Life Sciences Commons^™

The Acute Impact Of A High-Fat Load On Pbmcs Among Women: The Impact Of Ethnicity And Weight Status, Regis Pearson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can respond to dietary stimuli modulating the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cell signaling, which is associated with metabolic disease and has been seen to be elevated in African American (AA) when compared to Caucasian American (CA) women. Little is known about the response of PBMCs to a high fat meal among women and the potential impact of ethnicity and/or weight status on this response. The purpose of this study was to examine PBMC response to consuming a high fat meal and the response to culturing PBMCs in media supplemented with lipid among AA and CA women, …

Does A Higher Motivation Score Predict A Bigger Increase In 2km Ergometer Times In Female Collegiate Rowers?, Kaitlyn Mchugh

Health Sciences Student Work

Introduction. A collegiate athlete’s schedule is typically busier than a college student, requiring time for practice, competition, training, as well as normal college student responsibilities. Because their schedules are so busy, athlete motivation is a key determinant for sustained and improved performance. Methods. This study was a pre and post correlation study. In fall 2016, participants completed a pre and post SMS-28 questionnaire and a 2km ergometer aerobic capacity test. Collegiate Female Rowing team was recruited with 13 participants (ages 18-22). 4 weeks later, 7 participants filled out the SMS-28 questionnaire, based on a Likert Scale, and performed the 2km …

Investigating The Effects Of Pre-Laboratory Videos With Associated Questions On The Performance And Overall Laboratory Experience Of Organic Chemistry Students, Shareef Gamal Mohamed Kotb

Health Sciences Student Work

Background: Teachers struggle communicating ideas to students (Moreno et al, 2001). One of the aspects of teaching that’s most concerning is when students experience cognitive overload: the total effort exerted by working memory to grasp new information (Mayer, et al, 2002). The educational community found that introducing multimedia in learning minimizes cognitive overload (Mayer, et al, 2002). Little research has related to undergraduate chemistry classes, specifically the relationship between organic chemistry pre-laboratory multimedia and student learning. Purpose: The purpose of this capstone is to investigate the subjective efficacy of integrating pre-laboratory videos for lab preparation in an undergraduate organic chemistry …

Nutritional Impact On Performance In Student-Athletes: Reality And Perception, Sarah Sceery

Health Sciences Student Work

Context: The sports nutrition field is experiencing incredible growth and development. Athletes are often epitomized for optimal health yet are susceptible to many nutrition related risks that can have a profound impact on both positive and negative performance gains. The student-athlete population is of particular interest based on their nutrition knowledge and where information is obtained. Little is known about their perception on nutrition overall. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine student-athlete perceptions of nutrition and their attitudes about how nutrition impacts performance. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were facilitated with the study population. Participants: A total of …

Aggressive Displays In Male Betta Splendens Based On Color Patterns, Julian Bones, Thomas Johnson

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The traits of an opponent can influence how an individual uses aggressive displays to dissuade the opponent from physical conflict. Whereas one previous study found that conspecific aggression was less intense between differently-colored Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), we felt that more evidence was needed to corroborate or dispute their findings. We hypothesized that B. splendens act less aggressively towards similarly- colored fish than to differently-colored fish, based on the notion that males would avoid conflict with a phenotypically similar opponent due to the costs of displaying. To test for differences in aggression due to coloration, we paired …

A Study Of Methods For Detecting Gene Expression Of The Sterol Biosynthetic Pathway In The Microalgae Strain Heterosigma Akashiwo, Jessica C. Mayhew, Marcia Ackerman, Mike Lomas

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Biotechnological applications for various microalgae strains are beginning to bloom. There is interest in these microbes for their production of useful compounds such as phytosterols and lipids which can be produced in mass culture for large scale manufacture in the food, pharmaceutical, and biofuel industries (Romano et al., 2016). To this end, we are using the gold-brown microalgae, Heterosigma akashiwo (CCMP1680), a known producer of phytosterols, to test a molecular method for quick and easy measurements of production of the phytosterol compound sitosterol, which has potential as an anti- inflammatory agent. (Giner et al., 2008).

Cyanobacterial Blooms In Highland Lake, Me, William Lambeth, Rachel Henson, Michael Morrison

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Cyanobacterial blooms, like algal blooms, are a much studied phenomena; and many triggers that cause these blooms are well understood. Usually, excess nutrients (such as soluble nitrogen or phosphate) are prerequisite for a bloom to occur. Since 2013, annual summer cyanobacterial blooms have been observed at Highland Lake (HL), located in Cumberland County, Maine. Data going back more than 15 years, collected by the Highland Lake Association, shows this is a new phenomenon in this body of water. Other investigators have shown HL water chemistry to have high aluminum to phosphorous and aluminum to iron ratios. These metals bind phosphate …

Forest Composition And Growth In A Freshwater Forested Wetland Community Across A Salinity Gradient In South Carolina, Usa, Xijun Liu, William Conner, Bo Song, Anand D. Jayakaran

Publications

Tidal freshwater forested wetlands (TFFW) of the southeastern United States are experiencing increased saltwater intrusion mainly due to sea-level rise. Inter-annual and intra-annual variability in forest productivity along a salinity gradient was studied on established sites. Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of trees was monitored from 2013 to 2015 on three sites within a baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamp forest ecosystem in Strawberry Swamp on Hobcaw Barony, Georgetown County, South Carolina. Paired plots (20 × 25-m) were established along a water salinity gradient (0.8, 2.6, 4.6 PSU). Salinity was continuously monitored, litterfall was measured monthly, and growth of overstory …

Can Time-Resolved Nirs Provide The Sensitivity To Detect Brain Activity During Motor Imagery Consistently?, Androu Abdalmalak, Daniel Milej, Mamadou Diop, Mahsa Shokouhi, Lorina Naci, Adrian M. Owen, Keith St. Lawrence

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that a subgroup of patients diagnosed as being in a vegetative state are aware and able to communicate by performing a motor imagery task in response to commands. Due to the fMRI's cost and accessibility, there is a need for exploring different imaging modalities that can be used at the bedside. A promising technique is functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) that has been successfully applied to measure brain oxygenation in humans. Due to the limited depth sensitivity of continuous-wave NIRS, time-resolved (TR) detection has been proposed as a way of enhancing …

Thermal Preference And Performance In A Sub-Antarctic Caterpillar: A Test Of The Coadaptation Hypothesis And Its Alternatives., Tanya M Haupt, Brent J Sinclair, Steven L Chown

Biology Publications

Physiological ecologists have long assumed that thermoregulatory behaviour will evolve to optimise physiological performance. The coadaptation hypothesis predicts that an animal's preferred body temperature will correspond to the temperature at which its performance is optimal. Here we use a strong inference approach to examine the relationship between thermal preference and locomotor performance in the caterpillars of a wingless sub-Antarctic moth, Pringleophaga marioni Viette (Tineidae). The coadaptation hypothesis and its alternatives (suboptimal is optimal, thermodynamic effect, trait variation) are tested. Compared to the optimal movement temperature (22.5°C for field-fresh caterpillars and 25, 20, 22.5, 25 and 20°C following seven day acclimations …

It’S All About Relationships: Amf-Plant Associations, The Rhizosphere, And Our Changing World, Joel Velasco

McNair Scholars Research Journal

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are obligate biotrophic organisms that facilitate nutrient uptake in exchange for organic carbon as part of a symbiotic association with their host plants. This symbiotic relationship is among the oldest known and has been important for the coevolution of both symbionts. This review explores the relationship between Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their hosts, the role AMF play in the invasive strategies of certain plants, and how severe pressure affects the reciprocal relationship. This review hopes to add to the body of knowledge and to the conversation about these dynamic relationships and the timescale on which they operate, …

Double-Ended High Pressure Sodium Fixtures Decline Less Than 6% Over 2 Years And 5000 Hours, Jakob Johnson, Bruce Bugbee

Publications

Double-ended (DE) high pressure sodium (HPS) lights with electronic ballasts are reported to age more slowly than the old mogul base technology with magnetic ballasts, but aging has not been well studied in a greenhouse environment. Both dirt accumulation and age can decrease output.

Stem Cell Derived Osteoprogenitors And Their Role In Bone Repair Using Morphogenic Activators, George Washington Brownridge Iii, Sylvanna Islas, Angelina Miller, Warren Hoeffler

Student Research Posters

Bone constantly cycles through a dynamic process of breakdown and remodeling. Osteoblasts are the specialized mesenchymal stem cells that have a major role in bone formation and the remodeling process whereas their counterpart osteoclasts, handle bone resorption. Embryonic stem cells can be partially differentiated into Progenitor cells, and we worked with #18, a candidate for being an osteoprogenitor that has the potential to respond to morphogenic activators. In the case of bone remodeling, TGF-β 2, BMP-2 and an abundance of CA++ have been shown to be potential activators of differentiation into osteoblasts. Eight different trials were conducted with the cells …

Exploring The Diversity Of Bacillus Whole Genome Sequencing Projects Using Peasant, The Prokaryotic Assembly And Annotation Tool, Jonathon Brenner, Laurynas Kalesinskas, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The persistent decrease in cost and difficulty of whole genome sequencing of microbial organisms has led to a dramatic increase in the number of species and strains characterized from a wide variety of environments. Microbial genome sequencing can now be conducted by small laboratories and as part of undergraduate curriculum. While sequencing is routine in microbiology, assembly, annotation and downstream analyses still require computational resources and expertise, often necessitating familiarity with programming languages. To address this problem, we have created a light-weight, user-friendly tool for the assembly and annotation of microbial sequencing projects. The Prokaryotic Assembly and Annotation Tool, Peasant, …

Improvement Of Fluorescence-Based Microfluidic Dna Analyzers, Collin Tranter

Doctoral Dissertations

A tremendous effort continues in the development of micro-total-analysis-systems; in support of this, many chemical passivation methods have been developed to enhance the biocompatibility of such microfluidic systems. However, the suitability of these passivation techniques to many fluorescence-based assays still remains inconsistent. This part of this work is focused on the performance of a third generation intercalating DNA dye when used within microfluidic devices treated with a select variety of passivating coatings. The results of these tests indicate that passivation coatings which are intended to shed DNA based on electrostatic repulsion will in fact imbibe the fluorescent DNA intercalating dye …

Mutations In Braf Are Associated With Higher Levels Of Immune Infiltrates In Microsatellite-Stable Colon Cancer, Jake Rubin, Eduard Porta Parto

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

While BRAF is among the most well-established oncogenes in human cancers, more recently it has garnered attention for its role in suppressing antitumor immunity, especially in melanoma. Because tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density is strongly prognostic in colorectal cancer (CRC)⁷, we decided to investigate the connection between TIL density and the BRAF-activating V600E mutation in CRC.

We used ESTIMATE to quantify immune infiltrate in samples from the TCGA colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) dataset (n = 216). This is an algorithm that uses the gene-expression signature of 141 immune-related genes to infer the presence of immune cells in the tumor infiltrate. …

Development Of An Interleukin-4-Inducing Principle From Schistosoma Mansoni Eggs (Ipse)-Specific Pcr Assay As A Quantitative Predictor Of Schistosomiasis-Associated Morbidity, Dannah Farah, Evaristis Mbanefo, Michael H. Hsieh

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting between 200-500 million people worldwide. The two species causing most human cases of schistosomiasis are Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium. The gold standard for diagnosis is parasitological detection of parasite eggs in stool using the Kato-Katz method. Counting eggs shed in stool is labor-intensive and inaccurate. Interleukin-4- inducing principle from Schistosoma mansoni eggs (IPSE) is the most abundant secreted protein from schistosome eggs. We hypothesized that the mRNA transcripts of the IPSE protein may be found in the liver tissue and stool of experimentally infected animals, and that these transcripts can be specifically …

Analysis Of Hiv-1 Quasispecies Sequences Generated By High Throughput Sequencing (Hts) Using Hive, Naila Gulzar, Bhavna Hora, Konstantinos Karagiannis, Krista Smith, Feng Gao, Raja Mazumder

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

The high level of genetic variability of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) is caused by the low fidelity of its replication machinery. This leads to evolution of swarm-like viral populations often described as quasispecies. High throughput sequencing (HTS) technology provides higher resolution over Sanger sequencing, enabling detection of low frequency variant genomes. However, quasispecies analysis is still a challenge due to the systematic noise, introduced by HTS technology. This leads to the increase in type I errors (also known as false positives) and the underlying genetic diversity, which can lead to mathematically insolvable type II errors (also known as …

Differential Mrna Expression In Ectopic Germinal Centers Of Myasthenia Gravis Thymus, Manjistha Sengupta, Bi-Dar Wang, Norman H. Lee, Gary Cutter, Linda L. Kusner, Henry J. Kaminski

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder resulting in weakness of voluntary muscles. It is caused by antibodies directed against proteins present at the post-synaptic surface of neuromuscular junction (NMJ). A characteristic pathology of patients with early onset MG is thymic hyperplasia with ectopic germinal centers (GC). However, mechanisms that trigger and maintain thymic hyperplasia are poorly characterized.

In order to determine the central mechanisms involved in the pathology, thymus samples from MG patients were assessed by histology and grouped based on appearance of GC compared to samples without them. We assessed the differential mRNA expression profiles between the …

Versatile Photophysiology Of Compositionally Similar Cyanobacterial Mat Communities Inhabiting Submerged Sinkholes Of Lake Huron, Michael Snider, Bopaiah Biddanda, Morgan Lindback, Sharon Grim, Gregory Dick

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

Recently discovered submerged sinkholes in Lake Huron are high-sulfur, lowoxygen extreme environments for microbial life. In order to understand the relationship between the physical environment, photophysiology and community composition, we measured the physical conditions, photophysiological indices, and genetic diversity at 3 microbial mat sites bathed in high conductivity groundwater under a natural light gradient during 2012 and 2013. A strong seasonal trend prevailed at all sites, characterized by decreased photosynthetic yield (Fv’/Fm’; 0.25 to 0.40) during the summer (April to August) and increased yield (0.70 to 0.75) during the winter (November to March). Chlorophyll a content varied seasonally in a …

Extension Education Symposium: Getting The Most Out Of Your Extension Appointment And Still Having A Life, W. Powers, Noelle E. Cockett, Gregory P. Lardy

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Managing the demands of an academic appointment in extension can be a challenging task. Demands from constituent groups, expectations of supervisors, and rigors of promotion and tenure processes can create pressures that young faculty did not expect. Throw in spousal and family duties and you have created a situation that many will find hard to navigate. However, there are ways to cope and, even better news, there are ways to excel in meeting the demands of an academic appointment and enjoying life. Because many new extension faculty members do not have prior experience in extension, best practices in documenting programs …

The Coastal Monitor: Vol 2. No 1., John Tanacredi Ph.D.

The Coastal Monitor

There is something enchanting and vibrant about viewing the coast. Every day at CERCOM we are welcomed by either a vivid sunrise, a view of the barrier island Fire Island and a blending of the sky across the horizon, ultimately flooding the Great South Bay with either clouds or sunshine that reveals the Bay’s surface as either shimmering with sunlight, or an integration of sky and water as an endless ocean. I don’t normally wax poetic but the varying sights along the near shore ocean and this embayment beckon our scientific inquisitiveness. What’s below the surface water? How do animals …

University Of New England Applied Nutrition Graduate Catalog 2017-2018, Une Applied Nutrition Program

Applied Nutrition Program Documents

2017-2018 graduate catalog for the University of New England's Applied Nutrition program.

This information is also available from UNE's Registrar under archived catalogs.

University Of New England: Master Of Applied Nutrition 2017/2018 Curriculum And Course Descriptions, Une Applied Nutrition Program

Applied Nutrition Program Documents

2017/2018 curriculum and course description from the University of New England's Applied Nutrition Program.

This information is also available from UNE's Registrar under search course catalog.

Mechanical Harvesting Effectively Controls Young Typha Spp. Invasion And Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Data Enhances Post-Treatment Monitoring, Shane Lishawa, Brendan D. Carson, Jodi S. Brandt, Jason M. Tallant, Nicholas J. Reo, Dennis A. Albert, Andrew M. Monks, Joseph M. Lautenbach

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The ecological impacts of invasive plants increase dramatically with time since invasion. Targeting young populations for treatment is therefore an economically and ecologically effective management approach, especially when linked to post-treatment monitoring to evaluate the efficacy of management. However, collecting detailed field-based post-treatment data is prohibitively expensive, typically resulting in inadequate documentation of the ecological effects of invasive plant management. Alternative approaches, such as remote detection with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), provide an opportunity to advance the science and practice of restoration ecology. In this study, we sought to determine the plant community response to different mechanical removal treatments to …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2017, 137th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Chemistry and Physics

Collegiate Academy: Biology

Collegiate Academy: Chemistry and Physics

Biological and Medical Sciences

Aeronautics and Space Science: Poster Session

Applied Science and Technology

Maiben Memorial Lecture

Anthropology

Earth Science

Applied Science and Technology

Teaching of Science and Mathematics

Environmental Sciences

Friend of Science Award: Kacie Baum and Todd Young

Forage News [2017-04], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Dealing with Frost Damaged Alfalfa
• Managing Spring Grass Growth
• Utilizing Frosted Small Grains for Forage

Analysis Of Parameters That Affect Human Hematopoietic Cell Outputs In Mutant C-Kit-Immunodeficient Mice., Paul H Miller, Gabrielle Rabu, Margarita Macaldaz, David J H F Knapp, Alice M S Cheung, Kiran Dhillon, Naoto Nakamichi, Philip A Beer, Leonard D. Shultz, R Keith Humphries, Connie J Eaves

Faculty Research 2017

Xenograft models are transforming our understanding of the output capabilities of primitive human hematopoietic cells in vivo. However, many variables that affect posttransplantation reconstitution dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we show that an equivalent level of human chimerism can be regenerated from human CD34(+) cord blood cells transplanted intravenously either with or without additional radiation-inactivated cells into 2- to 6-month-old NOD-Rag1(-/-)-IL2Rγc(-/-) (NRG) mice given a more radioprotective conditioning regimen than is possible in conventionally used, repair-deficient NOD-Prkdc(scid/scid)-IL2Rγc(-/-) (NSG) hosts. Comparison of sublethally irradiated and non-irradiated NRG mice and W(41)/W(41) derivatives showed superior chimerism in the W(41)-deficient recipients, with some differential …

Csf Protein Changes Associated With Hippocampal Sclerosis Risk Gene Variants Highlight Impact Of Grn/Pgrn, David W. Fardo, Yuriko Katsumata, John S. K. Kauwe, Yuetiva Deming, Oscar Harari, Carlos Cruchaga, Alzheimer’S Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Peter T. Nelson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Objective—Hippocampal sclerosis of aging (HS-Aging) is a common cause of dementia in older adults. We tested the variability in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins associated with previously identified HS-Aging risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Methods—Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort (ADNI; n=237) data, combining both multiplexed proteomics CSF and genotype data, were used to assess the association between CSF analytes and risk SNPs in four genes (SNPs): GRN (rs5848), TMEM106B (rs1990622), ABCC9 (rs704180), and KCNMB2 (rs9637454). For controls, non-HS-Aging SNPs in APOE (rs429358/rs7412) and MAPT (rs8070723) were also analyzed against Aβ1-42 and total tau CSF analytes.

Results—The GRN risk …

Lake Powell Food Web Structure: Predicting Effects Of Quagga Mussel, Joshua A. Verde

Theses and Dissertations

Food webs in aquatic ecosystems can be dramatically altered by invasive species. Quagga mussels are prevalent invaders that compete with existing species and disrupt nutrient cycling. In 2012, the Quagga Mussel (Dreissena rostriformus bugensis) was introduced into Lake Powell and is expected to move throughout the reservoir in the near future. Stable isotope analysis is a powerful tool for characterizing food webs and trophic interactions. To predict the long-term effects of Quagga Mussels, we used stable isotope analysis of primary producers, primary consumers, prey fish species, and predator fish species in Lake Powell to determine food web structure. …