Digital Commons Network^™

Diapause And Anoxia-Induced Quiescence Are Unique States In Embryos Of The Annual Killifish, Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Patrick R. Clouser, Claire L. Riggs, Amie L. T. Romney, Jason E. Podrabsky

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Diapause is a state of developmental and metabolic dormancy that precedes exposure to environmental stresses. Yet, diapausing embryos are typically stress-tolerant. Evidence suggests that diapausing embryos “prepare” for stress as part of a gene expression program as they enter dormancy. Here, we investigate if diapause II embryos of the annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus, which can survive for hundreds of days of anoxia, can mount a transcriptomic response to anoxic insult. Bulk RNAseq was used to characterize the transcriptomes of diapause II embryos exposed to normoxia, 4 h and 24 h anoxia, and 2 h and 24 h normoxic recovery …

Comparison Of Morphological Characteristics And Dna Sequences Of Platyhelminthes Within Dabbling And Diving Ducks Species, Elise A. Betcher, Karolyn M. Kolstad, Ashley L. Marks, Marguerite C. Reitano, Alexander J. Train

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Platyhelminthes, also known as flatworms, are among the most common parasites found in North American duck species. This phylum of parasites includes tapeworms and flukes. This study focused on identifying various Platyhelminthes found in Minnesota and Wisconsin wild ducks using both morphological characteristics and genetic sequencing. Both diving and dabbling species of ducks were used for this study, including green winged-teal (Anas carolinensis) and ring-necked ducks (Aythya collaris). Platyhelminthes were removed from legally harvested ducks and stained before examining and imaging under the microscope to identify key morphologic features for a presumptive identification. Subsequently, DNA was extracted …

Female Acceptance Of Mates Is Consistent Across Different Sex Ratios And Male Proximities In Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica) Breeding Aggregations, Alia Kabbaj, Laura Bousaid, Gabriella Lowney, Lindsey Swierk

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Sexual selection plays a crucial role in shaping reproductive strategies. We investigated the influence of sex ratio and male proximity on female acceptance of mates in wood frogs (Rana sylvatica). We hypothesized that females at a more even sex ratio would exhibit higher acceptance of males due to reduced male competition when compared to females at a more male-skewed sex ratio. Using digital video analysis of mating trials (n = 39), we quantified male proximity to females and female acceptance of males at two sex ratios – 1:4 (F:M) and 1:7. Males at a 1:4 sex ratio maintained …

Classification Of Trematode Species Of Wisconsin Ducks Using Morphological And Molecular Methods, Athena B. Lueken, Isabella T. Xiong, William J. Harvey

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Trematoda is a class of flatworms and it encompasses approximately 20,000 species. Trematoda has two subclasses, Digenea and Aspedogastria. The families observed in this study were Echinostomatidae and Strigeidae from the subclass Digenea. Trematoda can be found in most species of animals, usually ingested from their food source. The Trematodes in this study were collected from three different duck species including Aythya affinis (Lesser Scaup,) Anas acuta (Pintail,) and Aix sponsa (Wood Duck) donated by hunters between 2023 and 2024. All ducks were harvested in the state of Wisconsin and the dissections were performed at Winona State University, Winona Minnesota. …

You Are What You Eat: Bioaccumulation Of Microplastics In The Food Chain, Audrianna Torrey

2025 Student Academic Showcase

Over the last century, the use and production of plastic has surged as demand for cost-effective alternatives to traditional materials has grown. While plastic has been extremely beneficial in reducing the cost of production while expanding the market, it has also created a global pollution crisis. By 2015, an estimated 6,300 million tons of plastic waste had been generated with nearly 80% accumulating in landfills and the environment. Over the last couple decades, researchers have begun to study the effects of plastic waste and its breakdown into microplastic on aquatic environments. Although not all organisms reside in water, every living-being, …

Efficiency Versus Quality: A Reflection On Making A Children’S Book, Elizabeth Diehl

Honors Projects

When first looking at a children’s book, it appears to be a simple creative project. However, when one finds out the components that go into making one, it becomes clear that simplicity is deceiving. Research, ideation, rough drafts, and scripts are just a few of the necessary components for the finished product, and each one of these components can take multiple days or weeks to complete. This essay is a reflection on my experience of creating a picture book in one semester as I attempt to answer the questions “What if the most efficient process for creating a children's picture …

Trace Element Contamination In The Coastal Gray Wolves Of Southeast Alaska, Miranda Brohman

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Gray wolves (Canis lupus), northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris) and salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) play vital roles in southeast Alaska, yet all are exposed to trace element (TE) bioaccumulation. This study examines dietary patterns and TE accumulation in four northern Lynn Canal wolf populations (Douglas Island, Juneau, Gustavus, and Pleasant Island) using stable isotope analysis (SIA) (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) and TE assessments. SIA revealed that wolves in Juneau and Douglas Island primarily consumed terrestrial prey, whereas wolves in Gustavus and Pleasant Island exhibited enriched isotopic signatures indicative of a marine-based diet, particularly …

A Population Study Of The Freshwater Turtles Of The Recently Expanded Lake Hydaway In Campbell County, Virginia, Joshua Sorenson

Senior Honors Theses

Freshwater turtles are an important part of the ecological systems in central Virginia. At the recently expanded Lake Hydaway, there are several turtle species for which their population characteristics were unknown, especially the prolific Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) and Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris). For five weeks, the lake was surveyed for turtles using hoop nets, and the turtles were marked and measured. Population characteristics such as carapace length and sex ratio for the Eastern Painted Turtle and Red-bellied Cooter were calculated, as well as population estimates for those two species. The Red-eared Slider ( …

Idh Status Dictates Ohsv Mediated Metabolic Reprogramming Affecting Anti-Tumor Immunity, Upasana Sahu, Matthew P Mullarkey, Sara A Murphy, Joshua C Anderson, Vasanta Putluri, Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, Jun Hyoung Park, Tae Jin Lee, Alexander L Ling, Benny A Kaipparettu, Ashok Sharma, Nagireddy Putluri, Pamela L Wenzel, Christopher D Willey, E Antonio Chiocca, James M Markert, Balveen Kaur

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Identification of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations has uncovered the crucial role of metabolism in gliomagenesis. Oncolytic herpes virus (oHSV) initiates direct tumor debulking by tumor lysis and activates anti-tumor immunity, however, little is known about the role of glioma metabolism in determining oHSV efficacy. Here we identify that oHSV rewires central carbon metabolism increasing glucose utilization towards oxidative phosphorylation and shuttling glutamine towards reductive carboxylation in IDH wildtype glioma. The switch in metabolism results in increased lipid synthesis and cellular ROS. PKC induces ACSL4 in oHSV treated cells leading to lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is critical to launch an …

Meta-Transcriptomes Of The Microbial Communities Of The Different Developmental Life Stages Of Anastrepha Ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae), Erin L. Schuenzel

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

The Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens, is a polyphagous pest that is a constant threat to US agriculture because of its proximity to citrus production in border region of the United States and Mexico. Sterile Insect Technique has been used to manage and eradicate of the Mexican Fruit Fly. SIT, however, requires millions of sterile male flies to be released each week from mass-rearing facilities. The mass-reared colonies must deal with microbial infections that reduce survivorship, fecundity and male-male competition. Meta-transcriptomics joins culturing and next generation DNA sequencing techniques to understand these changing microbial communities. This study uses advances …

Survey And Analysis Of Rumen Microbiota In Yaks At Different Growth Stages, Shengwei Jin, Xinyue Liu, Yin-Cang Han, Yong-Gang Sun, Wei-Qin Ding, Ya-Qian Liu, Fa-Jie Gou, Jian-Yu Chen

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study investigated changes in the richness and composition of the rumen microbiome in yaks at various developmental stages. Eighteen healthy male yaks at the ages of 5 months (M5), 12 months (M12), and 24 months (M24) had samples of their rumen digesta taken for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The 11087 amplicon sequence variations (ASVs) in total were found; the M5, M12, and M24 groups had 3585, 1146 and 5545 distinct ASVs, respectively. Alpha diversity indices Chao, Shannon, Sobs, and ace indicated significant differences among the groups. The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) indicated significant changes in microbial community composition across …

A Redescription Of Leiurus Libycus (Birula, 1908), Stat. N. (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, František Kovařík, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

Buthus quinquestriatus libycus was described by Birula (1908) from the Libyan Desert, based on a subadult male specimen. This taxon was later synonymized with Leiurus quinquestriatus (Ehrenberg, 1828) by Vachon (1949). In this study, we re-evaluate this taxon and recognize it as Leiurus libycus (Birula, 1908), stat. n., providing a redescription based on the holotype. The type locality of this species is clarified as western Egypt (between Alexandria and Fayum). We synonymize Leiurus aegyptiacus Lourenço & El-Hennawy, 2021 with L. libycus, stat. n., syn. n.

Exploring Neural Mechanisms Of Uncertainty Using Eye-Tracking, Olivia Barbarini

Neuroscience Program Student Scholarship

Olivia Barbarini ’26, Neuroscience major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Andra Geana, Neuroscience

The ability to successfully navigate uncertain environments is crucial to human decision-making; this project uses eye-tracking data (gaze and pupil measures) to test how people process perceptual and conceptual uncertainty, and to what extent anxiety influences these processes.

Demography And Habitat Associations Of The Basalt Cactus Pediocactus Nigrispinus, Zarha S. Dillon-Zuppelli, Mary E. Poulson, Eric A. Graham

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Cacti are iconic members of arid ecosystems. Pediocactus nigrispinus is a species of cactus endemic to the Pacific Northwest and has been listed as a sensitive species due to its vulnerability to habitat loss. Best conservation methods for this species are poorly understood, due in part to a limited understanding of its demography and habitat associations that may help define its occurrence. A demographic study from four plots in Washington State was implemented in 2016 to provide a baseline of the population dynamics for P. nigrispinus and to enhance conservation efforts for this sensitive species. Five years of size, fecundity, …

Data From: The Dynamic Responses Of The Mouse Gut Microbiome To Dietary Supplementation With Various Anthocyanin-Rich Foods In The Context Of A Western Diet, Abby D. Benninghoff

Browse all Datasets

Background/Objectives: Anthocyanin (ACN)-rich foods may support gut health by modulating the microbiome and reducing inflammation, potentially lowering the risk of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. However, the dynamic response of the gut microbiome to ACN-rich diets is not well characterized, including in the context of structural and compositional differences among ACN-containing foods. This study examined the temporal response of the mouse gut microbiome to dietary ACNs, focusing on the impact of structural variation. We hypothesized that microbiome shifts would occur rapidly but require sustained dietary ACN intake to persist. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed the total Western diet (TWD) supplemented with freeze-dried …

Quantifying The Relationship Between Biomass And Edna​, Andrew K. Hogan

Biology Student Scholarship

Andrew K. Hogan ’27, Environmental Biology and English Literature major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Markert, Biology

In this project, we compared eDNA concentration in water to the biomass of present creatures and the time the eDNA in each sample took to decay. With this data, standard curves for both variables can be created and can be used for future experiments and field research. This data will give researchers a greater level of understanding about what animal populations might look like based on the eDNA obtained.

Effects Of Hyperglycemia In Cognition And Sex, Erin E. Mcdonald

Senior Honors Theses

An empirical study tested the effects of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) on cognitive function in a hyperglycemic mouse model. Strong correlations between mental illnesses, such as major depressive disorder, neuropathologies like Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes suggest comorbid pathology. Considering the prevalence of both T1D and cognitive decline within the general population, the findings were relevant and aimed to identify early signs of cognitive decline in diabetic patients. Behavioral tests and immunohistochemical staining were utilized to determine the cognitive function of the mice, revealing decline or deterioration caused by hyperglycemia. Data gathered from the hyperglycemic or control mice were analyzed based …

The Employment Of Apoptosis In Embryonic Development, Hannah R. Fioramonti

Senior Honors Theses

Programmed cell death is necessary for the elimination of excess or damaged cells in all stages of life, but this is especially true during embryonic and fetal development of mammals. Beginning before implantation and continuing until birth, both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis are employed within mammalian embryos to ensure the viability of the organism, proper organ morphogenesis, integrity of the genetic material, and the high quality of the germ line. The formation of both transient and permanent ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal structures often involves apoptosis. In this review, a selection of apoptotic events within each germ layer and occurrences of …

Diversity And Habitat Use Of Bats In Modified Suburban Landscapes, Brittany Morgera

Biology Presentations

Bats occupy critical ecological niches and perform important ecosystem services like controlling insect populations. However, humans have altered bat habitat substantially, resulting in the reduction of bat populations. The goals of this research are to assess bat diversity and habitat use across different levels of suburban habitat modification. To accomplish this, we deployed passive acoustic recorders at twelve locations with varying human impact in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In accordance with The North American Bat Monitoring Program’s standards, acoustic analysis software was used to identify bat species. Manual identification methods from The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative were used to verify these …

Passive Integrated Transponders: An Effective Marking Technique For Individual Identification Of Anaxyrus Fowleri?, Emily Leprell

Honors College Theses

With the rise of fungal disease such as Chytridiomycosis, known as chytrid, causing massive population declines for many species of frogs and toads (order Anura), specific conservation strategies are needed now more than ever. In many cases, being able to mark and identify individuals is a necessary step in developing an effective conservation plan. Individual identification allows researchers to obtain accurate population estimates, which are needed to test the progress and validity of conservation management decisions. However, due to their unique life history, including cutaneous respiration and a dichotomous lifestyle, anurans are among the most difficult wildlife species to …

Assessing Innovations In Wildlife Monitoring: Estimating Abundance And Inferring Parturition Of Ungulates With Technology, Elicia Cotcher

Theses and Dissertations

Enhancements in technology are creating opportunities for novel methods of wildlife monitoring. Traditional methods of wildlife monitoring are often costly or time-consuming, and new technological advancements such as remote cameras and GPS collars are creating opportunities for exploration as these technologies become more accessible and reliable. We sought to assess the efficacy of two novel methods of ungulate monitoring. The first is an abundance estimation method using remote cameras termed Instantaneous Sampling (IS). IS seeks to estimate abundance using time lapsed remote cameras on a population of unmarked individuals. Our goal was to compare IS estimations against the true observed …

Effects Of Novel Fire Regimes On Plant And Animal Communities, Ryan Pienaar

Theses and Dissertations

Human actions are threatening global biodiversity through changes to ecosystems to which species are not well adapted. One of the main pathways by which humans affect change is through altered disturbance regimes. This includes changes in the size, frequency, and severity of wildfires. The impact of wildfires on native plant and animal communities varies across ecosystems as species in a community have adapted relatively predictable fire patterns over time. Changing fire patterns alters successional dynamics that can favor certain species over others and thus have a negative impact on biodiversity. This dissertation evaluates responses of different plant and animal species …

Retrospective Analysis Of Cement Extravasation Rates In Vertebroplasty, Kyphoplasty, And Bone Tumor Radiofrequency Ablation, Soun Sheen, Prit Hasan, Xiaowen Sun, Jian Wang, Claudio Tatsui, Kent Nouri, Saba Javed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Percutaneous vertebral augmentation techniques, including vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and bone tumor radiofrequency ablation (BT-RFA), are commonly used to treat painful vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). While generally safe and effective, they carry risks, including cement extravasation, which can lead to pulmonary embolism or spinal cord compression. This study aims to compare the rate of cement extravasation across different vertebral augmentation techniques and identify potential risk factors.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a comprehensive cancer center on 1002 procedure encounters in 888 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation for painful VCFs. Data were collected on patient demographics, fracture pathology, procedure …

Exploring Ddr2’S Role In Caf Extracellular Matrix Production And Tumor Progression, Favour Ayomide Akinjiyan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer has poor survival outcomes particularly for advanced stage, metastatic disease. Metastasis is promoted by interactions of stromal cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME), with tumor cells. CAFs play a key role in tumor progression by remodeling the TME and extracellular matrix (ECM) to result in a more permissive environment for tumor progression. It has been shown that fibroblasts, in particular myofibroblasts, utilize metabolism to support ECM remodeling. However, the intricate mechanisms by which CAFs support collagen production and tumor progression are poorly understood. In this study, we show that the fibrillar collagen receptor, …

A Natural Short Sleep Mutation Promotes Longevity Through Mitochondrial Respiration In Drosophila, Pritika Pandey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aging is an irreversible process characterized by progressive physiological decline and an increased risk of metabolic disorders, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegeneration. Disruptions to the circadian clock—whether due to genetic mutations or behavioral factors—accelerate aging and age-related pathologies, highlighting a strong link between circadian regulation and longevity. However, certain individuals harbor a dec2^P384R mutation, which enables natural short sleep without the detrimental effects of chronic sleep deprivation. This suggests that these individuals have evolved adaptations that activate pro-health pathways, allowing them to function optimally with reduced sleep. To investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying these changes, we developed a …

Crossword: Test Your Biology!, Sukie Weinger

Osmosis Magazine

Biology themed Crossword Puzzle.

Intelligence Without An 'I': "I Think, Therefore I Am", Darshan Shah

Osmosis Magazine

From Billie Eilish hits to corny Pinterest tattoos, Rene Descartes’ famous dictum is embedded in modern Western consciousness. But, like all philosophy, it operates within a paradigm of assumptions about the world that remain open to challenge. Over centuries of Cartesian influence, these assumptions have become invisible in our philosophies and sciences, informing the very questions we ask about intelligence and where we search for it in the world.

A New Centruroides Species And First Record Of C. Tapachulaensis Hoffmann, 1932 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Honduras, Luis F. De Armas, Alex M. Cubas-Rodríguez

Euscorpius

A new species of striped bark scorpions, Centruroides lenca sp. n. is described, based on both sexes, from the Pacayita Volcano Biological Reserve (2,385 m a. s. l.), Ocotepeque Department, in the southwestern Honduras. By its general pattern, the new species resembles C. thorellii (Kraepelin, 1891), from which it clearly differs by having stronger and very darker pedipalp chelae, minute subaculear tubercle and basal pectinal plate with a large central pit in the female, among other diagnostic characters. Also, Centruroides tapachulaensis Hoffmann, 1932 is recorded for the first time from Honduras, on the basis of two observed or collected specimens …

Nature’S Menu: The Science Behind The Raw Dog Food Movement And How To Safely Add Raw Meat To Your Dog’S Diet, Finn Bush, Kate Padilla, Grace Mynatt

The Agora

The raw dog food movement has become increasingly popular among the dog owner community, gaining attention primarily on social media platforms. This article discusses the motivations, ethics, and proper food safety involved in feeding canines raw meat. Despite common belief, dogs have deviating needs from their wolf ancestors, therefore, while feeding a raw meat diet looks more “natural” there are serious unintended consequences of improperly utilizing raw meat. This article takes a comprehensive look into what the benefits and drawbacks of raw feeding may be, how to be responsible if choosing to convert to the raw feed method, and overall …

Methamphetamine Effects On The Striatal Neuroimmune System, Hillary Adelaide Wadsworth

Theses and Dissertations

Dopamine is thought of as the reward molecule of the brain, and while it does deal with reward, it is also associated with motivation and crucial for controlled movement. There are two main dopaminergic systems in the brain, the nigrostriatal system, which originates in the substantia nigra compacta and projects dopamine into the dorsal striatum; and the mesolimbic system, which originates in the ventral tegmental area and projects dopamine into the nucleus accumbens. While the mesolimbic dopamine system deals with motivation and reward, the nigrostriatal pathway underlies movement. Microglia are the immune cells of the brain and are incredibly dynamic. …