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Articles 271 - 300 of 498
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Effects Of Texting On Neck Muscle Activity And Neck Flexion In College Students., Matalgah Haneen
Effects Of Texting On Neck Muscle Activity And Neck Flexion In College Students., Matalgah Haneen
Honors Theses
College students are susceptible to tech neck, a possible musculoskeletal disorder producing neck strain due to texting. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether texting among college students produces any significant effects on the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles and neck flexion. To the best ofmy knowledge, no study in the literature has studies the effects of texting taking into consideration factors specific to college students, such as carrying a backpack and different environments (e.g. stairs, hallways). This justifies my primary aim of examining collegiate factors (i.e. backpack, environment) influence on neck muscle activity and flexion in students …
Fruit Structure In Arabidopsis Thaliana Organ Boundary Mutants, Katelyn Childers
Fruit Structure In Arabidopsis Thaliana Organ Boundary Mutants, Katelyn Childers
Honors Theses
The fruit are an integral plant organ that function to nurture and disperse seeds. Â Using the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, the genetic mechanisms underlying fruit development have been carefully studied. Â The Arabidopsis fruit originates from the female reproductive organ, the gynoecium, which consists of two carpels that develop into the ovary with a style and stigma. Â Proper formation of the fruit relies on a functional floral meristem and on the specification of boundary regions that arise between the carpel walls and a medial replum. Â Two genes known to affect both the development of organ boundaries in …
Community Structure Of The Microbiome Of Ixodes Scapularis In Relation To Sex, Stage, Lineage, And Geography, Christopher Lee Clark
Community Structure Of The Microbiome Of Ixodes Scapularis In Relation To Sex, Stage, Lineage, And Geography, Christopher Lee Clark
Honors Theses
This study sought to fill these gaps of knowledge ticks as a model species. Based on the known information on the microbiome of vectors, and ticks more specifically, I sought to answer two prominent questions: are there relationships between the microbiome of individual ticks and do ticks from different sexes or life stages have variance in their microbiomes? In reference to my first question, I hypothesized that ticks coming from the same lineage, being the males, 7 Community Structure of the Microbiome of Ixodes scapularis females, and resulting eggs, would have a more similar microbiome to each other than to …
Understanding The Structural Basis Of Sike Interactions, Alice Catalano
Understanding The Structural Basis Of Sike Interactions, Alice Catalano
Honors Theses
Tank Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) acts as a catalytic hub in the regulation of numerous immune signaling pathways. Suppressor of IκB Kinase ε (SIKE) was recently characterized as a substrate of TBK1 whose binding properties are modulated by phosphorylation state, but very little is currently known about its function. However, because SIKE is known to form a dimer with itself, previous work generated a list of potential SIKE partners based on other proteins that contain sequences homologous to SIKE. Here, computational models of four potential SIKE partners, Heavy Chain myosin, tubulin, Beta Catenin and Ezrin, were generated and docked with …
Bartonella And Y. Pestis Screening In Ctenophyllus Armatus Terribilis For Conservation Application For The America Pika (Ochotona Princeps) In The Rocky Mountain Front Range, Hilary Rinsland
Honors Theses
As temperatures continue to disproportionally increase in alpine regions due to climate change, parasite spillover from increased pika-rodent contact could bring new diseases to a susceptible alpine specialist, the American pika (Ochotona princeps). Fleas collected from pika at four alpine and subalpine study sites in Boulder County, Colorado from 2011-2017 were screened for Y. pestis and Bartonella using conventional PCR methods. This is the first study to detect Bartonella in the American Pika flea Ctenophyllus armatus terribilis and to propose the presence of B. grahmii in the alpine region of the Rocky Mountains.
Analysis Of Heart Muscle Tissue For Detection Of Fluorescently Labeled Cells In Conventional- And Frozen-Section Tissue Preparations, Lena Anna Mitchell
Analysis Of Heart Muscle Tissue For Detection Of Fluorescently Labeled Cells In Conventional- And Frozen-Section Tissue Preparations, Lena Anna Mitchell
Honors Theses
No abstract provided.
Symptoms, Infectious Pathway, Treatment, And History Of Rabies In The United States, Paul Beckman-Ellenwood
Symptoms, Infectious Pathway, Treatment, And History Of Rabies In The United States, Paul Beckman-Ellenwood
Honors Theses
Rabies is a virus of the Lyssavirus family that is endemic to almost all parts of the world and claims over 55,000 lives every year. The virus is capable of being vectored through any warm-blooded animal and has a variable incubation time in its hosts. Once the disease finishes incubating and symptoms appear in the host, the disease is always fatal to humans. To prevent this there are several treatments available, but they can be expensive or difficult to obtain in parts of the world that have the most problems with rabies. To solve this vaccines have been created to …
Effects Of Marsh Fragmentation And Patch Area On Fish And Nekton Assemblages In Mississippi, Jennifer R. Main
Effects Of Marsh Fragmentation And Patch Area On Fish And Nekton Assemblages In Mississippi, Jennifer R. Main
Honors Theses
Fragmentation divides continuous habitat into smaller patches. Fragmentation can also produce smaller populations of species, because fragmentation can split a population into smaller groups. Both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems suffer from fragmentation. There are a variety of fishes that live along marsh, each depending upon the marsh for protection, food, and sometimes even competition. Species richness of fishes can be altered due to marsh fragmentation. I predict islands with a larger patch index should have a higher species richness of fishes. For this study, fish assemblages at 20 islands of marsh were sampled in the months of June and July …
Modelling The Role Of Chance In Mating Dynamics, Libby K. Boykin
Modelling The Role Of Chance In Mating Dynamics, Libby K. Boykin
Honors Theses
This undergraduate honors thesis examines the role of chance in mating dynamics, focusing on the popular measures of Is and OSR and whether or not they are accurate measures of sexual selection. The first chapter is an overview of sexual selection and how biologists typically measure it, and the second chapter describes the modelling scenarios we created to assess the interaction of Is and OSR with both chance and parental investment. Our results show that Is and OSR have indeed been used incorrectly, and that we should shift our focus to trait-based methods when measuring sexual selection.
Measuring The Presence Of The Amphibian Pathogen Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis In East Tennessee, Erin A. Schrenker
Measuring The Presence Of The Amphibian Pathogen Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis In East Tennessee, Erin A. Schrenker
Honors Theses
I examined the presence and absence of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in three survey areas in Eastern Tennessee. Amphibians were swabbed to assess for Bd and other ecological qualities like canopy cover, and air and water temperature are a few of the measurements evaluated. DNA was extracted from the swabs using a Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit and samples were PCRed in triplicate to confirm presence or absence. All 48 animals that were swabbed in the field were negative for Bd. These results parallel other findings that few Bd positive assays have been conducted in East Tennessee from …
Prevalence Of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis (Bd) In Watercourses Situated In Southeast Tennessee, Macall A. Nabors
Prevalence Of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis (Bd) In Watercourses Situated In Southeast Tennessee, Macall A. Nabors
Honors Theses
Four hundred and twenty-seven amphibian species are critically endangered. The fungal disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been correlated with amphibian decline and extinction. Numerous studies concerning the nature of Bd have been conducted; however, additional studies are needed to adequately evaluate Bd in southeastern Tennessee. As a result of previous studies, the following hypothesizes were proposed: watercourses in southeastern Tennessee will test positive for Bd, non-impacted streams will have a greater presence of Bd than impacted streams, and increased canopy coverage has a positive correlation with the presence of Bd. Field sampling took place from June 2nd 2016 to August …
Enzyme Characterization Of Sabath Family Members, Troy Burtchett
Enzyme Characterization Of Sabath Family Members, Troy Burtchett
Honors Theses
Enzymes can have many different functions within an organism. One such common function is methylation. The SABATH family of enzymes perform methylation of various organic acids. Many of the members of this family of enzymes have become specialized in the acid they methylate. For example: salicylic acid methyl transferase (SAMT) will primarily methylate salicylic acid, and benzoic acid methyl transferase (BAMT) will primarily methylate benzoic acid. By comparing the sequence of these enzymes, it has been found that a conserved region consisting of the sequence SSYSLMWLS appears in some form across all the members of the SABATH family. The 6 …
Implementation Of A Biology Summer Bridge Program For First-Year Biology Majors, Madelyn Aittama
Implementation Of A Biology Summer Bridge Program For First-Year Biology Majors, Madelyn Aittama
Honors Theses
Students are entering higher education at an escalated rate, but many are unprepared for the rigorous coursework that lies ahead of them. As nationwide programs are continuously being implemented throughout high schools to better prepare students for college life, many students are still not equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in obtaining a bachelor’s degree. Many students feel discouraged and inadequate when they perform below their academic expectations, and for a large portion of students pursuing higher education, this results in discontinuing their education. While retention rates amongst STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students are particularly low, the …
Soil Sand Content, But Not Solil Myrosinase Enzyme Activity, Affects Mam Efficacy In Suppressing Weed Growth, Warit Chirachevin
Soil Sand Content, But Not Solil Myrosinase Enzyme Activity, Affects Mam Efficacy In Suppressing Weed Growth, Warit Chirachevin
Honors Theses
Mustard seed meal (MSM) has been shown to control weeds and pests in crop fields. Prior work showed that a sandy loam soil was superior to a silt loam soil in supporting velvetleaf growth suppression by MSM. To explore this difference, myrosinase enzyme activity was measured in both soils. Results showed no significant difference between the soils. Sand content in Michigan silt loam soil was manipulated in order to test the role of sand content on MSM efficacy in suppressing short-term velvetleaf growth. Results showed that sand enhanced the effect of MSM in suppressing seedling growth and germination.
Chelerythrine Chloride And Its Effects On Phonotactic Behavior In Female Crickets Acheta Domesticus, Haneul Shin
Chelerythrine Chloride And Its Effects On Phonotactic Behavior In Female Crickets Acheta Domesticus, Haneul Shin
Honors Theses
Selective phonotaxis by female crickets has been shown to be variable. Mechanisms which underlie such behavioral variability are being studied. Juvenile Hormone III is a neuromodulator that has been shown to increase selectivity in phonotactic behavior of female crickets. In an attempt to further explore its effects on the behavioral responses of femaile crickets, experiments have been performed with chelerythrine cloride that is known to have an opposite effect of Juvenile Hormone III. Chelerythrine chloride, a potent protein kinase C blocker, has been hypothesized to block the effect of Juvenile Hormone III which acts through a protein kinase C pathway, …
The Relationship Between Cold Stress Syndrome Mortality And Body Shape In Florida Manatees, Purin Chirachevin
The Relationship Between Cold Stress Syndrome Mortality And Body Shape In Florida Manatees, Purin Chirachevin
Honors Theses
West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) are tropical and subtropical aquatic mamals that can develop cold stress syndrome (CSS) when subjected to water temperatures below 20'C for prolonge dperiods. This study investigtes the potential impact that cold winter water temperatures in Florida may have on manatee body shape as a selective force to reduce surface-area-to-volume ratio (SA:Vol; i.e. Bergmann's and Allen's Rule). Morphometric measurements collected from state-mandated necropsies (1974-2014) were used to calculate surface area, volume, and mass. We found that manatees that died of CSS on average had significantly greater SA:Vol and less mass compared to those that died …
Synthesis Of A-Cyanostilbenes And Testing Of Their Anticancer Properties, Gabrielle Cook
Synthesis Of A-Cyanostilbenes And Testing Of Their Anticancer Properties, Gabrielle Cook
Honors Theses
This research project involves synthesizing cyanostilbenes and testing their anticancer properties in breast cancer cells. Breast cancer is a global issue, one that great improvement has been found in the last few decades, but also one that remains a large killer. The components of the cyanostilbene hybrids have all been shown to have anticancer properties on their own, and we would like to see if we can increase these properties by combining multiple into a single hybrid. Then these cyanostilbene compounds are tested on Her2+ human breast cancer cells. The goals is to assess whether or not the cyanostilbenes have …
Natural Products In Weed Control: Allyl-Isothiocyanate Effects On In Vitro Velvetleaf Seedling Growth And The Influence Of Mustard Seed Meal On Soil Bacterial Populations, Stanford Shin
Honors Theses
Past research has shown that alyl isothiocyanate (AICT) and its sister ITC compounds are effective alternatives to herbicides in reducing growth in weed seedlings. In this project the effects of mustard seed meal (MSM), a source of AITC, on plant-associated soil bacteria populations was assessed along with the effect of AITC on velvetleaf seed in vitro germination. Results show that MSM reduces bacterial levels in the soil. Velvetleaf seed germination was inbibited by micromolar levels of AITC. These results suggest that MSM has the potential to impact velvetleaf growth in the field as well as becoming a weed management tool.
The Role Of Octopamine In Syllable-Period Selective Phonotaxis In Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Darley Magno
The Role Of Octopamine In Syllable-Period Selective Phonotaxis In Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Darley Magno
Honors Theses
Female crickets respond phonotactically to the calls of conspecific males. Females' phonotaxis has been reported to be variable, ranging from unselective to selectve in response to calls with varying syllable periods (30-90 ms). Octopamine, an intertebrate neurotransmitter, has been reported to increase aggressive behavior in crickets, (Stevanson et al. 2005) but the effects of octopamine on behaviors such as phonotaxis have not been investigated. The goal of this study is to determine the effects of octopamine on the syllable-period selective phonotactic response of females. Results suggest a decrease in phonotactic responsiveness shown by 5-10 day-okds after prothroacic nanoinjection of octopamine.
Understanding The Effects Of Propionic Acid On Listeria Monocytogenes Growth, Survival, And Virulence, Elizabeth A. Abrams
Understanding The Effects Of Propionic Acid On Listeria Monocytogenes Growth, Survival, And Virulence, Elizabeth A. Abrams
Honors Theses
Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes illnesses with a high fatality rate immunocompromised and elderly individuals. It colonizes the human intestine, which contains low levels of oxygen but high levels of fermentation acids. This work investigates how that environment affects various aspects of Listeria pathogenesis. Based on these results, we can ascertain whether propionate supplementation can be explored as an effective method of protecting individuals from Listeria infection.
Understanding The Patterns Of Distribution And Abundance Of Lyme Disease Carrying Ticks And Their Hosts, Julio Ruiz
Understanding The Patterns Of Distribution And Abundance Of Lyme Disease Carrying Ticks And Their Hosts, Julio Ruiz
Honors Theses
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgodorferi and spreads to their hosts by the bites of infected Ixodes scapularis ticks. In the United States, Lyme disease is typically found in the northeast but in recent years the disease has begun to be found further south and west than previously before. Yet, today, little information can be found about the patters of distribution and abundance of ticks and their host. The main goal of this research work was to expand the knowledge of the abundance and distribution of ticks and host. Based on tick collection data obtained from Maikis …
Lethal Effects Of The Non-Native Invasive Shrub Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii) On A Model Aquatic Organism (Hyalella Azteca), Eric B. Borth
Lethal Effects Of The Non-Native Invasive Shrub Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii) On A Model Aquatic Organism (Hyalella Azteca), Eric B. Borth
Honors Theses
The invasive plant Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle) has had a variety of ecological effects as it continues to spread through the eastern United States including the loss of plant biodiversity and alterations in ecosystem function in forests. Streams meander through many forests where Amur honeysuckle is present and recent evidence suggests that this terrestrial invasion has consequences for stream biology. Leaves of Amur honeysuckle have been shown to have strong negative effects on terrestrial insects and we hypothesized that these negative effects may also occur in aquatic macroinvertebrates. In this set of experiments we used a sequence of microcosm assays …
Effectiveness Of A Novel Porphyrin Exhibiting Dark Toxicity Against The Model Organism Mycobacterium Smegmatis, Marissa C. Jama
Effectiveness Of A Novel Porphyrin Exhibiting Dark Toxicity Against The Model Organism Mycobacterium Smegmatis, Marissa C. Jama
Honors Theses
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizing porphyrins has emerged as a possible ancillary treatment against antibiotic resistant bacteria. Porphyrins, such a novel zinc containing porphyrin designated ZnP, create reactive oxygen species that are toxic to bacterial cells utilizing light by a mechanism that is not yet fully understood. Previous experiments have shown ZnP to be able to kill microorganisms in the dark which is unique to few porphyrins. The aim of this research is to understand the effect ZnP has on Mycobacterium smegmatis, a model organism for the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuburculosis which causes the lung infection tuberculosis. Further experimentation is …
Effects Of Ultrasound On Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) Mediated Neurodegeneration, Sarah Byrne
Effects Of Ultrasound On Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) Mediated Neurodegeneration, Sarah Byrne
Honors Theses
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age related progressive neurodegenerative disease. The exact mechanisms that lead to cell death are not entirely understood. It has been shown that accumulation of amyloid-beta-42 (Aβ42) plaques generated by mis-cleavage of amyloid-precursor-protein is the cause of neurodegeneration seen in AD. This is due to the hydrophobic nature of Aβ42 due to extra two amino acids added to the typical and naturally occurring Aβ40 in the body. These Aβ42 plaques trigger neuronal death because of the toxic nature and stress they exert on the neurons. In this study, Drosophila melanogaster transgenic model where human Aβ42 coding …
Pravastatin™ Suppresses Venous Shear Stress Dependent Induction Of Aquaporin 1 Protein Expression In Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells In Vitro, Raphael J. Crum
Pravastatin™ Suppresses Venous Shear Stress Dependent Induction Of Aquaporin 1 Protein Expression In Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells In Vitro, Raphael J. Crum
Honors Theses
Background: Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane water channels that facilitate osmotically-driven transmembrane water flux. AQP1 is abundantly expressed in vascular endothelium, where it functions in endothelial cell migration, wound healing, and cell volume regulation in response to mechanical stimuli. AQP1 protein abundance is enhanced in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in response to fluid shear stress. Statins, a pharmacological class of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, suppress the early development of vein graft intimal hyperplasia by improving endothelial cell function, most likely by affecting endothelial response to arterial shear stress. Statins may also differentially regulate the expression of specific AQPs by …
Seasonal Changes In Physical, Chemical, And Biotic Factors In Silver Lake, Ohio, Jacob J. Clancy
Seasonal Changes In Physical, Chemical, And Biotic Factors In Silver Lake, Ohio, Jacob J. Clancy
Honors Theses
The chemical makeup of a body of water can vary greatly depending on what kind of lake it is, the time of year and what kind of runoff enters the water. There are many abiotic factors that make up the water chemistry of a lake such as nutrient availability (Nitrogen and Phosphorous), pH, temperature, oxygen content and conductivity. Each of these factors plays important roles in the successes of many organisms that reside in the lake. The many species of zooplankton and phytoplankton thrive in different water chemistry conditions. Silver Lake is a unique lake in Ohio, because it was …
Does Riparian Forest Invasion By The Exotic Shrub Amur Honeysuckle Influence Nutrient Dynamics In Headwater Streams?, Charlotte Anne Shade
Does Riparian Forest Invasion By The Exotic Shrub Amur Honeysuckle Influence Nutrient Dynamics In Headwater Streams?, Charlotte Anne Shade
Honors Theses
Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle) invasion is extensive in forests across much of Ohio and the Midwest. Amur honeysuckle has been shown to influence headwater streams and its organisms, which depend on a certain water chemistry to survive. Little has been done to understand how honeysuckle affects water chemistry and nutrient cycling. As honeysuckle canopies prevent native organic matter from entering the streams below, while also adding its own organic matter that is high in nitrogen and phosphorus, and low in lignin, the amount and types of nutrients present in both forests and streams may be significantly altered. Over a one-year …
Protein Kinase Activity Toward Taabf1 In Imbibing Grains, Taylor P. Enrico
Protein Kinase Activity Toward Taabf1 In Imbibing Grains, Taylor P. Enrico
Honors Theses
The hormones gibberellin and abscisic acid are essential for plant responses to changing environmental conditions, and can send opposing signals. In wheat, the transcription factor TaABF1 plays an important role at the intersection of a gibberellin-induced/abscisic acid-suppressed pathway. When gibberellin dominates, the GA-induced gene, Amy32b, is transcribed. When abscisic acid is dominant, TaABF1 is active and it downregulates GA-induction of Amy32b, while promoting ABA-induced transcription of the gene HVA1. The activity of TaABF1 is thought to be regulated by post-translational phosphorylation at key serine residues. In this study, to determine TaABF1 phosphorylation by wheat kinases, we purified recombinant …
Autoregulation Of The Glial Gene Reversed Polarity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Chase Suiter
Autoregulation Of The Glial Gene Reversed Polarity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Chase Suiter
Honors Theses
Autoregulation is the process where an encoded protein is able to bind to and positively or negatively regulate its own expression. Autoregulatory loops are crucial for sustained gene expression, and such loops have been demonstrated to be important for development in organisms ranging from Danio rerio to Arabidopsis thaliana and Drosophila melanogaster. The cells of the nervous system arise from progenitor cells that eventually adopt one of two fates: neuronal or glial. This decision is controlled by glial cells missing; however glial cells missing is expressed briefly at the beginning development. The glial gene repo is a gene that is …
Culture-Independent Analysis Of Microbial Communities Associated With Hydroponically Grown Living Lettuce, Abby Matthews
Culture-Independent Analysis Of Microbial Communities Associated With Hydroponically Grown Living Lettuce, Abby Matthews
Honors Theses
The bacteria associated on and within a plant make up that plant's microbiome. Given recent interest in how microbes can affect human health, as well as developments in DNA sequencing that allow us to examine microbial communities without culture techniques, a number of recent studies have investigated the composition of the microbial communities on edible plants. Leafy green salad vegetables pose an added interest, since they are consumed without sterilization or cooking. This study investigated the bacterial composition of endophytic and epiphytic communities of hydroponically grown green leaf lettuce that is sold with the roots intact and referred to as …