Digital Commons Network^™

The Number Of Fixed Points Of And-Or Networks With Chain Topology, Lauren Geiser

Honors Theses

Boolean networks are sets of Boolean functions, which are functions that contain Boolean variables and the logical operators AND, OR, and NOT. In the simple case, the variables can be in one of two states—either 1 or 0, which can be interpreted in different ways such as ON or OFF, or TRUE or FALSE, depending on the application. Arranging model systems into Boolean functions, we can study steady states of these networks. This refers to the overall state of the dynamical system given an initial condition and another theoretical condition such as a subsequent point in time. Boolean networks have …

Pathogenic Differences In Listeria Monocytogenes 10403s And Cardiotropic Strains Grown Under Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions, Alexander Hayes

Honors Theses

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacillus that is commonly associated with foodborne illness. It is a facultative intracellular pathogen responsible for causing the listeriosis infection in humans which is particularly dangerous to immunocompromised individuals. L. monocytogenes pathogenesis occurs through a series of complex interactions between host and bacterial cellular machinery. The wild-type strain as well as a cardiotropic strain with high affinity for infecting cardiac tissue were used to investigate pathogenesis in L. monocytogenes. Specifically, the Listeriolysin O protein that is critical for virulence was investigated. Aerobic and anaerobic growth environments as well as short-chain fatty acid supplementation were utilized …

Drosophila Tumor Mosaic Models To Study Intercellular Interaction, Minh T.D. Ho

Honors Theses

Drosophila is a powerful genetic model system to study cancer. In patients, a small number of mutations accumulate in cells that change their growth characteristics and eventually lead to the formation of tumors. These tumors are clonal in origin, meaning the cancer arose from the proliferation of a single rogue cell. We have developed similar "clonal" cancer models in the Drosophila brain to study how tumor cells interact among each other and with their neighbors. To study such interactions, we need to tag the tumor cells and their neighboring cells. Such differentially marked clone-pairs or ‘twin-spots’ are ideal for genetic …

Cortisol Regulation Of Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 Protein Expression In The Erythrocytes Of The Freeze Tolerant Tree Frog Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Maria P. Labello

Honors Theses

Dryophytes chrysoscelis, commonly known as Cope’s gray treefrog, is a freeze tolerant anuran that freezes up to 65% of extracellular fluid during winter to survive. Glycerol is presumably used as a cryoprotectant during a period of cold-acclimation to protect cells from permanent damage due to hypoosmotic stress upon freezing and thawing. The passage of glycerol and water during cold-acclimation is mediated through aquaglyceroporin HC-3 in the nucleated erythrocytes (RBCs) of D. chrysoscelis. This thesis analyzes the mechanisms in which D. chrysoscelis prepares for cold-acclimation and glycerol synthesis. Cortisol is a stress hormone known to respond to osmolarity and metabolic challenges …

Analysis And Review Of The Effects Of Bacterial Competition On Efflux Pump Inhibition, Robert Leszcynski

Honors Theses

Multidrug resistant antibacterial strains are a dangerous problem for modern medical professionals. When cells of two different strains are grown together, they must compete with each other for nutrients. This competition can lead to the production of harmful compounds that are toxic to the competing strain. One such compound may be a compound that inhibits the efflux of antibiotics from the cell. When the cells compete with one another, one or both of the cells will produce compounds that are harmful to the competing strain.

Tracking Disparate Colony Morphological Trends With Thermus Scotoductus, Matthew P. Leverick

Honors Theses

When plating most mesophilic bacteria, the colony shape, size, and color tends to be uniform when a single strain is present. When plating defined cell densities of T. scotoductus, however, the colonies were not of uniform size and shape while it grew on the surface. In this project, we sought to observe trends in colony morphology (shape and size) changes using the thermophile Thermus scotoductus on nutrient rich agar plates at 60°C. A general planktonic growth curve was also created to help characterize the activity of this bacterium. This project was our first attempt to characterize if this unusual phenomenon …

Maternal Depression, Child Temperament, And Risk For Depression In Adolescence A Test Of The Differential Susceptibility Hypothesis, Karina Palermo

Honors Theses

This study examines the relationship between maternal depression and offspring risk for depression. A child's difficult temperament may be especially challenging for a depressed mother. The depression, in combination with child difficult temperament, may cause changes in parenting styles that put the child at a greater risk for depression. The purpose of this study is to examine whether links between maternal depression, maternal parenting, and offspring risk for depression in adolescence vary according to child difficult temperament. It is predicted that maternal depression will be more strongly predictive of parenting deficits for mothers of children with difficult temperament. Furthermore, consistent …

Establishing The Effect Of Ethanol On Listeria Infection, Ryan Evan Restrepo

Honors Theses

Excessive alcohol consumption is common in the United States, particularly among college campuses. Previous studies have shown that excessive drinking increases the risk of drug dependency, sexual assault and liver damage. Heavy drinking has also proven to impact immune capabilities. Immune cell function and numbers have been shown to be negatively impacted by alcohol treatment. This research project used different cell cultures to model human cells and investigated how exposure to alcohol affects susceptibility to bacterial infection. Listeria monocytogenes, a common foodborne bacterium, was used as a model pathogen. A high alcohol preferring mouse model was also used to examine …

Flourishing The Urban Environment: How Urban Gardens Affect Pollinators, Emily Ann Rickert

Honors Theses

The order of Hymenoptera is classified as bees, wasps, and ants and are widely recognized as pollinators. Some species of bees (family Apoidea) and hoverflies tend to focus on certain types of flowers and are attracted to patterns and colors. Native plants and crops that are specifically bee-friendly can encourage bees and other pollinators that are decreasing in biodiversity and population to come back. Urban gardens work to provide vegetables and organic produce to its communities and subsequently are also growing pollinator-friendly food. This study focuses on whether the biodiversity of Hymenoptera, hoverflies, and other significant pollinators are affected by …

The Effects Of L. Rhamnosus Consumption On Male Long Evans Rat Anxiety-Like Behavior, Amanda Marie Schleper

Honors Theses

Adolescent stress in humans has been correlated with an increased likelihood of an individual to develop an alcohol use disorder later in life. Literature has demonstrated that rats subjected to adolescent stress tend to show an increased preference and consumption of ethanol. Adolescence is a critical time of development. The link between adolescent stressors and alcohol use disorders is not fully understood yet. This study examined the relationship between adolescent stress and alcohol consumption and preference in rats. Probiotics are bacteria with potential health benefits and have been well accepted as a dietary supplement. Literature shows that probiotics could decrease …

The Vascular Flora Of Bill Yeck Park: Supporting The Conservation Of Local Biodiversity, Taylor Sparbanie

Honors Theses

Maintaining and fostering biodiversity is a critical component of natural areas management and conservation because of its known links to ecosystem function and stability. Identifying and documenting species through a floristic inventory is an important strategy for detecting the presence of rare or unique species, as well as invasive species that pose a threat to biodiversity. Bill Yeck Park is a 194-acre nature park maintained by Centerville-Washington Park District and is largely surrounded by residential areas. The goal of this project was to generate list of vascular plant species for Bill Yeck Park, a large park within the Centerville-Washington Township …

In The Face Of Antimicrobialsfactors Contributing To Listeria Monocytogenes Survival And Development Of Resistance, Andrea M. Vietti

Honors Theses

Bacterial antibiotic resistance is on an alarming rise worldwide, thus posing an urgent threat to human health. The rise in antibiotic resistance can be attributed to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both the healthcare and agricultural industries. In order to address this concern, this research aimed to identify environmental conditions that may lead to the development of antibiotic resistance in Listeria monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen capable of causing the disease listeriosis and is especially dangerous for immunocompromised populations. Although infected individuals are treated with antibiotics, an alarmingly high mortality rate of 20 percent still persists; …

Proteogenomic Mapping Of Gossypium Mustelinum Leaf, Heather Leanne White

Honors Theses

Cotton, having a production value of $7.2 billion in 2017, is one of the most valuable crops in the United States. While not a fiber-producing species, the wild Brazilian tetraploid Gossypium mustelinum may produce a hybrid with exceptionally long fibers if crossed with G. hirsutum, one of the most commonly cultivated species. For the first time, presented here is the global proteome profile of the G. mustelinum leaf which may be used as a reference in future studies. Proteins were extracted from three individual G. mustelinum plants. To maximize protein coverage, two sample preparation techniques were utilized: size-based fractionation by …

Global And Gene-Specific Regulation In Freeze-Tolerant Anuran Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Elizabeth Claire Sinnathamby

Honors Theses

Cope’s Gray Treefrog, Dryophytes chysoscelis, seasonally tolerates freezing. During this process, it is subject to cellular stress from factors such as metabolic starvation, DNA damage, toxin accumulation (from cellular metabolism), and the risk of protein misfolding. Preliminary transcriptome data indicates that many mRNA transcripts vary in relative abundance within hepatocytes of D. chrysoscelis during discrete periods of warm acclimation, cold acclimation, freezing, and thawing. Physiological changes that occur in this frog are likely the result of epigenetic regulation—an alteration in gene expression that does not influence DNA sequence. This modification in gene expression can be observed by the subsequent change …

Nitrate Contaminant Tracing In Surface And Groundwater In The Great Miami River Watershed: Environmental Isotope Approach, Rachel Kristine Buzeta

Honors Theses

The global population has increased exponentially causing several challenges surrounding sustainability, including greater food production needs. To meet these demands and boost agricultural productivity, more efficient practices and fertilizers are used. Synthetic fertilizers and other nutrient sources have resulted in water quality degradation and pollution. Much of the Great Miami River Watershed’s streams and aquifers in southwestern Ohio are affected by nitrate contaminants originating from anthropogenic sources including synthetic and organic fertilizer used for agriculture, human wastes (domestic, industrial, and municipal wastes), and urbanization. High nitrate concentrations cause ecological disturbances across all trophic levels. Nitrate levels greater than 10 mg/L …

Relationship Of Mastication Rate And Body Length In West Indian Manatees, Adam Weir

Honors Theses

This study investigates the intraspecific relationship between body length and chewing cycle duration (CCD) among West Indian manatees (Trichechus  manatus).  We recorded 18 captive manatees of varying body lengths consuming two food types.  Additionally, nine of these manatees were recorded on two separate occasions, six years apart, allowing us to control for individual variation to test whether CCD increases as the manatees grow.  CCD was determined from the recordings using Raven Pro 1.5 bioacoustic analysis software.  Food type (r=0.78, p=6.8x10-5, n=17) and body length (r=0.53, p=0.033, n=17) significantly affected CCD.  Manatees chew at a consistent rate, so it may be …

Stigma Mitigation Through Fine Arts, Kendall Owens

Honors Theses

Social stigma has plagued our society for centuries. It isolates groups of people based on erroneously defined characteristics causing stigmatized persons to be viewed as socially “abnormal”. This debarment from full social acceptance results in poor population health and well-being. Fine arts have been an integral component of society since the beginning of civilization; current and past research have found involvement in fine arts to improve health and well-being in many ways. In this project, relevant studies related to stigma, fine arts, and population health will be reviewed to support the argument that “fine arts combat and mitigate the …

An Analysis Of The Developmental Enrichment Of The Seattle Children's Playgarden, Caitlin Koob

Honors Theses

This paper analyzes the opportunities for developmental enrichment, as provided by the Seattle Children’s PlayGarden, from the perspective of occupational therapy. The PlayGarden, located in Seattle, Washington, is an inclusive playground, preschool, and summer camp that promotes inclusion of children with disabilities. The analysis highlights each area of occupation, as identified in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, and discusses the garden’s contribution to facilitate growth in those specific skills (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014). The intentionality of the design and program structure advocates for children to maximize their independence in activities of daily living, despite the play-based approach. …

Predator Diet Affects Perceived Oviposition Site Quality For Mosquitoes, Brandon Mcdaniel

Honors Theses

Ovipositing freshwater organisms rely primarily on cues to determine site quality (Silberbush and Blaustein 2008) and to select an ideal habitat for their offspring (Resetarits 2014). Characteristics of high quality oviposition sites that yield the greatest fitness for offspring include the absence of predators and high resource availability that allows for optimal growth and development (Kershenbaum et al. 2012). It has been shown that predator presence is a large deterrent of oviposition due to threats of offspring survival, however, there is a little information about the predatory cues mosquitoes experience before ovipositing (Angelon and Petranka 2002). One hypothesis is that …

Against The Young, Starry Background: A Critical Analysis Of A Creative Work In The Context Of Its Genres, Todd Kleiboer

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of The Possible Link Between Masculinity And Aggression Among College Football Players, Leanna Brown

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Iron Geochemistry Of Terrestrial Aerosol Sources To The Subarctic Pacific Ocean, Meg Yoder

Honors Theses

Wind-blown dust and volcanic ash deposited in high nutrient, low chlorophyll (HNLC) regions can fertilize phytoplankton by providing iron and other trace nutrients, in turn impacting ecosystems as well as the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. The second largest HNLC region in the world is the northeastern subarctic Pacific. Aeolian transport to this region deposits lithogenic material including desert-derived dust from Asia, glacier-derived dust from Alaska and northwestern Canada, and volcanic ash from Eurasia and North America.

This research aims to assess the geochemistry of aerosol sources to the northeastern subarctic Pacific in relation to the biological availability of iron. …

Assessing The Invasive Potential Of Najas Minor In Maine, Kaitlin M. Volk

Honors Theses

Najas minor (European naiad), a relatively new invasive aquatic plant to the state of Maine, is thought be spreading more aggressively than previous invasive aquatic plants have. Once established, N. minor grows into dense monocultures that replace all native plant species, leading to a disruption in ecosystem functioning, a loss in food and habitat for invertebrates and fish, and a decrease in the recreational value of a waterbody. Understanding the natural history of N. minor – how it is dispersed and how long seeds can survive – is important for understanding the invasive potential of the species. However, no previous …

Biodiversity And Distribution Of Benthic Foraminifera In Harrington Sound, Bermuda: The Effects Of Physical And Geochemical Factors On Dominant Taxa, Nam Le

Honors Theses

Harrington Sound, Bermuda, is a nearly enclosed lagoon acting as a subtropical/tropical, carbonate-rich basin in which carbonate sediments, reef patches, and carbonate-producing organisms accumulate. Here, one of the most important calcareous groups is the Foraminifera. Analyses of common benthic orders, including miliolids (Quinqueloculina and Triloculina spp.) and rotaliids (Homotrema rubrum, Elphidium spp., and Ammonia beccarii), are essential in understanding past and present environmental conditions affecting the island's coastal environment. These taxa have been studied previously; however, factors explaining their individual patterns of abundance in the Sound are not well detailed. The goal of this study is …

Algorithmic Surveillance: A Hidden Danger In Recognizing Faces, Lydia F. Venditti, Jim Fleming, Kara Kugelmeyer

Honors Theses

The goal of this thesis is to present the current status and awareness of facial recognition technology and their use as part of video surveillance systems. Specifically, I intend to help readers develop a greater understanding of how facial recognition systems contain algorithms that perpetuate bias in their matching and recognition of faces. Current research demonstrates that algorithms differentially recognize faces from different races and genders. As a technology with substantive impacts for use and abuse, more scrutiny of facial recognition technology is necessary. This paper will also help readers understand the dangers of facial recognition as a biometric technology …

Insects And The Evolution Of Developmental Pathways: Functional Analysis Of Genetic Sex Determination Mechanisms In Oncopeltus Fasciatus, Josefine Just

Honors Theses

Natural selection alters genetic pathways over evolutionary time. However, different pathways have been shown to maintain mutations at varying rates, leading to different levels of conservation across developmental pathways. Sex determination pathways, in particular, show vast diversity across animals despite the fundamental conservation of biological sex itself. Here, I investigated the sex determination pathway of the hemimetabolous insect, Oncopeltus fasciatus. The large milkweed bug, O. fasciatus, is part of the order Hemiptera, which provides a relevant outgroup study to other insects in which sex determination has been studied to date. I studied three sex determination genes, intersex, fruitless …

A Reciprocal Reaction: The Ussr Chemical Weapons Program And Its Influence On Soviet Society Through Three Civilian Groups, Yun Zhang

Honors Theses

Since its first mass application in 1915, chemical weapons (CW) have tolled thousands of lives both on and off the battle field. The USSR, despite its weak industrial basis and a late-starter in the field of chemical weaponry, held the largest stockpile of CW by the conclusion of the twentieth century. While the military and political implications of the USSR CW stockpiles have been relatively well-studied, its domestic and internal effect also deserve thorough investigations. Through diaries, letters, and memoirs of the USSR civilians who had suffered from, worked for, and/or supported the CW program, this research looked into the …

Development Of A Chemical Genetic Screen To Identify Compounds That Enhance Laromustine Cytotoxicity, Xiaoou Wang

Honors Theses

Laromustine is a chemotherapeutic sulfonylhydrazine prodrug used in clinical trials against acute myeloid leukemia. Though laromustine showed some success in clinical trials, more experiments are needed to understand the hematological toxicity and the molecular mechanisms of patients’ resistance. This project aims to develop a strategy to identify compounds synergistic with laromustine in cultured leukemia cells from a library of 450 FDA-approved compounds through a forward chemical genetic screen. To optimize the screen, the cell seeding density, doubling time, and dose response curves were determined. The optimized concentration of HL60 cells in these experiments was determined to be between 25,000 and …

Tracking The Endangered Northern Black Racer, Coluber Constrictor Constrictor, In Maine To Determine Areas Of Conservation Importance, Josiah Johnson

Honors Theses

The Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) is a large-bodied snake species found across North America. One subspecies, the Northern Black Racer (C. constrictor constrictor) is listed as endangered in Maine because of its restricted range in York County. Racers have generally been found to prefer open habitats and ecotones, but the specific habitat preferences of racers in Maine is unknown, hindering efforts to preserve habitat for racer conservation. To address this knowledge gap, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) has an ongoing project tracking black racer movements in Sanford and Kennebunk, Maine, and I had the opportunity to …

The Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Pipeline: Attitudes, Symbolism, And Geography, Catherine W. Fraser

Honors Theses

Oil pipelines, such as the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, are increasingly controversial and contested in the United States. Since its proposal in 2015, the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement (L3R) pipeline in Minnesota has also generated considerable debate. People who support and oppose oil pipeline projects are influenced by their ideologies, core values, partisan learnings, age, identity, and place attachment, as well as their proximity to new energy projects. However, the ability of any one variable, like spatial proximity or age, to predict attitudes towards new energy projects is debated. I conducted a literature review on attitudes towards energy …