Life Sciences Commons^™

Nicotinamide Riboside And Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Activate Parallel Pathways For C. Elegans Lifespan Extension, Mckenzie Peters

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Supplementation with nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3 and a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) extends lifespan in the nematode C. elegans and delays aging-related pathologies in mammals. During aging, levels of NAD⁺ decline causing metabolic dysfunction and oxidative damage. Studies in C. elegans found that when NR was administered during larval development it induced the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR^mt), which is frequently associated with lifespan extension. Both calorie restriction (CR) and ketogenic diets (KD) have been shown to extend lifespan, in part through increasing NAD⁺ and through increasing levels …

Sexual Dimorphism Of Glomerular Capillary Morphology In Rats, Zackarias Coker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) progresses faster in males than females; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Sex differences in glomerular capillary morphology has been hypothesized to contribute, in part, to the increased susceptibility to hypertension-induced renal injury and CKD progression in males, but this has not been investigated. The goal of the present study was to assess glomerular capillary morphology in male vs. female rats with intact kidneys and after uninephrectomy (UNX). We hypothesized that glomerular capillary radii (R_CAP) and length (L_CAP) would be greater in male rats.

Male (n=4) and female (n=4) with intact …

Patterns And Sources Of Variation In Heterospecific Pollen Deposition In Flowers Of The Native Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia Siphilitica), Allie Drinnon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plants species interactions via pollinators are a model system to understand the mechanisms that generate plant diversity in nature. However, most studies have focused on plant-plant interactions via pollinator attraction while ignoring the role of plant-plant interactions via pollen transfer. Heterospecific pollen transfer (henceforth HP) can be common and have negative fitness effects. Negative HP fitness effects may prompt the evolution of adaptive strategies to minimize them. However, the extent of spatial variation in HP load size within and among populations, a tenet for natural selection, remains unexplored. Such knowledge would hence constitute a first step in advancing our understanding …

Investigating Stormwater Parameters From Runoff On East Tennessee State University Campus, Abby Mciver, Dr. Joseph R. Bidwell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Climate change has caused an increase in extreme rain events and flooding in certain regions across the globe. During rain events, water flows over impervious surfaces structures such as roads and sidewalks, picking up contaminants such as metals, fertilizers and other nutrients, and various organics that which may impact organisms in such as streams, river, and lakes. Previous work has found significant differences in survival of organisms that were exposed to contaminated stormwater runoff. This study investigated stormwater chemistry parameters at collection sites on the East Tennessee State University campus. Sites were selected based on the extent of human interaction …

Determining The Effects Of Maternal Adiposity On Preterm Neonatal Microbiome And Short Chain Fatty Acid Profiles, Dalton James, William A. Clark Phd, Kristy L. Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The gut microbiota and its metabolites have vast impacts on the human digestive system, immune system, and health outcomes. Short chain volatile fatty acids (SCVFAs) present in feces can be representative of the interactions of the microbiota present in the gut. Low microbiota diversity in the human gut is highly associated with obesity and adverse health outcomes. Furthermore, the maternal microbiome has a direct impact on neonatal microbiota through various pathways such as environment, skin flora, breast milk composition, and vaginal secretions. This study is aimed to further understand the associations between various factors (maternal adiposity, gestational time, length of …

East Tennessee Spatial And Temporal Species-Specific Bat Activity Patterns, Seth Morelock

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Determining the activity among species-specific bat populations within specific habitat selections can help contribute to the conservation of Appalachian bat species. This study examines the differences in species-specific bat activity patterns between three ponds of variable sizes and a southeast-facing open field with a wooded edge. Four Song Meter SM4BAT FS bioacoustics detectors were used on a 15-acre property in Fall Branch, TN, with a wildlife acoustics detector being placed at three ponds and one field. There were three stages of data collection for this study which all took place during 2023. The first stage was during the spring (March …

Anatomical Analysis Of Olfactory Sensory Neuron Regeneration Via Glomerular Synaptic Activity Markers In Adult Mice, William Wamack

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The olfactory system is a great model for studying regeneration due to the olfactory epithelium’s regenerative capability which makes it a potential a source of neural stem cells. The olfactory epithelium presents three types of cells: sustentacular cells which provide support and act as glial supporting cells; olfactory sensory neurons that are in charge of detecting odorant molecules in the air; and the stem cells that generated the aforementioned cell types. Olfactory sensory neurons are constantly dying and being replaced by new neurons originating from the stem cells that lie at the base of the olfactory epithelium. We have used …

An Assessment Evaluating The Possible Participation Of A Virtual Nutrition Education Program For Older Adults, Ashlyn Cobble

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The importance of proper nutrition education among older adults is crucial in promoting overall physical health and management of chronic health conditions. However, access to such education has been limited, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the current boom in social media popularity, as well as virtual communication portals such as Zoom, the question must be asked if nutrition education could be effectively implemented for the use of older adults through these electronic channels. The study design for this particular research was a cross sectional survey to inform development of an online nutrition education program for older adults in Northeast …

Severe Hypoxia Up-Regulates Gluconeogenesis In Daphnia, Morad C. Malek

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hypoxia is a significant low oxygen state that has complex and diverse impacts on organisms. In aerobes, various adaptive responses to hypoxia are observed that vary depending on the level of oxygen depletion and previous adaptation, hence the continued attention to hypoxia as an important abiotic stressor. Adaptive responses to hypoxia are primarily governed by the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which activate downstream genetic pathways responsible for oxygen transport and metabolic plasticity. In aquatic habitats, oxygen availability can vary greatly over time and space. Therefore, aquatic organisms’ adaptation to hypoxia is likely pervasive, especially in genotypes originating from waterbodies prone to …

Vitamin D And Its In Vitro Therapeutic Action Mediated Through Vdr Rather Than Pdia3, Jaeden Pyburn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Brain calcification is a common occurrence in the aging process, with >20% of individuals over the age of 65 showing hardened plaques in the basal ganglia. Loss of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in transgenic mice leads to formation of calcified plaques in the basal ganglia and thalamus within the mice. Vitamin D signals through two known vitamin D responsive proteins, protein disulfide isomerase A3 (PDIA3) and VDR. In vitro, vitamin D has been demonstrated to suppress calcification in osteoblast-like cells. Here, we aim to elucidate which of either PDIA3 or VDR transduce vitamin D mediated suppression of calcification in …

Simulating Polistes Dominulus Nest-Building Heuristics With Deterministic And Markovian Properties, Benjamin Pottinger

Undergraduate Honors Theses

European Paper Wasps (Polistes dominula) are social insects that build round, symmetrical nests. Current models indicate that these wasps develop colonies by following simple heuristics based on nest stimuli. Computer simulations can model wasp behavior to imitate natural nest building. This research investigated various building heuristics through a novel Markov-based simulation. The simulation used a hexagonal grid to build cells based on the building rule supplied to the agent. Nest data was compared with natural data and through visual inspection. Larger nests were found to be less compact for the rules simulated.

Identification Of Genetic Elements Involved In Alcaligenes Faecalis’ Inhibitory Mechanism Against Polymicrobial Species, Abigail Mathis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The rise of antibiotic resistance in common human pathogens and the lack of development of novel therapeutic treatments has created a threat to global health. A unique source for potential novel treatments are from microorganisms, particularly within the complex, antagonistic polymicrobial interactions that take place in microbial communities. These unique mechanisms utilized by microorganisms to fight each other could potentially identify novel therapeutic targets for use at a clinical level, however, there is a lack of research in this area to determine its applicability. Alcaligenes faecalis is a Gram-negative bacterium that seldom causes human disease and has been observed in …

Epidemiology And Impacts Of A Leaf Spot Disease In Veratrum Viride (Melanthiaceae), Leeah R. Sutton, Foster Levy

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fungal phytopathogens can cause disease epidemics in crops, weeds, and
populations of native plants. To investigate the impact of a foliar phytopathogen on the native herbaceous species, Veratrum viride, a demographic and disease assessment was carried out on two high elevation grassy bald populations on Roan Mountain, Tennessee. A leaf spot disease impacted all plants in both populations, causing widespread premature senescence of leaves and stems. Disease severity increased over the course of the growing season. Based on host disease symptoms and fungal conidia morphology, Pseudocercosporella sublineolata was shown to be the causal pathogen. A study of herbarium specimens …

Gastrointestinal Alterations In Two Mouse Models Associated With Social Behavior Deficits, Gracie Leamon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a diverse habitat for multiple microorganisms. Disturbances in the microbiome of the GI tract have been associated with psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with ASD, when compared to neurotypical individuals, have demonstrated differing gut species. Also, it has been shown that microbial transplant therapies impact ASD symptoms in patients. Animal models of behaviors associated with ASD might offer insight for the actual role these microbial differences may occupy regarding symptoms. Unfortunately, ASD does not have an accepted animal model where the GI alterations have been thoroughly explored. In this study, we sought …

The Role Of Stm1987 And Arti In Arginine Response Of Salmonella Typhimurium, Deeba Mohseni

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cyclic-di-GMP, a common bacterial second messenger, has been thought to help develop virulence and biofilms in bacteria, most specifically in Salmonella Typhimurium. By being able to dysregulate cyclic-di-GMP production, virulence may be better combatted. STM1987, an L-arginine-responsive diguanylate cyclase with a periplasmic sensory domain, dimerizes and generates the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP in response to the amino acid L-arginine in a pathway that also requires the periplasmic L-arginine-binding protein ArtI. Their biochemical responses to L-arginine and when they dimerize could help clarify this pathway, so I sought to develop a periplasmic dimerization sensor to better monitor these biochemical interactions. Similar …

The Short- And Long-Term Effects On The Microbiome Of Infants Who Are Exposed To Opioids In Utero, Dawson Brown-Ezell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: The gut microbiome is believed to have a significant impact on health throughout the lifespan, and the influence of infant nutrition and other environmental factors are of particular interest in its development. The aim of this research project was to learn more about the microbiome and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) composition of toddlers of differing weights, considering birth history, environment, and diet. In East Tennessee, opioid misuse is a growing issue, and a number of participants in this study were exposed in utero. We also hoped to identify related effects on infant’s SCFA composition. Finally, it is known …

Effects Of Maternal And Neonatal Hypoxia On The Future Life History Of Daphnia Magna, Rachael Lowman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Early exposure to hypoxia is related to a variety of physiological and metabolic changes that have lasting effects on organisms’ physiology and life history. We measured the effects of maternal and embryonic mild, intermittent hypoxia on the life history of four clones of microcrustacean Daphnia magna, an emerging model organism for the studies of senescence and longevity. Daphnia individuals were produced parthenogenically, maintained in individual vials, and fed standard algal concentration daily. The cohort consisted of 189 individuals. We measured body size at first reproduction, fecundity (including late-life fecundity peak), offspring sex ratio, and longevity. We found no effect …

Reaction Pathways Initiated By One-Electron Oxidation Of Guanine: Reaction Pathways Leading To Stable End Products, Zach Cutright

Undergraduate Honors Theses

8-hydroxyguanine (8-oxoG) is one of the most important products resulting from the oxidation of guanine in DNA. 8-oxoG is known as a biomarker of oxidative stress such as lung cancer. 2,5-diamino-4H-imidazol-4-one (Iz) and its hydrolysis product 2,2-diamino-4-[(2-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-amino]-2,5-dihydrooxazol-5-one (Oz) are also important products of oxidation of guanine in DNA. Recently, novel types of dimer intermediates related to 8-oxoG and Iz have been identified in our research lab. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), LC-MS, and NMR coupled with educated hypotheses, it is possible to identify the products, X1 and X2, resulting from the oxidation of guanine and decipher the mechanisms leading …

Synthetic Viral Pyrogen Induces Behavioral Fever In Plethodon Glutinosus Salamanders, Nicholas Britt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Behavioral fever is an essential coping mechanism across ectothermic phyla to aid in combating pathogenic threats. Ectotherms lack internal temperature regulation associated with fever in endotherms; thus, ectotherms can exhibit a behavioral fever response when immunocompromised to thermoregulate by moving to warmer locations. The salamander order Caudata, tend to be keystone species in their resident ecosystems through their role as secondary consumers of invertebrates to maintain the food chain. With growing interest about ecology and conservation of salamanders as species diversity declines, this study was designed to determine if salamanders use their environment to take advantage of behavioral fever. The …

Partial Expression Of The Vbss Gene In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479 And In-Silico Analysis Of The Vbs Gene Cluster In Various Microorganisms, Afreen Siddiqui

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Iron is extremely important for many organisms. Despite its abundancy, it exists in insoluble forms that makes its usability difficult. Some organisms secrete siderophores, low molecular weight compounds, that can chelate iron and convert it into usable forms for cells. One such organism, Rhizobium leguminosarum, is a nitrogen fixing symbiont proteobacteria that infects leguminous plants. The genome of Rhizobium leguminosarum ATCC 14479, which infects the red clover, Trifoli pratense, has previously been completely sequenced in our lab. Our lab has identified several genes in this strain involved in the biosynthesis of a siderophore, vicibactin. The protein product of one of …

Composition, Diversity, Abundance, And Spatial Variation In The Floral Nectar Mycobiome Of Rhododendron Catawbiense And Lobelia Cardinalis, Ayesha Khan

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plant nectar microbiome, primarily consisting of fungi and bacteria, can qualitatively and quantitively alter the floral rewards by exploiting the chemical composition of the nectar which can thus impact plant-pollinator interactions, and ultimately affect plant reproductive success. Evidence suggests that changes in the microenvironmental conditions across various spatial gradients can induce changes in the floral nectar microbiome, which can account for microbial variation not only across plant species, but also within. Furthermore, nectar microbiome is also contingent on the pollinator systems and nectar quality. In this study, we used Rhododendron catawbiense (bee-pollinated; highly toxic nectar) and Lobelia cardinalis (hummingbird-pollinated; mildly …

Technology Aiding In Neonatal Lung Developmental Care, Megan Kirk

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this paper, old as well as new technological findings to decrease premature infant mortality are reviewed. This paper discusses fetal development throughout pregnancy from conception to full-term status as well as fetal lung development specifically from conception until full-term status. Several ideas to rapidly develop and mature fetal lungs are discussed such as mothers ingesting artificial surfactant supplements, either independently or coupled with antenatal corticosteroids, as well as intra-amniotic instillation prior to 28 weeks gestational. Drawbacks regarding these two are mentioned as well such as the fetus’s lungs not being mature enough to use the artificial surfactant leading into …

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Of Apixaban Using Chromogenic Kits, Brooke Vogel

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Apixaban is a novel oral anticoagulant that prevents clotting by directly inhibiting Factor Xa in the coagulation cascade. Due to its different pharmacokinetics, previous standards for testing anticoagulant concentrations are ineffective at measuring apixaban. In this study, Hyphen Biomed Biophen Direct Xa Inhibitor and Biophen Heparin chromogenic kits from Aniara Diagnostica were used along with a NanoDrop™ One/One^C Microvolume UV-Vis Spectrophotometer to see if either of these kits provide acceptable precision and accuracy for the quantification of apixaban in plasma samples, as well as if there is a significant difference in these two kits at varying concentrations of apixaban. …

The Effects Of Caffeine On Jumping Performance And Maximal Strength In Female Collegiate Athletes, Benjamin Burke, Kyle Travis, Henry Lang, Jeremy Gentles, Kimitake Sato, Caleb Bazyler

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Caffeine has long been used to enhance athletic performance. The research regarding caffeine’s effects on strength and power performance is lacking, especially in female athletes. Purpose: To analyze the acute effects of caffeine on jumping performance and maximal strength in female collegiate athletes. Methods: Eight female collegiate athletes performed two testing sessions separated by one week. Using a double-blind approach, athletes randomly received 6 mg/kg of body mass of caffeine (CAF) or a placebo (PLA). Following 60min of quiet sitting and a standardized warm-up, athletes were tested on measures of squat jump height (SJH) and peak power (SJPP), countermovement …

Effects Of Nicotinamide Riboside And Beta-Hydroxybutyrate On C. Elegans Lifespan, Jeffery Peters

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The nicotinamide riboside (NR) form of vitamin B₃and the ketone body ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) are two of the most promising natural compounds yet identified for the treatment of aging and aging-related diseases. Forms of vitamin B₃are precursors for the synthesis of the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(H)) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP(H)). In aged cells levels of NAD⁺decline, decreasing metabolism and decreasing activity of protective sirtuin protein deacetylases. In aged cells NR, but not more common forms of vitamin B3, boost NAD⁺levels. BHB is naturally produced by the body when individuals fast …

Ctrp3 And Alcoholic Liver Disease In Female Mice, Callie Root

Undergraduate Honors Theses

C1q TNF Related Protein 3 (CTRP3), is a cytokine that is primarily secreted from adipose tissue, which classifies it as an adipokine. Our previous research has shown that CTRP3 prevents alcoholic fatty liver disease (ALD) in male mice. However, even when accounting for confounding factors such as absolute and relative alcohol intake, females are more sensitive to the effects of consumption compared to male mice. Therefore, the goal of this project was to determine whether CTRP3 prevented ALD in female mice. Methods: Female wild type (WT) and female CTRP3 transgenic over expressing (Tg) mice were fed an ethanol containing liquid …

Modification, Verification Of Sequence And Optimization Of Expression Of P297f An Inactive Mutant Of Flavonol Specific Glucosyltransferase From Grapefruit (Cp3gt), Sarah Fox

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Citrus fruits are widely consumed and can offer various health benefits. One enzyme found in grapefruits, Citrus paradisi flavonol specific 3-O-glucosyltransferase (CP3GT), catalyzes the addition of glucose to one specific flavonoid class and at only one site. These flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites that can be used in a variety of plant functions including signaling and protection. The only class of flavonoids that CP3GT glucosylates is flavonols, and this specificity is of interest to study for potential benefits in biotechnology and enzyme modeling. In order to study this enzyme and its structure, a variety of mutants were created using site-directed …

Synergistic Inhibition Of Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Using A Possible Klebsiella Secreted Bacteriocin With Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic, Andrew Robbins

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to the increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria, it is now important to begin the search for novel means of defending against such resistant infections. Enterobacteriaceae is a clinically relevant family of bacteria that has shown extensive resistance to many antibiotics, especially after biofilm formation. Inhibitory poly-microbial interactions within this family have been observed. It is known that Citrobacter freundii (CF) growth is significantly inhibited by Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) through a secreted protein. In this study, the potential KP bacteriocin was screened for its inhibitory effects on CF at various phases of biofilm development. The suspected KP bacteriocin …

Levels Of Parp1-Immunoreactivity In The Human Brain In Major Depressive Disorder, Aamir Shaikh

Undergraduate Honors Theses

MDD is a severe and debilitating disorder that is associated with a growing global economic burden due to reduced workplace productivity along with increased healthcare resource utilization. Furthermore, depression markedly enhances the risk for suicide, mortality that is especially worrisome given that 30% of depressed individuals have an inadequate response to current antidepressants. This inadequacy of antidepressants necessitates the discovery of a better understanding of the pathobiology of MDD. Most current antidepressants work through monoamine neurotransmitters, and their relative efficacy in depression led to the now dated monoamine-deficiency hypothesis. The limited usefulness of antidepressants has led to a reinvigorated search …

Subcellular Localization Of Tobacco Sabp2 Under Normal And Stress Conditions, Sanjeev Das

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Subcellular Localization of Tobacco SABP2 under Normal and Stress Conditions

Salicylic acid (SA), a phytohormone, plays an important role in plant physiology. SA mediated innate immune pathway is an important pathway for plant immunity against pathogens. Plants resisting pathogen infection synthesize higher levels of Methyl Salicylate (MeSA), which is then converted to SA by the esterase activity of Salicylic Acid Binding Protein 2 (SABP2). The high level of the converted SA leads to enhanced pathogen resistance. The study of subcellular localization of a protein is critical in explaining its potential biochemical functions. SABP2 tagged with eGFP was expressed transiently in …