Biology Commons^™

Reassessing The Parameters Of Phonotaxis In Female Acheta Domesticus, Jewel Murray

Honors Theses

To study phonotaxis in crickets a trackball system has been traditionally used, which consists of a spherical, air supported styrofoam ball placed in a soundproof container in which crickets are tethered to. Two computer mice detect its movement. A speaker is at one end of the container, and it is connected to a computer which generates calls with pre-set parameters. Once a cricket is attached to the trackball system, it can freely navigate toward the source of the sound, while the styrofoam ball remains stationary.

This apparatus has been used to measure the walking distance and angular orientation. When evaluating …

Phonotactic Tuning In Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Jessica Rim

Honors Theses

Phonotactic behavior of female cricket Acheta domesticus has been shown to vary among individuals. While some females are finely tuned to calls with syllable periods in the natural range of conspecific males, others respond phonotactically to a wider range of syllable periods and therefore lack the ability to discriminate between attractive and unattractive calls. When females are exposed to males but prevented from mating, their ability to discriminate attractive calls is reduced, suggesting that factors other than mating alter phonotactic behavior. This study evaluated the effect of male exposure on females’ phonotactic tuning and responsiveness in relation to underlying neural …

A Starling In A Pear Tree: Assessing The Influence Of Bird Dispersal On Callery Pear (Pyrus Calleryana), Olivia Clark

Honors Theses

Invasive species can disrupt ecosystems and negatively affect other species. Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is an invasive ornamental tree that is spreading quickly throughout the United States. It is possible that birds are responsible for spreading Callery pear by eating the fruit and depositing seeds in new areas. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and American robins (Turdus migratorius) are mentioned in most studies as responsible for the dispersal of Callery pear. However, there is also evidence that Cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) also feed on the tree. Invasive plants can impact avian health, reproduction, and migration. Additionally, there are many aspects of …

The Impact Of Anaerobic Exposure And Propionate On The Kinetics And Pathogenesis Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Mackenzie T. Martin

Honors Theses

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen commonly found in ready-to-eat deli and dairy products. This foodborne pathogen is responsible for the disease listeriosis, which disproportionately impacts immunocompromised individuals. This research aims to evaluate how natural intestinal environments influence the pathogenesis of Listeria. One particular environmental condition that has a well-documented effect on Listeria is varying levels of oxygen. Specifically, anaerobic exposure during the growth of Listeria greatly impacts subsequent intracellular pathogenesis. When grown and adapted under anaerobic conditions, Listeria overall exhibits decreased intracellular survival and decreased cell to cell spread. However, the presence of propionate, a natural byproduct of fermentation …

The Role Of The Prodomain In The Folding Of Carboxypeptidase A1, Masy Domecillo

Honors Theses

Carboxypeptidase A1 (CPA1) is an enzyme utilized in digestion. CPA1 contains a prodomain region, which must be cleaved for enzymatic function. The prodomain region has been hypothesized to be necessary for structural stability, as previous studies were unable to produce a functional CPA1 protein without the prodomain region. However, the recent discovery of a related enzyme, Carboxypeptidase 0 (CP0), which does not have a prodomain yet functions enzymatically, challenges this assertion. To determine if the prodomain is essential to the folding of CPA1, an HA-tag was added for detection, and the prodomain was deleted via PCR. A Western blot was …

Analysis Of Invasion Proteins Mmp2, Mmp9, Adam12, And Adam17 In Glioblastoma U87mg Cells Treated With Anti-Cancer Compound 3,4-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde, Andras Muranyi

Honors Theses

This research tested the effectiveness of novel compound 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde, demonstrated to have anti-cancer properties. U87MG Glioblastoma cells were exposed to the compound at its LC50 concentration, then processed to collect proteins from the cells. Proteins were analyzed via Western blotting for specific protein levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP) and disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 and 17 (ADAM). Previous research indicates these proteins are involved in the invasive properties of glioblastoma cells. Westerns were quantified with ImageJ and compared using a one-way ANOVA. Results indicate the compound has minimal effect upon the expression of MMP2, MMP9, ADAM12, ADAM17 proteins.

Phonotactic Tuning In Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Jessica Rim

Honors Theses

Phonotactic behavior of female cricket Acheta domesticus has been shown to vary among individuals. While some females are finely tuned to calls with syllable periods in the natural range of conspecific males, others respond phonotactically to a wider range of syllable periods and therefore lack the ability to discriminate between attractive and unattractive calls. When females are exposed to males but prevented from mating, their ability to discriminate attractive calls is reduced, suggesting that factors other than mating alter phonotactic behavior.

This study evaluated the effect of male exposure on females’ phonotactic tuning and responsiveness in relation to underlying neural …

Microbial Colonization Mediates Sympathetic Neuronal Development In Mice With Experimental Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Emily Ames Otken

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Expression Of Heat Shock Proteins And Glucocorticoid Receptors In Response To Metabolic And Reproductive Stressors In The African Cichlid Fish, Astatotilapia Burtoni, Jeong Hyerin

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Calcium On Boron Toxicity In Schrenkiella Parvula And Arabidopsis Thaliana, Todd John Thibodaux

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Pharmacological Extension Of Lifespan Via Mitochondrial Uncoupling In Drosophila Melanogaster, Analisa Taylor

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Conformational Change And The Effects Of A Substrate Mimetic On 5-Lipoxygenase, Mathes Akers Prometheus Forge

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Interaction Patterns Between Australian Loranthaceae Genera And Host Plants At The Ordinal Level, Jordan Murphy

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Examination Of The Effect Of Plant Induced Defenses On Cannibalistic Consumption And Baculovirus Transmission Amongst Spodoptera Frugiperda Larvae, Paige Elizabeth Long

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Establishing A Drosophila Colon Cancer Model To Study Interactions And Therapeutic Targets Of Oncogenic Pathways, Kathleen T. Mccaslin

Honors Theses

The objective of this project is to develop an in vivo colorectal cancer (CRC) model in Drosophila melanogaster to test the role of Ras and Wnt pathways in gastrointestinal cancer as potential therapeutic targets. To do so, we have (a) developed a CRC model in flies, (b) tested the levels of Ras and Wnt pathway activity in this model, and (c) will use drugs to find inhibitors of these pathways. Using fly mutants and transgenic flies we have created small patches of cancerous cells in the fly intestine in which have activated oncogenic Ras (mutation RasV12) and dominant negative p53 …

Source Of Off-Type Frequencies In Winter Wheat Varieties, Michaela Benes

Honors Theses

The enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is undesirable in most wheat products due to the discoloration it causes. Purifying wheat varieties through selective breeding is the best way at getting rid of PPO in a variety. The variety NW15443 was planted in both a field in McCook, NE, and in a greenhouse in Lincoln, NE. Individual heads were snapped from the field and the greenhouse seed was harvested in bulk. After completing a PPO test of the seed, it was determined that the percentages of off-type frequencies from the field seed and the greenhouse seed were 11% and 3.6%, respectively. Using …

Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase 2 (Got2) Reverse Reaction Could Act As A Possible Relief Valve For Mitochondrial Substrate Overload Induced By Glucocorticoids, Humza Pirzadah

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Effect Of Hormetic Stress And Aging On Tubular Lysosome Induction In Caenorhabditis Elegans Nematodes, Sanaa Alam

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Bacteriophage That Infect Gordonia Species Show Varying Host Specificity And Infection, Lindsay Birge

Honors Theses

Bacteriophage (phage) are an incredibly abundant species of virus that infect bacteria. One major characteristic of phage is their small host range- many phage are known to infect only one or a few hosts. This phage and host relationship has led to phage therapy recently becoming highlighted as a possible alternative to traditional antibiotics in light of the growing antibiotic resistance crisis. The study of phage host specificity has risen in line with this concept, as a phage with a more extensive host range can provide more opportunities for use as an antibiotic. Samples of phage previously isolated on a …

Modeling Jadera Haematoloma’S Phenotypic Variation In The Context Of Its Developmental Plasticity, Michael C. Yorsz

Honors Theses

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to integrate information from environmental cues to inform the development of its phenotype and remains understudied in biology. Models of plasticity are needed because evolution in the presence of plasticity is poorly understood. Jadera haematoloma, a hemimetabolous true bug, is an excellent animal model of plasticity, exhibiting a non-linear plastic response to juvenile nutrition that biases adult development into groups with differences in flight capability, wing shape, and fecundity. However, there is a lack of literature consensus regarding the range of developmental outcomes in the species. Some publications report the presence …

Can Gdp Be Predictive Of Fertility Rates In Sweden?, Hannah Coleman

Honors Theses

Fertility rates in a country vary and can be influenced by numerous different aspects of an individual’s life and the society in which they live. One aspect that may influence fertility rates at the national level is the gross domestic product (GDP). GDP is an indicator of a country’s economic productivity. Because fertility is linked to both economic development and individual resources, GDP may be a useful indicator of fertility rates. If so, knowing or predicting GDP could be used to project the fertility rates of a population years into the future. To determine if a reasonable connection between GDP …

Characterizing Cellular Stress, Hippocampal Function, And Behavior In A Novel Rat Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Anne A. Schulman

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects over 5 million individuals in the United States alone. While AD is primarily thought of as a disease that destroys neural networks required for memory recall and formation, AD also cause impairment in emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and executive function pathways. The cause of AD is unknown; however, the allele ApoE4 has been identified as a risk factor for the onset of AD. ApoE4 provides a valuable opportunity to study AD through animal models. This thesis utilized a human ApoE4 transgenic rat model (hApoE4) to investigate the biological and behavioral …