Life Sciences Commons^™

Daphnia: A Possible Way To Combat A Deadly Amphibian Pathogen, Taylor Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Globally there is a biodiversity crisis, with many groups of species threatened with extinction due to changes in the environment and human impacts. Amphibians are one such group and according to the IUCN, over 30% of amphibians are threatened by extinction. There are many factors have that can explain the decline of amphibians including pollution, habitat loss, climate change and disease. One factor is chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease caused by the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. The chytrid enters the keratinized skin of the amphibian and asexually reproduces, where it disrupts host functions, often leading to host death.

Due to …

Testing Vert™ Accelerometer To Identify Validity And Reliability When Compared To Switch Mat, Tara Mcdonald

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This present study was intended to identify the reliability and validity of the Vert™ device when compared to a Switch mat. Vert is a wireless device intended to measure jump count and jump height through an application on a smartphone or tablet and the Switch mat provides jump height using wireless sensors. Jump height is an important factor in many sports such as volleyball and basketball and it is important to have devices that coaches and trainers can use for testing that they can rely on. If this device is found to be valid and reliable, coaches and trainers …

2d Nmr Structural Study Of A Dna Duplex Containing Two Unnatural Base Pairs, Weston Preising

Undergraduate Honors Theses

DNA is the genetic blueprint responsible for the traits of living organisms. The "genetic alphabet" consists of four molecules called nucleobases, represented by the letters A, T, G, and C strung together in a "strand." A DNA duplex consists of two "strands" held together such that A is across from T and G across from C, referred to A-T and G-C "base pairs". Recently, the genetic alphabet or code has been expanded by synthetic biologists in an effort to unveil new insights to the machinery of DNA replication, and potentially develop new medicines to cure diseases like HIV. The new …

Investigation Into The Mechanism Of Ion Transport In Rio Negro Characiformes, Vineza D. Reduta

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Four fish species within the Characiform Order [(Rosy tetras (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus), Serpae tetras (Hyphessobrycon eques), Emperor tetras (Nematobrycon palmeri) and Penguin tetras (Thayeria obliqua)] are native to the ion-poor, acidic waters of the Rio Negro. In this paper, we focus on Wood’s revised Na⁺/NH₄⁺ exchange model to gain better insight into the mechanisms of ion transport within the Characids. We exposed each species to two experimental treatments: (i) 1mM ammonia (high external ammonia [HEA]), to test coupling of Na⁺ uptake and ammonia excretion, and (ii) 100μM Acetazolamide …

Examining The Neuronal Dopaminergic Pathway Underlying Sleep Behavior And Related Dopamine Sleep Disorders, Mary Beth Putz

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The human brain is an extremely complex organ with approximately 100 billion different neurons that are constantly sending and receiving messages. These messages are sent using the chemical messengers of the brain: neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. Mechanisms of neural control of sleep are substantially conserved across species. Evidence from multiple animal models including flies, zebrafish, and mice shows that the arousal, or wake phase, is regulated by conserved neuromodulators such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Since these neurotransmitter systems are distributed throughout the brain and sub-serve many functions in addition to sleep, the precise circuit mechanisms by which these neurotransmitters regulate …

Effects Of Sleep-Deprivation On Decision-Making And Action Selection, Shalin N. Shah

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis addresses neuroscience research focusing on the brain’s mechanisms underlying behavioral choice, or prioritization, and decision-making. The research has been conducted with Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly – a good model from both the behavioral and neural perspectives. This project specifically observes the co-regulation of sleep with two other behaviors – courtship and oviposition. The overlap between the sleep and courtship circuits in the brain should provide a good model for behavioral prioritization, and the interaction between sleep and ovipositional preference should provide a model for understanding the effects of sleep on decision-making. All three of these adaptive behaviors …

Determination Of The Effects That A Previously Uncharacterized Secreted Product From Klebsiella Pneumoniae Has On Citrobacter Freundii And Enterobacter Cloacae Biofilms, Cody M. Hastings

Undergraduate Honors Theses

More so than ever, Multiple Drug Resistant (MDR) bacteria are on the rise due to overuse of antibiotics along with natural selection for adaptations that enhance drug-resistant properties. One particular bacterial family, Enterobacteriaceae, has been problematic, exhibiting several bacterial members that have developed a precipitous resistance to modern antibiotics and are also primary causative agents of nosocomial, or hospital acquired, infections. Citrobacter freundii (CF) and Enterobacter cloacae (ECL) are two species of the Enterobacteriaceae family causing significant medical concern due to their role in producing numerous opportunistic infections such as bacteremia, lower respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and endocarditis. …

Cloning And Expression Of C-Terminal Fragment Of Tonb From Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479, Brooke E. Baxter

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The TonB-ExbB-ExbD complex is essential for the siderophore mediated acquisition of iron by Gram negative bacteria. The system provides energy from the proton motive force to the outer membrane in order for the iron siderophore complex to enter into the cell. The main protein involved in energy transduction, TonB, has been extensively studied in the species Escherichia Coli. It has been determined that the protein consists of 239 amino acids. In comparison, however, the TonB of Rhizobium leguminosarum consists of 457 amino acids with the same conserved regions. What is in question, therefore, is how the additional amino acids …

The Behavior Of Gammarus Sp. When Exposed To Predation Cues, Will A. Ellis, Trevor Chapman, Joseph Bidwell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Predator avoidance behaviors are a critical defense mechanism that can increase the chances of survival for potential prey species. We tested the avoidance behavior of the freshwater amphipod, Gammerus sp., under two different chemical predation cues. The first was the presence of kairomone, which was derived from a species of fish, Gambusia affinis, that was fed a diet exclusively of amphipods. The second predation cue was potential alarm cue derived from macerated conspecific amphipods from the same population as the test species. Response variables included time spent moving after the introduction to the signal as well as the …

Determination Of The Substrate Specificity Of Citrus Paradisi Flavonol Specific 3-O-Glucosyltransferase Mutant D344p, Nathan R. Spaulding

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plants produce a vast array of secondary metabolites. A group of phenolic compounds, the flavonoids, are metabolites ubiquitous among plants and are known to aid in processes such as plant reproduction, UV defense, pigmentation and development. In relation to human health, flavonoids have been found to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties. Flavonoid’s ability to participate in so many interactions is due in part to their subclass variation and further chemical modification. One such modification is glucosylation, where a glucose molecule is added to the flavonoid substrate. The enzymes that catalyze these reactions are known as glucosyltransferases (GT). Citrus paradisi …

The Relationship Between Body Image And Exercise Type, Ashley Littrell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Exercise can have very beneficial effects on health and body satisfaction, but sometimes a negative body image gets in the way of exercising. Modern society holds certain beauty ideals in high regard, and these standards are often unattainable and unrealistic. These outside pressures to look a certain way can have a very negative effect on an individual’s body image, or the way that a person perceives his or her own appearance. There have been many studies done that have attempted to define the relationship between body image with exercise behaviors (Burger and Diony 2002, Hall and Pearson 2013). Some studies …

Elucidating The Effects Of Thiamethoxam Neonicotinoid On Honey Bee Learning Using The Proboscis Extension Response, David J. Shepherd

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, the effects of the neonicotinoid pesticide, thiamethoxam, are examined through the Proboscis Extension Response (PER) in honey bees (Apis mellifera). PER is a form of classical conditioning applied to honey bees through scent and reward association which quantifies learning rates. Results between groups treated with thiamethoxam did not differ significantly from untreated control groups. Potential reasons for these results are discussed. The method and experimental apparatus for testing the PER assay are also discussed.

Salmonella And Aeromonas Contamination In A 303(D) Listed Water Body Compared To Fecal Indicators & Water Quality Parameters, Elizabeth M. Morgan Ms.

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the passage of the Clean Water Act, concern about surface water quality has increased. Reducing exposure to pathogens and adverse impacts on human health because of contact with surface waters has become the focus of many regulatory agencies. Fecal pollution is often a cause of surface water impairment. Fecal indicators, such as fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli, are used as surrogates to evaluate the presence or absence of fecal pollution. However, a growing body of research has shown that these species lack key characteristics necessary to be adequate indicators. As such, explorations into the efficacy of indicator species …

Toll Like Receptor 4 Stimulation Increases Scavenger Receptor A Expression On Murine Macrophages, Mackenzie L. Guthrie

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sepsis is the body’s response to an overwhelming infection and is a serious consequence of critical illness. It can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Sepsis continues to have an unacceptably high mortality rate, due to the lack of effective treatments. Specific therapeutic targets for sepsis remain elusive since the complex functional changes that result in a septic state remain poorly understood. Macrophage Scavenger Receptor A (SRA, CD204) is a surface receptor that binds negatively charged, endogenous and exogenous ligands. We have discovered that SRA plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of sepsis. We have shown that mice …

Oxidative Quenching Of Photoexcited Ru(Ii)-Bipyridine Complexes By Oxygen, Danielle Rebecca Latham

Undergraduate Honors Theses

An experimental approach was taken in determining the quantum yield of Ruthenium(II) with Oxygen using two different Ru complexes. This reaction results in Ruthenium(III) and O2-. The Coulombic interactions caused by a carboxylate functional was found to increase the yield of charge separation. This was done using a diode to measure the intensity of the completed reaction over a certain time frame. The intensities were turned into concentrations. The concentration over time was used to determine the quantum yield. This information is useful in creating more efficient light emitting diodes.

Dynamics Of Motor System Excitability During Auditory Anticipation, Justine Czajka

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The ability to anticipate complex sounds, like words in speech or the beat in music, is an important aspect of human perception. However, the changes of excitability in the motor system during auditory anticipation have not been characterized. Here, we applied single-pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to the primary motor cortex to elicit motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the first dorsal interosseous muscle, the amplitude of which indexes motor system excitability. Healthy right-handed participants (N = 20) underwent TMS stimulation during listening to regular (periodic) tone sequences at three rates (200ms, 550ms, and 900ms) and irregular tone sequences. We assessed …

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation To Assess Motor System Excitability Fluctuations During Auditory Anticipation And Beat Perception, Johannes G.P Teselink

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Humans tend to spontaneously move to the regular beat of musical rhythm. Beat perception is the tendency to sense and anticipate the regular time positions (beats) that movements synchronize with. The neural motor system plays an important role in beat perception, but the dynamics of excitability in the motor system associated with beat perception have not been characterized. This project investigated motor system excitability fluctuations using transcranial magnetic stimulation and electromyography during perception of beat-based and non-beat-based rhythms. We applied single-pulse TMS over the left primary motor cortex of healthy participants as they listened to three types of rhythms that …