Life Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Post-Warm-Up Transition Time On Anaerobic Performance In Female Collegiate Volleyball Players, Samantha Martino, Sophia Rosiek, Haleigh Cripe

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Post-warm-up transition time (PWTT) is the period of time between the end of a pre-game warm-up and the beginning of gameplay at a particular sporting event. During this period of time, typical pregame traditions are completed such as the playing of the National Anthem and recognition of players and coaches. This length of time can vary from sport to sport. Research shows that a dynamic warmup is encouraged to improve performance and decrease the risk of injury. Further, rest periods are necessary for optimal performance. Too short of a recovery time can result in muscle tissue damage, but too long …

Role Of Neuroinflammatory Response On Cell Proliferation Following Neurotoxic Lesioning In Zebrafish, Sarah Heinowski, Nathaniel Vorhees, Nathan Koorndyk, Helen Dodge

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Parkinson's Disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuronal loss and motor impairment, affects roughly 1 in 500 people. Interestingly, olfaction loss, the loss of smell, is prevalent in over 95% of those with PD. Zebrafish provide a unique model to study neurodegenerative diseases, including PD, as they possess the unique ability to regenerate neurons (i.e., neurogenesis) throughout their lifespan. Contrary to mammals in which inflammation often has negative associations with neural injury recovery, inflammatory response within zebrafish is thought to have a key role in this regenerative capability. Thus, we aimed to inhibit the inflammatory response and investigate …

Herbicide Drift Vs. Crop Resilience – The Influence Of Micro-Rates, Milan Brankov, Bruno Canella Vieira, Miloš Rajković, Milena Simić, Vukadinović Jelena, Violeta Mandić, Vesna Dragičević

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

A greenhouse study was conducted to test the effects of low herbicide dose exposure on different crops measuring visible damages, plant height, leaf area, and dry matter. Seven crops were tested: lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cv. Novosadska majska maslena, oil pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch) cv. Olivija, oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cv. NS Ras, pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Kurtovska kapija, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) cv. ZP Laura, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cv. NS Kruna, and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. Dunavski Rubin. Herbicide dicamba in the range of 0.14 to 1 …

Temporal Analysis Of Former High School Athletes’ Perceptions Of Fitness As They Enter College, Alec W. Kowalski, Sophia K. Rosiek, Adam H. Ibrahim

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Researchers suggest that physical activity promotion may be necessary to preserve former athletes' long-term health and transition out of sport in retirement. Exploratory research has revealed that the fitness perceptions (a known contributor to exercise behavior) of former high school athletes (FHSAs) who do not continue sports in college fluctuate over the course of their freshman year. To inform potential intervention efforts in this population, the purpose of this study was to explore why FHSAs' perceptions of fitness vary over their freshman year of college. Methods: Participants completed eight online surveys over their first year of college, within which they …

Does Phosphorylation On Serine 26 Of System Xc- Lead To Changes In Cell Surface Expression?, Katherine Lane

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

System x_c^- is involved in transporting cystine into cells and glutamate out of cells, and ultimately in production of the antioxidant glutathione. Antioxidants are important in protecting cells from oxidative stress which can occur when waste products like H₂O₂ build up in the cell. Previous studies have shown that a critical regulator mTORC regulates system xc- by phosphorylating serine 26 (S26) on the N-terminus of the cystine/glutamate antiporter xCT, leading to a reduction in transport activity. The specific objective of this study is to determine the mechanism by which phosphorylation of S26 affects activity. To …

Ammonia Inhalants Impact On Shot Put Throw Distance, Jaden Grigg, Cole Stalter, Jace Gerlach

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

A variety of ergogenic aids have been researched in the past to assess effects on athletic performance. One potential aid relatively unstudied is ammonia inhalants (AI’s), commonly referred to as smelling salts. AI’s have been found to enhance peak and mean power output (PPO/MPO) in anaerobic activities. Because shot put throws rely primarily on anaerobic power, there is the potential for AI’s to improve performance. This study was designed to determine whether an acute, one second inhalation of a commercially available AI immediately prior to a shot put throw would increase the total distance a college athlete shot putter (n=10) …

Neurodegeneration And Neuroinflammation In The Olfactory Bulb Of Zebrafish Following Acute Hypoxia, Skylar Dewitt, Evan Thomas

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Hypoxia, the lack of sufficient oxygen in tissues to sustain bodily functions, has a deleterious effect on physiological and behavioral health. Unlike mammalian brains, which are restrained in their capacity to recover following damage and hypoxic injury, zebrafish are an excellent model to study exposure to hypoxia due to substantial neuroplasticity mechanisms within their brain. Specifically, the olfactory bulbs (OBs) display high neuroplasticity and neurogenesis (i.e., generation of new neurons), making it a useful model to study neural responses under stressed environmental conditions such as hypoxia. Here, we establish a new paradigm of hypoxic exposure in zebrafish to uncover the …

Modeling Olfactory Dysfunction In Parkinson’S Disease In Zebrafish, Nathaniel Vorhees, Samantha Groenwold

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Parkinson's Disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuronal loss and motor impairment, affects roughly 1 in 500 people. Interestingly, olfaction loss is prevalent in over 95% of those with PD. However, the underlying mechanisms of PD and olfactory dysfunction are not well understood. Zebrafish provide an ideal model to study neurodegenerative diseases and regenerative processes as they present neurogenic capability (i.e., generation of new neurons) and a high degree of neuroplasticity. We developed a model to study the association between dopaminergic loss and olfactory dysfunction in zebrafish. To do this, we used adult zebrafish of both sexes and …

Expression Of Olfactory-Induced Anxiety Behaviors Following Hypoxia Treatment In Adult Zebrafish, Cassidy Larson, Luke Horsburgh, Cameron Houck, Skylar Dewitt

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Exposure to hypoxic conditions leads to neural loss of function or death in the nervous system of mammals. Zebrafish, given their sophisticated neuroregenerative abilities, are able to survive low-oxygen conditions with fewer consequences. These capabilities are crucial for the olfactory system of zebrafish, as their olfactory epithelium is directly exposed to damage and toxins in the environment. Given that olfaction allows for critical behaviors such as foraging, mating, predator detection, and non-visual perception of dead fish, possessing functional olfactory sensation is vital to survival. Cadaverine is a chemical compound that mimics putrescine, the scent of decaying flesh. This scent induces …

The Acute Effects Of Incorporating Lower Limb Foam Rolling Into A Dynamic Warm Up For Men’S Soccer Player Aerobic Endurance And Muscular Power Performance, Grace Wunderlich, Madeline Walter, Amelia Bont, Alyssa Hettel

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Warming up before exercise increases muscle metabolism and reduces the risk of injury. Soccer players are prone to lower limb injuries, therefore a warm up that reduces injury and improves performance is ideal. Foam rolling is known to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, loosen muscle fascia, and promote blood flow to muscles when utilized post-exercise. As such, the inclusion of foam rolling in conjunction with a dynamic warm up prior to exercise may further reduce injury risk and optimize performance. However, current research has not examined the relationship between combining foam rolling with a dynamic warm up on exercise performance. …

Degeneration And Neurogenesis Following An Excitotoxic Focal Lesion To The Olfactory Bulb Of Zebrafish, Solange Fingleton, Alina Ciesielski

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Neurogenesis is the process of new neuron generation in the brain. Zebrafish have 16 different neurogenic sites, which allows for effective damage and lesion repair because of the ability to constitutively regenerate neurons. In zebrafish, the olfactory bulbs — part of the olfactory system – are highly regenerative and neurogenic. Our lab established a model of excitotoxic lesion (that targets glutamatergic neurons), and determined that the olfactory bulbs are structurally and functionally recovered. However, the processes of neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb following direct injury has not been studied. In this work, we use the same neurodegenerative model using an …

A Christian Framework For Competitive Sport, Owen Leibrock

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Christianity and competitive sport have a long history of interaction, oftentimes adversarial in nature. Yet in the last century and a half, Christians have embraced sport in such foundational ways that it is often now hard to imagine sport without certain Christian ideas and images. Competitive sport has taken on many forms and has been used in many ways both destructive and constructive. This wide range of Christian responses to sport throughout history begs the question: Does competitive sport truly fit within a framework of Christian ethics and values?

In order to answer this question, I will engage with theories …

Dopaminergic Synapse Loss In 6-Ohda Lesioned Zebrafish, Grace Stalions, Heather Van Dort, Gabriella Taylor

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, and an early symptom of Parkinson's disease is olfactory dysfunction. A common animal model used in Parkinson's disease research is zebrafish because of their unique neuro-regenerative ability, which is particularly in their olfactory bulb. In order to create a model of the early stages of Parkinson's disease we injected zebrafish with the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to induce the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the olfactory bulb. Olfactory system recovery post 6-OHDA injection has been recorded in previous literature, but the state of synaptic dopaminergic synapses post-injection has not …

Temporal Qualitative Analysis Of Former High School Athletes’ Exercise Satisfaction During Their Freshman Year Of College, Sophia K. Rosiek, Alec W. Kowalski, Adam H. Ibrahim

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Research studying the exercise behavior of retired athletes has discovered that former athletes have a more difficult time transitioning to life after sports. This comes as a surprise, as it is expected that athletes not only understand the benefits of exercise but also desire to remain physically active. Following their last competition, former athletes may feel lost without their sport holding them accountable to regular exercise. The extent of these former athletes' exercise behavior is not completely understood. Therefore, the objective of this study is to perform a qualitative analysis of survey responses aimed at further comprehending exercise behavior among …

A Comparison Of The Nike Vaporfly And Nike Dragonfly’S Effect On Running Economy, Maggie Peckham, Aidan Jones, Taylor Truman, Anastasia Tucker

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

The purpose of this study was to compare the oxygen consumption, stride rate, and stride length of highly trained distance runners wearing the Nike Vaporfly and Nike Dragonfly spikes while running at competitive speeds. Fifteen (6 men and 9 women) collegiate volunteers (aged 18-22) were recruited from Hope College’s Division III cross country team. Participants engaged in a total of 3 visits. On the first visit, all participants were familiarized with the testing protocol. For visits 2 and 3, a planned crossover was completed, and either the Vaporfly or Dragonfly was assigned for each participant to wear. All trials were …

Effect Of Delaying Hca Exposure On The Development Of Manic/Depressive Behaviors In Sprague Dawley Rats, Eden Comer, Rachel Mast, Natalie Olander, Mackenzie Williams

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a neuropsychological disorder that is characterized by cyclical periods of depressive and manic behaviors. The Chase lab is focused on developing a reliable animal model for BD in order to characterize the critical neurophysiological and neurochemical changes that trigger BD. Previous studies in the lab have shown that daily injection of rat pups from postnatal day 3 through 19 (P3-P19) with homocysteic acid (HCA) leads to the development of a mixed manic and depressive state after puberty. These behaviors can be reversed by treatment with lithium and involve changes in gene expression in the prefrontal cortex …

The Chronic Effects Of A Stretching Program On Range Of Motion And Velocity Output Of An Overhand Throw In Collegiate Baseball Players, Keaton Hamilton

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Current acute stretching programs have been reported to increase shoulder range of motion (ROM) utilizing the cross-body stretch and the sleeper stretch but have not examined how this increase could affect throwing velocity in overhead athletes. Few methods have been found to increase throwing velocity with the exception of various weighted ball and strength training programs, often associated with high rates of injury. The aim of this study was to determine if a nine week stretching protocol would result in improvements in shoulder ROM which may lead to an increase in overhand throwing velocity. It was hypothesized that a 9-week …

Creation Of An N-Terminal Xct Mutant Lacking Lysines For Use In Protein Turnover Studies, Alexandria Switzer

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

xCT plays a role in protecting cells from oxidative stress as well as intracellular glutathione synthesis. If this process is impeded, reactive oxygen species accumulate in the cell, leading to cellular damage, and if left unchecked, it can lead to neuronal loss. Ubiquitin is a small protein that some evidence suggests can negatively affect the stress response pathway modulated by xCT, as well as induce cell death. It is hypothesized that ubiquitin binds to xCT on the N-terminal lysine residues, and there are six conserved lysines in the N-terminal domain at positions K4R, K12R, K30R, K37R, K41R, and K43R. Previous …

In-Situ Characterization Of Jatigede Local Roid Banana (Musa Spp.) Based On Morphological And Agronomical Characteristics, Ade Ismail, Vika Faraditha Pratiwi, Haris Maulana, Ichsan Nurul Bari, Yani Maharani, Fajar Maulana Wijaya Kusumah

Jurnal Kultivasi

Banana (Musa spp.) is one of the agricultural commodities that’s widely cultivated and used by the local community. Currently, only 101 types of local varieties of bananas are registered in Indonesia; one of them is the Roid banana from Jatigede District. Roid bananas grow wild without any mandatory special care. Continuous use without any conservation and preservation efforts can lead to scarcity of Roid banana germplasm as a genetic resource. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the distribution and diversity of Roid bananas through in situ exploration and characterization activities. This study aimed to identify the potential for genetic diversity …

Impact Of Community-Driven Interventions On Dietary And Physical Activity Outcomes Among A Cohort Of Adults In A Rural Appalachian County In Eastern Kentucky, 2019–2022, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Emily M. Dewitt, Rachel Gillespie, Kathryn Cardarelli, Stacey Slone, Alison Gustafson

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Several environmental level factors exacerbate poor health outcomes in rural populations in the United States, such as lack of access to healthy food and locations to be physically active, which support healthy choices at the individual level. Thus, utilizing innovative place-based approaches in rural locations is essential to improve health outcomes. Leveraging community assets, like Cooperative Extension, is a novel strategy for implementing community-driven interventions. This prospective cohort study (n = 152), recruited in 2019 and surveyed again in 2020 and 2021, examined individual level changes in diet and physical activity in one rural Appalachian county. During this time, multiple …

The Science Of Baking Bread, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Activity plan to teach biology and chemistry using a lesson on the baking of bread.

Fusarium Species Structure In Nebraska Corn, Yuchu Ma

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Fusarium species are known to infect corn and cause significant yield losses and mycotoxin contamination worldwide. In this study, we investigated the diversity of Fusarium species infecting corn in Nebraska and their potential to produce fumonisins and trichothecenes. A total of 259 Fusarium isolates were collected from different corn tissues (ear, stalk, and root), revealing a significant association between the various Fusarium species complexes and different plant parts (p < 0.05). Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) was the most widespread and abundant, followed by the Fusarium sambucinum (FSAMSC) and Fusarium fujikuroi species complexes (FFSC). In the subsequent analysis, we investigated the mycotoxin …

Effects Of Benzyl Isothiocyanate And Papain On Parascaris Spp. Larval Embryonation, Moriah Wood

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

Ascarids (Parascaris equorum and Parascaris univalens) are a common type of intestinal parasite found in foals. By the age of one year, most horses have built a natural immunity to Parascaris spp. However, Parascaris spp. are known to be the most pathogenic type of parasite in foals and can cause poor growth, weight loss, colic, and even death. Unfortunately, Parascaris spp. have developed resistance to most anthelmintic drugs. Prior studies have found promising results for the use of ground papaya seeds as a short-term anthelmintic. Further research has shown similar results when determining the effectiveness of compounds found in papayas, …

A Comparison Of Kid Goat Lipase And Microbial Lipase On The Development Of Cheddar Cheese Flavor, Reece H. Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Manufacturers continue to look for methods to save time in aging cheese. Complex reactions occur during cheese ripening that produce characteristic flavors and aromas. The addition of exogenous lipase enzymes is one accelerated ripening method that has been studied. Our objective was to document and compare the flavor profiles of cheddar cheeses created with either microbial lipase or animal lipase. Materials and Methods: The experiment followed a conventional formulation to create experimental batches of cheddar cheese. Kid goat lipase and three microbial lipase treatments were compared against a control. Other animal lipases were evaluated in preliminary research but were …

Consequences Of Environment And Loss On Maternal Behavior, Anxiety, Boldness, And Memory In Rats, Alayna Skye Palamar

Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of Food Behaviors In University Of Mississippi Students As They Relate To Nutrition Security, Bethany Selby

Honors Theses

Recent literature has demonstrated high rates of food insecurity in college students, with most estimates ranging from 30 to 40 percent. Additionally, the college diet is notoriously lacking in nutrition, and a large majority of college students do not meet the recommendations made by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Nutrition security, defined as an individual having consistent access, availability, and affordability of foods that promote wellbeing and prevent disease, addresses both of these issues.

This study, conducted in Spring 2022, used focus groups to examine food behaviors in a sample of majority undergraduate students at the University of Mississippi (n …

Mixing Regimes In A Cluster Of Seven Maar Lakes In Tropical Monsoon Asia, Milette U. Mendoza, Jaydan I. Aguilar, Karol Sophia Agape R. Padilla, Rey Donne S. Papa, Noboru Okuda

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

The 7 maar lakes of San Pablo are a cluster of small volcanic lakes on Luzon Island; Philippines. These lakes; which are heavily utilized for aquaculture and ecotourism; usually experience fish kills that coincide with the northeast monsoon (NEM). This study explores limnophysical processes; particularly mixing regimes; in the lakes in relation to prevailing monsoons. We monitored monthly vertical and seasonal profiles of water temperature; salinity; conductivity; and dissolved oxygen from October 2016 to December 2018. Three types of mixing regimes were observed among the lakes; which have similar surface areas but different depths: polymixis in the shallowest; warm monomixis …

Influence Of Metabolic Interventions On Animal Aging And Lifespan, Bhaswati Ghosh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aging is associated with metabolic rewiring. Most lifespan-extending longevity interventions target metabolic pathways. Genetic or pharmacological metabolic approaches that mediate longer lifespan and healthspan, are often linked to detrimental effects on human health. Here, I show that supplementation of botanical extracts from Artemisia scoparia (SCO), dramatically increases animal lifespan. Mechanistically, this lifespan extension is dependent on AMPK-DAF-16 signaling via inhibition of the insulin pathway. In SCO-fed worms, longer lifespan was accompanied by higher fat storage and improved resiliency to age-related physiological stress. Notably, DAF-16, the master regulator of longevity, activated the fatty acid desaturation processes, which promoted the accumulation of …

Early Life Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure Of F0 Zebrafish Causes Hyperactivity In F1 Offspring, Jenna Cripe

Honors Theses

As cannabis increases in its accessibility, potency, and acceptance across the United States, investigation into the multigenerational effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure during key stages of development is critical. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there would be behavioral impacts in the F1 offspring following a dose-response of THC exposure (0.08, 0.4, or 1 µM) during development in the F0 generation. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were utilized in this study. Behaviors (locomotive activity and anxiety-like behavior) in the F1 generation were evaluated at 120 hours post-fertilization (hpf) with the larval photometer response (LPR) assay, and at 3, 11, …

The Rna Cargo In Small Extracellular Vesicles From Chicken Eggs Is Bioactive In C57bl/6j Mice And Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Ex Vivo, Deborah Fratantonio, Javaria Munir, Jiang Shu, Katherine Howard, Scott R. Baier, Juan Cui, Janos Zempleni

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) and their RNA cargo in milk are bioavailable in humans, pigs, and mice, and their dietary depletion and supplementation elicits phenotypes. Little is known about the content and biological activity of sEVs in foods of animal origin other than milk. Here we tested the hypothesis that sEVs in chicken eggs (Gallus gallus) facilitate the transfer of RNA cargo from an avian species to humans and mice, and their dietary depletion elicits phenotypes. sEVs were purified from raw egg yolk by ultracentrifugation and authenticated by transmission electron microscopy, nano-tracking device, and immunoblots. The miRNA profile …