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Articles 1 - 30 of 35
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Implications Of Antibiotic And Bacteriophage Resistance In Environmentally Isolated E. Coli, Michael Connolly
Implications Of Antibiotic And Bacteriophage Resistance In Environmentally Isolated E. Coli, Michael Connolly
Honors Theses
The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is an emerging problem for humans. Clinical misuse, overuse in agricultural and food settings, and limited numbers of new antibiotics have accelerated the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To confront this threat, scientists must develop new therapeutics that kill these antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study, we used Escherichia coli to analyze antibiotic and bacteriophage susceptibility. E. coli is a common, mostly benign, enteric, gram-negative bacteria. We isolated three E. coli strains from the Hans Groot Kill, a stream that runs through Union College’s campus. We sought to assess various E. coli strains’ antibiotic resistance, susceptibility …
Analyzing Thermal Gradients Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning In Scrub Oak Habitats, Alyssa Silbey
Analyzing Thermal Gradients Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning In Scrub Oak Habitats, Alyssa Silbey
Honors Theses
Thermal microclimates are an important component of natural ecosystems because they provide appropriate niche space for many organisms; however, they are not widely studied because of their small scale. Likewise, variation in these microclimates may significantly impact animal thermoregulation and plant physiological processes and be especially important in the face of climate change. The goal of this study is to determine how the size and structure of Quercus ilicifolia shrubs influences ground temperature gradients. We hypothesized that differences in leaf cover and leaf area index (LAI) would cause temperature under shrubs to cool relative to the ambient temperature, and that …
Light-Induced Expression Of A Blue Coral Protein In An Industrial Fungus, Lindsay Tomczak
Light-Induced Expression Of A Blue Coral Protein In An Industrial Fungus, Lindsay Tomczak
Honors Theses
The ultimate goal of this research project is to improve the growth and structural characteristics of an Ecovative Design LLC (Green Island, NY) production strain to produce commercial biomaterials for packaging. These biomaterials are produced from renewable resources and can be easily broken down after they fulfill their purpose, unlike the commonly used materials today (such as Styrofoam). In an effort to quantify the light-reactivity of the fungus, a codon-optimized DNA sequence coding a blue chromoprotein was introduced and utilized as a visual reporter gene. Transcriptional controlling sequences were identified from orthologs to specific light-regulated genes and were combined with …
Nature Abounds: Term Paper, Ricky Verre
Nature Abounds: Term Paper, Ricky Verre
Honors Theses
Nature Abounds is a non-profit organization that is working internationally to spread the word about climate change and all of its effects that we are currently experiencing. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time and any chance at reversing its erratic effects requires immediate action. Nature Abounds employs numerous programs that serve to increase the general public's knowledge of the climate related issues at hand, as well as to have a positive environmental impact in order to increase global environmental health. The organization has programs that focus on biodiversity, water quality monitoring, forest preservation, and …
Color Vision And Signal Color Evolution In Anolis Lizards, Catherine S. Wadman
Color Vision And Signal Color Evolution In Anolis Lizards, Catherine S. Wadman
Honors Theses
Anolis is a diverse genus of small arboreal lizards that utilize a visual communication system using a colorful expandable throat-fan (dewlap). They signal either to attract females or repel males. The environment the lizard lives in has influenced the coloring of these dewlaps. Species that occupy shaded habitats tend to have yellow dewlaps while those that inhabit brighter habitats tend to have red dewlaps. In experiment 1 we used a color perception assay to test whether a red or yellow stimulus against a green background was more visible to the lizard under different light intensities mimicking a dewlap appearing in …
The Linkage Between Hpa Axis Dysregulation And Metabolic Syndrome, Brianna Godlewski
The Linkage Between Hpa Axis Dysregulation And Metabolic Syndrome, Brianna Godlewski
Honors Theses
A diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome (MSX) requires patients to present with three or more of the following symptoms: elevated fasting blood glucose levels, elevated serum triglyceride levels, low serum HDL levels, elevated blood pressure, and truncal obesity. This pathology shares many similarities with Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) but a diagnosis of CS requires hypercortisolemia. This similarity has led our lab and others to hypothesize that MSX may be a Cushingoid-like state caused by hypersensitivity of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a nuclear hormone receptor that is activated when cortisol binds, and or hyperactivity of the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11?- HSD) type 1, …
Development Of Novel Allele Specific Pcr Based Assays To Investigate The Contribution Of Cortisol To Metabolic Syndrome And It's Potential Implications In Depression Treatment, Justin Robert Salm
Development Of Novel Allele Specific Pcr Based Assays To Investigate The Contribution Of Cortisol To Metabolic Syndrome And It's Potential Implications In Depression Treatment, Justin Robert Salm
Honors Theses
The shared circuitries of depression and the stress response, regulated by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, implies that major depression may reflect dysregulations of the HPA axis. Previous studies find that that melancholic depression is accompanied by hyperactive HPA activity, anxiety, insomnia etc. Adversely, patients with atypical depression present CRH deficiency accompanied by lethargy and fatigue. According to the corticosteroid receptor hypothesis, HPA axis dysregulation that causes these variable phenotypic depressive moods may be attributed to defective GR expression or function. Multiple GR polymorphisms that could impact its expression or function have been identified. Due to limitations, it was not feasible …
Fitness And Exercise As Linked To Overall Stress And Physiological Stress Responses, Justine Monthony
Fitness And Exercise As Linked To Overall Stress And Physiological Stress Responses, Justine Monthony
Honors Theses
Exercise negatively correlates with physiological stress responses, but there is less research on short-term stress hormones for this response. For this thesis, I hypothesized that exercise and fitness levels would be negatively correlated with perceived stress and with physiological stress from a standard stressor. Undergraduate college participants reported their chronic stress, current mood, past week’s physical activity (amount and intensity), perceived physical fitness, and demographic characteristics. Participants also engaged in a social stress task, on which they had limited time to prepare a speech with no notice or resources that was given in front of peers who were ostensibly analyzing …
Investigating The Relationship Between Invasive Garlic Mustard Alliaria Petiolata And Blacklegged Ticks Ixodes Scapularis, Nicole Shauffer
Investigating The Relationship Between Invasive Garlic Mustard Alliaria Petiolata And Blacklegged Ticks Ixodes Scapularis, Nicole Shauffer
Honors Theses
Garlic mustard Alliaria petiolata is an invasive herb that has been studied for its chemical allelopathy ability to hinder plant growth of its competitors and potential to inhibit entomopathogenic fungi. It has been suggested that these fungi which infect and kill insects and arthropods like blacklegged ticks Ixodes scapularis may be negatively impacted by garlic mustard presence. This study investigated the potential relationship between garlic mustard and blacklegged tick populations through two experiments. One experiment measured the effect of garlic mustard soil and leaf extract on waxworm survival where waxworms were used as a bioassay for the presence of fungi. …
Association Of Glucocorticoid Receptor Polymorphisms With Metabolic Characteristics And Bariatric Surgery In Bariatric Patients, Sebastien Gingras
Association Of Glucocorticoid Receptor Polymorphisms With Metabolic Characteristics And Bariatric Surgery In Bariatric Patients, Sebastien Gingras
Honors Theses
Cortisol acts on target tissues through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). When in high concentration in the blood, it causes an obesity phenotype with hyperglycemia, hyperglyceridemia, hypertension and weight gain, known as Cushings’ Syndrome or Disease (CS/D). Hypersensitivity-causing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the GR have been shown to lead to a similar phenotype. Because of the symptomatic resemblance between CS/D and Metabolic Syndrome (MS), we and others hypothesized that the MS may be a Cushingoid-like state with absence of hypercortisolemia, but with GR hypersensitivity. Additionally, the link between GR SNPs and the success of bariatric surgery as measured by the percent …
Lack Of Glucocorticoid Receptor Hypersensitivity-Related Polymorphisms In An Undergraduate Population, Evan Leibovitz
Lack Of Glucocorticoid Receptor Hypersensitivity-Related Polymorphisms In An Undergraduate Population, Evan Leibovitz
Honors Theses
Obesity is a currently a major problem plaguing the world as a whole. The International Obese Task Force (IOTF) estimates at least 1.1 billion adults are overweight with some 312 million of those obese, globally. 1 As of 2004, in less than twenty years, the prevalence of obesity had more than doubled in adults with childhood obesity prevalence rising even more rapidly. Obesity, however, can be classified as a disease of its own or as a symptom of another disease. Two such diseases that have obesity as a symptom are Metabolic Syndrome and Cushing ’s syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome is a …
The Effects Of Canopy Structure On Photosynthesis In Sphagnum Mosses, Eric Matthew Ward
The Effects Of Canopy Structure On Photosynthesis In Sphagnum Mosses, Eric Matthew Ward
Honors Theses
In open habitats, Sphagnum grows with a dense architecture to retain water; mosses adapted to survive in shade persist in looser canopies. It is unknown if there is a physiological advantage of such rough canopies in the shade, but they may have enhanced photosynthesis at low light angles as would occur during spring or fall. It was hypothesized that the rough canopies would have enhanced rates of photosynthesis at lower angles. To test this, a photosynthesis system interfaced with a custom chamber was used to generate light response curves. Preliminary results of the study found no difference in photosynthesis with …
Flow Cytometry And Biochemical Analysis Of Apoptotic Mouse Ht-2 T - Lymphocytes, Nell Pinkston
Flow Cytometry And Biochemical Analysis Of Apoptotic Mouse Ht-2 T - Lymphocytes, Nell Pinkston
Honors Theses
Apoptosis is a highly organized intracellular death program in multicellular animals. In the vertebrate immune system, apoptosis plays a central role in preventing the emergence of autoreactive lymphocytes. In this study, we used multiple stimuli (staurosporine, camptothecin, and cytokine deprivation - interleukin-2 or IL-2) to initiate apoptosis in IL-2 dependent, mouse HT-2 T-lymphocytes. All three inducers triggered DNA laddering and phosphatidylserine externalization. Propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry were also used to determine whether apoptotic cells accumulated in a specific stage of the cell cycle, and whether the mode of induction affected cell cycle distribution. Our findings indicate that IL-2 …
Interaction Of Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor With Caveolin Within The Cell Membrane, Jordan Pereira
Interaction Of Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor With Caveolin Within The Cell Membrane, Jordan Pereira
Honors Theses
The human FSH receptor is a g protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) expressed on the surface of granulosa cells in the ovary and Sertoli cells in the testes. FSHR has a sequence of amino acids consistent with a caveolin interaction motif (φXφXXXXφXXφ) found between amino acids 479-489 in the primary receptor sequence in the putative 4th transmembrane domain. Caveolin is a protein found in cell membrane micro domains such as lipid rafts. These densely packed regions of the membrane are enriched for sphingolipids and cholesterol and are thought to be involved in signal transduction. Caveolin can be found in caveolae, flask-like structures …
The Effects Of Soil Ph And Texture On The Molting Success And Survival Of Blacklegged Ticks (Ixodes Scapularis): A Field Experiment, Colleen Cook
Honors Theses
The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) is the primary vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. When a tick is not questing or feeding, the majority of its life is spent within the soil. Abiotic factors within soil have been shown to affect tick molting and survival across all life stages. Soil pH, however, has not been heavily investigated. In this field study, I investigated the effects of soil pH and texture on engorged nymphal ticks. Two sites were chosen to encompass the extremes of soil pH in the region; the Albany Pine Bush in Albany, NY has …
Localization Of The Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor In Lipid Raft Domains, Tyler Esposito
Localization Of The Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor In Lipid Raft Domains, Tyler Esposito
Honors Theses
Lipid raft domains have been shown to be important in receptor signaling, especially for G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR). Follicle stimulating hormone is a vital reproductive signal that relies on effective signaling of its GPCR. The goal of this study was to test whether or not the follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) utilizes lipid raft domains when signaling. The main methods used were fluorescent antibodies and various forms of microscopy, including confocal microscopy. A fluorescent antibody for the FSHR (mAb 106.105) allowed us to perform these studies. In the first experiment, cells treated with FSH and stained with the receptor …
Visual Communication In Anolis Lizards: Investigating The Visibility Of Signals Of Differing Color Against Complex Backgrounds, Carley Perez
Visual Communication In Anolis Lizards: Investigating The Visibility Of Signals Of Differing Color Against Complex Backgrounds, Carley Perez
Honors Theses
Lizards of the genus Anolis communicate through visual displays involving the opening and closing of an expandable flap of skin, called a dewlap, located on their throat. In some habitats up to ten species of Anolis are found in close proximity to one another. For a dewlap color to be effective an individual of the same species should be able to easily distinguish it from the dewlap color of other species located in the same habitat. We wanted to determine how different two colors must be in order to be reliably discriminated by an Anolis lizard. Lizards (Anolis sagrei) placed …
The Effects Of Soil Ph On The Molting Success Of Blacklegged Ticks (Ixodes Scapularis): A Laboratory Experiment, Daniel Rice
The Effects Of Soil Ph On The Molting Success Of Blacklegged Ticks (Ixodes Scapularis): A Laboratory Experiment, Daniel Rice
Honors Theses
Ixodes scapularis, or the black-legged tick, is the major vector of Lyme disease in the U.S. I. scapularis has expanded its range in recent decades, making the study of factors affecting its distribution a high priority. Studying the effects of various conditions in the soil could help in predicting range expansions, because ticks spend the majority of their lives in contact with the soil. We investigated the effects of soil pH on the molting success of engorged I. scapularis nymphs collected from Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus). The experiment was conducted in a laboratory to control for covariates such as temperature …
Changes In Spring Arrival And Fall Departure Dates Of Migratory Birds As An Indication Of Local Climate Change: A Phenological Study Of New York State's Capital Region Using Citizen Science, Olivia C. Townsend
Honors Theses
Climate change is becoming an increasingly important topic of scientific research, and studies commonly analyze biological indicators. Migratory birds are responsive to environmental changes because life cycles depend on finding proper seasonal locations. eBird is a citizen science database launched by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society in 2002, and this study focused on eBird data to analyze migratory shifts over the past two decades for the Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), Common Merganser (Mergus merganser), Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), Snow Goose (Chen …
Elucidating The Role Of Apoptosis During Cyclical Body Regeneration In Botryllus Schlosseri, Meredith Adamo
Elucidating The Role Of Apoptosis During Cyclical Body Regeneration In Botryllus Schlosseri, Meredith Adamo
Honors Theses
Apoptosis is the principal form of programmed cell death by which multicellular animals rid themselves of old cells in order to allow new cells to grow. The colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri is a model system for homeostatic cell death and regeneration. During its unique, weekly budding cycle known as blastogenesis, new buds are produced asexually and eventually replace the old adult zooid generation through resorption via circulating phagocytes. Using polyester wax-embedded tissue sections, we have shown that TUNEL-positive (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick end-labeling), apoptotic cells are observed within circulating phagocytes in all stages of the colony’s death phase (takeover), including …
The Effect Of The Visual System And Habitat Light On The Colors Of Anolis Lizard Visual Signals, Emelia Failing
The Effect Of The Visual System And Habitat Light On The Colors Of Anolis Lizard Visual Signals, Emelia Failing
Honors Theses
Lizards of the genus Anolis communicate almost exclusively with visual signals that include the extension of a colorful, extensible throat fan called a dewlap. Dewlap color exhibits impressive diversity across anoline species and is thought to have evolved due to two simultaneous sets of selection pressures: (1) selection for high detectability, and (2) selection for a color that is different from the dewlap color of other sympatric species of Anolis in order to facilitate species recognition. In order for a dewlap display to be successful, it must be “detected” by the intended viewer. We hypothesize that a detectable dewlap should …
Investigating The Use Of Aptamers In Binding To The Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor, Ayon Ibrahim
Investigating The Use Of Aptamers In Binding To The Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor, Ayon Ibrahim
Honors Theses
Oral contraceptive pills use high doses of hormone to suppress the reproductive arm of the endocrine system in women. However, these drugs can have harmful long term side effects such as increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and breast cancer. Therefore, it has become an important public health goal to look for alternative ways of providing contraception. Aptamers, oligonucleotides that bind to specific molecules due to their unique 3-dimensional structure, are one alternative that has yet to be explored. The goal of our research is to develop an RNA aptamer that will bind selectively to the hFSHR. We first incubated …
An Investigation Into The Relationship Between The Activation Of Amp Kinase And The Acetylation Of Microtubules, Jessica Sarrantonio
An Investigation Into The Relationship Between The Activation Of Amp Kinase And The Acetylation Of Microtubules, Jessica Sarrantonio
Honors Theses
Microtubules, or cytoskeletal polymers composed of the protein tubulin, form long hollow tubes in the cell and are responsible for many critical roles. Previous research has shown that depletion of ATP causes microtubules to become stable, i.e. resistant to depolymerization. It has also been shown that enhanced stability of microtubules correlates with increased tubulin acetylation, a common microtubule posttranslation modification. ATP-depletion is a severe metabolic stressor, and as such, we expect that this treatment would activate AMP kinase, an enzyme deemed the “master regulator” of metabolism. When activated by a variety of stressors, this enzyme can initiate a program of …
The Role Of Actin Polymerization In The Development Of The Fetal Vertebrate Heart During S-Looping, Kevan Benn
The Role Of Actin Polymerization In The Development Of The Fetal Vertebrate Heart During S-Looping, Kevan Benn
Honors Theses
Research on fetal cardiac looping is an important because cardiac looping is the first organ to undergo asymmetrical organogenesis. As well, birth defects occur due to errors in the development process, of which congenital heart defects are very common. Most heart defects begin in the looping process that preludes the shape of a mature heart. Therefore, research into heart looping can give light to how these defects develop. The looping process, which occurs between 30 and 56 hours post incubation (stage 10-16 in development), is divided into two processes. The first process, C-looping, is the process where the heart tube, …
The Evolution Of Dewlap Color In Jamaican Anolis Lizards, Brianna Ogas
The Evolution Of Dewlap Color In Jamaican Anolis Lizards, Brianna Ogas
Honors Theses
Within the animal kingdom, communication is of the utmost importance. As a general rule, these communicative signals must be highly efficient in stimulating the sensory system of the intended viewer.In this study we explored the signal diversity exhibited by the genus Anolis.
Public Awareness Of The Impacts Of The Emerald Ash Borer And Its Management In New York State, Mital Patel
Public Awareness Of The Impacts Of The Emerald Ash Borer And Its Management In New York State, Mital Patel
Honors Theses
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis fairmaire) is a major threat to the American Ash Tree (Fraxinus sp.). It is a native beetle of China and was first discovered in North America in 2002. It originally infested Canada and quickly spread to the Unites States (Kovacs at al, 2010). Though it cannot be confirmed, it is suspected that the insect arrived in Canada in wood packing materials commonly used to stabilize cargo ships or ship consumer products (www.nyis.info). Since its discovery ten years ago near Detroit, Michigan, infestations have been confirmed in 14 different states across the U.S.A (www.dec.ny.gov). …
Elucidating A Role For Hoxd13 During Gut Development In The Chick And Skate, Elizabeth R. Ackley
Elucidating A Role For Hoxd13 During Gut Development In The Chick And Skate, Elizabeth R. Ackley
Honors Theses
The Hox genes are a family of highly conserved transcription factors that are critical during embryonic development. Although the function of Hox genes is to pattern the embryo from head to tail, the mechanism by which Hox genes do this is unknown. Elucidating the mechanism for Hox gene function can provide insights into how morphologies are formed in a variety of organisms. I am investigating the role of Hoxd13 in patterning the colon in the developing chick. We virally misexpressed the chick ortholog, cHoxd13, in the midgut mesoderm of the chick to validate that transformation to hindgut morphology would occur. …
Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor Resides In Detergent Resistant Membrane Microdomains, Johanna Geoghegan
Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor Resides In Detergent Resistant Membrane Microdomains, Johanna Geoghegan
Honors Theses
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is an anterior pituitary glycoprotein hormone crucial for proper spermatogenesis in males and oocyte development in females. The follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) is a G-protein coupled receptor found exclusively on the membranes of Sertoli cells in the testes and granulosa cells in the ovaries. It has been proposed that FSHR localizes to detergent resistant portions of the membranes called lipid rafts, which are membrane microdomains that contain a high percent composition of cholesterol and sphingolipids. To determine if FSHR resides in these membrane microdomains, strong detergents were used to extract and isolate detergent resistant membranes. …
Metacaspase Gene Function In The Mushroom Fungus Schizophyllum Commune, Matthew P. Hanley
Metacaspase Gene Function In The Mushroom Fungus Schizophyllum Commune, Matthew P. Hanley
Honors Theses
The overall goal of this project was to investigate the biological role of a putative metacaspase gene present in the mushroom fungus Schizophyllum commune. For this study, we have utilized a strain of S. commune that is unable to integrate DNA via the non-homologous end joining pathway. This forces transforming DNA to integrate homologously, as is required for the purposes of gene knockout. The gene Scp1 encodes a likely member of the metacaspase protein family, which are suspected to have activity similar to caspases, the latter crucial to programmed cell death. A knockout construct containing a non-functional version of Scp1 …
From Gene To Behavior: Investigation Of Ppt1 And Ppt2 Rnai Induced Knock-Down During Drosophila Neurogenesis, Patrick J. O'Hern
From Gene To Behavior: Investigation Of Ppt1 And Ppt2 Rnai Induced Knock-Down During Drosophila Neurogenesis, Patrick J. O'Hern
Honors Theses
Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (INCL) is caused by a mutation of the gene CLN1, which encodes palmitoyl protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1). PPT1 is a lysosomal enzyme that cleaves the thioester bond connecting long chain fatty acids of palmitoylated proteins. Without PPT1, palmitoylated proteins are not degraded properly and this causes unwanted build up in neurons leading to fatality. Recently, it has been thought that a mutation in a similar enzyme, palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 2 (PPT2), another lysosomal hydrolase, may also be responsible for INCL by causing a similar effect of Ppt1 deficiency. A bioinformatics analysis in this study showed similarities between …