Digital Commons Network^™

Fundamentals Of Human Anatomy And Physiology I Bio 220, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Fundamentals Of Human Anatomy And Physiology Ii Lab Bio 223, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Fundamentals Of Human Anatomy And Physiology I Lab Bio 221, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Fundamentals Of Human Anatomy And Physiology Ii Bio 222, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Biological Principles (Georgia Tech), Chrissy Spencer, Jung Choi, Shana Kerr

Biological Sciences Grants Collections

This Grants Collection for Introduction to Biological Principles was created under a Round Three 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 Proposal
• Final Report

Foundations Of Biology (Ghc), Tom Harnden, Sharryse Henderson, Andrew Dawson, Jason Christian, Greg Ford, Christin Collins

Biological Sciences Grants Collections

This Grants Collection for Foundations of Biology was created under a Round Five 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 Proposal
• Final Report

Contemporary Morphological Evolution In A Lacustrine Population Of Threespine Stickleback, Rose Watts

Biology

In the face of rapidly changing environments, some populations go through contemporary evolution in response to altered selective pressures. In this situation, changes in morphology and behavior can be observed to monitor phenotypic transitions. In adaptive radiations such as the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, species complex, both re-expression of ancestral phenotypes and the expression of novel phenotypes have been detected. I monitored a population of threespine stickleback in Lynne Lake, Alaska, which is undergoing rapid environmental changes due in part to an increase in primary productivity in the lake. Changes have been documented in the body size and foraging behavior …

Gwu Professors Help Chemistry Student Pursue Goals, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Tyler Hemingway ’18 wasn’t familiar with Gardner-Webb University when he came for a visit as a high school senior. A resident of Cape Coral, Fla., Hemingway was looking for a college with an exceptional science department and research opportunities. “I first heard of Gardner-Webb at a college fair held in Fort Myers, Fla.,” Hemingway recalled.

Quantification Of Phenotypic Variation In Populations Of Newfoundland Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus Aculeatus), Nathan R. Biedak

Biology

Phenotypic variation in morphology driven by ecological factors has been well characterized in Alaskan and British Columbian populations of threespine stickleback, with studies demonstrating that the variation is extensive in a wide variety of anti-predator traits and body shape. In contrast, the limited published studies of stickleback in eastern North America suggest that there is relatively little among-population phenotypic variation in anti-predatory armor and body shape. Recent samples obtained from 30 populations of stickleback in Newfoundland, from a wide array of habitats, indicate that the earlier suggestion of relatively limited phenotypic diversity may need to be reevaluated. Using geomorphic morphometrics …

A Functional Analysis Of Drosophila Plcgamma And The Screening For A Novel Inhibitor, Michelle K. Latino

Biology

The epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR, pathway is a highly conserved and complicated pathway required for cell growth, proliferation, migration, and proper regulation of the pathway is required for normal development (reviewed by Fischer et al., 2003). Due to the pathways role in development, the EGFR pathway is often implicated with various diseases including cancer. The EGFR pathway is regulated by various proteins including by PLCgamma which works to regulate the pathway by promoting motility, adhesion, and differentiation (Murillo-Maldonado et al., 2011; Butchar et al., 2012; Shepard et al., 2006). Because of the role PLCgamma plays in cell proliferation, it …

Evolution Of Nervous System Centralization: Role Of Bmp Signaling In Neural Fate And Dorsal-Ventral Axis Specification In Capitella Teleta, Christie Joyce

Biology

Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling plays an important role in establishing the dorsal-ventral (D-V) axis across Bilateria. BMP signaling has also been implicated in neural fate specification in several bilaterians that possess centralized nervous systems. The classic examples are found in vertebrates and Drosophila melanogaster, where opposing gradients of BMP2/4/Dpp and Chordin/Sog specify the D-V axis and the nervous system arises on the Chordin/Sog side of the early embryo due to the anti-neural role of BMPs. These similarities have been used as support for the hypothesis that the bilaterian ancestor possessed a centralized nervous system and that BMP signaling delimited …

The Effect Of Substrate Unevenness And Irregularity On Locomotor Performance And Kinematics Of Curly-Tailed Lizards, Marian E. Crockett

Biology

Uneven surfaces are ubiquitous in nature and animals must frequently move across them, yet their effects on locomotion are not well understood. I studied how surface unevenness and irregularity of substrates made of large particles affect the locomotor performance and kinematics of the terrestrial generalist sprinter, the Northern Curly-Tailed Lizard (Leiocephalus carinatus). I compared a flat surface (even), three sizes of spheres (regular but uneven surfaces), and three sizes of natural rocks (irregular and uneven surfaces). As the size of the particles increased, the unevenness of the surface increased. The lizards ran at similar speeds on all substrates, but compensated …

Software Development For Genome Sequence Analysis, David Farr

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The cost of genome sequencing has decreased rapidly, expanding availability for many biological applications (Muir 2016). For example, researchers can now obtain genome sequences from multiple populations under different types of selection. Comparison of these sequences allows for identification of chromosome regions and specific genes associated with adaptive evolution (Kelly 2013). As an increasing number of researchers engage in this type of inquiry, many have created in-house computer scripts to analyze the raw sequence data (e.g., Kelly 2013), creating a gap in both continuity and standardization.

Using a test dataset and preliminary results from an ongoing artificial selection experiment in …

Feminism In Biology And Belief, Rachel Hurst

Dialogue & Nexus

As feminism has become more hotly-contested in today’s society, the need to analyze the movement’s claims from a scientific and theological perspective has developed. Labor statistics and sociological research reveal that income inequality persists between the sexes. Neuroscience and evolutionary psychology show that subtle differences exist between male and female brains, and these slight variations can potentially be traced to the differing selective pressures between the genders. Ultimately, the biological differences that favor power differentials must be overcome to remedy inequality and injustice. Although Christians have historically upheld these differences and viewed women as inferior, a more modern theological understanding …

A Functional Ecological Comparison Of Three Sponge Species From The Lower Florida Keys, Tyler William Griffin, Clara Prentiss, Malcolm Hill, Jeremy Weisz

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

The shallow, tidal flats off the islands of the lower Florida Keys represent a harsh environment for sessile marine invertebrates. This habitat is home to three taxonomically distinct sponge species that share similar rope morphologies: Cliona varians forma varians, Ircinia variabilis, and Neopetrosia subtriangularis. Despite sharing a habitat, these three species differ in their symbiont regime, with C. varians hosting dinoflagellate photosymbionts, and I. variabilis and N. subtriangularis hosting cyanobacterial photosymbionts. We conducted experiments to measure other ecological differences between these species. The sponges were all assayed for pumping rates using dye-video analysis and tissue samples were taken …

How Changes In Plant Community Structure Affect Ant Communities, Chadwick V. Tillberg, Renee Lafountain, Kathy Trinh, Jack O'Keefe

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 of the endangered Fender’s blue butterfly, Plebejus icarioides fenderi (Family: Lycaenidae). Larvae of this species form facultative protective mutualisms with ants, who chase away potential predators of the larvae. We used pitfall trapping to compare ant community structure between control and herbicide-treated plots through time. The extent to which major changes in plant community composition affect the mutualistic ant community may have relevance for management decisions if the focus of the conservation …

Which Gaba Receptors Are Expressed In The Zebrafish Lateral Line?, Megan Schwehr, Connell Crabtree, Tenzin Yangchen, Kyler Hayes, Jaren Ikenaga, Cecilia Toro

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

The presence of the neurotransmitter GABA in the mammalian inner ear is well established, yet its role in regulating inner ear cell function is less clear. We seek to understand the role of the GABA in the inner ear using the model organism zebrafish. Zebrafish possess a sense that humans do not: they can detect water movement with their lateral line system. Zebrafish sense water movement with cells that project out from the body of the fish into the environment. These so-called hair cells are remarkably similar to the sensory cells of the cochlea and semi-circular canals. Because they are …

Scholastic Discover More: Human Body, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

Bodies are amazing. Starting from the basics of atoms and molecules, this book talks about how bodies work. With a mix of high-color photographs and detailed illustrations, the colorful pages explain how bodies work in an encyclopedia format. The book is divided into six sections. “Your Amazing Body” talks about what bodies are made out of, “On the Move” discusses muscles and bones that allow bodies to move, “Skin You’re In” talks about how the skin works, “Body Engines” talks about how blood and organs power the body, “Fuel for the Body” talks about how bodies need to eat and …

Preliminary Analyses Of The Diversity Of Soil Microbes On The Campus Of The University Of The Incarnate Word, Viridiana Wheeler

Theses & Dissertations

Soil samples were examined outside Bonilla Science Hall on the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, at three time points between the calendar years 2016 and 2017. These time points correspond to Fall, Winter, and Spring. Samples were taken at two topsoil depths, 1 cm and 4 cm, to determine if there is a difference in bacterial load or distribution across the time frame examined.

Soil samples were diluted and plated on nutrient agar plates in order to identify unique colony morphologies. A total of 132 distinct morphological isolates were identified and sequenced. Of …

Enhancing Interdisciplinary Attitudes And Achievement Via Integrated Biology And Chemistry, Ying Guo, Pat Uelmen Huey Dr., David P. Pursell

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (Archived)

Success in undergraduate biology courses relies upon a firm grounding in chemical principles. We sought to raise students’ awareness of the connection between these two disciplines and to improve their understanding of each by carrying out a pilot project that integrated the curricula of Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM1212K) and Principles of Biology I (BIOL1107K) during the Fall 2016 semester. The study involved two course pairs: one section of each course delivered in the traditional non-integrated manner and a second pair of sections that were integrated across the chemistry and biology disciplines in both the scope and sequence of the …

Oxidative Quenching Of Photoexcited Ru(Ii)-Bipyridine Complexes By Oxygen, Danielle Rebecca Latham

Undergraduate Honors Theses

An experimental approach was taken in determining the quantum yield of Ruthenium(II) with Oxygen using two different Ru complexes. This reaction results in Ruthenium(III) and O2-. The Coulombic interactions caused by a carboxylate functional was found to increase the yield of charge separation. This was done using a diode to measure the intensity of the completed reaction over a certain time frame. The intensities were turned into concentrations. The concentration over time was used to determine the quantum yield. This information is useful in creating more efficient light emitting diodes.

The Effects Of Case-Based Instruction On Undergraduate Biology Students’ Understanding Of The Nature Of Science, Amy Burniston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Undergraduate science education is currently seeing a dramatic pedagogical push towards teaching the philosophies underpinning science as well as an increase in strategies that employ active learning. Many active learning strategies stem from constructivist ideals and have been shown to affect a student’s understanding of how science operates and its impact on society- commonly referred to as the nature of science (NOS). One particular constructivist teaching strategy, case-based instruction (CBI), has been recommended by researchers and science education reformists as an effective instructional strategy for teaching NOS. Furthermore, when coupled with explicit-reflective instruction, CBI has been found to significantly increasing …

Grasping Fatherhood In Abortion And Adoption, Malinda L. Seymore

Faculty Scholarship

Biology makes a mother, but it does not make a father. While a mother is a legal parent by reason of her biological relationship with her child, a father is not a legal parent unless he takes affirmative steps to grasp fatherhood. Being married to the mother at the time of conception or at the time of birth is one of those affirmative steps. But if he is not married to the mother, he must do far more before he will be legally recognized as a father. Biology is often presented as a sufficient reason for this dichotomy--it is easy …

Pore Water Salinity Drives Brackish Vegetation Change In Salt Marsh Tidal Restoration, Shri Andrea L. Verrill Ms

All Student Scholarship

Salt marsh vegetation plays an important role in building and maintaining elevation on the marsh surface. For marshes to persist as sea-level-rise (SLR) occurs, the marsh accretion process must increase elevation at a rate greater than or equal to the rate of SLR. If salt marshes do not maintain elevation above sea level, salt marshes will drown, and associated benefits to humans, fish, and wildlife, and their contribution to the health of estuarine and marine ecosystems will be lost. Salt tolerant plant species are adapted to frequent and prolonged periods of inundation with seawater and typically maintain elevation where they …

Nutritional Effects On Age-Related Changes In T-Cell Differentiation And Function, Michelle Chen

Whittier Scholars Program

T-cells are a type of white blood cell that in our bodies, scanning for cellular abnormalities and infections, thus making them essential for human immunity. However, due to the effects of aging, our bodies diminish the production of T cells and as a result, elderly individuals do not respond to immune disturbance as robustly as young individuals. In this experiment, I am examining the Jurkat T-cell, a human T lymphocyte cell line, viability at different treatment concentrations of the natural compounds, resveratrol and curcumin, and two cancer treatment drugs, cisplatin and bleomycin. These natural compounds, resveratrol and curcumin, have been …

Altruism: Biological Rationale Vs. Christian Love Command, Chris Porter, Landry Guin

Dialogue & Nexus

The idea of altruism and self-sacrifice appears counter to a simple view of evolution. While a “survival of the fittest” mindset occurs in some Darwinian views, there are counter-examples of animals and humans with cooperative, pro-social, and even self-sacrificial behavior. Social animals such as bees and ants work for the community and provide for the queen due to a haploid-diploid system of genetic relatedness. Some humans sacrifice their lives and money to promote the well-being of others even without genetic relatedness and, rarely, without reciprocity. We will explore why human animals often help people who are less fortunate by giving …

Stem Integration: Math, Meet Biology!, Lindsey Herlehy, Karen Togliatti

Publications & Research

Join us for three hands-on, inquiry-based activities integrating mathematical and scientific thinking. First, explore patterns in the powers of ten and use this information to sort a set of images and design a scale model of an E. coli's DNA. Then, simulate a colorful biotechnology application using new tools and laboratory skills. Art, science, and math intersect in an activity merging coordinate geometry, symmetry, and biotechnology skills. NGSS and CCSS practice standards will be demonstrated.

Biology 2017 Apr Self-Study & Documents, University Of New Mexico

UNM Academic Program Review

UNM Biology APR self-study report, review team report, unit response report, and initial action plan for Spring 2017, fulfilling requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

Relationship Between Teacher-Student Rapport And High-Stakes Testing Performance In Science, Nathan Kimbro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to determine if a predictive relationship existed between teacher-student rapport, as perceived by students, and biology achievement scores. The Teacher-Student Likert Scale Questionnaire was used to measure students’ perceptions of rapport with their science instructor. Students’ scores on the Maryland Biology High School Assessment were used to measure students’ testing performance in science. This study implemented a linear regression analysis to determine if the predictor variable (teacher-student rapport) had a statistically significant predictive relationship with the criterion variable (high-stakes testing performance in biology). A linear regression produced the prediction equation: biology HSA …

Ignatian Pedagogy Certificate Final Project, G. Patrick Duffie

Ignatian Pedagogy Educational Resources

No abstract provided.