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Drivers Of Macroinvertebrate Community Integrity Within Mixed Urban And Agricultural Dominated Mississippi Tributary Watersheds, Matthew R. Straus, Bethany Mabel Lian Schorr, Kevin Geedey, Michael Reisner, Benjamin Ford

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

The “urban stream syndrome” refers to a multitude of impacts caused by urbanization including flashier hydrograph, elevated concentrations of nutrients and contaminants, altered channel morphology and stability, reduced biotic richness, with increased dominance of tolerant species, reduced base flow and increased suspended solids. The drivers of these “symptoms” include impervious surfaces, piping in stormwater drainages, habitat and forest loss, water supply and sewer leaking, and direct alterations to channel morphology and flow. The goal of this study was to assess the integrity of the macroinvertebrate community and determine the most significant drivers of such integrity at the catchment, riparian zone, …

Use Of Intramodal Odor Cues In Shelter Recognition By An Amblypygid, Nathan Bostelman

Honors Projects

Amblypygids are nocturnal arthropods which live in cluttered habitats and possess the ability to navigate home after displacements of up to ten meters. Homing amblypygids rely on olfactory and tactile information gathered by their antenniform legs to navigate successfully. Given that odor signals encountered in nature are complex and dynamic, navigation via olfaction presents unique challenges related to signal uncertainty. To understand how amblypygids perceive perceive complex odors and what they learn from them, individuals of the subtropical amblypygid P. marginemaculatus were trained to associate a blend of two odors with a shelter and tested on three treatments: the reinforced …

To Stick Or Not To Stick: The Multiple Roles Of Cell Adhesion Molecules In Neural Circuit Assembly, Trevor Moreland, Fabienne E. Poulain

Faculty Publications

Precise wiring of neural circuits is essential for brain connectivity and function. During development, axons respond to diverse cues present in the extracellular matrix or at the surface of other cells to navigate to specific targets, where they establish precise connections with post-synaptic partners. Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) represent a large group of structurally diverse proteins well known to mediate adhesion for neural circuit assembly. Through their adhesive properties, CAMs act as major regulators of axon navigation, fasciculation, and synapse formation. While the adhesive functions of CAMs have been known for decades, more recent studies have unraveled essential, non-adhesive functions …

Kleinstuck Preserve: A Valuable Migratory Bird Stopover In Kalamazoo, Mi, Kelly Giles

Honors Theses

Decreasing bird populations have been noted with habitat loss, climate change, and human development. With an estimated loss of 2.9 billion birds in North American since the 1970’s (Rosenberg et al. 2019), I found it necessary to determine whether this pat tern was reflected in local bird populations. At Kleinstuck Preserve, a birding hotspot in Kalamazoo, MI, I was able to access data from 48 years of bird surveys starting in 1973 with 209 total bird species documented from 1973-2021. Kleinstuck is a 60-acre nature preserve that has been protected as natural land since 1922 despite being surrounded by urban …

Exercise In The Heat: Perceptual Measures In Hydrated And Dehydrated Conditions, John Kromer

Honors Scholar Theses

Introduction: Athletes, warfighters, and laborers are often exposed to extreme environmental conditions that can result in heat-related illnesses negatively impacting performance and productivity.

Purpose: To evaluate Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) from pre-trial to post-trial surrounding exercise in the heat. The secondary purpose was to compare post-trial measures between hydration status as well as environmental conditions.

Methods: Twenty-six male and female subjects performed four trials. Two trials were conducted in temperate conditions (24 ℃, 55% relative humidity) and two in extreme heat conditions (35 ℃, 55% relative humidity), in both hydrated and dehydrated conditions. The Profile of Moods States survey was …

Students Interest And Thoughts On Stem, Chrisitine Girtain

STEM Month

I am Juan Sebastian Bohorquez Mora, I am a sophomore student at Toms River High School North. I am interested in biofuels because I believe they are a good option to replace fossil fuels. I am also interested in duckweed because biofuels are made out of crops, and people need to eat those crops. That’s when duckweed comes in and it can be used as a feedstock for ethanol production which is a biofuel. Bioethanol is a type of biofuel and it is derived from the corn’s starch. Instead of making ethanol from the corn’s starch, we can use duckweed …

Effect Of Dietary Protein On Honey Bee Pollen Foraging Behavior, Caitlin Mchugh, Gracey Sorensen

Biology Student Scholarship

Caitlin McHugh ’24, Majors: Environmental Biology and Economics

Gracey Sorensen ’23, Major: Biology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

Bees obtain nutrients from flowers. Pollen provides proteins and fats; nectar provides carbohydrates. Commercial honey bee colonies pollinate monocultures, which contain one crop type thus, one unbalanced nutritional resource. We examined how a lack of protein diversity affects honey bee pollen foraging behavior. Bees were raised on three diet treatments: no manipulation, all 10 essential amino acids (EAAs, i.e., protein building-blocks), or only 6/10 EAAs. Bee-collected pollen was trapped upon return to the hive and nutritional content was analyzed. We predict …

Periodic Spatial Disturbances Alter The Expression Of Quorum Sensing Virulence Factors In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Laura García-Diéguez

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen associated with severe acute and chronic illnesses. Current antibiotic-based approaches fail to effectively treat P. aeruginosa infections due to the effectiveness and robustness of the quorum sensing signaling system (QS). Pathogenic bacteria, such as P. aeruginosa, employ this population density-dependent communication mechanism to confer antimicrobial resistance, propagate infection, and coordinate the expression of virulence factors, through the production and detection of autoinducing signaling molecules (AI). As such, there is a growing interest in developing novel non-antibiotic-based techniques to attenuate the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa by disrupting the functionality of its QS system. Previous …

Genetic Covariance In Immune Measures And Pathogen Resistance In Decorated Crickets Is Sex And Pathogen Specific, Corinne Letendre, Kristin Duffield, Ben M. Sadd, Scott K. Sakaluk, Clarissa M. House, John Hunt

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

1. Insects are important models for studying immunity in an ecological and evolutionary context. Yet, most empirical work on the insect immune system has come from phenotypic studies meaning we have a limited understanding of the genetic architecture of immune function in the sexes.
2. We use nine highly inbred lines to thoroughly examine the genetic relationships between a suite of commonly used immune assays (haemocyte count, implant encapsulation, total phenoloxidase activity, antibacterial zone of inhibition and pathogen clearance) and resistance to infection by three generalist insect pathogens (the gram-negative bacterium Serratia marcescens, the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus cereus and the fungus …

Is The Zebrafish Speed Bump Mutant A Mutation In Wee1? And Is It A Complete Loss Of Function?, Nathania Karyadi

Honors Theses

Every cell has to undergo the cell cycle process before it can divide or differentiate. The cell cycle is an error-prone complex process where mutations could happen. This study aimed to characterize the nervous system and blood cells of the speed bump mutant in zebrafish. This study also aimed to do gene characterization of the wee1 CRISPR mutant. The speed bump mutant is due to a mutation in the wee1 gene. Lack of the wee1 gene will cause no Wee1 Kinase, which inhibits the MPF, causing cells to go into mitosis too early. To fulfill these objectives, this study used …

The Various Nervous System Drugs Commonly Used For Treatment And The Disparities In Availability Of These Drugs In Minority Groups, Iman Haurami

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The nervous system is a complex network in our body that is responsible for actions, reflexes, and even sensations. With the brain being part of the CNS, many common nervous system disorders are due to a defect in the central nervous system and the functions of this organ. These disorders include mental health problems, degenerative diseases, seizures, infections, and other possible genetic diseases. Many of these diseases are common in society and constantly researched. Even though these diseases are common, treatment accessibility and effects on people of minority groups are overlooked compared to the focus on majority groups. For drug …

Exploring The Relationship Between Art And Environmental Education, Mackenzie Haynes

Honors Projects

To explore the relationship between art and environmental education, I created a lesson plan and then put into practice at Crim Elementary School in a 4th grade art class. The art project had to do with the environment, endangered animals and recyclable materials. I titled the project "Habitat Heroes" and students had to imagine that they were the only people left on Earth along with a few animals and lots of trash. They were tasked with selecting an endangered animal in Ohio from one of five different groups (mammals, birds, reptiles/amphibians, birds and fish) to create a habitat for. The …

A Role For Myosin Ii Clusters And Membrane Energy In Cortex Rupture For Dictyostelium Discoideum, Emmanuel Asante-Asamani, Daniel Grange, Devarshi Rawal, Zully Santiago, John Loustau, Derrick Brazill

Publications and Research

Blebs, pressure driven protrusions of the cell membrane, facilitate the movement of eukaryotic cells such as the soil amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum , white blood cells and cancer cells. Blebs initiate when the cell membrane separates from the underlying cortex. A local rupture of the cortex, has been suggested as a mechanism by which blebs are initiated. However, much clarity is still needed about how cells inherently regulate rupture of the cor- tex in locations where blebs are expected to form. In this work, we examine the role of mem- brane energy and the motor protein myosin II (myosin) in facilitating …

Mechanobiology In The Comorbidities Of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Shaina P. Royer, Sangyoon J. Han

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDSs) are a group of connective tissue disorders, characterized by skin stretchability, joint hypermobility and instability. Mechanically, various tissues from EDS patients exhibit lowered elastic modulus and lowered ultimate strength. This change in mechanics has been associated with EDS symptoms. However, recent evidence points toward a possibility that the comorbidities of EDS could be also associated with reduced tissue stiffness. In this review, we focus on mast cell activation syndrome and impaired wound healing, comorbidities associated with the classical type (cEDS) and the hypermobile type (hEDS), respectively, and discuss potential mechanobiological pathways involved in the comorbidities.

Effects Of Seasonal Variation Of Abiotic Factors On Edna Detection Of Two Groundwater Crayfish Species, Jared Prine Higgs

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Pickle Associates With Histone Deacetylase 9 To Mediate Vegetative Phase Change In Arabidopsis, Tieqiang Hu, Darren Manuela, Valerie Hinsch, Mingli Xu

Faculty Publications

• The juvenile-to-adult vegetative phase change in flowering plants is mediated by a decrease in miR156 levels. Downregulation of MIR156A/MIR156C, the two major sources of miR156, is accompanied by a decrease in acetylation of histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac) and an increase in trimethylation of H3K27 (H3K27me3) at MIR156A/MIR156C in Arabidopsis.

• Here, we show that histone deacetylase 9 (HDA9) is recruited to MIR156A/MIR156C during the juvenile phase and associates with the CHD3 chromatin remodeler PICKLE (PKL) to erase H3K27ac at MIR156A/MIR156C.

• H2Aub and H3K27me3 become enriched at MIR156A/MIR156C, and the recruitment of Polycomb Repressive Complex …

The Effect Of Physiographic Regions On Benthic Riffle Communities In The Kokosing River (Ohio), Cameron Brisbine, Gregory Brown, Jack Kessler

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Geology, physiographic history, and land use are among the most important factors influencing benthic community structure and distribution in surface waters, especially lotic systems. Given the higher till concentrations in glaciated regions, does this impact the quality of riffle habitats and associated benthic communities? The objective of this study was to examine the influence of glacial history on benthic stream communities and physicochemical variables of a river in central Ohio. The Kokosing River transitions through several physiographic regions within Ohio including the Till Plains, the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, and the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. From 2020-2021, periphyton, macroinvertebrates, fish, and selected …

Study Proposal For Additional Investigation Of Epac1 In Endothelial Apoptosis, Anh Luu

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Inflammatory states such as sepsis are associated with elevated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-⍺), which facilitates inflammation, increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress, and contributes to death of endothelial cells (EC). Exchange Factor Directly Activated by cAMP (EPAC1) is an intracellular cyclic-AMP (cAMP) sensor involved in EC responses such as barrier function, angiogenesis and proliferation. Previous studies in our lab demonstrated activation of EPAC1 protected EC from TNF⍺-induced cell death. Specifically, microvascular EC were pretreated for 45 minutes with 100 mM 8-pCPT-2′-O-Me-cAMP (8CPT, specific EPAC1 activator) or 10 mM forskolin (adenylyl cyclase activator that increases …

Chromatin Architecture: Mechanisms Of Gene Regulation, Logan O'Donnell

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The rapid growth and division of cells as they proliferate and penetrate to surrounding tissues defines the collection of disease states known as cancer. Abnormal gene expression drives this uncontrollable replication of cells. In recent studies, aberrant HOX gene expression has been noted in a multitude of cancer types such as myeloid leukemia, prostate cancer, and breast cancer [1]. Within cancerous cells with aberrant HOX expression, late expressing HOX genes are suppressed while early expressing HOX genes are reactivated. HOX genes are significant in controlling early phases of organismal development such as cell cycle, cell movement, and gene expression. Likewise, …

Non-Native Coccinellid Beetles And Land Use Abundance Patterns In The Quad Cities Region, Jack Hughes, Tierney Brosius, Michael Reisner

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Harmonia axyridis was introduced in 1916. This species of coccinellid beetle is considered a desirable species for agriculture practices because of its ability to control pests. There is increasing evidence that H. axyridis may be outcompeting native species which could be contributing to the decline of some species that are disappearing from the landscape. Harmonia axyridis has a large migration range of 2 Km enabling the species to affect a large area of land. Invasive species often increase in abundance in urban landscapes which may be the case with H. axyridis. During the summer of 2021 we investigated H. axyridis …

The Impact Of Supplemental Proline On Stress Tolerance In Cucumbers And Tomatoes, Wren Allison Jenkins

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Urbanization On House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus) And House Finch (Haemorhous Mexicanus) Song Propagation, Sarah Grimes, Eliza Lewis

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

The recent surge in urbanization has increased pollution, which includes both physical pollution (e.g. exhaust) and sensory pollution (e.g., anthropogenic noise). We know birds increase the frequency and amplitude of their song in urban areas to reduce masking by low frequency noise pollution. However, bird song (i.e., a signal) is also affected by the environment and accompanying ambient noise. This study investigates how anthropogenic disturbances alter the ability of birds to communicate. Specifically, we aim to understand how urbanization affects the propagation of bird song by examining differences in active space, or the maximum distance a receiver can detect a …

Changes In Chromatic Contrast Of Avian Plumage In Forests With Different Levels Of Deer Browsing, Morgan Sherrard, Suihnem Mawi, Timothy Boycott, Megan Gall

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

Visual signal propagation through the environment can be influenced by many factors, including the visual background. For example, normally camouflaged animals can appear quite salient when the environmental substrate is changed. Deer can alter this visual background by consuming the forest understory; ultimately this can have implications for species that use visual signals to attract a mate or defend a territory. We are interested in studying how deer browsing affects the chromatic contrast (i.e., how much an animal stands out from the background for a given receiver) using an avian model system. Brown headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) and wild turkeys …

The Effects Of Anthropogenic Disturbances On The Auditory Processing Of The House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus), Linda Nduwimana, Emma Yonker, Sarah Grimes, Suihnem Mawi, Eliza Lewis

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

Animal communication involves a sender producing a signal (e.g., vocalizations) that travels through the environment before being detected by a receiver. Although we know how senders can vary in signal production, relatively little is known about how receivers process these signals. The recent increase in urbanization can further complicate receiver sensory processing as anthropogenic activities (e.g., noise pollution) affects the way birds communicate. This study aims to investigate the influence of urbanization on the auditory processing system of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). House sparrows are an ideal model because they inhabit urban areas and rely on vocal cues from …

Sex Differences In Hormone-Modulated Neuroplasticity In The Songbird (Serinus Canarius), Paige A. Massa, Elianna E. Sandman, Anders P. Bogard, Matthew Czmer

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

In temperate zone species such as canaries (Serinus canaria) the neural circuitry regulating song behavior undergoes well-defined changes across the seasons. In males, increased daylengths in spring initiates an increase in gonadal volumes and circulating testosterone driving marked changes in brain morphology and song frequency. Females given exogenous testosterone in adulthood also demonstrate male-like changes in brain morphology and song behavior. More specifically, the telencephalic nucleus HVC (acronym is proper name), a key nucleus for song production, undergoes well-defined seasonal changes in neuroplasticity with a high rate of neurogenesis mediating marked changes in HVC volume. Much is known about the …

The Effect Of Serotonin On Males’ Neural And Behavioral Mechanisms To Female Ultrasonic Vocalizations And Urine In The House Mouse (Mus Musculus), Madisyn Kovacs

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

Animals communicate with multimodal signals (e.g., a mix of auditory, visual, or olfactory information) spanning several modalities; these signals may provide receivers with more complete information to allow for more accurate behavioral decisions. Past research suggests that serotonin plays a role in encoding multimodal social information (e.g., social partner presence) during communication events. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, no experiments have explicitly tested this hypothesis. 5-HTP, a precursor for serotonin, has been shown to increase serotonin in a region of the auditory midbrain, and is affected by social context. In our experiment, we asked the question: Does an increase in 5-HTP …

Assessing Environmental Factors That Influence Cyanobacterial Blooms In Skinn Lake, Kloe Atwood

Honors Projects

Global lakes are experiencing an increase in toxic algal blooms that can be damaging to the environment. These blooms are caused by cyanobacteria, specifically a species called Planktothrix. Skinn Lake, in Ohio, is a location of a cyanobacterial bloom that is mainly populated by Planktothrix rubescens. This lake was further examined to identify the major toxin-producing bacteria and identify environmental microbes surrounding the bloom. When the data was examined it was found that the microbiomes of the lake greatly differed between the winter (bloom) months and the summer (non-bloom) months. This difference can be viewed within the nutrient analysis from …

The Effect Of Estrogen On Gdnf Production Of Skeletal Muscle In Vitro, Hope Welter

Honors Theses

As life expectancy continues to rise, the number of people over age 65 in the U.S. is increasing. An aging population brings with it impacts on the national health system and associated economic expenditures. As individuals age, the skeletomuscular system suffers reduced function due to disease or conditions such as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is characterized by muscular atrophy resulting from reduced muscle innervation. Exercise has been linked to prevention of sarcopenia, a suspected result of increased production of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). GDNF promotes neuronal survival, regeneration, and the formation of neuromuscular junctions. Therefore, treatments like exercise that increase …

Literature Review On Outer Hair Cell Regeneration And Potential Hearing Restoration, Serena Karlov

Honors Theses

The cochlea is the portion of the inner ear responsible for hearing, containing both the organ of Corti and auditory hair cells. Sound wave vibrations mechanically bend the stereocilia on the three rows of outer hair cells and one row of inner hair cells. These hair cells transduce this mechanical energy into electrical impulses that are relayed from the auditory nerve to the brain, where sounds are processed. In this review I provide an overview of inner ear anatomy, ear physiology, and auditory transduction. I then move on to specifically focus on the importance of outer hair cells, their regeneration, …

Metabolism, Cognition, And Male Coloration In Eastern Mosquitofish, Katelyn Ashleigh Giltner

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.