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Articles 1 - 19 of 19
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Selenium Burdens In Painted Turtles (Chrysemys Picta), Holly A. Gerberding
Selenium Burdens In Painted Turtles (Chrysemys Picta), Holly A. Gerberding
Honors Thesis
Tile drain systems are a critical advancement in agriculture that move excess water from crop fields to streams, ditches, and wetlands. Selenium is a necessary mineral but is considered toxic at high levels. Previous research indicates that wetlands with tile drains are at a higher risk for elevated selenium concentrations. Selenium enters the aquatic ecosystem via these tile systems and us taken up by invertebrates and continues to bioaccumulate mainly via direct transfer in higher trophic level taxa such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. For this study, painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) served as a model organism to …
Decreased Activity Of Phosphofructokinase-1 In Flight Muscle Cells Of Hawk Moth Manduca Sexta With Age, Owen G. Alvine
Decreased Activity Of Phosphofructokinase-1 In Flight Muscle Cells Of Hawk Moth Manduca Sexta With Age, Owen G. Alvine
Honors Thesis
The phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) enzyme is important for the catalyzation and regulation of glycolysis, especially in muscle. Investigating age-related changes in PFK-1 activity will provide insights into the metabolism shifts in muscle cells of our muscle aging model. The hawk moth, Manduca sexta, was chosen as the model organism because of its unique endothermic, synchronous flight muscles that are more analogous to vertebrates than invertebrate species. We hypothesized that PFK-1 activity will increase in muscle cells of aged moths due to dysregulation of the mitochondria. This was predicted to change the method of energy production, by hindering oxidative phosphorylation, making glycolysis …
Manduca Sexta As An Animal Model Of Muscle Aging, David Melanson
Manduca Sexta As An Animal Model Of Muscle Aging, David Melanson
Honors Thesis
Aging has a multisystemic effect on an organism’s functional physiology and quality of life. One such effect is the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, known as sarcopenia. A thorough investigation to the multiple factors that contribute to sarcopenia is required. Models are used to dissect the mechanistic understanding of the muscle aging process. Manduca sexta is emerging as a novel and complementary muscle aging model because their flight muscles are metabolically and functionally similar to vertebrate skeletal muscle. Manduca sexta is already a prominent invertebrate model organism in neurobiology, immunology, developmental research, and flight mechanics because of …
Optimizing The Delivery Of A Gfp Gene Via A Biocompatible Nanocarrier In Daphnia And A Chironomid, Alexandra R. Job
Optimizing The Delivery Of A Gfp Gene Via A Biocompatible Nanocarrier In Daphnia And A Chironomid, Alexandra R. Job
Honors Thesis
Current pest control methods impose risks including pest resistance to insecticides, bioaccumulation of the insecticide, and ecosystem impact. There is a need for a better and more sustainable method of pest control in order to protect the environment and the populations reliant on it. Currently, an alternative method of pest control uses RNA interference (RNAi), that exploits heterologous protein expression to disable the insect pest, delivered by the use of nanoparticles. Nanocarriers show great promise in this method of use, but concerns of cytotoxicity, biodegradability, and transfer to off target organisms require careful consideration. This study focuses on optimizing a …
Detection Of Neonicotinoids In Northern Leopard Frog (Rana Pipiens) Brains, Peyton G. Keller
Detection Of Neonicotinoids In Northern Leopard Frog (Rana Pipiens) Brains, Peyton G. Keller
Honors Thesis
Neonicotinoids are widespread and commonly used to fight agricultural pests. Unfortunately, these neurotoxic insecticides commonly reach nearby wetlands due to tile drainage systems and agricultural runoff. Non-target organisms, such as amphibians, use wetlands as habitat and are likely exposed to elevated neonicotinoid levels. We collected Northern leopard frogs and water samples from control and tile wetlands to compare imidacloprid brain concentrations and subsequent changes in brain morphology. Additionally, a lab-based experiment was conducted to further analyze the ability of imidacloprid and its metabolite, imidacloprid-olefin, to cross the blood-brain barrier. Tile wetlands had higher aquatic imidacloprid concentrations. Subsequently, amphibians collected from …
Catabolism Of Bcaas And Application, Skylar Arellano-Myers
Catabolism Of Bcaas And Application, Skylar Arellano-Myers
Honors Thesis
Over the past 150 years, amino acids have been found and researched in the nutrition biochemistry field. Over these years, three have been identified; leucine, valine and isoleucine; to make up the branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) that play a crucial role on the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. The metabolism of BCAAs is a highly complicated process that is regulated by the activation of the alpha-keto acids dehydrogenase complex (BCKDH complex) to complete the catabolic reaction. With exercise, it has been found to increase the metabolism of BCAAs by increasing the BCKDH complex, which will decrease the fatigue and …
Rhythm Of The Night: Brain Activity And Performance On A Sustained Attention Task Is Modulated By Circadian Typology And Time Of Day, Carly R. Cooper
Rhythm Of The Night: Brain Activity And Performance On A Sustained Attention Task Is Modulated By Circadian Typology And Time Of Day, Carly R. Cooper
Honors Thesis
The human circadian system plays an important role in biological and psychological processes in both health and disease. Circadian typology refers to individual differences in circadian rhythm and is categorized into three general chronotypes: morning, evening, and neither. Research suggests that an individual’s diurnal preference may be associated with differences in cognitive abilities, personality traits, and incidence of psychiatric disorders. In the present study, we utilized a Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) and an electroencephalogram (EEG) in a desynchrony protocol. Morning-type and evening-type participants completed a SART task on two separate occasions during which brain activity was recorded. This …
Using Bacterial And Fungal Inoculation Strategies To Aid In The Wetland Restoration Of Native Plants In Southern California, Amy Alverson, Karina K. Johnston
Using Bacterial And Fungal Inoculation Strategies To Aid In The Wetland Restoration Of Native Plants In Southern California, Amy Alverson, Karina K. Johnston
Honors Thesis
Planting of native species is a key part of ecological restoration, although the encroachment of invasive species and obstacles to seed germination can limit the success of revegetation efforts. The use of indigenous Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) have been shown to increase the long-term height and diameter of native plants and increase soil fertility in certain studies. Inoculation of seeds with native PGPR have also been shown to increase seed germination. In this study, the effect of different inoculation treatments on different plants native to southern California was studied at two sites in the …
Stage Of Estrous Cycle Influences Behavior After Social Stress, Alexander Jonah Rodriguez
Stage Of Estrous Cycle Influences Behavior After Social Stress, Alexander Jonah Rodriguez
Honors Thesis
Since women are almost twice as likely to develop major depression compared to men, research into this and other potentially debilitating mood disorders using behavioral studies should involve females despite hormonal, physiological, and potential behavior changes due to reproductive cyclicity. Until recently, most studies exclusively used males, thus limiting results of previous research to half of the population. Using adult female C57BL/6N mice as model organisms, we exposed them to novel forms of social stress across five days which encompassed the four-day estrous cycle to determine if the stages of the estrous cycle had an impact on behavior when they …
The Potential Influence Of Abiotic Conditions On Mussel Species Abundance In San Francisco Bay, Alexandra G. Farrell, M. Christina Vasquez Dr.
The Potential Influence Of Abiotic Conditions On Mussel Species Abundance In San Francisco Bay, Alexandra G. Farrell, M. Christina Vasquez Dr.
Honors Thesis
Climate change has negatively altered seawater conditions, which may have severe implications for marine ecosystems. Mussels are susceptible to environmental changes since they are primary consumers and filter-feeding bivalves. Two species of particular interest to the West Coast of the U.S. are Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus. M. trossulus is native to the California Coast and was historically prevalent from Southern California to Washington. However, with increased shipping and rising seawater temperature, M. galloprovincialis, an invasive species from the Mediterranean, pushed the species range of M. trossulus poleward. M. trossulus is more tolerant of cold seawater with variable salinity while …
Investigating The Effects Of Urban Coyotes On Free-Range Cats In Culver City, California Using Occupancy Analyses Of Camera Trap Data, Rebecca Davenport, Melinda Weaver, Dr. E. Strauss
Investigating The Effects Of Urban Coyotes On Free-Range Cats In Culver City, California Using Occupancy Analyses Of Camera Trap Data, Rebecca Davenport, Melinda Weaver, Dr. E. Strauss
Honors Thesis
As a habitat generalist, coyotes are known to thrive in urban environments given the abundance and diversity of suitable food sources throughout the cityscape. Within Southern California, cats have been found to comprise a higher proportion of coyote diet than in other urban areas throughout the country. However, it is unclear what factors are contributing to these higher rates of cat depredation by coyotes in the Los Angeles region. While previous research suggests that coyote presence may have a negative effect on free-range cat distributions, few studies have determined whether urban green spaces affect coyote or free-range cat occurrence within …
Exploring The Dynamics Of Biological Macromolecules At Angstrom Scale, Calvin Foss
Exploring The Dynamics Of Biological Macromolecules At Angstrom Scale, Calvin Foss
Honors Thesis
This thesis studied the Guanylate Kinase (GK) enzyme, which catalyzes the reaction of ATP into ADP, using nano-rheological techniques. A unique experimental setup was created in order to observe the conformational dynamics of the biological macromolecules. An oscillatory force was applied by attaching enzymes to a gold-coated surface and gold nanoparticles. An additional gold-coated surface was placed on top of the setup in order to create a parallel plate capacitor configuration. An oscillatory voltage was then applied across the capacitor to drive the gold nanoparticles and exert a force on the enzymes. The setup detected the ensemble averaged movement of …
Review: The Bidirectional Relationship Between Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Inhibition And Import Machinery Malfunction In Parkinson’S Disease, Grace Riggs, Deepa Dabir
Review: The Bidirectional Relationship Between Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Inhibition And Import Machinery Malfunction In Parkinson’S Disease, Grace Riggs, Deepa Dabir
Honors Thesis
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) portion of the ventral midbrain, the region of the brain largely responsible for motor control, executive cognitive function, and emotional limbic activity (Sonne 2020). SNpc dopaminergic neurons are more vulnerable than those in other regions due to their high energy demand arising from long, highly branched, unmyelinated axons (Pissadaki & Bolam 2013). They also have a higher basal rate of oxidative phosphorylation, which has been hypothesized to further increase vulnerability in cases of PD (Pacelli et al., 2015). One of the major …
An Annual Training Plan For Collegiate Dance, Ashley R. German
An Annual Training Plan For Collegiate Dance, Ashley R. German
Honors Thesis
The focus of this thesis is on developing an annual resistance training plan for collegiate dance with no test subjects. This project provides biomechanical, physiological, and injury analysis of collegiate dance. Based on the analysis, a research-based, linear resistance training program for the University of South Dakota Dance Team was created. The resistance training program follows basic strength and conditioning principles including specificity, overload, and periodization. Additionally, exercise selection, order, volume, and intensity were prescribed based on standards set forth by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Generally, from off-season to in-season, exercises moved from general to specific, along with …
Sugar Glider (Petaurus Breviceps) Behavior In Red Vs Blue Lighting, Elisa Hillman
Sugar Glider (Petaurus Breviceps) Behavior In Red Vs Blue Lighting, Elisa Hillman
Honors Thesis
Sugar gliders are an exotic pet that is increasing in popularity in households as well as in zoos. One challenge that caregivers have to manage is their nocturnal circadian rhythm. In order for people to view or interact with sugar gliders during their active time, many zoos will reverse their diurnal cycle with lights. The discovery of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) which seems to have an increased sensitivity to blue light and how these cells affect the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and circadian rhythm has led to an increase in awareness on the health effects of being exposed …
Toxic Effect Of Crotalus Adamanteus Acidic Phospholipase A2 On Mcf-7 Cell Line, Daniel J. Petra
Toxic Effect Of Crotalus Adamanteus Acidic Phospholipase A2 On Mcf-7 Cell Line, Daniel J. Petra
Honors Thesis
We are investigating the effect of Crotalus adamanteus acidic phospholipase A2 on MCF-7 cells using the MTS assay. Understanding these interactions and isolated effects is critical to developing new ways to treat envenomation. By understanding the effects of individual toxins within a whole venom, we are set to better understand the effects of the whole venom and investigate synergistic actions between venom toxins. In this paper, we are quantifying the amount of MCF-7 cell death caused by Crotalus adamanteus phospholipase A2 on MCF-7 using the MTS assay. Analysis of the amount of cells death caused by the phospholipase …
Mechanisms Of Synthetic Cannabinoids On Cardiovascular Health, Madeleine A. Nelson
Mechanisms Of Synthetic Cannabinoids On Cardiovascular Health, Madeleine A. Nelson
Honors Thesis
Cannabinoids encompass natural cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids. While the synthetic cannabinoids interact with the same endogenous system as cannabis, their effects are quite different and poorly understood. In addition to psychological effects that trigger their use, these substances are linked to cardiovascular morbidity. To assess the cardiovascular effect of synthetic cannabinoids, we first tested the hypothesis that intravenous administration of a synthetic cannabinoid would increase blood pressure in conscious rats. Second, we tested the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system is involved by injecting a ganglion blocker to see if the cardiovascular response from synthetic cannabinoids would be blocked. Third, …
Determining Master Regulatory Genes Of Muscle Senescence In The Hawk Moth, Manduca Sexta, Leah J. Naasz
Determining Master Regulatory Genes Of Muscle Senescence In The Hawk Moth, Manduca Sexta, Leah J. Naasz
Honors Thesis
ABSTRACT DETERMINING MASTER REGULATORY GENES OF MUSCLE SENESCENCE IN THE HAWK MOTH, MANDUCA SEXTA Leah Naasz Director: Bernie Wone, Ph.D. Skeletal muscle exhibits a gradual deterioration of its functional capabilities as it senesces. While the adverse effects of muscle aging are well-known, the molecular trigger of this degenerative process is unknown. Here, I aim to identify master regulatory genes (i.e., transcription factors) that might be involved in the initiation of the muscle senescence process in our muscle aging model Manduca sexta. This invertebrate adult moth was chosen as the model organism due to its relatively short lifespan, similarity to the …
Effectiveness Of Pathogen-Specific Passive Antibodies To Mitigate Infectious Diseases In Apis Mellifera, Tanner Nordseth
Effectiveness Of Pathogen-Specific Passive Antibodies To Mitigate Infectious Diseases In Apis Mellifera, Tanner Nordseth
Honors Thesis
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are widely recognized as a vital part of the global ecosystem and the world's food supply due to their pivotal role in the pollination of both natural and agricultural flora. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is an emerging phenomenon characterized by a colony's worker bees deserting the hive and leaving the queen behind. This usually results in colony failure. CCD is a multifactorial issue, with many environmental stressors and pathogens playing a role. Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) has been identified as a leading cause in this phenomenon. Paenibacillus larvae (P. larvae) is another lethal pathogen that is …