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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Mutations In The Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor Caveolin Interaction Motif Cause Increased Basal Activation, Elizabeth Altman Jun 2019

Mutations In The Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor Caveolin Interaction Motif Cause Increased Basal Activation, Elizabeth Altman

Honors Theses

Over twelve percent of women aged fifteen to forty-five in America suffer from infertility and/or impaired fecundity and over seven million women have used infertility services, such as intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization. Some cases of infertility may be due to dysfunctional human follicle stimulating hormone (hFSH) signaling. hFSH plays a role in spermatogenesis in males, as well as follicle maturation and estrogen production in females. Problems with either hFSH or the hFSH receptor (hFSHR) decrease fertility in males and cause complete infertility in females. As part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, hFSH is released from the pituitary gland and …


Analysis Of Septum Defects In Arabidopsis Organ Boundary Mutants, Katherine T. Anderson May 2019

Analysis Of Septum Defects In Arabidopsis Organ Boundary Mutants, Katherine T. Anderson

Honors Theses

Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant species, has been heavily studied to determine the genetic contributions that lead to gynoecium development. The Arabidopsis fruit is created from two carpels that form a gynoecium, which contains the stigma, style, and ovary. The ovary is divided into two sub-compartments by a septum, and the ovules develop within the ovary. The fruit’s purpose is to protect, nurture, and eventually disperse the mature ovules, or seeds, and if the septum does not fuse properly, the plant’s fertility will be impacted. SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) and ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA HOMEOBOX GENE1 (ATH1) are two genes that are known …


The Effect Of Simulated Storm Passage On The Behavior Of Whitespotted Bamboo Sharks, Chiloscyllium Plagiosum And Golden Shiners, Notemigonus Chrysoleucas, Jordan A. Healy May 2019

The Effect Of Simulated Storm Passage On The Behavior Of Whitespotted Bamboo Sharks, Chiloscyllium Plagiosum And Golden Shiners, Notemigonus Chrysoleucas, Jordan A. Healy

Honors Theses

Environmental changes during a storm can affect animal behavior; for example, tagged sharks leave shallow waters during tropical storms. While changes in shark behavior during storm passage have been documented, there have been no experimental tests to determine which environmental parameters are responsible. In this study, we experimentally manipulated two environmental cues: barometric pressure, and thunder sounds, to determine their effect on whitespotted bamboo sharks, Chiloscyllium plagiosum, and golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas. Elasmobranchs do not have a swim bladder to detect pressure change; therefore, we used golden shiners to compare the reaction of a fish with a swim bladder. The …


Studies On Luminescent Gold And Platinum Nanoclusters For Biological Sensing And Catalysis, Richard Covington May 2019

Studies On Luminescent Gold And Platinum Nanoclusters For Biological Sensing And Catalysis, Richard Covington

Honors Theses

Nanoclusters are small nanoparticles that usually range around a micrometer in diameter. Gold Nanoclusters are known for their unique size and surface qualities and do not share metallic properties with nanoparticles or their respective bulk material. Some metal nanoclusters show high fluorescence and can be synthesized with protein mediation. Nanocluster formation depends on a number of variables, including temperature, pH, and type of reducing agent. This experiment was done to begin to understand how these variables may affect synthesis and what exactly they are. Pure Wild Type CSP-1 protein was induced, transformed, and purified in order to mediate gold and …


When Life Gives You Lemons: Comparing Two Diffusion Methods For A Psychological Screening Tool In The Medical Field, Jessica Tran May 2019

When Life Gives You Lemons: Comparing Two Diffusion Methods For A Psychological Screening Tool In The Medical Field, Jessica Tran

Honors Theses

E.M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory is used to explain the process of how an idea or technology gains momentum and spreads through a particular population. The result of the diffusion is called adoption, meaning that over time the group has changed their initial behavior (i.e. using the new technology, purchasing and performing new behavior, etc.). There is considerable evidence for successful use of this theory in various fields. The study investigates the theory using a new psychological screening technology. A solicitation to hear information about the tool was presented to 19 physicians who were separated into two randomized groups, …


Cloning, Expression, And Purification Of Fadk And Its Application In Coa-Rna Capture, Jon-Michael L. Stork May 2019

Cloning, Expression, And Purification Of Fadk And Its Application In Coa-Rna Capture, Jon-Michael L. Stork

Honors Theses

Coenzyme A (CoA) is an important enzyme cofactor involved in acyl transfer reactions. Recently, CoA and its various thioesters were found to exist at the 5’ end of RNA molecules. Although the function of these molecules is still unknown due to difficulties in their isolation, their existence at the 5’ RNA end reveals potentially novel biological roles of RNA. We are exploiting the broad substrate tolerance of the medium chain fatty acid-coenzyme A ligase (FadK), hypothesizing that this enzyme will accept biotinylated medium chain fatty acid substrates, creating biotin-tagged CoA-RNA. This modified CoA-RNA can later be captured using streptavidin affinity …


Yield Stress Analysis With Dv-Iii Rheometer, Leah Margaret Cook Apr 2019

Yield Stress Analysis With Dv-Iii Rheometer, Leah Margaret Cook

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to understand the behavior of everyday substances (toothpaste, lotions, ect.) and chemicals through the analysis of yield stress. By measuring the flow properties of these products, one can determine the stability, uses, and other properties of a substance. Yield stress is experienced everyday from squeezing a tube of toothpaste, to stirring a batch of cake batter, or canning products in a factory. Yield stress along with viscosity helps us predict the behavior of chemicals, cosmetics, and food that we handle daily. Yield stress, torque, and strain values were measured with a DV-III Rheometer and …


The Presence Of Photoreceptor Sensilla In The Posterior Sucker Of Medicinal Leeches Inferred Through Functional Visual Response., Claire Spivey Apr 2019

The Presence Of Photoreceptor Sensilla In The Posterior Sucker Of Medicinal Leeches Inferred Through Functional Visual Response., Claire Spivey

Honors Theses

Medicinal leeches gather visual input from both its eyecups and photoreceptors across its body surface; each of its 21 midbody segments possesses 14 photoreceptive sensilla. It has been previously established that the posterior sucker is composed of seven body segments that are fused during embryogenesis. Similarly, four body segments fuse to create the anterior brain. There are five bilateral pairs of eyes located on the dorsal surface of the leech’s head and seven bilateral pairs of sensilla distributed over the surface of each midbody segment (Kretz et al., 1975). If no sensilla were lost during the fusion of the seven …


Analysis Of Dl-Amino Acid Ratios In Eggshells Using Reverse Phase-High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Gergana Milkova Apr 2019

Analysis Of Dl-Amino Acid Ratios In Eggshells Using Reverse Phase-High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Gergana Milkova

Honors Theses

HPLC methodology was developed to determine the concentrations and ratios of D to L amino acids in emu and ostrich eggshells treated with heat at different temperatures . We aimed to determine an internal standard and how ratios were affected under different conditions. An HPLC method was determined that gave consistent retention times and satisfactory enantioseparation . Calibration curves for each amino acid were developed from single and multi-amino acid containing dilution series producing a model that most closely replicates the eggshell-extracted amino acids.


Characterization Of Iron-Sulfur Cluster Proteins From Methanococcus Maripaludis, Melody Salmanian Apr 2019

Characterization Of Iron-Sulfur Cluster Proteins From Methanococcus Maripaludis, Melody Salmanian

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Time- And Ph- Dependent Proteolysis Of Engineered Proteins By Collagenase, Hunter Berry Jan 2019

Time- And Ph- Dependent Proteolysis Of Engineered Proteins By Collagenase, Hunter Berry

Honors Theses

Pleiotropic effects from oral administration of anti-inflammatory drugs limit their effectiveness. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a novel self-assembling protein-based hydrogel for in situ delivery of NSAIDs at the site of chronic inflammation. Since inflammation causes acidification and activation of collagenases in the inflamed tissue, we have designed the hydrogel to respond to both of these queues to effectively deliver drug at the site. Self-assembly of the protein hydrogel exploits the high affinity and specific interaction between the protein calmodulin (CaM) and its specific binding peptide, M13. The two components of the hydrogel, CCLP and PCLP …


Lost In Translation: Challenges And Solutions To Language Barriers In Healthcare In Mississippi, Galina Ostrovsky Jan 2019

Lost In Translation: Challenges And Solutions To Language Barriers In Healthcare In Mississippi, Galina Ostrovsky

Honors Theses

Language barriers can impede access to healthcare and compromise quality of care for limited English proficiency (LEP) patients. Although a rights-based framework would suggest and federal mandates require healthcare facilities to provide language access services, multiple factors result in the persistence of language barriers in healthcare. As the literature review shows, these factors include limitations in policy, enforcement, standardization, resources, and ability to recruit and retain professional interpreters. This thesis uses a multi-method case study entailing Mississippi in general and information from two specific sites, a rural Delta county and an urban central county, to assess the issue of language …


Exploration Of Thiol-Michael Addition Bioconjugation To Extend Polymers Of A Protein-Based Hydrogel, Elaine Wallin Smith Jan 2019

Exploration Of Thiol-Michael Addition Bioconjugation To Extend Polymers Of A Protein-Based Hydrogel, Elaine Wallin Smith

Honors Theses

Hydrogels have been explored for many biomedical applications, including targeted, in situ drug delivery to avoid the negative side effects associated with systemic delivery. In our work, we are exploiting the high affinity, calcium-dependent binding between calmodulin and its target peptides to create a biomaterial for in situ, extracellular drug delivery. Genes were engineered to make two protomers, Calmodulin Collagen-Like Protein (CCLP) and Peptide Collagen-Like Protein (PCLP), that will spontaneously self-assemble in situ due to the high Ca2+ concentration in the extracellular space and provide tunable, targeted drug delivery in a biocompatible hydrogel. One important factor that would dictate the …


Benchmark Structures And Harmonic Vibrational Frequencies Of Hydrated Halide Ions: X– (H2o)N, X = F, Cl, Br, And I (Where N = 1 – 4), Caroline Anne Rader Jan 2019

Benchmark Structures And Harmonic Vibrational Frequencies Of Hydrated Halide Ions: X– (H2o)N, X = F, Cl, Br, And I (Where N = 1 – 4), Caroline Anne Rader

Honors Theses

This study extends our efforts to generate benchmark structures and harmonic vi- brational frequencies from neutral hydrogen bonded clusters to solvated ions. The analytical gradients and Hessians developed for the N-body:Many-body integrated QM:QM method facilitate the computation of benchmark-quality properties near the CCSD(T) complete basis set limit. In this work, a series of solvated halide ion sys- tems (X−(H2O)n clusters, where X = F, Cl, Br and I and n = 1 to 4) is being characterized with the MP2 and 2-body:Many-body CCSD(T):MP2 (2b:Mb) meth- ods. For n ≥ 2, the latter technique uses the high-level CCSD(T) method to evaluate …


Assessing The Effects Of Antioxidants On Oxidative Stress In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells Via Protein Carbonylation, Dalton Sheffield Jan 2019

Assessing The Effects Of Antioxidants On Oxidative Stress In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells Via Protein Carbonylation, Dalton Sheffield

Honors Theses

Breast cancer is a highly complex, heterogeneous disease, and potential effective treatment options are being continuously researched in order to provide a method of halting cancer growth and metastasis. One area in particular involves alleviating oxidative stress within cancer cells. Oxidative stress is generally defined as an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant species in favor of the oxidants. Cancer cells use this oxidative stress to initiate carcinogenesis in cells through different mechanisms, and protein carbonylation is a primary biomarker used to quantify oxidative stress levels. Antioxidant compounds are those used to alleviate oxidative stress within cells. Here breast cancer cells …


Carbon Dioxide Reduction Using Redox-Active Macrocyclic Catalysts, Dawson Kendall Buettner Jan 2019

Carbon Dioxide Reduction Using Redox-Active Macrocyclic Catalysts, Dawson Kendall Buettner

Honors Theses

The current energy crisis experienced by society today is in desperate need of a solution. Through carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction, we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas that is warming our planet as well as create a source of renewable energy. Significant challenges currently inhibit the reduction of CO2 to more desirable products. Current limitations can be addressed through the design and synthesis of more efficient catalysts that are selective, durable, and operate close to the target thermodynamic potential of CO2 reduction. In this work, three redox-active macrocyclic ligands have been synthesized and studied for the development of potential …


Effectiveness And Mechanism Of Action Of Modified Porphyrins For Photodynamic Therapy Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Hannah Brandon Jan 2019

Effectiveness And Mechanism Of Action Of Modified Porphyrins For Photodynamic Therapy Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Hannah Brandon

Honors Theses

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer that lacks the three molecules typically targeted for treatment. Standard treatment methods leave much to be desired--the rates of metastasis and recurrence are high and the prognosis for most patients with TNBC is poor. One potential treatment for TNBC is photodynamic therapy (PDT), which uses compounds called photosensitizers that are taken up by all tissues in the body. The tumor is exposed to light, activating the photosensitizer and creating reactive oxygen species that cause cell death. This method is relatively pain-free, effective, and does not harm cells …


Preparation Of A Perylenebisimide Acceptor With Serinol And Nonadecyl-Swallowtail Imides For Use In Molecular Rectification, Tarrah Frederick Jan 2019

Preparation Of A Perylenebisimide Acceptor With Serinol And Nonadecyl-Swallowtail Imides For Use In Molecular Rectification, Tarrah Frederick

Honors Theses

Several attempts were made to add 2-amino-1,3-propanediol to the acceptor perylene monoanhydride (PMA). The theoretical product, N-(10-nonadecyl)-N'-(1,3-dihydroxypropan-2-yl)perylene-3,4,9,10-bis(dicarboximide), is intended for use in unimolecular rectification because the perylenebisimide core is classified as a good acceptor due to its high electron affinity. Rectification usually utilizes donor-σ-acceptor molecules, whose localized orbitals permit electron transfer when placed between metal electrodes of asymmetric voltages. However, according to an “asymmetric rectification” analysis, an electron can pass from one electrode, through the LUMO of the acceptor, and then to the other electrode when said electrodes are held at certain voltages, and result in rectification if the acceptor …


Protein Templated Silver Nanoclusters, Greyson Keel Jan 2019

Protein Templated Silver Nanoclusters, Greyson Keel

Honors Theses

Nanoclusters are smaller than their nanoparticle counterparts and have unique properties. Most research has been done on gold nanoclusters, but silver nanoclusters are said to be more robust. During the process of trying to create nanoclusters, several methods in the procedure were changed when gathering data: determining a successful silver concentration, working with the correct buffer, mixing gold and silver metals together, observing the effects of pH, and finding a good reducing agent. After experimenting with those changes, a successful protocol was adapted and modified from literature (Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2011, 21, 11205-11212) to produce the protein-templated Ag clusters. …