Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of The Macrophage In Asbestos Induced Autoantibody Production, David J. Blake

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental exposure to silicate compounds such as silica and asbestos has been associated with increased autoimmune responses and the development of autoimmune disease in humans. Residents of Libby, MT have experienced significant asbestos exposure due to an asbestos contaminated vermiculite mine near the community over several decades. Residents have developed numerous asbestos-related diseases as well as increased autoimmune responses. However, the exact mechanism by which Libby amphibole asbestos generates autoimmune responses is unclear. To elucidate a possible mechanism for asbestos induced autoimmunity, the cellular effects of Libby amphibole asbestos were characterized in vitro using a phagocytic murine macrophage cell line, …

Taxonomic And Paleoclimatic Significance Of Late Cretaceous Wood From The San Juan Basin, New Mexico., Patrick J. Hudson

Student Work

Fossil wood has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for studying past environments and biotas. Anatomical structure of silicified woods from Late Cretaceous sediments in northwestern New Mexico was used to conduct a taxonomic survey of plants with secondary growth and tree stature, as well as estimate paleoclimate. A total of 50 specimens compromising both gymnospermous and angiospermous remains were surveyed from deposits within the upper Fruitland and lower Kirtland formations of the San Juan Basin. Anatomical characters were used to designate distinct xylotypes, which were then linked to modern orders or families. Paleoclimate was estimated using three quantitative …

Linking Bacterioplankton Community Structures To Environmental State Variables And Phytoplankton Assemblages In Two South Carolina Salt Marsh Estuaries, Wes Johnson, Alan J. Lewitus, Madilyn Fletcher

Faculty Publications

Microorganisms are among the most important organisms to the ecology of salt marsh estuaries; however, fundamental questions regarding their distribution, environmental controls, and interactions with phytoplankton remain unanswered. We used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of bacterial rRNA genes and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of phytoplankton photopigments to characterize planktonic communities from the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto (ACE) Basin and North Inlet (NI) estuaries on the South Carolina coast, USA. Multivariate comparisons of the planktonic community profiles revealed that the 2 estuaries supported distinct bacterial communities. Furthermore, bacterial communities in both systems were partitioned into separate particle-associated (PA) and …

Biol1111 Course Proposal, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Intellectual Property And Competition – Human Economic Universals, Wolfgang Fikentscher

The Gruter Institute Working Papers on Law, Economics, and Evolutionary Biology

My contribution to this workshop is an approach to answering the question whether property, in particular intellectual property, and competition for the acquisition of such property, are innate building blocks of human behavior “deep in our brain” and inherited characteristics of our human nature, or whether they are cultural attitudes and abilities which we have to learn because we are not born with it. In the first case we would call them human universals, in the second cultural specificities. Also, a way has to be shown how we can know the one or the other.

Biol 4312 Course Proposal 09/26/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Biol 3700 Course Proposal 09/26/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Biol 1111 Course Proposal 09/26/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Biology B.A. Program And Curriculum Approval 09/25/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Biology Minor Program And Curriculum Approval 09/21/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Biology Multiple Course Revisions Form 09/08/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Biology Form A: Discipline Summary 09/08/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Crab Zoe, Phylum Crustacea, Laura Stevens

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Feedlots On Epiphytic Lichen Species Composition And Cover In Eastern Nebraska., Margaret K. Reed

Student Work

Environmental factors greatly influence what species of lichens may occur in a particular region. Among these factors is nitrogen deposition in the form of ammonia as a result of feedlot operations, which may be manifested by an increase in bark pH. Epiphytic lichens on trees located in close proximity to medium and large-scale feedlot operations in Eastern Nebraska were analyzed for bark pH levels, species composition and species abundance, then compared to trees located at a greater distance from feedlot operations. Five sites were selected based on the presence of trees and accessibility. Ten trees from each site were selected …

The Asteraceae Of Pico Zunil., Taylor Sultan Quedensley

Student Work

Forty-four genera and 93 species of native Asteraceae were collected from 2003- 2005 on the northwestern slopes of Pico Zunil, a montane cloud forest habitat in southwestern Guatemala. Combining the present survey with past surveys, a total of 56 genera and 126 species of Asteraceae now have been reported from Pico Zunil, only five of which were naturalized Old World species. In the present study, the tribe Heliantheae contained the greatest number of native species (n=29) with the most diverse genus being Ageratina (Eupatorieae) (10 species). Species richness of native Asteraceae measured along an elevational gradient ranged from a low …

Chironomid Hemoglobin Genetic Diversity As An Indicator Of The New Jersey Hackensack Meadowlands Wetland Health, Lene Marie De Coursin Jacobs

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Kearny Marsh located within the Hackensack Meadowlands is a freshwater wetland impacted by multiple environmental stressors from human activity. The marsh is located in the northeastern New Jersey metropolitan area. Chironomid larvae, aquatic larvae of midge fly, were analyzed from two Kearny Marsh sample sites, W9 and W22. A previous sediment analysis and toxicity study characterized heavy metal contaminants the marsh. The data results were applied in this thesis study to determine the correlation between environmental stressors and chironomid genetic diversity. Site W9 sediment was impacted by severe levels of total heavy metal contamination, whereas site W22 had just below …

Ecological Fitting As A Determinant Of The Community Structure Of Platyhelminth Parasites Of Anurans, Daniel R. Brooks, Virginia León-Règagnon, Deborah Mclennan, Derek Zelmer

Faculty Publications

Host–parasite associations are assumed to be ecologically specialized, tightly coevolved systems driven by mutual modification in which host switching is a rare phenomenon. Ecological fitting, however, increases the probability of host switching, creating incongruences between host and parasite phylogenies, when (1) specialization on a particular host resource is a shared characteristic of distantly related parasites, and (2) the resource being tracked by the parasite is widespread among many host species. We investigated the effect of ecological fitting on structuring the platyhelminth communities of anurans from a temperate forest and grassland in the United States and tropical dry and wet forests …

Restoration Of Quercus Macrocarpa (Bur Oak) Savanna In Iowa's Loess Hills., David A. Mckenzie

Student Work

Prescribed burning and tree-cutting were used alone and in combination to assess means by which to restore the historic Quercus savanna ecosystem that once dominated the western Iowa Loess Hills. Pre- and post-treatment evaluations of woody and herbaceous understory species, overstory canopy cover, and woody plant density were conducted in permanently established treatment plots approximately 1000-2000m2 in size. Of all plant groups, forb canopy cover increased the most, with the greatest increases occurring in pots that were burned with all trees removed (average increase from 8% to 41%), followed by burned plots with all but Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak) removed …

Ecology [10th Grade], Matt Simonds

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

By the end of this unit students will understand that organisms in an ecosystem are interdependent and that an ecosystem is made up of more than just the living things in it. Furthermore, they will be able to create, correctly label, and predict the effects of a given event on a food web. Throughout this unit students will practice creating and interpreting food webs & nutrient cycles. They will also practice using the appropriate vocabulary as listed in the unit below. In the performance assessment, students research an ecological issue of their choice and create a report containing an explanation …

Active Learning In A Large Enrollment Introductory Biology Class: Problem Solving, Formative Feedback, And Teaching As Learning, Diane Flint Robison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to take a case study approach to exploring student learning experiences in a large enrollment introductory biology class. Traditionally such classes are taught through the lecture method with limited instructor-student interaction and minimal student-centered learning (Lewis & Woodward, 1984; Wulff, Nyquist, & Abbott, 1987). Biology 120 taught at Brigham Young University winter semester 2006 by John Bell was chosen as the case for the study due to its large enrollment (263) and its innovative pedagogy. In the classroom, students applied their learning through a variety of student-centered activities including solving problems, discussing concepts with …

Analysis Of The Upstream Regulatory Region Of The Enhancer Of Split M7 Gene In Drosophila , Bryanne E. Robson

Biology Honors Papers

The Notch pathway is one of the vital signaling pathways used during Drosophila development. Present in many organisms and extensively studied in D. melanogaster, this pathway serves to transduce signals between neighboring developing cells and inhibits neuronal differentiation by lateral inhibition. The primary targets of Notch are the Enhancer of split (E(spl)) genes. Although the upstream regulatory regions of the E(spl) genes contain biding sites for Suppressor of Hairless, Proneural, and E(spl) proteins, their expression patterns are not identical. There is a hidden complexity in the regulatory regions of these genes that may help explain the conservation of the overall …

In Vitro Expression And Purification Of Class I Mhc Molecules, Loi Cheng

Honors Scholar Theses

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a gene family responsible for many critical functions of the immune system in most vertebrates. The MHC consists of three classes differentiated by their structure and function, and MHC class I encodes antigen binding proteins as well as chaperone and accessory proteins such as tapasin. The purpose of this project is to reconstitute several human MHC class I molecules in their peptide-filled and peptide-deficient forms, and to purify these proteins for biochemical study. The expressed proteins include wild type and mutant variants of the fusion protein human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*0801-fos, and human beta-2-microglobulin (β2m). …

Closing The Loop: Controlling Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Megan Chynoweth

Whittier Scholars Program

Diabetes mellitus is an ever increasing pandemic. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), although not the most prevalent form of diabetes mellitus, has had an “average annual increase of 3.09%, meaning the incidence of T1DM would increase 40% from 1998 to 2010”. T1DM leads to many complications: adverse side effects such as retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. These comorbidities are costing the United States billions of healthcare dollars per year. Delaying complications result in cost savings and improved quality of life, which can be obtained by tightly controlling blood sugars. However, strict control is difficult to attain. Optimal glucose levels may be …

Biolojam – The Educational Comic, Stacey Barrie

Senior Honors Projects

BioloJam is a biology comic aimed towards 7th and 8th grade students. The goal of the project was to create an educational resource that students would find entertaining and enlightening. The project is available on the web and is free to use for educational purposes by teachers, students, and parents. There are two comics: the larger, more complicated “Cell Breakout” and the smaller, more conversational “Giraffic Park.” In Cell Breakout, the three heroes are trapped inside a video game in a plant cell, and learn all about cell functions as they try to escape. In Giraffic Park, the trio are …

Psd-Project Sequence Database, Matthew Kayala, Akhila Kambhampati, Stephanie Forschner, Bethany D. Jenkins

Bioinformatics Software Design Projects

1. Introduction

The sequencing of nucleic acids and the subsequent analysis of their encoded the genes and proteins has revolutionized biological sciences and allowed for the determination of evolutionary origins and biochemical potential of organisms. While the technology to determine molecular sequence data has become extremely powerful in terms of both automation and thoughput, sequence analysis technology has lagged behind, unable to efficiently keep up with the vast amount of sequence data being generated both in individual labs and by researchers worldwide. The foundation of robust sequence analysis is dependent on the building and maintaining of project sequence databases (PSD) …

Dolomedes Scriptus (Water Spider): Male Response To Females’ Putative Pheromones On Perches., Katherine Hunt

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Sexual signals are commonly used among animals to enhance reproductive success. Chemical signals such as pheromones are commonly used to attract mates. Little is known, though, about how these signals are received or interpreted by the target. I studied the water spider, Dolomedes scriptus in the pisaurid family. Most Dolomedes species only make webs as a nursery for their young. However, females often create silk drag lines, potentially serving for species recognition. In some Dolomedes species, females who are previously mated are known to cannibalize most approaching males. Males might avoid cannibalism by avoiding mated females, particularly if they can …

Abstracts Of Papers, 84th Annual Meeting Of The Virginia Academy Of Science

Virginia Journal of Science

Full abstracts of papers for the 84th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 25-26, 2006, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA

Plasmid Probes For Screening Specific Genes In Large Fragment Dna Libraries, Leah Ferguson

Senior Honors Projects

Heliothis virescens, a member of the lepidopteran family, is of great importance to many people who rely on agriculture as a source of income because it is a pest of many important crops. Because H. virescens feeds on a broad array of hosts including cotton, tobacco, tomato, and soybean it has earned its place as a major nuisance in the United States. Heliothis subflexa is a close taxonomic relative of H. virescens, but the two species differ in that H. subflexa is a specialized herbivore that only feeds on plants in the genus Physalis. Studies have been performed to determine …

Biology Course Proposal 02/24/06, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Biology 4351 Course Proposal 02/24/06, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.