Life Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Ly49 Receptors In Maintaining Healthy Murine Pregnancy, Michelle Belmont

Master's Theses

Natural Killer (NK) cells are abundant in pregnancy and contribute to the health of the fetus. Uterine NK (uNK) cells provide less cytotoxic function than their conventional NK (cNK) cell counterparts. Various combinations of Killer Immunoglobulin Receptor (KIR)- Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) on maternal NK and fetally derived cells, respectively, can have different effects on the health of pregnancy in humans. Murine NK cells contain Ly49 receptors, an equivalent to KIRs. Therefore, Ly49 receptor interactions with fetally-derived MHC-I molecules can be a valuable model for studying the role of NK cells in pregnancy. The process of spiral artery remodeling can …

Investigating The Role Of Nagc Reveals It To Be A Global Regulator, Natasha Peterson

Master's Theses

Bacterial colonization of host surfaces can result in symbiotic or pathogenic associations.As bacteria becomes more resistant to antibiotics, pathogenic bacterial colonization poses an increasing risk to human health. Symbiotic associations that have beneficial outcomes for both the host and the microbe can serve as models to investigate how bacterial processes affect colonization of host surfaces. The symbiotic relationship between the Gram-negative, bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri and the Hawaiian bobtail squid is one such model (E. V. Stabb & Visick, 2013). The study of this exclusive relationship has developed in a way where in vitro phenotypes can predict the ability of …

A Comparison Of Impa2 & Isyna1 Gene Expression And Intracelular Myo-Inositol Levels In Bipolar And Non-Bipolar Disorder Derived Human Lymphoblasts, Christina Rosette

Master's Theses

The thesis objective was to determine if myo-inositol concentration levels and the gene expression of IMPA2 & ISYNA1 differ among bipolar disorder types 1 and 2 compared to healthy controls (non-bipolar disorder). Previous studies have correlated different myo-inositol concentration levels with specific phases of bipolar and pharmaceutical treatments. Two genes, inositol monophosphatase 2 (IMPA2) and inositol-3-phosphate synthase 1 (ISYNA1), involved in de novo myo-inositol biosynthesis have been implicated in the pathophysiology of bipolar. In this study, differences in myo-inositol concentration and IMPA2 & ISYNA1 gene expression in lymphoblasts derived from subjects with bipolar types 1, 2, and healthy control were …

Temozolomide-Nsaid Mixtures And Novel Diclofenac-Purine Hybrids As Potential Antiglioblastoma Agents, Joshua Rotich

Master's Theses

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common, lethal and aggressive brain tumor in adults. Standard treatment involves surgery, radiation therapy and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy. However, GBM recurs and the average survival rate is between 12 to 18 months with 25% 1-year survival rate and 9% 5 years survival rate. Treatment options and advancement is limited by the blood brain barrier (BBB) which restricts drug entry into the brain and the immense heterogeneity of the tumor which limit adequate control of the entire tumor using one drug. In this research, we explored whether a combination mixture of TMZ and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs …

Peruvian Mammals Collected By The Andrews University. Department Of Biology : Expeditions & Patterns Of Diversity, Kieran M. Taylor

Master's Theses

The Department of Biology at Andrews University conducted three expeditions to Peru in 1964, 1965, and 1968. During the expeditions, thousands of specimens were collected of several taxa, including mammals. As far as we know, no complete summary of the expeditions and the mammals collected has been created. Knowledge of the expeditions and evaluation of the mammals collected compared to current literature could have conservation implications. My purpose was to recreate the story of the expeditions and use this contextual information to catalog and identify the number of mammal species collected and evaluate the mammal diversity collected according to current …

Evolution Of Life-History Characteristics In Gadoidei, Joshua Hittie

Master's Theses

Life-history characteristics (e.g., age and growth) have been used extensively to understand the temporal population dynamics of fish species, but less so within a phylogenetic framework. This study investigates life-history characteristics within the suborder Gadoidei (order: Gadiformes) and to test the extent of phylogenetic signal for those characteristics. To accomplish this, a phylogeny of Gadoidei was first constructed based on both mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Within this phylogenetic framework, life-history traits, including growth rate, age at maturity, and longevity, as well as ecological data, such as water depth and diet type, were mapped to the phylogeny using parsimony analysis to …

Phenotypic Analysis Of Murine Gut Associated Lymphocytes, Madison Flood

Master's Theses

γδ T cells are important in the role of immune homeostasis, especially in relation to the gut. It has been shown that there is a higher proportion of γδ T cells in the intestines than in circulation. With this knowledge, our lab focused on understanding the mechanisms of these cells, specifically regarding immune tolerance. In our preliminary research, we identified a subset of γδ T cells that express Foxp3, a transcription factor essential for the functioning of regulatory T cells, in the neonatal (5 day old) intestine. We hypothesized that these Foxp3+ γδ T cells have immunosuppressive functions upon exposure …

Bisacodyl Limits Chikungunya Virus In Vitro And Is Broadly Antiviral, Natalie June Lomascolo

Master's Theses

Identifying novel antivirals requires significant time and resource investment, and the continuous threat of viruses to human health necessitates commitment to antiviral identification and development. Developing antivirals requires years of research and validation, and recent outbreaks have highlighted the need for preparedness in counteracting pandemics. One way to facilitate development is to repurpose molecules already used clinically. By screening such compounds, we can accelerate antiviral development. Here, we screened compounds from the National Institutes of Health’s Developmental Therapeutic Program for activity against chikungunya virus, an alphavirus that is responsible for a significant outbreak in the Americas in 2013. Using this …

Comparison Of Feeding Functional Morphology Development In North American Esocids, Cheryl Theile

Master's Theses

Esocidae is a family of freshwater fishes within order Esociformes known for its long, cylindrical bodies, duck-bill snouts, and an impressive number of sharp teeth. There are four species, including two subspecies, in North America with areas of overlap of their geographic distribution. These ambush predators change diets from invertebrate prey to vertebrate prey during their first year of life, and the timing of this shift varies between species. In particular, the sister species Esox lucius (Northern Pike) and Esox masquinongy (Muskellunge) overlap in the upper Midwest, but E. masquinongy transitions to a vertebrate diet sooner in its development than …

Calcium-Mediated Induction Of Vibrio Fischeri Es114 Biofilms, Katia Elizabeth Semenchuk

Master's Theses

Vibrio fischeri bacteria form biofilms that facilitate symbiotic colonization of the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes. These host-associated biofilms require production of the SYP polysaccharide. However, it has been difficult to observe robust biofilm formation in vitro in a laboratory setting using wild-type strain ES114; instead, most work investigating syp-dependent biofilm formation has relied on genetically altered strains. Guided by recent findings that increasing calcium induces c-di-GMP (Tischler et al., 2021), a molecule known in other systems to promote biofilm formation, the question was posed as to whether high levels of calcium alone could promote syp-dependent biofilm formation by ES114. …

Biofilms On Plastic Litter: Community Composition And Activity And The Effects On Ecosystem Processes, Raul F. Lazcano

Master's Theses

The rapid increase of plastic production and disposal has resulted in plastic pollution becoming a global problem. In aquatic ecosystems, plastic litter is a substrate for biofilms, but little research has simultaneously assessed the effects of plastic litter on biofilm activity, community composition, and ecosystem processes. Our objectives were to: (1) measure biofilm activity and community composition on plastic litter relative to a natural surface in an urban river and (2) assess the impact of microplastic pollution on ecosystem metabolism and N2 flux in an oligotrophic lake. For objective (1) we incubated three common plastics with distinct physical and chemical …

Dna Methylation Patterns Of Line-1 Elements Specific To Hc21p In Cancer Cells, Dametria Jetters

Master's Theses

Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements (LINEs) are retrotransposons. They function by making a cDNA copy, reverse-transcribing it into DNA and reinserting itself back into the genome; thereby, increasing its copy number. Sequencing of the human genome revealed that LINEs (L1) are underrepresented on the short arm of human chromosome 21 (HC21), but it is enriched in full-length copies. A number of previous studies have investigated the DNA methylation patterns of L1s in cancer cells, but these studies are typically done in euchromatic regions. The heterochromatic short arm of HC21 is primarily composed of heterochromatin. However these regions can be targeted for …

Unveiling Bacterial Hitchhikers In The Urobiome, Genevieve Baddoo

Master's Theses

Microbial communities of bacteria, viruses, and fungi form complex interactions in nature. However, our understanding of these communities is limited to those that can be cultured in the lab. Enhanced culture methods have enabled the isolation of numerous fastidious species from urinary tract, definitively proving that the urinary tract of asymptomatic individuals is not sterile. In working with these isolates, our group has observed several instances in which a “purified” isolate actually harbors more than one species. We refer to these additional members as bacterial hitchhikers, a term previously used to describe similar occurrences in soil communities. I hypothesized that …

An Assessment Of The Diverse Freshwater Turtle Fauna Of Mississippi, Lucas Haralson

Master's Theses

Nestled within the Southeastern United States Turtle Priority Area, Mississippi boasts impressive freshwater turtle diversity and is home to 8.6% of extant turtle species. Despite this impressive richness, few studies have assessed freshwater turtle assemblages in this hotspot of aquatic diversity. This research aimed to elucidate the distributions and abundances of freshwater turtle species through a statewide investigation of all major river drainages of the state. Using baited hoop nets (90 cm and 120 cm diameter), turtles were collected, identified to species and sex, and measured, before being released. Turtle assemblages were assessed in both lotic and lentic environments from …

Estimating And Modeling Transpiration Of A Mountain Meadow Encroached By Conifers Using Sap Flow Measurements, Simon Joseph Marks

Master's Theses

Mountain meadows in the western USA are experiencing increased rates of conifer encroachment due to climate change and land management practices. Past research has focused on conifer removal as a meadow restoration strategy, but there has been limited work on conifer transpiration in a pre-restoration state. Meadow restoration by conifer removal has the primary goal of recovering sufficient growing season soil moisture necessary for endemic, herbaceous meadow vegetation. Therefore, conifer water use represents an important hydrologic output toward evaluating the efficacy of this active management approach. This study quantified and evaluated transpiration of encroached conifers in a mountain meadow using …

Classifying Electrocardiogram With Machine Learning Techniques, Hillal Jarrar

Master's Theses

Classifying the electrocardiogram is of clinical importance because classification can be used to diagnose patients with cardiac arrhythmias. Many industries utilize machine learning techniques that consist of feature extraction methods followed by Naive- Bayesian classification in order to detect faults within machinery. Machine learning techniques that analyze vibrational machine data in a mechanical application may be used to analyze electrical data in a physiological application. Three of the most common feature extraction methods used to prepare machine vibration data for Naive-Bayesian classification are the Fourier transform, the Hilbert transform, and the Wavelet Packet transform. Each machine learning technique consists of …

Effects Of Nitrogen Management And Cultivar On Strawberry Production Under Disease Pressure, Kamille A. Garcia-Brucher

Master's Theses

Effects of nitrogen management and cultivar on strawberry production under disease pressure

Kamille Garcia-Brucher

California strawberry growers face increasing regulatory pressures to manage nitrogen (N) applications in their production system. Standard practice in the California strawberry industry is to apply a synthetic pre-plant controlled release fertilizer (CRF) to ensure the crop has sufficient N during winter establishment. Some research from the UC Cooperative Extension suggests this practice is not efficient at delivering N to the crop since most of the N is released from CRF before strawberry crop N uptake is significant. Another concern for California strawberry growers is loss …

Examination Of Methylation Status And Occupancy Of Dna Methylation Modifying Proteins On Regulatory Regions Of The Dax-1 Gene, Caroline P. Riedstra

Master's Theses

Epigenetic modifications influence gene expression and thereby play a pivotal role in development and disease. Misregulation and mutations in the DAX-1 gene, or Dosage-Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita, Critical Region on the X chromosome, gene 1, have been implicated in Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita (AHC) and Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal (DSS). The orphan nuclear hormone receptor DAX-1 is expressed predominantly in tissues such as the testes, ovaries, breast, adrenal cortex, and lung. Critically, DAX-1 may serve as an indicator of aberrant growth in these tissues. Here we hypothesize that DAX-1 is epigenetically regulated, specifically in cancer cells, thereby reducing its …

Multi-Assay Nutritional Metabolomics Profiling Of Low Vitamin A Status Versus Adequacy Is Characterized By Reduced Plasma Lipid Mediators Among Lactating Women In The Philippines: A Pilot Study, Catherine M. Johnson

Master's Theses

Background: A significant portion of lactating women in less developed countries have vitamin A (VA) deficiency. Lactation has substantial effects on a mother’s metabolism and VA is known to be needed in multiple biological processes, including growth, vision, immunity, and reproduction.

Objective: The objective of this pilot study was to utilize metabolomics profiling to conduct a broad, exploratory assessment of differences in plasma metabolites associated with low VA status versus adequacy in lactating women.

Methods: Plasma samples from lactating women who participated in a survey in Samar, Philippines, were selected from a cross-sectional study based on plasma retinol concentrations indicating …

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons And The Microbiomes Of Two Benthic Species, Samantha Ells

Master's Theses

The presence of oil has been shown to affect the microbiomes of the water column, sediments, and organisms, both by altering the diversity and the composition of those microbial communities. If the microbiome is altered it may no longer provide benefits to its host organism, impacting its ability to survive. Thus, it is important to understand the effects of large-scale contamination events including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This study set out to examine the effects of oil exposure on the microbiome of two benthic species, southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) and eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) to further understand the effects …

Spatial And Seasonal Patterns Of Above- And Belowground Vegetation Biomass And Potential Drivers In The Pascagoula River Delta, Ms, Evan Grimes

Master's Theses

Coastal wetlands provide a valuable wealth of services to the greater coastal ecosystem and human communities. However, threats such as sea level rise and conservation projects, such as freshwater diversions, have the potential to alter coastal wetlands in different ways. In this thesis, I describe the effects of inundation and nitrogen on vegetation productivity using a field-sampling approach and an in situ controlled mesocosm experiment, called a marsh organ. The West Channel of the Pascagoula River contained significantly higher belowground biomass than the East Channel, which is more anthropogenically modified. Vertical distribution of belowground biomass did not strongly vary between …

Characterization Of The Bacterial Microbiome Of Exotic Tick Species Collected From Migratory Birds, Raima Sen

Master's Theses

Migratory birds often serve as natural/accidental hosts to ectoparasites like ticks (predominantly immature stages) and are known reservoirs of several pathogens transmitted by ticks. Parasitizing these birds, exotic tick species often hitch rides to non-native ecological niches, bringing along tick-borne pathogens. This study aims to profile the bacteriome of exotic tick species flying in and out of the US from the Neo-tropical South. A total of 421 tick samples comprised of several different tick species were collected off migratory songbirds at sites north of the Gulf of Mexico (Louisiana State). A 16S rRNA metagenomic multiplexed sequencing approach was used to …

Population Parameter Estimation And Stable Isotope Analysis Of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) In The Pascagoula River, Alfonso Cohuo

Master's Theses

Gulf Sturgeon (GS), Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, are a threatened, anadromous fish species in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Their range is from the Pearl River, LA, in the west to the Suwannee River, FL, in the east with a longitudinal divide at Mobile Bay, AL, creating a western population unit (WPU) and an eastern population unit (EPU). Sturgeon belonging to the WPU exhibit lower abundances, higher mortality rates, and are overall less studied than their EPU counterparts. Notable data gaps for the WPU includes the absence of recent population parameter estimations and confirmed feeding habitat. My thesis aims to …

Comparison Of Animal Versus Plant-Based Protein Supplementation To Nitrogen Balance In Female College Students, Adeline Maykish

Master's Theses

Plant-based diets have become popular in the past 10 years, with approximately 11% of Americans self-identifying as vegan or vegetarian, and many others trying to reduce meat consumption. Due to this increasing interest, the plant-based food market has exploded with several novel innovative products serving as alternatives to animal-based products. One such example is almond protein powder, a fairly new protein supplement created as an alternative to whey protein. A number of studies have compared animal-based protein supplementation, such as whey to plant-based supplementation, such as soy, on muscle protein synthesis and skeletal muscle preservation. Due to the novelty of …

Climate Adaptation And Water Conservation Decision-Making In Paso Robles, California Vineyards, Christopher R. Klier

Master's Theses

This paper examines vineyard perceptions and adoption of climate change adaptation and water conservation measures in the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area (AVA). A survey was distributed to all 220 vineyards and vineyard management companies that operate in the AVA, with a 53.64% response rate. The objective of the survey was to determine vineyard manager and owner attitudes towards climate change and adaptation, as well as their perceptions of how these threats would impact their operation. A second objective was to document the current level of water conservation and climate adaptation while identifying the barriers and opportunities for further adoption …

Effect Of Borrelia Burgdorferi On The Amyloid-Beta And Phospho-Tau Markers And Oxidative Stress Response Of Neuroblastoma Cells, Dina Elzohiry

Master's Theses

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the neurons are injured and mostly subjected to death throughout the brain, interconnections between neural networks may detach, and several regions of the brain begin to shrink in size. Amyloid-Beta (Aβ) and phospho-tau (p-Tau) are considered as main hallmarks of AD. Lyme-causing bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi can invade central nervous system resulting in neurological disorders. To evaluate how B. burgdorferi bacteria can contribute to the development and/or progress of AD, protein expression of Amyloid-Beta aggregates and p-Tau protein tangles were assessed before and after infection with B. burgdorferi in BE2C and Kelly neuroblastoma cell lines. To assess …

Evaluating Effect Of Folic Acid On Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast Cells With Impaired Dna Repair System, Suneeti Madhavan

Master's Theses

Mandatory folic acid (FA) fortification programs have been introduced in many countries since 1998 [1]. This fortification program, especially when combined with vitamin supplements taken for health purposes, can lead to higher-than-normal levels of synthetic FA in the body [2]. Recent research has linked high levels of synthetic FA (more than the daily requirement of 400μg/day) with increased incidences of cancer [2-7]. In comparison, low levels of FA have been shown to cause DNA damage due to impaired DNA repair processes [8,9]. This study hypothesizes that increased levels of FA give rise to DNA modification. Therefore, if cells harbor an …

The Effects Of Vine Age On Vine Performance, Fruit, And Wine Composition Of Zinfandel In The Templeton Gap Ava, California, Vegas L. Riffle

Master's Theses

A two-year study was conducted at a commercial vineyard in California’s Templeton Gap AVA to evaluate the effect of vine age on viticultural, enological, and sensory attributes of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Zinfandel grapes and wines. The experimental block was dry farmed, conventionally managed, with own-rooted Zinfandel vines that, when determined unproductive, were replaced with new vines of genetically identical scion plant material grafted onto St. George (Vitis rupestris Scheele) rootstock. Treatments included Young vines (5 to 12 years old), Control (representative proportion of young to old vines in the block), and Old vines (40 to 60 years old). …

Analysis Of Dietary Intake, Body Composition And Biomarkers In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Prediabetes And Without Diabetes, Sarah Thuytrinh Nguyen

Master's Theses

Our study provided an analysis and comparison of specific blood values, dietary intake, body composition, and inflammatory markers (high sensitivity-C-reactive protein (HS-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)) between adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes (PDM) to adults without diabetes. A total of 22 participants (PDM/T2DM n=12, controls n=10) in the San Luis Obispo, CA area completed the study prior to our ending recruitment due to Covid-19. Body composition data were collected through DXA scans. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day food record survey and nutritional analysis conducted using ESHA food processing software. In addition, …

Analysis Of The Slo Bay Microbiome From A Network Perspective, Lien Viet Nguyen

Master's Theses

Microorganisms are key players in the ecosystem functioning. In this thesis, we developed a framework to preprocess raw microbiome data, build a correlation network, and analyze co-occurrence patterns between microbes. We then applied this framework to a marine microbiome dataset. The dataset used in this study comes from a year-long time-series to characterize the microbial communities in our coastal waters off the Cal Poly Pier. In analyzing this dataset, we were able to observe and confirm previously discovered patterns of interactions and generate hypotheses about new patterns. The analysis of co-occurrences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic taxa is relatively novel and …