Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

The Plant Disease Triangle Facing Climate Change: A Molecular Perspective, Charles Roussin-Léveillée, Christina A. M. Rossi, Christian Castroverde, Peter Moffett

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Climate Change: An Existential Threat To Humanity, Brayden Asher Roy

Honors Projects in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

According to President Joe Biden, "Climate change is an existential threat to humanity" (Biden, 2020), one that requires the fullest attention from leaders within the international community. Research into the impacts of anthropogenic behavior on the climate began as early as the 1870s. When the clean energy movement generated support in the 1980s, fossil fuel companies responded to protect their existing business model that a transition to renewable energy would dismantle. Within the United States, through the suppression of information and lobbying of politicians, fossil fuel companies turned the concept of climate change into a partisan issue. Based on scientific …

Ccrg Soil Report, Cassandra Demlow, Cherith Pickett, David Ogboro

Student Papers and Reports

The goal of this project is to measure the ionic composition of a variety of soil samples, primarily using the ion chromatography technique. We also compared the ionic composition of multiple layers of the same sample.

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Ecological Niche Modeling Of Endemic Texas Crayfish Species Under Current Conditions, Sarah A. Burgett

Biology Theses

Crayfish play many important roles in freshwater ecosystems such as ecosystem engineering, bioindicator, and food resource. Even though they are important to ecosystems, they are highly understudied. There has been previous work done on ecological niche modeling on Texas crayfish species, but this study takes it a step further by combining soil, climate, and hydrology variables to model the ecological niches of three endemic species: Procambarus texanus, Procambarus nueces, and Procambarus fayettei. Ecological niche models were created for the three species of interest using the program Maxent. I found that P. texanus and P. fayettei have indistinguishable …

New Genera And Species Of Caulobacter And Brevundimonas Bacteriophages Provide Insights Into Phage Genome Evolution, Bert Ely, Michael Hils, Aaron Clarke, Maegan Albert, Nadia Holness, Jacob Lenski, Tannaz Mohammadi

Faculty Publications

Previous studies have identified diverse bacteriophages that infect Caulobacter vibrioides strain CB15 ranging from small RNA phages to four genera of jumbo phages. In this study, we focus on 20 bacteriophages whose genomes range from 40 to 60 kb in length. Genome comparisons indicated that these diverse phages represent six Caulobacter phage genera and one additional genus that includes both Caulobacter and Brevundimonas phages. Within species, comparisons revealed that both single base changes and inserted or deleted genetic material cause the genomes of closely related phages to diverge. Among genera, the basic gene order and the orientation of key genes …

Rodent-Mediated Seed Limitation Affects Woody Seedling Establishment More Than Invasive Shrubs And Downed Woody Debris, Brian M. Connolly, Chad Zirbel, John L. Orrock

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Seedling establishment is crucial for the development of self-regenerating tree populations. Determinants of tree establishment vary widely and may compound in their effects. Using a factorial experiment, we manipulated invasive shrubs, downed woody debris (DWD), and rodent access to evaluate factors limiting the establishment of six woody species (five native trees, one invasive shrub). Our results suggest these factors independently contribute to tree seedling establishment. Exclusion of rodents increased establishment threefold. Invasive shrub removal (Elaeagnus umbellata; Lonicera maackii) and the presence of DWD promoted establishment of two native trees (Pinus strobus; Sassafras albidum). Notably, …

Parasite Diversity Of The King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah), Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas Mucosa), And Spectacled Cobra (Naja Naja), Bailey Tator

ALL - Honors Theses

Thus far, there has been little research on the parasitic biodiversity in wild reptiles, particularly in India. Research has been done on the parasite diversity of certain species, such as the King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) and the Spectacled cobra (Naja naja), however these samples were purely from captive animals (Rajesh, 2015). This gap in knowledge is important to address because of how critical parasites are to the ecosystem and understanding their host population (Hudson, 2006). Parasites are some of the most biodiverse organisms, yet there is little work done to describe them in biodiversity hotspots such as the Western Ghats …

An Analysis Of Novel Yeasts And Their Brewing Potential, Hannah Murray

Research Honors

Within the brewing community, there is a race to discover new ways to brew beers to create new flavor and smell profiles. Scientists across the globe are searching for novel species of yeasts which have the potential to enhance the flavor and smell of their beer. While most beers are brewed using one of a handful of domesticated yeast strains -- also known as pitching yeasts -- finding “wild” yeasts is one way to change fermentation products. Experimentation has been started on this front due to the wide array of properties that a wild yeast can change in a brew. …

Effects Of Wind Turbine Noise On Songbird Behavior During Nonbreeding Season, Yael Lehnardt, Jesse R. Barber, Oded Berger-Tal

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Anthropogenic noise is one of the fastest growing, globally widespread pollutants, affecting countless species worldwide. Despite accumulating evidence of the negative impacts of wind turbines on wildlife, little is known about how the noise they generate affects ecological systems. Songbirds may be susceptible to noise pollution due to their reliance on vocal communication and thus, in this field study, we examined how songbirds are affected by wind turbine noise. We broadcasted noise produced by one wind turbine in a migratory stopover site during the nonbreeding season. Throughout the study, we repeatedly monitored the acoustic environment and songbird community before, during, …

The Virginia Academy Of Science: A Scholarly Forum Over Decades For Students Of A Plant Ecologist, Stewart Ware

Virginia Journal of Science

As a newcomer to Virginia in 1968, I learned that annual meetings of the Virginia Academy of Science (VAS) were regarded as an excellent place for students to have their first experience giving a talk about their research to fellow scientists, and a place for faculty to get to know other Virginia scientists in their fields. Over the next four decades William and Mary students (undergraduate and graduate) and I were presenters or co-authors of 42 talks or posters at VAS annual meetings, 29 of them based on studies of plant ecology across Virginia. Two were talks by colleagues with …

Differential Gene Expressions Patterns In Diabetes In Relation To Cognitive Declines Associated With Diabetes, Dylan Downs

Honors Theses

The chronic metabolic disorder classified as diabetes, is growing at an alarming rate in many countries all across the globe. Diabetes is characterized by an above average blood glucose measurement, due to insulin production and insulin response abnormalities within the body. This increase in blood glucose has detrimental effects on all physiological systems, commonly associated with organs such as the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. One of the less understood and commonly disregarded side effects of diabetes is related to the cognitive declines associated with the disease. Cognitive declines associated with diabetes include memory loss, speech impairments, and decreased motor …

Life Line Spring 2024, Otterbein Biology And Earth Science Department

Life Line - The Biology Department Newsletter

In this Issue:

The Department Welcomes Dr. Grooms; Otterbein's New Pollinator/Rain Garden; Alumni Return to Share Research; Svitana Serves on Ohio EPA VAP Rules Review Advisory Committee; Field Geology Students Explore Death Valley and the Grand Canyon; Students Volunteer at Remote Area Medical Clinic; The Mussels of the Stillwater River and Greenville Creek; More Than "Just" a Chickadee; An Enriching Time at the Zoo; Human Reaction Times; Using Computer Models to Inform Real World Control Methods in Street Dogs; Svitana Continues Work with NGWA; DIY Microbial Fuel Cell Challenge; Birds of a Feather...; Students Research Impact of Sunscreens on Corals; …

Adherent-Invasive Escherichia Coli (Aiec) Promotes Mild Colitis In The C57bl/6 Il-10 Ko Mouse Model Of Crohn's Disease, Sarah Sm Zaw

Senior Theses

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Interleukin-10 knockout (IL-10 KO) mice are crucial in CD research. Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) is a subgroup of E. coli. In one study, IL-10 KO mice colonized with AIEC developed colitis in the distal colon compared to wild-type (WT) mice. I investigated how AIEC NC101 WT affects colitis severity in IL-10 KO mice of the C57BL/6 genetic background. Similar results in both genotypes would enhance mouse strain accessibility. Germ-free C57BL6 IL-10 KO mice were divided into groups: colonized with AIEC NC101 for 12, 15, or 18 weeks, or kept germ-free. Histopathological …

Targeting Cholinergic Signaling In Glioblastoma, Sumyuktha Vijay Anand

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Primitive stem cell-like populations that are prone to malignant transformation reside in the brain throughout adulthood. My lab’s reports and many others have characterized subsets of glioma cells reminiscent of adult stem-like cells implicating them rational candidates for cell-targeted therapies. Emerging evidence suggests that the neurotransmitter microenvironment influences these stem-like cells during glioma progression providing an inroad to study neuromodulators in glioma. Some glioma stemlike cells share characteristics with adult tissue oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Primitive cells of the oligodendroglial lineage express muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), and their “stemness” is maintained by the acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter. Here, I conduct transcriptomic, electrophysiological, …

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 …

Mycoplasma Pneumoniae: Long-Term Effects On The Lungs, Alyssa David

Posters - 2024

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a bacterium responsible for causing pneumonia in the lungs. M. pneumoniae is responsible for an average of 2 million cases of bacterial pneumonia in the United States each year (ASM Journal). When M. pneumonia infects the lungs, it releases community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS toxin), which is capable of two enzymatic functions, vacuolization and ADP-ribosylation. ADPribosylation is found in the N-terminal domain of the protein, and the glutamic acid at amino acid residue 132 is critical for enzymatic function. There is evidence that the vacuolization function is encoded by the C-terminal of the protein. Preliminary findings in …

The Effects Of Land Use Change On Ant Communities In New England, Amelia K.L. Curry, Joseph A. Nelsen, Dale R. Stevens, Kaitlyn A. Mathis

Biology

Urbanisation and agricultural expansion are two of the most prevalent and intense forms of land use change worldwide and can have dramatic consequences on biodiversity and biotic community structure. Ants are extremely widespread, ecologically diverse and small ectotherms that are sensitive to changes from a wide range of environmental factors. Therefore, ants make an ideal study organism to examine the effects of anthropogenic land use change on biotic communities. In this study, we examined differences in ant species richness and community composition between urban parks, farms and forest fragments, and related these differences to environmental factors that vary among each …

Synthesis And Biological Assessment Of Safranal-Loaded Metal-Organic Framework Nanostructures, Alia Musabbeh Alkaabi

Theses

Liver cancer remains a primary worldwide health concern, necessitating the development of innovative and effective treatment options. In this study, we present a biocompatible iron-based metal-organic framework (Fe-MOF) consisting of iron ligands connected by terephthalate linkers loaded with safranal, a major biomolecule of saffron (the stigmas of Crocus sativus flower), as therapeutic intervention with dual efficiency. This compound not only meets the demand for improved liver cancer therapies but also exhibits antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus. The synthesis stage of the study focuses on preparing MIL-88B(Fe) and loading safranal into/onto its structure (SAF@MIL-88B(Fe)). The material's composition and …

Expression Of Human Arginine Vasopressin In Arabidopsis Thaliana And Assessment Of Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Maitha Salem Aldarmaki

Theses

Human Arginine Vasopressin (HsAVP) is a nona-peptide that acts as an antidiuretic hormone. In human AVP regulates water permeability through the regulation of the water channel, aquaporin 2. The process begins with the binding of vasopressin to V2 receptor which activates cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). PKA phosphorylates aquaporin-2 at Ser256 and allows the aquaporin-2-containing vesicle to fuse with the apical membrane which increases water permeability. The present study describes the functional analysis of the codon-optimized HsAVP overexpressed in Arabidopsis thaliana. The main objective of the study is to assess if HsAVP affects drought and salinity stress …

Satellite-Based Spatial And Temporal Characterization Of Rainfall Over The Uae, Yassin Ibrahim Ahmad

Theses

Studies on rainfall characteristics have been of particular interest in the arid and semi-arid regions, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), due to its impact on the built and natural environment. Rainfall represents a vital water source and a potential threat to the built environment, particularly during flash rainfall. This thesis evaluates spatial and temporal variation of rainfall in the UAE. The UAE is classified into four ecosystems with a distinct distribution of precipitation (East Coast, Mountains, the Gravel Plains, and Desert Foreland). Satellite data on daily rainfall for the years starting from 2001 up to 2020 was obtained from …

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant, And Anti-Breast Cancer Evaluation Of Haplophyllum Tuberculatum, A Medicinal Plant Native To The Emirate Of Ras Al Khaimah, Uae, Aaesha Mohammad Adam

Theses

Breast cancer (BC) emerges as the prevailing cancer type diagnosed in women, with more than 2 million new cases documented in 2020 worldwide. BC is the third leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases and injuries in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There are multiple treatment options for breast cancer including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Nevertheless, these treatments often impact surrounding tissues and cause side effects. Consequently, researchers seek an alternative approach that offers high efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity. Medicinal plants serve as a promising alternative for cancer treatment due to their accessibility, efficacy, and lower toxicity. Haplophyllum tuberculatum is …

Did God Create Viruses?, James Hayward

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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 …

Increasing The Phytoremediation Efficiency Of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soils In The Uae Using Endophytic Actinobacteria For Sustainable Agriculture, Archana Mathew Mathai

Theses

Pollution caused by heavy metals (HMs) is a major environmental concern worldwide. Human actions, agriculture practices and industrial activities can cause the release of HMs into the environment. Soil contamination with HMs may have negative effects on crops, thus disrupting the food chain and posing risks to human health. Lead (Pb) is a common pollutant found in the soil when at high concentrations. Conventional land remediation techniques depending on chemical and mechanical methods are quite expensive and would lead to long-term deterioration of the ecosystems, while phytoremediation can serve as an alternative, eco-friendly approach to restore the lands for agricultural …