Life Sciences Commons^™

Chemical Analysis Of Aerosol Particle Surfaces, Hillary Woolf

Fall Student Research Symposium 2018

Aerosol particles are thought to impact climate properties. The ability to probe aerosols to understand their chemical properties has been difficult due to a lack of appropriate analytical techniques. Here we present interface-specific SHS techniques to allow for in situ analysis of aerosol particles. Transportation of aerosols from their collection site to the laboratory disturbs their chemical and physical properties thus making it difficult to take accurate measurements of aerosol particles. We show that using a CCD detector is a more effective option for producing more sensitive results and can greatly reduce sampling time and could possibly detect measurements from …

The Relationship Of Endoparasite Diversity And Feeding Ecology In The Seabird Complex Of South Florida, Michael Nakama

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Endoparasite community structure has been poorly studied in migratory birds, particularly among the seabirds of south Florida. We examined parasite communities in seven south Florida seabird species: brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis (n=33), northern gannet Morus bassanus (n=31), double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus (n=33), osprey Pandion haliaetus (n=27), royal tern Thalasseus maximus (n=30), herring gull Larus argentatus (n=12), and laughing gull Leucophaeus atricilla (n=40). We identified 33 parasitic helminth species: 6 nematodes, 2 cestodes, 3 acanthocephalans, and 22 digeneans. Subsequent pairwise tests and similarity profile analysis identified four distinct clusters with similar parasite community structures: (1) pelican and gannet; (2) cormorant; (3) …

Optimizing Robotic Milk: A Qualitative Research Approach To Understanding Challenges That May Inhibit Optimal Usage Of Automatic Milking Systems In Northern Utah, Jessica Felts

Fall Student Research Symposium 2018

Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) – or robotic milkers – have been on the market for over twenty years. However, AMS introduction is relatively new to the Western U.S., and requires challenging adjustments and new management systems.

Ecophysiology Of Lionfish Metabolic And Visual Systems: Are There Physiological Limits To Inshore Invasion?, Aaron Hasenei

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Lionfish (Pterois spp.), an invasive species native to the Indo-Pacific, have permanently established themselves throughout the greater Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and regions of the Western Atlantic ranging from as far north as North Carolina to central Brazil. As their fundamental range expands, lionfish threaten to migrate into estuarine environments as they have been found to tolerate low salinities and an eclectic range of temperatures. The physiological capacity of invasion was assessed by quantifying the visual ecology of lionfish utilizing corneal electroretinography (ERG) as well as their metabolic scope and hypoxia tolerances under various temperature-oxygen-regimes utilizing intermittent-flow respirometry. Seasonal …

Investigating Multiple Streams Of Consciousness: Using Descriptive Experience Sampling To Explore Internally And Externally Directed Streams Of Thought, Charles Fernyhough, Ben Alderson-Day, Russel T. Hurlburt, Simone Kühn

Psychology Faculty Research

Research into resting-state cognition has often struggled with the challenge of assessing inner experience in the resting state. We employed Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES), a method aimed at generating detailed and high-fidelity descriptions of experience, to investigate how experience in the resting state can vary between internal, external, and multiple simultaneous streams. Using a large body of experiential and brain activation data acquired from five DES participants, independent raters classified sampled moments of experience according to whether they were internally directed, externally directed, or contained elements of both at the same time. In line with existing models, comparison of internal …

Peningkatan Produktivitas Tanaman Kedelai Kultivar Anjasmoro Asal Benih Terdeteriorasi Dengan Kompos Trichoderma Dan Bokashi, Sumadi, Denny Sobardini Sobarna, Pujawati Suryatmana, Meddy Rachmadi, Erni Suminar

Jurnal Kultivasi

Trichoderma spp merupakan golongan fungi yang bersifat antipatogen, khususnya layu kecambah, sedangkan bokashi merupakan kompos yang diperkaya dengan beberapa mikroba yang bermanfaat bagi pertumbuhan tanaman.Tulisan ini merupakan rangkuman penelitian pot menggunakan kompos Trichoderma spp sebagai pelapis benih terdeteriorasi disertai bokashi kotoran hewan yang dilakukan pada tanah lahan kering dan tanah sawah pada tahun 2014 dan 2017. Percobaan pertama membandingkan efektivitas beberapa agen hayati sebagai pelapis benih pengaruhnya terhadap vigor benih dan hasil tanaman. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan penggunaan kompos Trichoderma hasilnya lebih baik dibandingkan agen hayati lainnya. Hasil percobaan selanjutnya menunjukkan bahwa pelapisan benih dengan 1 sampai 3 g kompos Trichoderma …

Optimizing Beat Synchronized Running To Music, Jeska Buhmann, Edith Van Dyck, Dobromir Dotov, Marc Leman, Bart Moens

Journal Articles

The use of music and specifically tempo-matched music has been shown to affect running performance. But can we maximize the synchronization of movements to music and does maximum synchronization influence kinematics and motivation? In this study, we explore the effect of different types of music-to-movement alignment strategies on phase coherence, cadence and motivation. These strategies were compared to a control condition where the music tempo was deliberately not aligned to the running cadence. Results show that without relative phase alignment, a negative mean asynchrony (NMA) of footfall timings with respect to the beats is obtained. This means that footfalls occurred …

Carbohydrate Extraction From The Chorella Vulgaris Microalgae Strain, William Hammann, Wayne Seames, Andrew Ross

Essential Studies UNDergraduate Showcase

The cultivation and exploitation of microalgae biomass as a source of renewable fuels and other chemicals has been an active area of research due to microalgae’s high productivity and the relatively high concentrations of valuable intracellular components, like lipids (fatty acid-based oils), proteins, and polysaccharides. Commercialization of this technology will help mitigate global climate change by reducing fossil-derived products by producing analog renewable fuels and chemicals. Traditionally, the main focus of microalgae-based fuels/chemicals research and development has been on the lipids that many strains generate, but current research shows that solely recovering the oils may not be cost competitive with …

The Effects Of Feliway On The Stress Of Cats During Veterinary Examination, Colleen Doonan

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Feliway® during veterinary examination. Feliway® contains a synthetic version of the F3 pheromone, secreted from the cheeks of Felis sylvestris catus when rubbing against objects in the environment. It is presumed to allow cats to establish a home range to feel secure. A double-blind study was conducted to address the limitations of another study that concluded Feliway® is useful for reducing stress experienced by cats during veterinary examination. The current study found that Feliway® is not useful by itself for adequate stress reduction during feline examinations. It was concluded …

The Genomic Landscape Of Molecular Responses To Natural Drought Stress In Panicum Hallii., John T. Lovell, Jerry Jenkins, David B. Lowry, Sujan Mamidi, Avinash Sreedasyam, Xiaoyu Weng, Kerrie Barry, Jason Bonnette, Brandon Campitelli, Chris Daum, Sean P. Gordon, Billie A. Gould, Albina Khasanova, Anna Lipzen, Alice Macqueen, Juan Diego Palacio-Mejía, Christopher Plott, Eugene V. Shakirov, Shengqiang Shu, Yuko Yoshinaga, Matt Zane, Dave Kudrna, Jason D. Talag, Daniel Rokhsar, Jane Grimwood, Jeremy Schmutz, Thomas E. Juenger

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Environmental stress is a major driver of ecological community dynamics and agricultural productivity. This is especially true for soil water availability, because drought is the greatest abiotic inhibitor of worldwide crop yields. Here, we test the genetic basis of drought responses in the genetic model for C4 perennial grasses, Panicum hallii, through population genomics, field-scale gene-expression (eQTL) analysis, and comparison of two complete genomes. While gene expression networks are dominated by local cis-regulatory elements, we observe three genomic hotspots of unlinked trans-regulatory loci. These regulatory hubs are four times more drought responsive than the genome-wide average. Additionally, cis- and trans-regulatory …

Respon Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Tanaman Hanjeli Pada Panen Awal Akibat Pemberian Dosis Pupuk Biosilika Dan Paklobutrazol Di Lahan Kering Jatinangor, Ruminta, Tati Nurmala, Yuyun Yuwariah, Nita Yuliani Pratiwi

Jurnal Kultivasi

Hanjeli (Coix lacryma-jobiL) merupakan salah satu tanaman pangan alternatif dan tanaman fungsional. Hanjeli belum sepenuhnya dimanfaatkan petani salah satunya karena tanaman yang cukup tinggi dan memiliki umur cukup lama. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dosis pupuk biosilika dan konsentrasi paklobutrazol yang dapat memberikan pengaruh terbaik terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman hanjeli pulut dipanen awal (matang kuning). Penelitian dilaksanakan bulan Agustus 2017-Januari 2018 di Ciparanje, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Sumedang. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan adalah rancangan petak terbagi yang terdiri dari petak utama pupuk biosilika dengan dosis 0 kg/ha; 100 kg/ha; 200 kg/ha dan anak petak paklobutrazol dengan konsentrasi 0 ppm; 1250 …

Potensi Metabolit Sekunder Gulma Sebagai Pestisida Nabati Di Indonesia, Koko Tampubolon, Fransisca Natalia Sihombing, Zavandri Purba, Sony Tri Septian Samosir, Syahibal Karim

Jurnal Kultivasi

Tujuan kajian ilmiah ini adalah untuk mengetahui manfaat dan mekanisme metabolit sekunder gulma, kelebihan dan kekurangan pestisida nabati gulma, identifikasi metabolit sekunder gulma, prosedur pembuatan pestisida nabati dari gulma, dan implikasi kebijakan dari pestisida nabati gulma dalam mengendalikan organisme pengganggu tanaman. Hasil kajian menunjukkan potensi senyawa metabolit sekunder dari gulma dapat berfungsi ganda sebagai pestisida nabati. Kelebihan pestisida nabati dari gulma antara lain: (1) metabolit sekunder gulma bersifat organik dan tidak bersifat racun, (2) gulma yang digunakan mudah diperoleh dari lapangan dan tidak membutuhkan biaya yang mahal, (3) beberapa mekanisme metabolit sekunder gulma tidak ditemui dalam mekanisme kerja pestisida sintetis, …

Pengaruh Larutan Perendam Alami Dan Penghambat Etilen (1-Methylcyclopropene) Terhadap Kualitas Pascapanen Bunga Potong Krisan (Dendranthema Grandiflora Tzvelev.) 'White Fiji', Syariful Mubarok, Mustika Arsri, Farida, Erni Suminar, Endah Yulia

Jurnal Kultivasi

Bunga potong krisan (Dendrathema grandiflora Tzvelev.) merupakan salah satu tanaman hias yang banyak diminati oleh masyarakat karena keindahan, warna, dan ukurannya yang besar. Permasalahan pada bunga krisan potong salah satunya adalah kesegaran bunga yang singkat. Kesegaran bunga potong dapat dipertahankan dalam waktu yang lebih lama dengan penambahan larutan perendam alami, kimia dan 1-MCP. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui penggunaan larutan perendam berupa bahan alami dan bahan kimia serta pengaplikasi 1-MCP dapat mempertahankan kesegaran bunga krisan potong. Percobaan dilakukan dengan menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap yang terdiri dari sepuluh perlakuan yaitu A (Kontrol), B (1-MCP 0,25 μl/L), C (Sukrosa 1% dan 1-MCP …

Drowning Prevention: Define And Then Gather Evidence Or Gather Evidence To Define?, Nina J. Nyitrai, Suzi Edwards, Nicholas O'Dwyer

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

According to the World Health Organization, drowning fatalities are a neglected public health issue ranked as the third most frequent cause of unintentional death by injury. Data used to record drowning incidents are acknowledged as inaccurate. Recommendations on drowning prevention based on these data are currently not informed by accurate, detailed and reliable evidence. Two modifications to current practice are proposed: 1) an Aquatic Incident Report needs to be developed as an extension of the current workplace incident report to prompt for information commonly not included in current drowning reports; and 2) National Water Safety Plans should be modified to …

Targeting The Brd4/Foxo3a/Cdk6 Axis Sensitizes Akt Inhibition In Luminal Breast Cancer, Jingyi Liu, Weijie Guo, Zhibing Duan, Lei Zeng, Yadi Wu, Yule Chen, Fang Tai, Yifan Wang, Yiwei Lin, Qiang Zhang, Yanling He, Jiong Deng, Rachel L. Stewart, Chi Wang, Pengnian Charles Lin, Saghi Ghaffari, B. Mark Evers, Suling Liu, Ming-Ming Zhou, Binhua P. Zhou, Jian Shi

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

BRD4 assembles transcriptional machinery at gene super-enhancer regions and governs the expression of genes that are critical for cancer progression. However, it remains unclear whether BRD4-mediated gene transcription is required for tumor cells to develop drug resistance. Our data show that prolonged treatment of luminal breast cancer cells with AKT inhibitors induces FOXO3a dephosphorylation, nuclear translocation, and disrupts its association with SirT6, eventually leading to FOXO3a acetylation as well as BRD4 recognition. Acetylated FOXO3a recognizes the BD2 domain of BRD4, recruits the BRD4/RNAPII complex to the CDK6 gene promoter, and induces its transcription. Pharmacological inhibition of either BRD4/FOXO3a association or …

Turbulent And Electromagnetic Signature Of Small- And Fine-Scale Biological And Oceanographic Processes, Cayla Whitney Dean

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Small- and fine-scale biological and oceanographic processes may have a measurable electromagnetic signature. These types of processes inherently involve turbulence and three-dimensional dynamics. Traditional models of the electromagnetic signature of oceanographic processes are of an analytical nature, do not account for three-dimensional boundary layer dynamics or turbulence, self-inductance, and may not describe the variety of the environmental conditions occurring in the ocean. In order to address this problem, I have implemented magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools, which has allowed for the evaluation of the electromagnetic signature of a number of small- and fine-scale biological and oceanographic processes in …

Indirect Effects Of Ocean Warming And Acidification On The Realized Recruitment Of Agaricia Agaricites, Allan Anderson

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Over the past few decades, coral cover has declined worldwide due to overfishing, disease, and storms, and these effects have been exacerbated by ocean warming and acidification. Corals are extremely susceptible to these changes because they are already living close to their thermal and aragonite saturation thresholds. Ocean warming and acidification (OAW) may also impact coral survival and growth by impacting their settlement cues. Coral larvae use crustose coralline algae (CCA) and their associated biofilms as cues for settlement, i.e., habitat selection. Settlement cues can also be negatively affected by increased water temperature and acidity. It was hypothesized that the …

Structural Characterization Of Feruloylated Arabinoxylan Oligosaccharides Isolated From Rice Bran Fiber, Kan Takahashi

Student Theses and Dissertations

Increased consumption of soluble cereal arabinoxylan (AX), and feruloylated arabinoxylan oligosaccharides (FAXOs) generated from it, may promote healthful gastro-intestinal functioning through modulating the gut microbiota and tuning innate immune response function at the gut epithelium. FAXO compositions isolated from rice bran fiber were characterized for their oligosaccharide mass profiles (MALDI-TOF MS) and monosaccharide compositions (GC-FID). Results indicated gluco-oligosaccharides were covalently associated with the FAXOs. I tested the hypothesis that the association represents a novel intermolecular crosslink between mixed linkage β-glucan and AX in rice caryopsis cell walls. The structural characteristics of gluco-oligosaccharides were analyzed to determine glycosidic linkages (GC-MS) and …

Developing Molecular Methods For Detection Of Blood Meal Sources Of A Free-Living Marine Ectoparasite, Gina Carole Hendrick

Student Theses and Dissertations

Gnathiid isopods are one of the most common ectoparasites found in coral reef habitats. Sequencing of host blood meals from wild-caught specimens is a promising tool for addressing the extent to which they feed on available hosts. Challenges must be overcome when samples are subjected to conditions that may contribute to DNA degradation, and efforts to slow DNA degradation during field collection can play an important role in the successful identification of the blood-meal source. Herein, we developed and validated molecular-based host identification methods for a Caribbean gnathiid isopods based on the degradation rate of blood meals. These methods were …

Canvass: A Crowd-Sourced, Natural-Product Screening Library For Exploring Biological Space, Sara E. Kearney, Gergely ZahoráNszky-KőHalmi, Kyle R. Brimacombe, Mark J. Henderson, Caitlin Lynch, Tongan Zhao, Kanny K. Wan, Zina Itkin, Christopher Dillon, Min Shen, Dorian M. Cheff, Tobie D. Lee, Danielle Bougie, Ken Cheng, Nathan P. Coussens, Dorjbal Dorjsuren, Richard T. Eastman, Ruili Huang, Michael J. Iannotti, Surendra Karavadhi, Carleen Klumpp-Thomas, Jacob S. Roth, Srilatha Sakamuru, Wei Sun, Steven A. Titus, Adam Yasgar, Ya-Qin Zhang, Jinghua Zhao, Rodrigo B. Andrade, M. Kevin Brown, Robert B. Grossman

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Natural products and their derivatives continue to be wellsprings of nascent therapeutic potential. However, many laboratories have limited resources for biological evaluation, leaving their previously isolated or synthesized compounds largely or completely untested. To address this issue, the Canvass library of natural products was assembled, in collaboration with academic and industry researchers, for quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) across a diverse set of cell-based and biochemical assays. Characterization of the library in terms of physicochemical properties, structural diversity, and similarity to compounds in publicly available libraries indicates that the Canvass library contains many structural elements in common with approved drugs. The …

Mirror Therapy, A Pain Management Therapy, Gabriella Andrews

Honors Theses

This project was undertaken to explore the use of mirror therapy (MT) as a palliative for stroke patients and amputees experiencing phantom limb pain. MT is a relatively new treatment and while it has limited research, it is starting to be used more within the rehabilitation setting. Research suggests MT has beneficial effects occur with phantom limb pain as well as post-stroke patients. This study will explain the history, uses, and research behind MT not only as a form of therapy but also a non-medicinal pain reliever.

Included are interviews from physical therapists (PT) and occupational therapists (OT) along with …

Priming Of Grasping Muscles When Viewing A Safety Handle Is Diminished With Age, David A.E. Bolton, Sarah E. Schwartz, Manhoud Mansour, Garrett Rydalch, Douglas W. Mcdannald

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Merely viewing objects within reachable space can activate motor cortical networks and potentiate movement. This holds potential value for smooth interaction with objects in our surroundings, and could offer an advantage for quickly generating targeted hand movements (e.g. grasping a support rail to maintain stability). The present study investigated if viewing a wall-mounted safety handle resulted in automatic activation of motor cortical networks, and if this effect changes with age. Twenty-five young adults (18–30 years) and seventeen older adults (65+ years) were included in this study. Single-pulse, transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied over the motor cortical hand representation of young …

Instances Of Influenza In The United States Visualized, Parth Patel

Publications and Research

The Tycho Project collects large data sets related to healthcare and in particular, instances and geographical information of diseases. We look at the instance counts and locations of Influenza from 1919-1951 across the United States. We hope to find seasonal and geographical insight to the spread of the disease.

Investigating The Impact Of Oxidative Stress On Tetrahymena Thermophila Sirtuin,Thd 18, Emmanuel Dubuisson

Publications and Research

Sirtuins are a family of enzymes that fulfill various important biological functions. Investigators have looked for the implication of Sirtuin genes in cell signaling mechanisms, in the formation and silencing of heterochromatin, in the regulation of ion channels, and in the modulation of the cellular redox reactions[2]. Different model organisms have been previously used to conduct these studies; among them, there are yeasts, nematodes, and fruit flies. Each one has made some valuable contribution into the vast body of knowledge related to this field.

However, gaps in the understanding of Sirtuins functions still remain to be filled. In this optic, …

Community-Scale Water Treatment Systems In The Dominican Republic, Jonathan Racey, Annabelle Papai, Elise Fischer, Becca Johnson

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

Engagement and Service-Learning Summit: Reciprocal and Sustainable Partnerships

Weather And Climate Summary And Forecast: December 2018 Report, Gregory V. Jones

Linfield University Wine Studies Reports

This report provides a summary of the weather and climate forecast for December 2018. It includes forecast information specific to the Pacific Northwest and the western United States, as well as forecast information for other portions of the United States and abroad.

Assessment Of The Effects Of Climate Change On Evapotranspiration With An Improved Elasticity Method In A Nonhumid Area, Lei Tian, Jiming Jin, Pute Wu, Guo-Yue Niu

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Climatic elasticity is a crucial metric to assess the hydrological influence of climate change. Based on the Budyko equation, this study performed an analytical derivation of the climatic elasticity of evapotranspiration (ET). With this derived elasticity, it is possible to quantitatively separate the impacts of precipitation, air temperature, net radiation, relative humidity, and wind speed on ET in a watershed. This method was applied in the Wuding River Watershed (WRW), located in the center of the Yellow River Watershed of China. The estimated rate of change in ET caused by climatic variables is −10.69 mm/decade, which is close to the …

Population Genomic Analysis Of North American Eastern Wolves (Canic Lycaon) Support Their Conservation Priority Status, Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Ryan Harrigan, Linda Rutledge, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Alexandra L. Decandia, Kristin Brzeski, Et. Al.

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Publications

The threatened eastern wolf is found predominantly in protected areas of central Ontario and has an evolutionary history obscured by interbreeding with coyotes and gray wolves, which challenges its conservation status and subsequent management. Here, we used a population genomics approach to uncover spatial patterns of variation in 281 canids in central Ontario and the Great Lakes region. This represents the first genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset with substantial sample sizes of representative populations. Although they comprise their own genetic cluster, we found evidence of eastern wolf dispersal outside of the boundaries of protected areas, in that the frequency …

How Soil Salinity Affects The Stomatal Conductance Of Baccharis Salicifolia (Mulefat/Seepwillow), Andrew Kim, Caroline Wilkerson, Mahala Bayless, Peter Du

Featured Research

This is a poster presentation demonstrating the project our group has been working on. We hypothesize that the stomatal conductance of mulefat will decrease as soil salinity increases in both pre-rain and post-rain conditions because the plant tries to absorb salt water. However, the salt water cannot pass through plant tissue and draws water out of the plant. Since plant requires water for photosynthesis, water being drawn out means less water is available for the plant to do photosynthesis. We have tested our hypothesis by collecting soil samples in Legacy park, and recorded stomatal conductance by using a leaf porometer

A Comparison Of Different Methods Of Dehydration On Baccharis Salicifolia, Michael Nicholas, Sinjun Hong

Featured Research

Baccharis salicifolia is a native riparian plant living in many places near to the Santa Monica Mountains. One of these locations is Legacy park, which has had many events effect it that has led to some very unfortunate changes. The park’s soil was tested earlier this year by a group of undergraduate students lead by Dr. Stephen Davis and was found to have a very high salinity level. The plants in the park appeared to be struggling to survive and had signs of dehydration and wilting. This led to us questioning the types of dehydration of the plants. Areas of …