Life Sciences Commons^™

Colorectal Cancer Screening In The Latino Population At A Family Medicine Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Michael S. Vinson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a preventable and curable disease that affects all genders, races, and ethnicities, and its impact on society can be reduced with early screening. The Latino population is at greater risk compared to groups or ethnicities due to social determinants and health disparities within the community. Review of Literature: Language barriers, low education levels, persistent social stressors, poor healthcare navigation, and structural barriers make it difficult for this population to be properly screened at appropriate intervals. Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project was designed to combat reduced screening rates seen in the Latino population. The target …

Vectors, Pathogens And Climate Change: How Will Human Health Be Affected?, Joseph T. Barry

Honors Projects

This paper details how ongoing climate change will continue to affect the future of humanity. More specifically, this paper seeks to begin a conversation about how climate change impacts vectors and vector-borne pathogens and how both of these ultimately impact the future of human health. Three different vectors and three different pathogens are compared to provide an overview of how climate change may benefit these vectors and their associated pathogens. The vectors species selected for this comparative study are: (i) mosquitoes (Diptera, family Culicine), (ii) ticks (superorder Parasitiformes, order Ixodida), and (iii) kissing bugs (Hemiptera, subfamily Triatominae). Yellow fever virus …

An Overview Of The Current Research On Epiphyte Ecology, Kelsey Inman-Carter

Honors Projects

Epiphytes are non-parasitic, photosynthetic organisms that depend on other photosynthetic host organisms for support. Epiphytes can be found both in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The interactions between epiphytes and their hosts can vary based on both their habitat and the features of individual hosts. This review explores the many facets of epiphyte research, including: the diversity of epiphytes in aquatic and terrestrial habitats; the effects of host-epiphyte interactions on the hosts; and the abiotic and biotic interactions that together determine epiphyte community composition.

Effects Of Branched Chain Amino Acid Supplementation On Post-Exercise Muscle Recovery And Muscle Growth, Kyla N. Marquez

Honors Projects

BCAA supplements are composed of three main essential amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The concept of BCAA supplementation comes from the fact that essential amino acids cannot be made by the body and must be derived from food and diet, as amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and muscle. Thus, by increasing intake of these essential amino acids, BCAAs are believed to reduce the effects of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) by increasing availability of these important compounds. However, BCAAs are not approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as the FDA does not regulate dietary …

The Effect Of One Night Of Sleep Fragmentation On Aerobic Exercise Performance, Tara L. Thompson

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Purpose: People can experience sleep fragmentation for many reasons. The negative effect this has on a person’s daytime function and sleepiness has already been studied extensively, yet there is little on the effect it has on a person’s aerobic athletic performance. Many athletes experience frequent wake-ups in the middle of the night, due to nerves and other factors, which could potentially affect their performance.

Methods: For each of the eight subjects, testing began with a VO2max test and a familiarization trial. Following this, subject’s then participated in two experimental trials, where they were randomly assigned either a night of sleep …

An In Vitro Approach To Identify Sources Of Resistance To Fusarium Wilt Caused By Fusarium Oxysporum F. Sp. Vasinfectum Race 4 In Domesticated Cotton, Stephen Parris

All Theses

Cotton lint produced by the plants Gossypium barbadense L. (pima cotton) and Gossypium hirsutum L. (upland cotton) is the world’s leading source of renewable textiles. The fibers of the cotton plant have been woven so intricately into our society that it would be hard to imagine life without their products. Cotton breeders must then not only continue to work to improve the quality of cotton fibers (fineness, strength, dyability, etc.) but also to improve the resilience of the plant against biotic and abiotic factors. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 (FOV4) is an aggressive fungal pathogen, which causes Fusarium …

Distribution And Genomic Diversity Of Pollen-Borne Viruses And Viroids At The Interface Of Peach And Wild Prunus Spp. In The Southeastern United States, Fabian Omar Rodriguez Bonilla

All Theses

Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV), prune dwarf virus (PDV), and peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) are important pollen-borne pathogens that affect peach orchards in the southeastern United States. My aim with this research is to identify potential sources of virus/viroid inoculum sources in the wild and determine pathogen movement and interactions between wild Prunus spp. and cultivars of peach (P. persica). In Chapter I, I review the literature on pollen borne viruses and viroids in peach. In Chapter II, I surveyed for these pathogens near peach production areas in South Carolina and Georgia, sampling from three endemic wild …

Effects Of 2,4-Di-Tert-Butylphenol On Osteogenic And Myogenic Differentiation Of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Thanh-Bình Dương

All Theses

Synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) are a class of compounds used to increase the durability of polymers as well as to increase the shelf-life of food, cosmetics, and other personal care items. Of these SPAs is 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DBP). 2,4-DBP is primarily used in polyethylene crosspolymer pipes, which are now used as a replacement for the traditional copper pipes for household water distribution. However, 2,4-DBP has been found to leach from these pipes into the water, enabling a mode of exposure to humans. 2,4-DBP has been detected in human urine, serum, but more importantly, maternal serum, placenta, and cord blood. …

Water Use And Nutrient Retention In Black And Red Mangroves In Southwest Florida, Haley Miller

All Theses

Eutrophication is a major threat to mangroves, exposing these ecosystems to an excess surge of nutrients from either natural or human-influenced events. In addition to causing water quality issues, this phenomenon could alter some ecosystem processes, including tree physiology. In order to understand how increased nutrients affect mangrove water use on a whole forest scale, we fertilized red (Rhizophora mangle L.) and black (Avicennia germinans [L.] L.) mangrove plots with inorganic forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Sap flow data were collected over two growing seasons and one winter dry season and used to model outer sapwood …

Characterization Of A Potential Glucose Transporter In Trypanosoma Brucei, Matthew Morgan

All Theses

Trypanosoma brucei, the African trypanosome, is an organism heavily dependent on glucose for ATP production during the infectious stage of its life cycle. Here, we have explored the role of an uncharacterized protein designated “novel glucose transporter” (NGT) as a potential glucose transporter. Sequence analyses suggests that NGT shares similarities (either at the primary sequence level or structurally) with Trypanosome Hexose Transporters 1 (TbTHT1), and human GLUT3, both of which are membrane sugar transporters. NGT was localized by fluorescence microscopy to subcellular structures consistent with lysosomes. Silencing NGT expression with RNA interference in parasites resulted in a growth defect …

Evaluating The Accuracy And Quality Of Microgreens Training Materials Available On The Internet: A Content Analysis, Supun Chathuranga Nabadawa Hewage

All Theses

Microgreens are the young, edible seedlings of various vegetables, spices, herbs, and considered as the intermediate stage of sprouts and mature greens, suggesting microgreens may share similar food safety risks with both of these produce. Even though there are no known outbreaks due to contaminated microgreens, multiple product recalls have been reported, indicating food safety risks associated with microgreens should not be underemphasized. A recent national survey of the U.S. microgreens industry reported that almost half of growers (48.3% of 176) learned to grow microgreens by viewing websites and videos on the internet.¹ However, it is unknown whether the …

Pasture Biomass Estimation Using Crop Surface Modeling And Vegetation Indices, Brendan Macinnis

All Theses

Biomass estimations are a critical function of any grazing or haylage system. Determination of ideal harvesting or grazing times help optimize the quality and quantity of above-ground biomass (AGB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Alfalfa and Tall Fescue biomass estimations. Using a DJI Mavic Pro, RGB and NDVI images were taken and used to create orthomosaic images. Structure-from-motion (SfM) techniques were used to developed digital elevation models to evaluate the change in canopy height (∆H) between pre- and post-harvests. Change in canopy height (∆H) was shown to provide the …

Identification Of Cytospora Species Isolated From Canker In Peach Trees In South Carolina, Stephen T. Baker

All Theses

In 2016, a survey was conducted into the causes of twig blight on peach (Prunus persica) in five orchards across South Carolina. From this survey, isolates from the fungal genus of Cytospora (Sordariomycetes, Diaporthales) were reported on peach, for the first time, within the state. Cytospora species are known to cause oozing cankers on a wide range of woody hosts leading to dieback, loss of limbs, and reduction in yield, prompting concern for important economic crops. Past methods of identification of Cytospora species have been confounded by indistinguishable morphology, overlapping host preference among species, and genetic sequencing …

Floating Treatment Wetlands For Brackish Waters: Plant Selection And Nutrient Uptake Potential., Andrea Landaverde

All Theses

Brackish water bodies in coastal regions provide critical ecosystem services that support human and environmental health. Anthropogenic activities such as agricultural and industrial activities, construction, urban settlements, and tourism contribute to increased inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in brackish coastal ecosystems. Excess nutrients can lead to impaired water quality and affect marine organisms. Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are a vegetated-base technology used to remove contaminants from water column, that has been mainly studied and applied in freshwater systems. Application of FTWs in brackish systems requires further investigation, as high salinity in brackish waters could result in toxicity to …

Effects Of Thermal Processing On Peach Puree Of Different Cultivars: Analysis Of Biochemical Alteration, Non-Enzymatic Browning Reaction, And Color Changes, James Hayes

All Theses

The effects of pasteurization temperature and time on the change in seven peach puree variables over a 6-week accelerated shelf-life test (35°C) were evaluated. The variables of interest were three color measures [ L* (lightness), a* (redness), and b* (yellowness)]; two brown pigment measures [spectrophotometric absorption at 420 nm (Browning Index) and 443 nm (Hydroxymethylfurfural)]; °Brix; and pH). Puree was collected from three different cultivars (2 freestone and 1 clingstone) and puree samples from each cultivar were subjected to 20 combinations of pasteurization temperatures (70°C, 80°C, 90 °C, 100°C) and same hold times (0 minutes, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 …

Identification Of Genetic Variants Underlying Maxillary Canine-Tooth Mesioversion And Small Body Size In Shetland Sheepdogs, Sydney R. Abrams

All Theses

The domesticated dog (Canis lupus familiaris) exhibits a unique population structure, with high levels of genetic homogeneity within breeds due to selective breeding. These closed breeding populations can result in breed-specific inherited disorders. Maxillary canine-tooth mesioversion (MCM) is a genetically complex dental anomaly observed nearly exclusively in the small Shetland Sheepdog breed. Here, we utilized a genome-wide approach to discover a locus of major effect on chromosome 9. Using whole-genome resequencing data from a bilaterally affected dog, we identified variants in two genes: FTSJ3, encoding an RNA methyltransferase, and GH1, encoding growth hormone. Independent genome-wide association …

Effect Of Refrigerated Storage On Meat Quality, Jillian Reid Richardson

All Theses

Maintaining meat quality during cold temperature storage is an important goal for increasing consumer satisfaction and reducing food waste. Following a literature review on the importance of cold meat storage, a study was conducted as a part of Electrolux refrigerator research and development. Chicken breast and beef sirloin filets were stored at -2°C, -5°C, and -18°C and monitored for quality changes over a 7-day period. Temperature fluctuations and relative humidity data were monitored automatically by sensors. Meat quality was evaluated by measuring water activity, moisture content, pH, colorimetry, sensory, and drip loss. Microbial plate counts were used to monitor the …

Elucidating The Cellular Physiology Of Glyphosate Resistance In Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) Using Integrated Omics Approaches, Pawanjit Kaur Sandhu

All Theses

The evolution of resistance to herbicides in weeds poses a major threat to agricultural production systems. To date, herbicide resistance has been reported against 21 modes of action in 266 weed species across 71 countries. More than 50 weed species have developed resistance against glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide worldwide. Although several mechanisms of glyphosate resistance have been discovered, our understanding of alterations in the cellular physiology of glyphosate-resistant weed biotypes, and the induction of the resistance mechanisms remains limited. This knowledge is critical to developing sustainable weed management practices and for a comprehensive understanding of plant stress adaptations. …

Physical And Microbiological Characteristics Of Pickled Eggs From Japanese Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) Of The Pharaoh Variety, Adair Hoover

All Theses

The quality and microbiological characteristics of quail eggs were evaluated after eggs were pickled in different vinegar brine solutions. Pickling food in vinegar is one of the oldest preservation methods; however, little research has been conducted on pickled quail eggs. Commercial quail eggs obtained from a local producer were boiled, peeled, and placed into various pickling solutions and held for 24 or 48 hours at room temperature. After the holding period, eggs were removed from the solutions, weighed, and tested for pH, water activity, texture, and color. A second experiment was conducted to determine the effects of various pickling solutions …

Enabling Breeding For Targeted Heat Requirement In Peach, Omer Atagul

All Theses

Peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] germplasm varies in heat requirement and bloom time. This variability can be utilized in breeding for targeted environment or overall climate resilience. Development of molecular tools to aid in targeted selection of dormancy related traits is needed to support breeding for these traits. This project furthers our understanding of heat requirement accumulation diversity and genetic control in peach.

Peach bloom date (BD) is determined by the dynamic relationship of temperature requirements, from the sequential fulfillment of chill requirement (CR) and heat requirement (HR). Knowledge of HR and its influence on BD would provide deeper …

Macrophage Rac2 Promotes Suppression Of Germination During Aspergillus Fumigatus Infection, Chris D. Tanner

All Theses

Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungus found ubiquitously in the environment including in the air we breathe. Though not a threat to most people, immunodeficient or immunosuppressed individuals are at risk for developing severe infection, including the life-threatening condition of invasive aspergillosis. The hematopoietic cell specific GTPase protein Rac2 is associated with major roles in innate immune defense. Currently Rac2 has been demonstrated to be crucial for survival against a variety of infections. Here, we use a rac2 null mutant zebrafish line and morpholino approaches to elucidate roles of Rac2 in mounting the macrophage host defense response against A. fumigatus infection. …

Unraveling The Genetic Architecture Of Somatic Embryogenesis In Upland Cotton, Adam M. Canal

All Theses

Somatic embryogenesis is the de novo development of asexual embryos because of the plasticity of the plant cell. In tissue culture, the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of dedifferentiated callus tissues can be reprogrammed to transdifferentiate into developed, polarized embryos, which can ultimately regenerate into whole plants. Although this rarely occurs in nature, scientists have exploited this process for decades to regenerate whole plants following gene transformation or for micropropagation. While some species are amenable to in vitro regeneration, upland cotton is particularly recalcitrant, with regenerative potential being confined to only several genotypes. The lack of elite, regenerable genotypes greatly restricts …

Identification Of Critical Points For Bacterial Contamination In The Microbrewery Environment, Alex Ryan Thompson

All Theses

There are 8,884 craft breweries producing over 23 million barrels of beer in the United States as of 2020. These 23 million barrels of craft beer account for 12.3% of the United States beer consumption in 2020. The American craft beer industry is substantial and needs to protect its product from bacterial contamination.

Overall, beer is a microbially stable product. Beers pH, ethanol levels, CO₂ concentrations, the presence of hop-derived antimicrobial compounds, and low levels of O₂ make beer a highly unfavorable environment for most bacterial species. Furthermore, the brewing process, which involves heat treatments and chemical sanitizers …

Food Quality, Security, And Thermal Refuge Influence The Use Of Microsites And Patches By Pygmy Rabbits (Brachylagus Idahoensis) Across Landscapes And Seasons, Peter J. Olsoy, Charlotte R. Milling, Jordan D. Nobler, Meghan J. Camp, Lisa A. Shipley, Jennifer S. Forbey, Janet L. Rachlow, Daniel H. Thornton

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

How intensely animals use habitat features depends on their functional properties (i.e., how the feature influences fitness) and the spatial and temporal scale considered. For herbivores, habitat use is expected to reflect the competing risks of starvation, predation, and thermal stress, but the relative influence of each functional property is expected to vary in space and time. We examined how a dietary and habitat specialist, the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis), used these functional properties of its sagebrush habitat—food quality, security, and thermal refuge—at two hierarchical spatial scales (microsite and patch) across two seasons (winter and summer). At the …

Seasonal Trends In Adult Apparent Survival And Reproductive Trade-Offs Reveal Potential Constraints To Earlier Nesting In A Migratory Bird, Kathleen R. Callery, John A. Smallwood, Anjolene R. Hunt, Emilie R. Snyder, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Birds aim to optimize resources for feeding young and self-maintenance by timing reproduction to coincide with peak food availability. When reproduction is mistimed, birds could incur costs that affect their survival. We studied whether nesting phenology correlated with the apparent survival of American kestrels (Falco sparverius) from two distinct populations and examined trends in clutch-initiation dates. We estimated apparent survival using multi-state mark-recapture models with nesting timing, nesting success, sex, age, and weather covariates. Nesting timing predicted the apparent survival of successful adults; however, the effect differed between populations. Early nesting kestrels had higher apparent survival than later …

Tree Species Diversity Increases With Conspecific Negative Density Dependence Across An Elevation Gradient, Joseph A. Lamanna, F. Andrew Jones, Davod M. Bell, Robert J. Pabst, David C. Shaw

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Elevational and latitudinal gradients in species diversity may be mediated by biotic interactions that cause density-dependent effects of conspecifics on survival or growth to differ from effects of heterospecifics (i.e. conspecific density dependence), but limited evidence exists to support this. We tested the hypothesis that conspecific density dependence varies with elevation using over 40 years of data on tree survival and growth from 23 old-growth temperate forest stands across a 1,000-m elevation gradient. We found that conspecific-density-dependent effects on survival of small-to-intermediate-sized focal trees were negative in lower elevation, higher diversity forest stands typically characterised by warmer temperatures and greater …

Evolved Resistance To A Novel Cationic Peptide Antibiotic Requires High Mutation Supply, Alfonso Santos-Lopez, Melissa J. Fritz, Jeffrey B. Lombardo, Ansen H.P. Burr, Victoria A. Heinrich, Christopher Marshall, Vaughn S. Cooper

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Background and Objectives

A key strategy for resolving the antibiotic resistance crisis is the development of new drugs with antimicrobial properties. The engineered cationic antimicrobial peptide WLBU2 (also known as PLG0206) is a promising broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound that has completed Phase I clinical studies. It has activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including infections associated with biofilm. No definitive mechanisms of resistance to WLBU2 have been identified.

Methodology

Here, we used experimental evolution under different levels of mutation supply and whole genome sequencing (WGS) to detect the genetic pathways and probable mechanisms of resistance to this peptide. We propagated populations …

Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly Reveals Dynamic Sex Chromosomes In Neotropical Leaf-Litter Geckos (Sphaerodactylidae: Sphaerodactylus), Brendan J. Pinto, Shannon E. Keating, Stuart V. Nielsen, Daniel P. Scantlebury, Juan D. Daza, Tony Gamble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Sex determination is a critical element of successful vertebrate development, suggesting that sex chromosome systems might be evolutionarily stable across lineages. For example, mammals and birds have maintained conserved sex chromosome systems over long evolutionary time periods. Other vertebrates, in contrast, have undergone frequent sex chromosome transitions, which is even more amazing considering we still know comparatively little across large swaths of their respective phylogenies. One reptile group in particular, the gecko lizards (infraorder Gekkota), shows an exceptional lability with regard to sex chromosome transitions and may possess the majority of transitions within squamates (lizards and snakes). However, detailed genomic …

An Engineering And Economic Analysis Of The Implementation Of The Carbo Rock-It, Lydia Huck

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The patented Carbo Rock-It system was developed to carbonate beverages for the craft brewing industry with the goal of reducing time, cost, and environmental impacts of the carbonation process. This research field tests, models, analyzes and optimizes the engineering and economic performance of a commercial-scale Carbo Rock-It placed in production at an operating brewery (Core Brewing and Distilling Co., Springdale, AR). Field tests indicated that the Carbo Rock-It was able to successfully carbonate twelve 120 BBL batches of Scarlet Letter Seltzer to 3.0 vol/vol while meeting all beverage quality and safety requirements. The Carbo Rock-It was able to reduce carbonation …

Examining The Effects Of Oral Contraceptive Use On Thermoregulation, Whitley C. Atkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of combined (estradiol and progestin) monophasic oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use on thermoregulation. Further, we sought to evaluate OCP use on acute rehydration post-exercise in the heat using recommended rehydration guidelines. Methods: Twelve healthy, aerobically trained (VO2peak = 47.8 ± 4.7 mL/kg/min), long term female oral contraceptive users completed a familiarization trial and two experimental days separated by ≥ 7 days. The two experimental trials were identical except for the hormone dosing phase. One trial was completed during the third week of active pill dosing (ACT) and one during …