Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
The Center for Conservation Biology
Abilene Christian University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
University of Rhode Island
GALILEO, University System of Georgia
USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services
Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá
Loyola Marymount University
Touro College
Transcription Factor Expression Landscape In Drosophila Embryonic Cell Lines,
2024
Clark University
Transcription Factor Expression Landscape In Drosophila Embryonic Cell Lines, Robert A. Drewell, Daniel Klonaros, Jacqueline Dresch
Biology
Background: Transcription factor (TF) proteins are a key component of the gene regulatory networks that control cellular fates and function. TFs bind DNA regulatory elements in a sequence-specific manner and modulate target gene expression through combinatorial interactions with each other, cofactors, and chromatin-modifying proteins. Large-scale studies over the last two decades have helped shed light on the complex network of TFs that regulate development in Drosophila melanogaster. Results: Here, we present a detailed characterization of expression of all known and predicted Drosophila TFs in two well-established embryonic cell lines, Kc167 and S2 cells. Using deep coverage RNA sequencing approaches we …
Effects Of Roadways On Seasonal Movement Strategies And Mate Location Success In An Imperiled Pit Viper (Crotalus Horridus),
2024
Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061
Effects Of Roadways On Seasonal Movement Strategies And Mate Location Success In An Imperiled Pit Viper (Crotalus Horridus), Elizabeth J. Noble
Graduate Research Showcase
A detailed understanding of animal movement behavior is fundamental to effective conservation and management. Within populations, a diversity of movement strategies can be displayed in search of critical resources, and these strategies are influenced by multiple interacting factors related to individuals and the environment. Mating partners are one critical resource that often serves as a prominent selective force shaping movement during mating seasons. For many large-bodied snakes, such as pit vipers (Viperidae: Crotalinae), male mate- searching movements are the primary determinant of mate location success. During this time, males incur significant risks associated with elevated movement. In an increasingly human- …
Oil Identification Of Harp Seal And Other Select Marine Mammals,
2024
US Forest Service International Programs Wood Identification and Screening Center, Ashland
Oil Identification Of Harp Seal And Other Select Marine Mammals, Meghan Pinedo, Deborah A. Duffield, Dalin N. D’Alessandro, Erin R. Price, Edgard O. Espinoza
Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations
Because of the rich omega-3 fatty acids content, harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) oil is a popular supplement that is packaged as pills in Canada and sold for medicinal purposes, although this practice is banned in the United States. Due to US regulations, it is important to be able to distinguish between fish oil and seal oil, but the taxonomic determination of oils provenance has been a difficult problem to solve. In this study, Direct Analysis in Real Time time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DART TOFMS) was used to analyze the chemotypes of blubber samples collected from seven species of …
Utilizing Biomimicry To Design Sustainable Architecture,
2024
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Utilizing Biomimicry To Design Sustainable Architecture, Virginia Hammond
Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses
Nature has an integral relationship with architecture and serves as a sustainable role model and inspiration for designers. The process of biomimicry in architecture has the potential to produce more sustainable design solutions and foster a connection between humans and nature. Existing biomimetic design projects have varying strengths and weaknesses as examples of the process. Utilizing guidelines and references from key leaders in biomimetic design consultancy (Biomimicry 3.8), selected case studies are assessed for their ability to demonstrate the benefits of this design strategy. Using these evaluations, the case studies are diagrammed and critiqued to determine how new projects could …
Investigating Large Repeats In The Arabidopsis Thaliana Mitochondrial Genome Using Mitotalens,
2024
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Investigating Large Repeats In The Arabidopsis Thaliana Mitochondrial Genome Using Mitotalens, Megan Gusso
Honors Theses
This lab project explores the complexity of the mitochondrial genome by investigating large genomic repeats and their effect on flowering plants’ reproduction and viability. Mitochondria are the site of cellular respiration to create energy and contain their own DNA. This is counterintuitive because the byproducts of cellular respiration impose a threat of mutation for the stored DNA. The mitochondrial genome differs in size between animals and plants. Plant mitochondrial DNA is larger due to the presence of large, noncoding repeated sequences, and a large amount of DNA of unknown function. These sequences undergo high levels of recombination and rearrangement. The …
Spatial Ecology Of Mule Deer Migrations From Grand Teton National Park And The Teton Range,
2024
Utah State University
Spatial Ecology Of Mule Deer Migrations From Grand Teton National Park And The Teton Range, Justin K. Schwabedissen
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem hosts several of the longest, fully intact ungulate migrations remaining in the continental United States. However, expanding development and an increasing human footprint continue to truncate migratory routes. While the endpoints are often a seasonal range on protected lands, these migration corridors frequently cross other jurisdictional boundaries, including large tracts of private or multiple-use lands, with varying levels of protection. Thus, it is critical resource managers understand the dynamics of migratory movements to define population-level corridors and prioritize appropriate conservation strategies. Mule deer in Wyoming have been documented traveling long distances between summer and winter ranges; …
Mate Guarding Against Strong Men Displaying Affiliative And Aggressive Humor,
2024
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Mate Guarding Against Strong Men Displaying Affiliative And Aggressive Humor, Jacob Pauley
Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Mate retention behaviors serve to discourage partner defection from a current pairbond. Such behaviors are oftentimes more prevalent toward intrasexual rivals exhibiting physical and behavioral cues implicating that rival as an optimal mate. Among these features in men are their upper body strength, a feature diagnostic of heritable fitness, and men's ability to produce humor, a cue to their social competence. This study considered the intersection of these desirable features in shaping men's mate retention behavior toward an intrasexual rival. After learning of a hypothetical interloper exhibiting high or low upper body strength while similarly using humor in an affiliative …
Towards Understanding The Function Of An Ets-Like Gene In Nematostella Vectensis: Generation Of A Knockout Mutant Line And A Transgenic Reporter Line,
2024
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Towards Understanding The Function Of An Ets-Like Gene In Nematostella Vectensis: Generation Of A Knockout Mutant Line And A Transgenic Reporter Line, Emily Bullock
Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Due to their unique phylogenic position as sister to Bilateria, Cnidaria are often credited with the utility of allowing for reconstruction of ancestral biology based on characteristics shared with bilaterians and other animals. This factor makes investigation into the nervous systems of cnidarians critical in understanding early neural evolution. Wamides, a class of neuropeptides, have been shown to play a regulatory role in life cycle transitions across many different species. The cnidarian specific Wamide neuropeptide, GLWamide, has previously been identified to play an accelerator role in the metamorphic timing of a specific species of sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. However, …
Targeting Tgf-Β During Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Progression As An Effective Therapy Against Colorectal Cancer,
2024
La Salle University
Targeting Tgf-Β During Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Progression As An Effective Therapy Against Colorectal Cancer, Joyce Fan
Undergraduate Research
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Understanding the mechanisms of colorectal cancer progression is crucial for the development of effective therapeutics. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is a hallmark feature of cancer and is defined as the loss of epithelial cell features, such as apical-basal polarity and high expression of cell adhesion molecules, and the development of mesenchymal features, such as lack of polarity and increased cell mobility. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal is essential for cell migration, proliferation, and tumor growth. Both the TGF-β and SMAD pathway are associated with colorectal cancer progression. TGF-β is crucial to the cellular mechanism of cell …
Estimating Changing Marshland Habitat And Conservation Potential For Diamondback Terrapins In New Jersey Under Climate Change And Development Pressures,
2024
Rowan University
Estimating Changing Marshland Habitat And Conservation Potential For Diamondback Terrapins In New Jersey Under Climate Change And Development Pressures, Jacqueline Ganter
STEM Student Research Symposium Posters
The diamondback terrapin, a brackish water turtle native to the eastern US, is listed as a species of ‘special concern’ in the state of New Jersey, due to decreasing habitat from development and changing climatic conditions. Diamondback terrapins reside in saline marshes and wetlands and nest in sandy substrate, primarily beaches and dunes, in June and July. The state of New Jersey is vulnerable to both sea level rise, leaving diamondback terrapin habitats and nesting areas at risk of inundation under future climate scenarios, and, as the most densely populated state, subject to continual development pressures on potentially conservable land. …
Monotypic: Evolution And Adaptations Of The World's Most Distinctive Species,
2024
Rowan University
Monotypic: Evolution And Adaptations Of The World's Most Distinctive Species, Emerson Harman, Amanda Almon
STEM Student Research Symposium Posters
"Monotypic: Evolution and Adaptations of the World’s Most Distinctive Species" is a BFA and Honors Capstone exhibition focused on introducing the public to the unique qualities of plants and animals that are the sole extant representative of their taxonomic family or higher classification. The exhibition is centered around the use of illustrative infographics to effectively deliver scientific information in an engaging manner to a wide audience. "Monotypic" explores the individual evolutionary adaptations that make each of these lineages so distinct from any of their living relatives while also touching on the interactions with their environments, relationships with other species, and …
One-Pot Synthesis Green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized On Activated Carbon Derived From Pineapple Peel For Adsorption Of Pb(Ii),
2024
Research Centre for Applied Microbiology, National Research and Innovation Agency Republic of Indonesia, KST Samaun Sa-madikun, Bandung 40135, Indonesia
One-Pot Synthesis Green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized On Activated Carbon Derived From Pineapple Peel For Adsorption Of Pb(Ii), Vienna Saraswaty, Evyka Setya Aji, Ardi Ardiansyah, Ayu Hanifah, Nathania Puspitasari, Shella Permatasari Santoso, Sandy Budi Hartono, Chandra Risdian, Elsy Rahimi Chaldun, Henry Setiyanto
Karbala International Journal of Modern Science
The current study introduces a one-pot technique for synthesizing an environmentally benign and cheap composite adsorbent, namely ZnO-PPAC, for the adsorption of Pb(II). The designated adsorbent was prepared by incorporating green synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on activated carbon-derived from pineapple peel. The prepared adsorbents were characterized using XRD, SEM, EDS, FTIR, and BET techniques. The XRD pattern verifies that the ZnO was successfully synthesized and immobilized onto the PPAC in a one pot synthesis system. The surface areas of ZnOPPAC and PPAC adsorbents were 13.62 m2/g and 961.96 m2/g, respectively. The FTIR evaluation of the ZnO-PPAC adsorbent revealed several …
Evolution Of The Human Eye: As Compared To Other Vertebrates,
2024
Bowling Green State University
Evolution Of The Human Eye: As Compared To Other Vertebrates, Madison Queener
Honors Projects
There are three different types of eyes, the simple eye, the compound eye, and the camera eye (Cambridge Dictionary) (Myer-Rochow, 2014) (UCL, 2020). The retina of the eye has evolved and adapted to fit the lifestyles of the respective organisms. Because of this part of the eye, organisms are able to see different colors and use light to define the world using photoreceptors. Photoreceptors are rod cells, which are light sensitive and process light, and cone cells, which perceive the different color wavelengths, that pass visual information to the brain (Kazilek, 2010). About 5% of the photoreceptors in the retinas …
Alleviating Environmental Stresses In Native Arkansas Plants By Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation,
2024
Arkansas Tech University
Alleviating Environmental Stresses In Native Arkansas Plants By Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation, Rebecca C. Morse
ATU Research Symposium
The rapid human-driven changes in the environment during the Anthropocene have placed extreme stress on many native plants and animals. Beneficial interactions with microorganisms may be crucial for ameliorating these stressors and facilitating the ecosystem services host organisms provide. The role of an important mutualistic association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the competitive ability and successful adaptation of Arkansas native species by enhancing nutrient uptake has not been previously considered. Analysis of field root and soil samples from the native species in their native range as well as a controlled green-house experiment will be conducted to determine the level …
Bat Survey Of Winona,
2024
Winona State University
Bat Survey Of Winona, Hailey B. Christensen, Morgan L. Winter
Research & Creative Achievement Day
Two bat detectors were placed at Garvin Heights and West Lake Winona to test bat activity in Winona, Minnesota. It was hypothesized that there would be a higher activity of bats at West Lake Winona than there would be at Garvin Heights. It was also hypothesized that high moonlight illumination would impact bat activity in a negative way. After data analyses were performed, it was found that bats were more active at West Lake Winona than at Garvin Heights. Based on the data analyses for moon light illumination and bat activity, there is no pattern common to all species, but …
Post Rehabilitation Analysis Of Stream Habitat And Brown Trout In Cedar Valley Creek,
2024
Winona State University
Post Rehabilitation Analysis Of Stream Habitat And Brown Trout In Cedar Valley Creek, Ashlynn D. Leonard, Emma C. Ehlers
Research & Creative Achievement Day
A section of Cedar Valley Creek went through a rehabilitation process that was intended to improve the trout habitat as well as to reinforce banks, deepen the stream, and narrow the channel. We took brown trout (Salmo trutta) counts and did habitat analyses at five locations (each 50 m long), in the restored stream section of Cedar Valley Creek during fall 2023 to compare to pre-rehabilitation data collected in 2022. A backpack electrofisher and nets were used to collect brown trout via a single-pass removal sampling process. All trout were measured for total length (mm) before being released back into …
Changes In Animal Vocalizations In Response To A Total Solar Eclipse,
2024
Arkansas Tech University
Changes In Animal Vocalizations In Response To A Total Solar Eclipse, Colton W. Morris
ATU Research Symposium
My proposed research project will study the changes in animal vocalizations in response to the total solar eclipse that will take place in Russellville, Arkansas, on April 8, 2024. I will use audio recordings before, during, and after the eclipse to quantify changes in animal vocalizations. Most recordings will be in the range of normal hearing, and will primarily detect birds, frogs, and insects. Additionally, I will deploy one ultrasonic recorder capable of detecting bats. From these recordings I will be able to quantify overall and species-specific call rates. Audio recordings will be paired with continuous measurements of light intensity …
Molecular Methods Used To Identify A New Species Of Dictyocaulus (Family Dictyocaulidae) In White-Tailed Deer,
2024
Winona State University
Molecular Methods Used To Identify A New Species Of Dictyocaulus (Family Dictyocaulidae) In White-Tailed Deer, Garit T. Wollan, Elisa M. Quevedo
Research & Creative Achievement Day
Lungworms (Dictyocaulus) are a type of parasitic nematode found in the lungs of vertebrates and can cause life threatening diseases to their host(s). Dictyocaulus is a type of lungworm found in cattle (Bos taurus), deer (Cervidae), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), sheep (Ovis aries), and horses (Equus caballus). The purpose of this study was to use DNA analysis to distinguish between different species of Dictyocaulus among cattle, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and red deer (Cervus elaphus). Adult lungworms were collected from the lungs of cattle from research farms in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Mississippi, from the lungs of red deer from a …
Carbon Sequestration And Its Role In Mitigating Climate Change,
2024
Arkansas Tech University
Carbon Sequestration And Its Role In Mitigating Climate Change, Mallory Woodward
ATU Research Symposium
Carbon sequestration is when carbon dioxide is stored in ecosystems like grasslands forests, soils and oceans. Wetlands are one of the many important ecosystems that sequester carbon and act as a carbon sink. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2019 33,621.5 million metric tons of carbon were released into the atmosphere globally, due to human emissions. Anthropogenic carbon emissions have rapidly increased over the past 150 years. Since 1982, The global rate of warming is more than three times as fast, currently rising 0.36 degrees Fahrenheit each decade, and the rate will continue to increase. How do wetlands …
Characterization Of Bacteria And Fungi In Hotel Bathroom Products,
2024
Winona State University
Characterization Of Bacteria And Fungi In Hotel Bathroom Products, Madie Clarke, Regan L. Feit, Rebecca A. Nachreiner
Research & Creative Achievement Day
Refilling hotel products and storing open products in bathrooms are excellent conditions for bacterial growth. Bacteria accumulate in frequently touched surfaces and thrive in warm, moist, nutrient-rich environments. Bathrooms are also the perfect breeding ground for microbes to flourish. Not all bacteria are bad for our health, but it would be beneficial to know what microorganisms can be found in cosmetic or cream products that are used on a daily basis. This is especially important when bacteria or fungi are known pathogens. This study evaluated and classified bacteria and fungi in shampoos and body lotions using Trypticase Soy Agar (TSA) …
