Biology Commons^™

Warm Land Surface Temperatures And Eastern Asian Homo, Robert Patalano, Hong Yang

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department Faculty Journal Articles

Climate change and hominin evolution are inextricably linked. Pleistocene climate variability, for example, is thought to have had major influences on hominin morphology, brain size, and diversity. However, clear cause-and-effect relationships between specific climatic events and major evolutionary occurrences are difficult to establish due to temporal and spatial gaps in paleoclimatic, paleoenvironmental, and archaeological records. A new branched GDGT paleotemperature record from the Lantian Basin of Central China (Lu et al., 2022), a location known for the earliest hominin presence in East Asia, illustrates warm land surface temperatures over a two-million-year period between 2.6 and 0.6 Ma, a critical time …

A Look At Gene Control: Tracking The Ccnd1 Gene, Bryan Anders

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Cancer occurs when the cell does not properly control its own cell cycle. It then replicates in an out of control fashion leading to the death of various organs and then the demise of the organism as a whole. As it seems to have always been a problem for cell-based life, certain safeguards against cancer have been evolved over time. One such method comes in the form of prevention via cyclin proteins, which are encoded from cyclin genes. The gene that is the focus of this research is the CCND1, or cyclin D1, gene that controls the progression through various …

A Rapid Viability And Drug‑Susceptibility Assay Utilizing Mycobacteriophage As An Indicator Of Drug Susceptibilities Of Anti‑Tb Drugs Against Mycobacterium Smegmatis Mc2 155, Gillian Catherine Crowley, Jim O'Mahony, Aidan Coffey, Riona G. Sayers, Paul D. Cotter

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Background: A rapid in-house TM4 mycobacteriophage-based assay, to identify multidrug resistance against various anti-tuberculosis drugs, using the fast-growing Mycobacterium smegmatis mc² 155 in a microtiter plate format was evaluated, based on phage viability assays. Methods: A variety of parameters were optimized before the study including the minimum incubation time for the drugs, phage and M. smegmatis mc² 155 to be in contact. An increase in phage numbers over 2 h was indicative that M. smegmatis mc² 155 is resistant to the drugs under investigation, however when phage numbers remained static, M. smegmatis mc² 155 found to …

Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant Report, Megan Bestwick

Post-Grant Reports

Mitochondria are essential organelles in most eukaryotic cells because of their role in metabolism and the production of ATP by the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway, as well as other key cellular processes. Metal cofactors, such as copper (Cu) and iron (Fe), are incorporated into OXPHOS protein complexes of yeast located within the inner membrane of the mitochondria. Misincorporation or modulation of these available metals in mitochondrial enzymes leads to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are reactive molecules containing oxygen such as peroxides, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals. Yeast are a good model for studying aging and the effect …

Microbiology For Allied Health Students: Instructional Materials, Molly Smith, Sara Selby

Biological Sciences Ancillary Materials

This is a collection of instructional materials for the following open textbook and lab manual:

• Microbiology for Allied Health Students Textbook
• Microbiology for Allied Health Students Lab Manual

Authors' Description:

The materials in this collection were developed from various sources as a means of engaging students and assessing their understanding of the course content. Included in the Active Learning Strategies are several game-type activities, as well as a webquest that serves as a directed research project designed to supplement the information found in their lab manual.

The Case Studies build on information from the remixed version of the OpenStax Microbiology …

The Association Of Serum Levels Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor With The Occurrence Of And Recovery From Delirium In Older Medical Inpatients, John Williams, Karen Finn, Vincent Melvin, David Meagher, Geraldine Mccarthy, Dimitrios Adamis

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Limited studies of the association between BDNF levels and delirium have given inconclusive results. This prospective, longitudinal study examined the relationship between BDNF levels and the occurrence of and recovery from delirium. Participants were assessed twice weekly using MoCA, DRS-R98, and APACHE II scales. BDNF levels were estimated using an ELISA method. Delirium was defined with DRS-R98 (score > 16) and recovery from delirium as ≥2 consecutive assessments without delirium prior to discharge. We identified no difference in BDNF levels between those with and without delirium. Excluding those who never developed delirium (), we examined the association of BDNF levels and …

Optimization Of A Genomic Editing System Using Crispr/Cas9-Induced Site-Specific Gene Integration, Jillian L. Mccool Ms., Nick Hum, Gabriela G. Loots

STAR Program Research Presentations

The CRISPR-Cas system is an adaptive immune system found in bacteria which helps protect against the invasion of other microorganisms. This system induces double stranded breaks at precise genomic loci (1) in which repairs are initiated and insertions of a target are completed in the process. This mechanism can be used in eukaryotic cells in combination with sgRNAs (1) as a tool for genome editing. By using this CRISPR-Cas system, in addition to the “safe harbor locus,” ROSAβ26, the incorporation of a target gene into a site that is not susceptible to gene silencing effects can be achieved through few …

Neurotoxicity Of Two Related Organophosphates On Caenorhabditis Elegans, Collin M. Brown

Honors Program Projects

Organophosphates are a class of toxicants that act by inhibiting the activity of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme vital to normal neuronal activity. Dimethoate and omethoate are two organophosphates that are chemical "cousins" of one another. Omethoate is a metabolite, or byproduct of dimethoate decomposition, and is more toxicologically active than dimethoate. Both toxicants were applied to cultures of Caenorhabditis elegans to determine two qualities of the organophosphates: their relative toxicity and their cumulative effects. The toxicity of omethoate was found to be significantly higher than that of dimethoate. Omethoate was found to have a 144.4% more lethal toxicity than dimethoate, and …

Effect Of Bisphenol-A On Neurodevelopment In Drosophila Melanogaster Larvae, Alexandra M. Streifel

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

This paper examines the effects of the chemical preservative bisphenol-A on the developing nervous systems of Drosophila melanogaster, or fruit fly, larvae. This study examines the effects of bisphenol-A using both behavioral as well as morphological paradigms. It was determined that bisphenol-A significantly increased the amount of time larvae spent in seeking behavior, the number of peristaltic contractions, and the distance traveled in a linear fashion. In the morphological analysis, indications of increased dendritic area in experimental larvae existed, but there was not enough data to determine significance. For future research, it is recommended that more data be gathered to …

Selective Mutation Accumulation: A Computational Model Of The Paternal Age Effect, Eoin C. Whelan, Alexander C. Nwala, Christopher Osgood, Stephan Olariu

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Motivation: As the mean age of parenthood grows, the effect of parental age on genetic disease and child health becomes ever more important. A number of autosomal dominant disorders show a dramatic paternal age effect due to selfish mutations: substitutions that grant spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) a selective advantage in the testes of the father, but have a deleterious effect in offspring. In this paper we present a computational technique to model the SSC niche in order to examine the phenomenon and draw conclusions across different genes and disorders.

Results: We used a Markov chain to model the probabilities of …

Creating A Drosophila Sod1 Mutant Through Homologous Recombination, Saman Nayyab Stilwell

Honors Projects

This works describes the creation and partial phenotypic analysis of a point mutation within the endogenous Drosophila sod gene. The sodS111C allele was generated through a process of mutagenesis and homologous recombination in vivo. SodS111C stocks were created to analyze the mutation’s influence on protein aggregation, if any. We were able to test the effects of this mutant by assessing the function of the protein using genetic assays. To examine the effect of sodS111C on the second chromosome in the presence of sodG85R on the third chromosome appropriate genetic crosses were performed and it was determined that there was no …

Draft Genome Sequences Of Six Different Staphylococcus Epidermidis Clones, Isolated Individually From Preterm Neonates Presenting With Sepsis At Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary, Paul Walsh, M. Bekaert, J. Carroll, T. Manning, B. Kelly, A. O'Driscoll, X. Lu, C. Smith, P. Dickinson, K. Templeton, P. Ghazal, Roy D. Sleator

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Herein, we report the draft genome sequences of six individual Staphylococcus epidermidis clones, cultivated from blood taken from different preterm neonatal sepsis patients at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Recipe For Life - Health Awareness, Courtney Thrower

Collection of Engaged Learning

The design of this project was two-fold; the research component included examination of data from a previous investigation and compared it with data collected in a community service project. In each, the aim was to assess the health habits of underserved Spanish communities and provide information and opportunity for engagement with health education. Data were collected from voluntary participants in Panama and West Dallas. The purpose of the investigation was to learn more about perceptions of health habits and provide hands-on learning regarding what it means to be healthy and practice a wellness lifestyle. Specifically, to help participants in underserved …

Effect Of Gamma Radiation On Growth And Mycotoxins Production Of Alternaria Alternata, Danny Karlet

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The ubiquitous genus Alternaria contains many species that are able to invade cereals, oleaginous plants and other crops. Alternaria alternata is considered one of the most important species and can produce several mycotoxins under favourable conditions of temperature and humidity, including the economically important toxins: alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). The aim of this study was to evaluate the radio-sensitivity of Alternaria alternata spores through different gamma radiation doses. A. alternata growth and the production of AOH and AME were then analyzed. After fungal irradiation with 2 kGy, 5 kGy and 7 kGy, the spores were suspended with …

Human Anatomy And Physiology Preparatory Course (1st Edition), Carlos Liachovitzky

Open Educational Resources

The overall purpose of this preparatory course textbook is to help students familiarize with some terms and some basic concepts they will find later in the Human Anatomy and Physiology I course.

The organization and functioning of the human organism generally is discussed in terms of different levels of increasing complexity, from the smallest building blocks to the entire body. This Anatomy and Physiology preparatory course covers the foundations on the chemical level, and a basic introduction to cellular level, organ level, and organ system levels. There is also an introduction to homeostasis at the beginning.

Development And Evaluation Of A Model For Secondary Evolution Educators’ Professional Development Needs, William L. Romine, Ellen Barnett, Patricia J. Friedrichsen, Aaron J. Sickel

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Professional development (PD) efforts have improved acceptance and pedagogical practice related to the theory of evolution in high school biology teachers. However, these teachers express need for more PD related to evolution. It therefore becomes necessary to understand teachers’ PD needs prior to structuring PD efforts.

Methods

We formulated and validated a model to explain secondary teachers’ PD needs using data from a survey of 276 secondary biology teachers who reported teaching evolution.

Results

In addition to reliable subscales, we found that obstacles to teaching evolution, school and community support for evolution instruction, confidence in evolution instruction, and prior …

The Effect Of Shear Stress, Potassium, And Adenosine On Α-1 Adrenergic Vasoconstriction Of Rat Soleus Feed Arteries, Tanner J. Heckle, Jeffrey Jasperse

Featured Research

During exercise, blood flow increases to the working skeletal muscle primarily because of dilation of the arteries and arterioles feeding the muscle. Sympathetic nerve activity also increases during exercise, augmenting the release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) at the arterial wall and into the blood. NE acts to constrict blood vessels; however, arteries and arterioles within contracting skeletal muscle dilate despite the increased NE present. This has led to the concept of functional sympatholysis (4), the idea that a chemical released from contracting skeletal muscle interferes with NE signaling. NE acts by binding to adrenergic (alpha and beta) receptors, and …

Library Impact Statement For Nrs/Bio 417 Herpetology, Michael A. Cerbo Ii

Library Impact Statements

Library Impact Statement for NRU/BIO 417 Herpetology new course proposal. No new library resources are needed to support this course. Responding library faculty member: Michael A. Cerbo II. Requesting faculty member: Nancy E. Karraker.

Library Impact Statement For Nrs/Bio 517 Herpetology, Michael A. Cerbo Ii

Library Impact Statements

Library Impact Statement for NRS/BIO 517 Herpetology. No new library resources are needed to support this course. Responding library faculty member: Micael A. Cerbo II. Requesting faculty member: Nancy E. Karraker.

It’S My Body: The Biomedical Ethics Of Cell And Organ Harvest, Christina Perri

Common Reading Essay Contest Winners

First Place

Chemotherapy: The Physiological Cost Of A Cure, Megan Ellis

A with Honors Projects

This project focuses on the common long term side effects of cancer treatments, apart from cure. In addition to physiological function changes, it focuses on the chemical composition of chemotherapy drugs.

In Vitro Expression And Purification Of Class I Mhc Molecules, Loi Cheng

Honors Scholar Theses

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a gene family responsible for many critical functions of the immune system in most vertebrates. The MHC consists of three classes differentiated by their structure and function, and MHC class I encodes antigen binding proteins as well as chaperone and accessory proteins such as tapasin. The purpose of this project is to reconstitute several human MHC class I molecules in their peptide-filled and peptide-deficient forms, and to purify these proteins for biochemical study. The expressed proteins include wild type and mutant variants of the fusion protein human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*0801-fos, and human beta-2-microglobulin (β2m). …

Daughter Cells Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae From Old Mothers Display A Reduced Life Span, Nicanor Austriaco, Brian K. Kennedy, Leonard Guarente

Biology Faculty Publications

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae typically divides asymmetrically to give a large mother cell and a smaller daughter cell. As mother cells become old, they enlarge and produce daughter cells that are larger than daughters derived from young mother cells. We found that occasional daughter cells were indistinguishable in size from their mothers, giving rise to a symmetric division. The frequency of symmetric divisions became greater as mother cells aged and reached a maximum occurrence of 30% in mothers undergoing their last cell division. Symmetric divisions occurred similarly in rad9 and ste12 mutants. Strikingly, daughters from old mothers, whether they arose …