Life Sciences Commons^™

Differentiation Of Neurons And Glia For Use In Cellular Connectomics, Jacob T. Brettin

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Aspects Of The Reproductive Biology And Growth Of The Mississippi Silvery Minnow, Hybognathus Nuchalis (Agassiz, 1855) (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) From The Pearl River, Louisiana., Arely Ramírez-García, Kyle R. Piller

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

The reproductive biology and growth of the Mississippi Silvery Minnow, Hybognathus nuchalis, is described from multiple sites in the Pearl River, Louisiana. Individuals were collected from August 2011 to August 2012. Ovarian weights, expressed as a percentage of body weights, peaked in December. Size structure ranged from 29.0 to 60.0 mm SL for females and 25.0 to 56.0 mm SL for males. Mature ova were found from November to January. Females reached first maturity (L50) at 37.0 mm SL and L50 for males is at 41.0 mm SL. Sex ratio (females:males) is biased towards females (X²= 18.57 p …

Multi-Metric Conservation Assessment For The Imperiled Clinch Dace, Michael James Moore, Donald J. Orth, Eric M. Hallerman

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

Planning frameworks allow managers to spatially prioritize actions to promote species conservation. Traditional aquatic conservation planning frameworks are often organized at the ecological community or ecosystem level, which often neglect imperiled taxa occupying species-poor assemblages. In this study, we develop a multi-metric conservation assessment for the 15 geographically distinct candidate conservation areas (CCAs) occupied by the imperiled Clinch Dace (Chrosomus sp. cf. saylori). Clinch Dace habitat is threatened by anthropogenic landscape alterations, especially for coal mining and timber harvest. Our framework used four metrics to assess the conservation value of each subpopulation of Clinch Dace namely: “habitat …

Reproductive Timing Of The Scarlet Shiner (Lythrurus Fasciolaris) In Northern Alabama, Bruce Stallsmith, Toacca Taylor, Chelsie Smith

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

The Scarlet Shiner (Lythrurus fasciolaris) is a cyprinid species widely distributed in parts of the Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee river drainages of the United States. The objective of this study was to determine the Scarlet Shiner’s reproductive schedule. Maturation of ovaries and oocytes was determined through the categorization of developmental stages from early maturing to ripe, along with the calculation of monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) measurements over two reproductive seasons in 2012 and 2015. In both years reproductive competence began in April. Average monthly GSI for females peaked in May, followed by a slow decline through August. Average clutch …

Updated Distributional Records Of Selected Kentucky Fishes, David J. Eisenhour, Matthew R. Thomas, J. Jacob Culp, Michael C. Compton, Stephanie L. Brandt, Rodney Pierce

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

Distribution records for 15 fish species of conservation interest are included for Kentucky. Notropis dorsalis, previously undocumented in Kentucky, is reported for the first time (Mayfield Creek drainage). Also reported are state rediscoveries of three species thought to be extirpated from Kentucky: Ichthyomyzon gagei (Tennessee River drainage), Hemitremia flammea (Lower Cumberland and Green river drainages), and Hybopsis amnis (upper Cumberland River drainage). Unreported drainage records comprise nine species: Ichthyomyzon castaneus (Salt River drainage and Upper Green River drainage); Ichthyomyzon unicuspis (Salt River drainage and upper Big Sandy River drainage); Campostoma pullum (Tennessee River drainage); Umbra limi (Obion Creek drainage); …

Investigating The Role Of The Rough Deal Protein In Spindle Assembly Complex Signaling, Ryan P. Mihealsick

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Volume 14, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2018), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Improving The Analysis Of T Cell Movement, Viktor Zenkov

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Vaccine-induced T cells play an important role in combating malaria by eliminating infection in the liver stage. However, as millions of hepatocytes inhabit a mouse liver and only some are infected, how T cells locate the infection site and eliminate infection remains poorly understood. Are T cells moving intentionally toward parasites, or randomly successful? To answer this, I used timed position data of malaria-specific T cells, non-specific control T cells, and a parasite, obtained from experiments in a mouse liver; I performed analyses with the null hypothesis that T cells move randomly. I used two metrics, based on distances from …

Acute Social Defeat Stress Induces Microglial Activation In Key Limbic Regions, Thomas Clarity

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Research suggests a causal relationship between neuroinflammation and stress-related psychopathologies. Exposure to moderate psychological stress in rodent models leads to elevated markers of immune activity in the brain, for example, microglia. Research has shown that tail shock stress can prime the subsequent, immune-challenged activation of microglia, which can lead to a degradative, proinflammatory response. Although social defeat is an ethologically relevant model of acute stress, there has been little research investigating the effects of acute social defeat stress on immune activity. Here, we used an acute social defeat paradigm in Syrian hamsters consisting of three, 5-minute aggressive encounters in the …

Computational Study Of Ligand-Dependent Oligomerization Of Ribonucleotide Reductase, Bill Pham

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Certain protein oligomerization can be strongly influenced by its ligand-binding status. We constructed a computational method to investigate how ligand-binding and oligomerization can be coupled. We tackle this issue using an approximate approach of studying the properties of individual monomers and how they associate. By connecting the dynamics at monomeric level and the information of oligomer interface, we quantify the synchronization of two types of contact dynamics: (1) between the ligand and its binding pocket, and (2) the contact dynamics at interface. In this work, we applied our methodology on protein ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), which is an essential enzyme for …

Secrets Of A Rare Bird: Breeding Behavior Of The Gray-Breasted Flycatcher (Lathrotriccus Griseipectus) In Ecuador, William Harris Kirkpatrick

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

The Tumbesian region of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru is home to a large number of endemic bird species. Many of these species are threatened with extinction, and little is known about their basic biology. Thus, information regarding natural history of species in the region is needed to guide conservation management. We studied the reproductive biology of the Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Lathrotriccus griseipectus, a small Tyrannid that lives in the Tumbesian region. Due to habitat destruction, the range size of L. griseipectus has dwindled and the species is now listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. We used a mounted …

Synechococcus As An Hooh-Consuming Helper For Prochlorococcus, Abigail Mcgettigan Jarratt

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

The marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus is an abundant and globally important microbe that contributes an estimated 40% of bacterial production in the oligotrophic ocean. The success of this photosynthetic bacterium is largely a consequence of its small cell size and streamlined genome, which are advantageous in nutrient-limited environments. However, this genomic streamlining has also led to the loss of the gene (katG) encoding catalase, an enzyme that is essential for the degradation and detoxification of the reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide (HOOH). HOOH is naturally present in the illuminated waters of the ocean, and in the absence of catalase, Prochlorococcus is …

Arabidopsis Thaliana Nip2;1 , A Lactic Acid Transporter, Is Essential For Plant Survival During Hypoxic Stress, Samantha Jean Mcintire

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

NIPs are nodulin-intrinsic proteins that are specific to plants and involved in transport of water and other uncharged solutes. Arabidopsis thaliana consists of nine NIPgenes.

In the current study, attention has been focused on NIP2;1(NIPsubgroup I), one of the representative Arabidopsis NIPs, in accordance with its cellular and subcellular localization, tissue, transport activity, and biological roles in Arabidopsis.

It has been shown in experiments that AtNIP2;1is especially responsive to hypoxia-induced stress. Hypoxia is a condition in which most of the oxygen has been removed from an environment. In hypoxic environments, plants construct a …

Representation Of The Human Musculature In The Bronze Age Aegean, Emily R Brower

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Bronze Age sculptures range from abstract to realistic, but how accurate are the realistic sculptures? To answer this question, it is useful to compare three pieces of artwork: Prince of Lilies from Knossos, Kouros from Palaikastro, and the Boxer Rhyta from Ayia Triadha to a musculature replica. These pieces originate from the Bronze Age in the Aegean. What this comparison will tell us is how much the ancient peoples were studying the human body, along with the reasons as to why these sculptures were portrayed with such realistic characteristics. To accomplish this goal this paper takes the artifacts background into …

Impact Of Ultrasonication On Physicochemical Properties And Digestibility Of Sorghum Starch, Zhihong Wang

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Sorghum, a highly nutritious grain, is usually not considered as a main staple in many families because it is not as easy to be digested as other grains such as rice or maize. But recent studies of ultrasonication shed a light on potential utilization of this world’s fifth important cereal other than being raw material source of biofuel or liquor. This experiment was meant to compare the differences between unsonicated and sonicated sorghum starch in terms of their physical chemical properties and digestion ability. Despite their similarities in shapes under microscopes and their thermal properties, but sonicated sorghum starch was …

The Use Of Potato (Solanum Tuberosum) Suspension Cells For Rapid Screening Of Chloroplast Transformation Vectors, Lindsey Shover

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Chloroplast genetic engineering is unique in that it allows for high levels of gene expression while providing a means of natural bio-confinement. Although the chloroplast genome sequence of over 800 plant species is known, the elements that naturally regulate chloroplast gene expression are poorly understood. Recently, our lab has developed a 264 part modular cloning kit that contains known chloroplast regulatory elements. This kit can be used for the construction of novel chloroplast transformation cassettes; however, functional testing of these cassettes is currently hindered by standard chloroplast transformation technologies. Therefore, the aim of this experiment was to develop a rapid …

Bg-4, A Bioactive Peptide From Momordica Charantia, Promotes Apoptosis In Ovarian Cancer Cells, Ashley D. Bloom

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Momordica charantia is a perennial plant with reported health benefits. Food-derived molecules, like the novel peptide BG-4 found in Momordica charantia, have been shown to have anticancer properties by promoting apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is the deadliest form of all gynecological cancers. The high fatality rate of OVCA is due to late presentation of the disease, cancer persistence, and recurrence in patients. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of BG-4 to cause cytotoxicity to ovarian cancer cells (A27801AP and COV318) and determine the mechanism involved by measuring proteins associated with apoptosis. …

Bg-4, A Bioactive Peptide From Momordica Charantia, Promotes Apoptosis In Ovarian Cancer Cells, Ashley D. Bloom

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Transcriptomic Analysis Of Salmonella Enterica Newport Adaptive Response To Oxidative Antimicrobials, Dara Melanie Smith

Masters Theses

Agricultural water systems are a known potential source for contamination of fresh produce with foodborne pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes, pathogenic Escherichia coli, as well as Salmonella enterica strains. To reduce this associated risk, antimicrobials such as hypochlorite compounds and peroxyracetic acid (PAA) have been utilized as in-line irrigation disinfectants and as post-harvest treatments. These treatments are considered effective and commonly used; however, pathogenic microbes like Salmonella have the ability to adapt to many environmental conditions. Adaptive response to environmental factors like oxidative conditions, contributes to transfer, attachment, and resilience of Salmonella on surfaces. Through RNA sequencing and analysis …

The Relationship Between Adult Caregiver Health Literacy And Child Body Mass Index Outcomes In A Childhood Obesity Intervention Program, Natalie Renee Cross

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Pkm2 Influences The Metabolic Fate Of Butyrate In Colorectal Cancer Cells, Megan Louise Pence

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Single Vs. Pair Housing Holstein Calves On Specific Antibody Concentrations To Klh, Chaney K. Morgan

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Determining If Host Serum Igg Titer Is Associated With Toxoplasma Gondii Virulence, Riley E Byrd

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Nightly Mixing Versus Separation Of Dams And Calves On Behavior, Production, And Calf Growth, Ashley Danielle Campeaux

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Design And Development Of A Quartz Crystal Microbalance Immunosensor For Exosomes, Wesley Cox

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Size Exclusion Chromatography Based Liposomal Protein Extraction (Selpe), Carolyn Barnes

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Isolation And Identification Of A Chloromethane-Degrading Bacterium From A Strictly Anaerobic Mixed Culture, Samiha Sadruddin

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Investigation For Novel Anti-Apoptotic Factors In The Neurons Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Haylie Rachel Lam

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Pizza And Poutine: Examining Long-Term Impacts Of The U.S.-Canada Dairy Dispute, Caroline Rogers

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitudes, Previous Exposure And Future Intention Of Undergraduate Students In Honduras, Mariana Rendon

Masters Theses

Background: In Honduras, over 95% of mothers initiate breastfeeding but less than a third meet the World Health Organization recommendation to exclusively breastfeed through 6 months. Understanding the breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, prior exposure and future intent of young adults may provide significant insight into the relatively low exclusivity rates reported in the Honduran population and may be important targets for future interventions in this population. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore these concepts among young adults in Honduras.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe, identify, and explore any relationships between demographics, breastfeeding …