Digital Commons Network^™

From The Depths Of Great Pond (Maine): Anthropogenic And Natural Influences On Bottom Sediments And The Implications For Local Sustainability, Sara George, Clara Bicher

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

As part of a Maine EPSCoR grant focusing on sustainability in the Belgrade Lakes watershed of central Maine, current research consists of collecting bottom sediment samples from Great Pond. Samples were analyzed to create a sediment map of the lake basin in regards to depth, grain-size distribution, organic content (%C), C:N ratios and phosphorus concentration. Results will aid in the understanding of the glacial formation of the lake, distribution of sediment within, and human impact on the lake. Additionally, knowing the distribution of phosphorus within the sediments may allow development of a strategy to avoid accelerated eutrophication. This research will …

Interactions Between Species In An Anthropogenically Altered Ridge-Top Wetland Ecosystem, Chelsea Kross

University Presentation Showcase Event

Hundreds of wetlands have been constructed as permanent water sources in a ridge-top ecosystem in eastern Kentucky where there were naturally only ephemeral wetlands. Consequently, the ecosystem was colonized by an amphibian community of species with a =period that requires a long hydroperiod (e.g., Newts) and many that are top amphibian predators. In contrast, the natural ephemeral wetlands support amphibians with a shorter larval period (e.g., Wood Frogs). Some ephemeral wetland species will breed in constructed wetlands; thus, there could be negative impacts on these species. Our objectives were to: (1) determine if species of the ephemeral and constructed amphibian …

Re-Defining Mental Illness, Anna Krauss

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

As an often ostracized group from society, the mentally ills path to social acceptance is not easy. To fully understand our current health care system in regards to mental illness, the steps one takes when diagnosed as mentally ill as well, as the hardships one will face, this paper will address the question: to what extent is the effectiveness of modern diagnosis and treatments on mental illnesses? From sociological theory to the biological sciences, this topic has been closely scrutinized and identified as a prevalent issue in our society. Due to the complexity of this topic, however, no one definite …

The Conservation Implications Of Climate Change On Predatory Mammal Distributions In North America And Europe: A Three Case Study, Carla Nyquist, Elizabeth Elliott, Helaine Linden

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

As the impacts of anthropogenic-induced climate change become more pronounced around the globe, the implications on specific species and ecosystems are increasingly becoming areas of concern. Changing temperatures and vegetation patterns suggest alterations of species distribution and global biomes altogether. These predicted changes may have a negative impact on large predatory mammals, as they will most likely need to alter their ranges in order to adapt to the changing temperatures and habitats. In this study we focused on three predatory mammals: the wolf (Canis lupus spp.), the lynx (Lynx spp.), and the brown bear (Ursus arctos). We made predictions regarding …

Analysis Of Current Clinical Antiviral Treatment Approaches And Medications And Related Suggestions For Future Research, Daniel Sunderland

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Viral pathogens present researchers, physicians, and public health workers with the challenges of developing new treatments in an every-changing landscape of antiviral drug resistance. This paper outlines the basis of current knowledge in virology, how that knowledge is applied when developing treatments such as integrase and protease inhibitors, neuraminidase inhibitors, nucleotide analogs, and others, and considers the rates of resistance of the target viruses to those treatments. There is also some consideration of immunomodulatory treatments and the potential of viral vectors as a means of understanding different immune responses to viruses and the direct effects that viruses can have on …

Nutrient Availability And Species Evenness Influence Productivity During Early Stages Of A Tropical Forest Restoration, Emma Rosenfield, Lauren Bizzari, Julia Rogers

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Forest restorations aim to maximize the number of species and the productivity at the community level. In a tropical rainforest restoration, often limited number of species are available from local growers; so manipulating the number of individuals of each species (the evenness) might best achieve the goals of restoration. Planting equal numbers of individuals of each species may allow for the most complementary use of soil nutrients; however fertilizer may change this dynamic. Moreover, in a community where there is one dominant species, the productivity of the community may depend upon the identity of that dominant species. We asked whether …

Concussions In Varsity Athletes, Lily Cabour

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

This research project will analyze the HIT App (Hit Injury Tracker) data from the 2013-14 school year. The HIT App is an ongoing research project for the Colby-based nonprofit, Maine Concussion Management Initiative (MCMI). MCMI is dedicated to improving the safety of Maines youth by increasing awareness and education on concussion management. MCMI is a pioneer in concussion research and education outreach in the state of Maine, and is beginning to expand its impact across New England. Through the HIT App data, we hope to reveal trends in concussion injury for student athletes (high school and college level) based on …

Maine's Eelgrass Habitat Loss Between 1997 And 2010, Mary Parks

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Maines eelgrass meadows serve as an important habitat for many marine organisms. The sea grass, Zostera marina grows in beds anchored to the marine floor and reaches lengths of up to five feet. The unique structure of the beds provides protection to a large span of marine invertebrates and juvenile fish, prevents erosion by stabilizing sediment layers, and improves water quality by filtering nutrients and sediments. It is also consumed by various marine invertebrate species as a primary food source. However, eelgrass meadows have been subject to significant environmental degradation over the past century due to boat traffic, mooring, docking, …

Individuals Willingness To Pay For Health And Wellness Improvements Within The Built Environment, Max Pollinger

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Improving biological sustainability through health and wellness improvements in the built environment is currently being applied to high-end real estate development in both the residential and commercial environment in the United States. However, the market for health and wellness extends well beyond the top income bracket. This study adopts a choice experiment (CE) approach to investigate individuals willingness to pay for health and wellness improvements within their homes. The results suggest that individuals value health as an inelastic good independent of income, and they are willing to pay significant premiums to ensure biological sustainability within their homes. In addition, individuals …

Critical Reef Fish Habitats, Fishing Regulations, And Active Drilling Lease Sites In The Gulf Of Mexico, Tierney Dodge

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Human activities have been increasingly impacting the Gulf of Mexico negatively. The Gulf of Mexico is a biological rich ecosystem, with coral reefs providing a unique habitat for a diverse array of fish and other marine wildlife, including turtles. However, the increasing use of nutrient rich fertilizers in the Mississippi River Valley have created a growing dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico: a large area where there is no available oxygen due to extreme eutrophication. Overfishing has also depleted the stocks of many fish in the Gulf, further depleting the ecological health of the area. However, The National Oceanic …

Anthropogenic Effects On The Arctic, Sara Miller, Sarah Large

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

The Arctic is a sensitive location that has been affected greatly by climate change and the anthropogenic factors that contribute to global warming. It is critical to research the Arctic because the effects are significant and can be seen globally. The average temperature in the Arctic is increasing twice as fast as the rest of the world, which is causing the ice caps and permafrost to melt. Permafrost traps carbon and methane, and as permafrost melts these elements are released into the atmosphere. Since the conditions of the Arctic are changing local species are affected due to their altered habit. …

Avian Species Of The Chacabuco Valley, Walker Nordin, Sydney Morison

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

The focus of this poster is the avian ecology of the Chacabuco Valley in the Aysen Region of Chilean Patagonia. Information on various bird species and habitat types was obtained via structured bird surveys near lakes throughout the valley, with the aim of correlating certain bird species and behaviors with specific habitat types. The results showed the most common bird species of woodland, shrubland, and lake habitats, as well as associated behaviors. Some bird behaviors were analyzed in greater depth, in order to speculate on certain species habitat requirements. The findings of this project will provide baseline reference information for …

Identification Of Water Kefir Microbial Composition And Rapidly Growing Yeast, Wei Ma

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Products of microbial fermentation such as probiotic yogurt have been found to confer health benefits, such as inhibiting fungal and bacterial growth, prevention of oral, mammary neoplasia and multidrug-resistant myeloid leukemia. Water kefir, or tibicos, is a type of symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria that shows potential to be used as preventative and chemotherapeutic agent against cancer. Here, we study water kefir in terms of its microbial composition to determine the species of microorganism responsible for producing the proposed antineoplastic extracellular polymeric substance, using both culture-dependent and independent techniques. Selective and non-selective media were used to promote the growth …

Genetic Diversity And Gene Flow Among Populations Of Witheringia Solanacea, Crystiana Tsujiura

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

To evaluate fitness consequences of population structure in the Costa Rican plant Witheringia solanacea, we have genotyped individuals from different populations of Witheringia solanacea to examine inbreeding within populations and gene flow between populations at different altitudes. We predict that plants at high elevations will have a higher frequency of inbreeding because high elevation populations tend to consist of fewer plants and there tend to be fewer pollinators at higher altitudes.

Psychrobacter Arcticus Cold Shock Protein Expression In Escherichia Coli Increases Cold Resistance, Daniel Sunderland

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Psychrophilic (cold-loving) microorganisms live in some of the most inhospitable environments in the world. The newly-sequenced genome of the psychrophile Psychrobacter arcticus presents the opportunity to study the molecular mechanisms by which it is possible for this organism to thrive in extremely cold environments such as the permafrost of Antarctica. The cold presents challenges such as decreased membrane fluidity, slower reaction rates, and conformational changes in proteins and nucleic acids. Putative genes for cold-shock proteins (csps) were identified within the sequenced genome that could play an important role in facilitating the psychrophilic lifestyle. This study sought to analyze the function …

Discovering Maine's Own Freshwater Snail, Emma Donohoe, Alice Hotopp

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Maine has several freshwater snails but one is found only within the state, a type of pond snail called Stagnicola mighelsi. Previous work shows that it has been lost at half of the lakes in its Fish River Lakes stronghold, and that it survives only in very big and remote lakes. However, there are 100 year-old reports from other watersheds, and possibly undiscovered populations. Learning about this snail and the other snails we will identify can help us protect a special part of Maines wildlife, and learn about the health of our lakes and rivers. Few people know or care …

Does Fertilization Influence Herbivory During Tropical Forest Restoration?, Emma Rosenfield, Arianna Porter, Julia Rogers, Lauren Bizzari

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Tropical deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate throughout our world today. It is critical that we actively try to restore these landscapes because rainforests provide us with important resources and services. However, it can be difficult to set appropriate goals for restoration. Under which conditions is a landscape the healthiest? For example, fertilizer is often used to increase growth and survivorship of tree seedlings; however, adding fertilizer may alter other aspects of the community, such as herbivory. In the context of a tropical forest restoration experiment, we asked 1) does fertilization influence herbivory; 2) does fertilization alter leaf tissue …

Purification Of Gst::Taabf1 Fusion Protein In Order To Assess Its Phosphorylation By Endosperm Proteins, Jessica Moore

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Transcription factor TaABF1, a member of the ABA response element binding factor family, has been shown to have an important role in the signaling pathways of gibberellin (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) in cereal grains. TaABF1 has also been found phosphorylated in vivo in aleurone cells and is possibly regulated by phosphatases. In order to investigate whether TaABF1 can be phosphorylated by proteins in wheat grains and which regions of the protein are phosphorylated, the GST::TaABF1 fusion protein was purified by a glutathione affinity column and a phosphorylation assay with wheat endosperm proteins was performed. Then, the possibly phosphorylated GST::TaABF1 …

The Ecological Effects Of Overfishing In Japan, Katrina Chicojay Moore, Emily Walker

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Since the beginning of WWII in 1937, Japan has faced a number of difficult decisions regarding its economy, environment and nationalistic interests. During the war, the Japanese economy experienced rapid development. Its nationalism and desire to meet the West in economic and industrial levels drove its extreme postwar economic development which, along with its nuclear reliance, has spurred a number of environmental issues, including population growth, increased fossil fuel emissions, waste management and overfishing practices. We plan to explore each of these issues that have resulted from Japans rapid industrial expansion, with a focus on its overfishing practices, specifically regarding …

Mamb And Mamm: Genes Involved In Magnetotaxis, Rachel Bolender

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a group of bacteria that synthesize magnetosomes, magnetic crystals of magnetite (Fe304) or greigite (FeS4), which allow MTB to travel along the earths geomagnetic fields. In addition, MTB have been shown to be promising agents for bioremediation through their ability to absorb heavy metals, such as gold. Little is known of the genetic elements that allow for the biosynthesis of magnetic particles in MTB. In this study, genes MamB and MamM, genes known to be involved in magnetosome formation but whose functions are not known, were studied using the magnetotactic bacteria Magnetospirillum magneticum. Genomic DNA was …

Listeriosis: A Case Study, Tara Tischio

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

In large animal veterinary medicine, a minor infection in one animal can easily cripple the success of a farm. Listeria, a bacterial infection caused by the ingestion of contaminated silage, can spread rapidly throughout a farm inflicting serious damage to the central nervous system and killing the infected animals within weeks or even days. By following the case study of a pregnant, listeria-positive cow, this study aims to provide an overview of this disease in order to further educate the public on the human implications.

Identifying The Role Of Bacterio-Opsin Associated Protein Gene In Bacteriorhodopsin Production In The Halophilic Archaeon Halobacterium Salinarum, Tarini S. Hardikar

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

The halophilic archaeon Halobacterium salinarum survives in low-oxygen conditions by producing a light-driven proton pump, bacteriorhodopsin (BR). BR is formed by a retinal cofactor covalently bound to the protein bacterioopsin (BO). In reduced oxygen conditions, H. salinarum synthesizes BR, which requires production of both BO and the retinal cofactor. The gene that encodes for BO is called bacterio-opsin protein gene (bop). In several organisms, it has been observed that another gene, bacterio-opsin associated protein gene (bap) is located next to the bop gene. However, the function of bap is unknown. To identify whether the bap gene has any role in …

Molecular Modeling Of Biological Carbon Fixation, William Lin, Andrew Kim, Scott Hansen

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Biological carbon fixation is primarily catalyzed by one enzyme: ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase. We use molecular modeling to explore and elucidate the origin of slow kinetics and poor specificity in this enzyme. We present primary results of correlated motion between the enzyme and the active site.

The Effects Of Age And Lifetime Flight Behavior On Flight Capacity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Steven J. Lane, W. Anthony Frankino, Michelle M. Elekonich, Stephen P. Roberts

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Effects of Flight Behavior on Physiology and Senescence May Be Profound in Insects Because of the Extremely High Metabolic Costs of Flight. Flight Capacity in Insects Decreases with Age; in Contrast, Limiting Flight Behavior Extends Lifespan and Slows the Age-Related Loss of Antioxidant Capacity and Accumulation of Oxidative Damage in Flight Muscles. in This Study, We Tested the Effects of Age and Lifetime Flight Behavior on Flight Capacity by Measuring Wingbeat Frequency, the Ability to Fly in a Hypo-Dense Gas Mixture, and Metabolic Rate in Drosophila Melanogaster. Specifically, 5-Day-Old Adult Flies Were Separated into Three Life-Long Treatments: (1) Those …

Minimum Feature Selection For Epileptic Seizure Classification Using Wavelet-Based Feature Extraction And A Fuzzy Neural Network, Sang-Hong Lee, Joon S. Lim

Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences

This paper proposes a method that uses a wavelet transform (WT) and a fuzzy neural network to select the minimum number of features for classifying normal signals and epileptic seizure signals from the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of people with epileptic symptoms and those of healthy people. WT was used to select the minimum number of features by creating detail coefficients and approximation coefficients from EEG signals. 40 initial features were obtained from the created wavelet coefficients using statistical methods, including frequency distributions and the amounts of variability in frequency distributions. We obtained 32 minimum features with the highest accuracy from …

Stargate: Malleability As A Threshold Concept In Legal Education, Melissa H. Weresh

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Dopaminergic Genetic Contributions To Obesity In Kidney Transplant Recipients, Ashley Grimes Stanfill

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Background: Kidney transplant recipients are a population who experience a high likelihood of gaining a significant amount of weight (between 6 and 13 kilograms) during the first year after transplantation. However, not all kidney transplant recipients gain weight. Studies have found little difference in physical activity and nutritional intake among those who do and do not gain weight. Immunosuppressant medications have also not been shown to play a substantive role in post-transplant weight gain. Additionally, although some studies have shown that age, gender, and race can influence weight gain, this information does not fully capture the observed variance. These observations …

Total Knee Arthroplasty Wear Is Caused By Malrotation And Excessive Laxity, Erik Woodard

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Total knee arthroplasty is a proven technique which combines specially designed components and surgical processes to treat cartilage degeneration and alleviate pain in arthritic knees. However, this technique is limited by component design and surgical precision. Due to these limitations, knee arthroplasty components will eventually wear out, causing rejection and necessitating the need for a replacement. For this reason, it would be beneficial to experts if the primary causes of this wear could be identified in order to minimize the number of replacements.

This study aims to determine if a correlation exists between instability of a knee joint and the …

Schrödinger And Nietzsche And Life: Eternal Recurrence And The Conscious Now, Babette Babich

Articles and Chapters in Academic Book Collections

The phenomenological question of consciousness usually associated with Husserl (although there are echoes of this in Augustine as in Marcus Aurelius, Kant and Schopenhauer), is the consciousness of the now, the present moment. I explore this consciousness for Erwin Schrödinger, which for him included reference to the Upaniṣads together with Nietzsche’s central teaching or “thinking” of the eternal recurrence of the same.

Mole Street Journal, April 2014, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Dept. Of Chemistry And Biochemistry

Mole Street Journal

No abstract provided.