Life Sciences Commons^™

Bringing Science And Social Justice Together, Analysia V. Gomez

Celebration of Learning

Ever wondered what science and social justice have to do with each other? Come find out how and why social justice belongs within science and how we can strive to make the Augustana science department more intersectional.

The Spatial Distribution And Density Of The Emerald Ash Borer Infestation In Rock Island And Moline, Il, Kendall Smith, Victoria Lason, Tierney Brosius, Michael Reisner

Celebration of Learning

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Copleoptera: Buprestidae) is a destructive colonizer of ash trees that arrived in the United States in 2002. Since then, EAB has been detected in 22 states and two Canadian provinces, and has proven to be a complicated management issue for many cities including Rock Island. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial distribution and density of the EAB infestation in Rock Island, Ill and to identify potential correlations between host larval densities and visual symptoms. A continuation of spatial distribution was determined through a tree survey examining specific species …

Confirmation Of The Function Of Mrub1080 As Γ-Glutamyl Kinase (Prob) In Meiothermus Ruber, Cale J. Mccormick, Dr. Lori Scott

Celebration of Learning

This project is part of the Meiothermus ruber genome analysis project, which uses wet lab procedures and computational analysis to gather evidence of orthologous genes between Escherichia coli and Meiothermus ruber. In previous work, bioinformatics evidence supported the hypothesis that the gene Mrub1080 was an ortholog of E. coli proB. We investigated the biological function of Meiothermus ruber genes proB and proBA using the complementation assay. However, functional analysis proved inconclusive. For this particular research project, we confirmed that weakly complementing E. coli proB- null strains actually contained the desired M. ruber proB and proBA genes (inserted into a pKt1 …

Mapping Morels: Predicting The Locations Of Morchella Species Through Environmental Factors Using The Gis System, Emily M. Stanevicius

Celebration of Learning

Morel mushrooms, Morechella esculenta and M. deliciosa, are known delicacies across the globe, ranging from exquisite dishes in French cuisine to Eastern palates such as Japanese Matsutake. According to literature, true morels diverged as their own genus about 129 million years, again which has led to the development of more than 177 species and have been part of the human diet since their beginning. However, the elusiveness of morels has contributed to the mushrooms infamy for rarity, and has even been known to sell for more than $40 per pound. This project seeks to aid in the search for morels …

Semaphorin3a Increases Focal Adhesion Formation To Shift The Relationship Between Cell Migration And Substratum Concentration Through A Rock-Dependent Mechanism, Frances V. Compere, Scott Gehler

Celebration of Learning

Cell migration is essential for many life processes, including wound healing, embryonic development and cancer metastasis. Cells move across a surface by interacting and forming adhesions with the molecules in their environment, specifically the extracellular matrix. Past studies have shown that there is an optimal level of cell-substratum adhesive strength that allows for the most cell migration and spreading (DiMilla et al., 1993; Gaudet et al., 2003). The mechanism by which this works is not well understood, however. Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) has been shown to increase the expression of integrin receptors, which help mediate the formation of the adhesions between …

Effects Of Two Different Concentrations Of Miracle-Gro Solution On Wisconsin Fast Plant Growth, Peter Francissen, Joseph Gonziorek, Katherine Morgan, Danielle Deering

Celebration of Learning

Wisconsin Fast Plant (Brassica Rapa, Brassicaceae) seeds were planted in three six-celled planting chambers. The chambers were filled with standard potting soil under continuous grow-lux lighting. A week after germination, one planting chamber (E1) was supplied with the recommended Miracle-Gro fertilizer solution. Our second experimental chamber (E2) was supplied with 1.5x the eight was 60.4. Our t-tests showed that the height of the control plants vs. E1 was significant (P=.010563), for control plants vs. E2 it was even more significant (P=.008813). However, for E1 vs. E2, our data was insignificant (P=.318883). Our hypothesis was that supplying the Wisconsin Fast Plants …

The Effects Of Two Levels Of Salinity On Wisconsin Fast Plants, Megan M. Janssen, Emily Geison, Tiffany Bertoni, Matthew Zimmerman

Celebration of Learning

Wisconsin Fast Plant (Brassica rapa, Brassicaceae) seeds were planted in three, six-celled planting containers filled with potting soil and put beneath a continuous grow-lux light. One week after sprouting, one container (E1) was put into a separate tray filled with 0.5% NaCl solution, another container (E2) was put into a separate tray filled with 1.0% NaCl solution, and the third container was left in regular tap water. At seven-day intervals thereafter, the height of all plants was recorded, and the numbers of leaves and flowers were recorded. By week four of recording data, the average height (mm) of the control …

Effect Of Different Miracle-Gro Concentrations On The Growth Of Wisconsin Fast Plants, Eric D. Shershen, Nicholas M. Orslini, David Channon, Marvin Agyeben

Celebration of Learning

The Wisconsin Fast Plant, Brassica rapa (Brassicaceae) seeds were planted in three, six-celled containers and were filled with standard potting soil under continuous grow-lux lighting. After the first week of plant growth, E1and E2 were placed in a separate trays and given 1.0 and 1.5x the recommended amount of Miracle-Gro formula, respectively. The control was left in tap water and all were kept in 1 cm of solution. Every seven days the plants’ heights were recorded, and the total number of flowers were counted. By the fourth week, the average height of the control plants was 105.7 mm, of the …

Effects Of Mutating The Mrub_1345 Gene Found In Meiothermus Ruber, Brandon M. Wills, Lori R. Scott

Celebration of Learning

Meiothermus ruber is a unique, red-pigmented, thermophilic bacterium that preferentially grows in high-temperature environments ranging from 35-70°C. Due to the lack of studies performed on this organism, there is quite a bit of information missing in regard to the genes found within this organism’s genome and their function. This study focuses in on the Mrub_1345 gene in M. ruber, which has been suggested to be orthologous to the proC gene found of E. coli proline biosynthesis pathway. To test if these genes are orthologs, we performed the complementation assay on wild-type proC. Next, we performed site-directed mutagenesis on amino acids …

Purification, Optimization, And Growth Of New Delhi Metallo-Β-Lactamase-1 Protein Crystals Mixed With Nz218 Inhibitor, Brandon M. Wills

Celebration of Learning

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 is a problematic gene found in certain strains of bacteria that cause them to become antibiotic resistant to nearly all known antibiotics. While some antibiotics are available to treat patients with a bacterial infection, most are toxic or do not have 100% success rates. With that being said, it is imperative that we search for a molecule that is successfully able to inhibit the effects of this gene every time. Such a discovery would help tremendously with new antibiotic drug development and also prevent further damage by these dangerous bacteria. In this presentation, I will describe the …

The Effects Of Urbanization On Leaf Breakdown Rates In A Rock Island Watershed, Jillian M. Jespersen, Laura Becker, Kortney Hix, C. Kevin Geedey

Celebration of Learning

The ability of streams to break down leaves is widely used as an indicator of stream health. In this study, a series of six streams within the Rock Island, Ill., watershed, which were similar in discharge, order, temperature and pH, were categorized as healthy or unhealthy based on chloride levels. This study was part of a broader study of the Rock Island watershed by Augustana. Maple leaves were collected shortly after abscission, weighed, packaged in mesh bags (approximately 5g per bag) and deployed in the streams for two- and four-week periods. After each time period, the leaves were removed, dried …

Effect Of Proficiency Level On The Neural Responses Of Students Learning Spanish As A Second Language, Haley West

Celebration of Learning

This study examines the effect of Second Language proficiency on the hemispheres of the brain. This will tell us if and how the brain processes a second language differently. Comparisons explore English versus Spanish listening tasks, and right versus left hemisphere activation in students with varying proficiencies in the Spanish program at Augustana. This is one of the first experiments to use the new in-house electroencephalography (EEG) technology in the Augustana neuroscience program.

The Effects Of Simulated Herbivory On The Growth Of Wisconsin Fast Plants, Jessica Joerger, Tanner Logan, Kiefer Kious, Jake Rancic

Celebration of Learning

Wisconsin Fast Plant (Brassica rapa, Brassicaceae) seeds were planted in three six-celled containers with 15 seeds in each tray. After a week of germination in standard potting soil and tap water,

we started our manipulation of simulating herbivory with scissors. E1 plants had both cotyledons of each plant removed, E2 plants had half of the cotyledons of each plant removed, and the control group was allowed to grow. E2 plants had its foliage leaves cut when they exceeded 1 cm from that week on. Every week (seven-day intervals), the height of all the plants were recorded as well as the …