Digital Commons Network^™

Potential Of Pasture Grasses To Reduce Soil Runoff In Simulated Spring Seeding Applications, Aubrey Jaqueth, Stephen J. Jacquemin

Lake Campus Research Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Declines in surface water quality has emerged as one of the foremost environmental, social, and political issues in the Midwestern United States over the past several decades. One of the leading causes of water quality issues in this region has been linked to non-point source surface runoff of soil, nutrients, and chemicals from primarily agricultural landscapes. Surface runoff negatively affects water by facilitating eutrophic conditions and additionally, negatively impacts landscapes by reducing the organic and top soil layers leading to production declines. Thus, best management practices that focus on reducing runoff rates in agricultural acreage are a high priority. The …

Effects Of Alpha- And Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Blockade Upon Inflammatory Responses To Acute And Chronic Sleep Fragmentation, Nicholas David Wheeler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Generally, sleep is viewed as a recuperative process and its dysregulation has

cognitive, metabolic, immunological, and inflammatory implications that are largely deleterious to human health. Epidemiological and empirical studies have suggested that sleep fragmentation (SF) as result of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep abnormalities leads to pronounced systemic inflammatory responses, which are influenced by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms contributing to SNS regulation of SF-induced inflammatory states are not fully understood. To assess the effects of the SNS system, C57BL/6j female mice were placed in automated SF chambers (12L:12D) and subjected to either …

Sawsp Expeditions: Team 13 And The Rainforest Rescue!, Jumobi Arowolo '20, Maahum Hamayat '20

Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology

No abstract provided.

Biological Sciences Newsletter - Spring 2020, Department Of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University

Biological Sciences Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Distortion Of The Local Magnetic Field Appears To Neither Disrupt Nocturnal Navigation Nor Cue Shelter Recognition In The Amblypygid Paraphrynus Laevifrons, Daniel D. Wiegmann, Patrick Casto, Eileen Hebets, Verner P. Bingman

Eileen Hebets Publications

Many arthropods are known to be sensitive to the geomagnetic field and exploit the field to solve spatial problems. The polarity of the geomagnetic field is used, for instance, as an orientation cue by leafcutter ants as they travel on engineered trails in a rainforest and by Drosophila larvae as they move short distances in search of food. A ubiquitous orientation cue like the geomagnetic field may be especially useful in complex, cluttered environments like rainforests, where the reliability of celestial cues used to navigate in more open environments may be poor. The neotropical amblypygid Paraphrynus laevifrons is a nocturnal …

The Role Of Nestling Acoustic Experience In Song Discrimination In A Sparrow, Emily J. Hudson, Nicole Creanza, Daizaburo Shizuka

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Oscine songbirds are an ideal system for investigating how early experience affects vocal behavior. Young songbirds face a challenging task: how to recognize and selectively learn only their own species’ song, often during a time-limited window. Because birds are capable of hearing birdsong very early in life, early exposure to song could plausibly affect recognition of appropriate models; however, this idea conflicts with the traditional view that song learning occurs only after a bird leaves the nest. Thus, it remains unknown whether natural variation in acoustic exposure prior to song learning affects the template for recognition. In a population where …

Effects Of Pharmacologically-Induced Sleep Loss On Parental Care In Arctic-Breeding Songbirds, Wesley Payette

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sleep loss is well known to impair cognitive function, immunological responses, and general well-being in humans. However, sleep requirements in mammals and birds may vary dramatically, especially with changes in environment. In circumpolar regions with continuous light, sleep requirements may be little, particularly in breeding birds. The effects of sleep loss on several fitness parameters were examined in two species of Arctic-breeding passerine birds: Lapland longspurs (Calcarius lapponicus) and snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis). Adult males were implanted during the nestling phase (4 days post-hatch) with osmotic pumps containing an anti-narcolepsy drug, modafinil, to extend the active period for 72 h. …

Assay Development For Isolation And Characterization Of Anticancer Properties Of Marine Fungi, Kyra Ricci

Honors Theses

Metabolites from fungi have potential use in the drug discovery process and have been used in the past to develop therapeutic agents for human use. Initial characterization of potential therapeutic properties of fungi is thus an important first step in identifying novel therapeutic compounds. In the present study, marine fungi were isolated from Myrtle Beach and assayed for anticancer properties using the soft agar colony formation assay in a 3D in vitro cellular environment. Many species were isolated from environmental samples, displaying unique morphologies and growth patterns. To optimize the soft agar assay in a six-well cell culture plate for …

Using Stable Isotopes And Diet Analysis To Assess The Potential For Competition And Coexistence Among Coyotes (Canis Latransl, Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes), And Gray Foxes (Urocyon Cinereoargenteus) In Maine, Henry M. Masters

Student Scholarship

When two species compete for food, one species typically outcompetes the other. Subordinate species can alleviate costs of competition by reducing diet overlap, promoting coexistence. Non-native coyotes (Canis latrans) and historically native gray foxes (Urocyon cineroargenteus) have expanded their range in Maine and may compete with native red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). To investigate competition, I analyzed stable isotopes and stomach contents to determine if coyotes, red foxes, and gray foxes differed in use of anthropogenic foods and trophic position. I predicted that coyotes utilize anthropogenic foods the least (lowest δ13C), and red foxes utilize …

The Visualization And Quantification Of Adipose Tissue Innervation, Sanjeev Samuel Gummadi

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Diversity Of The Eastern Oyster Microbiome Across Tissue, Secretion, Space, And Time In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Megan E. Guidry

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Head Trauma On Survivorship And Climbing Ability Of Wild-Type And Svip- Overexpressing Drosophila Melanogaster, Sarah Myers

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Understanding How Human Lipoxygenases Bind Molecular Oxygen And Arachidonic Acid Substrate, Austin Paul Primeaux

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Quantitative Phenotypic Analysis Of A Functional Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor From Klebsormidium Flaccidum In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Jaeyeon Kweon

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Neuron Morphology And Behavioral Correlates Of Attaining Dominant And Subordinate Status, Ian Hill

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Shifts Between Maternal Care And Infanticide Behaviors In Female Mouthbrooding Astatotilapia Burtoni Are Associated With Activation Of Galanin Neurons, Erandi Madushani Herath

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Intergenerational Effects Of Crude Oil Exposure On The Morphology And Fitness Of Gulf Killifish (Fundulus Grandis), Lauren Little

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Temperature Of Freezing Impacts Liposome Stability With And Without Lea Proteins From Artemia Franciscana, Jane Ainsley Rothschild

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Protein Expression And Characterization Of A Mitochondrial Group 3 Lea Protein, Afrlea3m29, From Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana, Caretia Jelayne Washington

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Blueberry-Enriched Diet On Particulate Matter-Induced Lung Injury, Oxidative Stress, And Inflammation In An Adult Mouse Model, Jimmy Taylor

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Exploring Possible Lifespan-Extending Effects Of Botanical Extracts, Hayden Guidry

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Investigating Antiviral Rnai Pathways In Caenorhabditis Elegans Through The Context Of The Nsl Complex And Its Subunits Sumv-1, Mys-2, And Ogt-1, Alexandre Van Biersel

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Generating Transgenic Animals To Understand The Role Of The Huckebein (Hkb) Transcription Factor In Positioning Tissue Invagination, Samantha Leigh Vercher

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of The Proline Biosynthesis Pathway In Response To Osmotic Stress In Tigriopus Californicus, Yasmeen Kawji

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

West Coast Rock Lobster Whale Entanglement Mitigation Workshop, Jason How, L Orme, Graeme Baudains, Pia Dobson, M Taylor, Simon De Lestang

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Nutrient Enrichment And Invasive Mollusks On Freshwater Environments, Matthew Schuler, William D. Hintz, Devin K. Jones, Brian M. Mattes, Aaron B. Stoler, Rick A. Relyea

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The effects of an invasive species on the environment can be altered by anthropogenic activities such as nutrient pollution or the presence of additional invasive species with similar or unique traits. Using experimental mesocosms, we tested the separate and combined effects of three invasive mollusks (zebra mussels, Asian clams, and banded mystery snails) on freshwater environments in nutrient-poor and nutrient-enriched conditions. We predicted that in nutrient-poor conditions, single mollusk species would reduce the abundance of algae and zooplankton, but nutrient enrichment would mitigate these effects. Regardless of nutrient additions, paired bivalve species would reduce phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance, increasing periphyton …

Clinical Trials In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Hurdle In The Path Of Remedy, Alexandra E. Oxford, Erica S. Stewart, Troy T. Rohn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Human clinical trials seek to ameliorate the disease states and symptomatic progression of illnesses that, as of yet, are largely untreatable according to clinical standards. Ideally, clinical trials test “disease-modifying drugs,” i.e., therapeutic agents that specifically modify pathological features or molecular bases of the disease and would presumably have a large impact on disease progression. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), however, this approach appears to have stalled progress in the successful development of clinically useful therapies. For the last 25 years, clinical trials involving AD have centered on beta-amyloid (Aβ) and the Aβ hypothesis of …

The Impact Of Nicotine Accumulation Exposure On Lithobates Catebeianus Larvae Mortality, Luke Micek

UCARE: Research Products

Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world and contain over 4,000 chemicals, including the organic compound nicotine (Slaughter et al. 2011). Billions of cigarette butts are littered each year which may wash into bodies of water, impacting the local wildlife. To determine how introduced chemicals impact the environment, it is important to study its effects on indicator species. Amphibians, such as Lithobates catebeianus, act as indicator species due to their extreme sensitivity to chemical changes in its environment. The purpose of this research project was to obtain data to help determine the impact nicotine accumulation has …

Senior Project: An Investigative Study Into The Bacterial Contamination Of Little Black Creek, Margaret I. Brenneman

Honors Projects

An investigation of Escherichia coli concentrations in a west Michigan stream was conducted to determine sources of fecal contamination that impact water quality. Little Black Creek (LBC) is located in Muskegon County and discharges into Lake Michigan at the P.J. Hoffmaster Campground Beach. Often referred to as an “indicator bacteria,” water contaminated with E. coli has a high probability to contain other enteric pathogens as well. Beach water testing in 2020 using Colilert-18 methods revealed E. coli levels of 579 cfu/100mL in the creek discharge area that exceeded total body contact criteria of 300 cfu/100mL. A follow-up study of the …

Relevance Of Individual And Environmental Drivers Of Movement Of Golden Eagles, Maitreyi Sur

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

An animal’s movement is expected to be governed by an interplay between goals determined by its internal state and energetic costs associated with navigating through the external environment. Understanding this ecological process is challenging when an animal moves in two dimensions and even more difficult for birds that move in a third dimension. To understand the dynamic interaction between the internal state of an animal and the variable external environment, we evaluated hypotheses explaining association of different covariates of movement and the trade-offs birds face as they make behavioural decisions in a fluctuating landscape. We used ~870 000 GPS telemetry …