Biology Commons^™

Effectiveness Of Occupational Recommendations In Maintaining Cognitive Function Under Hot-Dry And Warm-Humid Conditions, Zane Garner

2026 Research Poster Competition

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommendations dictate heat safety practices in occupations throughout the United States. Currently, the effectiveness of these recommendations is unknown. Likewise, there is a lack of consensus regarding the effect of combined heat and exercise stress on cognitive function. PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of NIOSH heat safety recommendations in maintaining cognitive function after moderate work in the heat, alongside whether the type of heat has any effect. METHODS: A counter balanced, repeated measures, randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate differences in cognitive function in two distinct environments. Participants completed two experimental …

Relationships Between Larval Fish Drift, Time Of Day And Discharge In An Ozark Stream, Daniel D. Magoulick, Christy L. Graham

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

We examined the relationship between larval fish numbers and discharge during a high flow event in Bear Creek, Arkansas, a small Ozark stream. Additionally, we examined the relationship between fish numbers and time of day, and the spatial distribution of families and size classes. A total of 3,083 fish from five families were collected. Leuciscidae was the dominant family collected, followed by Percidae, and Catostomidae. Larval fish in Bear Creek were not susceptible to increased discharge from the flood event, as all three families exhibited strong significant negative relationships to discharge at night when discharge began to decline. Larval fish …

New Geographic Distributional Records For Fishes From The Black River At Black Rock, Lawrence County, Arkansas, C. T. Mcallister, H. W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

During February and/or March 2020-2025, various fishes were collected with a modified minnow trap and hoop nets from the White River drainage of the Black River at Black Rock, Lawrence County, Arkansas. A total of 35 species within 11 families were collected and the following taxa represent new distributional records: Acipenseridae: Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens); Polydontidae: Paddlefish, Polyodon spathula; Catostomidae: Quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus), Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes velifer), Blue Sucker (Cycleptus elongatus), Northern Hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans); Leuciscidae: Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus). The most significant discoveries were the collection …

Solar Powered Conservation: The Effects Of Solar Photovoltaic Facilities On Avian Community Composition, Michael Christopher Ferrara

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The expansion of solar photovoltaic energy infrastructure is transforming landscapes worldwide. Increasingly, facilities are planted with native vegetation, yet how vegetation characteristics and landscape variables shape wildlife communities in solar facilities remains poorly understood. Because avian populations have been in decline and are sensitive to habitat changes, understanding how solar facilities influence avian communities is important. In Chapter 1, we used autonomous recording units, local vegetation measurements, and land use and land cover data to quantify how avian community occupancy is influenced by solar cover in solar facilities and comparable reference sites. We used a Bayesian multi-species occupancy model to …

Freshwater Turtle Assemblages And Densities In Agricultural Ditches And Aquaculture Ponds Of Eastern Arkansas, Andrhea D. Massey, John D. Willson, Brett A. Degregorio

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) of Arkansas is a landscape where many wetlands have been altered for use as aquaculture ponds or agricultural ditches. Commercial harvest of freshwater turtles within the MAP is not restricted or limited, with reported harvest numbers for 2019 alone exceeding 4000 for spiny softshell turtles (Apalone spinifera) and 39,000 for red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans). Herein, we attempt to provide baseline estimates of freshwater turtle densities and community composition in aquaculture ponds and agricultural ditches of eastern Arkansas, the habitat types most frequently trapped by commercial harvesters. We used a capture-mark-recapture approach over 3 summers …

Zn Glycine Mitigates The Lps-Induced Hepatic Injury And Inflammation Through Nrf2/Nfκb Signaling In Geese, Zeshan Zulfiqar, Muhammad Arslan Asif, Layla Al-Mitib, Khawla Alharbi, Tanzina Hossain, Han Yao, Xiaoyan Zhu, Zhichang Wang, Hao Sun, Yalei Cui, Yinghua Shi

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli have an outer membrane that contains lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a powerful inducer of systemic inflammation. It is often associated with gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and liver damage. Despite increasing recognition of the gut-liver axis as a critical mediator in systemic inflammation and hepatic pathology, the efficacy of nutritional strategies targeting this pathway remains inadequately defined. This study evaluated the protective effects of zinc glycine (Zn_Gly), a highly bioavailable organic zinc chelate, against LPS-induced gut barrier disruption and liver damage in meat geese. Zn_Gly supplementation @ 80mg/kg of diet significantly attenuated LPS-induced impairments in …

Limb Regeneration In Damselflies Based On Developmental Stage, Haven O. Clements

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Injury is common in wild animals, yet some species possess an adaptive advantage: regeneration. Enallagma vesperum, a species of damselfly, exhibits this regenerative ability, though its persistence and effectiveness across developmental stages remain poorly understood. While previous studies indicate that regeneration ceases following adult emergence, it is unclear whether this ability also diminishes prior to the final larval molt. This study investigated the effectiveness of limb regeneration in E. vesperum across early and late larval instars. I hypothesized that earlier instars would exhibit greater regenerative success due to fewer competing energetic demands compared to later instars, which may prioritize …

Geogenie: A Deep Learning Approach To Predict Geographic Provenance Of Biodiversity Samples From Genomic Snps, Bradley T. Martin, Zachery D. Zbinden, Michael E. Douglas, Marlis R. Douglas, Tyler K. Chafin

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Motivation

Determining geographic origin of samples is a common objective in wildlife management, forensics, and conservation. Current methods often assume evolutionary models or require extensive reference datasets, which are costly and difficult to develop, that perform poorly with uneven or biased sampling. Supervised deep learning offers a promising alternative by learning complex patterns without prior model specifications. Combined with novel geo-genetic data augmentation and preprocessing techniques, it can reduce reference panel demands and improve performance across diverse sampling schemes, broadening accurate provenance determination to more study systems. Results

We present GeoGenIE, an open-source software package powered by PyTorch for geographic …

Divergent Sensory Transcriptomic Profiles In Positive And Negative Learning In Bicyclus Anynana Butterflies, Yi Ting Ter, Erica L. Westerman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mate preference learning, where individuals learn to prefer or avoid specific phenotypes during mate selection, is pervasive across animal taxa and influences reproductive isolation and trait evolution. Despite its significance, the genetic basis underlying the associated valence attribution (whether to prefer or avoid) remains largely unclear. Both in terms of what genes are associated with attributing valence, and whether valence attribution is associated with transcriptional changes in both sensory tissues and neural circuits in the brain, or is restricted to the brain. Here, we investigate the neurogenomic basis of positive and negative mate preference learning using Bicyclus anynana butterflies. We …

Effect Of Ipomoeassin F On The Synthesis Of Membrane And Secretory Proteins In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Brihget Sicairos, Jianhong Zhou, Zhijian Hu, Qingyang Zhang, Wei Q. Shi, Yuchun Du

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Ipomoeassin F (Ipom-F) is a natural compound that exhibits a potent cytotoxic effect on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. The mechanism underlying this selective potency remains unclear. To elucidate this mechanism, we analyzed the proteome profiles of the TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells after exposure to Ipom-F at different time points and increasing doses using a quantitative proteomic method. Our proteomic data demonstrate that the major effect of Ipom-F on MDA-MB-231 cells is the inhibition of membrane and secreted protein expression. These findings align with the recently uncovered molecular mechanism of action of Ipom-F, which binds to Sec61-alpha and inhibits the cotranslational …

Dual Investigations Into Broiler Health: Mitochondrial Gene Expression In Ascites Susceptibility And G-1,25(Oh)₂D₃-Driven Modulation Of Bone And Gut Integrity In Lameness, Layla Hussein Al-Mitib

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern broiler production faces persistent challenges from metabolic and skeletal disorders, particularly ascites and bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), which compromise animal welfare and production efficiency. This dissertation examines two key factors that contribute to these conditions: mitochondrial gene expression associated with pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) and the role of intestinal barrier integrity in mitigating lameness. In the first study, the expression of mitochondrial genes COXII and ATP6 was evaluated in the breast, thigh, and lung tissues of three broiler genetic lines—ascites-susceptible (SUS), ascites-resistant (RES), and unselected relaxed (REL). While no significant expression differences were observed in muscle tissues, SUS …

Night-Time Warming And Prey Availability Interact To Influence Physiology In Prairie Lizards (Sceloporus Consobrinus), Allison R. Litmer, Morgan K. Pelley, Steven J. Beaupre

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Among ectotherms, temperature and food availability are drivers of individual and population characteristics. Increasing night-time temperatures due to climate change can increase energetic demands, potentially amplified or mitigated by prey consumption. Few studies examine night-time temperatures specifically, and consequences of co-occurring changes in the abiotic and biotic environment. Thus, we examined interactions between warming night-time temperatures and prey availability (as a proxy of foraging time and effectiveness), and how they affect food consumption, digestive passage time, metabolizable energy intake (MEI), assimilated energy, and fecal and urate production in a model organism, prairie lizards (Sceloporus consobrinus). Three temperature treatments (current conditions, …

Improved Autofluorescence Lifetime Decay Analysis For Identification Of Cellular Autofluorescence Biomarkers For Label-Free, Single-Cell Assessment Of Mitochondrial Membrane Potential, Olivia Isabel Kolenc

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Optical imaging of metabolism using the autofluorescence of the metabolic cofactors NADH, NADPH, and FAD has a wide range of sensitivities and the capability to collect a great deal of metabolic information. Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) is a non-invasive, label-free optical imaging technique capable of performing fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) using time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC). However, autofluorescence FLIM presents a challenge in collecting sufficient photons to provide adequate signal to noise ratios (SNR) for analysis. Additionally, the specificity of autofluorescence biomarkers of metabolism has not been well-defined. Contextualizing these autofluorescence measures using established functional biomarkers can improve interpretability of …

Host-Virus Interaction Dynamics Using Sulfolobus Spindle-Shaped Virus And Host Sulfolobales System, Yeasin Ahmed

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Sulfolobus Spindle-shaped virus (SSV) is among the most studied archaeal viruses, particularly in extreme environments. This virus predominantly infects multiple Crenarchaea from the Sulfolobaceae family. These hosts thrive in extreme environmental conditions, such as sulfuric hot springs, with a pH of 2 to 4 and a temperature of 76-80˚C. Sulfolobales exhibit a wide geographical distribution across volcanic hot springs. The Sulfolobus Spindle-shaped Virus (SSV), encompassing strains such as SSV1 and SSV8, employs a non-lytic replication strategy in hosts belonging to the order Sulfolobales. The SSV-Sulfolobales system can be cultured in liquid and gellan gum solid media. A comprehensive study …

Mode Regulates Alternative Nitrogenase Expression In Themethanogen Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Melissa Chanderban, Daniel J. Lessner

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

All methanogens that can fix nitrogen use molybdenum (Mo) nitrogenase. Some methanogens, including Methanosarcina acetivorans, also contain alternative vanadium- and iron-nitrogenases, encoded by the vnf and anf operons, respectively. These nitrogenases are produced when there is insufficient Mo to support Mo-nitrogenase activity. The factors that control the expression of the alternative nitrogenases in response to Mo availability are unknown in methanogens. Here we show that ModE is the regulator that represses transcription of the vnf and anf operons in M. acetivorans when cells are grown with Mo. CRISPRi repression of modE results in a significant increase in the transcription of …

Targeted Delivery Of Rapamycin Via Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors In Pancreatic Cancer Cells Inhibits Cell Proliferation And Induces Apoptosis, Adeolu S. Oluremi, Christofer Baldwin, Nickolas L. Gustavision, Mujeebat Bashiru, Adeniyi Nsiah Oyebade, Noureen Siraj, Raj Raghavendra Rao, N. Ali

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is aggressive and deadly; most PC cells overexpress an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR-targeting peptide (GE11) was conjugated to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for delivering rapamycin (Rap), an mTOR inhibitor that reduces proliferation and induces apoptosis. Biophysical techniques confirmed the conjugation. Rap loading efficiency was 41.5%, with sustained release at a lower pH. Conjugates showed higher uptake in PANC-1 cells than unmodified AuNPs. It also inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis via pathways involving reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage, and caspase activation. This approach represents a promising nanoparticle-based therapeutic strategy targeting PC cells, utilizing GE11-EGFR interactions to minimize …

Occupancy Sampling To Examine Spatial Distribution Of Oklahoma Salamanders (Eurycea Tynerensis) Among Headwater Streams In The Ozark Highlands, Sophia Anreder

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water conditions are changing globally due to climate change (Gleick, 1989). Headwater streams specifically are vulnerable to changes in hydrology, water quality, and physical characteristics from anthropogenic practices due to their small watersheds with shallow soils, yet they are often not a priority in conservation (Campbell et al., 2011; Abell et al., 2017). Within streams, plethodontid (i.e., lungless) salamanders, which are also sensitive to environmental changes, may be restricted in their distribution due to undefined stream characteristics and predation by fish (Welsh and Droege, 2002; Kuhajda et al., 2015). To better understand the pressures that influence stream salamander occupancy, I …

Quantifying Freshwater Salinization Impacts On Nitrate Removal Via Denitrification In Urban Streams, Brynnen Beck

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

As the urban world expands, the construction of impervious surfaces increases erosion and runoff into nearby streams. Urbanization also adds waste from human activity into the environment. One of these wastes is runoff from road salt application in winter months, which can increase stream salinization and interfere with other important ecological processes, such as denitrification. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare nitrate removal via denitrification between two urban streams to understand the role of road salts in freshwater salinization. We compared conductivity measurements between the streams to see how background conductivity (a proxy for salinity) influences resilience …

Understanding Factors That Drive Wildlife Mortality During Prescribed Fire Management Of Prairie Restorations, Hunter M. Griffey

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fire is a key ecological disturbance, which plays a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and early successional species. For today’s land managers, prescribed fire is key in the restoration and maintenance of prairie ecosystems, halting woody encroachment and creating habitat desperately needed by many species. However, fire may have unintended effects on wildlife populations through direct mortality. Among taxa living in fire-dependent ecosystems, reptiles are predisposed to direct mortality, and several studies have recorded significant mortality during prescribed burns. However, the few studies investigating reptile mortality in prescribed fire are limited by small sample sizes and generally have limited analysis …

Growth Of Methanogens Using Pyrite As An Energy Source: Implications For Life On Mars, Mckenzie K. Ragan

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The search for life beyond Earth has been the motivating factor for many scientist’s research in the past and currently. Specifically, the efforts have largely been focused on Mars. Mars exhibits qualities that are similar to the life-harboring characteristics of Earth, creating the possibility for life to exist on Mars. Mars’ subsurface conditions may be ideal for specific microorganisms to thrive, providing a haven away from the harsh surface conditions (Mancinelli, 2000). It is known that one of the most important elements to support life, H₂O is found in the subsurface of Mars, along with an atmosphere lacking …

Metabolic Responses Of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Collagen I Hydrogels, Caroline R. King

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Peripheral nerve injury affects approximately 44 in 1 million people in the United States every year and can lead to incomplete nerve recovery and loss of motor and sensory function. A significant amount of energy is required for nerve injury repair. A lack of energy allocation to the injury site hinders repair. Current treatments include hollow nerve guidance conduits, decellularized nerve grafts, and autografts. However, they are limited by factors such as donor site morbidity and sustained immunosuppressive treatments. Using three-dimensional collagen I hydrogels laden with adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can assist in neural regeneration. Three-dimensional collagen scaffolds aim to …

The Expression Of Intestinal Tight Junction Proteins Induced By 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3-Glycosides Supplementation To Reduce Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broilers, Kennedy M. Hicks

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) is a leading cause of lameness in broiler chickens, impacting animal welfare and commercial poultry production. Supplementation using organic trace minerals, vitamin D, probiotics, and prebiotics has been studied to mitigate BCO lameness incidences in broiler chickens. Our previous study demonstrated that feeding Panbonis®-G-1,25(OH)₂D₃ from Solanum glaucophyllum, containing 1 µg/kg G-1,25(OH)₂D₃, to broilers for the first 28 days of their production cycle reduced BCO lameness by approximately 50%. In this study, we investigated the impact of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D₃ supplementation on the expression of tight junction …

Immune Function Modulation By Temperature On Isolated Rainbow Trout Macrophages, Abby Hunter

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fever is an evolutionary mechanism that enhances immune function, yet the molecular and metabolic responses to fever temperatures in ectothermic species remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated how fever temperatures (19° C) influence macrophage function and metabolic activity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), rather than normal temperatures (16° C). Using a rainbow trout monocytic cell line, RTS11, and primary head kidney-derived macrophages (HKCs), we examined the effects of fever temperatures on nitric oxide (NO) production, gene expression, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism. We found that fever temperatures increased NO production in both cell types, with further …

Dental Microwear Of Miocene Primates From The Carpathian Basin, Rudabánya, Hungary, Anna K. Wilcox

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study reconstructs and compares the dietary habits of the late Miocene primates Anapithecus hernyaki and Rudapithecus hungaricus by analyzing dental microwear patterns on fossilized teeth recovered from Rudabánya, Hungary. Previous research suggested that these sympatric species were both primarily frugivores but were unable to separate them by diet. However, earlier studies were limited by smaller sample sizes and less advanced methodologies. This study used an expanded sample and modern microwear texture analysis techniques to compare molar and incisor microwear patterns between the two species. Results revealed that Rudapithecus molars exhibited higher complexity compared to Anapithecus molar complexity, suggesting a …

Assessment Of Nitrogen Source Utilization During Nitrogen Fixation And Nitrogenase Regulation By Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Avery Carter

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nitrogen is a crucial element in biomolecules such as proteins and DNA, essential for all cellular life. Biological nitrogen fixation, a process utilized by certain bacteria and archaea, reduces dinitrogen (N₂) to ammonia (NH₃), enabling growth in the absence of fixed nitrogen sources like NH₃. This process is driven by the metalloenzyme nitrogenase, which catalyzes the reaction: N₂ + 16ATP + 8e⁻ + 8H⁺ → 2NH₃ + H₂ + 16ADP + 16Pi. Due to its high energy demand, nitrogenase production and activity are tightly regulated. Among archaea, nitrogenase is found exclusively in methanogens, where its regulation remains poorly understood. We …

Physiological And Molecular Responses Of Diverse Rice Genotypes Under Drought Stress, Huda Mohmmed Alshaya

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Climate change-induced drought stress is a significant constraint on global rice (Oryza sativa L.) production, threatening food security. This study evaluated the drought resilience of 15 diverse rice genotypes from the USDA mini-core collection under field, greenhouse, and osmotic stress conditions. Field trials assessed reproductive-stage drought tolerance based on panicle length (PL), number of spikelets per panicle (NSP), and spikelet sterility (SS). Greenhouse experiments examined moisture retention at the vegetative stage. Significant genotypic variation was observed, with genotypes 310724, 310779, 311181, 311603, 311793, and Vandana exhibiting drought tolerance through stable PL and SS. Additionally, genotypes 310100, 310428, 311255, N22, …

Variation In Stress Response Regulation Across Natural Isolates Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Crystal Christine Crook

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The stress response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a valuable area of study for understanding cellular adaptation mechanisms that govern survival in fluctuating environments. This dissertation investigates stress response regulation in yeast through the roles of Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the post-transcriptional regulator Mkt1, a key post-transcriptional regulator, in diverse wild yeast isolates. Hog1 is traditionally known for its central role in osmotic stress regulation in the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway. This study expands the functional scope of Hog1 to include oxidative and ethanol-induced stress responses.

In parallel, we investigate post-transcriptional regulation of stress responses by the Mkt1 interactome, …

Investigating Evolution Through The Lens Of Ai-Driven Protein Exploration And Phylogenetic Modeling, Mataya Duncan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in computational biology, artificial intelligence, and sequencing technologies have enabled new perspectives for addressing longstanding questions in evolutionary biology. Increased computational power has made large-scale simulations feasible for investigating diverse aspects of evolutionary and phylogenetic modeling. Similarly, deep learning algorithms now allow for the prediction of reasonably accurate tertiary protein structures, unlocking the potential for investigating diversity and evolution of protein structure across a broad range of organisms. This thesis presents two studies that target different aspects of evolutionary inference from unique perspectives. Yet, the share an overarching goal of presenting new perspectives on the evolutionary basis of …

Three Reference Genomes For Freshwater Diatom Ecology And Evolution, Wade R. Roberts, Andrew J. Alverson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Diatoms are an important component of marine and freshwater ecosystems. Although the majority of described diatom species live in freshwater systems, genome sequencing efforts have focused primarily on marine species. Genomic resources for freshwater species have the potential to improve our understanding of diatom ecology and evolution, particularly in the context of major environmental shifts. We used long- and short-read sequencing platforms to assemble reference genomes for three freshwater diatom species, all in the order Thalalassiosirales, which are abundant in the plankton of oceans, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers worldwide. We targeted three species that cover the breadth of phylogenetic diversity …

A High-Lipid Diet Leads To Greater Pathology And Lower Tolerance During Infection, Weston Gerald Perrine, Erin Sauer, Ashley C. Love, Ashley Morris, Johnathan Novotny, Sarah Durant

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Altered food landscapes contribute importantly to wildlife disease dynamics and may play a critical role in host heterogeneity in disease outcomes through changes in host diet composition. We explored the effects of dietary macronutrient composition on disease pathology and feeding behavior of canaries (Serinus canaria domestica) infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). In the first experiment, we provided canaries with isocaloric diets composed of identical ingredients that varied in macronutrient content (high protein or high lipid) then MG- or sham-inoculated birds. In the second experiment, we offered both diets to canaries before and after MG or sham inoculation. In experiment one, …