Life Sciences Commons^™

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 …

Biosemiotics As An Argument For The Recontextualization Of Biological Discoveries: A Critical Analysis Of The Biosemiotic Model Of Marcello Barbieri., Augustus Morrissey Snyder

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The primary purpose of this project was to investigate and explain the philosophical approach of biosemiotics to understanding living systems in contrast to the current scientific paradigm. Secondary goals were to evaluate the potential merits and relevance of this approach to biology and to introduce such a topic for discussion to biologists in a formal academic setting. My method consisted of critical textual analysis supplemented by analogy and biological examples where appropriate. In general, contemporary biosemiotics argues for a teleologic recontextualization of biological discoveries in practice and education. This is accomplished in a sophisticated fashion through the application and modification …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Novel Cationic Amphiphiles, Melanie Kusakavitch

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This project focused on the development of amphiphiles in order to prevent hospital-acquired infections before they have a chance to enter the host, thereby reducing the need for antibiotics. The antibiotic resistance crisis of the 21st century is a dangerous epidemic with global consequences. Therefore, there is a desperate need for novel approaches in antimicrobial research. This would decrease the overall length of stay in hospitals and costs associated with such a stay. In this study, tetracationic amphiphiles with two 12-carbon chains and an aliphatic linker were studied. The MIC value of each amphiphile and strain pair was determined and …

Characterizing Tau In The Nucleus, Shaw Grindle Camphire, Madeline Louise Henwood

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

A hallmark of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein into neurofibrillary tangles. Tau localizes to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of neuronal cells; however, its nuclear role has not been fully defined. Tau has recently been shown to bind to purine-pyrimidine (R/Y) repeats in DNA and stabilize them into Z-DNA. Evidence from our lab suggests that the binding of tau to R/Y repeats causes transcriptional changes of the NOS1 gene. Six major isoforms of tau exist in neurons. These isoforms fall into two groups, denoted as 3R tau and 4R tau, and are found at …

Evolution Of Bordetella Pertussis Genome May Play A Role In The Increased Rate Of Whooping Cough Cases In The United States, Kevin Loftus

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Bordetella pertussis is the bacterium responsible for pertussis, a disease commonly referred to as whooping cough. Recently, pertussis has made a resurgence in the U.S. despite high-vaccination coverage. Possible causes of the increased number of pertussis cases include genetic evolution of B. pertussis, increased awareness of the disease, better laboratory diagnostics, and the switch from a whole-cellular (wP) vaccine to an acellular vaccine (aP) in the 1990s. Fortunately, just as B. pertussis is evolving, so is the arsenal of technologies used to understand and combat this pathogenic bacterium. Whole genome sequencing is one technology that helps researchers better understand …

Geospatial Analysis Of Eastern Oyster Habitat And Disease In The Chesapeake Bay, Hannah Bradley

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Crassostrea virginica, common name eastern oyster, in the Chesapeake Bay is currently at 1% of its peak annual landings in 1884 (600,000 metric tons). This decline is in spite of being considered a resilient species. Causes of the decline include overharvesting, disease, and habitat loss. While efforts have been made to combat each cause, the key element to recovering the population is coordinated habitat restoration. This study aims to develop a GIS-based habitat model for the eastern oyster in the Chesapeake Bay. The first goal of this study was to determine the water quality parameters necessary for successful oyster …

Identifying A B. Thuringiensis Var. Kurstaki Receptor Binding Protein For Bacteriophage Riley, Rachel Carson

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

With the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria affecting people around the world, research into new therapies using bacteriophages (phages) is increasing in the United States. Phages are viruses that can only infect bacteria and are able to co-evolve alongside the bacteria they infect. A researchers’ ability to pinpoint which phage to use in the therapy is important to combat an infection effectively. To do so, the genes that control the interaction between phages and the bacteria they infect, such as receptor binding proteins on the surface of a bacterial cell, need to be identified. Transposon mutagenesis was used in …

Enhancing The Sea-Phages App To Collect Weather-Related Metadata From Soil Sampling Locations, Kelly M. Degnon

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The bacteriophage population is extremely diverse and abundant, with a seemingly limitless number of phages that have yet to be isolated and sequenced. The SEA-PHAGES program discovers and completely sequences the genome of hundreds of phages every year, contributing to the ever-growing database of phage sequences. However, there is little data about the conditions in which these phages are collected and if weather conditions can have an effect on the likelihood of isolating a phage. The SEA-PHAGES app, when used by students in the SEA- PHAGES program, will collect data on the location and weather conditions in which a soil …

Antibacterial Properties Of Novel Amphiphiles: Exploring Structure-Activity Relationships, Reafa Hossain

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The increased cases of antibiotic resistance have large implication in hospital settings where infections by antibiotic resistant bacteria are harder to treat resulting in longer stays at the hospital, which drastically increases the costs to patients and hospitals. To address this matter, many research groups are searching for an alternative to antibiotics. One option is the development of amphiphiles, some of which have antibacterial properties. Amphiphiles contain a hydrophilic, polar head group, and a hydrophobic, nonpolar tail, which may intercalate into the cell membrane, resulting in cell lysis. Understanding the impact of amphiphile geometry on antibacterial activity allows for the …

Sustainable Agriculture: Integration Of Aquaponics At Punta Leona Hotel And Club In Costa Rica, Cailin Sierra Dyer, Paris Riley Smith

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Sustainable agriculture is becoming an increasingly important method of food production. As human populations continue to grow, attendant food demand has been increasingly met via agribusiness, including monoculture crop production and factory farming. As is well documented, the rise of agribusiness has led to resource degradation and declining stocks on which “sustainable agriculture” relies. This paper describes a local attempt to re-establish “sustainable agriculture” through the development of an aquaculture system that mimics a naturally occurring cycle that integrates fish and plants. The system was constructed over a three-week period in Punta Leona, Costa Rica. First, the ground was cleared …

Searching For Potential Binding Partners Of Arabidopsis Β-Amylase9 Using Yeast 2-Hybridization, Sheikh Hossain

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In plants, starch is a major carbon and energy storage compound. Starch is made as a product of photosynthesis while plants are in light and is degraded at night. Our lab is interested in the cellular mechanism of starch degradation in plants and for our studies we use Arabidopsis thaliana as a model. β-amylases are primarily responsible for the hydrolysis of starch in plants and a total of nine β-amylases genes are encoded in Arabidopsis thaliana. These nine genes are identified as BAM1-9. BAM9 is located in the chloroplast where starch is located, and is present …

Muscle Synergies And How They Contribute To The Movement Of The Tail During The Nociceptive Withdrawal Response In The Rat’S Tail, Hasti Izadpanah

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Noxious stimuli can evoke the nociceptive withdrawal response (NWR), which protects the affected part of the body from injury. The rat’s tail, because of the large number of joint (n=84) and muscle (n=300) degrees of freedom, may present a computational challenge to the central nervous system. Previous studies have revealed that synergies act to reduce the number of degrees of freedom across diverse movements in a variety of animals; however, there is little information in mammals on synergistic control of the tail. The long-term specific aim of this project is to test the hypothesis that during the NWR muscle synergies …

Reconstruction Of The Tail Nociceptive Withdrawal Response From Combinations Of Movement Primitives Associated With Individual Muscles In The Rat, Justin Nguyen

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Abstract

One type of involuntary movement is the nociceptive withdrawal response (NWR), in which mammals move a part of their body away from noxious, or tissue damaging, stimuli. Previous studies have evoked the limb NWR in diverse animals such as cats, frogs, and humans. However, there is minimal information on how complex movement arising from numerous muscles and joints, such as in the tail of the rat, is effectively coordinated.

The specific aim was to identify the contribution of movement from individual extrinsic muscles to the tail NWR utilizing a new technique. From previous studies, extrinsic muscles in the pelvis …

Targeting Of Central Nucleus Projections To Extramodular Zones Of The Lateral Cortex Of The Inferior Colliculus In Developing Mouse, Isabel D. Lamb-Echegaray

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The multimodal lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus (LCIC) exhibits a modular-extramodular micro-organization that is evident early in development. In addition to a set of neurochemical markers that reliably highlight its modular-extramodular organization, mature projection patterns in a variety of adult species suggest that major LCIC afferents also recognize and adhere to such a framework. This patch-matrix-like arrangement appears to segregate into distinct afferent streams, with somatosensory inputs targeting LCIC modules and auditory inputs targeting surrounding extramodular zones. Currently lacking is a detailed understanding of the development and shaping of multimodal LCIC afferents with respect to its modular-extramodular framework. The …

An N-Terminal Acidic Domain In Β-Amylase2 Is Required For K+ Regulation., Jillian Breault

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In the chloroplasts of leaf mesophyll cells, β-amylase proteins (BAMs) are responsible for breaking down starch into maltose when the plant cannot undergo photosynthesis. BAM2, which was previously considered inactive, was recently shown to be active under stromal-like levels of salt and has optimal activity at 80mM KCl. In addition, BAM2 is active as a tetramer in vivo and displays sigmoidal kinetics due to a secondary binding site that is responsible for activating BAM2 when bound to starch. A hypothesized tetramer model was created using a homology model of a BAM2 monomer and the configuration of a crystallized sweet potato …

Validity And Reliability Of The Ymca Submaximal Cycle Test Using An Electrically Braked Ergometer, Justin Kidd

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Purpose: To test the effect of using an electrically braked ergometer on the validity and reliability of the YMCA submaximal cycle test.

Methods: 22 male and 13 female subjects ages 19 to 31 completed one maximal treadmill test and four submaximal cycle tests to measure and estimate VO_2max, respectively. The maximal tests involved recording heart rate and VO₂ during graded exercise until volitional fatigue; an actual max was verified when two out of the following criteria: respiratory Exchange Ratio > 1.1, VO₂ plateau (< 150 ml/min increase in VO₂ during final stage), and achievement of 90% age-predicted HR max (or completed …

Escape Behavior Of The Grammostola Rosea Tarantula And Phidippus Regius Spider In Response To Heat Stimuli, Madison Thomas

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Insects respond to aversive stimuli such as wind, looming and heat by escaping in a direction opposite the stimuli. Spiders have 8 legs, which offers the spider more gait options for escape than insects, which have 6 legs. However, there are few published studies on the escape response of spiders, and there is no information that shows how location or direction of the stimulus will affect escape patterns. Therefore, the specific goal of my research was to determine the relationship between the stimulus location and direction of response in two species of spider – Regal Jumping spiders (Phidippus regius …

Contributions Of Aδ Nociceptors To The Nociceptive Withdrawal Response In Intact Unanesthetized Rats, Kristin Sammons

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The nociceptive withdrawal response (NWR), characterized by rapid withdrawal of stimulated body parts, can be evoked by stimulation of two classes of sensory nociceptors: Aδ and C-fibers. Previous studies revealed conflicting results concerning the factors that determine the direction and magnitude of the NWR. Some studies showed that the direction of the NWR depends upon stimulus location. In contrast, other studies, including those from our laboratory, showed that the direction of the NWR does not depend on stimulus location but rather is modulated by posture. However, it is likely that the heat stimuli delivered in our studies stimulated a mixture …

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 …

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 …

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 …