Life Sciences Commons^™

Individual Variation In Plant Traits Drives Species Interactions, Ecosystem Functioning, And Responses To Global Change, Quentin Daniel Read

Doctoral Dissertations

Ecologists have long sought to understand the processes that lead to the riotous diversity in communities of organisms that inhabit disparate climates and landscapes. Such a diversity of traits leads to a diversity of interactions among species in natural communities, which in turn generates a diversity of potential responses to ongoing global change. In this dissertation, I do three things: I explore the forces that structure plant communities and the ecosystem functions that they mediate, I describe patterns of variation among communities, species, and individual organisms across environmental contexts, and I disentangle the direct effects of global change from the …

An Epidemiological Study Of Ankle Injuries Among Football Players At A Division I University, Amy Elizabeth Estep

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Targeting Cancer: The Ph-Responsive Binding And Insertion Of Roxy7, Kristen Rae Booth

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The University Of Tennessee’S Campus Environment: Health Status, Perception, And Its Effect On Health-Related Behaviors, Alexandra L. Otto

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Cover Crop Species And Mixtures For Tennessee Organic Production Systems, Bonnie J. Craighead

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Wheelchair Fatigue Reducer, Aaron Miller, Dennis Andre Norfleet

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Examination Of Age Estimation Of The Sternal Rib Ends In The Third And Fourth Left Ribs, Arleigh Jones

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Hiv And Stigma At The University Of Tennessee: A Discussion Of Its Prevalence And How Hiv Awareness Correlates With Stigma, Renee L. Adamec

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Expansion, Characterization, Differentiation, And Visualization Of Mc 3t3-E1 Preosteoblast Cells: An In Vitro Model To Study Bone Healing And Stem Cell-Mediated Regeneration, Jakob T. Samsel, Madhu Dhar, Austin Bow, Tom Masi

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Identifying Genetic Factors In Streptococcus Uberis That Enable Evasion Of The Host Immune Response, Alexis Christine Burnham

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Low Temperature Phenotype In Arabidopsis Thaliana Mutant Ijt1 Is Affected By Splicing, Connie Liu

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Population Size, Trend, And Immigration In A Tennessee Population Of Mediterranean Geckos (Hemidactylus Turcicus), Jacob L. Wessels

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Population Genetics And Genomics Within The Genus Pityopsis, Elizabeth Anne Hatmaker

Masters Theses

Pityopsis (Asteraceae) includes seven species; one species, P. ruthii, is federally endangered. The genus exhibits a range of ploidy levels, widespread hybridization among species with overlapping ranges, and interesting adaptive traits such as fire-stimulated flowering. However, taxonomy of Pityopsis has remained unresolved. Resolving interspecific relationships can lead to a deeper understanding of the inheritance and hybridization patterns, as well as the evolution of adaptable traits. Our first objective was to examine population structure and gene flow within Pityopsis ruthii. Polymorphic microsatellite markers (7 chloroplast and 12 nuclear) were developed and used to examine genetic diversity of 814 P. …

The Food Industry’S Perception Of Economically Motivated Adulteration And Related Risk Factors, Lindsay Colleen Murphy

Masters Theses

The United States of America has numerous safeguards in place to protect our food supply, including federal regulations and the food and beverage industry’s dedication to food safety. One of the issues that the food and beverage industry continuously battles is the prevalence of intentional adulteration. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) specifically addresses intentional adulteration and its sub-category of economically motivated adulteration (EMA) by requiring all facilities that supply food to the US to assess the vulnerabilities within their operation in order to prevent events that could cause public harm. The purposes of this study are threefold: (1) to …

Evaluation Of Agronomic, Seed Quality Traits, And Transcript Abundance In Conventional High Oleic Soybeans With Mutant Fad2-1a And Fad2-1b Genes, Lauren Kathryn Richardson

Masters Theses

Two soybean omega-6 fatty acid desaturase genes [FAD2-1A and FAD2- 1B] are responsible for converting oleic acid into linoleic acid (Okuley et al., 1994). Plant introductions [PI] 603452 and 283327 have naturally occurring mutations in FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B, respectively, which hinder the conversion of oleic acid to polyunsaturated fatty acids. The end result is more functional soybean oil with exceptionally high levels of oleic acid. The homozygous alleles of FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B were combined in a BC₃F_2:4 [backcross three, second filial generation selected, advanced to the fourth filial generation] population of forty-eight lines and were evaluated in …

Opportunities In Sustainability: Maize Seeders For The Developing World And Alternative Fertilizers In The United States, Rebecca Mattingly Harman

Masters Theses

Sustainable agricultural systems are needed for both large and small-scale farmers the world over. Central to the sustainability of these systems is the availability of cheap and effective seeders for smallholder farmers and effective utilization of less energy intensive nitrogen sources. In the first two chapters, this thesis considers maize seeders for smallholder use in a Conservation Agriculture system. To sustain the smallholder sector, soil fertility and soil erosion must be addressed and a Conservation Agriculture model seeks to improve soil conditions in agriculture. The technologies available to smallholder farmers, though, need to be tested in a no-till system before …

Odor-Induced Taste Modifications In Teas, Rachel Elizabeth Isaacs

Masters Theses

Although odorants and tastants are perceived by two different sensory modalities, the perceived taste qualities of a solution may be modified with the addition of an odorant. While many studies have investigated odor-induced taste modifications in model solutions, there is a lack of conducted research examining odor-induced taste modifications in complex food systems. The research objective was to determine the effect of added vapor-phase stimuli on the perceived sweetness of a model solution and complex food system.

Eight vapor-phase stimuli (i.e. blueberry, caramel, ginger, honey, lemon, orange, peach, and strawberry) were selected for investigation. The study was conducted in two …

Modeling Feral Hogs In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Benjamin Anthony Levy

Doctoral Dissertations

Feral Hogs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species that have occupied the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the early 1900s. Recent studies have revitalized interest in the pest and have produced useful data. The Park has kept detailed records on mast abundance as well as every removal since 1980 including geographic location and disease sampling. Data obtained via Lidar includes both overstory as well as understory vegetation information. In this dissertation, three models were created and analyzed using the detailed data on vegetation, mast, and harvest history. The first model is discrete in time and space and …

The Impact Of A Child-Centered, Mastery Movement Program On Physical Activity Levels, Motor Skill Development, And Cognitive Function In Young Children, Joshua Anderson

Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies Publications and Other Works

Physical activity and cognition has not been extensively studied in preschool children. Purpose: To determine the association between physical activity and cognition in preschool children. Methods: Participants were 18 young children (3–5 years old) enrolled in a Head Start preschool program. Physical activity was assessed using an Actigraph accelerometer placed on the child’s hip. The device was worn at school for at least three hours on three separate days during the week. Accelerometer data were categorized as sedentary or active (light, moderate, and vigorous intensity). Cognitive function, specifically working memory, was assessed using the Corsi Block-Tapping Test. The number …

Squeaver, Cole Stonebrook, Matthew Frana, Samuel Tabor

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Overhanging limbs pose a threat to many homeowners with trees in their yard. If these limbs fall, property damage and personal injury are a major possibility. Currently the two methods used to cut and remove these limbs are hiring a tree service to use a boom truck to lift an arborist up to the limb or having a tree climber cut and lower the limb. Both methods are unsafe and expensive. Our design will be a tree-trimming device that can be rented from an equipment rental facility and operated by the homeowner. The machine will have the capability to extend …

An Epidemiological Study Of Ankle Injuries Among Football Players At A Division I University, Amy Elizabeth Estep

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries experienced by collegiate football players1. Analysis of ankle injury reports can help sports medicine staff prevent these types of injuries among football athletes by better understanding the factors surrounding the injury2. The purpose of this study was to examine the risk factors associated with ankle injuries (N=120) experienced by football players (N=222) at a Division I University during three football seasons (August 2013-December 2015). METHODS: De-identified data from the Sports Injury Monitoring System (SIMS) was used to calculate ankle injury incidence rates (per 1,000 exposures) by player position and type of …

Stability Of Sorgum Bicolor Alcoholic Extract As Affected By Ph And Temperature, James Jordan Bradwell

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Storage stability of Sorghum bicolor alcoholic extract as affected by pH and temperature

Jordan Bradwell, Philipus Pangloli, Vermont P Dia

Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville TN

Red sorghum contains phytochemicals such as 3-deoxyanthocyanidins and flavonoids with potential application in food as coloring and health promoting agents. The objective was to determine the stability of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of sorghum as affected by pH (2, 4 and 6) and temperature of storage (4 and 22 °C). The following parameters were measured: polyphenol concentration, absorbance at 490 nm and L*, a* and b*-values …

Design Of A Mobile Shade And Cooling Structure For Grazing Dairy Herds, William Barbour, Ellen Moore, Jay Mcmillan

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

The U.S. organic dairy industry has experienced significant growth in recent years: over 10% growth annually since 2009 and 14.5% from 2010 to 2011; total market share is approximately 5% in the United States. The USDA places certain requirements on diary products that are certified organic, some of which are aimed at grazing practices. One challenge farmers must overcome to comply is keeping the cows in optimum conditions in a free-range grazing scenario; poor conditions such as excessive heat can decrease milk production and pose an economic burden on the dairy. The proposed system intends to control environmental conditions for …

Evaluating The Cytotoxic Effects Of Cellulose Nanocrystals (Cncs) Using Autobioluminescent Yeast And Human Cells, Julianna Hughes Burchett

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are widely used in different industries including pharmaceutical and cosmetic production due to their adept physical and biological properties. Because CNCs are becoming a more prevalent material and have a high potential of being redistributed in the environment, it is important to understand their toxic potentials in biological systems, including organisms of various trophic levels. This study evaluated the cytotoxic effects of CNCs in the lower eukaryotic organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells using autobioluminescent yeast and human cell reporters, respectively. The S. cerevisiae and HEK293 reporter cells were engineered to express a synthetic …

Habituation Rate To Foods Of Differing Fat And Sugar Content In Healthy Weight Women, Stephanie N. Eddy

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Objectives:

This study examined habituation rates to foods high and low in sugar and fat, and investigated the relationship between food addiction (FA) scores and habituation rates.

Methods:

A one-group, within-subjects factor design (dried apricots [low in fat and sugar] and chocolate cake [high in fat and sugar]) was used. Participants played a computer task, which assesses habituation, for food points, with sessions counter-balanced by food. The computer task has 12, 2-minute trials, in which points for 75 kcal of food can be earned. The task is programmed at a variable interval of 120 ± 42 seconds reinforcement schedule (i.e., …

Simultaneous Knockdown Of Six Non-Family Genes Using A Single Synthetic Rnai Fragment In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Olaf Czarnecki, Anthony C. Bryan, Sara S. Jawdy, Xiaohan Yang, Zong-Ming Cheng, Jin-Gui Chen, Gerald A. Tuskan

Plant Sciences Publications and Other Works

Background

Genetic engineering of plants that results in successful establishment of new biochemical or regulatory pathways requires stable introduction of one or more genes into the plant genome. It might also be necessary to down-regulate or turn off expression of endogenous genes in order to reduce activity of competing pathways. An established way to knockdown gene expression in plants is expressing a hairpin-RNAi construct, eventually leading to degradation of a specifically targeted mRNA. Knockdown of multiple genes that do not share homologous sequences is still challenging and involves either sophisticated cloning strategies to create vectors with different serial expression constructs …

Evidence For The Priming Effect In A Planktonic Estuarine Microbial Community, Andrew D. Steen, Lauren N.M. Quigley, Alison Buchan

Microbiology Publications and Other Works

The “priming effect,” in which addition of labile substances changes the remineralization rate of recalcitrant organic matter, has been intensively studied in soils, but is less well-documented in aquatic systems. We investigated the extent to which additions of nutrients or labile organic carbon could influence remineralization rates of 14C-labeled, microbially-degraded, phytoplankton-derived organic matter (OM) in microcosms inoculated with microbial communities drawn from Grove Creek Estuary in coastal Georgia, USA. We found that amendment with labile protein plus phosphorus increased remineralization rates of degraded, phytoplankton-derived OM by up to 100%, whereas acetate slightly decreased remineralization rates relative to an unamended control. …

Construction Of High Resolution Genetic Linkage Maps To Improve The Soybean Genome Sequence Assembly Glyma1.01, Qijian Song, Jerry Jenkins, Gaofeng Jia, David L. Hyten, Vince Pantalone, Scott A. Jackson, Jeremy Schmutz, Perry B. Cregan

Plant Sciences Publications and Other Works

Background

A landmark in soybean research, Glyma1.01, the first whole genome sequence of variety Williams 82 (Glycine max L. Merr.) was completed in 2010 and is widely used. However, because the assembly was primarily built based on the linkage maps constructed with a limited number of markers and recombinant inbred lines (RILs), the assembled sequence, especially in some genomic regions with sparse numbers of anchoring markers, needs to be improved. Molecular markers are being used by researchers in the soybean community, however, with the updating of the Glyma1.01 build based on the high-resolution linkage maps resulting from this research, …

Volume 12, Number 2 (Fall/Winter 2016), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river