Digital Commons Network^™

Igf‐1 In Exercise‐Induced Enhancement Of Episodic Memory, Paul Loprinzi

Faculty and Student Publications (Open Access)

No abstract provided.

Investigating Sports Drinks. Are They Worth The Money?, Ross Winter, Jamie Burnell

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Investigating Sports Drinks. Are they worth the money?

The sports drinks industry is a huge global business which shows no signs of slowing down. The inspiration to conduct this investigation came from an observation that there is an increasing consumption of sports and energy drinks within our community, particularly amongst children. The message from the advertisers is clear- athletes should replace lost body fluid with drinks that contain electrolytes, such as sports drinks. However, there are conflicting suggestions from conducting literature reviews; that, not only are these drinks unhealthy in terms of the high sugar content, but instead water …

Identification And Folding Of Mirna Through Machine Learning, Xavier Pellow

The International Student Science Fair 2018

As of writing, there is currently no efficient way to accurately identify miRNA or predict the structure of miRNA without the usage of a lab. The purpose of this work is to provide a framework which allows for efficient identification of mature miRNA and folding of pre-miRNA using a feedforward neural network (FFNN) and probabilistic context-free grammar (PCFG) parsing, respectively. After training, the FFNN developed an accuracy of 98%. Out of all control cases using high confidence miRNA, the PCFG used returned folded structures that matched the canonical structures to an accuracy of 81%. The results of this work indicates …

Cellphone Usage And The Risk Of Cancer, Mia Ye

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Introduction: As the use of cell phones have increased immensely in the last two decades, so has public concern regarding cell phone and its relationship to cancer. Cell phones emit radio frequency waves, a type of electromagnetic energy. Theoretically, these radiofrequency waves are considered as a form of non-ionizing radiation, and do not contain enough energy to damage DNA. However, human and animal studies on cell phone use and cancer risk have shown mixed results. The Danish cohort study, one of the largest long-term studies to date, compared everyone in Denmark with cell phone subscriptions between 1982 and 1995, and …

The Effect Of The Oxytocin Hormone In Cocaine Addicted Rats Suffering From Abstinence Syndrome, Juan Padilla

The International Student Science Fair 2018

This study aimed to understand the effects of oxytocin in cocaine-addicted rats to prove its ability to help recovering drug addicts overcome the extreme anxiety and craving that makes them relapse during their rehabilitation.

The Effect Of Hyperthermia On Liver Cell Viability, Jada Grant

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Hyperthermia is a treatment for liver cancer where the tumor is exposed to a relatively high heat temperature. This process is designed to make the tumor more susceptible to chemotherapy. My thought process was that if hyperthermia can kill cancerous cells, then there will be negative long term effects on the noncancerous cells surrounding the tumor. The project experimented on Kidney cells because the Kidney and Liver both go through the process of filtration. This means that the Kidney cells should give similar results that Liver cells would. Kidney cells were heated at 40 degrees Celsius for time amounts of …

Cloning Of An Overexpression Vector For The Rare And Uncharacterized Kras Mutant R164l, Julliane Jeanne Negre

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Mutations in the coding DNA of KRAS, which encodes for an active protein in the Ras signaling pathway regulating cell proliferation and growth, may be critical in the development of lung and colorectal cancer in humans. Clinical tests and therapies for cancer specifically target mutations, some of which may cause erroneous prognosis and prescription of cancer therapy posing more danger for patients with unique mutations. Therefore, characterization of non-hotspot mutations is becoming more important, where, KRAS R164L is an existing uncharacterized mutation identified through the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC). The project aimed to clone a pTarget overexpression …

Assets Of Sheep's Dock, Tuguldur Turbaatar, Tuguldur Battulga, Khongorzul Turhuu

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Background: Traditionally, Mongolians used sheep tail fat for infants’ food and massage medication. Nowadays, the fat from sheep tail is industrially processed and added to the beauty and cosmetic products. But it remains widely unknown worldwide. This study aims to find out its chemical components and to identify its assets.

Procedure and results: We cut the sheep tail fat into three main pieces with 1mm in width and heated in a water bath to separate the liquid lipid. After this, we titrated the lipid with potassium hydroxide solution and measured the saturated and unsaturated fatty acid of sheep …

A Humanized Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Model To Elucidate Molecular Mechanism In Disease Pathology, Ragavi Vijayakumar, Maxine Hong

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), that clinically manifests as an enlarged heart is a highly prevalent cardiac disorder with propensity towards arrhythmia-induced sudden cardiac death. The mechanism of HCM remains poorly defined, necessitating further understanding of the disease for improved therapeutic strategies. As it is challenging to obtain cardiac biopsies from human subjects, using induced pluripotent stem cells technology, we generated cardiomyocytes (CMs) in a dish from HCM patients. These HCM-CMs presented the clinical manifestation in that they were significantly larger in size in comparison to control (healthy)-CMs. Furthermore, gene expression profiling of cardiac ion channels revealed increased transcripts encoding for calcium …

Effective Use Of Self-Education In Projecting Lessons On Biological Subjects, X.K Karshibaev, D Togaeva

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

The article discusses the use of biology lessons in one of the innovative educational technologies- projecting a lesson using the elements of self-education in the system of continuous education. Recommendations on the organization of educational processes at a high scientific and pedagogical level using multimedia tools, individual work with students, etc. are given.

Hall Of Fame Scientists: Exploring Identity Through The Examples Of Famous Scientists Using Biology And English, Si Ying Li, Ileana Sherry

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In the Hall of Fame Scientists Unit, we hope introduce to students the concept of success and practice skills they will need for the rest of their high school career. The interdisciplinary unit is meant for ninth graders taking biology and English I. The unit concentrates on foundational writing skills: properly formatted paragraph (A.P.E.), citing scholarly sources, and research. Students should also communicate and apply scientific information extracted from various sources. We hope that after this unit, students will be able to independently recognize different perspectives, develop a cross-cultural understanding of what it means to be young, develop a growth …

To What Extent Do Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems And Shallow Reefs Share Species Of Conservation Interest? A Systematic Review, Jack Laverick, Shanice Piango, Dominic A. Andradi‐Brown, Dan A. Exton, Pim Bongaerts, Tom C. L. Bridge, Michael P. Lesser, Richard L. Pyle, Marc Slattery, Daniel Wagner, Alex D. Rogers

Faculty and Student Publications (Open Access)

No abstract provided.

Medical Perspective Articles To Stimulate The Field For Needs-Finding, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

This editorial by the journal's Editor in Chief, Brian Pogue, explains the need for a new type of paper.

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Env 1004 (Fundamentals Of Ecology-Lab And Recitation), Wendy Castillo

Open Educational Resources

Fundamentals of Ecological Research is a hands-on course designed to teach students the basic concepts and methodologies used in the field of ecology. The significance of ecological research to current environmental issues, both local and global, will be stressed throughout the course.

My News, Office Of Marketing And Communications

My News (2014-2020)

• Operation Empower Health – Greater Savannah impacts community, Georgia Southern students
• Georgia Southern Museum closed Summer 2018 for renovations
• Georgia Southern nursing students receive 2018 Abbie Lorene DeLoach Memorial Scholarships
• Georgia Southern offers various education camps for children this summer
• Biology graduate student wins 2018 Averitt Award for Research Excellence

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Env 1004 (Fundamentals Of Ecology-Lab), Aleksandra Kravtsova

Open Educational Resources

Fundamentals of Ecological Research is a hands-on course designed to teach students the basic concepts and methodologies used in the field of ecology. The significance of ecological research to current environmental issues, both local and global, will be stressed throughout the course.

Identification Of An Alternative Exon In A Gaba Receptor Gene, Shannon Apgar, Cecilia P. Toro

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

The central dogma of biology states that DNA is transcribed into mRNA, which is then translated into proteins. In order for translation to occur, pre-mRNAs first must be processed. In pre-mRNA processing, parts of the nucleotide sequence called introns are spliced out from the transcript, so the final mRNA is made up entirely of exons. In alternative splicing, an exon is spliced out of the pre-mRNA transcript much like an intron. An mRNA transcript produced as a result of alternative splicing could produce a different protein than the mRNA without alternative splicing. Alternative splicing of an mRNA transcript could also …

How Changes In Plant Community Structure Affect Ant Communities, Chadwick V. Tillberg, Michael Molgaard, Jordan Clark, Liam Home

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

We investigated how change in plant community composition and vegetative structure brought about by annual grass-specific herbicide application affects terrestrial arthropod communities, with special emphasis on the potential mutualists of endangered Fender's blue butterfly, Plebejus icarioides fender (Family: Lycaenidae).

Determining The Location Of Gaba Receptor Mrna Transcripts In Danio Rerio, Jack O'Keefe

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

𝛾-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter that has been shown to be present in the inner ear. GABA binds to two classes of GABA receptors (GABARs): GABA_ARs are pentameric ion channels (isoforms include: 𝛼 1-6, β 1-3, 𝛾 1-3, 𝜌 1-3, 𝛿, 𝜁, and 𝜋); GABA_BRs are G-protein coupled receptors (isoforms include: 1a, 1b, and 2). Studies have shown that GABA_AR and GABA_BR transcripts are located in the inner ear but their function is not yet fully understood. This is in part due to access to the inner ear being very limited. …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Biology Graduate Student Wins 2018 Averitt Award for Research Excellence

Target Sequence Capture Of Nuclear-Encoded Genes For Phylogenetic Analysis In Ferns, Paul G. Wolf, Tanner A. Robison, Matthew G. Johnson, Michael A. Sundue, Weston L. Testo, Carl J. Rothfels

Biology Faculty Publications

Premise of the Study

Until recently, most phylogenetic studies of ferns were based on chloroplast genes. Evolutionary inferences based on these data can be incomplete because the characters are from a single linkage group and are uniparentally inherited. These limitations are particularly acute in studies of hybridization, which is prevalent in ferns; fern hybrids are common and ferns are able to hybridize across highly diverged lineages, up to 60 million years since divergence in one documented case. However, it not yet clear what effect such hybridization has on fern evolution, in part due to a paucity of available biparentally inherited …

Egfr Polymorphisms In Drosophila Melanogaster, Stacie Chue, Neha Mehta, Samantha Poon, Heather Trazino

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Cornus Controversa (Giant Dogwood) Id #904, Rebecca Dopp

BIO 140 Arboretum Project

Location: Near Main Entrance to O’Hare and Spiritual Garden

Height (m): unknown

Diameter at Breast Height (cm): 10cm

Canopy Radius (m): 15m

Condition: good

Age Class: Mature

Fagus Sylvatica (European Beech), Id: 1134, Olivia G. Thayer

BIO 140 Arboretum Project

Location: Wakehurst, near labyrinth

Development Of Protein Display Systems And Genetic Tools For Spore-Forming Bacteria, Erin Drufva

Doctoral Dissertations

One major area of synthetic biology is to engineer microbial cells and subcellular systems for diverse applications including biosynthesis, biocatalysis, therapeutics, drug delivery, and bioremediation. For most applications, robust cellular systems are preferred for longer activity half-life and resistance to harsh environments. Two projects related to robust cellular systems involving Gram-positive bacteria are presented in this work. One is to develop thermostable genetic reporters for Geobacilli species and the other is to display an enzyme on the Bacillus subtilis spore surface to enhance its robustness and present an alternative to purified enzymes for industrial applications.

Bacillus subtilis and Geobacillus thermoglucosidans …

Factors Influencing The Distibution Of Egg-Bearing American Lobsters (Homarus Americanus), Joshua Carloni

Master's Theses and Capstones

The overall goal of this research was to explore the factors that influence the distribution of egg-bearing (berried, ovigerous, eggers) lobsters along the coast of New Hampshire (NH), specifically near the Isles of Shoals (IOS). Initially, I determined the distribution of egg-bearing lobsters based on catch rates (#/trap haul) from New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s (NHF&G) Lobster Sea Sampling Program. Based on these data there appeared to be a higher abundance of these lobsters on the eastern side of the IOS, which is closer to areas that are deeper and characterized by higher current flow. To confirm this finding …

Wild Bee Declines And Changes In Plant-Pollinator Networks Over 125 Years Revealed Through Museum Collections, Minna Mathiasson

Master's Theses and Capstones

Though recent literature highlights widespread bee declines, detailed information on local communities, plant-pollinator network interactions and individual species remains distressingly scarce. In order to accurately direct conservation initiatives and to evaluate the status of wild bees and their host plants, long-term data on these populations is critical. Examining pollinator communities across regional scales highlights small-scale changes that go undetected in larger investigations. In light of unknown effects of introduced species and cumulative range expansions of exotic taxa, monitoring wild communities closely and extensively over time is becoming increasingly important. The focus of this thesis is to investigate a regional wild …

Does Interest Equal Success? Evaluating Student Perceptions Of The Study Of Biology And Their Effects On Student Success In An Introductory Biology Course, Courtney Irene Barlow

Honors Theses

As instructors begin to devote more time to improving student perceptions of biology, the validity of these efforts should be determined. Do students possessing favorable views of biology regularly perform on a higher level than those with less favorable impressions, or would class time be better spent without exercises intended to increase student interest? The goal of this project was to address the research questions “How do students view the study of biology?”, “How do student perceptions of the subject area affect their performance in an Introductory Biology course?”, and “How does a student’s chosen area of study affect their …

Salve Regina Arboretum Ten Year Plan To Reach Level Iii Accreditation, Jameson Chace, Helen Papp, Allyson Gilbert, Madeline Lark, Kyle Mcguire, Krysta Tsangarides, Madisen Archibald, Meghan Beals, Mackenzie Begley, Meagan Clickner, Makayla B. Cormier, Erin H. Donovan, Paige Dostie, Luke A. Gagnon, Micaela Griffin, Dana Johnson, Kunsang C. Lama, Kyle A. Macleod, Shannon A. Miller, Megan Moschetti, Amanda Munoz, Jennifer O'Connell, Erin O'Neill, Emily A. Riley, Alejandro C. Rojas, Ryan T. Senecal, Delaney A. Smith, Nicholas J. Sousa, Karolyne N. Stimpson, Sabrina Vieira, Mckenzie R. Wood

BIO 255 Conservation Biology

The Salve Regina University Arboretum, located in Newport, Rhode Island is currently registered as a Level II arboretum and is intertwined with the city of Newport Arboretum. The university now has intentions to reach Level III status, as part of a ten-year plan. This plan was developed by the students of the Spring 2018 BIO 255: Conservation Biology course, instructed by Dr. Jameson Chace, Associate Professor of biology at Salve Regina University. As part of a curriculum geared towards civic engagement, the class focused on creating and optimizing strategies that can be applied to the ten-year plan. These strategies were …

Facebook As A Social Outreach And Advocacy Tool In Intersex/Dsd Groups, Emelie J. Ali Ms

Publications and Research

My project includes a netnography of a Facebook intersex group called Families and Friends of Intersex People. I observed the group’s forms of communication within the group and which topics they discussed. It appears one of the major concerns the group has is the use of nonconsensual, sex assignment surgery on infants to “correct” their body to match a gender identity. I have also discovered a link between being intersex and affiliated with the LGBT+ community. Since the 20th century, intersex people have been stigmatized due to their assumed ability to engage in sexual, same-sex relations. I have concluded that …