Biology Commons^™

Evaluating The Impact Of Temperature And Artificial Light At Night On The Growth, Swimming Performance, And Corticosterone Levels Of Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates Sphenocephalus) Tadpoles, Skylar Alexander

Honors Theses

Anthropogenic activities caused by urbanization have considerably altered our world’s ecosystems which has led to a global amphibian population decline. Encroaching and unyielding urbanization by humans has contributed to a rise in artificial light at night due to light pollution as well as increased temperature due to climate change. Both rising temperatures and artificial light at night (ALAN) have been shown to individually have negative effects on amphibian physiology such as increased stress and decreased behavior. However, due to the drastic nature of human imposition, amphibians typically encounter these anthropogenic stressors in combination. Therefore, it is important to understand how …

Sleep Duration Is Associated With Caudate Volume And Executive Function, Nicole Jones

Honors Theses

The ineligible role of the caudate nucleus in sleep has been implicated throughout multiple scientific studies. Previous literature has shown that greater caudate volume is associated with longer habitual sleep duration in older adults- ranging from 55 years of age and up. However, the association between sleep duration and caudate volume remains unknown in the younger population. In this study, we examined the caudate volume in youth to older adults (10 to 85 years old) with a greater sample size (N=464) to increase statistical power. The volumetric size of the caudate nucleus showed significantly positive association with habitual sleep duration, …

Is Vdac1 A Novel Bcl2 Family Member That Binds Bax?, Claire Pearson

Honors Theses

Apoptosis is a type of regulated cell death important for normal embryonic development and maintenance of adult tissues by removing excess or dysfunctional cells to ensure proper functioning of organs. The Bcl-2 family of proteins determines whether apoptosis remains suppressed or becomes activated through the balance of interactions among pro-survival and pro-death members. A defining feature of the Bcl-2 family is a BH3 domain that drives interactions between the family members. Isoform 1 of the voltage dependent anion channel (VDAC1) has an important role in metabolism, but was recently found to have high homology with known BH3 domains. This study …

Does Vdac2 Have A Bh3 Domain?, Lillian Ferkany

Honors Theses

Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) by Bax oligomerization triggers apoptosis. BCl-2 family proteins, classified as BH3 only proteins, pro-survival proteins, or pro-apoptotic proteins, control apoptosis partly through their agonist or antagonistic effects on Bax, which are mediated by their conserved BH3 domains. All BH3 domains form an alpha helix containing 5-7 conserved hydrophobic residues, designated H0-H5, and one conserved aspartic acid that drive interaction with Bax and other ‘multi-domain’ BCl-2 members. BH3 agonists induce Bax oligomerization, while BH3 antagonists sequester Bax to prevent MOMP. We discovered that voltage dependent anion channels (VDACs) in the MOM contain a putative BH3-like domain …

Study Budgets In Human Anatomy And Physiology Students: Assessments Of Time On Tasks As Affected By Student Motivation And Assessment Weighting, Mattie C. Derivaux

Honors Theses

The extent to which a student is motivated, along with the root of that motivation, can significantly influence the nature of a student’s experience in a course, especially in a rigorous science course such as Human Anatomy and Physiology (HAP). Students’ perceptions of specific course elements, coupled with how they perceive their purposes, can alter their motivation to succeed, which in turn can affect their performance. This study sought to analyze student motivation in an undergraduate HAP course at the University of Mississippi by focusing on students’ attitudes towards the weight distribution of course assessments, effort exertions, and time allotted …

Invasion Of The Northeastern United States By The Southern Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus Frontalis, And The Impacts On Signatures Of Isolation By Distance Assessed Using Mitochondrial Dna, Lora Grace Holman

Honors Theses

The southern pine beetle (SPB) is a small, black beetle that parasitizes pine trees across the United States and Central America. Recently it has been recognized that the range of SPB is not limited to the southern United States, but rather extends northward across the eastern United States, which raises concerns for pine trees that have never encountered the pest before. Using mitochondrial DNA sequences from a section of the cytochrome oxidase I gene and four different measures of genetic distance compared to geographic distance, we tested for evidence of isolation by distance (IBD) among sampled SPB to see whether …

Developing A Novel Place Preference Assay To Compare Drosophila Species Over Time, Martha M. Brinson

Honors Theses

Across phylogeny, integration of external factors, memory, and internal states of the organism dictate organismal behavior and mechanisms. The underlying genetic components can affect these behaviors such as in genomic changes arising from speciation. In this thesis, a new place preference assay was evaluated in the analysis and investigation of two species of Drosophila flies (D. melanogaster and D. simulans) to measure similarities and differences and their attraction to two different food substrates. Sleep and circadian measurements were also recorded during experimentation. The Drosophila Activity Monitor 5M (DAM5M) System and Sleep Circadian Analysis MATLAB Program (SCAMP) analysis were …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of Ionic Liquids Using Nitrogen-Based Cations For Transdermal Delivery, Jo Galloway

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the synthesis mechanisms of water-soluble ionic liquids with nitrogen-containing cationic bases for future use in transdermal drug delivery and forensic science applications. Ionic liquids are salts with an organic cation and either an organic or inorganic anion. They have asymmetric structures, which means that the molecules don’t pack together as neatly as other salts do, therefore, they don’t crystallize as easily, and their melting points are lower. Ionic liquids have melting points below 100°C, and many are liquid at room temperature. Mechanistic studies reveal that the potency of ILs in enhancing transdermal …

Determining The Distribution Of Elemental Compounds And Oxidative Potential Across Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) Filters, Allie Michelle Sidwell

Honors Theses

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is a complex mixture of particles and sorbed chemicals that poses serious, adverse effects on human health such as increasing cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality. There is ongoing research into the impacts of PM_2.5 of differing chemical compositions, sampling location, and the mechanisms for the observed health effects. To conduct these analytical and toxicology studies of PM_2.5, researchers often split filters into sections. This process allows multiple, often destructive, assays to be performed. Our previous research showed chemical composition differences across PM_2.5 filters. The goal of our study was …

Discovery Of Truffles (Tuber Species) In North Mississippi Pecan Orchards, Scout Hodges

Honors Theses

This thesis describes a study conducted in the years 2019-2022, which aimed to discover a new species of truffle in the state of Mississippi. Tuber lyonii, more commonly referred to as the “pecan truffle,” is an ectomycorrhizal fungus found on the roots of pecan trees in much of the southeastern region of the United States. Though there are many truffles native to the United States, the pecan truffle is one of the few that has been found to have high culinary value. Given the plethora of pecan orchards in the state of Mississippi, I decided to search for evidence …

Analysis Of Test Anxiety In Human Anatomy And Physiology I Students At The University Of Mississippi, Anne Piazza

Honors Theses

Student anxiety, specifically test anxiety, is common hindrance to student performance in various courses including Human Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Mississippi. Through a sequence of three surveys we collected demographic information, anxiety data related to the course, and test anxiety in general We researched factors that could potentially influence student anxiety such as at what point in the semester the student is evaluated, when students feel the most stressed, outcomes on previous evaluations, and perceived outcomes of the course. We also examined what effect the anxiety has on the student such as lowered performance, lowered test scores, …

Effectiveness Of Visual Representations In Undergraduate Human Anatomy And Physiology I & Ii, Mary Agnes Mestayer

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to explore intersections between student preferences and student performance on anatomical visual representations in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Visual representations are a critical resource for the formation of relationships between function and structure furthermore; students interpret these representations uniquely based on specific factors (learning objective, prior knowledge, the diagram studied, etc.). Phase I of this project gathered undergraduate responses to ten Likert-style questions on their opinions on diagrams and their use in the A&P classroom. Phase II of this project presented participants with twelve manipulated diagrams sourced from three diagram with …

The Importance Of A Multidisciplinary Approach To Public Health: Addressing Food Insecurity Through A Biological And Sociological Lens, Chloe Grant

Honors Theses

Plants can sense the change of 1 ^oC in their growth environment and thus global climate change has a great impact on plant growth and development. The phenomenon that warm non-stress temperatures promote stem and petiole elongation, as well as leaf hyponastic growth, is collectively known as thermomorphogenesis. While it is known that the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor PIF4 is highly inducible by temperature elevations and controls thermomorphogenesis in dicots (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana), the molecular mechanism underlying thermomorphogenetic growth in monocots is not clear. In this study, I identify PIF4 orthologs in several economically important monocotyledonous species and …

Examining The Role Of The Drosophila Melanogaster Unc13 Protein In Open Field Activity Using Rnai, Islam Orabi

Honors Theses

Unc13 are proteins in the presynaptic neurons essential in controlling synaptic vesicle fusion and synaptic transmission. Recently, the reduction of Drosophila melanogaster Unc13 proteins (Dunc13), were found to result in a resistance to alcohol, highly reminiscent of tolerance formation. I investigated whether genetically reducing Dunc13 activity in Drosophila brain regions leads to different forms of behavioral plasticity using an open field activity paradigm. In my approach, a Dunc13 RNAi transgene was expressed in the Drosophila brain within the mushroom body, the ellipsoid body, and in all neurons. The activities of the flies were examined in the open field paradigm to …

A Baseline Documentation Report For The Delta Wind Birds Sky Lake Nature Reserve, James Dubberly

Honors Theses

The purpose of this baseline documentation is to conduct a report on our subject property and discuss the findings. A conservation easement is established by upholding a certain standard of a property’s current condition which makes a baseline documentation necessary for an easement to be enacted. Baseline documentation reports are used as a resource to monitor and enforce the legal agreements of the conservation easement. The subject property is currently owned by the Delta Wind Birds organization. In our scenario, this documentation report will serve to aid in the conversion of our subject property into a conservation easement in which …

Congenital Heart Defects And The Expression Of Ccdc141, Savanna Tillman

Honors Theses

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are one of the most prevalent types of birth defects in the United States. Both environmental and genetic components are known to contribute to the development of CHDs. One of the ways toxins present in the environment cause CHDs is by disrupting the expression of genes known to be vital in normal cardiac morphogenesis. Thus, the identification of both toxins that cause birth defects in cardiac development and genes expressed during heart development is crucial in order to fully understand the relationship between environment and genetics as they relate to CHD. Due to their external development, …

An Examination Of Mimetic Precision And The Selective Advantages Of Imprecise Mimics, Matt Hendricks

Honors Theses

First proposed by Henry Walter Bates in 1862, Batesian mimicry refers to the scenario in which an undefended species (the mimic) gains protection from predation due to its phenotypic resemblance to a noxious species (the model). Often, the model species possess a conspicuous phenotype which serves to warn predators of the species’ danger. A great deal of research spanning many decades has been devoted to this phenomenon as it applies to coral snakes. Coral snakes are quite noxious and are distinguished from other species of snakes by their banded patterns of bright colors such as red, yellow, and black. It …

The Role Of The Dal Neurons In Modulating Circadian Rhythms In Olfactory Short-Term Memory In Drosophila Melanogaster, Cooper Ruwe

Honors Theses

Depressed short-term memory (STM) abilities during non-adaptive times of the day can significantly impact those who work occupations that require peak levels of cognitive functioning around the clock. While much work has gone into understanding the endogenous clock and circadian rhythms, there is still much to learn about the neural circuity that underlies the daily rhythms that define these regular oscillations in STM performance. The DAL neurons in the Drosophila brain are part of the circadian network and innervate the mushroom bodies (MBs), the species’ olfactory learning center, making them compelling candidates to be involved in circadian circuitry for olfactory …

Density Dependent Growth Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens In The Presence And Absence Of C. Elegans Predation In Liquid Media, Jack Landmann

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the predator-prey relationship between C. elegans worms and P. fluorescens bacteria in liquid media. We were aiming to create a predation model of the relationship between these two species.

This study was performed through three experiments. Using 96-well plates, we were able to measure the change in optical density (OD) of these wells and calculate the growth rate. This growth rate was then graphed and analyzed. The first experiment contained P. fluorescens and KB liquid media, this study demonstrated that the bacterial population has a carrying capacity. We were also able to …

A Baseline Documentation Report For The Delta Wind Birds Sky Lake Nature Reserve, Preston T. Perkins, J Hays Dubberly, Michael J. Thomas

Honors Theses

The purpose of this baseline documentation is to conduct a report on our subject property and discuss the findings. A conservation easement is established by upholding a certain standard of a property’s current condition which makes a baseline documentation necessary for an easement to be enacted. Baseline documentation reports are used as a resource to monitor and enforce the legal agreements of the conservation easement. The subject property is currently owned by the Delta Wind Birds organization. In our scenario, this documentation report will serve to aid in the conversion of our subject property into a conservation easement in which …

The Design And Validation Of A Qpcr-Based Approach To Cell Quantification Of Fungal-Algal Symbioses, Isabelle Katherine Garlotte

Honors Theses

Symbiotic relationships are extremely common in virtually all species. These relationships between organisms, particularly mutualistic symbioses, can have an incredibly large impact and can greatly affect the evolution of the species involved. Of particular interest is the suspected mutualistic relationship between green algae and fungi that may hold key evidence of how terrestrial plants evolved. In this experiment we established a method of quantifying the cells of each species involved in these symbioses through qPCR analysis to determine if the relationships are truly mutualistic. We developed a system for using DNA copies as a proxy for cell count in co-cultures …

Investigation Of Bax-Vdac Interactions And Their Role In Apoptosis, Marie Merrell

Honors Theses

Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death. Increasing knowledge of this biological process can lead to understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer alike. In mammals, this process occurs through mechanisms that are localized to the mitochondria. The release of cytochrome c is from the mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) is regulated by pro and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. If the latter are successful, then cytochrome c’s release into the cytosol activates a caspase cascade, resulting in apoptosis of the cell. Pro-apoptotic Bax is present in complexes that contain voltage dependent anion channels (VDACs). We hypothesized that in healthy cells, VDACs …

The Relationship Between Glucocorticoids And The Humoral Immune Response To Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Challenges In Eastern Bluebirds, Joshua Smith

Honors Theses

Numerous studies have examined relationships between adrenal glucocorticoids and the immune system’s ability to fight disease. The relationship can vary, with glucocorticoids having either stimulatory or inhibitory effects. The pathogenic bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) elicits an adaptive immune response in birds, in which B cells produce MG-specific antibodies to fight the infection and prevent reoccurrence. Previous research found that Eastern Bluebirds that produce the most antibodies in response to MG infection also have the highest glucocorticoid levels. This finding led to the current study investigating whether corticosterone, the primary glucocorticoid in birds, stimulates production of antibodies in response to immune …

Ectomycorrhizal Fungi And Effects Of Soil Microbes Associated With Slash Pine Encroachment Into Native Longleaf Pine Habitat, Madison Brooke Woodruff

Honors Theses

Biological invasions can cause substantial changes to the environment: indigenous species can be reduced or even eliminated, soil characteristics shifted, and nutrient cycles altered. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are thought to be key biological controllers of some plant invasions, especially benefiting Pinus species in invasions at exotic sites, but less is understood about the role of ECM fungi and other soil microbes in encroachment by one plant species into the habitat of another in their native ranges. In this study, soil was collected from three habitats in southern Mississippi, USA: native slash pine maritime forest, longleaf pine savanna encroached by slash …

Population Genetics Of A Recent Range Expansion By The Southern Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus Frontalis, Into The Northeastern United States, Megan Stubbs

Honors Theses

Population genetics as a field of study aims to determine the genetic variation among individuals in a population, and differences among populations. Certain population genetic analyses can provide such information and be used to better understand the biological aspects to a species’ expansion beyond its native range. The southern pine beetle (SPB), Dendroctonus frontalis, has become an invasive pest to pine forests in northeastern United States with its recent range expansion. Nine microsatellite loci were first developed and then used in analyses. To determine what the genetic variation is among individuals in SPB populations across its entire range, including …

Assessment Of Oral Motor Activity Variables During Consumption Of Chocolate Using Surface Electromyography: Effects Of Variation In Cocoa Solid Content, Kara Elizabeth Cook

Honors Theses

The aim of this experiment is to assess how a wide range of cocoa content in different types of chocolate samples effects oral motor activity for mastication events, along with the time between consumption and swallowing. A prior study assessed individual oral motor activity using surface electromyography (sEMG) for mastication events while eating four different chocolate samples, and this information was used to determine which aspects of the masticatory process underlie differences in individual chewing behavior as well as whether subjects retain their general characteristic eating behavior across a variety of chocolate samples. The study found that with chocolate samples …

Effects Of Invasion By Plants And Beetles On Roots And Mycorrhizal Fungi Of Plantation Scots Pines In Poland, Meghan M. Van

Honors Theses

Biological invasions can cause significant changes to the environment in which they occur. One of the main changes that is caused is how invasive species can disrupt mutualisms between native species in ecosystems. The mutualism between mycorrhizal fungi and plants is one of the most important mutualisms that a plant forms. This mutualism is very important because it is the source of many nutrients that the plant needs. This study took place in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) plantation in northeastern Poland, and aimed to determine the effects of plant and beetle invaders on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi and …

Variability In Antibacterial Activity In The Caribbean Sponge Amphimedon Compressa, Mackenzie Reilly

Honors Theses

Coral reefs are essential ecosystems that provide an abundance of natural resources. Sponges, common reef inhabitants, produce a diversity of secondary metabolites that are known to serve as chemical defenses. Secondary metabolites often have ecological functions, such as antipredator and antibacterial activities. I studied the common Caribbean sponge species, Amphimedon compressa, which is known to be chemically defended. Samples were collected from three sites in Belize, two sites in Grand Cayman, and three sites in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. To determine whether antibacterial activity varied across broad or local geographic scales, sponge extracts were tested against four bacterial strains …

Diurnal Variation In Co2 Efflux By Pine Seedlings And Root-Associated Mycorrhizal Fungi, Richard Easterling

Honors Theses

This project was part of a larger experiment conducted by Amber Horning and Jason Hoeksema in the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi, which was set up to investigate variation (over time, and with different light levels) in resource exchange between pine seedlings and two different species of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi. The experiment was conducted in a growth chamber, with mycorrhizal pine seedlings growing in plexiglass "mycocosms." I worked with two EM fungal species (Rhizopogon roseolus and Pisolithus arhizus, hereafter "Rhizopogon" and "Pisolithus"), which were collected locally near Oxford, Mississippi under loblolly pine. I selected a subset of …

Auditory Radiation And Cognitive Decline: Probabilistic Tractography Study, Adryanna Tucker

Honors Theses

The relationship between hearing loss and Alzheimer’s disease has been studied for many years. Previous studies have shown a negative correlation between the two. In our study, we investigated the relationship between the strength of the auditory radiation connections and the severity of cognitive decline. To do so, we assessed probabilistic tractography using DTI data of the primary auditory pathway. Further, we assessed the level of cognition using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cog to determine the relationship between the auditory connections assessed in each patient and that patient’s level of cognitive decline. We found that FA and AD were positively …