Digital Commons Network^™

Micro-Rna, A Solution For Understanding Depression, Marshall White

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Major depressive disorder is a mood disorder that causes sadness and loss of interest. This affects how one may feel, think, or behave which impact their physical and mental state. People who have been diagnosed with this disorder find themselves losing interest in things they once loved. In the United States there are 16.1 million Americans diagnosed with MDD. This disorder is more common in individuals who have had it in their families which has resulted in the interest in how different genes impact MDD. Micro-RNA has been researched and discovered to have a correlation with MDD. These Micro-RNA's show …

Reconstructing Isotelus Rex, Brian White

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Isotelus rex is the largest trilobite currently known at over 720 mm in length, and by extension is one of the largest arthropods known. However, despite these accolades, it is relatively unknown in both the public consciousness and in the scientific community. This is partially due to its scant visual database, with barely any artistic restorations to help represent its life appearance. In order to rectify this, a digital reconstruction of Isotelus rex is produced utilizing programs such as Blender and Zbrush. The final result of the work is a fully animated restoration of the trilobite, bolstering its visual database …

Squirrels On Longwood's Campus, Kelsey English, Miguel Diaz, Lloyd Dominguez, Rebecca Mills

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In this project, we aim to analyze the distribution, behavior, and abundance of squirrels on Longwood's campus. We hypothesize that squirrels will be most abundant where canopy cover is high, and that these campus squirrels are generally unaffected by surrounding human activity. Multiple sites on campus were observed, and a survey was used to gather data about squirrel activity and sightings from Longwood students. The results indicate that Cox, Wheeler and Stubbs have the highest frequency of squirrels, and that squirrels are most commonly observed being active. Canopy cover was found to have no correlation with abundance of squirrels. Squirrels …

Microbial Influence On Alzheimer's Disease, Ashley N. Hamby

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

Biol 338-001: Ecology Of Dining Hall, Maria Stanko

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 475-H01: Ecological Field Methods, Maria Stanko

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Advances In Insects For Food And Feed, James Peter Egonyu, John Kinyuru, Forkwa Fombong, Jeremiah Ng’Ang’A, Yusuf Abdullahi Ahmed, Saliou Niassy

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This Special Issue presents the outcomes from the 23rd African Association of Insect Scientists' Conference held in Cote D’Ivoire, in connection with similar initiatives within and outside Africa. Over 65 scientific papers from several countries, worldwide, were submitted, of which about 40 were accepted and published. The issue focused on new advances in the value chain of edible insects in Africa and beyond. An innovative light-emitting diode technology for mass harvesting of edible grasshopper has been developed. The nutrient composition of insects such as the desert locust has been evaluated. Organic waste streams have been found to affect insect productivity …

Helping Farms Be In Harmony With Nature, Shea Stewart

University of Mississippi News

EPA grant involves researchers, Mississippi Delta farmers exploring agricultural runoff water

Summer To Autumn Population Of Wild Eumaeus Atala On The Ft. Lauderdale Campus Of Nova Southeastern University, Alexandra M. Lens

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Eumaeus atala is an endangered tropical butterfly native to the Caribbean and some parts of Florida, USA. Following population reductions primarily due to habitat loss, E. atala populations are now increasing due to conservation efforts of its cycad host plants, especially Zamia integrifolia (coontie). The purpose of this study was to observe, document, and measure the population of wild E. atala on the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida campus of Nova Southeastern University where landscaping use of host plants supports a natural population of E. atala. Forty-four host plants located in two different sites were observed for 14 weeks. One site …

Anatomy And Physiology Preparatory Course Textbook (2nd Edition), Carlos Liachovitzky

Open Educational Resources

The goal of this preparatory textbook is to give students a chance to become familiar with some terms and some basic concepts they will find later on in the Anatomy and Physiology course, especially during the first few weeks of the course.

Organization and functioning of the human organism are generally presented starting from the simplest building blocks, and then moving into levels of increasing complexity. This textbook follows the same presentation. It begins introducing the concept of homeostasis, then covers the chemical level, and later on a basic introduction to cellular level, organ level, and organ system level. This …

Humpback Whale, Megaptera Novaeangliae, Feeding Dynamics From The Perspective Of The Individual: Insights From Demography, Life History, And Bio-Logging, Jennifer Tackaberry

Master's Theses

Studies of fission-fusion societies provide a framework in which to compare the feeding dynamics across demographics, unrestrained by stable associations or relatedness. This study used bio-logger data and surface observations combined with long-term population data from the Gulf of Maine humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, population to investigate the influence of demographics on feeding methods, and time spent feeding, and to determine if a coordinated feeding method, kick-feeding, was a cooperative behavior. The results suggest that demographics did influence the feeding method used and highlighted the need to determine how energetic needs change across the feeding season. Adult females did not …

Hook-Billed Kite, Chondrohierax Uncinatus, Southbound Autumn Migration In Belize And Mexico, Ryan Anthony Phillips

Master's Theses

The Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) is a specialized Neotropical raptor with a wide distribution that has received little research attention. The species is considered non-migratory across most of its distribution, but there are scattered records of Hook-billed Kite migration. The present research describes, for the first time, the largest southbound autumn migration of Hook-billed Kite in Belize and Mexico and evaluates the effects of environmental conditions on this phenomenon. Eight years of count data were collected in Belize and 25 years in Mexico. During a total of 3093.1 count hr from 2013-2020 in Belize, 39928 Hook-billed Kites were counted on …

Influence Of Flipped Learning Strategy On High School Students’ Learning Outcomes In Biology In Osun State, Mutahir Oluwafemi Abanikannda

Frameless

The study was conducted to investigate the influence of flipped learning strategy on high school students’ learning outcomes in Biology in Osun State. The study adopted a descriptive survey and respondents used for the study were three hundred and fifty (350) students were randomly selected from twelve (12) High Schools in Osun State. The study consists of one research question and one research hypothesis. The instrument used to obtain information on this research was an inventory. Frequency counts and percentages with mean deviation was the descriptive statistics used. The research findings revealed that flipped learning strategy has a positive influence …

Impact Of Seawall Type On Mollusc Size And Diversity In South Water Caye Belize: A Case Study, Morgan O. Orand, Ginger R. Fisher

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

The size and diversity of molluscs on and in front of artificial and natural sea walls in the tropical rocky intertidal of South Water Caye, Belize were investigated with the intent of determining the suitability of artificial surfaces to replace natural seawalls. Four seawalls, three artificial and one natural, were observed over a period of eight days. Mollusc size did not change based on distance from the wall for any of the walls. However, there were some significant differences in the species and number of molluscs in front of each wall as well as on the walls themselves. Measures of …

Ahr Expression On Rorc-Expressing Immune Cells Is Essential For I3c-Mediated Protection Against Colitis, Michal C. Williams

Senior Theses

Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) whose etiology is attributed to modification in the luminal microbiota and dysregulation in the immune response. Indole is a signaling molecule which is naturally produced by gut luminal microbiota. Indole-3- carbinol (I3C) is a compound commonly found in vegetables and a ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Previous studies have detected decreased expression and activation on the AhR receptor in colitis patients, thought to possibly alter gut microbiota metabolism, subsequently promoting colitis. 1 AhR, expressed in a variety of immune and epithelial cells, contributes to gut homeostasis by affecting vital mediators such …

Green Synthesis Of Bioactive Cuo@Fe3o4@Walnut Shell Nanocomposite Using Crataegus Azarolus Var. Aronia L. Extract And Its Antivasoconstrictive Action On Rat’S Aortic Smooth Muscle, Sarbast A. Mahmud

Polytechnic Journal

The antioxidant potential of Crataegus azarolus Var. aronia aqueous extract was used as reducing and stabilizing media to the green synthesis of bioactive CuO@Fe3O4@Walnut shell nanocomposite (NCs). The ability of the plant extract as bioreducing medium was proved using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. While, the structural identification of synthesized CuO@Fe3O4@Walnut shell NCs was proved using the scanning electron microscopy, electron dispersive spectroscopy, elemental mapping, and point analysis. Then, the antivasoconstriction effects of CuO@Fe3O4@Walnut shell NCs (5*10−2 mg/ml) and (1*10−1 mg/ml) on rats isolated thoracic aortic smooth muscle cells were studied. Green synthesized CuO@Fe3O4@Walnut shell NCs showed effective antivasoconstriction …

Study The Effects Of Formaldehyde And Xylene Vapor On Lung And Testicular Tissue With Sperm Morphology Of Adult Albino Rats, Trefa F. Ismail, Galawezh O. Othman, Naznaz H. Othman, Ban A. Hassan

Polytechnic Journal

Formalin is widely used chemical substance in industry and medicine (as tissue fixative and disinfectant). It contains reactive molecules which have been known for its cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, xylene used in histological techniques during preparation of tissue and has different toxic effects on tissues. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of formaldehyde and xylene inhalation on albino rat’s lung and testes. Fifteen adult male rats were used in this study; the rats were divided randomly into three groups (A, B, and C). Group (A) comprises the control group, whereas the rats in the Group (B) were exposed …

Repurposing Drugs To Treat Heart And Brain Illness, Maranda S. Cantrell, Alejandro Soto-Avellaneda, Jackson D. Wall, Aaron D. Ajeti, Brad E. Morrison, Lisa R. Warner, Owen M. Mcdougal

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Drug development is a complicated, slow and expensive process with high failure rates. One strategy to mitigate these factors is to recycle existing drugs with viable safety profiles and have gained Food and Drug Administration approval following extensive clinical trials. Cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases are difficult to treat, and there exist few effective therapeutics, necessitating the development of new, more efficacious drugs. Recent scientific studies have led to a mechanistic understanding of heart and brain disease progression, which has led researchers to assess myriad drugs for their potential as pharmacological treatments for these ailments. The focus of this review is …

Addressing A Complex Resource Conflict: Humans, Sea Otters, And Shellfish In Southeast Alaska, Sonia Natalie Ibarra

Fisheries

Complex resource conflicts may benefit from the inclusion of social-ecological systems approaches that recognize the complex linkages between humans and their environment. Competition for shared shellfish resources by sea otters and humans in Southeast Alaska has caused food security concerns, cultural and economic losses, and uncertainty about the future of various fisheries, including rural subsistence-based fisheries. In rural Alaska Native communities, access to subsistence resources are critical to maintaining a way of life, with deeply rooted knowledge systems that are tied to the land, water, and natural resources. This dissertation documents Indigenous and local knowledge of Alaska Native customary and …

Pectin And Alginate Extraction To Treat Liquid Cafo Manure, Clare Sunderman

Honors Projects

For this project, various extraction methods were used to extract pectin from Pastinaca Sativa and alginate from Macrocystis. These extractions were then dried and used in treating 250mL of manure along with a CaCl₂ or FeCl₃ coagulant. It was found that CaCl₂ was not as effective as FeCl₃ in coagulating manure. But the results obtained suggest that pectin and alginate obtained with a simpler extraction method is just as effective as the highly purified and refined pectin and alginate produced for the food industry, in the treatment of CAFO manure. The liquid portion of the …

Infectious Diseases In A Warming World: Using A Modified Sir Model To Investigate The Incidence Rates Of Lyme Disease In The New England Area, Carly Sullivan

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The effects of climate change are global and unprecedented in scale. Public health is likely to suffer as a result of the warming climate, and one particular risk is the increase in the occurrence of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) in different regions across the world. The purpose of this project is to investigate the impact of rising temperatures on the incidence rates of Lyme disease in the New England area. Following a review of the existing literature relating to the impact of climate factors on VBDs, an SIR model modified for temperature conditions will be utilized to produce several simulated scenarios. …

Elbow Motion In Walking Alligators, Thao Pham, Luciana Emmanuelli, Megan Rowlings, Nina Pitre

Biology Student Scholarship

Thao Pham ’21, Biology
Megan Rowlings ’21, Biology
Nina Pitre ’22, Biology
Luciana Emmanuelli ’23, Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Baier, Biology

Crocodylia regularly use a “high-walk” during terrestrial locomotion unlike other non-mammals, thus drawing interest from both biomechanical and evolutionary research communities. Here, we employ the highly accurate XROMM (X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology) method to measure joint motion between the three forelimb bones (humerus, ulna, and radius) of alligators performing high-walks on a treadmill. This method literally “re-animates” bone motion by combining bi-planar X-ray video with digital bone models from CT scans in the animation program Maya (Autodesk).

The Big Picture: Consolidating National Government And Cites Records Of Animal Trade In The Philippines From 1975 To 2019, Ronald Allan L. Cruz, Catherine Genevieve B. Lagunzad

Biology Faculty Publications

The Philippines has exceptionally high biodiversity but is also a hotspot. It is a recognized source; destination; and transit point for the global wildlife trade; which drives biodiversity loss. There is an abundance of data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on the Philippines; but this data has not been assessed for historical trends. Confiscation data reflecting the illegal trade is scarcer; coming from recent (2008 onward) records of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ___ Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD). CITES data …

Gene Annotation Of Glys In Drosophila Species, Bronwyn M. Boyd, Hanna Shields, Lottie R. Steward, Catherine Reinke

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

In collaboration with scientists and undergraduate members of the Genomics Education Partnership, we are using genomic data and bioinformatics tools to engage in comparative genomics research. By analyzing sequence and gene expression data from numerous Drosophila species, we are generating gene models for orthologs of genes found in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. A gene model is a representation of a gene’s exons and introns (coding and noncoding regions). We are building and analyzing gene models in their genomic context. The gene models we produce are illuminating the evolution of the structure and function of the insulin signaling pathway, …

The Effect Of Antibiotic Selective Pressure On Mdr1 And Asct2 Expression In Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Isabella G. Guizzetti, Barrie P. Bode, Paige Jay Bothwell

Honors Capstones

Our laboratory has used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system to eliminate the expression of the SLC1A5 gene, which encodes the ASCT2 amino acid transporter, which is implicated in driving the glutamine-dependent growth of several cancers. At last year’s URAD event, the isolation of clones confirmed for knockout (KO) of ASCT2 in two human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines – Huh7 and SK-Hep1 - was described. As these ASCT2 knockout (ASCT2KO) cell lines are currently being deployed in studies assessing the role of this transporter in tumorigenesis, we asked two fundamental questions: 1) Does the removal of antibiotic selective pressure – …

Fagus Sylvatica (European Beech), #1009, Megan L. Trafford

BIO 140 Arboretum Project

No abstract provided.

Zoo And Aquarium Animal Welfare, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Cyclic Fluctuations Of Zooplankton Dynamics In A Tidal Salt-Marsh Basin, Jamaal Jacobs

Senior Theses

Zooplankton are pelagic aquatic animals that are limited in their movements by the water currents around them and are major links in aquatic food webs between primary producers and higher trophic levels. Their populations are temporally and spatially variable, as they are sensitive to changes in salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. This is especially true in highly dynamic environments, like estuaries, where environmental conditions are highly variable across seasonal and daily cycles. In order to examine the variability in zooplankton populations across a tidal cycle, we collected zooplankton samples from North Inlet Estuary at 30-minute intervals over a half tidal …

Comparing Expression Of Green Fluorescent Protein (Gfp) With Different Plasmids, Tinsae Alem, Charles Curbeam, Mackenzie Woody

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

How do different plasmids carrying different promoters affect the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) expression? If the appropriate promoter is not used within the bacterias, then the bacterias will not be able to survive and glow.

Techniques Learned By Students To Determine Which Agar Coated Plates Will Show Bacterial Growth And Glow., Lilly Rogers, Hannah Spencer

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The process in which students conducted a series of experiments to find if agar plates would produce the GFP gene.