Digital Commons Network^™

1. "Investigating The Impact Of Changes In Carbon Dioxide Concentration On Ecosystems", Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

Question: Does the concentration of carbon dioxide affect air temperature in a closed environment?

Uno Website Biology Uno Nature Preserves, Uno Department Of Biology

Student Support

Glacier Creek Preserve and T.L. Davis Preserve are managed by the Department of Biology to restore and preserve some of eastern Nebraska's natural prairie and woodland heritage. These preserves serve as education and research sites for the region as well as sites for those interested in enjoying the feel of our natural heritage.

Effects Of Salinity On Juvenile Cyclopterus Lumpus (Lumpfish) And Their Temproal And Spatial Distribution In The Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire, Jenna Leigh Rackovan

Master's Theses and Capstones

Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) is a semi-pelagic species that is broadly distributed in the temperate portions of the North Atlantic. The lumpfish is also a commercially important species in Iceland and the Netherlands, where it is fished for roe that is used for caviar. Moreover, several recent studies have shown that lumpfish juveniles are useful ‘cleaner fish’ in the Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry. Despite the importance of the species, little is known about its physiology and ecology. The overall goal of this research was to investigate if, and how, salinity affects the physiology and ecology of juvenile lumpfish.

To determine the …

Dominance And Experience: Aggression And The Evolutionary Origins Of Social Behavior, Jacob Withee

Master's Theses and Capstones

Sociality as a life history strategy has many overt benefits, but its origin from solitary living is not fully understood. The cooperation necessary for formation of even basic social groups can present natural selection paradoxes that many models are unable to reconcile. Conversely, aggression is a key component to the formation of dominance hierarchies, a very basic form of social group. These hierarchies can give way to reproductive hierarchies, which are in turn the basis for some of the most complex forms of social organization. The focus of this thesis is to use aggression in an incipiently social bee species …

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 …

An Automated Image Processing And Classification Scheme For Identifying Cancerous Soft-Shell Clam Hemocytes In Unstained Bright-Field Photomicrographs, William Duane Nitsch

Master's Theses and Capstones

Disseminated neoplasia is a type of cancer that is prevalent in marine bivalves. A group of biologists at the University of New Hampshire are frequently tasked with estimating the proliferation of this cancer in soft-shell clam hemocytes using unstained samples and a bright-field microscope without the use of any real means of quantization. Instead, their measurement is a purely visual analysis of confluency where varying individual experience amongst researchers, no usage of stains, cell clustering and the general nature of the microscopy environment make it exceedingly difficult to perform this task with consistent accuracy. This thesis details the application of …

Selective Mutation Accumulation: A Computational Model Of The Paternal Age Effect, Eoin C. Whelan, Alexander C. Nwala, Christopher Osgood, Stephan Olariu

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Motivation: As the mean age of parenthood grows, the effect of parental age on genetic disease and child health becomes ever more important. A number of autosomal dominant disorders show a dramatic paternal age effect due to selfish mutations: substitutions that grant spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) a selective advantage in the testes of the father, but have a deleterious effect in offspring. In this paper we present a computational technique to model the SSC niche in order to examine the phenomenon and draw conclusions across different genes and disorders.

Results: We used a Markov chain to model the probabilities of …

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.

In The Wasteland Of Your Mind: Criminology, Scientific Discovieries And The Criminal Process, Michael L. Perlin, Alison Lynch

Articles & Chapters

This paper addresses a remarkably-underconsidered topic: the potential impact of scientific discoveries and an increased understanding of the biology of human behavior on sentencing decisions in the criminal justice system, specifically, the way that sentencing has the capacity to rely on scientific evidence (such as brain imaging) as a mitigating factor (or perhaps, in the mind of some, as an aggravating factor) in determining punishment.

Such a new method of evaluating criminality, we argue, can be beneficial not only for the defendant, but also for the attorneys and judge involved in the case. If used properly, it may help to …

Metabolism Of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infected Raw 264.7 Macrophages, Mary K. Jenkins

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages are immune cells that phagocytize pathogens and act as antigen presenting cells. Macrophages are critical in regulating the adaptive immune response and play a key role in neutralizing infection. Macrophages exhibit a variety of phenotypes which have different energy requirements. In the case of HSV-1 infection the virus has been shown to alter metabolic processes of its host. Utilizing a XF24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer the metabolic activity of M0, M1, and M2 (IL-4, IL-13, and IL-10) RAW 264.7 macrophages was quantified for both uninfected cells and in response to HSV-1 infection. The analysis showed uninfected M0 and M2 (IL-4, …

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 …

Mechanisms Of Antixenosis And Antibiosis Of Ash Against Emerald Ash Borer, Chad Michael Rigsby

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an invasive forest pest causing widespread mortality of ash (Fraxinus spp.) in North America. Host resistance research and the development of resistant hosts offers a promising strategy for the long-term conservation of ash and management of EAB. Manchurian ash (F. mandshurica) shares an evolutionary history with EAB in Asia, resulting in its greater resistance relative to naive North American ashes. In the following studies I investigate antixenosis and antibiosis mechanisms of resistant and susceptible ashes. Antixenosis in Manchurian ash was demonstrated by quantifying substantially lower oviposition on this species relative to …

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 …

Am I Able To Predict How I Will Do? Examining Calibration In An Undergraduate Biology Course, Trisha A. Turner

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Students who are self-regulated are more likely to succeed academically, whereas students who have deficiencies in their learning have been recognized as having a lack of metacognitive awareness (Valdez, 2013; Zimmerman, 2002). If students are metacognitively unaware in large introductory courses, they may have difficulty knowing when to self-regulate and modify their learning (Lin & Zabrucky, 1998; Stone, 2000). One manner in which researchers have assessed students’ metacognitive awareness is by asking students to estimate how they think they will do on tasks compared to their actual performance, known as calibration. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ …

An Investigation Of Juvenile Alewife (Alosa Pseudoharengus) Habitat Use And Growth Using Natural Markers, Gregory Norman Labonte Ms

All Student Scholarship

This research attempts to connect patterns in growth and migration of an anadromous species. The goal of this research was to understand habitat movements and growth of juvenile alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) in the Penobscot Estuary and Bay through the use of otolith microchemistry, otolith growth increments, and a laboratory stable isotope turnover study. Understanding the connection between growth and movement of juvenile alewives may lead to more accurate and sophisticated conservation and restoration methods for anadromous species.

Comparison Of Pea Seed Germination Due To Manipulation Of Soil Conditions, Ariel M. Kershner

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

This experiment was done with the intent to understand optimal soil conditions for pea seed germination. We investigated this using three soil conditions – 100% potting soil, 50% potting soil/50% sand, and 100% sand. Seemingly healthy pea seeds were planted and observed over five weeks. We measured both the total number of sprouts per week and the combined weight of the plants and seeds per condition before planting and after uprooting. We expected to find that the 100% potting soil condition would germinate the best, resulting in the most sprouts and heaviest weight of the condition’s seeds and plants. This …

Input / Output: Mapping The Creative Process, Macy Chadwick, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

1 volume. Artist's book by Macy Chadwick. Title page spans two pages. Limited edition of 100 copies, signed and numbered by the artist. "'Input/Output' was created as one of the Small Plates series at San Francisco Center for the Book in 2016. The book was designed and written by Macy Chadwick and was letterpress printed at SFCB with Gotham typeface on Cougar Opaque paper using linoleum blocks and polymer plates with the assistance of Paola Hurtado, Cheryl Ball, Lian Ng, Carrie Ann Plank, Laurie Whitehill & Megan Adie... The binding was based on Keith Smith's 'border book' which opens out …

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 …

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 …

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

Undergraduate Research 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 …

Plant Functionality Across An Environmental Gradient, Taylor L. Price, Julie Zinnert

Undergraduate Research Posters

Community assemblages provide insight into ecosystem processes, both spatially and temporally. They interact with biotic and abiotic factors that vary with habitat structure, influencing community composition. Ecological theory demonstrates that species have the potential for a wide fundamental niche, but habitat range may be restricted by factors exposed to species in their realized niche. In barrier island ecosystems, edaphic and environmental characteristics (e.g. elevation and distance to shoreline) are major drivers determining where and how plant communities establish. Physical stressors, such as salt stress and drought influence community grouping and can alter plant function within the environment. With projected increases …

Film Tourism And Expectation: Using The Hallyu Wave To Model How Governments And Media Exports Influence National Image, Aishat O. Bello

Undergraduate Research Posters

Film tourism encompasses the interest, investment and influence that exported media products can contribute to cultural globalization, and subsequent visitation of a nation. The Korean Wave or Hallyu wave has been studied and commended for its rapid spread and growing popularity within Asia and more recently, on a more global scale. By comparing and contrasting the methods used by the Korean government to enhance Hallyu, with several trade deals made by the US government to support Hollywood, we can see how the effects of film tourism were directed towards modifying perspectives on Korean culture. A few consequences of making trade …

Incorporation Of Interprofessional Education And Special Care Dentistry Into Standard Dental School Curriculum, Marshall D. Adzima

Undergraduate Research Posters

According to dentistry, special needs is defined as individuals whose medical, physical, psychological, or social situations may make it necessary to modify normal dental routines in order to provide dental treatment for that individual. The population of special needs patients is increasing. The lack of educated professionals in special care dentistry is leading to severe and untreated systemic and oral health problems in the special needs population. The implementation of interprofessional treatment for special needs individuals has proven to be the most effective method of treatment within the special needs population. This study examines the current application of special care …

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

Undergraduate Research 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 …

Axon Initial Segment Loss Is Not Observed In The Hippocampus Of A Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Mouse Model, Praveen Mohanraju

Undergraduate Research Posters

The axon initial segment (AIS) is fundamental for neuronal communication and action potential initiation, a characteristic which has been shown to be disrupted in inflammatory diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Previous work from our lab has shown AIS breakdown in layer 5 of the cortex in a mouse model of MS known as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Moreover, it was shown that AIS breakdown was independent of demyelination but temporally correlated with microglial inflammatory reactivity. In order to determine if this pathology is specific to the cortex or affects other regions of the brain, we exploited these EAE induced …

Socioeconomic Factors Associated With Cataract-Related Blindness Treatment In Women In Rural Regions Of Andhra Pradesh, Kiranpreet Kaur 4198353

Undergraduate Research Posters

Despite efforts of Vision 2020 in India, the Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS) extrapolated, in 2000, approximately 18.7 million blind people in India and also, projected an increase to 31.6 million blind people by 2020. Within the state Andhra Pradesh itself, preventable corneal blindness increased to 1.84% from 1.5% in the late 1980s.

Numerous public health studies have been conducted to outline factors that cause and preclude treatment of avoidable corneal blindness in the India. Conclusively, the escalation of corneal blindness can be largely attributed to personal, social, and economic barriers in utilizing available eye-care services. However, due to …

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 …