Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Light Cycle Disruption On The Reactive Oxygen Species Production In Zebrafish, Talia Sanders

Honors College Theses

It has been proven that maintaining homeostasis is linked to regulation of circadian rhythms and the light cycles associated with them. Through investigation of zebrafish mitochondria subject to stress via unpredictable light cycle exposure, we previously studied the level of GSK3β protein as it relates to the health of the brain. The data has shown that when a brain undergoes stress, it results in the increased activation of GSK3β which leads to disruptions in circadian rhythm, inflammation, and cell death. Moreso, this overexpression results in reduced ATP production and lowered Complex 1 activity in the mitochondria. However, GSK3β activation is …

Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting To Improve Cardiometabolic Risk: A Comparative Analysis Of Muscle Strengthening Exercise And Treadmill Walking, Grace E. Anderson

Honors College Theses

Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of brief bouts of treadmill walking and bodyweight-based muscular strengthening exercises to mitigate the effects of sedentary behavior on blood pressure, blood glucose, cognitive performance, and perceived fatigue. Methods: Healthy young adults (n = 9) completed 3 experimental trials consisting of 4-hour sedentary periods. The trials consisted of an uninterrupted sedentary period (control), treadmill walking every 30 minutes for 5 minutes, and bodyweight-based muscular strengthening exercises every 30 minutes for 5 minutes. Blood glucose was measured at baseline and every 30 minutes thereafter. Blood pressure and fatigue were measured at baseline and every hour thereafter. …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides Felis) Gut Proteins On Different Days After Blood Feeding, Dhruva K. Karnik

Honors College Theses

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are a blood-feeding ectoparasitic insect and a common domestic pest found throughout the world. Because of their reliance on host blood, fleas are exposed to blood-borne pathogens; however, the flea gut lumen is a hostile environment for microbial colonization. For example, the gut epithelia differentially express immune genes in response to feeding. In the present study, we measured the antimicrobial activity of gut proteins from cat fleas at different days after feeding (2, 5, 7, and 14). Dissected flea guts were homogenized, passed through a syringe filter, and measured in a protein assay kit. …

Examination Of Greenhouse Conditions That Influence Scale Infestation Rates On Begonia, Madeline M. Cusick

Honors College Theses

Scale insects are common pests within greenhouse and agricultural settings. I quantified scale infestation on Begonia x Richmondensis, also known as the Dragon Wing begonia, within the Armstrong Campus Greenhouse from March to November of 2023. Six different treatments accounted for variations in sunlight, humidity, and temperature within the greenhouse with the goal of determining the insect’s preferred environmental conditions. Morphological comparisons were also made between host plant Dragon Wing begonia and other begonias present within the greenhouse. Analysis indicated a significant difference in scale presence on replicate plants by zone and sunlight treatments, with more plants hosting at least …

Developing A Methodology For Evaluating Postural Control And Functional Ability In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Abigail Schoppa

Honors College Theses

Background: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a non-progressive group of disorders that interferes with postural control and gross motor function (GMF). The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology to evaluate and link postural control and functional ability by identifying the best measures to use.

Methods: For this study, children between the ages of 12 and 22 who have CP and a Gross Motor Function Classification System level I to III were recruited. They performed a series of gross motor tests from the BOT-2 while standing on a force plate to record their center of pressure (COP) movement. Several …

Understanding Sport Coaches’ Responses To Injury, Ashanti Robinson

Honors College Theses

Injury is an inevitable part of any sport an athlete decides to take part in. Many things go along with injury, but one of the biggest factors is the one directly responsible for the success of the athlete: the coach. The purpose of this study was, based on a systematic review of the literature, to better understand what part coaches play in the fear of athletic injuries including their responses and the rationale for those responses. The study was conducted by cross-referencing multiple articles across different databases and systematically examining the different studies to further understand the fear of injury …

The Biobehavioral Effects Of Embryonic Exposure To Neural Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Zebrafish, Dalton J. Anderson

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to improve understanding of the neurodevelopmental effects of embryonic exposure to elevated inflammation and oxidative stress induced by the antipyretic drug acetaminophen (APAP). Our study was the first to examine the interactive effects of APAP and inflammation in zebrafish embryos and how the treatments affect brain development and larval behavior. Experimental groups of zebrafish larvae were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation, APAP, or LPS + APAP and larval behavior was analyzed using Ethovision automated behavioral tracking software. We also measured changes in whole-brain Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3B) and GSK3B phosphorylation, …

First Genomic Resource For An Endangered Neotropical Mega-Herbivore: The Complete Mitochondrial Genome Of The Forest-Dweller (Baird's) Tapir (Tapirus Bairdii), Caroline C. Ennis

Honors College Theses

Baird's tapir, or the Central American Tapir Tapirus bairdii (family Tapiridae), is one of the largest mammals native to the forests and wetlands of southern North America and Central America and is categorized as `endangered' on the 2014 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This study reports, for the first time, the complete mitochondrial genome of T. bairdii and examines the phylogenetic position of T. bairdii amongst closely related species in the same family and order to which it belongs using mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCG's). The circular, double-stranded, A-T rich mitochondrial genome of T. bairdii is 16,697 bp in length …

Quantitative And Qualitative Analysis Of Mutation In Pam-1 Of Model Organism Caenorhabditis Elegans., Jessica Stein, Jessica Stein

Honors College Theses

The pam-1 gene in the model roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans governs meiotic exit and establishment of cellular polarity in the single-celled C. elegans embryo. Mutation of the pam-1 gene results in reduced fertility and fecundity in adult C. elegans and disrupts the anatomy of the germinal gonad. The aim of this study is to qualitatively and quantitatively define the changes in the germline cells associated with mutations to the pam-1 gene. Specifically, we examined the stages of germ cell development within the gonads of adult worms, both wild-type and pam-1 compromised, and identified the changes in the length of the mitotic, …

The Opioid Epidemic: How Genetics Play A Role In Addiction And Treatment, Kirsten Houston

Honors College Theses

The opioid epidemic is an issue within the pharmaceutical industry in the United States of America due to prescription and non-prescription substances being made available to the population. Opioids include chemical substances that affect the body and brain through opioid receptors, including the mu, kappa, and delta receptors. These substances are derived and synthesized from the poppy plant. Multiple causes have been linked to opioid abuse disorder, including but not limited to employment, income, housing, nutrition, mental health disorders, and genetics. By gathering information from previous literature, genetics may be the main cause of narcotic analgesic tolerance and abuse. Specific …

A Review Of The Causes Of Optic Nerve Atrophy And Potential Ways Of Axon Regeneration In The Optic Nerve, Cole Wyatt

Honors College Theses

The optic nerve connects the eye to the lateral geniculate nucleus in the brain and is a key component in the human visual pathway. The optic nerve is made up of the axons of approximately 770,000 to 1.2 million specialized neurons called retinal ganglion cells. Like any other organ and tissue in the body, the optic nerve is susceptible to damage or injury. However, unlike some other organs and tissues, once damaged, the optic nerve cannot regenerate. Individuals with damaged optic nerves are said to have Optic Nerve Atrophy and, as of now, there are no cures or treatment options …

Sex And Environmental Effects On Chemical Signals Of Gryllus Rubens, Marion Davis Creech Iii, Marion Davis Creech Iii

Honors College Theses

Many animals communicate with one another in the context of reproduction, utilizing different modalities. In some cases, more than one modality is used by the sender and receiver. Each modality can provide different sets of information, or function in a different context. Importantly, no matter the modality, the signals should be clearly distinguishable between males and females and need to be reliable even in the face of environmental changes.

In field crickets, there are two major modes of communication. For long-range communication, the males produce acoustic signals to attract females. At short-range, chemical communication involving cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in males …

An Argument For The Utilization Of Amphibian Stress As An Indicator Of Wetland Condition, Andrew W. Sisson

Honors College Theses

Traditional forms of rapid wetland condition assessments focus on foliage health, nutrient enrichment, chemical contamination, and surrounding land usage, often overlooking an evaluation of the animals living in the wetland. More intense assessments include the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) and indices of biotic integrity, which focus on community composition (e.g., diversity and species richness) and abundances. These indices require expertise in species identification and do not provide information about the animal’s fitness. Animal stress physiology, which generally correlates with measures used to quantify animal fitness (e.g., survival, reproduction, and body condition), may provide a complementary rapid assessment method aimed …

What Are The Impacts Of Deer Browsing And Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium Vinenium) On Native Sapling Growth In A Residential Wetland In Southeastern Georgia?, Josie Richards

Honors College Theses

Wetlands promote biodiversity, act as climate stabilizers, and regulate water flow, yet are vulnerable to invaders. An invasive species can affect the biodiversity, abiotic conditions, and increase vulnerability of an ecosystem over time and deer browsing can actively affect new growth by removing the apical buds of young woody vegetation. Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), a wetland specific invader, has been shown to compete against native species for limited resources and actively crowd them out. Growth of native saplings can be further complicated by the presence of white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), which browse woody vegetation and limit recruitment of trees. …

Comparing Development Of Drug Resistance By Cryptococcus Neoformans To Chemically Distinct Azole Anti-Fungal Compounds, Lindsey Burke

Honors College Theses

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungus that primarily infects humans who have weakened immune systems. An azole drug, Fluconazole, is commonly administered against C. neoformans in regions were cryptococcosis is most prevalent, most notably Sub-Saharan Africa. However, C. neoformans can gain resistance to Fluconazole through becoming an aneuploid. To better understand the basis of resistance, we employed a disk diffusion assay and investigated several chemically-distinct azole compounds with anticryptococcal properties for their effectiveness against C. neoformans and to identify potential differences in the capacity of the fungus to become resistant to each of the tested compounds. Different C. neoformans strains were …

Investigating The Role Of Cnag_05113 In The Carnitine Biosynthesis Pathway In Cryptococcus Neoformans., Jasmine Meltzer, Rodrigo Catalan-Hurtado, Perry Kezh, Kerry Smith

Honors College Theses

Cryptococcus neoformans, the leading cause of fungal meningitis, is a fungal pathogen that causes severe infection of the central nervous system in patients with compromised immune systems, typically caused by HIV/AIDS. C. neoformans infections are present in developed countries including the United States, but most fatalities occur in sub-Saharan Africa where antiretroviral therapy, the treatment for HIV/AIDS, is less accessible. Current treatments for severe cryptococcal infections are extensive and outdated. There is a critical need for an improved understanding of the fungus and new targeted therapies. Our goal is to identify metabolic pathways important to the survival of C. …

Genetic Investigation Of Spontaneous Harlequin Coat Patterning In A Family Of Australian Shepherds, Katherine Grace Singleton

Honors College Theses

In dogs, a white base coat with black patches is termed harlequin patterning. In the Great Dane, harlequin is caused by a mutation in the ubiquitin-proteasome system, a highly complex process through which damaged proteins are degraded1. All harlequins are also heterozygous for the Merle allele of SILV, which harbors a retrotransposon that leads to production of abnormal protein2. In melanocytes with impaired protein degradation, aberrant SILV is thought to cause cell death, resulting in the characteristic white base coat of a harlequin dog1. We identified a novel, spontaneous form of harlequin patterning in a family of Australian shepherds. To …

Investigating The Role Of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes In Triazole Drug Efficacy And Toxicity In Whole Organism Zebrafish Model, Heather Cosh

Honors College Theses

Invasive fungal infections account for nearly 1.5 million deaths a year and therefore are considered one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The first line of therapy towards these infections are antifungal drugs in the triazole class such as voriconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, and isavuconazole. However, these antifungal drug therapies fail in a large number of patients and can produce toxic side effects, therefore increasing the risk of mortality worldwide. While prior research has demonstrated the efficacy of these drugs in mitigating fungal growth in vitro, it is unclear why these drugs fail to protect patients infected with fungal …

Biochemical Analysis Of Dna Glycosylase In Dragonfish (Scleropages Formosus, Sfo) Tdg, Jenna Perry

Honors College Theses

TDG, which is a member of the uracil DNA glycosylase superfamily, plays a critical role in the active demethylation process in mammals by removing oxidized derivatives of 5-methylcytosine (mC). While human TDG has been extensively studied and found to possess 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine DNA glycosylase activity, little is known regarding this demethylation process in vertebrates other than the human species. Previous research proposed a catalytic sequence in motif 1 of zebrafish TDG1 and TDG2 that modulates DNA glycosylase activity based on mutational, kinetic, and modeling analyses of these enzymes. Building on this work, researchers discovered that the Sfo TDG is …

Identification Of Sva-Mediated 3’ And 5’ Transductions In Human Genome Sequences, Emily C. Golba

Honors College Theses

Transposable elements (TEs) are sequences of DNA that can move, or transpose, within a genome. Retrotransposons are TEs that propagate via a “copy and paste” mechanism where the elements are transposed to a new genomic location via an RNA intermediate. Short interspersed element (SINE)-VNTR-Alu elements (SVAs) are non-autonomous retrotransposons that use long interspersed element 1 proteins to mobilize. SVAs are currently active in the human genome and often are characterized by the mobilization of sequences adjacent to the 3’ and 5’ ends of insertions, known as transduction events (TDs). TDs were a focus of this study due to their contribution …

Inhibitors Of Human Eno2 Are Potent Anti-Trypanosomal Agents, Danielle Lavigne

Honors College Theses

Kinetoplastid parasite infections remain a global health burden. Here, we have characterized inhibitors of an essential Trypanosoma brucei glycolytic enzyme, enolase (TbENO). We anticipate TbENO inhibitors will be potent anti-trypanosomals, as T. brucei relies on glycolysis for ATP production in the blood of infected mammals. Additionally, the phosphonate enolase inhibitors being considered are well-tolerated in mammals, suggesting their potential in developing novel therapeutics for kinetoplastid infections. TbENO was cloned into the bacterial expression vector, pQE-30, and the heterologously-expressed protein was purified by nickel affinity and assayed in a coupled enzyme assay. Enzyme activity paralleled the abundance …

The Role Of Fto, A Human Rna Demethylase In Perennial Grass Development And Abiotic Stress Responses, Andrew Fiorentino, Qian Hu, Xiaotong Chen, Zhaohui Chen

Honors College Theses

The integration of the human fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene into turfgrass is a novel approach at improving cell proliferation and abiotic stress resistance. The FTO protein is an RNA demethylase responsible for epigenetic regulation of the genome. In related rice, the gene is associated with increased crop yield, tiller number, and aerial biomass. It is proposed to work via demethylation of repeat RNA associated with chromatin remodeling, causing widespread transcriptional activation. In this study, the feasibility of using FTO for plant trait modification in perennial grasses is being investigated. Potentially transformed embryogenic calli of creeping bentgrass with …

Review Of Biomedical Applications Of Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering, Natalie M. Howard

Honors College Theses

Tissue engineering can be defined as processes that aim to generate three-dimensional functional tissues in vitrothat have been favorably altered according to the structural, biochemical, electrophysiological, and biomechanical properties of the desired tissue before implantation into the human body. In relation to cardiac tissues, these properties would include the ability to conduct action potentials, withstand systolic pressure, permit sufficient O₂ and CO₂penetration, sufficient vascularization to supply nutrients for cellular activity, surface topology that enables cellular communication, and more. As heart diseases and instances of myocardial infarction continue to rise worldwide, there is an increasing need for …

Function Of Septin Proteins In Cryptococcus Neoformans In Cell Wall And Plasma Membrane Integrity And Homeostasis, Emma Hatchell

Honors College Theses

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic basidiomycetous yeast that causes meningitis in immunocompromised patients. This lethal fungus is sometimes referred to as the “sugar coated killer” due to its polysaccharide capsule. It is estimated that 152,000 cases of cryptococcal infection occur each year and result in 112,000 deaths. The ability of C. neoformans to adapt to host temperature is a main factor responsible for virulence. Septins are conserved filament-forming GTPases that are confirmed to be involved in cytokinesis and morphogenesis and have been implicated in heat stress response and virulence of C. neoformans. C. neoformans genome encodes four septins, Cdc3, …

Genetic Investigation Of Spontaneous Harlequin Coat Patterning In A Family Of Finnish Collies, Megan Patterson

Honors College Theses

The merle coat pattern is a pigmentary phenotype of dogs characterized by a dilute background with black patches. Merle is caused by a SINE insertion in PMEL17, a pigmentation gene expressed in melanocytes. The mutation causes aberrant splicing of transcripts and production of an abnormal protein. Harlequin is a dominant modifier of merle that further dilutes the background to white. Harlequin Great Danes have a heterozygous mutation impairing the ubiquitin-proteasome system, suggesting that the inability to degrade aberrant PMEL17 results in melanocyte death. Harlequin is not a recognized coat pattern of the Collie; however, a harlequin phenotype spontaneously appeared in …

Pharmacokinetics Of Cbd Supplementation In Horses: Single Dose Vs. Long-Term Feeding, Madilyn Adamchik

Honors College Theses

Research about supplemental feeding of cannabidiol (CBD) to horses is still in its early stages, but many horse owners are feeding CBD supplements for supposed benefits, including behavior and pain management. Cannabinoids work through the endocannabinoid system to modulate nervous and hormonal actions in the body, working to maintain a healthy homeostatic balance. Safety and efficacy have been tested for dosages of up to 500 mg of CBD per day for horses, but further research about the pharmacokinetics based on dosage amount and form of CBD are still needed. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of …

Vibrational Communication Of Hebetica Sylviae, Jenna Howard

Honors College Theses

There are many different modalities animals use to communicate. Substrate-borne vibrational communication is one that is in the infancy of research, but widely used by many members of the animal kingdom. The systems by which one species of treehopper, Hebetica sylviae, utilizes vibrational communication has yet to be described due to the recent nature of its discovery. This study aims to answer basic, but vital, questions regarding the key vibrational signals Hebetica sylviae use for the purposes of courtship. There were several calls found to be important to the male including a long-range signal, characterized by pulse trains produced …

Water Table Height And Microtopography In Swamps Of Southeastern Michigan As Influences Of Black Ash Tree Establishment And Survival In The Presence Of Emerald Ash Borer, Samantha Chauvin

Honors College Theses

The detrimental impact of invasive species on native biota is a source for many studies spanning all kinds of biological systems. The introduction of emerald ash borer in southeastern Michigan in the early 2000's has decimated the region’s mature black ash tree population, but its regeneration, both asexual (sprouts) and sexual (seedlings) still occurs. The arrangement and features of the wetlands’ land surfaces may play a role in black ash establishment. Black ash is generally found on wet-mesic to wet soils, but rising water table levels due to climate change and overstory tree mortality in on these sites may inundate …

Characterization Of The Principal And Secondary Islets During Pancreatic Development In Zebrafish With A Crispr-Mediated Glis3 Knockout, Caleb Harsin

Honors College Theses

The Krüppel-like transcription factor, Gli-similar 3 (Glis3) has been implicated in several human pathologies including neonatal diabetes, congenital hypothyroidism, and polycystic kidney disease. Numerous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have additionally identified Glis3 as a risk locus for the development of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our previous data suggest possible roles for Glis3 in endocrine pancreas specification in mice, but despite its clinical significance, much remains unknown about the role(s) Glis3 plays during development. To elucidate Glis3 gene function, a CRISPR-mediated knockout line of zebrafish was developed by deleting a segment of the Glis3 coding region …

Pharmacokinetics Of Single Feeding Of Cannabidiol In Cattle: A Pilot Study, Haley Cornette

Honors College Theses

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a substance that has been used in complementary medicine for many years. However, modern medicine has little knowledge of how this substance is utilized and metabolized in ruminant animals. Regulations on quality assurance and use in animals are lacking, and CBD supplementation in livestock is not approved. If CBD supplements can be shown to be safe and effective, detection in the animal will be important for determining regulation of use. A withdrawal period can then be established to allow time for deterioration of product to safe levels before livestock products enter human markets. This study sought to …