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Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Gc-Ms), Computational Analysis, And In Vitro Effect Of Essential Oils From Two Aromatic Plants, Bubonium Graveolens And Launaea Arborescens Growing In Southwest Algeria Against Potato Cyst Nematodes, Souad Ziane, Chaouki Selles, Khaldun M. Al Azzam, Bounoua Nadia, Belal O. Al-Najjar, Ali Al-Samydai, Obada A. Sibai, El-Sayed Negim

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The study tested the nematicidal effects of essential oils from Bubonium graveolens and Launaea arborescens on the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiens. The chemical composition of the essential oils was analyzed using GC-MS. To determine the concentration that killed 50% of the nematode population (LC50), five concentrations of the essential oils were applied to the tested organisms. The effects of essential oils on the hatching of cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis sp.) eggs in vitro demonstrated a wide variety of effects ranging from no impact to mild, moderate, and strong effects, which increased dramatically with exposure duration and concentration. All the …

Broken Su(3) Description Of Energy Levels And Decay Properties In Gadolinium Isotopes (A=156-160), Fahmi Sh. Radhi, Amir Abdul Ameer Mohammed Ali Dr., Ali H. Al-Musawi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study presents an in-depth examination of the energy levels and decay properties of Gadolinium (Gd) isotopes with mass numbers (A=156-160), utilizing the Interacting Boson Model-1 (IBM-1) within a broken SU(3) symmetry framework. Through this approach, we systematically calculated and analyzed the energy spectra, B(E2) transition probabilities, quadrupole moments, and potential energy surface (PES) which provided valuable insights into the shape and collective behavior of nuclei, as well as the decay properties of the selected Gd isotopes. The broken SU(3) symmetries provide a good description to the isotopes under study. This comprehensive analysis enhances the understanding of the nuclear structure …

Skin Microbiome: Current Target For Cosmeceuticals, Priyanka Kakkar, Neeraj Wadhwa

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Skin acts as a barrier to the external environment and perform various functions like maintaining internal homeostasis, sensations to touch based stimuli, vitamin D production and defence against foreign pathogens, prevent dehydration. Skin has its own diverse microbiota like bacteria, virus, fungi that is collectively called as skin microbiome. Skin microbiome balance is disturbed (condition called dysbiosis) by both internal and external factors which lead to skin problems like acne, psoriasis, dandruff. It is important to maintain the healthy skin ecosystem. Cosmeceuticals i.e., combination of cosmetic and pharmaceuticals, is a recent trend in the skin care industry where we add …

Core Concepts: Views From Physiology And Neuroscience, Jennifer E. Schaefer, Joel Michael

Biology Faculty Publications

Core concepts are “big ideas” that are central to a discipline, provide frameworks of understanding for disciplinary content, and aid student transfer of learning. Core concept lists have been developed for increasing numbers of higher education STEM disciplines. This mini-review uses physiology and neuroscience core concepts as examples to inform core concept pedagogies in these and other disciplines. The article reviews the development of physiology and neuroscience core concepts and compares the resulting concept lists. It then provides suggestions or “lessons learned” for educators and researchers who wish to utilize core concept pedagogies or who wish to develop core concepts …

Metabolic Compensation Associated With Digestion In Response To The Latitudinal Thermal Environment Across Populations Of The Prairie Lizard (Sceloporus Consobrinus), Benjamin D. Haussmann, Tiffany Hegdahl, Travis R. Robbins

Biology Faculty Publications

Environmental temperatures directly affect physiological rates in ectotherms by constraining the possible body temperatures they can achieve, with physiological processes slowing as temperatures decrease and accelerating as temperatures increase. As environmental constraints increase, as they do northward along the latitudinal thermal gradient, organisms must adapt to compensate for the slower physiological processes or decreased opportunity time. Evolving faster general metabolic rates is one adaptive response posited by the metabolic cold adaptation (MCA) hypothesis. Here we test the MCA hypothesis by examining metabolism of prairie lizard populations across the latitudinal thermal gradient. Our results show that populations from cooler environments have …

Mutation In Prkra Results In Cerebellar Abnormality And Reduced Elf2Α Phosphorylation In A Model Of Dyt-Prkra, Samuel B. Burnett, Allison M. Culver, Tricia A. Simon, Taylor Rowson, Kenneth Frederick, Kristina Palmer, Stephen A. Murray, Shannon W. Davis

Faculty Publications

Variants in the PRKRA gene, which encodes PACT, cause the early-onset primary dystonia DYT-PRKRA, a movement disorder associated with disruption of coordinated muscle movements. PACT and its murine homolog RAX activate protein kinase R (PKR; also known as EIF2AK2) by a direct interaction in response to cellular stressors to mediate phosphorylation of the α subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2α). Mice homozygous for a naturally arisen, recessively inherited frameshift mutation, Prkra^lear-5J, exhibit progressive dystonia. In the present study, we investigated the biochemical and developmental consequences of the Prkra^lear-5J mutation. Our results indicated that the …

Road Signs Detection Using Ssd Mobilenetv2, Zahraa Salah Dhaif, Nidhal K. El Abbadi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

One of the most critical challenges for self-driving vehicles is accurately identifying traffic signs, which are essential for self-navigation and decision-making. Systems for the detection and recognition of road signs play a crucial role in this process by providing vital information for the vehicle's decision-making. This study proposes an approach for road sign identification and recognition utilising the TensorFlow Object Detection API and the SSD MobileNet V2 FPN Lite model.

In this proposal, we combine the efficiency and accuracy of SSD with the lightweight architecture of MobileNet to achieve excellent performance in object detection benchmarks while maintaining a small model …

Phosphorylation-Driven Epichaperome Assembly Is A Regulator Of Cellular Adaptability And Proliferation., Tanaya Roychowdhury, Seth W Mcnutt, Chiranjeevi Pasala, Hieu Nguyen, Daniel T Thornton, Sahil Sharma, Luke Botticelli, Chander S Digwal, Suhasini Joshi, Nan Yang, Palak Panchal, Souparna Chakrabarty, Sadik Bay, Vladimir Markov, Charlene Kwong, Jeanine Lisanti, Sun Young Chung, Stephen D Ginsberg, Pengrong Yan, Elisa De Stanchina, Adriana Corben, Shanu Modi, Mary Alpaugh, Giorgio Colombo, Hediye Erdjument-Bromage, Thomas A Neubert, Robert J Chalkley, Peter R Baker, Alma L Burlingame, Anna Rodina, Gabriela Chiosis, Feixia Chu

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

The intricate network of protein-chaperone interactions is crucial for maintaining cellular function. Recent discoveries have unveiled the existence of specialized chaperone assemblies, known as epichaperomes, which serve as scaffolding platforms that orchestrate the reconfiguration of protein-protein interaction networks, thereby enhancing cellular adaptability and proliferation. This study explores the structural and regulatory aspects of epichaperomes, with a particular focus on the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in their formation and function. A key finding is the identification of specific PTMs on HSP90, particularly at residues Ser226 and Ser255 within an intrinsically disordered region, as critical determinants of epichaperome assembly. Our data …

Antimetastatic Effect Of Nanodiamond-Conjugated Quercetin Against Colon Cancer: An In Vivo Study, Firli Rahmah Primula Dewi, Sephia Tiara Marviella, Sri Puji Astuti Wahyuningsih, A'Liyatur Rosyidah, Vuanghao Lim, Lionel Lian Aun In, Amy Yi Hsan Saik, Bimaji Ariyogo, Mee Lee Looi

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Quercetin (Q) is a compound that can inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the colon; however, to do so, a high dose is needed, requiring a drug delivery system to target cancer endothelial cells directly. This study investigates the potency of nanodiamond-conjugated quercetin (NDQ) as an anticancer drug against colon cancer in Rattus norvegicus induced by N-methyl N-Nitrosourea (MNU). Materials and methods: This study is experimental-based and was designed using a six-group treatment method, namely normal control (KN: not treated by MNU, nanodiamond (ND), or Q); negative control (K–: treated by MNU); positive control (K+: treated by MNU …

Correction Of Griscelli Syndrome Type 2 Causing Mutations In The Rab27a Gene With Crispr/Cas9, Özgür Doğuş Erol, Şi̇mal Şenocak, Burcu Özçi̇men, Gülen Güney Esken, Hasan Basri̇ Kiliç, Yusuf Çeti̇n Kocaefe, Niek Peter Van Til, Fatima Aerts Kaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aimGriscelli Syndrome Type 2 (GS-2) is a rare, inherited immune deficiency caused by a mutation in the RAB27A gene. Current treatment consists of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Lack of suitable donors warrants the development of alternative treatment strategies, including gene therapy. The development of mutation-specific CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology has opened the way for custom designed gene correction of patient-derived stem cells. Here, we aimed to custom design CRISPR/Cas9 constructs and test their efficiency of homology directed repair (HDR) on the correction of exon 3 and exon 7 mutations in the RAB27A gene of GS-2 patient-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) …

Delivery Of Bikdd Proapoptotic Gene In Peptide-18 Targeted Poly(2-Oxazoline)-Dope Nanoliposomes For Breast Cancer Models, Zeynep Büşra Bolat, Ayça Ece Nezi̇r, Ongun Mehmet Saka, Itir Ebru Zemheri̇, Sevgi̇ Gülyüz, Umut Uğur Özköse, Özgür Yilmaz, Asuman Bozkir, Di̇lek Telci̇, Fi̇kretti̇n Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Biology

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type and the major cause of death in females worldwide. For effective breast cancer treatment, systems with promising delivery of anticancer agents is an important strategy. Peptide 18 (P18), a tumor homing peptide, shows high binding affinity towards breast cancer cells. Nanoliposomes are known to have enhanced accumulation ability in tumors with longer systemic circulation. Poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx) polymers conjugated with DOPE were used to prepare PEtOx-DOPE nanoliposomes. BikDD is a mutant form of Bik gene, a member of the BH3-only proapoptotic genes, mimics the constitutively phosphorylated form of the gene. To the …

Disappearance Of Cdc14 From The Daughter Spindle Pole Body Requires Glc7-Bud14, İdi̇l Kirdök, Ayşe Koca Çaydaşi

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: The conserved phosphatase Cdc14 facilitates mitotic exit in budding yeast by counteracting mitotic Cyclin Dependent Kinase activity. Cdc14 is kept in the nucleolus until anaphase-onset, when its released transiently into the nucleoplasm. In late-anaphase, Cdc14 is fully released into the cytoplasm upon activation of the Mitotic Exit Network (MEN) to trigger mitotic exit. Cdc14 also localizes to yeast Spindle Pole Bodies (SPB) in anaphase and dephosphorylates key targets that resides at SPBs to license SPB duplication and prime the MEN. Protein Phosphatase 1 (Glc7) with its regulatory-subunit Bud14 is another phosphatase that plays a key role in spatiotemporal control …

Pterostilbene Suppresses Head And Neck Cancer Cell Proliferation Via Induction Of Apoptosis, Tali̇h Özdaş, Si̇bel Özdaş, İpek Canatar, Erdem Kaypak

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the most prevalent causes of death worldwide, and the discovery of anticancer agents for its prevention is very important. Pterostilbene (PS) is a trans-stilbene reported to be beneficial in managing various cancers. The objective of the study was to evaluate the cytotoxic, anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-migrative effect of PS on HEp-2, SCC-90, SCC-9, FaDu and Detroit-551 cell lines. Materials and Methods: MTT and live/dead assays were employed to assess cell-viability, while cell migration test was performed to evaluate wound healing capacity. The mRNA, protein and intracellular expression level of CASP-3, BAX …

Optical Imaging And Gene Transfection Potential Of Linear Polyethylenimine Coated Ag2s Near-Infrared Quantum Dots, Altay Savalan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aimApplication of biocompatible heavy metal free and cationic Ag2S NIR QDs, which are highly luminesce in the medical range (700-900 nm), as a non-viral gene delivery system paves the way to overcome the auto-fluorescence and easily track the delivery of the genes in real time as it happens.Materials and methodsHere, the newly developed small and colloidally stable 2-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped Ag2S aqueous quantum dots electrostatically complexed with linear polyethyleneimine (LPEI) (Ag2S@2MPA/LPEI) was investigated for the first time both as a strong fluorescent probe and as a non-viral gene delivery vector for the highest tracking of the system and delivery of …

Porous Iron Electrodes Reduce Energy Consumption During Electrocoagulation Of A Virus Surrogate: Insights Into Performance Enhancements Using Three-Dimensional Neutron Computed Tomography, Kyungho Kim, Cesar Castillo, Gyoung G Jang, Yuxuan Zhang, Costas Tsouris, Shankararaman Chellam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Electrocoagulation has attracted significant attention as an alternative to conventional chemical coagulation because it is capable of removing a wide range of contaminants and has several potential advantages. In contrast to most electrocoagulation research that has been performed with nonporous electrodes, in this study, we demonstrate energy-efficient iron electrocoagulation using porous electrodes. In batch operation, investigation of the external pore structures through optical microscopy suggested that a low porosity electrode with sparse connection between pores may lead to mechanical failure of the pore network during electrolysis, whereas a high porosity electrode is vulnerable to pore clogging. Electrodes with intermediate porosity, …

Intelligrader: A Framework For Automatic Short Answer Grading, Inconsistency Check And Feedback In Educational Context - Conception, Implementation And Evaluation, Paradesi Sree Lakshmi, Jay B. Simha, Rajeev Ranjan

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Automatic Short Answer Grading (ASAG), an escalating realm in natural language understanding, constitutes a focal point of research within the broader field of learning analytics. Over time, many ASAG solutions have been proposed to address the difficulties in teaching. However, no work addressed three crucial aspects of evaluation together, i.e., i) automatic evaluation of brief subjective/descriptive answers written in English, ii) identifying the evaluation inconsistency, and iii) provision of providing feedback about inconsistent evaluation to the evaluator. The current work proposes IntelliGrader, a comprehensive ASAG system that addresses the above-mentioned issues. Automated grading is accomplished through a model answer-based approach. …

Isolation And Characterization Of Fermenting Bacterial Isolates From Vinegar Industry Waste In Local Markets Of Wasit Province, Tayseer Shamran Al-Deresawi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The use of waste in the vinegar industry is an important practice of the food industry worldwide; however, this critical practice is neglected in many parts of Iraq. According to this, the current study was conducted to isolate and characterize fermenting bacterial organisms from this waste in Wasit Province, Iraq. Samples of vinegar industry by-products were collected from local businesses. These samples were prepared by using Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium. Two methods, direct and indirect inoculations, were followed. The purified growth was examined using morphological and biochemical tests. Moreover, PCR was employed to confirm the identity of each bacterial isolate. The …

A Review Of Biomass-Based Natural Coagulants For Water Pollution Remediation: Impact Of Properties And Coagulation Operational Parameters, Nur Faizzah Husna Mohammad Ali, Megat Ahmad Kamal Megat Hanafiah, Sabiha Hanim Saleh, Mohd Tajudin Mohd Ali, Shariff Ibrahim

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

The rapid growth of cities, industries, and population has made tackling water scarcity increasingly challenging as the global demand for clean drinking water continues to rise. Consequently, extensive research in water and wastewater treatment, specifically focusing on the coagulation process, has ensued. Coagulation plays a critical role in water treatment, and its effectiveness depends on the type of coagulant used. However, the widespread use of chemical coagulants raises concerns for the environment and public health. Consequently, there has been growing interest in exploring natural alternatives derived from plants and animals. This review examines how the properties of natural coagulants, as …

Crocodylian Diversity During The Early Eocene Climatic Optimum In The Golden Valley Formation Of North Dakota, U.S.A., Adam P. Cossette, David Tarailo

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Rich bone beds from the lower Eocene strata of the Golden Valley Formation of Stark County, North Dakota reveal a speciose sympatric crocodylian fauna. However, analyses demonstrate limited phylogenetic diversity among these co-occurring taxa, and of the four species known for the locality, three are alligatorids and one is a crocodyloid. Phylogenetic hypotheses recover Chrysochampsa mylnarskii as a late lived member of Brachychampsini—a stem-based clade including Brachychampsa montana and all alligatorids more closely related to it than to Caiman crocodilus or Alligator mississippiensis—and a new genus and species, Ahdeskatanka russlanddeutsche groups with species of Allognathosuchus. The crocodylians, partitioned by body …

Rapid Unleashing Macrophage Efferocytic Capacity By Transcriptional Pause Release, Turan Tufan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

During development, inflammation or tissue injury, macrophages engulf multiple apoptotic cells via efferocytosis to maintain tissue homeostasis. The mechanism by which macrophages rapidly adapt their transcription for continuous corpse uptake is not well understood. Transcriptional pause/release is a conserved mechanism, in which RNA polymerase (Pol) II initiates transcription for 20-60 nucleotides, is paused for minutes to hours and is then released to the elongation phase. We show that macrophages quickly use Pol II pause/release upon encountering corpses to trigger a rapid transcriptional response. This mechanism is essential for continuous efferocytosis but does not affect other forms of phagocytosis. Genomic data …

The Role Of Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells In Restoring Lung Health And Chitinase Function After Epithelial Injury, Haerin Jung

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Alveolar epithelial cells provide oxygen transport and act as a first line of defense against pathogens and environmental triggers that disturb tissue homeostasis. However, in the context of epithelial injury, fibrotic and inflammatory lung diseases develop where regenerative responses may become dysregulated or recurrently engaged. One cause of lung injury is infection with cytopathic respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, which induce lung inflammation, tissue damage, and epithelial cell injury and loss. Restoration of barrier integrity after lung injury is critical for re-establishing healthy lung function but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In the steady state, lung epithelial …

Rapid Unleashing Macrophage Efferocytic Capacity By Transcriptional Pause Release, Turan Tufan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

During development, inflammation or tissue injury, macrophages engulf multiple apoptotic cells via efferocytosis to maintain tissue homeostasis. The mechanism by which macrophages rapidly adapt their transcription for continuous corpse uptake is not well understood. Transcriptional pause/release is a conserved mechanism, in which RNA polymerase (Pol) II initiates transcription for 20-60 nucleotides, is paused for minutes to hours and is then released to the elongation phase. We show that macrophages quickly use Pol II pause/release upon encountering corpses to trigger a rapid transcriptional response. This mechanism is essential for continuous efferocytosis but does not affect other forms of phagocytosis. Genomic data …

The Role Of Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells In Restoring Lung Health And Chitinase Function After Epithelial Injury, Haerin Jung

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Alveolar epithelial cells provide oxygen transport and act as a first line of defense against pathogens and environmental triggers that disturb tissue homeostasis. However, in the context of epithelial injury, fibrotic and inflammatory lung diseases develop where regenerative responses may become dysregulated or recurrently engaged. One cause of lung injury is infection with cytopathic respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, which induce lung inflammation, tissue damage, and epithelial cell injury and loss. Restoration of barrier integrity after lung injury is critical for re-establishing healthy lung function but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In the steady state, lung epithelial …

Study Of A Lemon, Marcella Carson

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

No abstract provided.

Hopper Hues, Hope S. Sohn

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

From the elusive to the invasive, the insect world is often underrepresented in art. I created this piece to illustrate the beauty and intricacy of Romalea microptera, an invasive and destructive grasshopper species. Despite its impact on the environment, the beauty of this organism is apparent. A cascade of different appearances marks its life span until it reaches its final form; an array of oranges, pinks, and yellows.

What causes the division in public opinion on insects? What traits cause the recoil? There is beauty in both the beetle and the grasshopper, not just the butterfly. Expanding our …

The Ladybug, Alexandra M. Brisson

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

The Ladybug is a piece inspired by my wide-eyed youth. As a child, I was in awe of the ladybug's (Coccinellidae) iconic red elytra adorned with their contrasting black spots. I was also told that encountering a ladybug meant good luck and to make a wish, which fueled my fascination. As I began studying biology, I discovered that they play a crucial ecological role as voracious predators of aphids and other plant pests. Their contribution to natural pest control underscores their importance in agriculture and ecosystem balance. Ladybugs are valued allies, not only in the eyes of sustainable …

The Short Allele Of The Serotonin Transporter Gene (Slc6a4) Increases Predisposition To Anxiety And Negative Emotional States, Gabriella Hitti

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Mental disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, have long been a focus of psychological research, and increasing evidence points to a genetic basis for their occurrence. Polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene (SLC6A4) may predispose an individual to anxiety-related symptoms. SLC6A4 has two common alleles: the short (s) allele, which results in less 5-HTT protein production, and the long (l) allele, which results in more 5-HTT. Integrated findings from psychometric evaluations, behavioral animal models, and biological assessments establish a link between the s allele of SLC6A4 and heightened anxiety phenotypes. The allele’s influence on serotonin levels and brain …

Freshwater Mussels As High-Resolution Recorders Of Local Climate Data: Learning From An Imperiled Species, Mia Meighan, Linh Truong, Tristan Keane, Jens Hegg, Joel Saunder, Casey Mccormack

CURCI Student Research

Freshwater mussels are native bivalve mollusks and an important indicator species for water quality. Over 65% of the species present in North America are imperiled.

In the West, mussel populations are generally declining, and the western ridged mussel (Gonidea angulata), native to the Pacific Northwest, is under review by the US Fish & Wildlife Service for Endangered Species Act listing.

Just as scientists use dendrochronology to determine the climate conditions of a forest using tree rings, sclerochronology can be used to determine the condition of stream habitats using growth bands stored within mussel shells.

Histological Characterization Of Larch Mountain Salamander (Plethodon Larselli) Head Glands, Jaxon Hopkins, Nancy Staub

CURCI Student Research

In salamanders, successful reproduction requires communication. Most male salamanders communicate to the female during courtship via a gland on their chin, called the mental gland. The sexually dimorphic mental gland in the dermis of the lower jaw is typical in males of species in the family Plethodontidae and is considered ancestral to the family (Sever et al. 2016). The mental gland consists of an aggregate of modified granular glands (MGGs) that produce pheromones (Houck and Sever, 1994; Rupp and Sever, 2018). During courtship, pheromones secreted from mental glands are delivered to the female through head rubbing and biting (Houck and …

How Viruses Grant Superpowers To Their Hosts: Investigating Prophage-Dependent Immunity In Cluster F Phages Through Genetic Engineering Of The Immunity Repressor Gene, Kassidy Espinosa, Kirk Anders

Biology Student Scholarship

Using genetic engineering to clone the immunity repressor gene in Cluster F phages has provided insights into prophage-dependent immunity. My research builds on the work of previous students, offering a deeper understanding of how bacteriophages confer immunity to their bacterial hosts.