Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Arthritis Foundation’S “Walk With Ease” Program On Cognitive Function, Ryan S. Falck

Theses and Dissertations

Physical activity (PA) is believed to improve cognitive function, particularly executive function, in older adults. However, few interventions in community settings have been performed to improve executive function through PA. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a community-based walking program on executive function in older adults (60+ years). Older adults from senior centers throughout Lexington County, SC were recruited for participation in this intervention. Exclusion criteria included currently exercising >30 minutes and exercising ≥2x/week or scoring ≤25 on the Mini-Mental State Exam. The intervention consisted of an evidenced-based community walking program, the Arthritis Foundation ’ …

Effects Of Nutritional Level Of Concentrate‐Based Diets On Meat Quality And Expression Levels Of Genes Related To Meat Quality In Hainan Black Goats, Dingfa Wang, Luli Zhou, Hanlin Zhou, Guanyu Hou, Liguang Shi, Mao Li, Xianzhou Huang, Song Guan

Faculty Publications

The present study investigated the effects of the nutritional levels of diets on meat quality and related gene expression in Hainan black goat. Twenty-four goats were divided into six dietary treatments and were fed a concentrate-based diet with two levels of crude protein (CP) (15% or 17%) and three levels of digestive energy (DE) (11.72, 12.55 or 13.39 MJ/kg DM) for 90 days. Goats fed the concentrate-based diet with 17% CP had significantly (P < 0.05) higher average daily gains (ADG) and better feed conversion rates (FCR). The pH 24h value tended to decrease (P < 0.05) with increasing DE levels. The tenderness of Longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) and Semimembranosus muscle (SM) reduced with increasing CP levels (P < 0.05). With increasing DE levels, tenderness was increased (P < 0.05). The heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) mRNA expression levels in LD and SM increased with increasing DE levels (P < 0.05), but decreased with increasing CP levels (P < 0.05). The calpastatin (CAST) and μ-calpain mRNA expressions levels in LD and SM were affected significantly (P < 0.05) by CP and DE levels in the diet. Therefore, the nutritional levels of diets affect meat quality and expression levels of genes associated with meat quality in Hainan black goats.

Injuries In Youth Football: A Descriptive Two Year Study Of Local South Carolina Football Leagues, Marie Morrissette

Senior Theses

Objective: To collect and analyze injury data from two leagues in the Midlands area of South Carolina. One of the leagues is an age-weight league, meaning athletes have to be within a certain age range and weight range to play on a specific team. The other league was an age-only league, meaning athletes have to be within a certain range to play on a specific team. Results: For the two seasons that injury data was collected, the age-weight league had 208 injuries and the age-only league had 109. For both leagues, the majority of the injuries sustained were contusions. Each …

Let's Talk Science, Krupesh Dave, Courtney Malo, Savannah Savage

Senior Theses

The focus of our senior thesis, “Let's Talk Science!", was to increase the exposure of elementary school-aged students to science. In particular, we focused on increasing the students’ opportunity to experience fun science experiments that still presented a strong take-home lesson. In doing this, our goal was to increase the students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

We coordinated our outreach program with the Waverly After-School Program, a student organization that operates through the University of South Carolina Honors College in Columbia, South Carolina. Through the Waverly After-School Program, we were able to carry out our senior …

Genome Sequence And Phenotypic Characterization Of Caulobacter Segnis, Sagar Patel

Senior Theses

Caulobacter segnis is a unique species of Caulobacter in that it is slow growing, found in soil samples, and has other phenotypic differences from the freshwater Caulobacter that it is most closely related to. Initially deemed Mycoplana segnis, it was reclassified after a 16s rRNA analysis and found to be most closely related to the Caulobacter NA1000 branch. Because the annotated sequence available in GenBank contained a large number of pseudogenes (126), we compared the original sequencing data to the GenBank sequence and determined that many of the pseudogenes were due to sequence errors in the Genbank sequence. Consequently, …

Bodypump And The Rep Effect: An Instructor's Evaluation Of The Low-Weight, High-Repetition Group Exercise Program, Meredith Pritchett

Senior Theses

My senior thesis project was to become a certified Les Mills BODYPUMP instructor. In order to obtain my certification I had to go through training, which was paid for by the University of South Carolina. Training was a mentally and physically demanding weekend full of lifting weights and learning everything there is to know about BODYPUMP techniques, choreography, and coaching. Afterwards, I had sixty days to send in a video of myself teaching the class to a group of participants in order for my teaching skills to be evaluated by Les Mills. I passed my evaluation and am now a …

The Chemistry Of Baking, Jillian Claire

Senior Theses

The processes of cooking and baking can be described by molecular-level chemical reactions. By identifying the key variables of flour-based baked goods, it is possible to manipulate recipes and create an improved overall final product. This thesis explores the effects of manipulating proteins, water, lipids, air, and the biochemical reactions of yeast in baked goods.

Role Model Fathers Or Deadbeat Dads? A Study Of Peromyscus Paternal Behavior, Taylor Wapshott

Senior Theses

Paternal behavior is a largely understudied and poorly understood topic, especially in mammalian species. Many current mammalian models for paternal behavior use a comparative approach, taking advantage of natural differences in behavior between closely related species. This study compared paternal behavior in two rodent species, namely Peromyscus maniculatus (BW) and Peromyscus polionotus (PO). PO rodents have been shown to be monogamous, but there have been no studies of their paternal behavior at this time. 10 PO males and 12 BW males were filmed in their home cage for a 10 minute period following initial disturbance of their nest and removal …

The Role Of Lipocalin 2 In Early Stage Colon Cancer Metastasis To The Liver, Fides Elamparo

Senior Theses

Metastasis, frequently from the colon to the liver, is the major cause of death with colorectal cancer, reducing the five-year survival to less than 6%. Metastasis occurs due to productive collaborations between tumor cells and host-derived cells in the tumor microenvironment, where a pre-metastatic niche is created to prime for cancer cell invasion into the target organ. In a highly metastatic colorectal cancer cell line implanted into the cecum of Balb/c mice, microarray analysis showed lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) is one of the most highly expressed proteins in the liver of tumor-bearing mice prior to metastasis.

When RT-PCR was performed, greater …

A Comparison Of Angiography Versus Intravascular Ultrasound In The Treatment Of Peripheral Arterial Disease, Michael Pompliano

Senior Theses

Peripheral Arterial Disease is a growing epidemic throughout the United States. It is estimated that 8 to 12 million Americans currently suffer from PAD, a disease of the circulatory system that limits blood flow to your hands and feet. This limited blood flow is due to the narrowing of the arteries that supply blood throughout your body and can disrupt the balance of the nerves and tissues that make up your extremities. If left untreated, it can cause irreparable, life- threatening damage that may result in amputation of the diseased limb. Although the mechanism of PAD is known and well …

Determining A Correlation Between Individual Differences In Eye Movements And Working Memory, Mackenzie Sunday

Senior Theses

This study determined if a relationship exists between individual differences in eye movements and working memory measures. The eye movement system can provide insight into processes that occur in the mind as well as a better understanding of the relationship between quantifiable aspects of eye movements and the more abstract inner workings of the mind. Recently, consistent and reliable individual differences have been found in individuals’ eye movement behaviors. For example, individuals with longer fixation durations for one visual task have longer fixations across all other visual tasks. The eye movements of participants were collected during four different viewing tasks …

Exercise And Diet Program For The College Student, Brooks Briel

Senior Theses

Oftentimes college students can be seen going to the gym with simply no direction in exercise or nutrition. They go through the motions of exercising, but have no real understanding of what they are doing. These students may see some progress, but plateau early and find it discouraging to continue to workout. The goal of this project was to create a personal diet and exercise program that could be used by the average college student to improve their physical fitness levels. The exercise program attempts to improve body composition, cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. This is done …

Identification Of Microrna Biomarkers In Her2-Positive Breast Cancer, Hossam Tashkandi

Theses and Dissertations

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed in approximately 30% of breast cancer patients with poor prognosis. In addition, microRNAs are small non-coding RNA that have been linked to many cancers. Here we investigate which miRNAs are differentially regulated by HER2 overexpression. Using quantitative reverse-transcription prolymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and matching it with the clinical data acquired from Dvinge, we find five candidate miRNAs. When comparing the miRNAs’ effect on patient survival, only three miRNAs stand as good predictors of patient survival outcome. These miRNAs are miR-146a-5p, miR-181d, and miR-195-5p. When miR-146a-5p is up-regulated, which is the case …

Correction Of The Caulobacter Crescentus Na1000 Genome Annotation, Bert Ely, Latia Etheredge Scott

Faculty Publications

Bacterial genome annotations are accumulating rapidly in the GenBank database and the use of automated annotation technologies to create these annotations has become the norm. However, these automated methods commonly result in a small, but significant percentage of genome annotation errors. To improve accuracy and reliability, we analyzed the Caulobacter crescentus NA1000 genome utilizing computer programs Artemis and MICheck to manually examine the third codon position GC content, alignment to a third codon position GC frame plot peak, and matches in the GenBank database. We identified 11 new genes, modified the start site of 113 genes, and changed the reading …

Characterization Of Particle Emissions And Fate Of Nanomaterials During Incineration, Eric P. Vejerano, Elena C. Leon, Amara L. Holder, Linsey C. Marr

Faculty Publications

As the use of nanotechnology in consumer products continues to grow, it is inevitable that some nanomaterials will end up in the waste stream and will be incinerated. Through laboratory-scale incineration of paper and plastic wastes containing nanomaterials, we assessed their effect on emissions of particulate matter (PM) and the effect of incineration on the nanomaterials themselves. The presence of nanomaterials did not significantly influence the particle number emission factor. The PM size distribution was not affected except at very high mass loadings (10 wt%) of the nanomaterial, in which case the PM shifted toward smaller sizes; such loadings are …

Changing Microspatial Patterns Of Sulfate-Reducing Microorganisms (Srm) During Cycling Of Marine Stromatolite Mats, Alexandru I. Petrisor, Sandra Szyjka, Tomohiro Kawaguchi, Pieter T. Visscher, Robert Sean Norman, Alan W. Decho

Faculty Publications

Microspatial arrangements of sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) in surface microbial mats (~1.5 mm) forming open marine stromatolites were investigated. Previous research revealed three different mat types associated with these stromatolites, each with a unique petrographic signature. Here we focused on comparing “non-lithifying” (Type-1) and “lithifying” (Type-2) mats. Our results revealed three major trends: (1) Molecular typing using the dsrA probe revealed a shift in the SRM community composition between Type-1 and Type-2 mats. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) coupled to confocal scanning-laser microscopy (CSLM)-based image analyses, and ³⁵SO₄²⁻-silver foil patterns showed that SRM were present in surfaces of …

The Neural Substrates Of Natural Reading: A Comparison Of Normal And Nonword Text Using Eyetracking And Fmri, W. Choi, Rutvik Desai, J. M. Henderson

Faculty Publications

Most previous studies investigating the neural correlates of reading have presented text using serial visual presentation (SVP), which may not fully reflect the underlying processes of natural reading. In the present study, eye movements and BOLD data were collected while subjects either read normal paragraphs naturally or moved their eyes through “paragraphs” of pseudo-text (pronounceable pseudowords or consonant letter strings) in two pseudo-reading conditions. Eye movement data established that subjects were reading and scanning the stimuli normally. A conjunction fMRI analysis across natural- and pseudo-reading showed that a common eye-movement network including frontal eye fields (FEF), supplementary eye fields (SEF), …

The Functional Organization Of The Left Sts: A Large Scale Meta-Analysis Of Pet And Fmri Studies Of Healthy Adults, E. Liebenthal, Rutvik Desai, C. Humphries, M. Sabri, A. Desai

Faculty Publications

The superior temporal sulcus (STS) in the left hemisphere is functionally diverse, with sub-areas implicated in both linguistic and non-linguistic functions. However, the number and boundaries of distinct functional regions remain to be determined. Here, we present new evidence, from meta-analysis of a large number of positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, of different functional specificity in the left STS supporting a division of its middle to terminal extent into at least three functional areas. The middle portion of the left STS stem (fmSTS) is highly specialized for speech perception and the processing …

Phenotypes And Variants In Cases Submitted For X-Linked Intellectual Disability (Xlid) Gene Panel Testing, Michael J. Friez

Theses and Dissertations

Intellectual disability (ID) refers to reduced cognitive function, apparent before the age of 18, that negatively affects a person's learning and adaptive capacity. Approximately 1-3% of the population is affected with ID, males more than females, and most in the mild-to-moderate range. ID creates financial, logistical and psychosocial challenges for affected persons and their families and caregivers. It is estimated that up to 50% of ID has a genetic cause. Molecular genetic diagnosis may help in obtaining services and has important implications for family members, but can be elusive. Genes causing ID are known to be over-represented on the X …

Multiple Roles For Hoxa3 In Regulating Thymus And Parathyroid Differentiation And Morphogenesis In Mouse, Jena L. Chojnowski, Kyoko Masuda, Heidi A. Trau, Kirk Thomas, Mario Capeechi, Nancy R. Manley

Natural Sciences Faculty Publications

Hoxa3 was the first Hox gene to be mutated by gene targeting in mice and is required for the development of multiple endoderm and neural crest cell (NCC)-derived structures in the pharyngeal region. Previous studies have shown that the Hoxa3 null mutant lacks third pharyngeal pouch derivatives, the thymus and parathyroids by E18.5, and organ-specific markers are absent or downregulated during initial organogenesis. Our current analysis of the Hoxa3 null mutant shows that organ-specific domains did undergo initial patterning, but the location and timing of key regional markers within the pouch, including Tbx1, Bmp4 and Fgf8, were altered. …

Parental Satisfaction And Teacher Perspectives On Inclusive Education Of Students With Asperger Syndrome: An Educational Tool, Hannah Warren

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate parental satisfaction and anxiety regarding the high school educational experiences of their child with a previous diagnosis of Asperger syndrome (AS), as well as educators' understanding of the diagnosis and what information they deemed important to know about the student. The goal of this study was to develop an educational tool that would aid in initiating communication between parents of a student with AS, or with a new diagnosis of high-functioning autism (HFA), and their teachers. This would be an additional resource of use to pediatric genetic counselors that frequently see families regarding a …

The Use Of Social Media And The Impact Of Support On The Well-Being Of Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients, Margaret Anne Faust

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common, life-limiting autosomal recessive condition disorder of Caucasians. CF is a chronic condition that requires daily treatment of symptoms, the stress of which can have mental health consequences. Due to the potential for cross contamination of bacterial infections, individuals with CF are discouraged from meeting in person and must find other venues to receive support. Social media provides the opportunity for individuals with CF to communicate and provide support. We hypothesized a positive correlation between the patients' health-related quality of life and the amount of time spent on CF-related social media sites. We expected …

I Wish I Had Known This!: Impact Of Age On Life Choices And Testing Satisfaction For Brca1/2 Mutation Carriers Who Underwent Genetic Testing By Age 25, Sarah Elaine King

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To examine if BRCA1/2 mutation carriers who received their positive genetic test result by age 25 were satisfied with their decision to undergo genetic testing and with the choices made regarding family planning, surveillance, and surgery. Methods: 72 participants recruited via social media completed a survey hosted by SurveyMonkey.com. Sixty-three met study criteria and were asked 40 quantitative and qualitative questions designed to assess family planning, surveillance, and surgery needs of young BRCA carriers, which included a six question Satisfaction with Decision Scale. Results: Regardless of age, participants were very satisfied with the decision to undergo genetic testing. Recommendations …

Parents' Dreams For Their Young Adults With Down Syndrome: What Resources Are Needed To Achieve Them?, Julianna Elise Hudnall

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to identify the goals parents have for their young adult sons and daughters with Down syndrome, the factors that help to achieve those goals, and parents' perceived barriers to successful attainment of those objectives. While many supports are readily available to youths with Down syndrome in primary and secondary school, many of these supports disappear as these individuals transition into adulthood. When combined with the inherent challenges of emerging adulthood, significant gaps in resources become evident for this population. In order to identify areas in need of improvement, this study surveyed parents of post- and peri-transitional young …

The Effects Of Aeration On Phytoplankton Community Composition And Primary Production In Stormwater Detention Ponds Near Myrtle Beach, Sc, Lauren Hehman

Theses and Dissertations

Stormwater detention ponds are a common approach to managing stormwater runoff in coastal South Carolina. While effective at preventing flooding, they can be sites of intense phytoplankton blooms that result from excess nutrients inputs. This can lead to water quality degradation within ponds from oxygen depletion, fish kills, health concerns from harmful algal blooms (HABs), and water quality deterioration in adjacent coastal waters when pond discharges. The most common management practice to rid the ponds of excess phytoplankton biomass is the addition of copper-based algaecides. While temporarily effective, these algaecides require regular re-application and lead to artificial cycles of productivity …

The Paternal Age Effect: A Preliminary Study Of Current Challenges For Prenatal Genetics Care, Andrew Tyler Gunter

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced paternal age (APA) is related to various genetic conditions, behavioral disorders, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Since the publication of ACMG's practice guidelines on APA in 2008, much has been learned about the causes of paternal age effect (PAE) mutations and their clinical implications. However, no guidelines exist to refer these high-risk pregnancies to prenatal genetics care, nor are effective screening techniques presently available. As such, many patients are not fully-informed about the risks to their pregnancies due to possible APA effects, and neither are are the men who have fathered these pregnancies.

Our findings support that limited APA principles …

A Study On Atmospheric And Oceanic Processes In The North Indian Ocean, Clifford Steven Felton

Theses and Dissertations

Studies on oceanic and atmospheric processes in the Indian Ocean are an active and important area of scientific research. Understanding how intraseasonal and interannual variations impact both the ocean and atmosphere will aid in delineating potential feedback mechanisms and global teleconnections. Thanks to recent efforts focused on expanding observational capabilities and developing models for this region, researchers have been able to begin investigating atmospheric and oceanic processes in the Indian Ocean. This study focuses on the impact of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on tropical cyclone activity over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and on developing a method for …

The Effects Of Snmp-2 Gene Expression On Mating Discrimination In Male Drosophila Melanogaster, Kristen Taylor Ashourian

Theses and Dissertations

In order to distinguish between relevant and extraneous stimuli, insects have adapted specialized processes to perceive cues that are beneficial for survival and proliferation. Volatile molecules in the environment can stimulate olfactory receptors (ORs) and gustatory receptors (GRs) in chemosensory organs called sensilla. Specialized proteins located within these sensilla guide and assist chemosensory molecules to the receptors, which then trigger a transduction pathway that elicits behavioral responses. Sensory Neuron Membrane Proteins (SNMPs) are transmembrane proteins found on both gustatory and olfactory sensory organs in insects. There are two forms of these proteins, SNMP-1 and SNMP-2. InDrosophila melanogaster, the function of …

Genetic Stock Identification And Migration In Black Sea Bass (Centropristis Striata) Along The Western Atlantic Coast And Gulf Of Mexico, Justin Francis Lewandowski

Theses and Dissertations

The black sea bass, Centropristis striata, is a member of the family Serranidae that is commercially important throughout its range, which extends throughout the western Atlantic (from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Cape Canaveral, Florida) and Gulf of Mexico (from Mobile Bay, Alabama to Tampa Bay, Florida). There are two known subspecies, C. striata striata in the Atlantic and C. striata melana in the Gulf, and through behavioral and morphological evidence two separate stocks are managed in the Atlantic, north and south of Cape Hatteras, NC. Recent genetic studies on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have supported this. To further investigate the relationships …

Mitochondrial Replication From Embryogenesis To Early Adulthood, In Dui Species, Mytilus Galloprovincialis, Ellen Blenn Richardson

Theses and Dissertations

Eukaryotes typically inherit mitochondria strictly maternally. There are however a group of bivalve molluscs that inherit different mitochondrial genomes from each parent. The paternally inherited mtDNA (M-type) is localized to, and dominates over the maternally inherited mtDNA (F-type) in the gonads of the male offspring, but is not normally retained in any tissue of the female offspring. This process is termed Double Uniparental Inheritance (DUI). Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), this study examines mtDNA replication compared to total DNA replication through embryonic stages of development and into early adulthood of the DUI species, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Results indicate that up through the …