its presence in the environment has shown to be important to the growth of mussels, but the same relationship has not been studied in oysters. Assuming that magnesium can be assimilated from the substrate on which the organism is growing, or that ions of magnesium are leached into …