Life Sciences Commons^™

Breeding Bird Census To Compare Long-Term Changes In The Avifauna Of The Spruce-Fir Forest On Mount Guyot, Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1967-2015, Kevin C. Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The high-elevation forests of the Southern Appalachian Mountains have been impacted and rearranged by a tiny introduced pest from Europe, known as the Balsam Woolly Adelgid (Adelges piceaea), creating a concern for conservation. Breeding bird censuses, along with botanical surveys, have been conducted periodically on an established 60-acre plot since 1967 on the virgin forested slopes of Mount Guyot, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with the last census being completed in 2015. Breeding bird populations are shown to rise and fall in response to the forest’s changes over the last 48 years. Comparisons are made between all studies in order …

Characterization Of Sbip68: A Putative Tobacco Glucosyltransferase Protein And Its Role In Plant Defense Mechanisms, Abdulkareem O. Odesina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plant secondary metabolites are essential for normal growth and development in plants ultimately affecting crop yield. They play roles ranging from appearance of the plants to defending against pathogen attack and herbivory. They have been used by humans for medicinal and recreational purposes amongst others. Glycosyltransferases catalyze the transfer of sugars from donor substrates to acceptors. Glucosyltransferases are a specific type of glycosyltransferases known to transfer glucose molecules from a glucose donor to a glucose acceptor (aglycone) producing the corresponding glucose secondary metabolite or glycone, in this case glucosides. It was hypothesized that SBIP68, a tobacco putative glucosyltransferase-like protein glucosylated …

Analysis Of Changes In Muscle Architecture And Explosive Ability In Ncaa Division I Volleyball Players, Caleb D. Bazyler, Jacob R. Goodin, Conrad Rapp, Mark Disanto, Frank Smith, Michael H. Stone

ETSU Faculty Works

Abstract available in the 10th Annual Coaches and Sport Science College .

Application Of Principal Components Analysis In Kinetics Study For Isometric Squat, Junshi Liu, Caleb D. Bazyler, Christopher B. Taber, Tony Pustina, Satoshi Mizuguchi

ETSU Faculty Works

Abstract available in the 10th Annual Coaches and Sport Science College .

Effects Of Complex Formation Of Dna With Positively Charged Polyamines And Polypeptides On The Products Of Oxidative Damage To Dna 2-Deoxyribose By Hydroxyl Radicals, Modeste N. Tegomoh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is known that histones and other DNA-binding polycations protect DNA from radiation damage mediated by hydroxyl radicals. Until recently, this protection of DNA has mainly been attributed to compaction and aggregation. It was hypothesized that chemical repair of DNA sugar radicals by donation of hydrogen atom from polycations also significantly contributes to DNA protection. To test this hypothesis, the relative yields of low-molecular weight characteristic products of oxidation of DNA sugar were compared in X-irradiated samples of naked DNA and DNA complexes with a number of polycations by using an HPLC-based method of DNA damage product quantification. The variation …

Demography And Disease Of The Rare Shrub Buckleya Distichophylla (Santalaceae) In Northeastern Tennessee, William Seth Ratliff

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Piratebush (Buckleya distichophylla (Nutt.) Torr.) is a rare, hemiparasitic shrub with the only extant populations in western North Carolina, northeastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. The preferred natural hosts of piratebush, Carolina and eastern hemlocks, have seen sharp declines over the last decade due to the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Virginia pine, another important host of piratebush, is also susceptible to disease, specifically Cronartium appalachianum, a rust fungus for which piratebush is the secondary host. This study described and analyzed current demographic parameters of three Tennessee piratebush populations. Additionally, spatial patterns of disease and demographic characters were analyzed. These …

Influence Of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Isolated From “Amabere Amaruranu” Cultured Milk On Adipogenesis, Justin E. Kotala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was performed to test the in vitro effects of a Lactobacillus rhamnosus isolate from “amabere amaruranu”, a traditional Kenyan cultured milk, on 3T3-L1 and Caco-2 cell lines. Cultures of fully mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with bacterial isolate cell extract (CE), filtered spent broth (FSB) from overnight bacterial culture, or with a PBS control. Expression levels of PPAR³1 and 2, C/EBP±, and ATGL proteins in 3T3-L1 cells were upregulated by FSB treatment. CE treatment did not affect protein expression levels. Expression of MTTP and SREBP-1c proteins in Caco-2 cells showed no change with either treatment. Optical density measurements …

Countermovement Jump Performance Changes Over The Course Of Collegiate Basketball Pre-Season Associated With Block Periodization Model Of Strength And Conditioning Program, Nobuhisa Yoshida, Caleb D. Bazyler, Takahiro Unebasami, Stephen Wells, Zachary Whitman, Danielle Lee, Mallory Stellhorn, Kimitake Sato, Michael H. Stone

ETSU Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Oil Biosynthesis In A Basal Angiosperm: Transcriptome Analysis Of Persea Americana Mesocarp, Aruna Kilaru, Xia Cao, Parker B. Dabbs, Ha-Jung Sung, Mahbubur Rahman, Nicholas Thrower, Greg Zynda, Ram Podicheti, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Luis Herrera-Estrella, Keithanne Mockaitis, John B. Ohlrogge

ETSU Faculty Works

The mechanism by which plants synthesize and store high amounts of triacylglycerols (TAG) in tissues other than seeds is not well understood. The comprehension of controls for carbon partitioning and oil accumulation in nonseed tissues is essential to generate oil-rich biomass in perennial bioenergy crops. Persea americana (avocado), a basal angiosperm with unique features that are ancestral to most flowering plants, stores ~ 70 % TAG per dry weight in its mesocarp, a nonseed tissue. Transcriptome analyses of select pathways, from generation of pyruvate and leading up to TAG accumulation, in mesocarp tissues of avocado was conducted and compared with …

Deep Sequencing Of The Mexican Avocado Transcriptome, An Ancient Angiosperm With A High Content Of Fatty Acids, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Alfonso Méndez-Bravo, Claudia Anahí Pérez-Torres, Victor A. Albert, Keithanne Mockaitis, Aruna Kilaru, Rodolfo López-Gómez, Jacob Israel Cervantes-Luevano, Luis Herrera-Estrella

ETSU Faculty Works

Background: Avocado (Persea americana) is an economically important tropical fruit considered to be a good source of fatty acids. Despite its importance, the molecular and cellular characterization of biochemical and developmental processes in avocado is limited due to the lack of transcriptome and genomic information.

Results: The transcriptomes of seeds, roots, stems, leaves, aerial buds and flowers were determined using different sequencing platforms. Additionally, the transcriptomes of three different stages of fruit ripening (pre-climacteric, climacteric and post-climacteric) were also analyzed. The analysis of the RNAseqatlas presented here reveals strong differences in gene expression patterns between different organs, …

Identification Of Genes Required To Synthesize An Antibiotic-Like Compound From The Soil Bacterium Rhodococcus Sp. Mtm3w5.2, Amber L. Ward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rhodococcus is a soil bacterium, member of the Actinobacteria, and a close relative of the prolific small molecule producer Streptomyces. Recent interest in Rhodococcus as an under investigated source of possible bioactive secondary metabolites is sparked by the discovery of many polyketide synthase and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase genes of unknown function from sequenced Rhodococcus genomes. Rhodococcus species strain MTM3W5.2 was recently shown to produce a strong inhibitory compound with activity against most strains of Rhodococcus and closely related genera. A goal of this investigation is to discover the gene(s) required to synthesize this inhibitory molecule. The engineered Rhodococcus …

An Analysis Of The Interaction Of Methylphenidate And Nicotine In Adolescent Rats: Effects On Bdnf, Elizabeth D. Freeman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation was an analysis of the interaction of adolescent exposure to methylphenidate (MPH; trade name: Ritalin) on nicotine sensitization and conditioned place preference (CPP) in a rodent model and underlying mechanisms of this effect. Animals were treated IP with 1 mg/kg MPH or saline using a ―school day‖ regimen of five days on, two days off, from postnatal day (P) 28-50. During the final two weeks of MPH treatment, animals were either behaviorally sensitized to nicotine (0.5 mg/kg free base) or saline for 10 days, or conditioned to nicotine or saline using the CPP behavioral paradigm. In addition, three …

The Effect Of Various Body Positions On Performance Of The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull, George K. Beckham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the effects of changing body position on the execution of the isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP). Furthermore, while there is evidence to suggest that there is an effect of familiarization on performance of maximal strength tests, there has been no known research evaluating the effect of learning on the IMTP. The effect of familiarization was assessed by evaluating changes in variables obtained from the IMTP. Subjects did not statistically improve over the five IMTP testing sessions, regardless of the body position used, or if subjects had previous experience with weightlifting derivatives. This may …

Algr Directly Controls Rsma In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Tyler Speaks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterial pathogen that can infect any human tissue. The lungs of cystic fibrosis patients become chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Virulence factor gene expression is under elaborate regulatory control that remains poorly characterized. Understanding the regulatory hierarchy involved during infection is essential for identifying novel drug targets. RsmA is a post-transcriptional regulatory protein that controls expression of several virulence factors. Previous studies demonstrated alginate regulatory components AlgU and AlgR as regulators of rsmA expression. The aim of this study was to determine how AlgR controls rsmA expression. Western blot analysis of HA-tagged RsmA confirmed lower …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between A Static Jump Protocol And Squat Strength: A Potential Protocol For Collegiate Strength And Explosive Athlete Monitoring, Cody Haun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between estimated absolute and relative squat strength and a static jump protocol with potential to provide desirable training adaptation data to practitioners in the field of collegiate strength and conditioning. Forty-one young (20.80 ± 2.44 years), healthy volunteers reported estimated back squat 1RM’s based on the most recent training block and completed a static jump protocol. Males (n=19, est. 1RM 141.29 ± 32.02kg) and female (n=22, est. 1RM 71.56 ± 19.64kg) jump data revealed large to very large correlations between squat strength, mean jump heights of jumps and other calculated …

Executive Function Predictors Of Children's Talk, Jacqlyne D. Weber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Relatively few studies have investigated the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and language development, and even fewer have researched hot and cool EF as a predictor language development. This study is an investigation into the relationship between EF and language development in preschool aged children. More specifically, the ability for hot or cool EF to predict language, this will be the focus of the study. It was found that hot EF was a better predictor of language development in preschool aged children.

Characterization Of Putative Exbb And Exbd Leads To The Identification Of A Potential Tol-Pal System In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479, Valeria Barisic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rhizobium leguminosarum is a Gram negative nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium. Due to the limited bioavailability of iron, bacteria utilize siderophores that scavenge and bind available iron. The transport of iron-siderophore complexes is achieved by the TonB-ExbB-ExbD complex. We have previously shown that a functional TonB protein is necessary for iron transport by creating ΔtonB mutants and assessing their growth and 55Fe-siderophore transport ability. We attempted to identify and characterize the roles of putative exbB and exbD genes using a similar approach. Growth curves and sequence analyses suggest putative exbB and exbD may be the tolpal-associated genes tolQ and tolR. Phenotypic and …

Identification Of Transcription Factors Gzf3, Rfx1, Orf19.3928 As Being Implicated In Candida-Bacterial Interactions., Joni Watson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen that is present in the normal flora in a majority of individuals. One key factor in C. albicans virulence is the ability to change its morphology from yeast to an elongated or hyphal form. The regulation of this morphogenesis relies in part upon quorum sensing (QS) molecules. C. albicans often exists as part of a mixed culture alongside other microbes and is influenced by their presence as well as the presence of QS molecules that they produce. In this study, a library of diploid homozygous transcriptional regulator knockout (TRKO) mutants were screened to identify …

Influence Of The Anti-Hiv Drug Elvitegravir On Chlamydial Development And The Characterization Of Chlamydial Polymorphic Membrane Protein Expression In Herpes Simplex Virus (Hsv)/C. Trachomatis Co-Infected Cells, Hena Yakoob

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial agent of sexually transmitted infections worldwide and a common co-infection in AIDS patients. Chlamydial genital tract infections are often asymptomatic; therefore many infections go untreated and result in complications like chronic inflammation, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Chlamydia share a unique developmental cycle and under stress, can enter a state known as persistence, in which the bacteria are noninfectious but still viable. Removal of the stressor allows the chlamydiae to re-enter and complete the developmental cycle. Exposure to low-dose quinolones can cause the chlamydiae to enter persistence and halt the developmental cycle. …

Establishing The Dance Floor: Frame Manipulation Experiments, Peter D. Suich

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Past studies of honey bee populations, in both natural and laboratory settings have allowed researchers to elucidate the dance language of honey bees within the hive. While the intent and meaning of the waggle dance is thoroughly understood, the area within the hive on which the bees dance is poorly understood. Several factors that may contribute to waggle dancing were studied: substrate, scent and hive entrance proximity. Two separate honey bee colonies were placed in three-frame observation hives. After establishing the dance floor, new experimental conditions were introduced by changing the position of the frames and watching for three days …

Inverse Changes In Ghrelin And A2a Receptor Gene Expression Levels In The Hippocampus Of Heart Failure Canines Following Spinal Cord Stimulation, Benjamin E. Jewett

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Myocardial infarction (MI), often referred to as a heart attack, is a serious health issue in the United States. There is a well-documented link between MI and major depressive disorder (MDD), with a high incidence of MDD occurring after an MI. Overlapping pathologies have been observed within the hippocampus of the brain in animal models of MI and depression. These observations suggest that pathobiological cross-talk between the heart and brain could have a role in the etiology of MDD that occurs after an MI. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has previously been shown to have both cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects post-MI, …

Characterization Of A Sample Population Of Dental Hygiene Patients With And Without Periodontal Disease As Determined Through Fatty Acid And Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Caitlin R. Jackson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study was designed to compare the fatty acid and fruit and vegetable intake of people with and without periodontal disease. Periodontal disease affects approximately 15 percent of the developed world population. Participants filled out a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for both fruit and vegetable and fat intake. A sample of whole blood (EDTA) was collected to determine the fatty acid profile of participants’ red blood cell (RBC) membrane. This analytical procedure determines the average fatty acid intake of the participant over the previous 90 to 120 days. Participants were classified as case (n=10, patients diagnosed with periodontal disease) or …

Venom Peptide Induced Inhibition Of Escherichia Coli Atp Synthase, Sofiya Azim

Undergraduate Honors Theses

ATP is the main cellular energy generated by the enzyme ATP synthase in almost all organisms from bacteria to vertebrates. While malfunction of the ATP synthase complex is responsible for several disease conditions, the enzyme itself can be used as a potent molecular drug target to combat many diseases including microbial infections, cancer, tuberculosis, and obesity. Recent widespread escalation of antibiotic resistant microbes in general and E. coli in particular demands novel alternative approaches to combat microbial infections. Inhibition of ATP synthase by inhibitors such as peptides is known to deprive microbes of required energy, resulting in microbial cell death. …

A Hierarchical Graph For Nucleotide Binding Domain 2, Samuel Kakraba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most prevalent inherited diseases is cystic fibrosis. This disease is caused by a mutation in a membrane protein, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). CFTR is known to function as a chloride channel that regulates the viscosity of mucus that lines the ducts of a number of organs. Generally, most of the prevalent mutations of CFTR are located in one of two nucleotide binding domains, namely, the nucleotide binding domain 1 (NBD1). However, some mutations in nucleotide binding domain 2 (NBD2) can equally cause cystic fibrosis. In this work, a hierarchical graph is built for NBD2. …

A Systematic Review Of The Soricimorph Eulipotyphla (Soricidae: Mammalia) From The Gray Fossil Site (Hemphillian), Tennessee, Joshua Doby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due in part to the incompleteness of the Cenozoic fossil record in the eastern U.S., the evolution and immigration of shrews (Soricidae) is not well understood. A rich soricid fauna from the Gray Fossil Site (GFS), Washington County, TN, has enabled many new inferences to be made. There are 7 new species in 6 genera: Paenelimnoecus, “Blarinella”, Petenyia, Tregosorex, Crusafontina, and Gen et sp. nov. GFS species of the genera Paenelimnoecus, “Blarinella”, and Petenyia are the first occurrence of each genus in the New World. Tregosorex, Crusafontina, and the N.A. taxon Limnoecus all have their latest documented occurrence at the …

Move, Interact, And Connect Personally Barter Theatre’S Project Real Gets Implicit In Order To Learn, Megan E. Atkinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Body movement, hands-on activity, embodiment, social interaction, emotions, and self-reflection allow teaching artists of Barter’s Theatre’s Project REAL to conduct a lesson with an implicit learning experience as the focus. Barter Theatre’s Project REAL exists as a theatre for education program that collaborates with regular classroom teachers on delivering the curriculum through specific theatre exercises in order to connect the material personally to the students’ lives. Theatre tools provide a human experience that enhances learning for the student by use of kinesthetic movement, social learning, emotions and interpersonal skills. To understand the effects of Barter Theatre’s Project REAL, the director …