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Patterns Of Genetic Divergence Across Geographically Variable Populations Of Xanthisma Gracile (Asteraceae), Lavanya Challagundla, Lisa E. Wallace

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Premise of research. Numerous biotic and abiotic factors can contribute to local selection and lead to geographic structure and genetic divergence between populations. The southwestern United States contains many distinctive plant communities, ranging from woodlands to desert scrub, that are shaped by species adapting to local variation in elevation, precipitation, seasonality, and soils. Given this variation, species occurring across diverse habitats are expected to harbor high genetic diversity and exhibit significant genetic differences associated with environmental variation.

Methodology. Here, we studied the genetic divergence of populations of Xanthisma gracile (Asteraceae) across Arizona using amplified fragment length polymorphisms and evaluated associations …

Composition And Homology In The Taxonomic Classification Of Escherichia Coli, Tanya Irani

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

As new techniques have been introduced, specifically the possibility of complete genome sequencing, better methods of defining bacterial species have also been proposed. One of the most recently proposed methods, using bioinformatic techniques, is to calculate the average nucleotide identity (ANI) between the homologous genome segments of different isolates. Another method for species discrimination that has been tested successfully is the similarity of DNA compositional signatures. However, in a recent update, DNA signatures split the available Escherichia coli complete genomes into three groups. To check if this result was consistent with such genomes belonging to different species, we tested methods …

The Cottonwood Ranch Riparian Management Case Study, Sherman Swanson, Kent Mcadoo, Agee Smith, Sandra Wyman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Low-Intensity Vibration Restores Nuclear Yap Levels And Acute Yap Nuclear Shuttling In Mesenchymal Stem Cells Subjected To Simulated Microgravity, Matthew Thompson, Kali Woods, Joshua Newberg, Julia Thom Oxford, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reducing the musculoskeletal deterioration that astronauts experience in microgravity requires countermeasures that can improve the effectiveness of otherwise rigorous and time-expensive exercise regimens in space. The ability of low-intensity vibrations (LIV) to activate force-responsive signaling pathways in cells suggests LIV as a potential countermeasure to improve cell responsiveness to subsequent mechanical challenge. Mechanoresponse of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which maintain bone-making osteoblasts, is in part controlled by the “mechanotransducer” protein YAP (Yes-associated protein), which is shuttled into the nucleus in response to cyto-mechanical forces. Here, using YAP nuclear shuttling as a measurement outcome, we tested the effect of 72 h …

Student Success Of Online Vs. In-Person Biology Courses At Virginia Community Colleges, Jennifer Claire Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Community colleges have a significant role in preparing students for STEM-related careers through certificates, degrees, and transfers to four-year institutions. In addition, online education is a growing mode of higher education, particularly for community college students. However, community college and online students are both at a high risk of attrition and show a lower success rate for degree completion. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in attrition and success between students in online and in-person biology courses at Virginia community colleges. Also, this study addressed downstream effects of online education by examining course completion of second-semester biology …

Illegal Killing Of Nongame Wildlife And Recreational Shooting In Conservation Areas, Jay D. Carlisle, Eve C. Thomason, James R. Belthoff, Julie A. Heath, Kristina J. Parker, Heather M. Hayes, Madeline C. Alberg, Sandra M. Amdor, Steven E. Alsup, Stephanie E. Coates

Intermountain Bird Observatory Publications and Presentations

Illegal killing of nongame wildlife is a global yet poorly documented problem. The prevalence and ecological consequences of illegal killing are often underestimated or completely unknown. We review the practice of legal recreational shooting and present data gathered from telemetry, surveys, and observations on its association with illegal killing of wildlife (birds and snakes) within conservation areas in Idaho, USA. In total, 33% of telemetered long‐billed curlews (Numenius americanus) and 59% of other bird carcasses found with known cause of death (or 32% of total) were illegally shot. Analysis of spatial distributions of illegal and legal shooting is …

Assess Physical Functioning Of Riparian Systems With An Eye Toward Management, Sherman Swanson, Sandra Wyman, Kent Mcadoo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Inheritability Of Ciprofloxacin-Induced Mitochondrial Mutations From Parental To Offspring Generation Using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Rose Mccoy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In all eukaryotes, mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell (Siekevitz, 1957). In plants, however, their mitochondrial genome is especially strange. Plant mitochondrial genomes are extremely large and contain both linear and circular subgenomic DNA fragments. Plant mitochondrial genomes undergo a significant amount of mutations in the form of rearrangements. However, it is not known how often these rearrangements are inherited by the next generation. It is thought that plant cells that are still dividing have higher rates of DNA repair, such as double-strand break repair, to ensure the quality of that plant lineage. As follows, it is …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern student from Nigeria passionate about community service in new home

• Georgia Southern Department of Sociology and Anthropology helps close digital divide in Bulloch County

• Georgia Southern lands contract to help launch U.S. Naval Community College

Lifelines Fall 2020, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Fall 2020 issue of Lifelines contains articles on Insights from the Professor, Alumni Highlight, and Department Happenings.

Population Dynamics Of Waterfowl Wintering In The Mid-Atlantic Region, Usa, Abigail Harris, Thomas Hoke

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

A recent study (Rosenberg et al. 2019) has shown that bird populations in North America are experiencing major declines except for a few groups including waterfowl. However, this study focused only on the summer breeding populations and did not focus on regional dynamics. We utilized data from 62 Christmas Bird Count (CBC) count circles to evaluate population dynamics of common wintering waterfowl in the coastal Mid-Atlantic region (Delaware=7, Maryland=16, Virginia=18, North Carolina=21) since 1950. We found a 36% decline of wintering waterfowl relative abundance compared to 1950s. American wigeon and Canada goose had major population decreases while Snow goose had …

Adios Adjuvant: Combination Immunotherapy For Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (All) Patients, Arleigh Wood

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Cancer treatments are shifting from heavy adjuvant therapies to immunological approaches, such as carT cell therapy. By simultaneously administering two known successful treatments for ALL, Blinatumomab and Kymriah, a high rate of remission can be accomplished in pediatric patients with relapsed ALL. Higher rates of remission, prolonged immunity, and less side effects are the projected results based on previously published studies. Combining these two therapies will likely produce more successful results compared to if the drugs were administered independently. This will hopefully translate into a faster return to daily living activities and less chronic effects during such an important developmental …

A Preliminary Look Into Regional Primary Succession In The Depauw University Nature Park Quarry, Sophia Atkinson, Diana Borse, Dana Dudle

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Quarries are anthropogenic landscapes that when abandoned, leave a blank slate in the environment for species to come in and repopulate the area. This gives way to primary succession, a process that re-vegetates areas devoid of soil. The goal of this research is to investigate where the abandoned limestone quarry at the DePauw University Nature Park is in terms of its successional phase since extraction stopped in 1977. Throughout the summer of 2020, plant species were identified along with the specific region and sub-habitat, the main sub-habitats being the temporary ponds, quarry spoils, talus slopes, flat limestone areas, and damp …

Antibiotic Resistance And Variability In The Physiological Profiles Of Streambed Bacterial Communities: Implication Of Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents, Madeline Draper, Amerti Guta, Philips Akinwole

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) include a complex mixture of nutrients and toxic substances, thus, the potential exists for the effluent to significantly impact the biochemical characteristics and bacterial communities of the receiving freshwater ecosystem. Our findings highlight the worrisome impacts of WWTPs on microbial biomass, coliform forming units, bacterial metabolic diversity, and antibiotic resistance patterns on the receiving water. In this study, microbial biomass and coliform forming units were significantly higher at the WWTP outfall compared to the reference site. Furthermore, this report revealed significant differences in the composition of bacterial communities in the context of WWTP …

Hsa-Mir-4520-2-3p: A Potential Modulator Of Covid-Related Ace2, Molly Ruggles, Nipun Chopra

Annual Student Research Poster Session

ACE2 is a transmembrane receptor located in cells in various tissues around the body. Its normal role is the conversion of Angiotensin II to Angiotensin 1-7 leading to vasodilation and a subsequent reduction in blood pressure via the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. ACE2 also plays a pivotal role in the infection of COVID-19 as it determines entry of virus into human cells. SARS-CoV-2 uses one of its four structural proteins, the spike (S) glycoprotein, to bind to the ACE2 receptor. This entry into the cell begins the process of infection and spread of the disease; because of the abundance of ACE2 throughout …

Cardiac Neuroanatomy And Chronotropic Modulation Of The Adult Giant Danio Heart, Alyssa Koch, Emma Nelson, Pascal Lafontant

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Studies in non-mammalian models species have contributed significantly to our understanding of the biology and the nature of innervation in the heart. The giant danio (D. malabaricus) is a teleost fish species closely related to zebrafish, that is also capable of heart regeneration. We previously described the development and maturation of the giant danio (GD) heart. However, little is known about its innervation. We hypothesized that the pattern of innervation in the GD heart is anatomically and physiologically complex, and that the heart is responsive to physiological modulation similar to that seen in cyprinid fish and mammals. Using various neuronal …

Alternative Treatments To Koalas With Chlamydia, Kelsey Thornton

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Koala populations have declined rapidly in the past 2 decades due to many reasons such as disease, vehicle collisions, dog attacks, urbanization and deforestation, and climate-related issues. Chlamydia is one of the leading causes for population declines in koalas. Koalas are difficult to treat for chlamydia because antibiotic treatment kills the specialized gut bacteria they have and need for degrading toxic compounds within eucalyptus leaves, their only source of food. I propose that doxycycline, a drug with a 97% cure rate and reduced dysbiosis, to be administered at higher concentrations less frequently. Additionally, I propose that koalas treated with antibiotics …

Combining Treatments For Opioid Addictions, Raquel Perez

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

  In 2018 the National Survey of Drug Use and Health reported that 9.9 million people misused prescription pain relievers out of 10.3 million who reported using opioids. Opioid abuse has grown from just being considered a medical dilemma, it has clearly become a social and economic issue (Eaton and Vettese, 2020). This proposal will be investigating the combination of pre-existing pharmacological treatments and support group therapy. This is not a new concept however because of the nature of opioid addictions having severe withdrawal symptoms most treatments are primarily medication base. Drug addictions have been known to carry a negative stigma …

A Comparison Of Invasive And Native Plants In An Abandoned Limestone Quarry, Diana Borse, Sophia Atkinson, Dana Dudle

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The abandoned limestone quarry in the DePauw Nature Park is a site of interest for research into plant community establishment due to the harsh, heterogenous, and fluctuating environment. Because the limestone floor of the quarry is a novel anthropogenic environment, every plant species in the quarry had to be introduced somehow. Perhaps native species that are able to establish populations in the quarry are more likely to share traits with invasive species. Using information collected from scientific articles, I compared traits of three pairs of plants with similar forms to compare their life history traits to see if any patterns …

Sensory Ecology Bio 522, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Biol 432-001: Introduction To Computational Neuroscience, Horacio Rotstein

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 320-H03: Discovering Biological Research, Kristen Severi

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 698-101: Ecology, Phillip Barden

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 342-001: Developmental Biology, Daphne Soares

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 640-001: Cellular Neurophysiology, Dirk Bucher

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 475-H01: Ecological Field Methods, Maria Stanko

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 315-001: Principle Of Neurobiology, Jorge Golowasch

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 605-101: Principles Of Bioscience Processing, John Yarotsky

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 344-001: Physiological Mechanisms, John Yarotsky

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biol 205-001: Foundations Of Biology: Ecology & Evolution I, Caroline Devan

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.