Life Sciences Commons^™

Ohio Wesleyan Bacillus Collection Student Research, Madeline Russell, Nandini Arora, Emily Bode, Morgan Chmielenski, Rebecca Coppenbarger, Ginny Faeth, Carianne Hutchison, Mindi Klaus, Jonna Mendenhall, Natalia Molotievskiy, Jess Nichols, Jennifer Paul, Brynn Schlesinger, Olivia Smith, Myles Steed, Abby Thierauf, Ivan Vore

Student Symposium

This semester students in BIOL 328 Bacterial Physiology lab worked in teams on a laboratory project that they devised, developed, and conducted. Each group met weekly with Dr. Tuhela-Reuning and Maddy Russell during the first third of the semester to develop a research project that involved the Bacillus culture collection at OWU. The Bacillus collection contains over 3000 isolates of Bacillus obtained from wild songbirds in Ohio, Arizona, and Washington, and many of these isolates degrade feathers. Student projects involved quantification of bird feather degradation by several Bacillus isolates, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of biofilms and feather, possible correlation of …

Swimming Beneath The Sahara: The Thermal Biology Of Scincus Scincus, The Sand-Swimming Skink, Ethan Livingston

Student Symposium

Little is known about the natural history of the sandfish skink (Scincus scincus), despite its range spanning two continents. In deserts across North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, these lizards spend up to 90% of their day beneath sand and are uniquely adapted to this environment. However, much about the basic biology of this species remains unknown. With this study, we compiled a robust suite of thermal biology parameters to assess within-individual patterns in sandfish skinks. We first quantified thermal preferences and the use of sand horizons to thermoregulate. We monitored individual lizard body temperatures day and night for one …

Parasite Communities In Sunfish (Centrarchidae) From The Olentangy River, Sophia Holupka

Student Symposium

Parasites are common in freshwater fishes, and sunfish (Family Centrarchidae) in particular have been found to have diverse parasite communities in North America. We have been studying parasite communities that are found in sunfish (Family Centrarchidae) in three different localities (Delaware Run, River Run Park, and William Street Bridge) along the Olentangy River in Delaware, Ohio. The presence of multiple species of sunfish in the Delaware Run and nearby Olentangy River has given us an opportunity to compare parasites among them. A total of 212 fish were collected August 2022 through April 2023 and examined for parasites. We found a …

Phenotype Characterization Of Sas-7(Or1945) C. Elegans, Chase Reinert

Student Symposium

The ability to form a bipolar spindle is crucial for accurate cell division. In the nematode C. elegans several genes have been described with roles in spindle assembly including sas-7. The centriole is a key organizer of mitotic spindles. The sas-7 protein is a centriole component that regulates centriole duplication, elongation, and assembly. To date, most work on sas-7 was using a conditional non-null allele. In this study, phenotypes associated with the loss-of-function sas-7(or1945) null allele were characterized. Homozygous sas-7(or1945) hermaphrodites have reduced brood sizes with no viable embryos compared to wild-type and heterozygotes. When they do produce embryos, they …

Animal Care Observation Internship, Chandler Carr

Student Symposium

Zoos contain a wide variety of animals that each have idiosyncratic behavioral patterns, personalities and preferences. Unlike scientific literature, which tends to focus on the population, zoos take the wants and needs of individuals as priority. It would, thus, be beneficial for the zoo to have a detailed account of individual behavior throughout the day so the zoo knows how best to care for individuals. However, it is very likely that a few zookeepers watch over several animals at a time and have tasks to perform throughout the day. Watching and documenting specific behaviors at a specific time is a …

Familiarity And Its Impacts On Male Mate Preference The Sailfin Molly, Poecilia Latipinna, Abigail Doza, Alyssa Back

Student Symposium

Mating behaviors are an integral part of the life history and ecology of many species. Male mate preferences are an especially understudied area of research. We examined male mate preference for familiar and unfamiliar female fish in the sailfin molly Poecilia latipinna. We hypothesized that males would prefer familiar females as they may have been able to gather additional information concerning the female’s reproductive status. Males were isolated for a minimum of four days and then tested in a choice tank with two females of similar size. After the experiment, each male was randomly assigned to be with one of …

Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship At Ohio Wildlife Center, Chase Reinert, Cassady Wolfinger

Student Symposium

Ohio Wildlife Center treats approximately 8,000 sick, orphaned, or injured native Ohio wildlife every year. Throughout the spring semester, we completed a three-month internship to learn all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. During our time at the Ohio Wildlife Center, we learned basic handling skills of a variety of species, including orphaned animals. Spring is the busiest time of year and most of our time was consumed with doing intake exams and tube feedings of infant animals. In addition to the wildlife hospital, the Ohio Wildlife Center has a pre-release facility located in Powell. Once a patient is deemed healthy enough …

The Relationship Of Functional Test Performance With Proficiency And Injury Occurrence In High School Volleyball Players, Hannah Williams, Kaitlyn Peters

Student Symposium

Understanding the relationships between functional performance tests and sport performance is important for sport coaches and trainers. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) Do relationships exist between upper body and lower body functional tests and volleyball proficiency between upper-classmen (juniors, seniors) and lower-classmen (freshmen, sophomores) at the high school level? and (2) Can functional test performance predict injury occurrence throughout a travel volleyball season?

The participant sample included 52 high school-aged club volleyball athletes (aged 14-18) recruited from 2 volleyball clubs located in Columbus, OH.

This is a prospective research design in which each participant was tested in …

Can Functional Tests Predict Throwing Velocity Or Batting-Exit Velocity In Division Iii Collegiate Baseball: A Predictive Validity Investigation, Lucas Stetter, Luigi Russo

Student Symposium

Understanding the relationships between functional performance tests and actual sport performance is important for sport coaches and trainers. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) Do relationships exist between upper body, lower body or whole-body tests of strength and power with throwing or batting velocity (2) Which variable or group of variables best predict the sport-specific tasks of throwing and batting velocity.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Occupational Therapy Service Delivery In Public Schools, Amanda Ciccone

Student Symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major effect across the US, but the impact on the school system was a major focus within the media. Due to federal legislation, public schools are required to provide accommodations to children with disabilities in order to make them successful in schools. There is a lack of research on the effect COVID-19 had on related services which these students are provided. To bring more understanding to this aspect of the public school system, this study investigated the impact COVID-19 had on the delivery of occupational therapy services provided to children with disabilities in Ohio public …

Searching For Megaviruses In Iceland, Delanie Baker

Student Symposium

The proposed Megavirales order comprises members of the previously known nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs). Virus families in the Megavirales order include Poxviridae, Ascoviridae, and the recently explored families of megaviruses infecting free living amoeba such as Mimiviridae, Marseilleviridae, and Pandoraviridae. Megaviruses have been isolated from water and soil samples from Chile, France, India, and the United States. We chose to study the occurrence of megaviruses in Iceland because of the diverse habitats all within one island. No research has been carried out on the presence of megaviruses in Iceland. Samples of water and soil were collected from lava fields, …

Betta Fish Reactions To Color: A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis, Jessica Barrios, Jackie Arnott

Student Symposium

We will be studying the connections between mating, aggression, and the coloration of male betta fish and how they react to the coloration of other betta fish. We chose this topic because coloration is genetically linked to aggression in male betta fish, and because aggressive behaviors are very similar to mating behaviors.

Comparison Of Two Different Stretching Interventions On Glenohumeral Range Of Motion Of Overhead Athletes, Jackson Brownstein

Student Symposium

The baseball throwing motion repetitively creates large forces on the shoulder and elbow as the arm dynamically moves through susceptible end-range positions. Many retrospective studies have demonstrated relationships between a decrease in shoulder ROM and shoulder injuries, such as labral tears and impingement syndrome. In collegiate baseball players, poor shoulder ROM increases the likelihood of experiencing overuse symptoms during the season. The question often asked by coaches is how to best improve shoulder ROM in players that have had prior problems with overuse injuries. Understanding the differences between dynamic and passive flexibility routines have on improving shoulder mobility within a …

Flight And Wing Comparison Of Bats In A Cloud And A Dry Forest In Costa Rica, Makali Haines

Student Symposium

The shape, and size of an object’s wings and body can tell you a lot about their aerodynamics and strategies for flight. Some wings are built to be fast and agile while others are slower but more powerful, and there are a lot of factors that go into deciding the best strategy for each situation or location. When you think of this in terms of animals' wings and different habitats one might predict that different habitats contain animals that have different flying strategies. I measured many aspects of Costa Rican bats caught in both the wet and dry forest, then …

Characterization Of The Yeast Gene Ydl218w: A Role In Cell Wall Biosynthesis And Maintenance?, Kaden Hubly

Student Symposium

The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a common model organism used to study eukaryotic cell biology. S. cerevisiae is a fungus with a cell wall which makes it an excellent model for the study of antifungal agents. There are close to 1,000 genes of unknown function (GUFs) in S. cerevisiae. One of these is the gene YDL218W on which our research is focused. While little is known about this gene, evidence suggests that it may be involved in cell wall synthesis or maintenance. For example, YDL218W is induced by a transcription factor known to regulate genes involved in maintaining cell …

Upper Extremity Performance Changes In Division Iii Collegiate Swimmers Over A Competitive Season, Tyler Mansfield, Morgan Barnard, Liz Mayio

Student Symposium

Collegiate swimmers and coaches are always looking to improve athletic performances. Shoulder strength and shoulder flexibility are two factors that may correlate improved performance throughout a season. The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in shoulder strength and ROM over the course of a collegiate season. Thirty-four collegiate swimmers (males =15, females =19, age =19.38 ± 1.26 years, height = 1.76 ± 0.098m, mass = 73.55 ± 12.66kg) were assessed during the pre-season and post-season in shoulder strength and ROM. Athletic performance was assessed and quantified by determining the amount of personal bests each athlete swam. Twenty-nine …

Advancing Natural History Research Using The Collections Of The Owu Brant Museum Of Zoology, Josh Pletcher, Kyle Davis

Student Symposium

Natural history collections are important repositories of biological and geological material. Biological collections provide raw data to interpret the ecology, anatomy, and evolution of living and fossil organisms. OWU’s zoological collections play an important role in undergraduate research and educating future preparators. Two projects are currently in progress: Kyle Davis’ work on size variation in house sparrows and Josh Pletcher’s work digitizing OWU’s collection of Ward’s fossil casts. We travelled to museums in New York and Connecticut to further pursue our research. Kyle Davis’ research focuses on Bergmann’s Rule, which states that as temperature decreases, body size increases, decreasing surface …

Effects Of Amur Honeysuckle On Soil Co2 Emissions, Aidan Shumaker

Student Symposium

Lonicera maackii is an invasive woody species found in Ohio and throughout the deciduous forests of eastern United States, taking over habitats of native shrub species such as Lindera benzoin. L. maackii has unique traits compared to deciduous forest natives, showing earlier leaf-out and later leaf senescence, higher leaf nitrogen levels, and faster leaf decomposition. As a result, L. maackii may alter soil conditions through its extended root activity and impacts on microbial decomposition, possibly impacting soil CO2 emissions. As soil microorganisms metabolize organic matter, they release greenhouse gases like CO2 through respiration, which can impact global climate change. Previous …

Studying The Social Behavior And Preferences Of Polar Bears At The Columbus Zoo And Aquarium, Molly Seeberger

Student Symposium

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are relatively solitary animals unless it is breeding season. At the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the polar bears participate in the Species Survival Plan where breeding for conservation efforts is encouraged. Lee, an 19-year-old male, came to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in the Fall of 2018 in hopes of breeding with 12-year-old twin females Aurora and Anana. Because Lee’s previous experience was only living with one female, I wanted to observe whether he would prefer a particular female because he now had two females to choose from. Not only did I look for preference, but …

The Relationship Of Lower Extremity Range Of Motion And Incidence Of Shin Splints In Collegiate Runners: A Pilot Study, Megan Sievers

Student Symposium

Shin splints have become a routine diagnosis provided by medical professionals as a way of generalizing pain in the lower leg. This injury is especially common in the sport of track and field accounting for about half of all overuse injuries in the lower leg. Despite its prevalence in runners, the exact cause of pain is unknown. Research shows conflicting evidence over certain anatomical factors that could be generating pain in the lower extremity; among which could be deficiencies in dorsiflexion and hip range of motion (ROM). If anatomical discrepancies exist, the athletes could be at a higher risk of …

Human Music Genre Recognition In Goldfish, Makali Haines, Sophia Hallam

Student Symposium

Music plays a big role in our daily lives, but when it comes to the animal world many species don’t react to our music, but that’s not to say they can’t react. In a previous study by scientists at Israeli Technion Institute of Technology and lead by Kazutaka Shinozuka in 2013 goldfish didn’t show a preference towards an example of our music but rather they showed and discrimination and avoidance to one. From that we hypothesized that goldfish could be trained to discriminate human made music genres from certain sound cues. The goldfishes’ tests did not come out significant, but …

Laboratory Mice Burrowing Responses To Predator Calls, Katie Vonderembse, Brianna Graber, Molly Seeberger

Student Symposium

The avoidance of predation is an essential trait in mice and depends on the ability of the mouse to recognize its predators. It is predicted that the calls of predators act as stimuli which signal the presence of potential danger. Laboratory mice have been shown to respond with defensive behaviors, such as burrowing, when exposed to the the calls of predators. To test how mice respond to different predator calls, we will play the sounds of three owls, Eastern Screech Owl,Tawny Owl, and American Barn Owl, and look at burrowing behaviors. Human voices reading a book will be used as …

Investigating Crayfish (Orconectes Rusticus) Aggression And How It Varies With Resource Availability, Allie Smith, Rebecca Lipster

Student Symposium

Animals that express agonistic behavior toward one another are prone to recognizing hierarchical status among individuals. Recognizing status has proven to be evolutionarily advantageous for crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) because it allows dominant individuals to maximize resources and permits subordinate individuals to steer clear of potentially costly battles. More specifically, two crayfish experiencing aggression can generally determine who the dominant and subordinate individuals are in a fight. A higher social status within a social hierarchy can allow for increased access to differing resources, such as food, mates, and shelter. In this experiment, we want to see if limiting resources will affect …

Sugar Maple Monitoring Project At Stratford Ecological Center, Jakob Woodside

Student Symposium

The sugar maple is one of the most important species of tree in North America for its hard wood and for its sap, which is often tapped and made into maple syrup. The concentration of sugar within its sap becomes increasingly important as demand for the tree increases and production and growth follow suit. Sap only flows after the first thaw of the season, and thus an increase in global temperature could have drastic effects not only on the time at which the sap is harvested, but the overall amount of sap collected as a whole. Thus, an experiment was …

Size Increase With Altitude In The Rufous-Collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia Capensis), Kyle Davis

Student Symposium

Heat is generated by the body volume and lost across its surface. Therefore larger homeotherms with their proportionately larger volume and smaller surface area will withstand cold better than small homeotherms, which has been addressed in some basic ecological principles. Bergmann’s Rule indicates that organisms at higher latitudes (and therefore lower temperatures) will be larger than those at lower latitudes, and Allen’s Rule indicates that appendage size is generally smaller in cooler temperatures. Both Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules relate body size to latitude and/or temperature, but environmental temperature also changes with altitude. We tested the possible relationship between body size …

Shooting Your Accuracy In The Foot: The Effect Of Action Video Games On Cognitive Control, Mickey Rice, Lexi Lease, Malia Walker

Student Symposium

Previous research on long-term exposure to action (e.g., first-person shooter) video games has demonstrated a negative association between exposure and cognitive control (Bailey, West, & Anderson, 2010). To further explore the relationship between gaming and cognitive control, the current study examined the effects of brief video game exposure (20 minutes) on cognitive control using event-related potentials (ERPs). Cognitive control was assessed by ERP components associated with the ability to detect (N2) and resolve (SP) conflict when the conflict was either expected or unexpected. After playing either an action or strategy video game, participants completed a Stroop task while ERPs were …

Patterns In Color Perception, Madeline Henson, Taimur Iftikhar

Student Symposium

Synesthesia is a neurological condition that forces individuals to process a lot of different senses at once. These different senses can be stimulated by anything; for example, if one hears some sounds, they might also perceive those sounds as colors and vice versa. Another form of Synesthesia, termed Grapheme-Color Synesthesia, can occur when one looks at different characters in a language and they see different colors generated in their brain. The amount of colors a person sees by looking at different characters varies. Our goal for our project was to figure out how different languages stimulate different neurological senses for …

Brain Network Structure And Interventions In A Computational Model Of Epilepsy, Joe Emerson

Student Symposium

Some forms of drug-resistant epilepsy can only be treated via surgical intervention. This form of treatment requires the removal of a part of the brain identified as the seizure source. Current methods for surgical treatment are risky and many times unsuccessful. A deeper understanding of how brain connectivity facilitates seizure propagation is necessary for developing improved surgical techniques. Experimental limitations make certain clinical investigations of epilepsy difficult or impossible, but computational modeling offers a way forward when experimentation in living systems is impractical or unsafe. We used a full-hemisphere computational model for epilepsy to investigate the role of network structure …

Unlocking The Mysteries Of Merrick's Museum, Josh Pletcher

Student Symposium

No abstract provided.

Perception Is Reality?, Madeline Henson, Taimur Iftikhar

Student Symposium

Related presentation in Panel 1A: Brain Games