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Honors Theses

Theses/Dissertations

2018

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Articles 1 - 30 of 54

Full-Text Articles in Biology

The Effects Of Feliway On The Stress Of Cats During Veterinary Examination, Colleen Doonan Dec 2018

The Effects Of Feliway On The Stress Of Cats During Veterinary Examination, Colleen Doonan

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Feliway® during veterinary examination. Feliway® contains a synthetic version of the F3 pheromone, secreted from the cheeks of Felis sylvestris catus when rubbing against objects in the environment. It is presumed to allow cats to establish a home range to feel secure. A double-blind study was conducted to address the limitations of another study that concluded Feliway® is useful for reducing stress experienced by cats during veterinary examination. The current study found that Feliway® is not useful by itself for adequate stress reduction during feline examinations. It was concluded …


Intestinal Microbiome Composition Of An Acute In Vivo Alzheimer’S Disease Rat Model, Jimmy Saravia Nov 2018

Intestinal Microbiome Composition Of An Acute In Vivo Alzheimer’S Disease Rat Model, Jimmy Saravia

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Physiological And Genomic Characterization Of Novel Isolate From Om252 Clade Of The Gammaproteobacteria, Emily Nall Nov 2018

Physiological And Genomic Characterization Of Novel Isolate From Om252 Clade Of The Gammaproteobacteria, Emily Nall

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Population Genetics Of The Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes Flavipes, In The Southern Appalachian Mountains, Lee Ann Passarella Nov 2018

Population Genetics Of The Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes Flavipes, In The Southern Appalachian Mountains, Lee Ann Passarella

Honors Theses

As an area rich in biodiversity, the Appalachian Mountains are an ideal place for biological research. The pronounced impacts of Pleistocene climatic cycles on forest distributions over time have shaped the evolutionary history of animals that depend on these habitats, underpinning the research that is presented here. The present study on the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, was conducted to better understand the spatial distribution of genetic diversity within and among populations of this species in the context of the aforementioned historical climatic changes in the southern Appalachian Mountain region. I hypothesized that there would be geographically localized, distinct genetic …


An In Vitro Analysis Of The Relative Efficacies Of Antibiotic Solutions Vs. Antiseptics In Breast Augmentation And Reconstruction Surgery, Victoria Noyes Aug 2018

An In Vitro Analysis Of The Relative Efficacies Of Antibiotic Solutions Vs. Antiseptics In Breast Augmentation And Reconstruction Surgery, Victoria Noyes

Honors Theses

Breast augmentation and reconstruction procedures are among the most popular plastic surgeries in the U.S. Opportunistic bacterial pathogens introduced during surgery can lead to surgical site infections, capsular contractures, biofilm formation, and lymphoma. To prevent these infections, an antibiotic solution containing Cefazolin, Gentamicin, and Bacitracin (Adams’ Antibiotic Solution - AS) has traditionally been used for irrigation. Due to antibiotic resistant pathogens and a debate over the efficacy of irrigation by AS to reduce infections, alternatives must be found. This study considers the use of the antiseptic chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) as an alternative irrigation solution. In vitro, we exposed pure cultures …


Laurel Dace (Chrosomus Saylori) Reproductive Behaviors, Christopher Cronnon Aug 2018

Laurel Dace (Chrosomus Saylori) Reproductive Behaviors, Christopher Cronnon

Honors Theses

This thesis focuses on observations of the reproductive behaviors of the Laurel Dace (Chrosomus saylori), an endangered fish species in which reproductive behaviors have not been previously documented in a scientific publication. I worked with the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI) to determine the reproductive behaviors for the Laurel Dace. The results from this study will be used to inform the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) on the likely reproductive behaviors of Laurel Dace and to help these agencies determine the best protocols for a future propagation program to facilitate captive breeding …


Tanapox: A Potential Oncolytic Virus For The Treatment Of Cancer, Joel Marty Jun 2018

Tanapox: A Potential Oncolytic Virus For The Treatment Of Cancer, Joel Marty

Honors Theses

The National Cancer Institute defines cancer as a group of related diseases characterized by unimpeded cell division with metastatic abilities. Cells frequently mutate and potentially become cancerous, but generally these cells are cleared by the immune system. The disease state of cancer arises when the mutated cells evade the immune clearance, which indicates medical intervention is required. Current therapies most commonly utilize chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of the two, however, alternative therapies are being developed such as immunotherapies and oncolytic viruses (OVs). OVs cause a viral infection, clearing cancerous cells through viral replication mechanisms, such as viral cytolysis, while …


Light-Induced Expression Of A Blue Coral Protein In An Industrial Fungus, Lindsay Tomczak Jun 2018

Light-Induced Expression Of A Blue Coral Protein In An Industrial Fungus, Lindsay Tomczak

Honors Theses

The ultimate goal of this research project is to improve the growth and structural characteristics of an Ecovative Design LLC (Green Island, NY) production strain to produce commercial biomaterials for packaging. These biomaterials are produced from renewable resources and can be easily broken down after they fulfill their purpose, unlike the commonly used materials today (such as Styrofoam). In an effort to quantify the light-reactivity of the fungus, a codon-optimized DNA sequence coding a blue chromoprotein was introduced and utilized as a visual reporter gene. Transcriptional controlling sequences were identified from orthologs to specific light-regulated genes and were combined with …


Nature Abounds: Term Paper, Ricky Verre Jun 2018

Nature Abounds: Term Paper, Ricky Verre

Honors Theses

Nature Abounds is a non-profit organization that is working internationally to spread the word about climate change and all of its effects that we are currently experiencing. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time and any chance at reversing its erratic effects requires immediate action. Nature Abounds employs numerous programs that serve to increase the general public's knowledge of the climate related issues at hand, as well as to have a positive environmental impact in order to increase global environmental health. The organization has programs that focus on biodiversity, water quality monitoring, forest preservation, and …


A Virtual Screen For Protein Targets: Elucidating Druggability In The Human Proteome With Efindsite, Omar Kana May 2018

A Virtual Screen For Protein Targets: Elucidating Druggability In The Human Proteome With Efindsite, Omar Kana

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Molecular Monitoring Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) In A Hospital Setting, Jessica Ammon May 2018

Molecular Monitoring Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) In A Hospital Setting, Jessica Ammon

Honors Theses

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a potentially pathogenic bacterium that poses a serious risk in healthcare settings. MRSA can be characterized by a genetic element, known as the staphylococcal cassette chromosome, which harbors the gene responsible for methicillin resistance, mecA. MRSA can be classified into two categories: community acquired (CA) and hospital acquired (HA). S. aureus strains represent a major health concern due to their prevalence in healthcare facilities and their rapidly evolving antibiotic resistance. The current study investigated the association between MRSA isolates obtained from patients and from the intensive care units in a local hospital. Among the …


Does Interest Equal Success? Evaluating Student Perceptions Of The Study Of Biology And Their Effects On Student Success In An Introductory Biology Course, Courtney Irene Barlow May 2018

Does Interest Equal Success? Evaluating Student Perceptions Of The Study Of Biology And Their Effects On Student Success In An Introductory Biology Course, Courtney Irene Barlow

Honors Theses

As instructors begin to devote more time to improving student perceptions of biology, the validity of these efforts should be determined. Do students possessing favorable views of biology regularly perform on a higher level than those with less favorable impressions, or would class time be better spent without exercises intended to increase student interest? The goal of this project was to address the research questions “How do students view the study of biology?”, “How do student perceptions of the subject area affect their performance in an Introductory Biology course?”, and “How does a student’s chosen area of study affect their …


The Influence Of Plant Modularity On The Defense Against Specialist Insect Herbivory, Jill Syrotchen Apr 2018

The Influence Of Plant Modularity On The Defense Against Specialist Insect Herbivory, Jill Syrotchen

Honors Theses

Little work has been done to determine the relationship between modularity and chemical defense induction against herbivory in herbaceous plant species. We investigated this topic using Asclepias syriaca, common milkweed, and one of its specialist aphid herbivores, Aphis nerii. We studied milkweeds of varying modularities growing in the prairies of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings, MI and introduced A. nerii to the plants, monitoring growth of plants and aphid populations over time. After A. syriaca leaves and A. nerii were harvested from study sites, leaf samples from aphid and control treatments were analyzed to measure variation with degree of …


Gdf-15 As A Biomarker For Glaucoma, Caylee Pattison Apr 2018

Gdf-15 As A Biomarker For Glaucoma, Caylee Pattison

Honors Theses

Biomarkers are measurable substances in an organism that are indicative of some phenomenon. Examples of biomarkers in clinical settings are body temperature and blood pressure. Body temperature is indicative of a fever while blood pressure can be used to monitor someone’s risk of a stroke. Previous studies have investigated the possibility of there being a potential biomarker for glaucoma. One possible biomarker identified is growth differentiation factor 15 or GDF15. These studies prompted a study in our lab using a rat glaucoma model. The objective of this study was to show there is a biomarker present for the neurodegenerative disease, …


Characterizing Putative Algal Bicarbonate Transporters In S. Cerevisiae & E. Coli Systems Using Transgenic Vectors, James J. Mickler Apr 2018

Characterizing Putative Algal Bicarbonate Transporters In S. Cerevisiae & E. Coli Systems Using Transgenic Vectors, James J. Mickler

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Evaluating Mutagenicity Of Burned Arginine-Based Heterocyclic Amines And Anti-Mutagenicity Effect Of Chinese Medicinal Herbs, Rayford C. Alva Apr 2018

Evaluating Mutagenicity Of Burned Arginine-Based Heterocyclic Amines And Anti-Mutagenicity Effect Of Chinese Medicinal Herbs, Rayford C. Alva

Honors Theses

From the unexpected finding that cooked grains and meat substitutes elicit a mutagenic response in Salmonella typhimurium TA98, our work has been aimed at deconstructing this finding via a survey of heated binary amino acid combinations, involving arginine, a plant-based amino acid. secondly, our work has looked towards sing phytochemical extracts from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs to inhibit the mutagenic activity of heterocyclic amines (main culprit for mutagenicity in meat). Two fractions from the burned products of arginine and phenylalanine (RF-HCA-06 and -07) were statistically significant inducers of mutagenesis; Scutellaria barbata and Oldenlandia diffusa, both separately and together, were statistically …


Critical Amino Acids For The Folding Of Carboxypeptidase O, Donn Latour Apr 2018

Critical Amino Acids For The Folding Of Carboxypeptidase O, Donn Latour

Honors Theses

Enzymes must fold properly to function. For carboxypeptidases, a prodomain usually assists in this process. However, carboxypeptisdase O (CPO) can fold without one. We hypothesized that this prodigious ability could arise from an amino acid whose fortunate positioning stabilizes its neighbors during folding. We identified four unique, conserved amino acids and mutated them to their equivalent counterpart in CPA, a cousin of CPO, which requires a prodomain. We expressed the mutated genes in mammalian cells and checked for expression by western blotting. Our results indicate that three of four mutations were not expressed, hinting at the possible importance of these …


The Effects Of The Omega-3 Fatty Acid Decosahexaenoic Acid On Intracellular Myo-Inositol Levels And The Ino1 Gene Expression In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Taejun Ok Apr 2018

The Effects Of The Omega-3 Fatty Acid Decosahexaenoic Acid On Intracellular Myo-Inositol Levels And The Ino1 Gene Expression In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Taejun Ok

Honors Theses

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder portrayed with repeated episodes of mania and depression. Its current treatments often entail inefficacy and negative side effects. From previous clinical research, omega-3-fatty acids were suggested to be effective in the amelioration of bipolar disorder. Such an effect is hypothetically attributed to their ability to alter the level of myo-inositol, a molecule that valproate and lithium are known to deplete out. Thus, the goal of this study is to determine the effects of the omega-3 decosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on myo-inositol levels and the expression of the myo-inositol synthase gene INO1. Yeast cells were cultured …


A Note On The Onset Of Synchronous Egg Laying In A Seabird Behavior Model, Dorothea Gallos, Christiane Gallos Apr 2018

A Note On The Onset Of Synchronous Egg Laying In A Seabird Behavior Model, Dorothea Gallos, Christiane Gallos

Honors Theses

Protection Island, Washington hosts a large colony of Glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens). These birds are known to exhibit every-other-day egg-laying synchrony in dense areas of the colony in response to egg cannibalism, which is the main source of egg loss. Here we present an equilibrium analysis of a discrete-time animal behavior model for egg laying. We use Jury Conditions to find the stability criteria for the equilibrium as a function of the colony density and show that a 2-cycle bifurcation occurs when the equilibrium loses stability. The 2-cycle pattern in egg laying becomes increasingly synchronous as the colony density increases. …


Effects Of Eggshell Coloration On Egg Cannibalism Among Glaucous-Winged Gulls, Isabelle Hwang Apr 2018

Effects Of Eggshell Coloration On Egg Cannibalism Among Glaucous-Winged Gulls, Isabelle Hwang

Honors Theses

A common source of reproductive loss in gulls is egg cannibalism. At a large Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) colony on Protection Island, Washington, cannibalism accounts for 55% of egg loss. Because cannibalism is a form of predation and birds have a highly developed sense of vision, I hypothesized that visible light coloration of Glaucous-winged Gull eggs plays a role in determining whether they are cannibalized. I used logistic regression to test whether egg fate was related to egg brightness, specific coloration, specific spot coverage, coloration relative to the most common coloration, and spot coverage relative to the most common spot …


Changes In Neural Activation Between Pre-Release And Post-Release Mouth Brooding Astatotilapia Burtoni Females, Victoria Oanh Huynh Apr 2018

Changes In Neural Activation Between Pre-Release And Post-Release Mouth Brooding Astatotilapia Burtoni Females, Victoria Oanh Huynh

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Ph Dependence Of Dna Binding By Dna Polymerase I From Pychromonas Ingrahamii And Single Stranded Binding Protein From Deinococcus Radiodurans, Olivia Leonovicz Apr 2018

Ph Dependence Of Dna Binding By Dna Polymerase I From Pychromonas Ingrahamii And Single Stranded Binding Protein From Deinococcus Radiodurans, Olivia Leonovicz

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Epigenetic Misregulation As A Causal Agent Of Disease: Methylation Analysis And Rna Expression Quantification, Carter Pesson Apr 2018

Epigenetic Misregulation As A Causal Agent Of Disease: Methylation Analysis And Rna Expression Quantification, Carter Pesson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Biochemical Characterization Of Fe-S Cluster Assembly Machinery In Methanogenic Archaea, Nicole Bryer Apr 2018

Biochemical Characterization Of Fe-S Cluster Assembly Machinery In Methanogenic Archaea, Nicole Bryer

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Analysis Of Young Alu Elements In The Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri) Lineage For Use As Species-Indicative Molecular Markers, Michael W. Denham Apr 2018

Analysis Of Young Alu Elements In The Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri) Lineage For Use As Species-Indicative Molecular Markers, Michael W. Denham

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Artemisia Scoparia Reduces The Effects Of Tnfα-Induced Lipolysis In Murine Adipocytes, Ruth Dunn Apr 2018

Artemisia Scoparia Reduces The Effects Of Tnfα-Induced Lipolysis In Murine Adipocytes, Ruth Dunn

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Defining A Species: A Look At The Relationship Of Papio And Theropithecus Using Alu Elements, Paulina Gonzalez-Quiroga Apr 2018

Defining A Species: A Look At The Relationship Of Papio And Theropithecus Using Alu Elements, Paulina Gonzalez-Quiroga

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


An Investigation Of Maltose Transport System Induction In The Rugose Phase Variant Of Human Pathogen Vibrio Vulnificus, Hira Hasan Apr 2018

An Investigation Of Maltose Transport System Induction In The Rugose Phase Variant Of Human Pathogen Vibrio Vulnificus, Hira Hasan

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Analysis Of Protein-Protein Interactions Between The Polybromo Subunit Of A Drosophila Melanogaster Chromatin Remodeling Complex And The Beaf Insulator Protein By Yeast-Two-Hybrid Assay, John Selloriquez Apr 2018

Analysis Of Protein-Protein Interactions Between The Polybromo Subunit Of A Drosophila Melanogaster Chromatin Remodeling Complex And The Beaf Insulator Protein By Yeast-Two-Hybrid Assay, John Selloriquez

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


3d Modeling And Animation Of The Temporomandibular Joint (Tmj) Of A Human Male With Implications For The Study Of Tmj Dysfunction, Breigh Sonnier Apr 2018

3d Modeling And Animation Of The Temporomandibular Joint (Tmj) Of A Human Male With Implications For The Study Of Tmj Dysfunction, Breigh Sonnier

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.