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Pathogenesis And Therapeutic Considerations For Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Elijah Chung

Senior Honors Theses

A product of the Westernized, high-fat diet, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the leading cause of chronic liver disease, affecting one-fourth of the world's population. NAFLD is a progressive disease arising from a multisystem response to excess lipids in the blood, adipose tissue, and liver. Despite the prevalence of NAFLD and its well-studied bidirectional association with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, there is a shocking scarcity of available treatments aside from diet and lifestyle changes. Thus, further research on NAFLD and potential therapies is urgently needed. This paper will illustrate the major pathways associated …

Ecosystem Response To Increasing Hurricane Disturbance: Comparing Nutrient Cycling Dynamics Associated With Early- And Late-Successional Tree Species In A Wet Tropical Forest, Miriam Kleit

Biology Honors Projects

Puerto Rico has seen changes in the frequency and severity of disturbances in recent years as hurricanes become more frequent and more intense under climate change. In ecosystems experiencing increasing disturbances, we expect that species composition will shift as early successional trees become more common. These changes to species composition and community ecology are likely to affect terrestrial nutrient cycling both directly and indirectly, and it is still not well understood how shifting community composition may alter ecosystem functioning. To address this gap, I measured carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) variables in soils, microbial biomass, roots, leaves, and soil greenhouse …

Nampt, Il-6, And Vaspin Gene Expressions And Serum Protein Levels In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus And Related Complication, Süheyla Pınar Çelik, Damla Nur Parıltı, Leyla Açık, Mehmet Muhittin Yalçın, İlhan Yetkin, Eldeniz Yunusov

Turkish Journal of Biology

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is the most common type of diabetes and occurs due to insufficient insulin secretion or inability to use existing insulin and the effects of environmental factors. Although there are many studies on the pathophysiology of T2DM, the mechanisms playing a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction have not been fully elucidated. Some adipokines secreted from adipose tissue, which are the primary regulators of insulin resistance, affect immune and inflammatory functions. Altered adipokine profiles have been observed in obesity and T2DM, leading to severe metabolic risks and changes in insulin sensitivity. This …

Intra- And Interspecific Diversity In A Tropical Plant Clade Alter Herbivory And Ecosystem Resilience, Ari Grele, Tara J. Massad, Kathryn A. Uckele, Lee A. Dyer, Yasmine Antonini, Laura Braga, Matthew L. Forister, Lidia Sulca, Massuo Kato, Humberto G. Lopez, André R. Nascimento, Thomas Parchman, Wilmer R. Simbaña, Angela M. Smilanich, John O. Stireman, Eric J. Tepe, Thomas Walla, Lora A. Richards

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Declines in biodiversity generated by anthropogenic stressors at both species and population levels can alter emergent processes instrumental to ecosystem function and resilience. As such, understanding the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function and its response to climate perturbation is increasingly important, especially in tropical systems where responses to changes in biodiversity are less predictable and more challenging to assess experimentally. Using large-scale transplant experiments conducted at five neotropical sites, we documented the impacts of changes in intraspecific and interspecific plant richness in the genus Piper on insect herbivory, insect richness, and ecosystem resilience to perturbations in water availability. We …

Morphology Of Trematodes In Gadwall Ducks (Mareca Strepera) Found In The Mississippi Valley: Parasitology Class Project, Annika N. Lensch, Ethan B. Gjervik, Mckenna A. Baker, Elizabeth K. Haumont, Mivang Xiong

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Gadwall ducks (Mareca strepera) are commonly found in lakes, ponds, and marshes west of the Mississippi River in summer months. A Gadwall duck is considered a dabbler duck which feeds on aquatic plants floating on the water's surface occasionally feeding on insects, crustaceans (crayfish, crabs), and small fish. Trematodes are a commonly found parasite in the gastrointestinal tract of many species of ducks. The ducks used in this study were legally collected and donated by hunters from Buffalo City, Wisconsin along the Mississippi River. This study will focus on identifying trematodes found within Gadwall ducks such as Echinostoma, Zygocotyle, and …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Impacts Of Altitude On Plant Green Leaf, Fresh Litter, And Soil Stoichiometry In Subtropical Forests, Dehuang Zhu, Yan Zhou, Suhong Peng, Weiping Hua, Bin Luo, Dafeng Hui

Biology Faculty Research

BackgroundEcological stoichiometric characteristics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) serve as crucial indicators of nutrient cycling and limitation in terrestrial ecosystems. However, our current understanding of stoichiometric characteristics in subtropical forests and their response to different climate conditions is still limited.MethodsWe selected six altitudes ranging from 700 m to 1,200 m to simulate different climate conditions of an evergreen broadleaf forest in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China. We investigated C, N, P, and K stoichiometry and homeostasis in the green leaves, newly senesced leaf litter (fresh litter), and soil of this forest.ResultsLeaf P and K levels …

Investigation Of The Growth Of Listeria In Plant-Based Beverages, Klaudia Bartula, Sambou Biagui, Máire Begley, Michael Callanan

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether the content of sugar, protein, fat, or fibre in commercially available and specially formulated plant-based beverages (oat, soya and pea) influences the growth rates of Listeria. Beverages were inoculated with a strain cocktail of Listeria (approximately 1 × 103 CFU/mL), and the data demonstrated that Listeria could proliferate in all tested beverages. Moreover, varying concentrations of naturally occurring or added sugar (0–3.3%), protein (3.3–5%), fat (1.1–3.5%) and added fibre (0–1.5%) did not have a statistically significant (p > 0.05) impact on the growth rates of Listeria in the tested …

Development Of A Novel Biology Laboratory Course For Incarcerated Students, Elsa H.K. Spencer, Joanna R. Vondrasek

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

Federal second chance Pell grants were recently made widely available to incarcerated students in the United States to fund undergraduate education. Piedmont Virginia Community College was a pilot site for this expansion and began full scale implementation of transfer-oriented associate degrees at three correctional centers in its service area. The college did not have a biology laboratory curriculum that would meet general education requirements and be feasible in a correctional center, where students do not have internet access or even reliable computer (word processing or spreadsheet) access and where materials are restricted for entry. This paper will serve to introduce …

Cyclophilin A Supports Translation Of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins And Affects Haematopoietic Stem Cell Ageing, Laure Maneix, Polina Iakova, Charles G Lee, Shannon E Moree, Xuan Lu, Gandhar K Datar, Cedric T Hill, Eric Spooner, Jordon C K King, David B Sykes, Borja Saez, Bruno Di Stefano, Xi Chen, Daniela S Krause, Ergun Sahin, Francis T F Tsai, Margaret A Goodell, Bradford C Berk, David T Scadden, André Catic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Loss of protein function is a driving force of ageing. We have identified peptidyl-prolyl isomerase A (PPIA or cyclophilin A) as a dominant chaperone in haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Depletion of PPIA accelerates stem cell ageing. We found that proteins with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are frequent PPIA substrates. IDRs facilitate interactions with other proteins or nucleic acids and can trigger liquid-liquid phase separation. Over 20% of PPIA substrates are involved in the formation of supramolecular membrane-less organelles. PPIA affects regulators of stress granules (PABPC1), P-bodies (DDX6) and nucleoli (NPM1) to promote phase separation and increase cellular stress resistance. …

Optimization Of In-Vitro Regeneration And Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation Of Lactuca Sativa, Mohamed Omer Elsiddig

Theses

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a leafy vegetable consumed worldwide, mainly as a green salad. It is an herbaceous, self-pollinated annual plant of the family Asteraceae. Lettuce is low in calories, fat, and sodium. It is a good source of fiber, iron, folate, and vitamin C. Improving existing lettuce varieties for water use efficiency, photosynthesis efficiency, salt tolerance, increased nutritional content, etc., is the need of the hour, considering that lettuce is a crop ideal for vertical farming in the UAE.

This study aimed to develop a highly efficient in vitro regeneration and Agrobacterium- mediated transformation protocol for a popular …

Effect Of Lunar Magnetic Field And Lunar Regolith Simulant On The Growth And Bioactive Compounds Production Of Chlorella Vulgaris Microalgae, Jeries Philip Butros Abedrabbo

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Since humans last went to the moon on the Apollo missions, there has been a fascination with inhabiting and colonizing other planetary objects, starting with the Earth’s Moon, Mars, and recently Jupiter’s moon, Europa. However, there is still lack of knowledge and science behind many of the extraterrestrial environmental effects on biological organisms living on Earth. Therefore, there is a need to study how such environments would affect these organisms. Moreover, how can we attain sustainable living in such environments as well through self-providing life support systems (LSS), without the need to provide for additional necessities back and forth from …

Fostering Engagement And Learning Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis Of Ethnochemical And Stem-Based Pedagogies For Chemistry Learning In Vocational High Schools, Maulidya Husnul Khatimah, Lismi Animatul Chisbiyah

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

In contemporary education, the perceived difficulty of learning chemistry, attributed to its abstract nature, remains a challenge for many students. This difficulty is compounded by a notable lack of alignment between chemistry concepts and students’ daily experiences, despite the inherent relevance of chemistry to their everyday phenomena. Building on previous research affirming the efficacy of ethnochemical modules in enhancing student learning and achievement, this study investigates the suitability of a STEM-based approach for chemistry education, particularly in vocational high school. The research methodology employs a literature study method, utilizing the PICO(T) framework for keyword selection. A rigorous review and analysis …

A New Marine Vertebrate Assemblage From The Upper Cretaceous Dakota Formation In Nebraska, Usa, And Potential New Insights Into The Cenomanian–Turonian Vertebrate Communities Of The Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway, John K. Juranek

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The upper part of the Dakota Formation (lower middle Cenomanian) is a marine sedimentary rock unit formed at the dawn of the major transgression of the Western Interior Seaway, an epicontinental sea that flooded the middle of North America in the north-south direction during the Late Cretaceous. This study examines marine vertebrate fossils from the stratigraphic horizon in southeastern Nebraska. Fossiliferous rock samples that were subjected to acid treatment resulted in over 7,292 taxonomically identifiable specimens, consisting minimally of 51 distinct vertebrate taxa. They include at least 26 chondrichthyans, 20 osteichthyan fishes, and five tetrapod taxa. Whereas many of these …

The Role Of Sirt7 In Beta Cell Function And Insulin Secretion, Trevor C. Kendrick, Jeffrey S. Tessem, Connor Littlefield

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2024

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by an inability of beta cells to produce or secrete insulin due to decreasing beta cell mass, a condition induced by beta cell death or overuse. Current treatment consists of daily administration of insulin to diabetic individuals. We have shown that Sirtuin 7 (Sirt7), a deacetylase located in the nucleus, directly interacts with Nkx6.1, a transcription factor essential for beta cell function and proliferation. We have shown that one of the post translational modifications that impinges on Nkx6.1 activity is acetylation. Given Sirt7’s role as a deacetylase, and published reports demonstrating its impact …

Investigating The Accuracy And Comparability Of Various Lime Prediction Methods For Irish Grassland Mineral Soils, F. Mackessy, E. Mccarthy, E. Broderick, B. O'Donnell, Patrick Quille

Publications

Soil pH is a foundational element of agronomy, profoundly influencing biological, chemical and physical soil processes. Adjusting soil pH is a paramount factor for enhancing soil health and productivity with far-reaching environmental benefits. Over time soil naturally tends towards acidity, a process expedited by intensive agriculture practices. To determine the extent of necessary pH corrections, precise soil pH testing is imperative. Various methods including buffer systems, titrations, lime incubations and algorithms considering soil texture are used to assess a soil's lime requirement and each method carries distinct advantages and disadvantages. The Shoemaker–McLean–Pratt (SMP) buffer method is extensively used in Ireland …

Novel Microbiological Medium Developed For The Isolation Of Bacteria Associated With Estuarine Anemones, Parker K. Lund, Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Out of the nearly one trillion species of microbiota estimated to inhabit Earth only ten thousand have been cultured in the laboratory. Culturing continues to play a vital role in determining the physiology and ecologic function of individual bacteria in microbial communities and for microbes associated with host organisms one of the major challenges is developing microbiological media that mimics the bacteria’s natural environment enough to promote growth. Here, we target bacteria associated with the estuary anemones Diadumene lineata and Metridium senile by developing a novel medium that uses anemone tissue as the sole source of nutrients. We further measured …

Roles Of Bryophytes In Forest Sustainability—Positive Or Negative?, Janice M. Glime

Michigan Tech Publications

Bryophytes were traditionally ignored in most studies of forest ecosystem processes, or they were included with litter or soil. In the last few decades we have begun to understand their many roles that permit them to be ecosystem engineers. This review serves to pull together many scattered sources into a single source on the many contributions bryophytes can perform as ecosystem engineers and to support what several authors have already stressed: that bryophytes should not be treated as a single functional group. It puts bryophytes in perspective in terms of richness and biomass, then explores their roles as ecosystem engineers; …

Optimal Growth And Development: Are Teenagers Getting Enough Micronutrients From Their Diet?, Niamh M. Walsh, Albert Flynn, Janette Walton, Laura Kehoe

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The teenage years represent a crucial period of physical and cognitive growth and development with sufficient micronutrient intakes necessary to meet high nutritional requirements. This review examines current micronutrient intakes in teenagers in the Western world in the context of public health implications including the prevalence of inadequate intakes and risk of excessive intakes. Intakes of vitamins A, D, E and C, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and potassium in teenagers are low when compared to generally accepted recommendations, while there is little risk of excessive micronutrient intakes based on current dietary patterns. Therefore, strategies should focus on increasing micronutrient …

A Dietary Variety: Analyzing The Impacts Of Diverse Vs Worm-Exclusive Diets On The Blanding’S Turtle (Emydoidea Blandingii), Caitlin F. Copenhaver

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The endangered Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species with a generally diverse diet in their freshwater wetland habitats; they consume prey such as crayfish and snails. In captivity, these options often become more limited due to logistical reasons. As ex situ conservation efforts such as captive rearing and head-starting are becoming more popular for this species, it will be important to gain more insight on how these more limited diets might affect these turtles. This study describes a comparison between diets in six captive Blanding’s turtles from September to November of 2023, with three turtles receiving only …

Experimental Evolution Under Varying Sex Ratio And Behavioral Plasticity In Response To Perceived Competitive Environment Independently Affect Calling Effort In Male Crickets, Jack T. Mckermitt, Bert Foquet, Will Kuna, John Hunt, Ben M. Sadd, Scott K. Sakaluk

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

The operational sex ratio (OSR) is a key component influencing the magnitude of sexual selection driving the evolution of male sexual traits, but males often also retain the ability to plastically modulate trait expression depending on the current environment. Here we employed an experimental evolution approach to determine whether the OSR affects the evolution of male calling effort in decorated crickets, a costly sexual trait, and whether plasticity in calling effort is altered by the OSR under which males have evolved. Calling effort of males from 2 selection regimes maintained at different OSRs over 18–20 generations (male vs. female biased) …

Impact Of Sodium Benzoate And A High Fat Diet On Kidney Of Mice., Anna Lipinski

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Sodium Benzoate (SB) is a commonly utilized food preservative with potential therapeutic uses for neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and hepatic encephalopathy. Consumption of SB is generally regarded as safe (GRAS), by the Food and Drug Administration, at amounts of 0.1% by weight of food. However, previous reports indicate that SB exposure may induce histological alterations in kidney structures and promote oxidative stress. Thus, with increasing obesity rates and fatty diets, the effects of SB coupled to a high fat diet (HFD) remain to be determined. This study addressed the hypothesis that SB with a HFD will increase extracellular …

Reproductive Biology Of The Jellyfish Outbreak Along The Uae Coastal Waters, Amrutha Aravind

Dissertations

Jellyfish are a ubiquitous occurrence in the world’s oceans. During the past decades, dramatic spatial increases and temporal shifts in jellyfish distributions have been reported around the world. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) coastal area also has experienced several blooms along with severe adverse impacts on its economic facilities. Few studies have been conducted within the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, to identify the blooming species and the environmental parameters that favor such breakouts. The present study aimed to identify the jellyfish species found along the coastal area of UAE and trying to link their occurrence with seasonal …

Beneficial Effects Of A Novel Polyherbal Formulation On The Skeletal Muscle Antioxidant Status, Inflammation, And Muscle-Signaling Proteins In Exercised Rats, Mehmet Tuzcu, Oğuzhan Özdemi̇r, Cemal Orhan, Nurhan Şahi̇n, Abhijeet Morde, Muralidhara Padigaru, Prakash Bhanuse, Kazım Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Exhausting exercise can damage muscle tissue due to free radical interactions. It is hypothesized that the increase in free radicals following muscle injury, either due to oxidative damage to biomolecules or the activation of inflammatory cytokines, may lead to secondary muscle damage. This study investigated the effects of a novel joint health formula (JHF) containing bisdemethoxycurcumin-enriched curcumin, 3-O-Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid-enriched Boswellia (AKBA), and Ashwagandha on exhaustion time, grip strength, antioxidant status, and muscle-signaling proteins in exhaustively exercised rats. Materials and methods: Twenty-eight rats were divided into four groups: Control (C), exercise (E), E + JHF 100 (100 mg/kg), and E …

Effect Of Thymol On Oxidative Stress And Reelin Signaling Pathway In Alzheimer's Disease Model, Barış Bi̇tmez, Burcu Çevreli̇, Emel Kaşikçi

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate how thymol affects cognitive functions and the levels of MDA, GSH, Aβ1-42, ApoE, reelin, and LRP8 in an AD model induced in male Wistar albino rats with the application of D-galactose (D-gal) and aluminum chloride (AlCl3). Materials and methods: In this work, 3-month-old male Wistar albino rats were used. Group 1 served as the Control, Group 2 received 0.5 mL/day saline + 0.5 mL/day sunflower oil, Group 3 was administered 200 mg/kg/day AlCl3 + 60 mg/kg/day D-gal, Group 4 received 30 mg/kg/day thymol, and Group 5 was administered 200 mg/kg/day AlCl3 …

Current Perspectives And Challenges In The Estimation Of Fruit Juice Consumption Across The Lifecycle In Europe, Janette Walton

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Fruit juice (FJ) is typically low in energy, contains natural sugars, important amounts of micronutrients and is not permitted to have added sugars/sweeteners. However, its role in a healthy diet is under scrutiny partly due to the wider adoption of the definition for free sugars in nutrition policy. This review aimed to identify data on FJ consumption from national food consumption surveys across Europe, to examine current intakes, percent consumers and its contribution to intakes of energy, total sugars, free sugars, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Data were extracted on the population mean intake of FJ and its contribution to …

Symbiosis, Dysbiosis And The Impact Of Horizontal Exchange On Bacterial Microbiomes In Higher Fungus-Gardening Ants, Blake Bringhurst, Matthew J. Greenwold, Katrin Kellner, Jon N. Seal

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Advances in our understanding of symbiotic stability have demonstrated that microorganisms are key to understanding the homeostasis of obligate symbioses. Fungus-gardening ants are excellent model systems for exploring how microorganisms may be involved in symbiotic homeostasis as the host and symbionts are macroscopic and can be easily experimentally manipulated. Their coevolutionary history has been well-studied; examinations of which have depicted broad clade-to-clade specificity between the ants and fungus. Few studies hitherto have addressed the roles of microbiomes in stabilizing these associations. Here, we quantified changes in microbiome structure as a result of experimentally induced horizontal exchange of symbionts. This was …