Life Sciences Commons^™

Diurnal Arousal In Learning And Memory, Jacob Blotter, Mona Buhusi

Biology Posters

The brain’s ability to learn and remember is a topic of extensive debate and research. Mammals share many similarities, including the way in which information from the outside world is processed and stored. Mammalian circadian rhythms have long been thought to be essentially involved with these processes. This experiment is designed to explore the brain’s ability to process and store information at different times of the day. Changes in or the absence of circadian neurotransmitters lead to serious impairments correlated with sleep and wakefulness [1]. Orexin, one neurochemical that will be examined in this experiment, helps mediate arousal and has …

Decreasing Bacterial Biofilm Formation On Medical Implants Through Surface Modification, Eric Schmidt, Sydney Bone, Tyson Holverson

Biology Posters

No abstract provided.

Determining Relationships Among Meadowbrome Cultivated Varieties, Andrew D. Tucker, Lisa Michaels, B. Shaun Bushman, Kevin B. Jensen

Biology Posters

No abstract provided.

Transfection Of Cystic Fibrosis Sequence Into Host Cells, Richard Cromwell

Biology Posters

To better study the effects of Cystic Fibrosis on the human body, it is important to be able to effectively and efficiently recreate the disease in an appropriate mammalian model. New technology in transfection reagent, jetPRIME, hopes to allow us to efficiently transfer these Cystic Fibrosis sequences into sheep embryos to allow the traits to be expressed on a more reliable basis on the cloned sheep.

My research with this reagent was to test the reliability of jetPRIME to transfer our desired DNA sequences into cells at a more efficient rate then previously demonstrated by other reagents. Because of the …

Florida-Friendly Landscaping(Tm) Right Plant, Right Place; Integrated Pest Management; And Attracting Wildlife, John J. Pipoly Iii

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

No abstract provided.

Synthetic Spider Silk Production In Alfalfa, Cameron L. Brock, Michaela R. Hugie, Randolph V. Lewis

Biology Posters

No abstract provided.

Landscape Mulches, Recycling Yard Waste, And Fertilizing Appropriately, Adam Pitcher, John J. Pipoly Iii

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

No abstract provided.

Florida-Friendly Landscaping(Tm) Right Plant, Right Place; Integrated Pest Management; And Attracting Wildlife, John J. Pipoly Iii

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

No abstract provided.

Sound And The Moving Image:Critical Characteristics For Spectator Response, Kara Rader, Rafeeq I. Roberts, Matt Egizii, Jeffery Allen

Undergraduate Research Posters 2013

The prevailing wisdom in the film and video production industries is that audio information outweighs visual information when it comes to spectator responses, but there are few empirical studies to support this claim. In previous research, four critical characteristics of sound have been identified: (1) Music, (2) visual/sound contradictions (defined as sound that is inconsistent with audience expectations based on visual information), (3) multi-channel sound, and (4) sound quality. Building on our previous research into music and film, we have found that many researchers have looked into the question of how music affects emotions (Eschrich et al., 2008; Have, 2008; …

Leaf Mechanical Strength Predicts Physiological Traits Among Three Life History Types In California Chaparral, Taylor S. Stucky, Nicole M. Rodriguez Purcell, Stephen D. Davis

Featured Research

The Santa Monica Mountains of southern California are located in a Mediterranean-type climate region which experiences reoccurring wildfires due to summer drought and Santa Ana winds. Chaparral vegetation, which consists mostly of evergreen, sclerophyllous shrubs, dominates the landscape. Species of chaparral shrubs have evolved three different life history types in response to fire – those that sprout after fire but do not germinate seeds (obligate sprouters = OS), those that do not sprout after fire but reestablish by seed germination (non-sprouters = NS), and those that both sprout and germinate seeds after fire (facultative sprouters = FS). There are two …

Will Hubbard Brook Soils Be A Source Or Sink Of Carbon In A Changing Climate?, Chris E. Johnson

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Mitochondrial Dna Variant Of The Cox-1 Subunit Of C. Elegnas’ Complex Iv Significantly Alters Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism Of Geographically Divergent Wild Isolates., Stephen D. Dingley, Erzsebet Polyak, Julian Ostrovsky, Satish Srinivasan, Mary Selak, Rui Xiao, Theodore G. Schurr, Eiko Nakamaru-Ogiso, Marni J. Falk

Research Day

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variation is increasingly recognized to influence the penetrance of complex diseases and climatic adaptation in mammals, although little is known about its influence on invertebrate species’ adaptation to unique geographic niches. We investigated whether natural variation in mtDNA-encoded respiratory chain subunits alters the inherent mitochondrial energy capacity of wild C. elegans isolates to match local environmental energy demands. We found that relative to the classic N2 Bristol (England) wild-type strain, CB4856 wild isolates from a warmer and more equatorial native climate (Hawaii) had a unique A12S amino acid substitution in the N-terminal string of the COX-1 …

Brown Algal Diversity In Bermuda Revealed Using Molecular Tools, Alyssa L. Rogers

Senior Honors Projects

For nearly 60 years there has been very little investigation of the marine algal flora in Bermuda, which is an ideal location for a biodiversity assessment due to its size and location. Residing approximately 1000km off the coast of North Carolina, Bermuda is influenced by the cool water from the north during winter and by the warm water eddies that spin off the Gulf Stream for the much of the other seasons. The Bermuda Seaweed Project aims to extensively survey the marine algal flora in Bermuda and generate morphological and molecular data for all three major groups of macroalgae present. …

A Search For Light-Detecting Proteins In The Free-Living Protist, Tetrahymena Thermophila: Does Tetrahymena Have Opsin-Like Or Bacteriorhodopsin-Like Proteins?, Jillian Marie Rainville

Senior Honors Projects

Tetrahymena is a genus of ciliated protozoans, a diversified lineage of unicellular eukaryotes. They are freshwater organisms, and generally inhabit streams, lakes, and ponds. Tetrahymena thermophila is commonly studied as a model cell because of its unique variety of complex and specialized cell structures and processes, which are similar to those of higher animals.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane proteins that transduce stimuli from outside of the cell into intracellular signals, through the interaction of their intracellular domains with heterotrimeric G proteins. GPCRs make up a vast protein family that includes a variety of subfamilies with distinct functions. They are …

How Do Prey Refuges Affect Predator-Prey Interactions?, Justin Vendettuoli

Senior Honors Projects

While it is well known that predators eat their prey, prey that avoid predation risk can also incur substantial fitness costs through risk-induced changes in survival and reproduction, growth, and morphology. Changes in prey that occur without the predator physically consuming the prey are referred to as ‘non-consumptive effects’. One way to reduce the risk of predation is to use a refuge. While refuge use may reduce predation risk, however, it may also be costly to the prey. These costs may include within-refuge competition for resources, which can alter prey population dynamics, coexistence, and metapopulation dynamics. While these costs may …

Analysis Of The Chondroitinase Operon Of Flavobacterium Columnare, Erin L. Sorlien

Senior Honors Projects

Analysis of the chondroitinase operon of Flavobacterium columnare

Erin Sorlien

Major

Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry

Advisor

Dr. David R. Nelson

Date

May 2, 2013

Keywords

Flavobacterium columnare, columnaris disease, chondroitin AC lyase, complementation, csl operon

Abstract
Flavobacterium columnare, an opportunistic bacterial pathogen of fish, is the causative agent of columnaris disease (CD). The bacterium is a Gram-negative rod that exhibits gliding motility and avidly forms biofilms. CD affects both wild and cultured freshwater fish, and continues to cause large economic losses to the fish farming industry. According to an investigation conducted by the National Animal Health Monitoring System, CD …

The Utility Of Planning And Other Spatial Concepts In The Marine Spatial Management Of Marine Protected Areas (Mpas), Marine Reserves, Marine Zoning, Marine Sanctuaries And Parks, Marine Spatial Planning (Msp), Large Marine Ecosystems (Lmes) And Seascape / Marine Design., Samuel Martin, Brandyn Lucca, Dr. William R. Gordon Jr.

Senior Honors Projects

In the last fifty years, man has demonstrated an increased interest in gaining access to and apportioning the near and offshore marine environment. Governments, coastal and marine managers, economic-based users, stakeholders, and academics have gained an interest and involvement in the demarcation of marine boundaries. Many land-based spatial applications, utilized from disciplines such as planning, geography, landscape architecture and regional science have been applied to the spatial acquisition and management of ocean resources. In the last four decades new marine applications have emerged, they include: 1) Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), 2) Marine Reserves, 3) Marine Zoning, 4) Marine Sanctuaries, and …

Insights Into Forest Soil Carbon Dynamics From Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Chris E. Johnson

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Survival Of B. Horneckiae Spores Under Ground-Simulated, Sneha Tharayil, Parag Vaishampayan

STAR Program Research Presentations

Increasing efforts to find and study habitable conditions and the possibility of life on extraterrestrial cosmic bodies have also deepened the need for planetary protection advancements to prevent possibilities of forward and backward contamination. Despite stringent precautions to ensure spacecraft cleanliness, a number of spore-forming bacteria, including the biofilm forming strain, Bacillus horneckiae have been isolated from spacecraft associated surfaces. B. horneckiae spores have demonstrated unusually high resistance to rigorous sterilization procedures, and extreme conditions, including intense UV radiation. This exceptionally high tolerance of extreme conditions demonstrated by spore-forming bacteria highlighted the need to assess the viability of these microbes …

Recovery Of Sensitive Watersheds In The Northeastern United States From Chronic Acidification: The Role Of Soil Chemistry, Chris E. Johnson

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Moss Mural, Chelsea Fredrikson

Senior Honors Projects

Moss Mural: Bridging the Arts and Sciences

Chelsea Fredrikson

Major: Fine Arts

Advisor: Robert Dilworth

Advisor Department: Fine Arts

Date 5-2012

Abstract

When we are young, in elementary school, we are encouraged to learn subjects together. Fine arts, science, math, and literature all work as one, and overlap to teach us valuable lessons and tools we can use as we grow. But as we become older school systems segregate subjects, forcing students to chose a direction. Do I have a creative mind, or a logical mind?

As an art student I’ve tried over the course of my college …

Anonymity And Consumption: How Modern Technology And Pressure Affect The Eating Habits Of College Students, Jessica A. Laso

Senior Honors Projects

One of the biggest issues in our society today is the increase in obesity. Despite the amount of available data on the negative health effects or possible solutions and food alternatives, the problem has not seemed to haven gotten any better. In more recent years, the notorious "freshman 15" has even become a victim to obesity and is weighing in as the "freshman 30." What is causing college students to become more susceptible to weight gain? There has been much research conducted to find the common causes of over-eating and weight gain, especially amongst those in college. After reading several …

The Us27 Protein Of Human Cytomegalovirus Enhances Signaling By Human Chemokine Receptor Cxcr4, Kathleen Arnolds, Juliet V. Spencer

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prevalent pathogen that causes little disease except in immune-compromised hosts. HCMV establishes life-long latency by manipulating host immune responses. We have found that the US27 protein profoundly alters the activity of host chemokine receptor CXCR4. Cells expressing US27 and CXCR4 exhibited greater migration and calcium signaling than cells expressing CXCR4 alone. The mechanism for this enhanced signaling appears to be increased expression of CXCR4, and we are continuing to investigate how US27 causes up-regulation of CXCR4. This work is expected to clarify the role of US27 in immune evasion and provide insights into treatment strategies.

Cajun And Creole Culture And Cooking, Mark Lavern Badeaux

A with Honors Projects

A PowerPoint presentation on Southern Culture and Cooking.

Teaching Ethnobotany In China, Gordon C. Tucker

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

China has a rich and well documented tradition and diverse usage of plants. China provides examples of the incorporation of plant derived drugs in medicine. The diverse usage of plants is also reflected in the many kinds of Chinese food that are consumed by people of various nations around the world. China is one of the "cradles" of agriculture, the birth place of the cultivation of many important crops, including rice, millet, soybeans, and water chestnuts, and is the only undisrupted major ancient civilization in the world. Some plants find use in almost every aspect of Chinese life, such as …

Relationship Of Maternal Flow Environment To Offspring Size In Botrylloides Violaceus, Damion J. Delton, Sarah Cohen

STAR Program Research Presentations

Colonial botryllid tunicates, such as Botrylloides violaceus, brood large, non-feeding offspring with extremely limited larval life spans of minutes to perhaps one day. Despite the importance of this transitory life history stage, there is little information on how environmental factors such as ambient water flow affect larval size among invertebrates. Since adult tunicates feed by filtering particles from the water flowing around the siphons, we reasoned that colonies of B. violaceus in high water flow may produce larger offspring due to greater food availability. We tested to see whether there was a relationship between larval size and water motion in …

Child Care Center Garden, Patricia Sowell, Linda Jenkins

Education for Sustainability Summer Institute

No abstract provided.

University-Community Partnerships For Environmental Safety And Sustainability, John W. Vick, Carol Norton

Education for Sustainability Summer Institute

No abstract provided.

Outdoor Classroom And Wildlife Habitat Development, Patricia Sowell, Deborah Sherfey, Kandy Fear

Education for Sustainability Summer Institute

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Population Dynamics And Competition On Parental Investment In Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis), Nickolas Davros, Jennifer Laroche

10th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance (2011)

Parental investment and competition are two important elements of life history strategies affecting reproductive success. The effect of parental investment on reproductive success in a west Michigan population of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) was investigated, including parameters such as feeding rates, sex of parent, type and size of items delivered to chicks, number of chicks, and age of chicks. We found all measures of parental investment related to provisioning of nestlings to be indistinguishable within mated pairs. We also determined that significantly more food was brought when parents had a large brood (3+ chicks) as compared with a small brood …