Digital Commons Network^™

Metabolic Scaling Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, Jacob Woelber

Honors Thesis

The common assumption in regard to metabolic rate scaling with body size is the 3/4 law, which predicts a scaling exponent of 0.75 between log metabolic rate and log body size. Supporting evidence exists for this theory on a large, general scale. However, factors such as temperature, predation, and environment can cause the scaling exponent to deviate from 0.75. This paper takes a closer look at the effects of temperature and predation on metabolic rates via oxygen consumption in freshwater macroinvertebrate populations. To do this, 24 tanks were filled with water to allow natural populations of macroinvertebrates (predominantly Chironomidae) to …

Germinal Center Persistence Diversifies B Cell Responses To Vaccination, Katherine Marie Mcintire

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Vaccination is the best defense against infection, but highly variable and evolving pathogens like influenza virus pose a significant immunological challenge for vaccine design. An ideal influenza virus vaccine should elicit a durable and broadly cross-reactive antibody response. However, the development of cross-reactive antibodies is hindered by the high degree of antigenic variation among influenza viruses, particularly in the surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA), which is the main target of vaccine-induced responses. Successful vaccination works by driving the differentiation of antigen-specific B cells into short-lived, antibody-secreting plasmablasts (PBs) and long-lived populations of memory B cells (MBCs) and bone marrow plasma cells …

Sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae) Jaw, Juliana N. Ottens-Rivera, Fiona Smith, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Jaw from 76cm total length (TL) Rhizoprionodon genus (Sharpnose), collected from Anglers Bait & Tackle on Feb 5th, 2024, by Juliana Ottens-Rivera

Age Estimation And Validation In Otoliths, Spines, And Fin Rays From Four Central Texas Fishes, Meredith B. Pfennig, Derek P. Crane, Nate G. Smith, Dave L. Buckmeier

Biology

Age estimation methods have not been validated for many species. Thus, we focused this age estimation study on four species from central Texas: the Guadalupe Bass Micropterus treculii, Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus, Gray Redhorse Moxostoma congestum, and Redbreast Sunfish Lepomis auritus. Our objectives for each species were to (1) investigate whether increments form annually in otoliths, fin rays, or spines; (2) determine the seasonal timing of zone deposition in each calcified structure; and (3) compare age estimates between otoliths and fin rays or spines.

Fish were sampled from central Texas waters and injected with oxytetracycline (OTC) quarterly in 2021. In …

Ammonium Chemotaxis In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Gabela Nelson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Analysis of ammonium chemotaxis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is largely hindered, compared to that of phototaxis, despite equal importance on flagellated microalgal physiology. A major contribution of this shortfall is the lack of proper assay method. We developed a simple Petri dish assay method in which light is homogenously exposed while patterns of the cellular migration are tracked with a function of time. Using the method, new findings were revealed. First, this research presented that a strain lacking the eyespot organelle required for light gradient-sensing exhibits similar chemotactic behavior compared to a wild-type strain, suggesting Chlamydomonas sense an ammonium gradient not …

Veterinarian Perception Of The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Mortality Of Pets, Jason Bainbridge

Honors Theses

The pandemic led to many changes in society, changes that may have affected pets either directly or indirectly from the new way people had to live life. The primary variable of investigation is if the changes were significant enough to affect pets enough to see a trend in mortality. This thesis used a survey, sent out to veterinarians for their perspective, to see the effects the pandemic had on the mortality of pets, as well as any secondary variables. This survey had 38 responses, with 34 being eligible to complete the survey. The survey did not obtain the information of …

Unravelling The Genetic Basis Of Schizophrenia, Clara Casey, John F. Fullard, Roy D. Sleator

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Neuronal development is a highly regulated mechanism that is central to organismal function in animals. In humans, disruptions to this process can lead to a range of neurodevelopmental phenotypes, including Schizophrenia (SCZ). SCZ has a significant genetic component, whereby an individual with an SCZ affected family member is eight times more likely to develop the disease than someone with no family history of SCZ. By examining a combination of genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic datasets, large-scale ‘omics’ studies aim to delineate the relationship between genetic variation and abnormal cellular activity in the SCZ brain. Herein, we provide a brief overview of …

Investigating The Antibacterial Properties Of Nanostructured Aluminum Surface, Quinshell Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial infections are a major public health concern. Bacterial infection can occur in any part of the body and can also cause the body to respond to its presence. Bacteria can be transferred to humans through water, food, air, and living vectors. The modes of transmission for bacterial infections are vectors, airborne, physical contact, and droplets. Current preventative measures have been put in place to combat this issue. These preventative measures include immunization of both animals and humans, personal hygiene measures, biocidal agents, and essential oils. Bacterial resistance has occurred due to these preventative measures being misused and overused. Bacteria …

Effects Of Delayed Hca Exposure On A Rat Model Of Bipolar Disorder, Eden Comer, Natalie Olander

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a neuropsychological disorder featuring cyclical periods of depressive and manic behaviors. The Chase lab aims to develop a reliable animal model for BD in order to characterize its critical neurological triggers. Previous work has shown that daily injection of rat pups from postnatal day 3 through 19 (P3-P19) with homocysteic acid (HCA) produces a mixed manic and depressive state after puberty. These behaviors can be reversed by lithium treatment and involve changes in gene expression in the prefrontal cortex that are also improperly regulated in BD. Despite this model's reproducibility, we observed critical changes in the …

The Behavioral Impacts Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Exposure On The House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus), John Wenderski, Brooke Fox, Jacob Bergstrom, Olivia Sprys-Tellner, Peyton Hallemann, Sarah Grimes

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

In response to a rapidly growing world population, there has been a dramatic increase in global urbanization and industrialization. With these increases comes increased air pollution, which includes metallic nanoparticles that are small enough to pass through an animal’s blood-gas and blood-brain barriers and cause damage. Some animals show behavioral changes in response to metallic nanoparticle exposure; for example, zinc oxide nanoparticle-exposed chicks displayed less antipredator behavior compared to controls. Additionally, mice injected with silver traveled less and more slowly than controls. Observationally, urban birds, compared to their rural conspecifics, tend to take more risks and explore more, which are …

Investigating Auditory And Visual Seasonality In House Finches, Ashley Lauraine, Hannah Peterson, Jordan Winters

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Many birds receive both visual and auditory signals in mate selection, such as plumage color and song differences within conspecifics, which has implications for behavioral and communication processes. This processing of stimuli from different systems as a combined signal is also known as multimodal sensory processing. Sex hormone levels correlating with reproduction efforts vary seasonally in temperate animals, leading to changes in sensory processing as well. As the seasons progress, sex hormones (i.e. estrogen and testosterone) fluctuate, and an increase or decrease in these hormones has shown an impact on hearing in songbird species, however, less is known about the …

Implications Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Exposure On The Auditory Physiology And Iron Bioaccumulation In House Sparrows (Passer Domesticus), Shae Johnston, Peyton Hallemann, Olivia Sprys-Tellner

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Air pollution (including particulate matter, PM) has increased as a result of a dramatic increase in urbanization. Nanoparticles within PM can be detrimental to health when inhaled., because they are small enough to bypass the blood-brain and blood-gas barriers, and can potentially accumulate in organs within the organism. For example, previous work has linked bioaccumulation of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPS) to cancer and organ poisoning. Interestingly, in model organisms, nanoparticle exposure has also been linked to hearing deficits, suggesting that decline in hearing may be an early bioindicator of future health consequences. While the specific mechanism for this hearing deficit …

Explorehope Summer Camps: Amazing Animal Abilities, Hannah Sturgeon, Alyssa Archer, Ashley Lauraine

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Did you know that mice can hear sounds that humans cannot? Or that birds and bees can see colors we can only dream of? ExploreHope is an organization on the Hope College campus that has been hosting summer camps for elementary to high school level students for 27 years. The ExploreHope Amazing Animal Abilities camp for students in grades 6 through 9 will explore the many incredible sensory abilities of animals. This camp will teach participants about a vast variety of sensory systems observed across the animal kingdom including the visual, auditory, and olfactory systems, mechanoreception and kinesthetics, and the …

Hormetic Modulation Of On Mtor Mitochondria Cross Talk For Mitigation Of Cellular Aging, Mahalakshmi R

Theses and Dissertations

Cellular aging is a gradual process involving structural and functional deterioration of cells. Mitochondria, the biological clock in cells, are known to play a crucial role in the progression of cell aging. According to the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging, oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria produces free radicals, such as, reactive oxygen species (ROS), which lead to oxidative stress in cells. This, in turn, results in mitochondrial dysregulation, and eventually causes degeneration of cellular components, thereby propagating cell aging. However, it is to be underscored that aging, at its core, is a multifaceted phenomenon that involves a number of …

Influence Of Rna Circularity On Target Rna-Directed Microrna Degradation, Federico Fuchs Wightman, Jerónimo Lukin, Sebastián A Giusti, Michael Soutschek, Laureano Bragado, Berta Pozzi, María L Pierelli, Paula González, Juan P Fededa, Gerhard Schratt, Rina Fujiwara, Jeremy E Wilusz, Damián Refojo, Manuel De La Mata

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A subset of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and linear RNAs have been proposed to 'sponge' or block microRNA activity. Additionally, certain RNAs induce microRNA destruction through the process of Target RNA-Directed MicroRNA Degradation (TDMD), but whether both linear and circular transcripts are equivalent in driving TDMD is unknown. Here, we studied whether circular/linear topology of endogenous and artificial RNA targets affects TDMD. Consistent with previous knowledge that Cdr1as (ciRS-7) circular RNA protects miR-7 from Cyrano-mediated TDMD, we demonstrate that depletion of Cdr1as reduces miR-7 abundance. In contrast, overexpression of an artificial linear version of Cdr1as drives miR-7 degradation. Using plasmids that …

Akap12 Upregulation Associates With Pde8a To Accelerate Cardiac Dysfunction, Hanan Qasim, Mehrdad Rajaei, Ying Xu, Arfaxad Reyes-Alcaraz, Hala Y Abdelnasser, M David Stewart, Satadru K Lahiri, Xander H T Wehrens, Bradley K Mcconnell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: In heart failure, signaling downstream the β2-adrenergic receptor is critical. Sympathetic stimulation of β2-adrenergic receptor alters cAMP (cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate) and triggers PKA (protein kinase A)-dependent phosphorylation of proteins that regulate cardiac function. cAMP levels are regulated in part by PDEs (phosphodiesterases). Several AKAPs (A kinase anchoring proteins) regulate cardiac function and are proposed as targets for precise pharmacology. AKAP12 is expressed in the heart and has been reported to directly bind β2-adrenergic receptor, PKA, and PDE4D. However, its roles in cardiac function are unclear.

METHODS: cAMP accumulation in real time downstream of the β2-adrenergic receptor was detected for …

Lead Compound Development Of Src-3 Inhibitors With Improved Pharmacokinetic Properties And Anticancer Efficacy, Dong Lu, Jianwei Chen, Li Qin, Imani Bijou, Ping Yi, Feng Li, Xianzhou Song, Kevin R Mackenzie, Xin Yu, Bin Yang, Sandipan Roy Chowdhury, James D Korp, Bert W O'Malley, David M Lonard, Jin Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Steroid receptor coactivator 3 (SRC-3) is a critical mediator of many intracellular signaling pathways that are crucial for cancer proliferation and metastasis. In this study, we performed structure-activity relationship (SAR) exploration and drug-like optimization of the hit compound SI-2, guided by in vitro/in vivo metabolism studies and cytotoxicity assays. Our efforts led to the discovery of two lead compounds, SI-10 and SI-12. Both compounds exhibit potent cytotoxicity against a panel of human cancer cell lines and demonstrate acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. A biotinylated estrogen response element (ERE) pull-down assay demonstrated that SI-12 could disrupt the recruitment of SRC-3 and p300 in …

The Influence Of Sensory Modality On Aesthetic Judgments Of Poetry, Jessica Frame, Kendra Mehl

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Previous research has shown that vividness of evoked imagery is the strongest contributor to aesthetic pleasure for poetry. However, it is 19 unknown whether modality of the poem has an effect on the relationship between vividness and aesthetic appeal, as past work has only used written poems. In this study we want to evaluate rating of vividness, valence, arousal, and aesthetic appeal based on the modality in which poems are presented (listening only, reading only, or combined). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three modalities: text-only (N=81 ), audio-only (N=74), or combined audio/text (N=78). Our results showed that …

Xenobiotic-Lnduced Developmental Neuropathology, Lindsay Schneider

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

As new drugs and pollutants are introduced, a larger subset of people are exposed. The question that arises is whether exposure of a pregnant woman to drugs/pollutants will have negative effects on the neurobiology of her unborn child. We are establishing a screen to test the effects of drugs and pollutants on the developmental neuropathology of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. The roundworm has 302 neurons that are structurally similar to human neurons, and defects in single neurons can be detected by impairment in their neural behaviors such as chemotaxis towards an attractant. Using a chemotaxis assay, we can investigate …

Evaluation Of Phosphorus Uptake Within Aquatic Plants For The Use Of Nutrient Removal, Grace Willbanks

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Stormwater runoff from urban areas can lead to excess nutrients, such as phosphorus or nitrogen, in our waterways. These waste nutrients can lead to overgrowth of algae and plants, deoxygenation of ponds and streams, and death of the aquatic life in these important ecosystems. Currently, floating treatment wetlands are being used to combat these excess nutrients, combining a floating element with an absorptive media, either man-made or natural aquatic plants, into a model to float on an impacted lake. In this research project, multiple small-scale microcosm level experiments were run with different native aquatic plants to test their uptake ability …

Are Pheromones Necessary To Survive?, Galayna Baur

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) is a species of nematodes widely found on rotting plant material due to the presence of their primary food source, bacteria. These animals utilize pheromones for communication to signal larval stages to enter the dauer phase-a survival strategy enabling them to withstand periods of minimal to no food availability, thereby regulating their population size. This study investigates the role of pheromone signaling in population dynamics and survival strategies of C. elegans using a population dynamics experiment. We employ two strains: N2, a laboratory strain with intact pheromone signaling, and a mutant strain lacking the ability to signal …

Anything But Another Essay: Understanding Undergraduate Stem Student Perceptions Of Creative, Project-Based Learning, Emily M. Redding, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The training of innovative and diverse scientists starts with creative teaching practices. Much of the pedagogy literature on incorporating nontraditional teaching practices in college STEM courses focuses on the use of in-class active learning activities. Less study has been devoted to creative, project-based assignments, such as “UnEssays”. The “UnEssay” is a semester-long assignment that challenges students to complete a library research project on a topic of their choosing and present it using anything but an essay. Although gaining popularity, few studies have assessed STEM student's perceptions of the assignments. To do so, Zoology students were asked to complete pre- and …

Research Proposal: Examination Of Bacterial Communities In Soil Beneath Decaying Organic Matter And The Effect Of Insect Succession, Olivia Fotiadis

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Bacterial species of the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes phyla are key components in decomposing organic matter by secreting specialized enzymes into decaying material, facilitating its breakdown and nutrient release. Diverse microbial communities in areas of decomposition are known for their efficiency in decomposition and nutrient cycling. Less is understood about the effect of insects introducing unique microbes alongside initial soil bacteria, like Bacillus subtilis, in the decomposition process. Studying the decomposition of pork samples as a human analog will explore variations in bacterial populations in soil before and after the introduction of insect-mediated microbes and provide information on the efficiency …

Dihydroceramide Desaturase Governs Endoplasmic Reticulum And Lipid Droplet Homeostasis To Promote Glial Function In The Nervous System, Yuqing Zhu

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Dihydroceramide desaturase converts dihydroceramides to ceramides in the final step of de novo ceramide biosynthesis. Reduction of dihydroceramide desaturase DEGS1 function in humans leads to hypomyelinating leukodystrophy-18, but the etiology of this disease remains unclear. Using mutants from a forward genetic screen, we discovered that infertile crescent (ifc), the sole Drosophila dihydroceramide desaturase, governs central nervous system development and morphology. ifc is primarily expressed in glia and acts cell-autonomously in glia to control glial morphology and function during nervous system development. Loss of ifc leads to severe glial defects, particularly in cortex glia, including endoplasmic reticulum expansion, glial swelling, compromised …

Interleukin-1Α And Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Promote Cancer-Induced Extramedullary Hematopoiesis, Derek Arthur George Barisas

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Hematopoiesis, the formation of blood and immune cells from stem and progenitor cells, is a central biological process that alters in response to the organismal state. Many cytokines that accompany diseases have an impact on the rate, cellular output, and underlying mechanisms of hematopoiesis. Deepening our understanding of the alterations to hematopoiesis that occur with disease may offer therapeutics that normalize hematopoiesis and promote health. One component of hematopoiesis that is often overlooked are the non-hematopoietic cells of the stem cell niche that have crucial roles in affecting the parameters of hematopoiesis. While progress in understanding the hematopoietic stem cell …

Effects Of Sex, Cadmium, And High-Fat-Diet On Accumulation Of Essential Metals In Mouse Kidneys., Justin Y. Xu, Adam Gaweda, Michelle Barati, Michael Merchant, Jun Cai, Lu Cai, Madhavi Rane

Undergraduate Research Events

Effects of cadmium and obesity on accumulation of essential metals in mouse kidney were evaluated. Starting in utero and continuing until 24 weeks postweaning, male/female mice were exposed to cadmium (0, 0.5, or 5 ppm) and were fed on Normal Diet (ND)/High-Fat Diet (HFD) post weaning. ICP-MS analysis was performed to evaluate cadmium and essential metals absorbed in the kidneys of aforementioned mice. Metals data obtained was analyzed using MANOVA with multiple comparisons (Bonferroni correction with p

Quantifying Costs And Benefits Of Alternative Overwintering Strategies In A Southeastern Population Of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus), John Powers, Amber Stubbs, Alfred J. Mead, Dominic L. Desantis

Graduate Research Showcase

Temperate reptile populations are under strong selective pressure to minimize the costs of extreme winter temperatures. For high latitude and high elevation snake populations, this has often favored communal overwintering behavior, wherein large numbers of conspecifics aggregate at optimal sites given the limited availability of such features in the environment. Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are distributed across a wide latitudinal gradient in North America, and therefore represent ideal models for exploring how variable winter selective regimes might favor different strategies. Here, we leverage a unique intermediate population of C. horridus from central Georgia, USA, that exhibits both communal …

Hedgehog Signaling And Congenital Disorders; The Case Of Anencephaly And Polydactyly, Joshua Towery

First-Year Research Immersion (FRI) Scholarship

The Hedgehog pathway is a fundamental signaling pathway in the human body; involved in carcinogenesis, stem cell maintenance, as well as limb patterning in embryonic development. Originally discovered in drosophila, their initial discovery, and subsequent analysis revealed many novel pieces of information about the mechanisms inside the human body, as many core components of the signaling pathway are carried over from fruit flies to humans. Because of the key roles hedgehog signaling plays in human development, dysfunction and mutations in the pathway can be detrimental. This review will focus on two congenital birth defects thought to be caused by hedgehog …

Population Genomics Provide Insight Into Ancestral Relationships And Diversity Of The Feral Horses Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Melissa A. Thompson, Blake E. Mccann, Turk Rhen, Rebecca Simmons

Biology Faculty Publications

Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) manages a herd of feral horses (Equus caballus) which was present on the landscape prior to the establishment of the park. The population presents a unique scenario in that it has experienced fairly intensive and well-documented management since the park's establishment, including herd size reductions, intentional introduction of diversity, and subsequent attempts to remove introduced lineages. This provides an interesting case study on the genetic effects of diverse evolutionary forces on an isolated feral population. To explore the effects of these forces and clarify the relationship of this feral herd with other horses, …

Exploration Of Cytotoxicity Of _Rabidosa Rabida_ Venom On Invertebrate And Vertebrate Cell Cultures, Martina Gooden

Honors Theses

Venom has been observed in thousands of species across different taxa. It can be adapted for different purposes, including prey capture or predator defense. Venom is found almost universally in spiders, but there has been little exploration of spiders that are not medically significant. Rabidosa rabida, the rabid wolf spider, is a common species whose venom has not been adequately investigated. Previous studies indicate that they do not require venom to apprehend easy prey in a laboratory setting, raising a question as to what their venom is adapted to do. To evaluate its effect on mammalian cells, L929 murine fibroblasts …