Biology Commons^™

Exercise In The Heat: Perceptual Measures In Hydrated And Dehydrated Conditions, John Kromer

Honors Scholar Theses

Introduction: Athletes, warfighters, and laborers are often exposed to extreme environmental conditions that can result in heat-related illnesses negatively impacting performance and productivity.

Purpose: To evaluate Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) from pre-trial to post-trial surrounding exercise in the heat. The secondary purpose was to compare post-trial measures between hydration status as well as environmental conditions.

Methods: Twenty-six male and female subjects performed four trials. Two trials were conducted in temperate conditions (24 ℃, 55% relative humidity) and two in extreme heat conditions (35 ℃, 55% relative humidity), in both hydrated and dehydrated conditions. The Profile of Moods States survey was …

Is The Zebrafish Speed Bump Mutant A Mutation In Wee1? And Is It A Complete Loss Of Function?, Nathania Karyadi

Honors Theses

Every cell has to undergo the cell cycle process before it can divide or differentiate. The cell cycle is an error-prone complex process where mutations could happen. This study aimed to characterize the nervous system and blood cells of the speed bump mutant in zebrafish. This study also aimed to do gene characterization of the wee1 CRISPR mutant. The speed bump mutant is due to a mutation in the wee1 gene. Lack of the wee1 gene will cause no Wee1 Kinase, which inhibits the MPF, causing cells to go into mitosis too early. To fulfill these objectives, this study used …

The Various Nervous System Drugs Commonly Used For Treatment And The Disparities In Availability Of These Drugs In Minority Groups, Iman Haurami

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The nervous system is a complex network in our body that is responsible for actions, reflexes, and even sensations. With the brain being part of the CNS, many common nervous system disorders are due to a defect in the central nervous system and the functions of this organ. These disorders include mental health problems, degenerative diseases, seizures, infections, and other possible genetic diseases. Many of these diseases are common in society and constantly researched. Even though these diseases are common, treatment accessibility and effects on people of minority groups are overlooked compared to the focus on majority groups. For drug …

The Effect Of Estrogen On Gdnf Production Of Skeletal Muscle In Vitro, Hope Welter

Honors Theses

As life expectancy continues to rise, the number of people over age 65 in the U.S. is increasing. An aging population brings with it impacts on the national health system and associated economic expenditures. As individuals age, the skeletomuscular system suffers reduced function due to disease or conditions such as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is characterized by muscular atrophy resulting from reduced muscle innervation. Exercise has been linked to prevention of sarcopenia, a suspected result of increased production of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). GDNF promotes neuronal survival, regeneration, and the formation of neuromuscular junctions. Therefore, treatments like exercise that increase …

Literature Review On Outer Hair Cell Regeneration And Potential Hearing Restoration, Serena Karlov

Honors Theses

The cochlea is the portion of the inner ear responsible for hearing, containing both the organ of Corti and auditory hair cells. Sound wave vibrations mechanically bend the stereocilia on the three rows of outer hair cells and one row of inner hair cells. These hair cells transduce this mechanical energy into electrical impulses that are relayed from the auditory nerve to the brain, where sounds are processed. In this review I provide an overview of inner ear anatomy, ear physiology, and auditory transduction. I then move on to specifically focus on the importance of outer hair cells, their regeneration, …

Racial Health And Productivity Inequalities In The United States, Elissia Vecere

Honors Theses

Across America, it is frequently seen that there are may differences by race in economic and social outcomes. This variability can be seen in judicial, social, and economic systems. The breakdown of economic systems presenting racial variability can be displayed via workplace statistics. There is a general discrepancy between the workplace statistics represented with Black and White employees. These differences frequently are blamed on the productivity and background education supplied by the employee upon being hired. However, the levels of variation across these two races varies minutely in comparison to the differences in wages supplied. When all factors are kept …

The Effects Of Paclitaxel On Cellular Migration And The Cytoskeleton, Ashley Salguero-Gonzalez

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

In a clinical setting, some patients are exposed to an anti-cancer chemotherapy agent, paclitaxel. Cancerous cells undergo rapid, continuous cell division without control. Chemotherapy treatments try to slow and stop the uncontrollable cell division cycles and eliminate cancerous cells in the process. Paclitaxel serves as a treatment for some types of cancers, including lung, melanoma, bladder, and esophageal. Because it targets the cytoskeleton, paclitaxel can also influence cell migration. This project utilizes a cellular migration assay and an immunohistochemistry assay to analyze the effects of paclitaxel on the movement of cells and on the cytoskeleton of neuroglia rat cells with …

Volume 13, Payton Davenport, Audrey Lemons, Jacob Shope, Haley Smith, Cassandra Poole, Rachel Cannon, Rachel Boch, Suzanne Stetson

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Roger A. Byrne, Dean

From the Editor Dr. Larissa “Kat” Tracy

From the Designers Rachel English, Rachel Hanson

The Effect of Compliment Type on the Estimated Value of the Compliment by Payton Davenport, Audrey Lemons, and Jacob Shope

The Imperial Japanese Military: A New Identity in the Twentieth Century, 1853–1922 by Haley Smith

Longwood University’s campus: Human-cultivated Soil has Higher Microbial Diversity than Soil Collected from Wild Sites by Cassandra Poole

Reminiscent Modernism: Poetry Magazine’s Modernist Nostalgia for the Past by Rachel Cannon

Challenges Faced by Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Preliminary Study of Age and …

Crossing The Border: A Novel Mouse Line Using Fgf10-Cre To Drive Gata3 Overexpression In Nonsensory Transcriptional Context, Lucas Cunha

Honors Theses

Hearing loss can occur in a variety of ways, and in every case, they have equally devasting effects. While hearing loss and the people who suffer from it shall not be discriminated against, attempting to offer options for treatments nevertheless should be of priority. As such, there has been much progress in the field of genetically based forms of treatment for sensorineural hearing loss. A gene that has been almost always implicated in the conversation of regeneration, Hair Cell and Spiral Ganglia development, and inner ear development, in general, is the Zing Finger transcription factorsGata3. Furthermore, since the Organ of …

Binding Affinities Of Bpa Derivatives To The Human Estrogen Receptor: Utilization And Assessment Of Autodock Vina, Luke Newman

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

The Use Of Molecular Beacon Sirna To Induce Degradation Of Sars Cov-2 Mrna In Infected Cells, Katelynn Sepke, Hanna Dutt

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Casein Kinases Interact And Stabilize Glucose Sensing Receptors In Yeast, Julia Humble, Levi Mailloux, Sophia Adams

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Variation In Student Perceptions Of Higher Education Course Quality And Difficulty As A Result Of Widespread Implementation Of Online Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joseph Cavanaugh, Stephen J. Jacquemin, Christine Junker

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic affected higher education in a myriad of ways. One of the most notable effects however was the rapid and sudden transition of nearly all courses at most institutions to an online environment. And while there are a growing number of courses offered online already, this transition to nearly 100% remote education presented numerous challenges for instructors and students of face-to-face and hybrid style courses. Since student perceptions are closely tied to recruitment and retention, it is important to know if there are differences in student perceptions present in the way different courses are …

Cis-Acting Super-Enhancer Lncrnas As Biomarkers To Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Ali Salman Ropri

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

Determining The Role Of Gata3 In A Sub-Population Of Vestibular Hair Cells, Sydney Sheltz-Kempf

Dissertations

The inner ear can be divided based on two functions: hearing and balance. The hearing organ is called the cochlea, while the organs responsible for balance are called the vestibular system. One of these vestibular organs, the utricle, is positioned horizontally in the body and relatively parallel to the ground, resulting in sensitive detection of both sideways, and forward and backward acceleration. One major question in the field of otolaryngology focuses on the unique differences between these organs and the evolutionary importance of their similarities. One particular gene of interest called Gata3 is initially expressed highly in the cochlea and …

Functional Analysis Of Stn1 Winged-Helix (Wh) Domains, Anna Bazell

Senior Theses

CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) is a heterotrimeric RPA-like protein complex that preferentially binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). CST is conserved from yeast to humans and has been found to play a role in telomere maintenance, DNA replication, and DNA repair. Mutations in CST, specifically in the subunits of CTC1 and STN1, have been implicated in the development of the genetic diseases Coats plus and dyskeratosis congenita. Despite the known functions of CST, the mechanistic relationship between its structure and function has yet to be characterized, particularly with respect to its protein-protein interactions and DNA binding. An X-ray crystallography structure of CST revealed …

Origin And Epigenetic Regulation Of Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma, Carly M. Harro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The pathogenesis of Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) remains unclear. Using conditional knockout mice, we found that ablation of the genomic organizer Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-1 (Satb1) caused malignant transformation of mature, skin-homing, Notch-activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells into progressively fatal lymphoma. Mechanistically, Satb1 restrained Stat5 phosphorylation and the expression of skin-homing chemokine receptors in mature T cells. H3K27 and H3K9 trimethylation occluded the SATB1 promoter in Sézary cells, while inhibition of SUV39H1/2 methyltransferases (unlike EZH2 inhibition), restored protective SATB1 expression and selectively abrogated the growth of primary Sézary cells more effectively than romidepsin. Additionally, using single-cell RNA/TCR sequencing …

Alzheimer's And Patient Caregiver Burnout: A Review Of The Literature, Madeline Hekeler

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

The term “silent epidemic” is fitting for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as its negative impact is widely felt but rarely discussed. Burnout among AD caregivers has become an epidemic of its own as caregivers experience an increase in health risks, stress, and financial burden. This literature review focuses on caregiver burnout and how imperative it is that caregivers are better supported in their role. Researchers have developed instruments to assess and intervene in caregiver burnout that have shown effectiveness among caregivers and their families.Nevertheless, further longitudinal research is warranted regarding more effective interventions, including stress management and social support mechanisms.

Microbiological Contamination Associated With The Proximity Of A Refuse Dumpsite To A River Situated In Okada, Edo State, Nigeria, Ebere J. Okafor-Elenwo, Odaro S. Imade, Osazee E. Izevbuwa

Journal of Bioresource Management

This study was performed to evaluate the potential contamination of the Okponha river situated near a dumpsite in Okada, Edo State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected and analyzed for bacteriological and parasitological quality using standard procedures. Isolation and enumeration of bacterial colonies were performed by pour plate technique and the isolated bacteria were identified by standard phenotypic tests. Helminths and protozoa were screened by the direct smear technique. The values of HPC (3.79 ± 0.12 log₁₀ CFU/ml) and TCC (2.20 ± 0.14 log₁₀ CFU/ml) obtained from the river water samples exceeded WHO and NAFDAC recommended limits (≤ 2 …

Dissecting Mutational Allosteric Effects In Alkaline Phosphatases Associated With Different Hypophosphatasia Phenotypes: An Integrative Computational Investigation, Fei Xiao, Ziyun Zhou, Xingyu Song, Mi Gan, Jie Long, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Guang Hu

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by defective bone mineralization and is highly variable in its clinical phenotype. The disease occurs due to various loss-of-function mutations in ALPL, the gene encoding tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP). In this work, a data-driven and biophysics-based approach is proposed for the large-scale analysis of ALPL mutations-from nonpathogenic to severe HPPs. By using a pipeline of synergistic approaches including sequence-structure analysis, network modeling, elastic network models and atomistic simulations, we characterized allosteric signatures and effects of the ALPL mutations on protein dynamics and function. Statistical analysis of molecular features computed for the …

Breaks In Longitudinal Elastic Fibers Of Human Femoropopliteal Arteries, Elham Zamani

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Breaks in Longitudinal Elastic Fibers of Human Femoropopliteal Arteries

Elham Zamani1, Majid Jadidi1

1 Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE

Introduction: Elastin is a major protein in the body with half-life >50 years. It is thought that elastic fibers are formed before the postnatal period. In the femoropopliteal artery (FPA), the main artery in the leg, longitudinal elastic fibers are present in External Elastic Lamina (EEL). Our team has studied more than 1000 cadaveric human FPA and has noticed that there are big breaks in their longitudinal elastic fibers in some subjects. Our goal in this work …

Oral Susceptibility To Ivermectin Is Over Fifty Times Greater In A Wild Population Of Anopheles Albimanus Mosquitoes From Belize Than The Stecla Laboratory Reference Strain Of This Mosquito, Staci M. Dreyer, Kelsey J. Morin, Marla Magaña, Marie Pott, Donovan Leiva, Nicole L. Achee, John P. Grieco, Jefferson A. Vaughan

Biology Faculty Publications

Background

The STECLA strain of Anopheles albimanus has been in continuous colony for many years and is the reference strain on which genomic studies for the species are based. Recently, the STECLA strain was demonstrated to be much less susceptible to ivermectin ingested in a blood meal (4-day LC50 of 1468 ng/ml) than all other Anopheles species tested to-date (LC50 values range from 7 to 56 ng/ml). The ability of An. albimanus to survive ingestion of ivermectin at concentrations far beyond that typically found in the blood of ivermectin-treated people or livestock (i.e., 30–70 ng/ml) could invalidate the use of …

Intramolecular Friedel-Crafts Addition Of Indoles To Tertiary Allylic Alcohols, Bryan H. Wakefield, Romie Barnes, Traeannah Brown, Ashley M. Jones, Victoria A. Knotts, Christina Martinetti

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

An intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indole and tertiary allylic alcohols has been developed. The allylic alcohols were synthesized using a two-step procedure, then exposure of these alcohols to diphenyl phosphate facilitated the desired annulation reaction. This reaction tolerated a variety of indole substitutions to yield 1H,2H,3H,4H-pyrido[1,2-a]indoles.

Poster Session, Emma Beeler, Maddison Caldwell, Mackenzie Paul, Shirli Salihaj, Sara Lynn Sligh, Stephen Trest

Mississippi Undergraduate Honors Conference

Video provided is of MacKenzie Paul's presentation.

Abstracts

Humanities

Emma Beeler, Mississippi University for Women

Adultery and Fidelity in the Lais of Marie de France

Using both literary and historical analysis, I will examine contrasting depictions of adultery and fidelity within the lais written by 12th-century poet Marie de France. A lai is a type of narrative poem, ranging in length from 118 to 1184 lines. Many of Marie de France’s lais follow the literary trope known as courtly love; however, the reader is encouraged to sympathize with different characters depending on the lai. In some lais, the reader …

Oral Presentations: Stem, Zithlaly Amezquita

Mississippi Undergraduate Honors Conference

Each oral presentation of 15 minutes is followed by Q&A.

Zoonotic Pathogens From Illegally Traded Wildlife Justify Adopting The One Health Perspective In Disease Response, Marianne Allison G. Lee, Vinyl Joseph S. Valeza, Jonathan Patrick H. Yan, Ronald Allan L. Cruz

Biology Faculty Publications

Recent studies have described a direct relationship between the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in human populations. In the Philippines, the Philippine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (PIDSR) framework outlines the monitoring, response, and management of disease outbreaks, but needs to be updated in the wake of zoonoses from IWT. Here, we identified zoonotic pathogens that may be introduced to human populations through the IWT, pinpointed potential outbreak hotspots, and provided recommendations on how to improve the Philippines’ public health response while considering One Health. Using seizure data from the Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) covering …

Maternal Choline Supplementation And High-Fat Feeding Interact To Influence Dna Methylation In Offspring In A Time-Specific Manner, Hunter W. Korsmo, Bhoomi Dave, Steven E. Trasino, Anjana Saxena, Jia Liu, Jorge Matias Caviglia, Kaydine Edwards, Moshe Dembitzer, Shameera Sheeraz, Sarah Khaldi, Xinyin Jiang

Advanced Science Research Center

Maternal methyl donor supplementation during pregnancy has demonstrated lasting influence on offspring DNA methylation. However, it is unknown whether an adverse postnatal environment, such as high-fat (HF) feeding, overrides the influence of prenatal methyl donor supplementation on offspring epigenome. In this study, we examined whether maternal supplementation of choline (CS), a methyl donor, interacts with prenatal and postnatal HF feeding to alter global and site-specific DNA methylation in offspring. We fed wild-type C57BL/6J mouse dams a HF diet with or without CS throughout gestation. After weaning, the offspring were exposed to HF feeding for 6 weeks resembling a continued obesogenic …

Early Evidence Of The Sars-Cov-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant In Community Wastewater: United States, November–December 2021, Amy Kirby, Rory M. Welsh, Zachary Marsh, Davida S. Smyth, Et Al.

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Notes from the Field: Early Evidence of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant in Community Wastewater — United States, November–December 2021

Covers: California, Colorado, New York City, Houston

Self-Conscious Emotions And The Right Fronto-Temporal And Right Temporal Parietal Junction, Adriana Lavarco, Nathira Ahmad, Qiana Archer, Matthew Pardillo, Ray Nunez Castaneda, Anthony Minervini, Julian Keenan

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

For more than two decades, research focusing on both clinical and non-clinical populations has suggested a key role for specific regions in the regulation of self-conscious emotions. It is speculated that both the expression and the interpretation of self-conscious emotions are critical in humans for action planning and response, communication, learning, parenting, and most social encounters. Empathy, Guilt, Jealousy, Shame, and Pride are all categorized as self-conscious emotions, all of which are crucial components to one’s sense of self. There has been an abundance of evidence pointing to the right Fronto-Temporal involvement in the integration of cognitive processes underlying the …

Case Study: Degenerative Joint Disease In Canines, Zachary B. Lawrence, Rusty Rogers, Emily Schmitt Lavin

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is the gradual degeneration of cartilage in joints, resulting in pain for the affected areas. This study focused on Lacy (name changed for privacy), a 10-year-old spayed female chihuahua mix, that was clinically diagnosed for DJD and treated by Dr. Rogers over a period of 15 months. DJD is typically treated through a combination of pharmacological management, nonpharmacological treatment, and changes in lifestyle. Pharmacological treatment utilized pain medications, such as Gabapentin and Tramadol. Nonpharmacological treatment and changes in lifestyle involve methods, such as maintaining an ideal body weight, to decrease pain and increase mobility. However, during …