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Biotransformation Of Camelina Meal Via Pretreatment And Fermentation For Functional And Nutritional Upgrading, Ram Kumar Bhattarai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Camelina sativa, an oilseed crop of the Brassicaceae family, has seen increased cultivation in North America in response to the rising demand for biofuels over the past two decades. With this growth, camelina meal, a byproduct of oil extraction, has emerged as a promising yet underutilized resource, particularly for applications in animal nutrition. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of camelina meal as a substrate for submerged fungal fermentation and to examine how this bioconversion affects its physicochemical and nutritional properties. The influence of mild pretreatments (unwashed, washed only, and washed/dried and ground) on fermentation outcomes was also assessed. …

Caspases Protect Against Hyperglycemia Induced Necroptosis-Like Cell Death In Brain Endothelial Cells, Aleena S. Mathew

Theses and Dissertations

Acute diabetes characterized by high spikes in blood glucose levels in association with severe hyperglycemia can lead to an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the brain. To better understand high blood glucose levels, hyperglycemia, in the brain we explored its effects on endothelial cells. Endothelial cells line the inner walls of blood vessels and are directly impacted in hyperglycemia. Brain endothelial cells are a major component of the blood brain barrier (BBB) which tightly regulates the brain’s microenvironment. The type of cell death such as apoptosis, caspase dependent, or necroptosis, caspase independent, can exacerbate diabetes associated complications. There is …

Effects Of Diet Composition On Physical Parameters In Danio Rerio, Isabella Hemphill

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With the use of zebrafish as a common model organism for human health, the reduction of confounding variables in their care is key. Many commercialized zebrafish diets are available for purchase, but each one consists of a different ratio of these crucial macronutrients. This study aimed to determine the effects long-term diets high in one macronutrient would have on the morphometrics, heart, liver, and protein content of zebrafish. Four diets were fed over a period of almost two years- high lipid, high carb, high protein, and a control diet. The control diet was the standard feed used in this lab, …

Exploring The Effects Of Road Salt On Earthworm Species, Alea Mry Koston

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study examines the effects of two road salts, sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), on the health of two earthworm species: Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus terrestris. Over a 4-week period, approximately 168 earthworms were exposed to varying concentrations of either NaCl, CMA, or mixed ratios of both, with a control group included for comparison. The experiment involved monitoring the changes in earthworm weight and measuring their contraction rates to determine physiological responses. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in weight or activity between NaCl and CMA treatments for either species. However, higher concentrations of NaCl resulted in …

Elongate Locomotors Show Consistent Torque Patterns Across Substrates, Spencer Bradford, Henry Astley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The four main movements found in snakes are understood mainly due to external study; however, muscular forces and resulting torques are poorly known. The main research objective is to study the torque production on different substrates using a snakebot. The study will give a rudimentary model for torque production on different substrates. It can then be compared against biological systems to understand snake movement at a muscular level. This study used a snakebot, allowing direct assessment of the current being run through each of its motors (proportional to torque). Data was then examined using a Principal Component Analysis test for …

Impact Of Tetrahydrocannabinol (Thc) On Daphnia Magna Heart Rate, Ashley Cosgrave

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Marijuana (Cannabis) is currently federally illegal within the United States and classified as a Schedule I drug. This leaves a large research gap on the impacts of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use. Daphnia magna are frequently used as a model organism for the human heart and toxicology screenings due to their myogenic heart, similarities in physiological pathways, and sensitivity to toxins. As such, in order to bridge the research gap and uncover potential use of Daphnia magna as a model organism for humans in regard to impact on heart rate, we hypothesized that if Daphnia magna possess CB1 receptors or an equivalent …

Ingestion Of Expanded Polystyrene By Procambarus Spp: A Toxicology Report, Garrik Neill Catania, Panagiotis Antonios Tsarouhas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aims to be a toxicology report into the ingestion of expanded polystyrene by Procambarus spp. The goal would be to prove that ingestion of this plastic could lead to harm of the crayfish and that its presence in the environment of the crayfish could be a serious ecological problem. This project will take three groups of ten crayfish each and over a period of approximately seven weeks the crayfish will be monitored for changes due to their respective treatments. One group will serve as the control and will have nothing unique happen to them, one will serve as …

The Role Of Fruiting Bodies In Protecting A Community Of Myxococcus Xanthus Spores From The Environment, Dave Lall

Wayne State University Dissertations

Environmental microorganisms have evolved a variety of strategies to survive fluctuations in environmental conditions, including the production of biofilms and differentiation into spores. Myxococcus xanthus are ubiquitous soil bacteria that produce starvation-induced multicellular fruiting bodies filled with environmentally resistant spores (a specialized biofilm). Isolated spores have been shown to be more resistant than vegetative cells to heat, ultraviolet radiation, and desiccation. The evolutionary advantage of producing spores inside of fruiting bodies is not clear. Here, we examine a hypothesis that the fruiting body provides additional protection from environmental insults. We developed a high-throughput method to compare the recovery (outgrowth) of …

Pesticide And Pathogen Exposure Causes Idiosyncratic Gene Expression Responses Across Four Diverse North American Bumble Bee Species, Rubén Martín-Blázquez, Sydney A. Cameron, Austin C. Calhoun, James P. Strange, Ben M. Sadd

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Bumble bee (Bombus Latreille) populations of certain species have declined precipitously in North America over several decades. Hypotheses for declines include exposure to the pathogen Nosema bombi and neonicotinoid pesticides. Importantly, populations of some bumble bee species remain stable despite their presumed exposure to these same stressors. We hypothesise that declining and stable species exhibit distinct responses to N. bombi and neonicotinoids, detectable as differential gene expression profiles. To test this, we exposed larvae of Bombus occidentalis (declining) and B. impatiens (stable) to N. bombi and to the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, plus a combination of both. RNA-seq analysis revealed almost …

The Responses Of Insect Herbivores And Local Food Webs To Invasive Shrubs, Logan W. Huber

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species cause widespread ecological disruption and economic loss. Invasive plants in particular have the potential to reshape forest food webs from the bottom up. However, the extent to which herbivores colonize and assimilate invasive plants into their diets remains unclear. To address this, I surveyed caterpillar abundance, richness, and herbivory on two invasive shrubs, Lonicera maackii and Elaeagnus umbellata, across regions differing in infestation history. Lonicera maackii supported lower overall caterpillar abundance and richness but hosted a more diverse and abundant caterpillar community in the heavily infested region. E. umbellata supported robust caterpillar communities and experienced herbivory levels comparable …

Dna Methylation Variation In Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) On A Georgia Barrier Island, Megan Hoog

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus, EDB) is the largest rattlesnake in the world and is thought to be declining in many portions of its range. Genetic venom studies in the Southeast United States have shown evidence of fine-scale differences within two main geographic groups on Jekyll Island. My objective is to expand on this finding to determine if epigenetic mechanisms, specifically DNA methylation, varies among different populations of EDB in similar environments, age classes, and sexes. I collected EDB blood samples through a partnership with the Jekyll Island Authority and screened 44 individuals for epigenetic variation from …

Determinants Of Bat Activity And Habitat-Use At Runkle Woods And Huffman Metropark, Ohio, Heidi E. Orloff

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

North American bats are an excellent control of pests as most are insectivorous feeders. They face numerous threats including habitat loss, anthropogenic development, disease (White-nose Syndrome), and potentially artificial light at night (ALAN). It is important to track species populations and habitat-use to determine the magnitude of effects from these threats. Acoustic monitoring has proven a useful and non-invasive method for tracking bat populations. In my research, I conducted stationary acoustic surveys of bat activity at Wright State University’s Runkle Woods and nearby Huffman MetroPark during the summers of 2023 and 2024. I recorded bat calls in three different habitats …

Determining The Genetic Population Structure Of The Endangered Scirpus Ancistrochaetus Using Genomic Sequences, Kayci Johnson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands are biodiverse ecosystems across the world, and they are being lost at alarming rates due to fragmentation and anthropogenic stressors. Many wetland plants are endangered or threatened due to wetland decreasing numbers. Scirpus ancistrochaetus is an endangered wetland species in the northeastern United States. It is most commonly found in lowlands and forested ecosystems. In this study, I used 105 polymorphic loci obtained from double-digest restriction site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq), a conservation genetics tool, to determine conservation units, gene flow, kinship, and isolation-by-distance patterns. Discrete populations were identified in New England and the southern part of the species’ …

Benthic Algal Biomass And Productivity Across Depth Gradients In Lakes Michigan And Erie, Ahmed Ogidan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Benthic primary production is poorly quantified in the Laurentian Great Lakes relative to phytoplankton-based production. We measured benthic chlorophyll and benthic primary productivity on soft sediments and Dreissena shells along depth gradients in Lakes Erie (2024) and Michigan (2025) during EPA Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative cruises. We measured benthic chlorophyll fluorometrically and estimated benthic primary productivity using non-invasive oxygen exchange incubations. We used PAM fluorometry to characterize photosynthetic-irradiance relationships on mussel shells and sediments in Lake Michigan. In Lake Erie, sediment chlorophyll ranged from 20 to 150 mg m⁻², with highest values in the central basin. In Lake Michigan, …

Comparative Semiotic Analysis Of Non-Verbal Communication: Apis Mellifera Waggle Dance And Human Kinesic Signaling Systems, Nishtha Tikalal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are many parallels between two seemingly disparate forms of non-verbal communication: the waggle dance of Apis mellifera (honeybees) and human kinesic signaling systems. Through a comparative semiotic analysis, this research aims to conduct a comparative semiotic analysis, investigating structural and functional similarities between these communication methods, challenging anthropocentric assumptions about meaning making in the natural world. This research employs a meta-synthesis approach, drawn from a methodological literature review to examine historical representations of bee-human relationships, semiotics of non-verbal communication, and the specific mechanisms of the waggle dance and human kinesics. This methodology involves systematic categorization and analysis of extracted …

Using An Ecological And Cultural Lens To Examine The 1st Year Persistence And Science Identity Development Of At-Risk Biology Students Experiencing Multiple Equity-Minded High Impact Practices, Aura Fajardo Grandidge

Open Access Dissertations

In this study, I used an ecological and a cultural perspective to examine the first-year experiences of two cohorts of biology students exposed to multiple equity-minded High Impact Practices (HIPs) designed to promote their persistence and science identity development.

In chapter 1, I applied Graham et al.’s Persistence Framework (2013) and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1977) to investigate the bridges and barriers to persistence that biology students face while experiencing either an equity minded learning community, a first-year seminar, a course-based research experience, and/or an active learning introductory biology course. Using a mixed methods approach that focused on phenomenology, I …

The Chemical Ecology Of A Caribbean Boulder Coral During Restoration And The Interplay Between Fish Predation And Microbiome Variation, Catherine E. Raker

Open Access Dissertations

Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on the planet. In recent decades, however, climate change and other global threats have caused severe declines in live coral cover worldwide. Coral propagation, or “gardening,” is a popular strategy to attempt to restore healthy corals to degraded reefs. Slow-growing boulder corals are often restored using microfragmentation, where cutting coral colonies into roughly 1 cm² fragments can increase their growth rates up to 5x. However, extreme early mortality of fragments has been observed in the field, which has been at least partially attributed to predation. It has been …

Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents, Scott Lyell Gardner, Emma K. Chesley, Michael C. Friedle, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Scott L. Gardner Publications

In this first report of endoparasites from endemic land-mammals of the Galápagos Islands, we describe a new species of cestode of the genus Raillietina (Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from a species of Nesoryzomys and summarize the extent of helminth parasitism in both oryzomyine endemics and introduced species of Rattus. Up to the current time, no helminth parasites have been reported from rodents of the Galápagos, and little work has yet been done describing and synthesizing Galápagos parasite diversity. In historical times, several species of autochthonous rodents have occupied the islands including: Nesoryzomys narboroughi Heller 1904, N. fernandinae Hutterer and Hirsch …

Microbial Community Stabilization By Restored Oyster Reefs: Implications For Blue Carbon Storage, Natalie Boydstun

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Coastal ecosystems provide critical carbon sequestration services, yet the microbial mechanisms underlying carbon storage remain poorly understood, particularly in non-vegetated habitats. This study investigated whether restored oyster reefs (Crassostrea virginica) enhance sediment carbon storage potential by stabilizing microbial communities and promoting efficient organic matter processing. I hypothesized that reef-mediated sediment stabilization and organic deposition would create conditions favoring microbial degradation of complex carbon compounds into stable soil organic matter, ultimately supporting anaerobic carbon storage. To test this, I compared sediment biogeochemistry, enzyme activity, and microbial community structure between three restored oyster reef sites and two unstructured control sites …

Isolating Confounding Abiotic And Biotic Effects On The Phenotype On Physa Acuta Snails, Ashley M. Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

Organisms match their phenotypes to prevailing environmental conditions leading to habitat specific polymorphisms. Polymorphisms arise from genetic divergence, phenotypic plasticity, or a combination of both processes. I examined the presence of habitat-specific polymorphism in Physa acuta snails collected from three streams and their corresponding downstream reservoir. In lotic systems shells were rotund with larger apertures, while those from lentic systems were more elongate with smaller apertures. In a reciprocal transplant lab experiment that crossed flow regime and crayfish predator cues, I tested for the underlying mechanisms responsible for the observed phenotypic differences. I found no evidence for plasticity in relation …

Loss Of Endogenous Circadian Clock Function In Mice Alters Respiratory Cycle Timing In A Time Of Day- And Sex-Specific Manner, Aaron A. Jones, Deanna M. Arble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Resting breathing and ventilatory chemoreflexes are regulated in a 24-hr manner by the endogenous circadian clock. However, it is unclear how circadian biology influences different phases of the breath-to-breath respiratory cycle which are predominantly controlled by pontomedullary regions of the brainstem. Here, we performed whole-body plethysmography during quiet wakefulness in young adult male and female mice lacking the core clock gene Brain and Muscle Arnt-like 1 (BMAL1) to determine the extent to which the molecular clock affects respiratory cycle timing and ventilatory airflow mechanics. Breath waveform analysis revealed that male BMAL1 knockout (KO) mice exhibit time of day-specific differences in …

Diabetes Potentiates The Emergence And Expansion Of Antibiotic Resistance, John C. Shook, Benjamin P. Darwitz, Kaleb J. Tyson, Amanda Z. Velez, Sophia K. Bridwell, Joshua B. Parsons, Sarah E. Rowe, Christopher Marshall, Brian P. Conlon, Lance R. Thurlow

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals with diabetes mellitus frequently develop severe skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) that are recalcitrant to antibiotic treatment. We examined how diabetes affects the emergence of antibiotic resistance in a Staphylococcus aureus SSTI. We determined that S. aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, while resistance did not occur in nondiabetic mice over the course of infection. Diabetes-associated immune cell dysfunction plays a minor role in the emergence of resistance, while hyperglycemia plays a dominant role facilitating the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants in diabetic infections. Furthermore, vancomycin intermediate resistant isolates display a pronounced fitness defect in …

Editorial: Women In Antimicrobials, Resistance And Chemotherapy: 2023, Cindy Shuan Ju Teh, Krassimira R. Hristova, Ana R. Freitas

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Diversity, Genomics And Antimicrobial Resistance Of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus: A Literature Review, Kathleen Okeefe

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Members of the gram-positive bacterial genus Staphylococcus have historically been classified into coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS). This classification is based on the ability of clotting of plasma by the coagulase enzyme, which converts fibrinogen to fibrin. CoNS species are ubiquitous commensals that frequently colonize the skin and mucosal surfaces. They are also opportunistic pathogens implicated in many human and animal infections. The evolutionary history of CoNS has generally been overlooked because of the historical lack of recognition for their clinical importance and poor taxonomic sampling. They are often perceived as being less or non-pathogenic, especially compared to …

Elucidating The Effects Of Environmental And Physiological Conditions On Stem Cell Regulation In Vivo, Nimmy John

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The Notch signaling pathway is a highly conserved intercellular signaling pathway that any dysregulation can lead to a variety of human diseases. These diseases are further exacerbated by various environmental, pathological and genetic conditions. Previous studies have shown that these conditions have been known to affect the Notch transcriptional response. However, the molecular mechanisms by which such conditions influence Notch signaling remained largely unknown. Moreover, most Notch studies have relied on in vitro systems and indirect reporters, which can miss the dynamic and contextual nature of Notch signaling. Here, we systematically analyzed the effects of these conditions with single molecule …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Metabolic Enzymes In Hypoxic/Anoxic Conditions In Cetaceans And Cancer, Samerna A. Masih

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Cancer cells often exhibit a Warburg-like metabolism, which includes increased fatty acid synthesis and storage that help them survive in hypoxic conditions. This shift is marked by the heightened synthesis and accumulation of fatty acids, acting as a survival mechanism in low-oxygen environments (Baumann et al., 2016). Interestingly, deep-diving whales may utilize a similar metabolic pathway to produce wax esters during their prolonged dives.

Our study focused on exploring the genetic and metabolic similarities between breast cancer cells and deep-diving whales, using computational analyses to investigate lipid metabolism genes. We looked for evolutionarily conserved variations that might reveal adaptive mechanisms …

The Role Of The Nasal Migratory Mass In Olfactory Bulb Formation And Fertility, Charisse Martin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The olfactory migratory mass plays an essential role in the development of the olfactory bulb by facilitating the migration of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons from the olfactory placode to the pre-optic hypothalamic area in the brain. In mammals, the migration of GnRH neurons is critical for establishing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis), which regulates reproductive function through the production and secretion of gonadotropins. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) instruct the gonads to function appropriately, ensuring sexual maturation and fertility. Disruptions in this migratory pathway have been linked with Kallmann syndrome, a condition characterized by low levels of GnRH, …

Functional Characterization Of The Hdt5 Gene In Aspergillus Flavus Morphogenesis, Mycotoxin Production, And Fungal Phytopathogenicity, Brenda Omburo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The present study aimed at elucidating the role of hdt5 in fungal morphology, mycotoxin production and in plant virulence in Aspergillus flavus. Currently, methodologies to prevent the negative impact of A. flavus are insufficient. It is known that expression of the hdt5 gene is dependent on hbx1, a master regulatory gene that affects expression of hundreds of genes in the A. flavus genome, controlling both development and secondary metabolism. However, while the aflatoxin gene cluster has been elucidated, the genetic regulatory mechanisms controlled by hdt5 are not fully understood. For this study, therefore, a complete strain set composed of a …

An Exploration Of Social Isolation’S Effects On The Gastrointestinal And Metabolic Health Of A Social Mammal, Daniel Adam Nuccio

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Human health can be impacted considerably by subjective feelings of loneliness, resulting in mental illness and the dysregulation of normal cardiovascular, immune and endocrine functioning. This occurs because social isolation serves as a form of chronic stress for social mammals, spurring physiological responses akin to those associated with more standard forms of stress. On account of their highly social nature, prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) subsequently have become one of the model organisms of choice for investigating the effects of social isolation on the development of disease in social mammals.

This dissertation seeks to expand the scientific community’s understanding of the …

Blattella Germanica As A Vector Of Salmonella Typhimurium, Matthew Turner

Dissertations and Theses

The following investigates the role of the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) as a vector of the bacterium Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). As such, this work examines various host-pathogen-microbiome interactions that define the vectorial capacity of the German cockroach for Salmonella. To date, the majority of literature focuses on the general association of the German cockroach with various human pathogens, claiming any dissemination to be carried out via passive mechanical transmission. This project recognizes those claims, while expanding to include the possibility of biological transmission, involving active and complex host-pathogen interactions, including mechanisms like replication within the …