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A Comparison Of Macrofaunal And Algal Communities In Oyster Aquaculture Gear, An Eelgrass Bed, Oyster Reef, And A Mudflat In Great Bay, New Hampshire, Megan Elizabeth Glenn

Master's Theses and Capstones

Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and eelgrass (Zostera marina) are important ecosystem engineers in Great Bay, NH, however despite restoration efforts they have been in decline. In addition to loss of the resource, this degradation results in loss of associated ecosystem services such as habitat provision. It is possible that the recent increase in oyster farming in Great Bay could help mitigate habitat loss. My research objective was to quantify the biotic communities present in three natural habitats (eelgrass beds, oyster reefs and mudflats) in Great Bay NH and compare those to communities living on the type of gear (“racks and bags”) …

The Health Exception, Monica E. Eppinger

All Faculty Scholarship

The abortion doctrine laid out in Roe v. Wade permits a procedure necessary to preserve the life or the health of the pregnant woman, setting out what has come to be called the “life exception” and the “health exception.” This Article investigates the background and antecedents of the health exception, identifying three periods of formation and change up to the drafting of the Model Penal Code in 1959. It argues that theories of health lie at the heart of legal doctrine, shaping common-law treatment of abortion and persisting in nineteenth- and twentieth-century statutes. This account reveals origins of a health …

Biology Discipline 5-Year Plan 2016-2021, Biology Discipline

Assessment of Student Learning Reports

No abstract provided.

Reproduction And Recruitment Of American Lobster (Homarus Americanus) In The Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire, Elizabeth M. Morrissey

Master's Theses and Capstones

The overall goal of this research project was to determine if lobsters reproduce and settle in the Great Bay estuary (GBE), NH. First, I mapped the distribution and abundance of ovigerous lobsters carrying late-stage eggs in the estuary, during May and June of 2015. Ovigerous lobsters were concentrated in Little Bay and adjacent sections of the Piscataqua River, with CPUE in these areas of 0.12 ± 0.02 lobsters/trap haul. Very few were found in the regions furthest from the coast. Next, egg samples were collected from these lobsters, as well as from ovigerous lobsters captured along the NH coast and …

3: "The Current Extinction: Defaunation & Ecosystem Disruption", Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

Information taken from: Dirzo, R. et al (2014). Defaunation in the Anthropocene. Science, 345(401).

Scientists estimate, conservatively, that there are 5 to 9 million different animal species on the planet. But that number is continually changing, and unfortunately, dropping, as we are likely losing 11,000- 58,000 species annually, and evidence suggests that on average, there has been a decline of about 28% in terms of numbers of individuals within a species over the last four decades. Both of these statistics are vitally important. The critical nature of the first is perhaps more obvious, as total loss of a species is …

Full Issue: Volume 9, Number 2

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

The White-Nose Syndrome Transcriptome: Exploring The Putative Fungal Virulence Genes Of Pseudogymnoascus Destructans., Sophia Marie Reeder

Honors Theses

White-nose syndrome (WNS) in North American bats is caused by an invasive cutaneous infection by the psychrophilic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (P. destructans). In a previous study, we used a dual RNA-Seq approach, which allowed us to gain insight into the gene expression of both the host and the pathogen simultaneously, and we observed differences in P. destructans gene expression that suggest host-pathogen interactions that might determine WNS progression. More recently we compared transcriptome-wide changes in gene expression levels in P. destructans grown on and actively infecting the wing of a bat (infecting pathogen) with P. destructans grown in culture (free …

Lifelines Winter 2016, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Winter 2016 issue of Lifelines contains articles on research on air pollutants, an alumni feature, student mission in Peru, and a pictorial directory of the 2016 biology and allied health graduates.

Novel Therapeutic Approach For Regulating The Susceptibility Of Epitheliato Adenovirus Infection, Mahmoud Soliman Salem Alghamri

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Human Adenoviruses (AdVs) are etiologic agents for respiratory tract, digestive tract, heart, and eye infections. Although most AdV infections are self-resolving, some infections progress to acute respiratory disease with up to 50% mortality, particularly in immunosuppressed people. Except for vaccines for serotypes, 4 and 7, serotypes that are prevalent in the military, no vaccines or therapeutics that specifically prevent or treat AdV infection exist. On the other hand, AdV remains the most common vector system used in gene therapy clinical trials worldwide and several AdV vectors show promise in phase III clinical trials. The majority of AdVs use the coxsackievirus …

The Genomics Of Speciation Within The Globally Distributed Blue-Winged Ducks, Joel Thomas Nelson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The ability to disperse over long distances can result in a high propensity for colonizing new geographic regions and lead to lineage diversification via allopatric speciation. However, high vagility can also result in gene flow between otherwise allopatric populations, and in some cases, parapatric or divergence-with-gene-flow models of speciation might be more applicable to widely distributed lineages. Here, I used five nuclear introns and the mitochondrial control region to examine divergence, gene flow, and phylogenetic relationships within a cosmopolitan lineage comprising six species, the blue-winged ducks (genus Anas), which inhabit all continents except Antarctica. I found two primary sub-lineages, the …

Genetic Analysis Of Male-Specific Lethality Between Caenorhabditis Briggsae:: Caenorhabditis Nigoni F1 Hybrids, Vaishnavi Ragavapuram

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Speciation occurs when there is a lack of reproduction due to genetic barriers. These genetic barriers to gene flow are referred as reproductive isolation mechanisms. Pre-zygotic and post-zygotic isolation are types of reproductive isolation mechanisms. In this project, post-zygotic isolation mechanisms were examined. Haldane's Rule states that in F1 hybrids, individuals of the heterogametic sex are less fit than those of the homogametic sex. Darwin's Corollary to Haldane's rule states that there is asymmetry in hybrid progeny between interspecific reciprocal crosses. Crosses done between Caenorhabditis briggsae males to Caenorhabditis nigoni females produce viable F1 hybrid females and males, yet the …

Genomic Signatures Of Population History In A Pair Of Recently Diverged Australian Teal Support Strong Selection On The Z Sex-Chromosome, Kevin Kyle Hawkins

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sex chromosomes are thought to be an important component of the genome associated with speciation and the buildup of reproductive isolation. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and improvements in population genetics and modeling techniques have made it possible to better assess genomic signatures of selection, genetic drift and gene flow in diverging lineages. Recent studies have shown elevated differentiation on the Z sex-chromosome between the Australian grey teal (Anas gracilis) and chestnut teal (Anas castanea). Here, we used next generation sequencing to scan ~3,400 autosomal loci and ~190 Z loci to examine genomic differentiation and signatures of selection and gene …

The Effects Of Pet Ownership On Anxiety And Depression Among Trauma-Exposed College Students, Dung N. Nguyentran, Marlene A. Michniak, James J. Jung, Christine Q. Do

UROP Posters

Rates of anxiety and depression are prevalent in college students and can be attributed in part to stress and trauma-related events. However, studies suggest that pet ownership has the possibility of alleviating symptoms of anxiety, depression, negative emotions, and suicide. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between pet ownership and levels of anxiety and depression among those who have experienced a traumatic event. The sample was comprised of five hundred and forty-seven VCU students who completed an online survey from Spit for Science during their junior year. Linear regressions were performed to determine the nature and …

Resurgence Of Acropora Corals On Mid Shelf Patch Reefs, Southwater Caye Marine Reserve, Central Belize, Jillian J. Keefer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Acropora cervicornis (staghorn) and Acropora palmata (elkhorn) are ecologically important corals that grow quickly and provide topography and refuges for fish and invertebrates. Historically, Acropora was the most abundant coral in shallow patch reef zones in the Caribbean. During the 1980s, white band disease eliminated most Acropora causing a loss in rugosity and an increase of macroalgae on many reefs. Although Acropora remains rare throughout most of the Caribbean, this study documents its partial comeback and possible limiting factors in Southwater Caye Marine Reserve (SWCMR), Central Belize. Patch reefs in the reserve averaged 19% live coral cover with A. palmata …

User-Centered Collection Development: A Citation Analysis Of Graduate Biology Theses, Paula Barnett-Ellis, Yingqi Tang

Research, Publications & Creative Work

The authors sought to identify biology collection usage among graduate students at Jacksonville State University. Forty Master’s student theses from 2008-2014 were examined. A total of 2,351 citations were analyzed, of which journals accounted for 75%, books for 10%, and the remaining 15% included government documents, web sites, dissertations, and theses. Findings are consistent with previous similar studies that students referenced journals more often than books and other sources. Journal and book citations present discrepancies between number of citations and number of authors citing. Wide ranges of journal subjects were cited due to the interdisciplinary nature of graduate programs. Recommendations …

The Impact Of Urbanization On Mosquito-Borne Viruses, Nikhita Puthuveetil

UROP Posters

Mosquito-borne diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, and West Nile are rapidly emerging across the globe. Their emergence is often aided by the growth of their vector population, or the organisms that transmit the virus to the host. Urbanization and land use often destroys the habitat of the virus and its vector. However, the virus and its vector often survive despite the changes to its environment. The goal of this paper is to find out exactly how urbanization and changes in land use affect mosquito-borne viruses and how these viruses survive despite the destruction of their habitats. To understand how …

The Inclusion Of False, Falsified, And Falsifiable Data That Favor An Evolutionary Worldview In The High School Science Curriculum Of Public And Private Schools In The Philippines, Jerry F. Smith

Christian Perspectives in Education

This paper examines a curricular issue in general within public and private high schools in the Philippines. This paper presents six known and documented errant points found in textbooks that promote an evolutionary worldview and are commonly found in local high school biology textbooks. The proposed solutions present several questions designed to facilitate formation of the readers’ own views regarding this phenomenon.

Phylogenetic Investigation Of Enteric Bovine Coronavirus In Ireland Reveals Partitioning Between European And Global Strains, Lynda Gunn, P. J. Collins, M. J. O'Connell, Helen O'Shea

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Background

Bovine coronavirus is a primary cause of neonatal calf diarrhea worldwide, and is also associated with acute diarrhea in adult cattle during the winter season. There are no reports on molecular characterization of bovine coronavirus in Ireland, and little data exists apart from serological studies.

Findings

In this study, 11 neonatal (mean age 9 days) calf BCoV strains from the south of Ireland were collected over a one year period and characterized using molecular methods. The spike gene which encodes a protein involved in viral entry, infectivity and immune response shows the most variability amongst the isolates and was …

Reproductive Biology Of The Female Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus), Holley Stone Muraco

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this long-term study was to better understand the reproductive biology of the female bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and provide a hypothesis for how dolphins may communicate reproductive readiness to one another. Utilizing conditioned dolphins in aquaria, this dissertation examined several previously unknown aspects of dolphin reproduction, including ovarian follicular dynamics during the luteinizing hormone surge, urinary prolactin levels, estrus behavior, vaginal fluid arboriform arrangement, in-situ vaginal and cervical anatomy during estrus, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) of urine samples to identify proteins and peptides that may be used in chemical communication, and a review and anatomical analysis …

The Role Of The Scribble Protein Complex In The Regulation Of Dendrite Formation, Bingru Sun

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

During neuronal development, the neuronal cell polarizes to specify the structures of axons and dendrites. This polarized architecture regulates the input/output functions of the neuronal cell. In my thesis, I studied the molecular mechanisms of dendrite formation. My main hypothesis was that dendrite specification results from local elevation of the cGMP signal. Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) is the major enzyme for the synthesis of cGMP in the embryonic brain. I study the molecular mechanism that activates sGC and leads to dendrite specification during neuronal polarization.Scribble is a scaffold protein, part of a polarity complex that establish apical-basal polarity in epithelial …

The Role Of Valproic Acid, A Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, In Reducing Anxiety Levels In Rats: An Epigenetics Study, Juliet Buteme

Honors College Theses

Rats, like humans, show personality traits: they are born with different anxiety levels (i.e., high (HAn) or low anxiety (LAn) levels). In this study, we investigated (1) if treatment with valproic acid (VPA) can lower anxiety level in trait anxiety rats and (2) how VPA may interact with environment (e.g., enriched (EE), standard (SE) and isolated environments (IE)). VPA is a deacetylase inhibitor that increases Histone 3 acetylation, a known epigenetic mechanism that interacts with stress response proteins, and treats epilepsy and mood disorders. Since rats reared in IE exhibit heightened anxiety levels as compared to those in EE, we …

The Role Of Nitric Oxide In Skeletal Simulated Microgravity Response, Luan Tran

Master's Theses

Prolonged exposure to the space environment leads to bone loss. Using a ground-based model for microgravity (hind-limb unloading), it has been shown in rodents that proliferation and differentiation activity of osteoprogenitors are decreased with exposure to simulated microgravity (Kostenuik et al., 1997). Osteoblast mineralization activity has been shown to increase with nitric oxide supplementation (Afzal et al., 2004; Koyama et al., 2000). I hypothesized that the degenerative effects of microgravity exposure result from chronic changes in nitric oxide regulation in osteoprogenitors, and that supplementation with exogenous nitric oxide following exposure would ameliorate these changes. In 20 C57Bl/6 mice, hind-limb unloading …

Territorial Defense Strategies In The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis): Who Is The Bigger Threat?, Kaylee M. Gentry

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the use of defensive strategies in relation to territories year round in the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Responses to recorded neighbor song and stranger song playback from the middle of a focal male’s territory were measured. This allowed for an estimation of aggression in both the winter and spring seasons. Each focal male was subjected to both treatments (stranger song and neighbor song). Males were more responsive over-all to neighbor song playback, however in the winter months, persistence of response to neighbor song playback increased. It was also shown that southeastern United States cardinals show …

Issues In Modern Genomics, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll

Considerations in Ethics

Breaking News or Science Fiction?

• CRISPR technology, a way to use bacterial proteins to make precise, targeted changes to the DNA of living cells, is under development by multiple scientists.
• The subsequent release of the process and data surrounding it has scientists around the world proclaim that a “new era” of in Molecular Biology has begun.

A Phenomenological Study Of Public School Biology Teachers Who Believe In The Literal Genesis Account Of Creation, Eric Dougherty

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of Christian public high school biology teachers who believe in a literal, young earth account of creation as revealed in the book of Genesis. There is a gap in the literature regarding understanding the teaching experiences of Christians who believe in a strict interpretation of the biblical book of Genesis. This study was conducted by interviewing 11 Christian public school biology teachers from multiple states who met the criteria for being identified as young earth creationists. Data were also collected through a focus group and reflective vignettes. Data were …

How Science Teachers Balance Religion And Evolution In The Science Classroom: A Case Study Of Science Classes In A Florida Public School District, Pierre Willems

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to research how science teachers balance both religion and evolution in the science classroom with as little controversy as possible. In this study I attempted to provide some insight on how teachers are currently teaching evolution in their science classes in light of the religious beliefs of the students as well as their own. The case study was conducted in a school district in Florida where I attempted to answer the following questions: (a) How do science teachers in the Florida School District (FSD) approach the religion–evolution issue in preparing students for a …

Database/Resource Acronyms, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll

Course Information

No abstract provided.

Glossary Of Bioinformatics Terms, National Human Genome Research Institute

Course Information

No abstract provided.

Principles Of Biology Ii (Dalton State College), Susan Burran, David Desrochers

Biological Sciences Grants Collections

This Grants Collection uses the grant-supported lab manual Principles of Biology II from Dalton State College:

http://oer.galileo.usg.edu/biology-textbooks/2

This Grants Collection for Principles of Biology II was created under a Round Two ALG Textbook Transformation Grant.

Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process.

Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials:

• Linked Syllabus
• Initial …

Evidence Of Evolution 3: Evolutionary Evidence And Inferences Lab: A Discussion Guide, Imsa Biology Team

Evolution

This lab activity was designed to provide you with opportunities to make inferences and draw conclusions about evolution and the common ancestry of various animals based on their anatomical characteristics and comparative anatomy. You will be given tasks to accomplish or questions to answer at each of 11 stations. In order to do this successfully, you must make careful observations of the specimens on display.