Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Virtual Group Study On Class Views And Performance, W. Matt Denning, Robert S. Thiebaud, Lindy M. Rossow

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

Peer-to-peer teaching improves academic performance. During the worldwide pandemic, peer-to-peer teaching was unavailable, and feelings of isolation and loneliness increased. This study investigated the impact of virtual peer-to-peer group study on student performance and class views in a virtual, undergraduate exercise physiology course. Sixty-nine college-aged adults were randomly assigned to study with a virtual group or individually for two instructional units. Students switched groups after the first unit. For virtual group study, students met virtually for at least one hour outside of class to study course content. Those assigned to the individual study did not study virtually with classmates. Unit …

Effects Of Kappa Opioid Receptor Manipulation On Methamphetamine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization In Adolescent Male And Female Rats, Hiroyoshi Matsui Mr, Sarah Seeley, Manoranjan S. D'Souza

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Methamphetamine abuse amongst adolescents has been on the rise in the United States. In this study, we assessed the effects of manipulation of KORs on methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization in adolescent male and female rats. Methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization is an animal model to study methamphetamine addiction. Behavioral sensitization usually occurs in animals who have been treated with methamphetamine followed by a period of withdrawal. It is hypothesized that brain circuits are altered during the period of withdrawal after methamphetamine exposure resulting in sensitized (increased) responses to methamphetamine at the end of the withdrawal period. The experiment was conducted over 28 days. …

Differential Behavioral Responses In Male And Female Mice Lacking Either Rgs2 Or Rgs4 Proteins After Acute Administration Of Antidepressants And Anxiolytics, Hiroyoshi Matsui, Sarah Seeley, Manoranjan S. D'Souza

ONU Student Research Colloquium

The overall objective of the study was to assess the acute behavioral effects of currently used antidepressants and anxiolytics in male and female mice lacking regulator of G protein-signaling (RGS) proteins 2 and 4 and their wild-type counterparts. RGS 2 and 4 proteins negatively modulate signaling pathways of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which play an important role in mediating the effects of monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These neurotransmitters in turn play an important role in the action of antidepressant and anxiolytic medications. The study was undertaken because no studies till date have systematically assessed the behavioral …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Part Xxxi. Two New Genera From Somaliland: Sanaag Gen. N. And Sahil Gen. N. (Buthidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Two new monotypic buthid genera are described: Sanaag gen. n. and Sahil gen. n. from Somaliland, both belonging to the ‘Buthus’ group. Sanaag gen. n. (type species Gint maidensis Kovařík et al., 2018) differs from Gint Kovařík et al., 2013 in the structure of its hemispermatophore, which has a large, tall, subtriangular hook-like basal lobe, and in the shape of its telson which is rather bulbous. Sahil gen. n. (type species Sahil elmii sp. n.) differs from all morphologically similar small-sized genera of the Horn of Africa in having the ventral aspect of cheliceral fixed finger with two denticles, …

Sexual Dimorphism Of Circadian Liver Transcriptome, Artem A. Astafev, Volha Mezhnina, Allan Poe, Peng Jiang, Roman Kondratov

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Sexual dimorphism affects various aspects of physiology, metabolism and longevity. Circadian clock is a master regulator of metabolism. Anti -aging dietary interventions reprogram circadian transcriptome in the liver and other tissues, but little is known about sexual dimorphism of circadian transcriptome. We compared circadian transcriptomes in the liver of male and female mice on ad libitum (AL) and 30% caloric restriction (CR) diets. We found that AL female mice had a larger number of oscillating genes than male mice, and the portion of the transcriptome with sex -specific rhythms displayed phase difference. We found that CR increased the number of …

Effects Of Uv Filter Pollutants On The Growth Of Cucurbits And Possible Implications For Humans, Leia Staples

Undergraduate Theses

One main area of concern is the use of personal care products and pharmaceuticals in society and their long-term persistence when released into the environment (Chaturvedi et al. 2021). Cucurbits, however, are well-known for taking up pollutants (Namiki et al. 2013, Christou et al. 2019, Komives et al. 2009), so it essential to ensure that these pollutants do not negatively affect growth or productivity of plants. These plants are particularly useful in society because they have many health benefits and are consumed regularly by humans. While much research has been done on how much of the pollutant travels throughout the …

Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus Narinari) Jaw, Lili M. Mcelhill, Alison G. Novara, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Glycemia And Gluconeogenesis With Metformin And Liraglutide: A Randomized Trial In Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes, Katrina B Dietsche, Sheela N Magge, Sydney A Dixon, Faith S Davis, Andrea Krenek, Aruba Chowdhury, Lilian Mabundo, Michael Stagliano, Amber B Courville, Shanna Yang, Sara Turner, Hongyi Cai, Kannan Kasturi, Arthur S Sherman, Joon Ha, Eileen Shouppe, Mary Walter, Peter J Walter, Kong Y Chen, Robert J Brychta, Cody Peer, Yi Zeng, William Figg, Fran Cogen, D Elizabeth Estrada, Shaji Chacko, Stephanie T Chung

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

OBJECTIVE: Elevated rates of gluconeogenesis are an early pathogenic feature of youth-onset type 2 diabetes (Y-T2D), but targeted first-line therapies are suboptimal, especially in African American (AA) youth. We evaluated glucose-lowering mechanisms of metformin and liraglutide by measuring rates of gluconeogenesis and β-cell function after therapy in AA Y-T2D.

METHODS: In this parallel randomized clinical trial, 22 youth with Y-T2D-age 15.3 ± 2.1 years (mean ± SD), 68% female, body mass index (BMI) 40.1 ± 7.9 kg/m2, duration of diagnosis 1.8 ± 1.3 years-were randomized to metformin alone (Met) or metformin + liraglutide (Lira) (Met + Lira) and evaluated before …

Investigating A Family Of Fungal Pseudopeptidases With Bioinformatics Tools, Andy Zhao

Honors Theses

Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions; however, some proteins related to enzymes lack enzyme activity. To investigate changes that occur as enzymes becomes pseudoenzymes, I studied a unique family of fungal carboxypeptidases. I identified all fungal carboxypeptidase protein sequences in the NCBI database, constructed an alignment and phylogenetic tree for sequence comparison, and used Alphafold2 for 3D modeling of representative proteins. Fourteen unique groups were identified. All fungal proteins selected are separated into 3 categories, predicted to be active, intermediate, and inactive, respectively. Proteins predicted to be pseudoenzymes contained additional loops in mutation hotspots not found in predicted active enzymes. This research …

Does Kinesiology Taping Support Lateral Ankle Sprains And Provide Stability To The Injured Ankle?, Lilianna Giacalone

Honors Theses

Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) are prevalent among athletes and can lead to chronic instability and re-injury. Kinesiology taping (KT) is a treatment modality aimed at providing support, pain management, and prevention of further injury. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of KT in supporting lateral ankle sprains and providing stability to the injured ankle. A comprehensive search yielded seven studies, including randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, and case-control studies. The studies investigated the immediate effects of KT on injuries, compared KT with other treatment modalities, and assessed the long-term outcomes of KT use. The findings from the reviewed …

Synthesis Of Novel Temozolomide Amides As Potential Anti-Glioblastoma Agents, Sion Kim

Honors Theses

Glioblastoma is treated with Temozolomide (TMZ), a lipophilic alkylating drug that can cross the brain-blood barrier. To confront drug resistance, this research aimed to synthesize novel TMZ amide hybrids by using the acid chloride method, replacing an amino group with a primary amine. These novel hybrids were tested on U87-MG cells to determine if the primary amines with greater anticancer properties and lipophilicity have enhanced the drug's anticancer activity and bioavailability. The calculated lethal concentration 50 (LC50) of the hybrids ranged from 0.005 mg/mL to 0.2258 mg/mL, with some demonstrating greater anticancer effects than TMZ itself.

The Effects Of Age And Type Of Rearing On Contrafreeloading Behavior In Female Goats, Carly Weems

Honors Theses

Contrafreeloading (CFL) is the willingness of an animal to work for food. This study continues the 2022 pilot study, in which thirteen female goats from the Andrews University Sustainable Agriculture Department were tested to see if there was any correlation between age and contrafreeload in goats, and additionally investigates whether or not there is any correlation between type of rearing and contrafreeloading behavior in female goats. The pilot study found no direct correlation between age and contrafreeloading, therefore early life feeding techniques were also considered for this study.

Eighteen female goats representing three different age groups and three types of …

Regulation And Therapeutic Targeting Of Virus-Specific Resident Memory T Cells, Jordan Fredriksen Isaacs

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

CD8+ T cells are critical to the immune response to pathogens, as they kill infected cells and generate immunologic memory. Following infection, antigen-specific T cells expand approximately 10,000-fold and migrate to sites of inflammation in order to clear the pathogen. Once infection is resolved, a small pool of memory T cells persist in circulation and within tissues ready to respond rapidly upon re-exposure. Given the importance of CD8+ T cells, significant efforts have been made over the years to better understand how different memory T cell subsets are established, maintained, and regulated. The most recently identified subset, resident memory T …

Nurse Anesthetists’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Managing Emergence Delirium: A Qualitative Study, Ya-Ling Yan, Shuo Wang, Guang-Ming Zhang, Rui Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: This study employs a descriptive phenomenological approach to investigate the challenges anesthesia nurses face in managing emergence delirium (ED), a common and complex postoperative complication in the post-anesthesia care unit. The role of nurses in managing ED is critical, yet research on their understanding and management strategies for ED is lacking.

AIM: To investigate anesthetic nurses' cognition and management experiences of ED in hopes of developing a standardized management protocol.

METHODS: This study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach from qualitative research methodologies. Purposeful sampling was utilized to select 12 anesthetic nurses from a tertiary hospital in Shanghai as research …

Attitude And Attitudinal Structures Toward Physical Education And Their Influences On Physical Activity Behavior, Yubing Wang, Yaogang Han, Pan Li, Binn Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine middle and high school students’ cognitive and affective attitude and their cognitive-affective attitudinal structures toward physical education (PE). The effects of cognitive and affective attitude and attitudinal structures on physical activity (PA) in PE and outside of school were also examined. Methods: 1773 Chinese middle and high-school students participated in this study. SEM, Chi-square test, ANOVAs, and Contingency tables were adopted to address the research questions. Results: The results showed that most students (>90%) were holding positive cognitive and affective attitude toward PE. Students’ affective attitude significantly influences their PA …

Spatial Assessment Of Slender Madtom (Noturus Exilis) Diets Within The Illinois Bayou, Brendon K. Mitchell

ATU Scholars Symposium

The Slender Madtom (Noturus exilis) is a common species with a widespread distribution across the Mississippi River basin. In Arkansas, they can be found in upland rivers/streams in the Arkansas River and White River watershed. Very little data has been collected on the diet of this species and how it varies. We wanted to spatially assess the diet of Slender Madtoms. Slender Madtoms were sampled from 8 sites in the Illinois Bayou watershed using seines and kick nets. Small-scale gastric lavage was used to extract diet data from all individuals. All prey items were preserved and identified to the genus …

Evaluation Of Interior Least Tern (Sterna Antillarum Anthalassos) Colony Success Rate And Distance Upstream On The Arkansas River, Coley Turner, Nathan Mansor, Shelby Hunter

ATU Scholars Symposium

The previously endangered Interior Least Terns (or LETEs) are currently being monitored to ensure their populations are increasing. The purpose of this study was to provide current data to inform management decisions that must be made during their migration season. Sandbars where LETEs colonized were assigned a number corresponding to river mile. Fledglings per Breeding pair Rate (FBR) was calculated by dividing peak fledgling count by half of the adult count. A total of 798 adult LETEs and 228 fledglings were observed on sandbars. A colony was considered ‘failed’ if it had an FBR of 0, and ‘successful’ for anything …

Arkansas Soil Erosion And Conservation Methods In Ornamental Landscapes, Abby J. Cutsinger

ATU Scholars Symposium

This study will attempt to identify the best soil erosion mitigation methods for Arkansas ornamental landscape settings by comparing the strengths and weaknesses of known techniques. Since soil is not a renewable resource, we must apply conservation practices wherever possible, not just in agricultural settings. To determine the most effective erosion prevention techniques, this study will review soil studies conducted by the NRCS and NASA, as well as articles on best practices observed in ornamental landscape and agricultural industries. These are analyzed by comparing and contrasting techniques against known problems with Arkansas soil to determine which methods are most effective. …

Evaluating The Importance Of Biosecurity In Swine Operations, Lindsey Lemley, Lilly Rogers, Austin Calhoun

ATU Scholars Symposium

Swine health is critical to maintaining a profitable and productive swine operation. Biosecurity and sanitation are important practices that help maintain herd health. This study aimed to discover how biosecurity protocols and management practices differ between swine operations of different sizes. With diseases such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Brucellosis, and Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2) being common in the swine industry, a strong biosecurity protocol protects swine farmers from financial losses associated with disease outbreaks. In 2004 alone, the estimated financial loss to PRRSV was over $761 million. Data concerning biosecurity and sanitation was collected from …

Microhabitat Use Of The Highland Darter (Etheostoma Teddyroosevelt) In The Illinois Bayou Watershed Of Arkansas, Colton W. Morris

ATU Scholars Symposium

Highland Darters (Etheostoma teddyroosevelt) are an Ozark regional endemic species, occurring in the Arkansas River and upper White River systems of Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. There have been very few studies on this species, specifically those that have quantified the habitat use of this species across its range. A new study was needed to fill in the knowledge gap of microhabitat use by the Highland Darter in Arkansas. We wanted to address this knowledge gap by assessing the microhabitat use of this species in the Illinois Bayou watershed in Arkansas. Highland Darters were observed during snorkel surveys at known …

Mussel Communities Of Two Impacted Tributaries In The Arkansas South Central Plains Ecoregion, Jimmy Hall, Seth Drake, Parker Brannon, Savannah Wise

ATU Scholars Symposium

Anthropogenic influences such as mining and water quality degradation from wastewater effluents and agricultural runoff heavily impact freshwater mussel communities. The South-Central Plains (SCP) Ecoregion in Arkansas contains the Smackover Formation, an area that has been exploited for its oil with high frequency of drilling. In 1922 the Smackover pool in Union County was found and quickly became one of the world's most productive oil sites. Hurricane Creek and Smackover Creek, two tributaries within the Ouachita River basin, have experienced negative impacts from oil exploration and mining. However, to our knowledge, mussel communities in these creeks have not been assessed …

A Comparative Study On The Effects Of Meishan And Duroc Teaser Boars On Farrowing Rates Of Two Individual Swine Operations, Allie Shewmake, Payton Ham

ATU Scholars Symposium

Effective use of certain teaser boar breeds in artificial insemination, a common assisted reproductive procedure, in swine production provides a surmountable outlet to increase farrowing rates, breeding outcomes, and economic gain within the swine industry. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of boar types in swine breeding outcomes; however, this study delves into the divergent characteristics of Meishan and Duroc boars and how their different attributes affect the farrowing rates of Yorkshire-landrace sows at two individual swine operations, a smaller independent facility, and a larger commercial facility. Data was garnered and contrasted for three-year (2015-2017) time spans from each operation. …

Alleviating Environmental Stresses In Native Arkansas Plants By Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation, Rebecca C. Morse

ATU Scholars Symposium

The rapid human-driven changes in the environment during the Anthropocene have placed extreme stress on many native plants and animals. Beneficial interactions with microorganisms may be crucial for ameliorating these stressors and facilitating the ecosystem services host organisms provide. The role of an important mutualistic association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the competitive ability and successful adaptation of Arkansas native species by enhancing nutrient uptake has not been previously considered. Analysis of field root and soil samples from the native species in their native range as well as a controlled green-house experiment will be conducted to determine the level …

A Survey Of Mussels In Small Tributaries Of The Ouachita River Headwaters, Aaron J. Huckeba, Seth Drake, Kendall Moles, Risa Mccollough, Nathan Mansor

ATU Scholars Symposium

Understanding species distributions is of utmost importance for effective conservation of aquatic resources. Freshwater mussels are among the most imperiled taxonomic groups as they are experiencing rapid declines in the southeastern United States. Standard mussel surveys are typically conducted on larger streams and rivers, leaving small headwater tributaries unsampled. Our study looked to document mussels in headwater tributaries of the Ouachita River watershed. We conducted standardized time-based surveys at 19 sites across nine tributaries using snorkeling, grubbing, and raking methodologies in the summer of 2023. Furthermore, we collected measurements on water quality (pH, conductivity, salinity, total dissolved solids, and temperature) …

Length-Weight Relationship Of Flier (Centrarchus Macropterus) In Moro Creek, Jeffrey G. Phillips

ATU Scholars Symposium

Length-weight relationships provide foundational knowledge for managing fisheries populations. However, there are many species where the length-weight relationships are not widely understood. The Flier (Centrarchus macropterus) is one species where there is a lack of information regarding its length-weight relationship and spatial variation associated with this relationship. A new study was needed to assess the length-weight relationship for this species. Fliers were collected from upper Moro Creek during October 2023. Multiple gears (backpack electrofishing and seining) were employed to increase detection of this species. Length (mm), and weight (g) were recorded for every individual observed. A total of 85 Flier …

Bat Survey Of Winona, Hailey B. Christensen, Morgan L. Winter

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Two bat detectors were placed at Garvin Heights and West Lake Winona to test bat activity in Winona, Minnesota. It was hypothesized that there would be a higher activity of bats at West Lake Winona than there would be at Garvin Heights. It was also hypothesized that high moonlight illumination would impact bat activity in a negative way. After data analyses were performed, it was found that bats were more active at West Lake Winona than at Garvin Heights. Based on the data analyses for moon light illumination and bat activity, there is no pattern common to all species, but …

Changes In Animal Vocalizations In Response To A Total Solar Eclipse, Colton W. Morris

ATU Scholars Symposium

My proposed research project will study the changes in animal vocalizations in response to the total solar eclipse that will take place in Russellville, Arkansas, on April 8, 2024. I will use audio recordings before, during, and after the eclipse to quantify changes in animal vocalizations. Most recordings will be in the range of normal hearing, and will primarily detect birds, frogs, and insects. Additionally, I will deploy one ultrasonic recorder capable of detecting bats. From these recordings I will be able to quantify overall and species-specific call rates. Audio recordings will be paired with continuous measurements of light intensity …

Molecular Methods Used To Identify A New Species Of Dictyocaulus (Family Dictyocaulidae) In White-Tailed Deer, Garit T. Wollan, Elisa M. Quevedo

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Lungworms (Dictyocaulus) are a type of parasitic nematode found in the lungs of vertebrates and can cause life threatening diseases to their host(s). Dictyocaulus is a type of lungworm found in cattle (Bos taurus), deer (Cervidae), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), sheep (Ovis aries), and horses (Equus caballus). The purpose of this study was to use DNA analysis to distinguish between different species of Dictyocaulus among cattle, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and red deer (Cervus elaphus). Adult lungworms were collected from the lungs of cattle from research farms in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Mississippi, from the lungs of red deer from a …

Post Rehabilitation Analysis Of Stream Habitat And Brown Trout In Cedar Valley Creek, Ashlynn D. Leonard, Emma C. Ehlers

Research & Creative Achievement Day

A section of Cedar Valley Creek went through a rehabilitation process that was intended to improve the trout habitat as well as to reinforce banks, deepen the stream, and narrow the channel. We took brown trout (Salmo trutta) counts and did habitat analyses at five locations (each 50 m long), in the restored stream section of Cedar Valley Creek during fall 2023 to compare to pre-rehabilitation data collected in 2022. A backpack electrofisher and nets were used to collect brown trout via a single-pass removal sampling process. All trout were measured for total length (mm) before being released back into …

Carbon Sequestration And Its Role In Mitigating Climate Change, Mallory Woodward

ATU Scholars Symposium

Carbon sequestration is when carbon dioxide is stored in ecosystems like grasslands forests, soils and oceans. Wetlands are one of the many important ecosystems that sequester carbon and act as a carbon sink. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2019 33,621.5 million metric tons of carbon were released into the atmosphere globally, due to human emissions. Anthropogenic carbon emissions have rapidly increased over the past 150 years. Since 1982, The global rate of warming is more than three times as fast, currently rising 0.36 degrees Fahrenheit each decade, and the rate will continue to increase. How do wetlands …