Life Sciences Commons^™

The Prevalence Of Cytauxzoon Felis In Southern United States, Anna Haynes

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cytauxzoonosis, caused by transmission from a tick infected with the pathogen Cytauxzoon felis, is considered an emerging tick-borne disease in domestic felines. While not as fatal in other vertebrates such as the reservoir host Lynx rufus (bobcat), in domestic cats, infection is fatal nearly 100% of the time. This study sought to screen ticks pulled from felines for the pathogen across three states in an area identified as a hotspot. Out of 80 ticks screened, 12 tested positive for the pathogen. The positive population of ticks came from 3 neighboring counties in Southern Missouri: Jasper, McDonald, and Newton. McDonald …

Growth Of Methanogens Using Pyrite As An Energy Source: Implications For Life On Mars, Mckenzie K. Ragan

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The search for life beyond Earth has been the motivating factor for many scientist’s research in the past and currently. Specifically, the efforts have largely been focused on Mars. Mars exhibits qualities that are similar to the life-harboring characteristics of Earth, creating the possibility for life to exist on Mars. Mars’ subsurface conditions may be ideal for specific microorganisms to thrive, providing a haven away from the harsh surface conditions (Mancinelli, 2000). It is known that one of the most important elements to support life, H₂O is found in the subsurface of Mars, along with an atmosphere lacking …

Protein Intake And The Wellbeing Of Postmenopausal Women: Investigating Sleep, Mood, And Quality Of Life, Aleesha Imran

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Postmenopausal women commonly experience declines in sleep quality, mood, and overall wellbeing, with limited non-pharmacological options available to address these concerns. This randomized controlled trial investigated whether daily beef consumption as part of a higher-protein diet could improve sleep, mood, and quality of life over four weeks. Participants were randomized to either a standard protein intake control group or a treatment group consuming a high-protein diet with daily lean beef.

The treatment group showed modest improvements in subjective sleep quality and perceived health compared to controls, although these changes were not statistically significant. Fatigue, however, significantly decreased in the treatment …

Metabolic Responses Of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Collagen I Hydrogels, Caroline R. King

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Peripheral nerve injury affects approximately 44 in 1 million people in the United States every year and can lead to incomplete nerve recovery and loss of motor and sensory function. A significant amount of energy is required for nerve injury repair. A lack of energy allocation to the injury site hinders repair. Current treatments include hollow nerve guidance conduits, decellularized nerve grafts, and autografts. However, they are limited by factors such as donor site morbidity and sustained immunosuppressive treatments. Using three-dimensional collagen I hydrogels laden with adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can assist in neural regeneration. Three-dimensional collagen scaffolds aim to …

The Relationship Between Oxidative Stress And Partner Opposition In Conflict Resolution, Jenna Thomas

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Given the inevitability of conflict in romantic relationships, understanding its biological impact is crucial for developing conflict resolution strategies that promote physical health. While many studies highlight relationship conflict’s negative effects on bodily systems, few examine how specific facets of conflict, such as opposition, impact the body. Partner opposition may contribute to oxidative stress, a biological marker associated with poor physical health, by activating the amygdala. This study investigated the association between partner opposition and oxidative stress in 126 couples expecting their first child. Participants attended a lab session where problem-solving discussions were recorded to assess oppositional behavior and urine …

Towards The Design Of A Super Fgf1-Fgf10 Chimera, Megan Brown, Suresh Thallapuranam

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Fibroblast Growth Factor family consists of 23 different fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) that are each involved in various cellular processes, including cell proliferation and tissue repair. Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) are different tyrosine kinase receptors. There are four FGFRs in the human body, each binding to different combinations of FGFs. Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) is the only FGF that can bind with all four types of fibroblast growth factor receptors. Therefore, it is the most powerful mitogen. However, FGF1 has low thermodynamic stability under the physiological conditions. Prior work in the Kumar lab has constructed several points …

The Expression Of Intestinal Tight Junction Proteins Induced By 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3-Glycosides Supplementation To Reduce Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broilers, Kennedy M. Hicks

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) is a leading cause of lameness in broiler chickens, impacting animal welfare and commercial poultry production. Supplementation using organic trace minerals, vitamin D, probiotics, and prebiotics has been studied to mitigate BCO lameness incidences in broiler chickens. Our previous study demonstrated that feeding Panbonis®-G-1,25(OH)₂D₃ from Solanum glaucophyllum, containing 1 µg/kg G-1,25(OH)₂D₃, to broilers for the first 28 days of their production cycle reduced BCO lameness by approximately 50%. In this study, we investigated the impact of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D₃ supplementation on the expression of tight junction …

A Nano-Scale Approach To Controlled Apoptosis In Brain Cancer Through Magneto-Mechanical Actuation, Sakura Rieck

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, we investigate the effects of cell therapy and magneto-mechanical actuation (MMA) to treat glioblastoma (U87). MMA approach employs super low-frequency alternating magnetic fields (AMF) to actuate intracellular PEGylated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (PEG-SPIONs). Magnetic forces are translated into mechanical agitation on PEG-SPIONs, which can disrupt key cellular components. We explored two ways in which the MMA approach can be used to combat cancer growth. First, we investigated MMA directly in U87 cells. Preliminary observations indicate that PEG-SPIONs are intracellularly taken up by the U87 cells via micropinocytosis. Cell-counting kit-8 toxicity assays revealed a cytotoxic effect of MMA …

Immune Function Modulation By Temperature On Isolated Rainbow Trout Macrophages, Abby Hunter

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fever is an evolutionary mechanism that enhances immune function, yet the molecular and metabolic responses to fever temperatures in ectothermic species remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated how fever temperatures (19° C) influence macrophage function and metabolic activity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), rather than normal temperatures (16° C). Using a rainbow trout monocytic cell line, RTS11, and primary head kidney-derived macrophages (HKCs), we examined the effects of fever temperatures on nitric oxide (NO) production, gene expression, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism. We found that fever temperatures increased NO production in both cell types, with further …

The Impact Of Dimerization And Condensate Formation On Notch Signaling Outcomes, Tyler Michael William Lawton

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Communication between cells is the cornerstone of multicellular life. This communication is facilitated through signal transduction, wherein an environmental que activates a transducer on the surface of the cell or within it. This signal is recognized and transmitted in a way that integrates every other signal that the cell is receiving at the time, culminating in a dynamic dance of molecular components producing finely tuned responses to the cellular environment. Notch signaling facilitates direct communication between neighboring cells, as well as response to various microenvironmental stimuli, to influence cell differentiation and fate. As insinuated above, these communication pathways do not …

Characterizing Successional Dynamics And Host Impacts On The Big Sagebrush Leaf Microbiome, Jacob A. Heil

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The leaf microbiome contributes to the functioning of Earth’s ecosystems through interactions with host plants, modifying their health, for better or for worse. The leaf microbiome contains bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that interact with each other and are subject to the processes governing community assembly. Microbial community assembly on the leaf is influenced by host plant characteristics, interactions between the different community members, the selective and dispersal-mediated effects of the weather, and time. To study the effects of a leaf microbiome on its host plant it is first important to characterize it; observing the species present and how they …

Speed Breeding And Fungal Blight Testing Of The Darling 54 American Chestnut (Castanea Dentata), Virginia G. May

All Theses And Dissertations

The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a dominant, foundational forest canopy species in eastern North America until an imported chestnut blight (caused by Cryphonectria parasitica) rendered it functionally extinct across its native range. Biotechnological approaches, like the Darling 54 transgenic line, have potential for future restoration, but need both lab and field evaluations of their breeding and blight tolerance. This thesis adds to the body of knowledge on the Darling 54 American chestnut. This research reports three novel advancements made through indoor breeding and the first systematic field test for blight tolerance of transgenic American chestnuts.

Historically, …

Antimicrobial Peptides Improve Antibiotic-Mediating Killing Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Biofilms, Alya R. Theriault

All Theses And Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus can cause drug-resistant, biofilm-associated infections. These infections place methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) as one of the sixth leading bacterial pathogens associated with deaths due to antimicrobial resistance. Traditional antibiotics are no longer enough to treat these resistant infections and novel therapeutics are needed. Antimicrobial adjuvants are a potential strategy for improving efficacy of existing antibiotics, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) may have adjuvant activity. Recent reports showed that AMPs improve antibiotic activity against planktonic staphylococci, but whether AMPs might alter antibiotic efficacy against biofilm-resident staphylococcus is less clear. We tested the effect of nine AMPs on staphylococcal biofilm susceptibility …

Bpa Adsorption On Microplastics In Different Chemical Conditions, Addison Zehren

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm in size) are increasingly seen as a health and environmental issue, both for their direct effects when ingested by living organisms and for their ability to adsorb and concentrate other pollutants. Current water treatment processes do not adequately remove microplastics from municipal water supplies, so a thorough understanding of how microplastics affect water quality is needed. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of certain water quality parameters on the ability of polystyrene microplastics (PS MPs) to adsorb Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is an endocrine disruptor (chemically like estrogen) used in plastics which can be released into the environment and act as a water pollutant. Water quality chemical parameters investigated were chloride, nitrate, phosphate, and copper ions. Concentrations of each solute were selected based upon Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines and previous results obtained from testing Chicago River water samples. A constant amount of PS MPs and BPA were added to each sample and the mixtures were shaken for 5 days to allow time for the BPA to adsorb. The samples were then filtered and the amount of BPA left in the water was determined by measuring its UV absorbance on a UV-vis spectrophotometer. BPA concentrations decreased in the water indicating that it had been adsorbed onto the microplastic surface, with the highest adsorption present with copper, which reduced BPA concentrations from 6.7 mg/L to 3.9 mg/L. Statistical analyses showed differences between copper, phosphate, nitrate, and chloride (df = 9, p = 0.002). Future work can apply these results to investigate the implications of pollutant transportation in urban waterways like the Chicago River.

Atypical Morphometry And Connectivity Of The Cortico-Striatal-Thalamo-Cortical Circuit In Children And Adolescents With Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Population At Ultra-High Risk For Developing Obsessive-Compulsive And Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Amanda I. Rowan

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder associated with serious medical, cognitive, and psychiatric conditions, including significantly elevated risk for obsessive-compulsive (OCD) and/or schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SCZ). The cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) neural circuit is critical for cognitive and emotional processing. Dysfunction of the CSTC circuit is implicated in the etiopathology of both OCD and SCZ but has not been specifically examined in individuals with 22q11.2DS. This study used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), along with standardized psychological and cognitive measures, to investigate atypical morphometry and white matter connectivity within CSTC-related brain regions in …

Assessment Of Lake Salvador Shoreline Dynamics To Support Restoration Of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation In Jean Lafitte National Historical Park And Preserve, Louisiana, Lydia V. Dipaola

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

High wave energy degrades shoreline habitat between Lake Salvador and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (JELA), Louisiana. JELA constructed a northern breakwater in 2004, and a southern breakwater in 2024 to protect the shoreline and promote restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). This study analyzes Sentinel-2 imagery to quantify coastal loss along the JELA-Lake Salvador using the Change Polygon Approach, assessing annual, cumulative and major storm event-associated shoreline changes for January 2017-2025. SAV cover, nekton diversity, wave energy, and turbidity were measured before-and-after southern breakwater construction to monitor ecological and environmental outcomes. The JELA-Lake Salvador shoreline has lost …

A Genetic And Spatial Analysis Of The Last Megafaunal Species (Tapirus Terrestris) In The Paraguayan Dry Chaco Forest, Emily Bowers

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Ai Model For Predicting Asthma Prognosis In Children, Elham Sagheb, Chung-Il Wi, Katherine S King, Bhavani Singh Agnikula Kshatriya, Euijung Ryu, Hongfang Liu, Miguel A Park, Hee Yun Seol, Shauna M Overgaard, Deepak K Sharma, Young J Juhn, Sunghwan Sohn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Childhood asthma often continues into adulthood, but some children experience remission. Utilizing electronic health records (EHRs) to predict asthma prognosis can aid health care providers and patients in developing effective prioritized care plans.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop artificial intelligence (AI) models using various clinical variables extracted from EHRs to predict childhood asthma prognosis (remission vs no remission) in different age groups.

METHODS: We developed AI models utilizing patients' EHRs during the first 6, 9, or 12 years of their lives to predict their asthma prognosis status at ages 6 to 9, 9 to 12, or 12 to 15 …

Association Of Delayed Asthma Diagnosis With Asthma Exacerbations In Children, Chung-Il Wi, Euijung Ryu, Katherine S King, Jung Hyun Kwon, Joshua T Bublitz, Miguel Park, Sergio E Chiarella, Jason D Greenwood, Thanai Pongdee, Lynnea Myers, Björn Nordlund, Sunghwan Sohn, Elham Sagheb, Bhavani Singh Agnikula Kshatriya, Dave Watson, Hongfang Liu, Beverley J Sheares, Carla M Davis, Wade Schulz, Young J Juhn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There is a significant delay between symptom onset and diagnosis of childhood asthma, but the impact of this delay on asthma outcomes has not been well understood.

Objectives: We sought to study the association of delayed diagnosis of asthma with asthma exacerbations (AEs) in children.

Methods: Using the Mayo Clinic birth cohort, we identified children with a diagnosis of asthma from electronic health records. We defined onset date as the date when subjects first met predetermined asthma criteria ascertained by an electronic health records-based natural language processing algorithm. Delay in diagnosis (DD) was defined as first diagnosis >30 days …

Igtp: Learning Interpretable Cellular Embedding For Inferring Biological Mechanisms Underlying Single-Cell Transcriptomics, Kang-Lin Hsieh, Kai Zhang, Yan Chu, Lishan Yu, Xiaoyang Li, Nuo Hu, Isha Kawosa, Patrick G Pilié, Pratip K Bhattacharya, Degui Zhi, Xiaoqian Jiang, Zhongming Zhao, Yulin Dai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Deep-learning models like Variational AutoEncoder have enabled low dimensional cellular embedding representation for large-scale single-cell transcriptomes and shown great flexibility in downstream tasks. However, biologically meaningful latent space is usually missing if no specific structure is designed. Here, we engineered a novel interpretable generative transcriptional program (iGTP) framework that could model the importance of transcriptional program (TP) space and protein-protein interactions (PPI) between different biological states. We demonstrated the performance of iGTP in a diverse biological context using gene ontology, canonical pathway, and different PPI curation. iGTP not only elucidated the ground truth of cellular responses but also surpassed other …

The Effects Of Pfos Exposure On Zebrafish Dopaminergic Neurodevelopment, Allison G. Fletcher

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of environmental contaminants that cause disruptions to the nervous and endocrine systems. Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) is considered one of the most disruptive PFAS to the nervous system, and may disrupt neurodevelopment of the dopaminergic system, which has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders like Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in humans. I hypothesized that early life PFOS exposure disrupts the development of the dopaminergic system. To test this hypothesis, I exposed zebrafish to 0.05, 0.5, and 5.0 mg/L PFOS through 5 days of embryonic and larval development. To assess acute effects of PFOS on the …

Neural Patterns Reflect Semantic Representation In Novice Sign Language Learners, Megan E. Hillis

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

How do novice language learners represent semantic information in their new language? The extent to which languages are supported by distinct or overlapping neural representations in bilinguals has been the topic of much research, but less is known about how new knowledge is integrated into established representational networks, especially at the earliest stages of language acquisition. Furthermore, most investigations have compared languages which share a modality (spoken). Signed languages can provide insight into language unconfounded by perceptual qualities that spoken languages share. Chapter 1 presents an initial study in which hearing English-speaking non-signers learned a set of nouns in American …

Optimization And Personalization Of Fitness Routines Using Mathematical Models, Tyson M. Kerr

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project aims to develop a mathematical model for generating personalized workout plans tailored to individual fitness goals, preferences, and constraints. By leveraging optimization techniques such as linear programming and genetic algorithms, the model will address key questions, including how to maximize efficiency and consistency in workout plans and which methodologies are best suited for specific fitness objectives. The model involves data collection on user inputs and exercise attributes, defining objective functions for different goals, and integrating constraints like session duration. The implementation will utilize the Python library PuLP to prototype the model, alongside a user-friendly interface for input and …

Investigating The Effects Of Sod1 Knockout On Oxidative Stress And Stress Coping Styles In Zebrafish Using Crispr Technology, Tai Prauner, Ryan Wong

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Reactive oxygen species are byproducts of cellular metabolism that, when not efficiently neutralized, can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids. Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is an antioxidant enzyme that converts superoxide radicals into less harmful molecules. While its molecular function is well documented, the role of SOD1 in shaping stress-related behavior remains underexplored. This project aimed to establish foundational tools for studying the behavioral impact of SOD1 knockout across proactive and reactive stress-coping styles in zebrafish.

To support future gene-editing experiments, microinjection and breeding protocols were refined across wildtype AB, proactive, and reactive zebrafish lines. No embryos were injected with CRISPR-Cas9 …

Evidence Based Research Review Of Remote Independent Chemotherapy/Immunotherapy Verification, Katrina Perkins, Hannah Holder, Marie St. Clair

Covenant Nurses Week 2025

No abstract provided.

What’S The Best Way To Store Toxic 1080 Baits?, Heather M. Crawford, Ricarda Fenske, Gerard Smith, Teen Ryan, Jamie (Frog) Taylor, Daniel Carlisle, Debbie Dowden, Dean Butcher, Tracey L. Kreplins, James Miller, Malcolm S. Kennedy, Patricia A. Fleming

Biosecurity Research Articles

Being able to store toxic baits could allow livestock producers to target ‘hot spots’ of predator activity, supplementing or even replacing broadscale baiting, therefore avoiding potential risk of bait-resistant populations. We compared 1080 dose recovered from dried meat baits (DMB; camel, horse and kangaroo) and sausage baits stored by different methods (shed, locked transport box, freezer, cryo-vacuumed) to identify whether they were still lethal, and address concern that freezing/thawing could result in loss of the water-soluble 1080 toxicant. We developed a bait collection method to halt microbial activity (preserving 1080 dose), al-lowing collection of baits manufactured under field conditions by …

Evaluating The Economic Viability Of Feeding Hydroponic Barley Fodder To Growing Wethers, Fallon Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

As the livestock industry combats challenges including rising feed costs and ensuring sustainable production practices, some attention is being given to hydroponic fodder as a feed source. Hydroponic fodder offers a potential alternative to traditional feed sources. Research has demonstrated hydroponic fodder production has increased water efficiency while providing a sustainable green feed source throughout the year. This study seeks to understand how using hydroponically produced barley fodder in a total mixed ration for growing wethers compares economically to feeding traditional feed sources. A stochastic simulation model is used to determine the expected total feed costs, costs of gain, and …

Decoding Bacterial Resilience: Srnas And Sigma Factors In Stress Adaptation And Persistence Of Salmonella, Anita Nguyen

Honors Theses

Small RNAs (sRNAs) are noncoding RNA molecules in bacteria that function primarily to regulate gene expression, including those associated with stress. The Borchert Lab has identified 173 sRNAs and > 500 sRNAs that are responsive to desiccation and carbon starvation (c-starvation), respectively. Prokaryotic transcription involves an RNA Polymerase (RNAP) that transcribes DNA into RNA. RNAP involves sigma factors, which recognize promoters for the initial steps of RNA synthesis. The Borchert Lab has determined that there are significant overlaps between sRNAs expressed in cells subjected to both short-term durations and long-term durations of carbon starvation. Salmonella enterica serovars can have outbreaks associated …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exoenzyme Y Enzymatic Activity Inhibits Exoenzyme S-Induced Caspase Activation But Not Cytotoxicity In Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells, Connor Holm

Honors Theses

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is the most common cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care unit patients. P. aeruginosa utilizes a type III secretion system that injects exoenzymes U, S, T, and/or Y into the host cell cytosol. A majority of clinically isolated P. aeruginosa strains express ExoY often in combination with ExoU and ExoT, or ExoS and ExoT. Host signaling mechanisms in response to intoxication with individual exoenzymes have been extensively studied, yet little is known about host cell response to co-intoxication. In this study, pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were infected with P. aeruginosa strains expressing different combinations …

Toxicity And Biodegradability Of Novel Boronium Vs Conventional Ammonium-Based Antimicrobial Compounds In Wastewater Treatment Systems, Noor Shalan

Honors Theses

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are highly effective as disinfectants, herbicides, and pesticides; thus, overuse causes elevated levels of residual toxicity in domestic and industrial wastewater. QACs can be toxic to essential bacteria breaking down pollutants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and can remain untreated in effluent, harming the environment, and contributing to antibiotic resistance, posing risks to human health. Novel boronium-based antimicrobial compounds have demonstrated efficacy in eliminating bacteria, fungi, and viruses. If the boronium compounds exhibit lower residual toxicity, they could offer a promising alternative to QACs. Because these compounds are still in development, their potential toxicity to the …