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Articles 1 - 11 of 11
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
From Cells To Clinics- The Role Of College Biology Education In Shaping Future Physician Assistants, Monica Manley
From Cells To Clinics- The Role Of College Biology Education In Shaping Future Physician Assistants, Monica Manley
Honors Theses
This thesis provides a personal reflection on translating concepts and techniques learned in multiple biology courses (i.e. microbiology, neuroscience, comparative physiology, and genetics) in to clinical practice as an intern in the emergency room of a hospital. Each selected concept contains a description followed by an example of how this knowledge relates to a specified duty of a physician assistant with in an emergency medical setting.
The Effects Of Light Intensity And Cell Structure On The Cultivation Of Arthrospira Platensis, Taylor Barnhart
The Effects Of Light Intensity And Cell Structure On The Cultivation Of Arthrospira Platensis, Taylor Barnhart
Honors Theses
As scientists explore further into space, more cost-effective resources are needed for long-term space travel. An interesting solution is Arthrospira platensis, a filamentous cyanobacteria high in proteins and nutrients, and known for its helical structure. In unfavorable conditions, coiled spirulina cells become straight. Spirulina converts carbon dioxide gas into pure oxygen and the different cell structures stimulate different responses in oxygen production and cultivation. In these experiments, 2.3 L containers of pure coiled spirulina and mixed (coiled and straight) spirulina were placed into 3 incubators with different light intensities: 51μmol/m2/s, 25μmol/m2/s, 12μmol/m2/s. Each experiment length was 72 hours and the …
Role Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exoenzymes S, T, And Y In The Modulation Of Intrinsic Apoptosis In Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells, Andrea M. Vavrinek
Role Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exoenzymes S, T, And Y In The Modulation Of Intrinsic Apoptosis In Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells, Andrea M. Vavrinek
Honors Theses
P. aeruginosa is the most common cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia in ICU patients. P. aeruginosa uses a type III secretion system to inject exoenzymes S, T, U, and Y into host cells, exhibiting unique effects. Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) are used to evaluate cellular changes caused by exoenzymes. ExoY infection of PMVECs leads to cell rounding but does not lead to cell death, unlike ExoS/T. The current study evaluated the exoenzyme-induced modulation of intrinsic apoptosis in endothelial cells. Strain PAK, producing ExoS, T, and Y, was compared to isogenic strains expressing either S, SY, T, TY, Y, or none …
Effect Of Temperature On The Microbiome Of A Laboratory-Reared Colony Of Haemaphysalis Longicornis Ticks, Brianna L. Mitchell
Effect Of Temperature On The Microbiome Of A Laboratory-Reared Colony Of Haemaphysalis Longicornis Ticks, Brianna L. Mitchell
Honors Theses
Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks are invasive to the United States with potential to transmit several tick-borne pathogens that are native to the United States. Based on existing locations of H. longicornis in its native regions in Asia, as well as its invasive populations that are established in the United States, several geographic range prediction models have been produced to help understand future range expansion and distribution of this invasive tick in North America. Unfortunately, these models do not all agree and there is uncertainty associated with the potential geographic range expansion of H. longicornis ticks in North America. Climate can affect …
Bacteriophages: Paving The Road For The Future Of Medicine, Luke Brinkerhoff
Bacteriophages: Paving The Road For The Future Of Medicine, Luke Brinkerhoff
Honors Theses
Bacteriophages are a possible solution to antibiotic resistance, which is predicted to be detrimental world-wide by the year 2050. Personal field research was also conducted for a project studying the characteristics of two bacteriophages on a single bacterial host.
Characterization Of A Plasmid-Based Dna Vaccine For Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, Priya Sanipara
Characterization Of A Plasmid-Based Dna Vaccine For Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, Priya Sanipara
Honors Theses
Described as one of the world’s worst pandemics, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infects millions of people each year and is the cause for AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). Despite the development of vaccines for numerous infectious diseases such as polio, small pox, and influenza, a vaccine for HIV remains elusive due to the virus’s high mutation rate and ability to evade the immune system. HIV causes depletion of CD4+ lymphocytes, resulting in a weakened immune system. However, the development of a plasmid-based DNA vaccine approach may help revolutionize vaccine development for HIV due to its ability to confer cellular and humoral …
Testing Bacterial Antibiotic Production Under Carbohydrate And Protein Starvation, Briley Baird
Testing Bacterial Antibiotic Production Under Carbohydrate And Protein Starvation, Briley Baird
Honors Theses
Bacteria produce antibiotics when they are under stress, including starvation stress. Bacteria were tested under carbohydrate and protein starvation against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli (due to the respective Gram positivity and negativity), in order to check for antibiotic production. The bacteria being tested were isolated by past Microbiology classes and stored in a -80°C freezer in the basement of Jones Science Center at Ouachita Baptist University. These test bacteria were grown on tryptic soy agar (TSA) to produce isolated bacterial colonies. Samples of isolated test colonies were then grown under conditions of carbohydrate starvation (M9 salts agar with 0.1 …
Discovering New Antibiotics: Bacterial Extracts Separated By Thin-Layer Chromatography Inhibit The Growth Of Staphylococcus, Heidi Hughes
Discovering New Antibiotics: Bacterial Extracts Separated By Thin-Layer Chromatography Inhibit The Growth Of Staphylococcus, Heidi Hughes
Honors Theses
Many bacteria have become resistant to commonly used antibiotics because of antibiotic use in people and animals. Therefore, new antibiotics are needed that will inhibit these resistant bacteria. Bacteria found in soil are a likely source for new antibiotics because of the limited available nutrients found in the soil. We isolated soil bacteria and screened them for antibiotic production against Staphylococcus epidermidids. Methanol extracts were made from entire agar plates of the soil bacteria that inhibited S. epidermidis. These extracts were spotted on a lawn of Staphylococcus aureus; growth inhibition was measured to comfirm that the extracts contained the …
Molecular Evolution Of Insecticidal Spore-Forming Bacteria, John Pool
Molecular Evolution Of Insecticidal Spore-Forming Bacteria, John Pool
Honors Theses
Molecular methods are increasingly being used to determine the phylogeny of microorganisms. This research was intended to determine phylogenetic relationships for bacteria of the species Bacillus thuringiensis and other members of the Bacillus cereus group. Each strain was analyzed by its sasp-B gene sequence to determine its species classification and relation to other strains studied. Results of this study indicated that according to the sasp-B gene tree, the species Bacillus thuringiensis is a paraphyletic with respect to both Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis. Some unexpected results and implications for species designations are also discussed.
Characterization Of Metal-Regulated Genes In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Melanie Pearson
Characterization Of Metal-Regulated Genes In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Melanie Pearson
Honors Theses
One side effect of today's industrialized world is increased levels of heavy metals in the environment. Many of these metals are necessary for biological function as trace elements, but at higher concentrations are toxic. Other metals, such as cadmium, are not beneficial at any level, and have only deleterious effects on living organisms. Cadmium is primarily thought to interfere with normal biological function of proteins. Human exposure to cadmium appears to primarily damage the kidneys, but may also affect the liver, lungs, immune system, and central nervous system. Bacteria, however, have developed several methods for handling toxic heavy metals: cation …
The Role Of D-Gluconic Acid In The Regulation Of The Synthesis Of The Enzymes Of The Entner-Doudoroff Pathway In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Steven C. Quay
The Role Of D-Gluconic Acid In The Regulation Of The Synthesis Of The Enzymes Of The Entner-Doudoroff Pathway In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Steven C. Quay
Honors Theses
Induction of Entner-Duodoroff pathway enzymes in Pseudomonas fluorescens was investigated to study the role of gluconate as a possible inducer. Glucose oxidase-deficient mutants were isolated and characterized. One of these mutants, gox-7, was deficient in particulate glucose oxidase; another mutant, gox-17, was deficient in particulate glucose and gluconate oxidase activities. Gluconate, but not glucose, induced synthesis of gluconokinase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydratase in both mutants. High constitute levels of 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase were found when both mutants were grown on glucose. Growth of parent and both mutant strains on glycerol also resulted in high levels of Entner-Doudoroff pathway enzymes. It was concluded …