Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Reproduction On Senescence In Local Species, Nathan Smith

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Understanding the impact of reproduction on the aging process within species populations remains an ongoing challenge in ecological and evolutionary research. In this study, we aim to clarify the relationship between reproduction and senescence using agent-based modeling using wild species data sets. Our objectives include investigating how variations in reproductive rates influence the lifespan and aging trajectories of individuals within populations, as well as identifying potential mechanisms underlying these effects. We will employ agent-based modeling to simulate populations and explore the dynamics of reproduction and senescence using publicly available datasets of local wild species. By manipulating parameters related to reproductive …

Affiliating Cultural Heritage Through Material Analysis, Lucy Mattinson

Student Research Symposium

The Utah State University Museum of Anthropology’s collection includes seven metal tipped arrows. These arrows have no documentation, notes, or additional archival information. My aim was to use material analyses to link these arrows to where they came from and learn how to preserve them for the future.

Identify And Quantify The Adverse Effects Of Plastics In Water-Soil-Plant System, Junjie Tang

Student Research Symposium

Plastic pollution has become impossible to ignore.

- Within that roughly 20-year span, we have generated 2.5bn tonnes of plastic waste and each year we produce about 380 million tonnes. More.

- Plastic waste:

(1) beaches

(2) landfills

(3) fruits and vegetables

(4) human organ

Genome Editing And Biological Weapons: Assessing The Risk Of Misuse, William C. Wells, Katherine Paris

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Navy Staff Officer’S Guide: Leading With Impact From Squadron To Opnav, Ed Hernandez, Dale C. Rielage

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Oplan 1003v—Operation Iraqi Freedom From A Planner’S Perspective, Don Thieme

Naval War College Review

Unlike the political decision to invade Iraq in 2003 and the violent insurgency that followed, the operational planning that went into the invasion has not been studied granularly. This history of that planning effort offers rich insight both for historians and for planners who may be called on to plan another major conventional combined-arms operation in the future.

Autumn 2023 Full Issue, The U.S. Naval War College

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Resveratrol Supplementation In Ivm/Ivc Media For Embryo Development, Clark Riddle

Student Research Symposium

• Development of techniques to increase embryo development rates, and improvement of the quality of those embryos are two major interest points in synthetic embryology.
• Resveratrol is a antioxidative phytoalexin which has been shown to be beneficial to embryos in certain conditions by reducing oxidative stress. [1]
• Previous studies have shown that use of resveratrol in in vitro culture (IVC) media significantly increased blastocyst rate. [2]
• The aim of this study is to determine the effect of resveratrol supplementation in in vitro maturation (IVM) media in addition to IVC supplementation on cleavage rates and blastocyst rates

Searching For Commonalities In Secondary Structure Of Prmt Targets With Python Programming, Emeline Haroldsen

Student Research Symposium

PRMT is an enzyme that:

• Methylates protein targets without use of a consensus sequence
• Has implications in embryonic development, carcinogenesis, cardiac health and many other diseases^1,2,3
• Has 9 isoforms. Native PRMT1 is tetrameric (figure 1)

The mechanisms underlying PRMT target recognition and binding are unknown, limiting the study of PRMT related diseases. However: •

• Proteomics have identified thousands of PRMT targets⁴
• Commonalities in secondary structure may indicate a recognition element²
• Prior research predicted (with JPred5) a surprising proportion (20.35%) of target methylation sites within alpha helices of proteins (figure 2).

Effects On Cytokine Supplementation On Bovine Embryo Development, Pratt Griffeth

Student Research Symposium

• Artificial reproductive techniques (ARTs), such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), allow for embryo production beyond what is naturally possible.
• To conduct IVF oocytes must reach maturity via in-vitro maturation (IVM), be fertilized by IVF, and the resulting embryos cultured via in-vitro culture (IVC).
• Modifications in maturation media and culture media are often tested experimentally to increase effectiveness of ARTs.
• Researchers have found that supplementing a group of three cytokines (fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), leukemia inhibiting factor (LIF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), together known as FLI) in maturation media improved oocyte maturation in pigs and bovine cloning success.^1-2
• Our …

Medical-Dental Staff Topics, 1986, V20 N10, November, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

St. Luke's Hospital, Milwaukee, WI: An issue of "Medical-Dental Staff Topics". This was an internal publication for ASLMC staff members reporting on news, research, events, and staffing updates. Includes a staff calendar and information on continuing education opportunities.

Dynamics Of Laboratory Nematode Populations, Erik Bergstrom, Andrea Scharf

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Understanding how populations fluctuate is important for understanding how evolutionary pressures have shaped the life histories of species, such as reproductive patterns and aging. A laboratory ecosystem consisting of Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli and wormPOP, a simulation of this laboratory ecosystem, developed by Scharf and colleagues (Scharf et al., 2022) provides an opportunity to better understand population dynamics by tracking individual simulated worms and computing the emergent population dynamics. However, the output data consist of curves with peaks and troughs that are challenging to analyze and that were hypothesized to fit the mathematical definition of chaotic behavior. This project …

Statistical Modeling Of Fruit Fly Based On Sleep Characteristics, Landon Oelschlaeger, Gayla R. Olbricht, V. A. Samaranayake, Matthew S. Thimgan

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

In this research, a statistical model was developed to predict the lifespan of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, based on the sleep characteristics. Previously, a model was developed using variables based on the transition probabilities of a fly staying awake or asleep from minute-to-minute. This research builds on the previous work by incorporating additional variables based on traditional sleep metrics along with the transition probability variables into the modeling process. A method was first developed to automate the generation of the traditional sleep metrics, enabling them to be included in the model. Forward stepwise selection was used to determine an …

Insect Collection Methods At Fort Leonard Wood, Sage Wood, Miranda Ragland, Robin M. Verble

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

This project is part of a larger survey examining the terrestrial insect diversity at Fort Leonard Wood in summers 2021 and 2022. The data analyzed in this poster includes specimens collected during the 2022 collection period. This project attempts to elucidate the most effective method of insect collection at Fort Leonard Wood, as well as any hotspots of insect presence or diversity on the base. Specimens were collected using hand and net collection, Lindgren funnel trapping, leaf litter sampling, and three colors of pan trapping (blue, yellow, white). Specimens were processed in the lab, pinned, sorted, and identified. Preliminary analysis …

Simulating Inter-Species Competition In C. Elegans, Kevin Lai

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

In biological research, understanding the life cycles of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is pivotal for insights into developmental biology, genetics, and population dynamics. Our project builds on Worm-Pop, a Python-based multi-agent simulation of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) , to enhance its capabilities in simulating survival strategies, reproductive success, and genetic drift. The current model simulates a uniform population without inter-agent interactions. I plan to introduce multiple species of worms into the simulation to study competitive dynamics and determine which variants are most successful under various conditions. Pheromones significantly influence C. elegans behavior, affecting mating, foraging, and social interactions. To address …

Floating Treatment Wetlands For Zinc Phytoremediation, Grace Duong

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Stormwater pollution from urban and mining areas can pose challenges to downstream waters because of zinc contamination. Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) have demonstrated the ability to mitigate nutrient and metal contamination. To investigate the effectiveness of native Missouri plants in FTWs, fourteen 10-liter mesocosms were constructed, dosed with nutrients, and placed in a greenhouse. Four mesocosms acted as controls, five contained pickerelweed, and five contained palm sedge. After one week of acclimation, mesocosms were dosed with ZnCl2 in concentrations of 0, 5, and 10 mg/L of zinc. Objectives of this study include characterizing zinc immobilization and assessing both pickerelweed and …

Cytokinesis And Dbf2, Katharine Gray, Katie Shannon

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

During cell division, the cytoplasm must be divided between the parent and daughter cell. The Mitotic Exit Network (MEN) is a signaling pathway that allows a dividing cell to exit mitosis and complete cytokinesis. Obf2 is a MEN protein kinase in yeast, which provides a simplified model for studying this conserved pathway. By regulating Dbf2s' activity through phosphorylation mutants, its effect on cytokinesis can be studied. Cells were viewed under a microscope, to visualize division errors. Yeast cells that fail to complete cytokinesis will form chains, as the budding daughter cells fail to separate from their parents. Chains of 3 …

Xenobiotic-Lnduced Developmental Neuropathology, Lindsay Schneider

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

As new drugs and pollutants are introduced, a larger subset of people are exposed. The question that arises is whether exposure of a pregnant woman to drugs/pollutants will have negative effects on the neurobiology of her unborn child. We are establishing a screen to test the effects of drugs and pollutants on the developmental neuropathology of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. The roundworm has 302 neurons that are structurally similar to human neurons, and defects in single neurons can be detected by impairment in their neural behaviors such as chemotaxis towards an attractant. Using a chemotaxis assay, we can investigate …

Stream Fungal Biodiversity And Leaf Decomposition, Vale Miller

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

CURRENTLY ONGOING PROJECT We are investigating the possible impact of aquatic fungi biodiversity on leaf litter decomposition and respiration. Four different species of aquatic fungi were placed into flasks with leaf cores (A, B, C, and D), one with no fungi as a control, and one with all four species in equal amounts (ABCD). So far, there seems to be little to no effect on respiration between the species and similar results in the flasks with all four species. Based on this information, biodiversity has yet to show a significant impact in leaf respiration and little to no effect on …

Mathematical Analysis Of C Elegans Population Dynamics, Erik Bergstrom

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Understanding how populations fluctuate is important for understanding how evolutionary pressures have shaped the life histories of species, such as reproductive patterns and aging. A laboratory ecosystem consisting of Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli and wormPOP, a simulation of this laboratory ecosystem, developed by Scharf and colleagues (Scharf et al., 2022) provides an opportunity to better understand population dynamics by tracking individual simulated worms and computing the emergent population dynamics. However, the output data consist of curves with peaks and troughs that are challenging to analyze and that were hypothesized to fit the mathematical definition of chaotic behavior. This project …

Effect Of Morphology As A Function Of The K-Index On The Drug Loading And Release Profiles In Polyurea And Poly(Isocyanurate-Urethane) Aerogels, Kamden J. George, Stephen Y. Owusu, Chariklia Sotiriou-Leventis

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

This study explores the potential to predict the drug loading and release profiles of aerogels based on their morphologies: a milestone in drug delivery research which can help save time and cost invested in formulating new aerogel drug carriers and cut-down evaluation of the drug delivery capabilities of aerogels to a few experimental runs. Polyurea (PUA) and poly (isocyanurate-urethane) (PIR-PUR) aerogels were used as model systems while 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and paracetamol (PM) were used as model drugs. These model systems were chosen because they can be synthesized into different morphologies identified by the so-called K-index (contact angle:porosity). The model drugs …

Evaluation Of Phosphorus Uptake Within Aquatic Plants For The Use Of Nutrient Removal, Grace Willbanks

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Stormwater runoff from urban areas can lead to excess nutrients, such as phosphorus or nitrogen, in our waterways. These waste nutrients can lead to overgrowth of algae and plants, deoxygenation of ponds and streams, and death of the aquatic life in these important ecosystems. Currently, floating treatment wetlands are being used to combat these excess nutrients, combining a floating element with an absorptive media, either man-made or natural aquatic plants, into a model to float on an impacted lake. In this research project, multiple small-scale microcosm level experiments were run with different native aquatic plants to test their uptake ability …

Are Pheromones Necessary To Survive?, Galayna Baur

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) is a species of nematodes widely found on rotting plant material due to the presence of their primary food source, bacteria. These animals utilize pheromones for communication to signal larval stages to enter the dauer phase-a survival strategy enabling them to withstand periods of minimal to no food availability, thereby regulating their population size. This study investigates the role of pheromone signaling in population dynamics and survival strategies of C. elegans using a population dynamics experiment. We employ two strains: N2, a laboratory strain with intact pheromone signaling, and a mutant strain lacking the ability to signal …

Wild Worms Vs. Lab Worms In A Laboratory Ecosystem, Alexis Winner

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans lives artificially in labs since the 1970s. The question at hand is how well adapted the so-called wild-type strain is to these lab conditions. We developed a laboratory ecosystem based on wild type C. elegans and E. coli as food resource to investigate the impact of mutations that affect life history traits. In this project, we explore whether the observed population dynamics reflect wild C. elegans populations. In more detail, we compare the population dynamics of wild type worms and worms collected recently in different parts of the world.

19th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference (Ugrc) - 2024, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

No abstract provided.

Symposium: Gender, Health & The Constitution: On The Constitutional Requirement For Adequate Prenatal Care Post-Dobbs, Ainslee Johnson-Brown

ConLawNOW

This Essay argues that state abortion statutes codifying government interests in the health and welfare of the unborn trigger a constitutional right to prenatal care where adequate medical care is constitutionally required in the penal system. It explores the healthcare mandates required by the U.S. Constitution in the era before the passage of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, specifically looking at abortion access and prenatal provisions in the penological system. It then dissects abortion-related legislation passed by various states in the wake of Dobbs—emphasizing language within the legislative findings that could trigger a constitutional obligation for prenatal …

Resource Allocation Of Ecosystem Services Of Cross Timbers Forests, Iryna Mcdonald

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Abstract

Forested ecosystems offer numerous goods and services, many of which are challenging to quantify directly. The productive potential of the Cross-Timber Forest region requires significant policy attention resulting from the economic contributions these services offer the locality – extending from southern Kansas to central Oklahoma and into Texas, including the metropolitan areas like Tulsa (Oklahoma), Oklahoma City (Oklahoma), and Dallas (Texas), providing ecosystem services to millions of residents along the Midwest-South continuum. Stand variety, in this transitional ecoregion, is largely comprised of post oak (Quercus stellata) and blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica) woodlands with varying tree densities interspersed with patches …

Boeing Bats Baseline Survey In Wichita, Ks, Samantha Zimmerman, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Collecting baseline data on species or taxa of interest is crucial prior to conducting targeted restoration or management activities to determine if such actions had the desired outcomes. The purpose of this project was to acoustically identify the species of bats present at the former Emery Landfill site in Wichita Kansas. Data collected will serve as a baseline for future monitoring and restoration activities at the site. Three SM4Bat acoustic detectors were deployed at the site from June-October, 2023. The recorded bat calls were analyzed using Kaleidoscope Pro software and will be compared to the acoustic data collected in 2021-2022 …

Ordinal-Level Biomass Of Insects Collected On And Off Prairie Dog Colonies, Colby Cook, Chad Zerr, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Ordinal-level Biomass of Insects Collected On and Off Prairie Dog Colonies

Colby Cook, Chad Zerr, and Lorelei Patrick

Recent work has shown that bats in Colorado and Kansas are more active over prairie dog colonies. It is hypothesized that the reason for this is increased abundance and richness of insects found on colonies versus off colonies. Sampling from 2022 indicated that insect biomass was not different between location types, but suggested that the relative abundance of insect orders may differ. Additional insect sampling was conducted in 2023. Light traps were deployed on the same nights, one on a prairie dog …

Computational Modeling Of Retinal Damage Thresholds, Payton Hoffman, Eos Shapland, Alan Enriquez

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The Scalable Effects Simulation Environment(SESE), is the computational Biophysics software contracted by Nanohmics we used for our research. The goal was to find the minimum energy necessary to damage the retina from 2 laser sources, a 532 nm He-Ne source, and Supercontinuum Laser(SCL) source at 400-1400nm. We needed a 10 times damage ratio for significance. Our data did not show this trend.