Life Sciences Commons^™

Editorial: Murine Models Of Leukemia And Lymphoma, Christine E. Cutucache, Pierluigi Porcu

Biology Faculty Publications

Murine models serve as an effective way to mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironmental interactions that take place in patients with leukemias and lymphomas. Specifically, leukemias and lymphomas rely heavily on the surrounding stroma and tissue microenvironmental cytokine and chemokine signals to ensure survival and expansion of tumor cells. Finally, leukemic cells migrate thanks to signals from varying regions of the host, furthering the progression and severity of disease. It is therefore impossible to fully understand such a dynamic relationship between tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment, and the events to transformation in leukemias and lymphomas without an in vivo, …

Analyzing Coxsackievirus B3 Genomic Rna By Site Directed Mutagenesis And Shape Analysis, Sara Smith

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Virulent Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is linked to myocarditis, pancreatitis, and type I diabetes. Avirulent CVB3 doesn’t cause disease. CVB3 possesses a positive, single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome containing 7,400 nucleotides, organized into four sections: a 5’ untranslated region (5’ UTR), a single open reading frame, a 3’ untranslated region, and a poly-A tail. The 5’ UTR is 743 nucleotides divided into 7 domains. Mutations within the 5’ UTR can alter RNA structure, and thus alter virulence. Nucleotide associations responsible for higher level RNA folding patterns and structure haven’t been defined. We are investigating the 5’ UTR by selective 2’ hydroxyl …

Energy Neutral: The Human Foot And Ankle Subsections Combine To Produce Near Zero Net Mechanical Work During Walking, Kota Z. Takahashi, Kate Worster, Dustin A. Bruening

Journal Articles

The human foot and ankle system is equipped with structures that can produce mechanical work through elastic (e.g., Achilles tendon, plantar fascia) or viscoelastic (e.g., heel pad) mechanisms, or by active muscle contractions. Yet, quantifying the work distribution among various subsections of the foot and ankle can be difficult, in large part due to a lack of objective methods for partitioning the forces acting underneath the stance foot. In this study, we deconstructed the mechanical work production during barefoot walking in a segment-by-segment manner (hallux, forefoot, hindfoot, and shank). This was accomplished by isolating the forces acting within each foot …

Filamentation Involves Two Overlapping, But Distinct, Programs Of Filamentation In The Pathogenic Fungus Candida Albicans, Jahaun Azadmanesh, Austin M. Gowen, Paul E. Creger, Nicole D. Shafer, Jill R. Blankenship

Biology Faculty Publications

The ability of the human pathogenic fungus Candida albicans to switch between yeast-like and filamentous forms of growth has long been linked to pathogenesis. Numerous environmental conditions, including growth at high temperatures, nutrient limitation, and exposure to serum, can trigger this morphological switch and are frequently used in in vitro models to identify genes with roles in filamentation. Previous work has suggested that differences exist between the various in vitro models both in the genetic requirements for filamentation and transcriptional responses to distinct filamentation-inducing media, but these differences had not been analyzed in detail. We compared 10 in vitro models …

Using Murine Models To Understand Tumor-Lymphoid Interactions: Spotlight On Cll And Aitl, Tyler Herek, Christine E. Cutucache

Biology Faculty Publications

The role of the tumor microenvironment in leukemias and lymphomas is well-established, yet the intricacies of how the malignant cells regulate and influence their non-malignant counterparts remain elusive. For example, chronic lymphocytic leukemia is an expansion of malignant CD5+CD19+ B cells, yet the non-malignant T cells play just as large of a role in disease presentation and etiology. Herein, we review the dynamic tumor cell to lymphoid repertoire interactions found in two Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma subtypes: chronic lymphocytic leukemia and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. We aim to highlight the pivot work done in the murine models which recapitulate these diseases and explore …

Complete Genome Sequences Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens Bacteriophages Isolated From Freshwater Samples In Omaha, Nebraska, Guoqing Lu, Jamie L. Luhr, Andrew Stoecklein, Paige Warner, William Tapprich

Biology Faculty Publications

The complete genome sequences of four Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteriophages, UNO-SLW1 to UNO-SLW4, isolated from freshwater samples, are 39,092 to 39,215 bp long. The genomes are highly similar (identity, >0.995) but dissimilar from that of Pseudomonas phage Pf-10 (the closest relative, 0.685 to 0.686 identity), with 48 to 49 protein-coding genes and 66 regulatory sites predicted.

Landscape Effects On Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus Ater) Abundances In Crp Patches, Chase Wickard

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Many grassland bird species have experienced significant population declines and are the focus of conservation efforts. Recovery of these species is slowed, in part, due to nest parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater). Cowbirds are nest parasites that lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species and rely on the host species parents to raise their offspring. This in turn can reduce the reproductive success of hosts. This study attempts to determine whether landscape variables surrounding CRP patches may be driving cowbird densities.

Natural History And Diet Of A Population Of Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Viridis) In Kansas, Colleen Rothe-Groleau

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The primary goal of this study was to gather enough data to create a life history table for this population that can be used in future studies on this and similar species, such as timber rattlesnakes. A second goal was to compile diet data for comparison to datasets within the primary literature from populations of C. viridis and other crotalid species throughout the United States and Canada.

Using morphological characteristics, I attempted to determine whether there are methods that are less invasive for determining sex of C. viridis in the field than those currently in use. Snout-vent length (SVL) and …

Differences In Behavioral Responses To Stress In Zebrafish: Exploring Underlying Neural Mechanisms, Jacalyn B. Russ

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Two alternative “stress coping styles” are documented across a wide range of taxa: proactive and reactive. While behavior differences can be observed between coping styles, brain regions potentially mediating these differences have not been studied extensively. Understanding differences in how the brain processes information between the coping styles can lead to insights on how these responses might be controlled. To assess the neural mechanisms underlying alternative stress coping styles, I utilized Danio rerio (zebrafish) and the Novel Tank Diving Test (NTDT). I hypothesize (i) that proactive fish will spend less time in the lower portion of the NTDT and spend …

Microflora In The Cheek Pouches Of Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys Ordii) From The Nebraska Sandhills, Devin M. Christensen

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The microflora living within the Ord’s kangaroo rat (Dipodymis ordii) cheek pouches has never been extensively studied before. Kangaroo rats use their cheek pouches to transport seeds and grasses in their mouths that they later store. It is predicted that the cheek pouches harbor fungal and bacterial growth that could be either helpful or harmful to the kangaroo rat and its environment. 8 kangaroo rats were humanely captured using Sherman live traps in the Nebraska Sandhills; their cheek pouches were swabbed, and the microorganisms obtained were grown on agar plates and in liquid media until an adequate amount …

Functional Genetics Of Mind-Meld In Drosophila Melanogaster, Candi R. Senior-Remsa

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a useful research tool used to localize specific antigens in tissue sections with labeled antibodies based on antigen-antibody interactions. To obtain a clearer understanding of the cellular and subcellular localization of the Mind-Meld (MMD) protein during the developing Drosophila melanogaster embryo double indirect immunofluorescence was used to colocalize MMD with other proteins found in the fruit fly. An affinity-purified antibody raised in rabbit identifying all MMD isoforms was used with the fluorophore-labeled secondary antibody Alexa Fluor 594 specific to rabbit IgG. Well-characterized murine monoclonal antibodies with known subcellular localization and function in Drosophila: Fascicilin II (FASII), Short …

Species Diversity And Relative Abundance Of Reptiles And Amphibians At Glacier Creek Preserve, Cori L. Borgheiinck

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Glacier Creek Preserve, located in Bennington, Nebraska, is dedicated to restoring land to native prairie. Restoration at Glacier Creek Preserve began in 1970. Over the years, the preserve has acquired more land, as well as acquiring more habitat diversity. This research is the first to look at the community dynamics of herpetofauna in the preserve. The sampling areas were determined by choosing seven random sites to represent the following habitats, (1) prairie, (2) non-prairie, (3) prairie burned in 2014, and (4) prairie burned in 2016.

Data sampling occurred from April 2016 to October 2016 and from February 2017 to March …

Taxonomic Placement Of The Nidulariaceae Of Nebraska And Iowa Based On Molecular And Morphological Data, Goodmond H. Danielsen Iv

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Proper taxonomic and molecular study is necessary to better organize closely related species that may not only be used for human needs, but also in the quest for knowledge of how the world around us works. Though important, the taxonomic placement of Nebraskan and Iowan bird’s nest fungi (Nidulariaceae) is not well documented. Here, phylogenetic analysis is used to place the Nidulariaceae of Nebraska and Iowa in the tree of life using molecular and morphological techniques. Based on these results and results of further work done on these specimens, it will be possible to better place the Nidulariaceae of Nebraska …

Small Scale Heterogeneity In Vegetation Structure In A Patch-Burn-Grazing Landscape, Eric G. Behrens

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Disturbances are drivers of spatial change in the plant communities of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Fire and large herbivore grazing are prevalent disturbances that maintain the vegetation structure and create spatial heterogeneity in vegetation at various scales. The fire-grazing disturbance interaction occurs when areas that have been recently burned are followed by intense grazing due to the high quality of forage regrowth. This interaction has been managed in tallgrass prairies in a homogenous method using uniform burning and grazing and a heterogeneous method using patch-burn-grazing (PBG). Vegetation heterogeneity at a large scale has been studied in PBG and uniformly managed …

Establishment Of Milkweed Seeds Under Different Conditions, Marvin E. Sibrian

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Milkweed is an important food source for many insects and the only food source for monarch caterpillars. Unfortunately, the abundance of milkweed plants has been decreasing over the years due to Roundup Ready® crops and increased herbicide use in agriculture, as well as milkweed habitats being plowed under for increased corn acreage. In hopes of restoring the monarch population, conservation organizations are joining forces to grow as much milkweed as they can and to increase the number of North American milkweed individuals by one billion. However, it is unclear how many seeds must be sown to add one billion milkweed …

How Do Undergraduate Stem Mentors Reflect Upon Their Mentoring Experiences In An Outreach Program Engaging K-8 Youth?, Kari L. Nelson, Jamie Sabel, Cory Forbes, Neal Grandgenett, William E. Tapprich, Christine E. Cutucache

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Many university students are becoming involved in mentoring programs, yet few studies describe the impact of mentoring on the mentor. Additionally, many studies report that students graduating from college are not prepared to enter the workforce in terms of key career skills and/or content knowledge. Herein, we examine the impact of our program, NE STEM 4U (Nebraska Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for You), in which undergraduate (UG) mentors engage K-8 youth in after-school STEM experiments. The UGs reflected upon their experiences using post-mentoring evaluations, 12- and 24-week interviews, and exit surveys. Many of the questions asked of …

Differences In Preservice Teachers’ Readiness To Use Ict In Education And Development Of Tpack, Erkko Sointu, Teemu Valtonen, Christine E. Cutucache, Jari Kukkonen, Matthew C. Lambert, Kati Mäkitalo‐Siegl

Biology Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Education for the 21st century society requires the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education. This presents challenges for preservice teacher education. Thus, more cognate understanding about preservice teachers’ readiness to use ICT in education, coupled with knowledge related to ICT in education, is needed. Furthermore, it is important to understand that preservice teachers have various levels of readiness to use ICT in education, thereby creating a demand to investigate sub-groups within preservice teachers. This study focuses on differences of readiness and development of knowledge between preservice teachers’ based on two theoretical constructs: Theory of Planned Behavior and …

How Do Former Undergraduate Mentors Evaluate Their Mentoring Experience 3-Years Post-Mentoring: A Phenomenological Study, Kari L. Nelson, Christine E. Cutucache

Biology Faculty Publications

This phenomenological study involves a unique, longitudinal assessment of the lived experiences of former undergraduate mentors (n=7) in light of their current experiences (i.e., career or advanced schooling). The objective of a phenomenological study is to engage in in-depth probing of a representative number of participants. Specifically, we followed up with graduates of the Nebraska STEM 4U (NE STEM 4U) intervention 3 years post-program, with the overall goal of describing the mentors’ experiences using the lens of their current experiences. This type of longitudinal perspective of mentoring is greatly lacking in the current literature. At the time of the interviews, …

Detection Of Intestinal Pathogens In River, Shore, And Drinking Water In Lima, Peru, David Grothen, Sydney J. Zach, Paul H. Davis

Biology Faculty Publications

Water quality management is an ongoing struggle for many locations worldwide. Current testing of water supplies can be time-consuming, expensive, and lack sensitivity. This study describes an alternative, easy-to-use, and inexpensive method to water sampling and testing at remote locations. This method was employed to detect a number of intestinal pathogens in various locations of Lima, Peru. A total of 34 PCR primer pairs were tested for specificity and high-yield amplification for 12 different pathogens using known DNA templates. Select primers for each pathogen were then tested for minimum detection limits of DNA. Water samples were collected from 22 locations. …

Predicting Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Efficacy For Women Using A Preclinical Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic In Vivo Model, Angela Wahl, Phong T. Ho, Paul W. Denton, Katy L. Garrett, Michael G. Hudgens, Glenn Swartz, Cynthia O'Neill, Fulvia Veronese, Angela D. Kashuba, J. Victor Garcia

Biology Faculty Publications

The efficacy of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) relies on adherence and may also depend on the route of HIV acquisition. Clinical studies of systemic tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) PrEP revealed reduced efficacy in women compared to men with similar degrees of adherence. To select the most effective PrEP strategies, preclinical studies are critically needed to establish correlations between drug concentrations (pharmacokinetics [PK]) and protective efficacy (pharmacodynamics [PD]). We utilized an in vivo preclinical model to perform a PK-PD analysis of systemic TDF PrEP for vaginal HIV acquisition. TDF PrEP prevented vaginal HIV acquisition in a dose-dependent manner. PK-PD modeling of …

Fostering Curiosity, Inquiry, And Scientific Thinking In Elementary School Students: Impact Of The Ne Stem 4u Intervention, Heather Leas, Kari L. Nelson, Neal Grandgenett, William E. Tapprich, Christine E. Cutucache

Biology Faculty Publications

In this qualitative study, we assessed the impact of the NE STEM 4U intervention on elementary school youth in terms of excitement, curiosity, and STEM concepts. The NE STEM 4U intervention incorporates a problem-based learning theoretical framework in an after-school time, weekly or twice-weekly intervention. We assessed student performance over two academic years of participation in the intervention using the Dimensions of Success observational tool. Ultimately, we link this mentor-led program with increases in curiosity, inquiry, and STEM concept gains. Taken together, these findings support after-school interventions in STEM areas as key encouraging excitement in youth and motivation to pursue …