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Articles 61 - 90 of 767

Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

The Effects Of Interleukin-1a, Interleukin-6 And Tumor Necrosis Factor- A On The Growth Of Human H295r Cells, Tara Leigh Nelson, Dr. Allan M. Judd Feb 2014

The Effects Of Interleukin-1a, Interleukin-6 And Tumor Necrosis Factor- A On The Growth Of Human H295r Cells, Tara Leigh Nelson, Dr. Allan M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cytokines are extracellular signaling proteins or peptides that act as local mediators in cell-cell communication. They regulate several endocrine systems and function in the immune process. These agents mediate cellular proliferation within endocrine tissues, regulate hormone secretion, and control aspects of inflammation (1). Interleukin-1a (IL- 1a), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) are present in normal adrenal glands of rats, bovine and humans. They stimulate and inhibit adrenal hormones. Growth and differentiation of the adrenal gland may also be affected by cytokines. The study of the effects of these cytokines is important because adrenal tumors may cause hypersecretion of the …

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Phylogenetic Analysis Of Crayfish Using Astacin, Crystal Komm, Dr. Keith A. Crandall Feb 2014

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Crayfish Using Astacin, Crystal Komm, Dr. Keith A. Crandall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Astacin is a zinc-endopeptidase, originally described as a unique enzyme and first sequenced from the crayfish Astacus astacus (Geier 97). This project aimed to gather several Astacin gene sequences from multiple taxa of crayfish and to submit them to phylogenetic analysis using PAUP (Swofford 98). PAUP would then generate trees displaying the most probable evolutionary relationships among taxa based on variation in the Astacin gene sequences.

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Independent Murine Biosynthesis Of Threonine: Expression Of A Complete Bacterial Biosynthetic Pathway In Mice, Ryan D. Mcallister, Dr. David Kooyman Feb 2014

Independent Murine Biosynthesis Of Threonine: Expression Of A Complete Bacterial Biosynthetic Pathway In Mice, Ryan D. Mcallister, Dr. David Kooyman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Threonine is one of the 20 common amino acids found in nature. It is a limiting factor for the growth of many non-ruminant animals such as swine and mice and must be obtained from their diet. When threonine is absent from the diet of these animals, the other amino acids present cannot be fully utilized. The result is poor conversion of plant to animal protein (1). We proposed producing transgenic mice using the genes from the known five-step bacterial pathway for threonine synthesis (2). The introduction of these bacterial pathways to mice would eliminate the need for dietary supplementation of …

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Brain Aromatase And 5a-Reductase, Regulatory Behaviors And Testosterone Levels In Adult Rats On Phytoestrogen Diets, Scott Weber, Dr. Edwin Lephart Feb 2014

Brain Aromatase And 5a-Reductase, Regulatory Behaviors And Testosterone Levels In Adult Rats On Phytoestrogen Diets, Scott Weber, Dr. Edwin Lephart

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In certain brain regions, brain cell differentiation is influenced by hormones present at the time of development. Two hormones, estrogen (estradiol) and testosterone, play significant roles in male and female brain structure differentiation. The major androgen (testosterone) metabolizing enzymes, aromatase cytochrome P450 and 5a-reductase, play critical roles in the conversion of testosterone into estradiol and 5a-dihydrotestosterone, respectively.1

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Prey Life History Variation Across A Predation Gradient, Matthew Baker, Dr. Mark Belk Feb 2014

Prey Life History Variation Across A Predation Gradient, Matthew Baker, Dr. Mark Belk

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Research exploring the effects of predation on life history evolution has focused almost exclusively on geographically disjunct populations subjected to discrete differences in mortality. Sampling only the ends of a predation continuum left to guess how prey life histories in the live bearing fish Brachyrhaphis rhabdopora vary by sampling at points along the entire predation gradient.

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Ultrastructural Analysis Of Cartilage Matrix Fibrils, Niloufar Tabatabaei Feb 2014

Ultrastructural Analysis Of Cartilage Matrix Fibrils, Niloufar Tabatabaei

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pulmonary Hypoplasia is a lethal neonatal disorder associated with the reduction of thoracic volume due to skeletal dysplasia.’ The homozygous recessive chondrodysplasia (cho/ cho) in mice serves as our model enabling us to demonstrate how the cartilage matrix is tied together on a molecular level. Atypically wide type II collagen fibrils have been observed in the cartilage of cho/ cho fetuses. This suggests that the mutation has altered the process by which collagen is assembled into fibrils in the extracellular matrix. Recently the cho mutation was mapped to chromosome 3 which is linked to a! (XI) collagen. Based upon this …

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The Effects Of Prenatal Phytoestrogen Exposure On Fetal Brain Calbindin Levels, Heather Taylor, Dr. Edwin Lephart Feb 2014

The Effects Of Prenatal Phytoestrogen Exposure On Fetal Brain Calbindin Levels, Heather Taylor, Dr. Edwin Lephart

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Calcium plays a major part in muscle contraction, bone growth, but especially in central nervous system (CNS) development and function. Calcium participates in neuronal growth and degeneration. For example, the CNS depends on calcium during the development of neuronal cytoskeletal structures and synapse formation. When there is an excess of calcium, it disrupts the formation and the essential synapses or connections and they fail to form correctly.

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Ultrasonic Study Of Normal Tendons And Ligaments Of The American Quarter Horse, Joseph Thurgood Feb 2014

Ultrasonic Study Of Normal Tendons And Ligaments Of The American Quarter Horse, Joseph Thurgood

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The palmar metacarpal aspect of 27 purebred (n=24) and appendix (n=3) American Quarter Horses were divided into sections and ultrasonically viewed to determine the circumference and cross-sectional area of the four principle tendons and ligaments in this region: superficial digital flexor tendon, deep digital flexor tendon, inferior check ligament, and suspensory ligament. This study was conducted using Brigham Young University Equitation schooling horses between May 1997 and February 1998. The structure measurements were analyzed for relationships to weight, age, sex and size of the horses (n=27). No correlation between weight, age, and sex of the horse and dimensions of any …

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Phylogeny Of The Order Siphonaptera Based On Molecular Data, Alison Swindle, Dr. Michael F. Whiting Feb 2014

Phylogeny Of The Order Siphonaptera Based On Molecular Data, Alison Swindle, Dr. Michael F. Whiting

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The insect order Siphonaptera (fleas) has been historically significant for thousands of years. Beginning as early as 430 B.C. outbreaks of the bubonic plague have swept across continents and killed millions of people. Before fleas were linked with the plague, they were a little known order. Karl Linne recognized only two species of fleas in his “Systemae Naturae” in 1735. From 1735 to 1897 the described species count increased slowly from two up to sixty-eight. After 1897, and the recognition that fleas may be carriers of the plague, there was a rapid escalation in the research and interest in the …

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Determining The Expression Patterns Of Developmental Genes In Tribolium, Cecily P. Vaughn, Dr. Randy Bennett Feb 2014

Determining The Expression Patterns Of Developmental Genes In Tribolium, Cecily P. Vaughn, Dr. Randy Bennett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Development in animals is controlled by a set of genes called homeotic genes whose protein products regulate the expression of other genes. Although many homeotic genes have been locates in numerous organisms, there is still much that remains to be learned about the manner in which these genes control development. The aim of my ORCA project was to determine the expression patterns of a few key developmental genes in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum).

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Chelex, Guanidine, And Phenol/Chloroform: A Comparison Of Extractions For Ancient Dna From Dentin Powder, J. Daniel Rasband Feb 2014

Chelex, Guanidine, And Phenol/Chloroform: A Comparison Of Extractions For Ancient Dna From Dentin Powder, J. Daniel Rasband

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Several different methods have been employed in the extraction and amplification of ancient DNA (aDNA). The work in this thesis Is an effort to compare three popular extraction techniques, chelex, guanidine/ silica slurry, and phenol/chloroform, as applied to extracting DNA from the dentin of ancient teeth. Modern and ancient samples were extracted using the three techniques. The extract was then amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The data show that of the three extraction procedures, the most favorable results were obtained using the guanidine/silica slurry extraction technique, producing consistently good amplification. The phenol/chloroform extraction was mildly successful, showing amplification …

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Determination Of The Cell Tvpe(S) In The Rat Adrenal Zona Glomerulosa That Release Interleukin-6, Michael F. Erickson Feb 2014

Determination Of The Cell Tvpe(S) In The Rat Adrenal Zona Glomerulosa That Release Interleukin-6, Michael F. Erickson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent studies have shown that the cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are produced by cells found in the zonaglomerulosa of the rat adrenal cortex (I ,2). These cytokines modify adrenal hormone release gland. Specifically, IL-6 stimulates the release of glucocorticoids from the zona fasciculata/reticularis (3) and TNF inhibits the release of aldosterone from the zona glomerulosa (4). It is of interest that during times of traumatic injury or septic shock the serum and tissue levels of these cytokines increase. This increased cytokine level is partly responsible for the lethal effects of septic shock (including severe hypotension) since …

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Culture And Isolation Of Embryonic Stem Cells From Porcine Blatocysts, J. Zachary Bruneel, Dr. Jeralyn J. Franson Feb 2014

Culture And Isolation Of Embryonic Stem Cells From Porcine Blatocysts, J. Zachary Bruneel, Dr. Jeralyn J. Franson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are obtained through the culture of undifferentiated cells of embryos in early devel-opment. Because embryonic cells will undergo differentiation and development when placed in standard culture conditions, a media which contains differentiation inhibitors must be used in order for successful development of ES cells. ES cells are capable of becoming any cell type in the body when removed from the influence of differentiation inhibitors, making ES cells a potential agent for gene transfer and livestock cloning. ES cells are therefore an invaluable research tool, providing both a better understanding of genetics as well as providing genetically …

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The Impact Of A Naturally Fragmented Habitat On The Distribution And Breeding Biology Of House Wrens, Suzanne Reeve, Dr. Brian A. Maurer Feb 2014

The Impact Of A Naturally Fragmented Habitat On The Distribution And Breeding Biology Of House Wrens, Suzanne Reeve, Dr. Brian A. Maurer

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The distribution and life history characteristics of organisms can be significantly affected by structural variation in their habitats. One major type of variation is spatial arrangement and whether a habitat extends continuously or exists in small, fragmented patches. The effects of this variation have been documented in organisms from fruit flies (Jaenike 1978) to Amazonian beetles (Klein 1989) to songbirds (Andren and Angelstam 1988, Gates and Gysel 1978). According to research findings and theoretical prediction, many significant consequences of habitat fragmentation are caused by an increased ratio of habitat edge length to area. Studies indicate that increased edge length creates …

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Ciliary Transport Of Particles In Polyplacophoran Gills, Matthew Palmer, Dr. Lee F. Braithwaite Feb 2014

Ciliary Transport Of Particles In Polyplacophoran Gills, Matthew Palmer, Dr. Lee F. Braithwaite

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Throughout the phylum Mollusca, gills are used to accomplish a variety of tasks and are thus highly specialized organs. The chitons, class Polyplacophora, are a primitive group of molluscs whose gills have the unique condition of being aligned on either side of the foot in series of up to 60 gills per side. Despite this unique arrangement, chiton gills have been the subject of relatively few studies. The objective of this project was to elucidate the mechanism by which chitons extrude particles from their gill surfaces. The two approaches employed to this end were, first, observation of live chitons transporting …

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The Effects Of Maternal Separation On Lymphocyte Activity In Rats, Patrick R. Olson, Dr. Reuben Ward Rhees Feb 2014

The Effects Of Maternal Separation On Lymphocyte Activity In Rats, Patrick R. Olson, Dr. Reuben Ward Rhees

Journal of Undergraduate Research

We have been investigating how stress affects physiological development. My interest dealt with the effects of stress on the immune system. Lymphocyte proliferation is a common measurement of immune function.

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Biophysical Mechanism Of Anesthetics, David Busath Feb 2014

Biophysical Mechanism Of Anesthetics, David Busath

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I was awarded a MEG in 2008 (with support continuing through 2009) for the project entitled “Biophysical Mechanism of Anesthetics.” The goals of the project were to measure the impact of volatile general anesthetics (isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane) on:

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Systematics And Genetic Variation Among The Cryptic Sub-Species Complex Of Two- Lined Salamanders Eurycea Bislineata, Eric Swenson, Dr. Keith Crandall Jan 2014

Systematics And Genetic Variation Among The Cryptic Sub-Species Complex Of Two- Lined Salamanders Eurycea Bislineata, Eric Swenson, Dr. Keith Crandall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

DNA sequence analysis can be a very powerful tool to examine the evolutionary history of many different species of organisms. One of the most useful benefits is determining species lineage and evolutionary relationships. In this study we attempted to examine the phylogenetic relationship of Eurycea bislineata, an east coast salamander by examining the Cytochrome b, and ND4 gene regions of the mitochondrial DNA genome.

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Species Boundaries In The Gymnodactylus Darwinii Complex (Reptilia, Squamata), Aaron N. Waite, Dr. Jack W. Sites Jr. Jan 2014

Species Boundaries In The Gymnodactylus Darwinii Complex (Reptilia, Squamata), Aaron N. Waite, Dr. Jack W. Sites Jr.

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The genus Gymnodactylus is a group of small lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae, which occur in the east and central areas of Brazil. The species G. darwinii is restricted to the Atlantic Forest and ranges from the northeastern state of Bahia south 1500 miles along the coast to the northern region of the southeastern state of São Paulo.

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Jak/Stat Pathway Utilized By Adrenal Cells In Response To Il-6, Brice Jason Williams, Dr. Allan M. Judd Jan 2014

Jak/Stat Pathway Utilized By Adrenal Cells In Response To Il-6, Brice Jason Williams, Dr. Allan M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In most mammals, the adrenal cortex produces the hormones cortisol, aldosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). These hormones have profound effects upon water and salt balance, the inflammatory response, and the metabolism of sugars, fats, and proteins. Because of its importance in maintaining homeostasis, the body highly regulates the adrenal gland. As part of the regulation, the body secretes many different molecules including cytokines. One of the most researched cytokines is interleukin-6, IL-6 (1). Many different cells produce IL-6, including adrenal cortical cells (2). The adrenal cortical cells secrete IL-6 into the extracellular space. IL-6 then binds to its receptor (IL-6 receptor …

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Locating Chondrocyte-Specific Enhancer Elements In The First Intronic Region Of The Col11a2 Gene, Steven Alan Smith, Dr. Laura Bridgewater Jan 2014

Locating Chondrocyte-Specific Enhancer Elements In The First Intronic Region Of The Col11a2 Gene, Steven Alan Smith, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Osteoarthritis is one of most prominent illnesses that plague our world today. It involves the degeneration of cartilage between joints due to a reduction of collagen fibrils. The type XI collagen gene (Col11a2) is one of a few genes responsible for the production of the collagen fibrils. It is expressed wherever cartilage is present. It is expressed in these areas because of specific expression factors (proteins) that enhance the production of collagen. Once these expression factors are known, a possible genetic remedy can be manufactured to aide in curing osteoarthritis or other skeletal abnormalities.

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Effects Of Dietary Phytoestrogens On Calcium-Binding Proteins And Cox- 2 In The Frontal Cortex Of Adult Rats, Lilyan Yi Tian, Dr. Edwin Lephart Jan 2014

Effects Of Dietary Phytoestrogens On Calcium-Binding Proteins And Cox- 2 In The Frontal Cortex Of Adult Rats, Lilyan Yi Tian, Dr. Edwin Lephart

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like molecules found in many plants (that have a diphenolic, non-steroidal structure), such as, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-grain and especially soy products. These plant estrogen mimic the ability to selectively bind estrogen receptors and have recently received a great deal of investigative attention due to the potential protective effects against age-related diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis) as well as hormone-dependent cancers (i.e., breast and prostate cancer). At this time, however, little is known about the effects phytoestrogens have on the central nervous system (CNS).

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The Separation Of Suspected Subspecies Of Cutthroat Trout Using Mitochondrial Dna Sequences, Becky A. Shiozawa, R. Paul Evans Jan 2014

The Separation Of Suspected Subspecies Of Cutthroat Trout Using Mitochondrial Dna Sequences, Becky A. Shiozawa, R. Paul Evans

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Current mitochondrial DNA techniques using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) are still unsuccessful in determining phylogenetic relationships between subspecies of cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki), such as the relationships between Snake River finespot cutthroat trout and Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Bear River Bonneville cutthroat trout and Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and Lahontan cutthroat trout and its subspecies. Due to these groups distinct geological or ecological separation and the relatively rapid rate of mtDNA evolution, it is likely distinctive markers exist for these subspecies within mtDNA. Identification of such markers would be valuable for identification and future research on the subspecies.

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Examination Of Ap-4 As A Transcriptional Activator Of The Col11a2 Chondrocyte-Specific Enhancer Elements, Todd Lincoln Jackson, Dr. Laura Bridgewater Jan 2014

Examination Of Ap-4 As A Transcriptional Activator Of The Col11a2 Chondrocyte-Specific Enhancer Elements, Todd Lincoln Jackson, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My purpose is to explore activator protein 4’s (AP-4) role in the expression of the Col11a2 gene. My hypothesis is that AP-4 will bind to the Col11a2 enhancer elements and increase activity of that gene. AP-4 is a ubiquitous transcription factor. Transcription factors are proteins that help regulate cell differentiation and proliferation by binding to enhancer sites to promote or inhibit gene expression. Previous work has shown that the mouse Col11a2 gene contains at least three enhancer sites namely; ABC, DE, and FG [1,2]. Each sequence of the enhancer sites was put through two computer databases of known transcription factors …

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The Specific Binding Of Protein’S To The Abc, Fg, And De Enhancer Elements Of The Col11a2 Gene, Kristopher Bennion, Dr. Laura Bridgewater Jan 2014

The Specific Binding Of Protein’S To The Abc, Fg, And De Enhancer Elements Of The Col11a2 Gene, Kristopher Bennion, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Gene therapy is extensively being studied in many labs for the potential treatment of such disorders as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and other such disabling diseases. Researchers in Dr. Bridgewater’s lab have been studying the Col11a2 gene in hopes of future treatment of such disorders as cleft palate, dwarfism, and several forms of arthritis. Two years ago we confirmed and established that ABC, DE, and FG were indeed acting as enhancer elements for the Col11a2 gene through various mutations to these specific regions of the gene. These findings have led the lab to do research in the development of a “super …

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Dppg Susceptibility To Human Group X Phospholipase A2, Katrina Behling, Dr. John D. Bell Jan 2014

Dppg Susceptibility To Human Group X Phospholipase A2, Katrina Behling, Dr. John D. Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

There are eight known isoforms of the mammalian secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2). One of these, the recently discovered human group X sPLA2 (hGX), when added to adherent cells, has the ability to cleave the second fatty acid side chain of phospholipids, thereby producing arachidonic acid. Other isozymes, when added in a similar manner, do not release arachidonic acid unless the cells have become non-adherent, or are first treated with chemicals that increase intracellular calcium levels such as ionomycin, lysolecithin, or thionin. Originally, we were interested in whether hGX would respond with increased enzymatic activity, as do the other sPLA2 isoforms, …

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Convergent Hiv Evolution, Keith A. Crandall, Dr. Chris R. Kelsey Jan 2014

Convergent Hiv Evolution, Keith A. Crandall, Dr. Chris R. Kelsey

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus with RNA as its genetic material. During the replication cycle, the enzyme reverse transcriptase uses the RNA template to transcribe a complementary DNA copy. Because of the significant infidelity of reverse transcriptase, mutations accumulate within the viral genome at a rate approximately a million times higher than that of a typical host genome (3). This high mutation rate leads to a heterogeneous population in which viral isolates are closely related and evolutionary pathways can be discerned from molecular data. In addition, high mutation rates allow for accelerated evolution, especially under selective conditions. …

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Production Of Cytokines Interleukin-6 And Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha In Human Adrenocortical H295r Cells, Joseph Johnson, Dr. Allan M. Judd Jan 2014

Production Of Cytokines Interleukin-6 And Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha In Human Adrenocortical H295r Cells, Joseph Johnson, Dr. Allan M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Difficulties associated with research into the physiology of the human adrenal gland have been alleviated due to the isolation of the human adrenocortical tumor cell-line, NCI-H295R, which retains the ability to produce adrenocortical steroids (e.g. aldosterone, cortisol, DHEA) when grown in culture (1). We investigated whether these cells also produce cytokines, peptides which regulate endocrine and immune function.

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Molecular Mechanism Of Neuronal Communication, Blake Simmons, Dr. Dixon Woodbury Jan 2014

Molecular Mechanism Of Neuronal Communication, Blake Simmons, Dr. Dixon Woodbury

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nerve Cells communicate with each other by synaptic transmission. Synaptic transmission is the release by one nerve cell of neurotransmitters packaged in synaptic vesicles. Proteins known as SNAREs, (e.g., synaptobrevin and syntaxin) are believed to drive neurotransmitter release by inducing fusion (exocytosis) within a presynaptic neuron. Figure 1 shows a synaptic vesicle binding to the presynaptic membrane and the interaction of two SNARE proteins.i,ii My plan was to map which domains of the SNARE protein, syntaxin, are necessary for fusion.

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Common Variable Immunodeficiency: Literature And Reality, Heather Janene Kearl, Dr. Richard R. Tolman Jan 2014

Common Variable Immunodeficiency: Literature And Reality, Heather Janene Kearl, Dr. Richard R. Tolman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is one of the least understood primary immunodeficiencies. It is a disease where the body attacks its own antibodies, destroying all or most of them. Patients with CVID suffer from recurrent illnesses such as pneumonia, hepatitis, and other infections. While scientists know very little about the illness, there is much information available postulating its origin. In my thesis, I reviewed the current literature concerning CVID and compared it to the real life story of a woman, Darlene Phillips, whose life CVID has shaped.

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