Life Sciences Commons^™

Investigating The Occurrence And Relative Abundance Of Mosquitoes Associated With Rainwater Harvesting Systems, Kaitlyn Dobyns, Kyrsten Gage, Kathy D. Gee

Spring Presentation of Undergraduate Research

Mosquitoes are associated with the spread of diseases such as Zika and West Nile viruses. Government and health officials recommend the elimination of standing water to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes that carry these viruses. Previous research has shown that rainwater harvesting (RWH) can create a source of standing water that could potentially harbor mosquitoes and their larvae. As RWH is an important tool for conserving potable water and mitigating stormwater runoff, it is important to determine if these systems are contributing to the proliferation of mosquitoes. This project investigates the prevalence and relative abundance of mosquitoes in the storage …

Do Paraben Derivatives Alter T Cell Immunity?, Hailey Kintz

Spring Presentation of Undergraduate Research

T cells immunity is linked to a complex system of cytokines that determine differentiation of naïve T cells into Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells. Estrogen production or periods of elevated production have been correlated with an anti-inflammatory state in which Th2 and Treg cells are up-regulated. Such responses in the immune system are capable of supporting pre-cancerous activity. We are investigating the tie between the xenoestrogen compounds found in cosmetics, parabens, and their ability to regulate T cell immunity. Testing parabens and paraben derivatives with weaker estrogen receptor association will allow for a better understanding of the interplay between …

Does The Fungal Pathogen (Botryosphaeria Dothidea) Exceed The Dehydration Tolerance Of Its Chaparral Host?, Cristian M. Garcia

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

We tested the hypothesis that an opportunistic endophytic fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea that frequently infects and causes dieback in several different species of chaparral shrubs in the Santa Monica Mountains continues to elongate and grow in host tissues at dehydration levels that exceed host survival. This was done by collecting several large branches from the field from three dominant species of co-occurring chaparral shrubs, Malosma laurina, Ceanothus spinosus, and Ceanothus megacarpus. We allowed branches to dehydrate at increasing lengths of time, from a few days to one week, in an air-conditioned laboratory, then sealed in plastic bags to allow tissuewater equilibration, …

Investigation Of Antimicrobial Properties Of Rhus Ovata Extracts, Sydney T. Adams

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Native peoples of Southern California historically used a variety of local plants as remedies for illnesses. Chaparral species such as Rhus ovata (sugar bush) were widely available and were used to ease headaches, coughs and chest pains, and colds. In light of the historical importance of this plant and other chaparral species, recent fungal pathogen-induced diebacks of Malosma laurina, a species closely related to R. ovata, have raised questions regarding the innate defenses of these plants against fungal pathogens. We attempted to scientifically evaluate the traditional medicinal use of R. ovata and its antifungal resistance by testing two …

Changes In The Proliferation And Gene Expression Of Huvecs In Response To Treatment With Plant Secondary Metabolites, Caleigh Howard

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Medicinal plants have historically been a valuable source of new drugs, and Southern California possesses a rich collection of native plants which have been used as medicines by native people groups for thousands of years. Angiogenesis is the biological process of new blood-vessel growth from endothelial cells. It is an essential part of the wound-healing process, and increased angiogenesis has also been implicated in the growth of some types of cancerous tumors. In this study, extracts of the Southern Californian native plants Red shanks (Adenostoma sparsifolium) and the alkaloid extract of Jimson weed (Datura wrightii) were …

The Effect Of Physical Stress Signals On Conspecific Interactions In Green-And-Black Poison Frogs (Dendrobates Auratus), Gabriella E. Chan, Maxwell A. Kenyon, Summer Ngo, Lee B. Kats

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Amphibian declines have been a major focus of the scientific community for nearly three decades. Many studies describe the leading causes of amphibian decline related to disease, with chytridiomycosis as the most notable example. However, little is known about behavioral conspecific interactions among ill or stressed amphibians, particularly neotropical species. Previous observational research on poison frogs determined that stressed Dendrobates auratus flip onto their backs in a reaction that is similar to fainting in other species. In this study, we examine conspecific interactions of green-and-black poison frogs (D. auratus) with “healthy” and “sick” model frogs, in order to …

Potential Spread Of The Fungal Pathogen Botryospharea Dothidea From Chaparral Shrubs To Grape Vineyards In The Santa Monica Mountains, Alexandra N. Case, Natalie M. Aguirre, Rodney L. Honeycutt, Stephen D. Davis

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

We tested the hypothesis that an opportunistic endophytic fungus, Botryosphaeria dothidea, that frequently infects and causes dieback in species of chaparral shrubs in the Santa Monica Mountains during drought events, may spread to grape vineyards in the Santa Monica Mountains. Recently a dominant chaparral species in coastal exposures of the Santa Monica Mountains, Malosma laurina, has undergone extensive dieback in low elevation, dry sites, in response to historic drought in California, but less dieback in high elevation moist sites. M. laurina frequently grows adjacent grape vineyards. Thus we hypothesized that fungal isolates from a low elevation, dry vineyard …

Testing For The Presence Of Botryosphaeria Dothidea In Branches Of Ceanothus Spinosus Undergoing Dieback, Brandon R. Grinovich, Chelsea N. Puncochar, Katarina L. Carter, Stephen D. Davis, Rodney L. Honeycutt, Talia A. Cao, Karagan L. Smith

Featured Research

Botryosphaeria dothidea is an opportunistic pathogen found in some of the cavitated branches of the vegetation in the Santa Monica Mountains. In this study, we focused on finding the presence of Botryosphaeria dothidea in Ceanothus spinosus located on Pepperdine University’s campus. We wanted to test this hypothesis because we observed a large amount of dieback in the Ceanothus spinosus population and wanted to identify a possible contributor. Because of the large number of cavitated branches the Ceanothus spinosus contained, we hypothesized they contained fungus. To test this, we took twenty samples of twenty different Ceanothus spinosus, isolated the fungus …

Dynamic Modeling And Stochastic Simulation Of Metabolic Networks, Emalie Clement

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Throughout our current generation, scientific studies, with the help of increased technological methods, have enabled the investigation of biology at nanoscale levels. Nevertheless, such systems necessitate the use of computational methods to comprehend the complex interactions occurring. Traditionally, dynamics of metabolic systems are described by ordinary differential equations producing a deterministic result which negates the intrinsic heterogeneity of intracellular systems. More recently, stochastic modeling approaches have gained popularity with the capability of providing more realistic outcomes. Yet, solving stochastic algorithms tend to be computationally intensive processes. Employing the queueing theory, an approach commonly used to evaluate telecommunication networks, reduces the …

Studies Of Amino Acid Mutations In Drug Resistance Of The Smo Protein, Eunice Wintona

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Smoothened receptor (SMO) is a protein that in humans, is encoded by the SMO gene. A systemic mutation in its binding pocket helps predict the sensitivity of mutant proteins to different drugs. Known as a GPCR-like receptor, it is a component of the hedgehog signaling pathway; a pathway involved in body patterning and the regulation of adult stem cells. An uncontrolled or inappropriate activation of the Hedgehog pathway drives tumor progression in cancers and a number of birth defects. To achieve these goals, the molecular modeling software MOE was used to build small molecules and drug molecules like Vismodegib and …

Towards A Mechanism Of Action Of An Antischistosomal Drug: Measuring Granulocytic Activity, Samantha Sack

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by a family of schistosome parasites which leads to vital organ damage. Praziquantel (PZ) is the only available treatment, but it is effective only against the adult worm. Partner labs have tested an antischistosomal drug which has been shown to have a higher efficacy against both juvenile and mature parasites in mice and monkeys compared to PZ. This effectiveness does not transfer to in vitro experiments; it kills the parasite outside of its host only at extremely high concentrations. This indicates that its efficacy is host-dependent, but the mechanism by which it functions …

Effect Of The Usage Of Handrails On Gait Dynamics In People With Parkinson's Disease, Daniel Jaravata, Danish Bhatti, Vivien Marmelat

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of this project is to determine if increasing body stability during handrails-use walking on a treadmill will increase the complexity of gait variability in patients with Parkinsons disease (PD). In young healthy participants, stride time-series of walking presents a pattern of complex variability, but this complexity critically decreases in patients with PD. Complexity is defined as an optimal state between too much regularity and too much irregularity, allowing the locomotor system to maintain robust performances while being able to adapt to perturbations. A possible explanation is that the decrease in complexity results from increased control mechanisms to avoid …

The Relationship Between Linear And Nonlinear Analysis On Activity Data, Katlyn J. Nimtz

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Activity monitoring in older adults is a great way to predict disability without interfering in their daily life. We can analyze that data using linear and nonlinear analysis. While linear analysis measures the variation of activity during a specific period of time (i.e., mean, standard deviation), nonlinear analysis focuses on the evolution of activity over a period of time. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to observe the relationship between linear and nonlinear analysis of activity data obtained by activity monitoring in older adults. Eight participants wore an activity monitor around their waist for seven days. Linear analysis was …

Examining The Minute To Minute Predictability Of Walking Distance Across Multiple Terrains, Tyler Hamer

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

EXAMINING THE MINUTE TO MINUTE PREDICTABILITY OF WALKING DISTANCE ACROSS MULTIPLE TERRAINS

Tyler Hamer, Abderrahman Ouattas, Katlyn Nimtz, & Brian A. Knarr

Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE 68182

With findings that the 6MWT is more efficient than the original 12-minute walk test (12MWT), perhaps it can be evident that even the 6MWT can be shortened to examine its effects in a shorter duration that can be more beneficial to the participant. The objective of this study is to examine the outcomes of each minute throughout the 6MWT trials and to see if functional measures can …

Contextual Fear Learning And Memory In Alternative Stress Coping Styles, Matthew R. Baker, Ryan Y. Wong

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Animals frequently must overcome stressors, and the ability to encode and recall these salient experiences is essential to an individual’s survival. Across many taxa, studies have documented two alternative stress coping styles (proactive and reactive) that differ in behavior, cognition, stress physiology, and underlying neuromolecular mechanisms. The role of stress in cognitive traits (e.g. learning and memory) has been well documented, however, the influence of an animal’s stress coping style on learning and memory capabilities is only beginning to be understood. Here, we developed a contextual fear learning paradigm to characterize learning and memory differences between proactive and reactive stress …

The Effects Of Chitosan On Resveratrol-Loaded Zein Nanoparticles, Brian Sohn

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound showing health benefits, including anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbial, anti-HIV/AIDS, neuro-protective, and cardio-protective activities. It has been proposed as a promising dietary supplement or functional ingredient in foods to lower the prevalence of many chronic diseases. However, due to the molecule’s chemical instability, low bioavailability, and poor water solubility, its application was vastly limited. Therefore, extensive research has been conducted regarding microencapsulation of resveratrol. In this study, resveratrol was double encapsulated with zein, a prolamine protein found in maize, and chitosan, a hydrophilic, linear polysaccharide derived from chitin via a deacetylation reaction. Due to their biocompatible, …

Comparison Of Photosynthesis Among Three Chaparral Species In The Family Anacardiaceae, Catelyn T. Price, Sarah A. Holmes, Brandon T. Harris, Stephen D. Davis, Karagan L. Smith, Talia A. Cao

Featured Research

Recent argumentative data showed a lack of niche differentiation amongst three Banksia species in Australia conducted by Lamont and Bergl, and the Anacardiaceae family in the native chaparral of the Santa Monica Mountains are supposed to be significantly similar¹. Because of this we wanted to test if there would be a significant difference between the stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, and water potential in samples of the Rhus ovata, Rhus integrifolia, and Malosma laurina (Rhus laurina) species. We tested this idea by collecting the stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rates of each plant species in the same general location with …

Post-Drought Recovery In The Chaparral Shrub Ceanothus Spinosus, Katie C. Lindley, Kylie N. Smith, Nina R. Duchild, Stephen D. Davis, Karagan L. Smith, Talia A. Cao

Featured Research

This study investigated the abilities of Ceanothus spinosus, or greenbark ceanothus, to recover after a historic drought. This plant is one of the hardiest in the Santa Monica Mountains, providing soil stabilization and nutrients to other organisms in the ecosystem. In a previous investigation done during the drought, it was found that C. spinosus subjects growing in their natural habitat experienced significant dieback, with predawn water potentials falling as low as -7 MPa and native embolisms at an average of 47.17% (Ross et al., 2016). Other parameters tested were stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Compared to the …

The Rate Of Fungal Pathogen Growth (Botryosphaeria Dothidea) 
In Stems Of The Chaparral Shrub Rhus Integrifolia, Jayla D. Simmons, Edward J. Ayala, Kamara J. Satcher, Stephen D. Davis, Karagan L. Smith, Talia A. Cao

Featured Research

The fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea will grow between one to five millimeters after a week on the chaparral species Rhus integrifolia. To test this, we inoculated six individual shrub located behind the greenhouse on Campus Walk Road . On each shrub we selected two branches, receiving adequate and equal sunlight and inoculated one branch with the fungus B. dothidea and the other with a plain gel in order to compare the growth with a control group. The data we collected at the end of the one week period was similar to our initial hypothesis. The shortest growth was on the …

Testing For The Presence Of Botryosphaeria Dothidea In Ceanothus Spinosus, Brandon R. Grinovich, Chelsea N. Puncochar, Katarina L. Carter, Stephen D. Davis, Rodney L. Honeycutt, Talia A. Cao, Karagan L. Smith

Featured Research

Botryosphaeria dothidea is an opportunistic fungus found in some of the cavitated branches of the vegetation in the Santa Monica Mountains. In this study, we focused on finding the presence of Botryosphaeria dothidea in Ceanothus spinosus located on Pepperdine University’s campus. We wanted to test this hypothesis because we observed a large amount of dieback in the Ceanothus spinosus population and wanted to identify a possible contributor. Because of the large number of cavitated branches the Ceanothus spinosus contained, we hypothesized they contained fungus. To test this, we took twenty samples of twenty different Ceanothus spinosus, isolated the fungus …

Frontline Experiences From Changing Fisheries Bycatch Paradigms, David Kerstetter

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Water Potential, Photosynthetic Rate, Electron Transport Rate, And Stomatal Conductance Between Native Malosma Laurina And Exotic Schinus Molle, Karagan L. Smith, Agatha C. Heng, Viridiana Hernandez-Lopez, Stephen D. Davis

Biology

Schinus molle is a relatively new invasive chaparral shrub in the Santa Monica Mountains and has only recently been observed to displace native shrubs like Malosma laurina. To investigate the probable cause of S. molle’s competitive displacement of M. laurina, we compared their water status, photosynthetic rates, electron transport rates, and stomatal conductance to water vapor diffusion during the fall months of 2016. We hypothesized that S. molle would physiologically outperform M. laurina indicated by higher photosynthetic rates, electron transport rates, stomatal conductance rates, and less negative water potential. We found that there was no significant difference between dry …

The Effect Of Drought On The Comparative Fitness Of Purple Needle Grass (Stipa Pulchra) In The Presence Of An Invasive Weed, Grace M. Palmer, Taylor M. Purdy, Stephen D. Davis

Biology

Studies on the relative health of Stipa pulchra, a California native perennial bunchgrass, were conducted at the transplant garden on the Drescher campus of Pepperdine University in the Spring semesters of 2016 and 2017. Following the trend of other perennial native grasses, Stipa pulchra is dwindling due to competition with Avena fatua and other invasive species introduced by human activities. In 2016, in the midst of historic five-year drought in California, stomatal conductance, dark adapted fluorescence, water potential, and height of S. pulchra and A. fatua were recorded and compared. As hypothesized, the wild S. pulchra exhibited greater overall fitness-- …

Neuronal Degeneration And Short-Term Memory Impairment After Tbi, Obiamaraije Igwe

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was associated with impaired short-term memory with causes of vehicle accidents and falls. Protein plaques containing fibrinogen (Fg), are associated with memory loss. After TBI, Fg in blood was higher than normal (>~2 mg/ml), which resulted in increased Fg in extravascular space. Therefore, Fg bonded to its endothelial receptor intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Fg then interacted with cellular prion protein (PrPC), which had a strong effect on the loss of memory and cognition. Mechanisms of Fg and PrPC complex formation and its functional implication are not known. This present study tested the level of Fg-PrPC …

Creating A Learning Community In The Sciences, Bart De Stasio, Beth De Stasio, Brian Piasecki

Diversity Conference 2017

Science is a collaborative discipline that is best learned through discussion, experimentation and group activity. But several groups of students—particularly students of color, first generation college students and some international students— are often marginalized in our classrooms, labs and are left out of study groups. Their voices aren’t heard, their points of view and interpretations aren’t always appreciated and the learning of these students is thwarted. To address these issues, we have been involved in forming and designing two groups that have been functioning for the past two years: LEDS (Lawrentians Enhancing Diversity in the Sciences) and BioCore, a supplementary …

Ecological And Organic Life Safety Concerns Of Hfo-1234yf, Alberni V. Ruiz

STAR Program Research Presentations

While at NOAA my research was directed by the inquiry of whether or not HFO-1234yf, a new compound being introduced into coolant system and replacing greenhouse gases HFC, is harmful to organic life. Using the computer program Matlab I was able to develop figures that represented the concentration of HFO-1234yf (HFO) in 12 different tower locations throughout the country. Comparing and contrasting concentrations of this HFO compound at each site led me to the question the possible harmful side effects this compound could bring to organic life due to the fact that concentration levels are increasing, with one factor being …

Resistance To Xylem Cavitation In Evergreen Ferns Correlates With Seasonal Dehydration Levels, Not Mechanical Strength, Helen I. Holmlund, Kaitlyn E. Sauer, Breahna M. Gillespie, Jarmila Pittermann, Stephen D. Davis

Biology

Ferns in the Santa Monica Mountains of southern California display a range of responses to severe drought. In this study, we further characterized the traits that may contribute to fern survival in a mediterranean-type climate. Due to anatomical differences between ferns and angiosperms, we predicted that ferns would exhibit no correlation between stipe mechanical strength and vulnerability to water stress-induced cavitation of stipe xylem. However, we predicted that ferns would show a correlation between seasonal water stress (minimum water potential) and cavitation resistance. Our results support these hypotheses; however, we must increase our sample size of evergreen fern species in …

Potential Recovery From Drought-Induced Dieback In A Keystone Chaparral Species, Malosma Laurina, Guinevere X. Mesh, Natalie M. Aguirre, Stephen D. Davis

Featured Research

After five years of protracted drought and water-related dieback and mortality, the coastal chaparral ecosystems of the Santa Monica Mountains have finally received increased precipitation. As a co-dominant plant species in this region, Malosma laurina (common name Laurel Sumac), provides an important indication of environmental change. This study examines the effect of the increased precipitation of the 2016-2017 rainy season on potential recovery from drought-induced dieback in M. laurina. This study shows a significant increase in tissue hydration levels and photosynthetic production of dieback plants during post-drought recovery (2017) and between irrigated control sites and dieback sites.

Consumer Agricultural Education: Starting At The High School Level Health Class, Cecilia Teresa Acosta

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project is to analyze and understand the communication gap between the farmer and consumer in order to create a dialogue about misconceptions in the media. Often rumors in the media worry or mislead the consumer in his or her buying choices. In order for consumers to understand what they are buying, and critically analyze media information, it is necessary to teach agricultural education at the high school level health class. This project will showcase how to start this education in order to bridge the communication gap starting with five crucial and common food-packaging labels. These labels …

Applied Drug Development And Combinatorial Strategies For Antimicrobial Treatment, Steven K. Lai Hing

Andrews Research Conference

Streptococcus mutans JH1140 is a strain of bacteria which produces a lantibiotic product, named mutacin 1140. Mutacin 1140 has been shown to be effective at inhibiting Gram-positive bacterial infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Mutacin 1140 is a ribosomally synthesized peptide antibiotic that undergoes extensive posttranslational modifications (PTM). We have found that Mutacin 1140 and an aminoglycoside, Kanamycin, when combined together, act synergistically against Staphylococcus aureus. This was determined by performing serial kill curve dilution overlays on solid media, followed up with kill curve by microdilution plate, and most recently confirmed with kill curve CFU count plates …