Digital Commons Network^™

Characterization Of P43lgrn-3, Kelly G. Hill

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by extensive memory loss and cognitive deficits, which occur due to severe neuronal loss. Two hallmark lesions, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau and extracellular neuritic plaques formed by the aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ), are responsible for the progressive neuronal loss seen in AD brains. Neurotoxic Aβ aggregates are also known to cause inflammation within the brain. It has recently come to light that severe and acute inflammation, such as seen in traumatic brain injury (TBI), may also lead to AD-type dementia. This has raised the question whether some of …

Exploring The Moderating Effects Of Drinking Context On The Relationship Between Harmful Drinking And Risky Sexual Behaviors Among College Females, Lauren A. Gardner

Honors Theses

Females are engaging in harmful amounts of drinking at higher rates than ever before. Because these rates are increasing, studying harmful drinking in the college female population is imperative. Previous studies have noted that an increase in harmful drinking correlates positively with an increase in risky sexual behavior. Although these correlations are evident, no previous study has looked at drinking context as a moderator between these two variables. The current study examined the degree to which drinking context moderates the relationship between harmful drinking and risky sexual behavior in college females. This study consisted of 387 female college students ages …

Physiological Effects Of A Novel Fes Cycling Protocol On A 34-Year-Old Individual With Chronic Paraplegia, Kay Ann Simmons

Honors Theses

Background and Purpose: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at a higher risk of sedentarism and the health risks that are associated with inactivity (Gorgey, Dolbow, Dolbow, Khalil & Gater, 2015). Because this population has limited exercise options due to paralysis, a new protocol of resistance-guided, high intensity interval training functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling was developed to allow people with SCI to utilize their paralyzed legs as opposed to their overused arms. This new protocol is important as it provides an opportunity to restore body composition to a more favorable muscle to fat ratio decreasing obesity and increasing …

Predatory Nature And Food Preferences Among Captive Otolemur Garnettii, Morgan N. Ruby

Honors Theses

Observing the predatory nature in primates has yielded knowledge pertaining to their biology and evolutionary pathways; however, not many studies have focused on the complexities of their food preferences. This thesis focuses on food preferences among Garnett’s Greater Bushbaby (Otolemur garnettii): a small-bodied nocturnal primate native to Central and Southern Africa. Presented food options were raisins: dried mealworms and raisins: live mealworms. The population consists of fifteen bushbabies housed in The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Primate Behavior Research Facility. Ten trials of three different experiments were performed to identify the dominant hand and food preferences among the …

Comparison Of Suicidality Among Heterosexual And Sexual Minority Individuals, Ashley R. Pate

Honors Theses

Previous research suggests that sexual minority individuals have a higher risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than do heterosexual individuals. Little research has been done to determine what may cause these differences and how living in a conservative region may contribute to it. This study sought to compare risk factors for suicidal ideation among heterosexual and sexual minority college students in southern Mississippi. To do so, suicidal ideation was examined, as well as thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB) – two robust predictors of suicidal ideation. It was hypothesized that sexual minorities would have elevated TB, PB, and …

Language Attitudes And The Learning Environment: The Effects Of Regional Dialect On Perceptions Of Teacher Credibility, Marissa C. Mcgillis

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate how differences in regional dialect affect students’ perceptions of teacher credibility. In a broader sense, the research aimed to improve teacher-student interactions by identifying communication barriers created through cultural differences. 109 students at the University of Southern Mississippi who identified as natives to the American South participated in the study. 52 of the participants listened to a lecture given by a Standard American English speaker, and the other 57 participants listened to the same lecture delivered in American Southern English. Both groups completed a survey with twelve seven-point semantic differential scales, measuring …

An Analysis Of Visitor Safety In The Natchez Trace Parkway, Devin S. Mcgee

Honors Theses

The following study focuses on the safety of visitors travelling the Natchez Trace Parkway and their general safety while on Parkway property. The aim of the study was to conduct qualitative research in order to assess the hazards and risks that may befall the visitors of the Natchez Trace Parkway and how to combat these risks in the most direct way possible. A sample of recreational and law enforcement rangers took part in a questionnaire regarding their opinions of the level of safety at the park, and a diluted risk assessment was conducted while travelling through the section of the …

Phylogenetic Relationships Of The Genera Of Achariaceae Based On Analyses Of Morphological And Dna Data, Corey L. Pagart

Honors Theses

Achariaceae are a mostly tropical family of flowering plants consisting of about 29 genera and 150 species of trees and shrubs. Although they are closely related to passionflowers (Passifloraceae), violets (Violaceae), and willows and cottonwoods (Salicaceae), phylogenetic relationships of the genera remain unclear because the only studies have been focused on particular genera or had limited sampling. Few studies of the family in general have been conducted, except for some on species that produce chaulmoogra oil, a commonly used historical treatment for leprosy. For my study, I investigated the relationships of the genera within the family using morphological and molecular …

Effects Of Marsh Fragmentation And Patch Area On Fish And Nekton Assemblages In Mississippi, Jennifer R. Main

Honors Theses

Fragmentation divides continuous habitat into smaller patches. Fragmentation can also produce smaller populations of species, because fragmentation can split a population into smaller groups. Both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems suffer from fragmentation. There are a variety of fishes that live along marsh, each depending upon the marsh for protection, food, and sometimes even competition. Species richness of fishes can be altered due to marsh fragmentation. I predict islands with a larger patch index should have a higher species richness of fishes. For this study, fish assemblages at 20 islands of marsh were sampled in the months of June and July …

Effects Of Temperature Gradient, Substrate Composition, And Canopy Cover On The Spatial Distribution Of Topminnow Species: Fundulus Notatus And Fundulus Olivaceus, Austin M. King

Honors Theses

Hybrid zones are locations where two interbreeding species coexist and hybridize. The spatial distribution of ecologically similar species is of primary interest in understanding the formation and stability of hybrid zones. These hybrid zones are of significance as they allow for insight into how speciation occurs naturally within the environment. A variety of factors may play a role in determining the spatial distributions of species within hybrid zones. Examples of these factors include variations in temperature gradients, substrate composition, and changes in canopy cover. Fundulus olivaceus and Fundulus notatus are generally found within upstream and downstream habitats respectfully. These habitats …

Paleoecological Analysis Of The Clayton Formation (Paleocene) Near Malvern, Arkansas, Brenna J. Hart

Honors Theses

The Clayton Formation is a section of the Midway Group immediately above the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary that contains marine fossils from the Paleocene Epoch. The formation is composed of glauconitic sand, clay, marl, and limestone. Fossils within the formation commonly occur in clay or are concentrated in conglomeratic lag lenses. To assess paleoecology of the region during the Paleocene, the Clayton Formation was sampled for fossil content at a distinctly visible exposure along Interstate 30 near Malvern, Arkansas, that was excavated as part of a landslide mitigation project. Complimentary sites were sampled nearby along the Ouachita River and behind a shopping …

The Preparation Of Synthetic Myod Mrna For Cellular Differentiation And Innate Immune Response Downstream Application, James D. Grenn

Honors Theses

The development of therapeutic immune responses from the manipulation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) via induction of synthetic RNA with 5’ capped and 3’ poly(A)tailed ends would lead to development of stem cell therapy. A necessary step in attaining such a goal is to first produce an mRNA transcript from a plasmid containing the open reading frame (ORF) for a transcription factor for cellular activation.

In this research, the DNA plasmid pMD4 encoding MyoD was transcribed into synthetic mRNA. The plasmid was first amplified using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and analyzed using gel electrophoresis. The amplified template was purified via …

A Survey Of Lake Thoreau’S Benthic Invertebrate Community, Elizabeth A. Dobronski

Honors Theses

This survey was conducted at the Lake Thoreau Environmental Center in Hattiesburg, MS. It began with four benthic samples taken in the deep area of the lake as well as four taken in the lake’s shallow area. Samples were taken with a 6”x6” Ekman Grab Sampler and filtered through a U.S. standard 30 mesh sieve (openings = 0.6 mm). The samples were initially stored in formaldehyde for 24 hours, and then transferred into ethanol. In the laboratory, macroinvertebrates were picked out of the samples while viewing the samples through a dissecting microscope. High densities of the phantom midge Chaoborus larvae …

Altering The Structure Of Carboxysomal Carbonic Anhydrase Csosca To Determine The Necessity Of The N-Terminal Domain In Csosca Function, Dana L. Dillistone

Honors Theses

In this project, a DNA construct was designed and developed to remove the first fifty amino acids of the CsoSCA protein in the chemolithotrophic bacterium Halothiobacillus neapolitanus. The csoS3 gene codes for a carbonic anhydrase enzyme (CsoSCA) that is unique to a structure called a carboxysome. Carboxysomes are polyhedral microcompartments where carbon fixation is housed. The carbonic anhydrase is a shell-associated protein that improves the catalytic efficiency of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), the enzyme that catalyzes the fixation of carbon. By deleting the first fifty amino acids of the carbonic anhydrase, the necessity of the amino acids in carboxysome function was …

Phylogenetic Relationships Of Salicaceae Based On Analyses Of Nuclear Dna Data, John Marshall Diffey

Honors Theses

Salicaceae are an economically and ecologically important family of flowering plants. The family includes willows and cottonwoods and was recently enlarged to include a large number of tropical species formerly placed in the family Flacourtiaceae. Relationships of these tropical relatives to willows and cottonwoods have been explored at a basic level using morphology and plastid DNA data, but to date no molecular phylogenies have been constructed with significant sampling of nuclear DNA, which sometimes results in a different picture of relationships because of its biparental inheritance. For this project, I sampled one region of nuclear DNA (GBSSI) across the family …

Effect Of Physical Activity On Quality Of Life For College Students: A Comparative Gender Study, Sarah J. Boozer

Honors Theses

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity levels in college students and health related quality of life scores. Additional analysis was used to determine whether more of a relationship exists between female or male students’ in terms of activity versus quality of life.

Methods

Students for this study were gathered through their involvement in kinesiology based organizations on campus. Two surveys were utilized, the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Health Related Quality of Life survey. Students were also asked to record their gender, which allowed for the second analysis. After scoring the …

“Patriotism Is Not Enough”: Edith Cavell’S Life And Death In Anglo-American Context, Erin B. Blackledge

Honors Theses

In October 1915, British nurse Edith Cavell was killed by the Germans for aiding in the illegal liberation of Allied soldiers. In the wake of her death, the British government created a propaganda firestorm to garner both domestic and foreign support for the war. In particular, the propaganda featuring Cavell was highly gendered and over the course of multiple generations has generated a diverse, and often polarized series of social and political responses in both Britain and the United States. Through the examination of government documents, newspapers, and popular culture, such as film and children’s novels, this thesis examines the …

Recombinant Expression And Purification Of Amyloid-Β In E. Coli, Wisam M. Beauti

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that affects people older than 65 years 1,2,5. It is characterized by the presence of extracellular plaque deposits that are seen specifically in the brains of AD patients 4,5. These plaques are mainly comprised of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide aggregates. Aβ plaque production and deposition is believed to drive AD pathogenesis. Studying these proteins is crucial to understanding aspects of AD in order to develop possible therapeutic treatments. Recombinant expression of Aβ can also provide a handle to introduce mutations in the protein to further study their structure-function relationships. However, synthetic Aβ monomer …

Elucidating The Interplay Between Sodium Selenite On The Tick Amblyomma Maculatum Selenoprotein Gene Expression, Afnan M. Beauti

Honors Theses

Selenium (Se) is an element recognized as an essential micronutrient in eukaryote organisms. Selenoproteins contain selenium as selenocysteine, the 21st amino acid. Selenium plays a role in cell growth and functioning. At low concentrations, it can induce growth and at high concentrations, it can cause a cell to stop growing and potentially have toxic effects on the cell and organism. When selenium levels are high, oxidative stress results by the production of reactive oxidative species. Selenoproteins, however, can aid the antioxidant response in the cell. Ticks are arthropods of interest, as they are one of few that contain many selenogenes, …

Identifying Behavioral Response Trends Following Aggression In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Breanna M. Cheri

Honors Theses

In group-living species, an individual’s response to aggression from another animal can reveal information about the complexities of their social relationships. The current study sought to categorize behavioral responses between conspecifics following direct aggression. Agonistic behavioral interactions were analyzed in a semi-captive group of bottlenose dolphins housed at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences, whose population dynamics mirror those observed in the wild. Interactions began at the onset of an aggressive behavior, and all concomitant behaviors between aggressor(s) and recipient(s) were coded chronologically for the length of each event. Results revealed five response types present following aggression: retaliation, reconciliation, avoidance, …

Measuring The Presence Of The Amphibian Pathogen Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis In East Tennessee, Erin A. Schrenker

Honors Theses

I examined the presence and absence of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in three survey areas in Eastern Tennessee. Amphibians were swabbed to assess for Bd and other ecological qualities like canopy cover, and air and water temperature are a few of the measurements evaluated. DNA was extracted from the swabs using a Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit and samples were PCRed in triplicate to confirm presence or absence. All 48 animals that were swabbed in the field were negative for Bd. These results parallel other findings that few Bd positive assays have been conducted in East Tennessee from …

Fluorescence And Uv-Vis Studies Of Quinone-Induced Protein Modifications, Charles A. Thomas Jr

Honors Theses

Quinones are the metabolites of a class of chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These chemicals have been found to be toxic in the environment, especially when interacting with certain proteins. In this study, we investigated the modification of Lysozyme and Ribonuclease A by a series of benzoquinones as well as few naphthoquinones. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to measure the degree of modification of Lysozyme and Ribonuclease A when incubated with quinones at differing concentrations and for various times. All reactions, unless noted, were carried out in a phosphate buffer (pH=7.0) at 37°C to mimic physiological conditions. The fluorescence intensity …

Prevalence Of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis (Bd) In Watercourses Situated In Southeast Tennessee, Macall A. Nabors

Honors Theses

Four hundred and twenty-seven amphibian species are critically endangered. The fungal disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been correlated with amphibian decline and extinction. Numerous studies concerning the nature of Bd have been conducted; however, additional studies are needed to adequately evaluate Bd in southeastern Tennessee. As a result of previous studies, the following hypothesizes were proposed: watercourses in southeastern Tennessee will test positive for Bd, non-impacted streams will have a greater presence of Bd than impacted streams, and increased canopy coverage has a positive correlation with the presence of Bd. Field sampling took place from June 2nd 2016 to August …

Demographic Differences In Drug Dependency: Implications For Policy, Practice, And Research, Charles D. Baker

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research study was to examine whether there are differences in drug dependency based on demographic characteristics. The four most commonly used or abused drugs were included in this analysis (i.e., nicotine, alcohol, pain relievers, and marijuana). The secondary purpose is to explore whether there were demographic differences in mental health and drug treatment among those with a substance use disorder. Substance dependence is a state in which someone can only function normally with the presence of a drug. Past research has examined this topic to some degree; however, trends often change over time. This study found …

Irrational In Its Rationality: A Critique Of The All Lives Matter Movement And One-Dimensional Society, Elliot Newell

Honors Theses

In his book One-Dimensional Man, Herbert Marcuse argues that modern society has lost the ability to critique itself. Contradictions are hidden through manipulative language and protest is suppressed. As a result, Marcuse asserts that our society has become rational in its irrationality, so that contradictions appear logical and even beneficial. Though published in 1964, Marcuse's theory is still relevant today, and is seen in the All Lives Matter movement. As a response to Black Lives Matter, All Lives Matter makes the seemingly rational claim that everyone in America is valued equally, and that racial prejudice is a thing of the …

A Study Of The Photoacoustic Effect In Ethylene Gas, Jay Nguyen

Honors Theses

Ethylene, C2H4, is a plant hormone produced and released naturally by plants and soil microorganisms. This colorless, flammable gas has a slightly sweet odor usually only recognized by those who have handled ethylene before. In situ analyses of this gas and many other potentially harmful gases outside of the laboratory are often difficult to perform due to the lack of a portable yet reliable unit capable of precisely and accurately detecting and measuring the concentrations of these gases at trace gas concentrations of a few parts per billion. In this research project, photoacoustic spectroscopy was used to detect and measure …

How Parenting Style Relates To Adolescent Substance Abuse In An At-Risk Male Population, Bailee R. Brewer

Honors Theses

Parents have an important role in their children’s development. There is evidence that parenting behaviors such as parental involvement, monitoring of children, and inconsistent discipline play a role in adolescent substance use. The purpose of this study is to document perceptions of parenting behaviors among youth at a residential boot camp facility for at-risk adolescents, and to relate those perceptions to youths’ self-reported history of substance use. This study adds to previous research on parenting behavior by examining the parenting behaviors reported by troubled youth, rather than the more typically studied normative youth. Additionally, this study tests whether previously reported …

Generation Of Mutant Snap-23 To Arrest Mast Cell Degranulation At Trans-Snare Complex Formation, Suzette Wafford-Turner

Honors Theses

Regulated secretion of pro-inflammatory molecules (e.g, histamines, proteases) from mast cells plays critical roles in immunity, allergic reactions, cardiovascular disease and cancer. These molecules are stored in secretory granules inside the cell and are rapidly released into the extracellular environment when mast cells are activated. It is known that mast cell degranulation depends upon membrane anchored SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleidimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) and accessory proteins that form the trans-SNARE complex, a 4 helical bundle central to exocytic fusion. There are three SNARE proteins that contribute to the 4-helical bundle during exocytosis; Syntaxin and VAMP proteins each provide one helix …

The Regulatory Relationship Of Transcriptional Regulators Msab And Cody In Capsule Production In Staphylococcus Aureus, Brittany L. Trunell

Honors Theses

There are many transcriptional regulators found in pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. Many of these regulators are essential for the organism’s ability to switch from commensal form to the virulent pathogenic form. One of these main regulators is CodY. This regulator has been shown to be responsive to nutrient availability during phases of growth. Additionally, we have recently found that MsaB, the only protein coding ORF of the msaABCR operon, is a putative co-regulator of capsule along with CodY. To explore these regulator interactions, we produced mutations of codY and msaABCR individually and a double mutation of msaABCR/ codY. We have observed …

The Msaabcr Operon Mutant Staphylococcus Aureus Is Deficient In Persister Cells, Aaliyah D. Cole

Honors Theses

Persister cells comprise a phenotypic variant that shows extreme antibiotic tolerance resulting in chronic infections. While this phenomenon has posed a great threat in public health, mechanism underlying their formation in Staphylococcus aureus remains largely unknown. Increasing evidence of the presence of persister cells in recalcitrant infections underscores the great urgency to unravel the mechanism by which these cells are developed. The Elasri Research group characterized msaABCR operon that plays roles in regulation of virulence, biofilm development and antibiotic resistance. It was hypothesized that the operon also plays a role in persister cell formation. In this study, the persister cell …