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2014

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Articles 571 - 600 of 1587

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Chemical Profiling And Biological Activity Of Two Tunicate-Associated Marine Bacteria, Lyubina Yankova May 2014

Chemical Profiling And Biological Activity Of Two Tunicate-Associated Marine Bacteria, Lyubina Yankova

Honors Scholar Theses

Marine natural products have recently been an increasingly abundant source of novel antibiotics. Given that there is an increasing resistance to current drug therapies, finding new sources such as marine natural products is essential. Tunicate-associated marine bacteria can be a significant source of antibacterial compounds. Two tunicates of the species Eudistoma were collected from Portobelo National Park on the Salmedina Reef of Panama in the Caribbean Sea. Bacteria associated with the tunicate were isolated, cultured, extracted, and fractionated. Fractions were tested against an array of clinically relevant bacterial pathogens in the BioMAP assay. Two fractions MB0086E and MB0088E demonstrated activity …

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Interleukin-3-Deficient Mice Have Increased Resistance To Blood-Stage Malaria, Sarah Rebekah Auclair May 2014

Interleukin-3-Deficient Mice Have Increased Resistance To Blood-Stage Malaria, Sarah Rebekah Auclair

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The contribution of interleukin-3 (IL-3), a hematopoietic growth factor and immunoregulatory cytokine, to resistance to blood-stage malaria was investigated by infecting IL-3-deficient (knockout [KO]) mice with Plasmodium berghei NK65. The results show that endogenous IL-3 significantly alters the susceptibility of BALB/c mice to P. berghei NK65 infection as reflected by measures of survival, anemia, parasitemia, and splenomegaly. Male IL-3 KO mice, but not female mice, were more resistant to infection than wild-type (WT) mice, as evidenced by lower peak parasitemia and prolonged survival. Both male and female IL-3 KO mice had increased splenomegaly and were more anemic than corresponding WT …

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The Role Of Ephrin-B3 On Midbrain Topography And Auditory Function, William Andrew Noftz May 2014

The Role Of Ephrin-B3 On Midbrain Topography And Auditory Function, William Andrew Noftz

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Eph-ephrins are a family of molecular guidance proteins that provide cell-cell interactions necessary for topographic mapping and pattern formation in the developing nervous system. Studies in our laboratory have shown in mouse the transient expression of certain Eph-ephrin members in the developing inferior colliculus (IC) prior to hearing onset. Ephrin-B3 expression, while absent in the central nucleus (CNIC), is highly expressed in extramodular domains of the lateral cortex (LCIC) as well as the mesencephalic midline. We utilize multiple-labeling approaches in control and ephrin-B3 mutants to explore the development of converging CNIC and LCIC afferent patterns. Tract-tracing studies describe the relative …

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Identification Of Microrna Biomarkers In Her2-Positive Breast Cancer, Hossam Tashkandi May 2014

Identification Of Microrna Biomarkers In Her2-Positive Breast Cancer, Hossam Tashkandi

Theses and Dissertations

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed in approximately 30% of breast cancer patients with poor prognosis. In addition, microRNAs are small non-coding RNA that have been linked to many cancers. Here we investigate which miRNAs are differentially regulated by HER2 overexpression. Using quantitative reverse-transcription prolymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and matching it with the clinical data acquired from Dvinge, we find five candidate miRNAs. When comparing the miRNAs’ effect on patient survival, only three miRNAs stand as good predictors of patient survival outcome. These miRNAs are miR-146a-5p, miR-181d, and miR-195-5p. When miR-146a-5p is up-regulated, which is the case …

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Phenotypic Variation In The Model Organism, Danio Rerio, Rachel D. Champaigne, Kim H. Brown May 2014

Phenotypic Variation In The Model Organism, Danio Rerio, Rachel D. Champaigne, Kim H. Brown

Student Research Symposium

Model organisms are used to study evolutionary conserved traits. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are used a model organism because of their highly fecundity, external fertilization, and robust nature, making them highly adaptable to environmental and genetic variation. In an effort to limit data variation that lies outside of topic interest, phenotypic measures of variation must be performed, understood, and taken into consideration for future studies. A common measurement of phenotypic variation in fish is in the maximum (Ucrit) swimming speeds. Inter and intra-strain variation in zebrafish Ucrit swimming speeds will be observed in a swim tunnel. Baseline values will …

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Technique For Staining The Myelin-Like Sheath In Earthworms, Kayla Brown May 2014

Technique For Staining The Myelin-Like Sheath In Earthworms, Kayla Brown

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

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Water Water Everywhere: Analyzing Long Island's Water Issues And Finding Solutions For A Sustainable Future, Anthony T. Becker May 2014

Water Water Everywhere: Analyzing Long Island's Water Issues And Finding Solutions For A Sustainable Future, Anthony T. Becker

2014 Student Theses

Over three million people call Long Island their home. With access to beautiful landscapes, world-renowned beaches, and proximity to New York City, it is no wonder that so many proudly call this geographic stretch of glacial till their home. However, throughout the years our actions do not necessarily reflect this affection we have to our home. Years of sprawl and human infestation across the island have resulted in widespread environmental degradation. Specifically, the water we drink and the beaches we enjoy have become endangered. I plan on studying the urban ecology of how intensified population growth led to the eutrophication …

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Tree Height And Diameter Relationships Of White Pine And Tree Fall Patterns Of Red Pine In Northern Minnesota, Jake Mack May 2014

Tree Height And Diameter Relationships Of White Pine And Tree Fall Patterns Of Red Pine In Northern Minnesota, Jake Mack

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

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Structure Of A Mitochondrial Cytochrome C Conformer Competent For Peroxidase Activity, Levi J. Mcclelland, Tung-Chung Mou, Margaret E. Jeakins-Cooley, Stephen R. Sprang, Bruce E. Bowler May 2014

Structure Of A Mitochondrial Cytochrome C Conformer Competent For Peroxidase Activity, Levi J. Mcclelland, Tung-Chung Mou, Margaret E. Jeakins-Cooley, Stephen R. Sprang, Bruce E. Bowler

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

At the onset of apoptosis, the peroxidation of cardiolipin at the inner mitochondrial membrane by cytochrome c requires an open coordination site on the heme. We report a 1.45-Å resolution structure of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c with the Met80 heme ligand swung out of the heme crevice and replaced by a water molecule. This conformational change requires modest adjustments to the main chain of the heme crevice loop and is facilitated by a trimethyllysine 72-to-alanine mutation. This mutation also enhances the peroxidase activity of iso-1-cytochrome c. The structure shows a buried water channel capable of facilitating peroxide access to the active …

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Transcriptome Analysis Of Sea Lamprey Embryogenesis, Zakary Ilya Yermolenko May 2014

Transcriptome Analysis Of Sea Lamprey Embryogenesis, Zakary Ilya Yermolenko

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) has survived throughout evolution for hundreds of millions of years. It is considered an invasive species to the Great Lakes that has caused dramatic changes in the ecosystem for fish communities resulting in the collapse of a fishing industry that was previously valued at billions of dollars. Successful management of the sea lamprey is essential to a sustainable fishing industry and biodiversity. Therefore sea lamprey embryos were studied at various stages of development by growing them in a simulated habitat. RNAs from adult female ovaries and embryos at different time points during embryogenesis …

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A Passive Acoustic And Experimental Study Of Juvenile Blue Catfish, Ictalurus Furcatus, Sound Production And Agnostic Behavior In The Tidal Freshwater James River, Laura Morgan May 2014

A Passive Acoustic And Experimental Study Of Juvenile Blue Catfish, Ictalurus Furcatus, Sound Production And Agnostic Behavior In The Tidal Freshwater James River, Laura Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

Blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, are an invasive species in the James River, VA. They produce stridulation sounds and passive acoustic monitoring may prove useful in locating and monitoring their populations. Little is known about their behavior, therefore my goal was to examine agonistic behavior and the use of sound in defending a territory. This thesis consists of two manuscripts: 1) A passive acoustic study of the tidal freshwater James River, 2) An experimental study of agonistic behavior in juvenile Blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus. The first study showed that three sounds (click, run croak) occurred more often in warmer months than …

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Planar Cell Polarity And Neurodevelopment, Simon Sun May 2014

Planar Cell Polarity And Neurodevelopment, Simon Sun

Theses and Dissertations

Planar cell polarity (PCP) is a developmental signaling mechanism that establishes a polarity within the plane of an epithelium. PCP has been shown to play a role in guiding numerous neurodevelopmental processes such as convergent extension, neuron migration, and axon pathfinding. Certain commissural neurons in the dorsal spinal cord make a series of guidance decisions en route to the brain: first, a ventral projection along the D-V axis, followed by a midline crossing, and after exiting the floorplate, a dorso-anterior turn along the A-P axis. Here, we provide in vivo evidence that the axons of the Commissural Primary Ascending (CoPAs) …

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Understanding The Role Of Stylochus Ellipticus As A Predator Of Crassostrea Virginica In Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, Marion Kensey Barker May 2014

Understanding The Role Of Stylochus Ellipticus As A Predator Of Crassostrea Virginica In Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, Marion Kensey Barker

Theses and Dissertations

Predation may be a key component of the unsuccessful restoration of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica), a former keystone species in Chesapeake Bay. Here, I examine the polyclad flatworm Stylochus ellipticus and its potential role as an important predator of C. virginica. Using small-fragment size C. virginica specific DNA primers, oyster DNA was successfully detected in whole organisms homogenates of wild-caught S. ellipticus individuals. Of the 1,575 individuals tested, 68.1% tested positive, thus predation occurred. Predation did not appear to be affected by salinity or temperature; however, season did appear to have an effect on both predation and S. ellipticus …

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Do Visitors Affect Zebra Behavior In Zoos?, Christine Conte May 2014

Do Visitors Affect Zebra Behavior In Zoos?, Christine Conte

Honors Scholar Theses

I investigated the effects of visitors on the behavior of two zebra species (Equus grevyi and Equus burchelli) at eight zoos on the East Coast of the United States. I used instantaneous time sampling to record zebra behavior and visitor data. I used these data to run Bayesian hierarchical models and determined that visitors do not negatively affect zebra behavior. This is a positive finding for zoos, since it means that zebras, a highly skittish prey animal, are not disturbed in their exhibits. My data suggest there are behavioral differences between the zebra herds at different zoos, which …

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2-Acylamido Analogues Of N-Acetylglucosamine Prime Formation Of Chitin Oligosaccharides By Yeast Chitin Synthase 2, Jacob Gyore, Archana Parameswar, Carleigh Hebbard, Younghoon Oh, Erfei Bi, Alexei Demchenko, Neil Price, Peter Orlean May 2014

2-Acylamido Analogues Of N-Acetylglucosamine Prime Formation Of Chitin Oligosaccharides By Yeast Chitin Synthase 2, Jacob Gyore, Archana Parameswar, Carleigh Hebbard, Younghoon Oh, Erfei Bi, Alexei Demchenko, Neil Price, Peter Orlean

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Works

Chitin, a homopolymer of β1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues, is a key component of the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of arthropods. Chitin synthases transfer GlcNAc from UDP-GlcNAc to preexisting chitin chains in reactions that are typically stimulated by free GlcNAc. The effect of GlcNAc was probed by using a yeast strain expressing a single chitin synthase, Chs2, by examining formation of chitin oligosaccharides (COs) and insoluble chitin, and by replacing GlcNAc with 2-acylamido analogues of GlcNAc. Synthesis of COs was strongly dependent on inclusion of GlcNAc in chitin synthase incubations, and N,N′-diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc2) was the major reaction product. …

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Analysis Of Current Clinical Antiviral Treatment Approaches And Medications And Related Suggestions For Future Research, Daniel Sunderland May 2014

Analysis Of Current Clinical Antiviral Treatment Approaches And Medications And Related Suggestions For Future Research, Daniel Sunderland

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Viral pathogens present researchers, physicians, and public health workers with the challenges of developing new treatments in an every-changing landscape of antiviral drug resistance. This paper outlines the basis of current knowledge in virology, how that knowledge is applied when developing treatments such as integrase and protease inhibitors, neuraminidase inhibitors, nucleotide analogs, and others, and considers the rates of resistance of the target viruses to those treatments. There is also some consideration of immunomodulatory treatments and the potential of viral vectors as a means of understanding different immune responses to viruses and the direct effects that viruses can have on …

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Nutrient Availability And Species Evenness Influence Productivity During Early Stages Of A Tropical Forest Restoration, Emma Rosenfield, Lauren Bizzari, Julia Rogers May 2014

Nutrient Availability And Species Evenness Influence Productivity During Early Stages Of A Tropical Forest Restoration, Emma Rosenfield, Lauren Bizzari, Julia Rogers

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Forest restorations aim to maximize the number of species and the productivity at the community level. In a tropical rainforest restoration, often limited number of species are available from local growers; so manipulating the number of individuals of each species (the evenness) might best achieve the goals of restoration. Planting equal numbers of individuals of each species may allow for the most complementary use of soil nutrients; however fertilizer may change this dynamic. Moreover, in a community where there is one dominant species, the productivity of the community may depend upon the identity of that dominant species. We asked whether …

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Concussions In Varsity Athletes, Lily Cabour May 2014

Concussions In Varsity Athletes, Lily Cabour

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

This research project will analyze the HIT App (Hit Injury Tracker) data from the 2013-14 school year. The HIT App is an ongoing research project for the Colby-based nonprofit, Maine Concussion Management Initiative (MCMI). MCMI is dedicated to improving the safety of Maines youth by increasing awareness and education on concussion management. MCMI is a pioneer in concussion research and education outreach in the state of Maine, and is beginning to expand its impact across New England. Through the HIT App data, we hope to reveal trends in concussion injury for student athletes (high school and college level) based on …

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Avian Species Of The Chacabuco Valley, Walker Nordin, Sydney Morison May 2014

Avian Species Of The Chacabuco Valley, Walker Nordin, Sydney Morison

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

The focus of this poster is the avian ecology of the Chacabuco Valley in the Aysen Region of Chilean Patagonia. Information on various bird species and habitat types was obtained via structured bird surveys near lakes throughout the valley, with the aim of correlating certain bird species and behaviors with specific habitat types. The results showed the most common bird species of woodland, shrubland, and lake habitats, as well as associated behaviors. Some bird behaviors were analyzed in greater depth, in order to speculate on certain species habitat requirements. The findings of this project will provide baseline reference information for …

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Identification Of Water Kefir Microbial Composition And Rapidly Growing Yeast, Wei Ma May 2014

Identification Of Water Kefir Microbial Composition And Rapidly Growing Yeast, Wei Ma

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Products of microbial fermentation such as probiotic yogurt have been found to confer health benefits, such as inhibiting fungal and bacterial growth, prevention of oral, mammary neoplasia and multidrug-resistant myeloid leukemia. Water kefir, or tibicos, is a type of symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria that shows potential to be used as preventative and chemotherapeutic agent against cancer. Here, we study water kefir in terms of its microbial composition to determine the species of microorganism responsible for producing the proposed antineoplastic extracellular polymeric substance, using both culture-dependent and independent techniques. Selective and non-selective media were used to promote the growth …

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Genetic Diversity And Gene Flow Among Populations Of Witheringia Solanacea, Crystiana Tsujiura May 2014

Genetic Diversity And Gene Flow Among Populations Of Witheringia Solanacea, Crystiana Tsujiura

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

To evaluate fitness consequences of population structure in the Costa Rican plant Witheringia solanacea, we have genotyped individuals from different populations of Witheringia solanacea to examine inbreeding within populations and gene flow between populations at different altitudes. We predict that plants at high elevations will have a higher frequency of inbreeding because high elevation populations tend to consist of fewer plants and there tend to be fewer pollinators at higher altitudes.

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Psychrobacter Arcticus Cold Shock Protein Expression In Escherichia Coli Increases Cold Resistance, Daniel Sunderland May 2014

Psychrobacter Arcticus Cold Shock Protein Expression In Escherichia Coli Increases Cold Resistance, Daniel Sunderland

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Psychrophilic (cold-loving) microorganisms live in some of the most inhospitable environments in the world. The newly-sequenced genome of the psychrophile Psychrobacter arcticus presents the opportunity to study the molecular mechanisms by which it is possible for this organism to thrive in extremely cold environments such as the permafrost of Antarctica. The cold presents challenges such as decreased membrane fluidity, slower reaction rates, and conformational changes in proteins and nucleic acids. Putative genes for cold-shock proteins (csps) were identified within the sequenced genome that could play an important role in facilitating the psychrophilic lifestyle. This study sought to analyze the function …

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Does Fertilization Influence Herbivory During Tropical Forest Restoration?, Emma Rosenfield, Arianna Porter, Julia Rogers, Lauren Bizzari May 2014

Does Fertilization Influence Herbivory During Tropical Forest Restoration?, Emma Rosenfield, Arianna Porter, Julia Rogers, Lauren Bizzari

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Tropical deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate throughout our world today. It is critical that we actively try to restore these landscapes because rainforests provide us with important resources and services. However, it can be difficult to set appropriate goals for restoration. Under which conditions is a landscape the healthiest? For example, fertilizer is often used to increase growth and survivorship of tree seedlings; however, adding fertilizer may alter other aspects of the community, such as herbivory. In the context of a tropical forest restoration experiment, we asked 1) does fertilization influence herbivory; 2) does fertilization alter leaf tissue …

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Purification Of Gst::Taabf1 Fusion Protein In Order To Assess Its Phosphorylation By Endosperm Proteins, Jessica Moore May 2014

Purification Of Gst::Taabf1 Fusion Protein In Order To Assess Its Phosphorylation By Endosperm Proteins, Jessica Moore

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Transcription factor TaABF1, a member of the ABA response element binding factor family, has been shown to have an important role in the signaling pathways of gibberellin (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) in cereal grains. TaABF1 has also been found phosphorylated in vivo in aleurone cells and is possibly regulated by phosphatases. In order to investigate whether TaABF1 can be phosphorylated by proteins in wheat grains and which regions of the protein are phosphorylated, the GST::TaABF1 fusion protein was purified by a glutathione affinity column and a phosphorylation assay with wheat endosperm proteins was performed. Then, the possibly phosphorylated GST::TaABF1 …

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Mamb And Mamm: Genes Involved In Magnetotaxis, Rachel Bolender May 2014

Mamb And Mamm: Genes Involved In Magnetotaxis, Rachel Bolender

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a group of bacteria that synthesize magnetosomes, magnetic crystals of magnetite (Fe304) or greigite (FeS4), which allow MTB to travel along the earths geomagnetic fields. In addition, MTB have been shown to be promising agents for bioremediation through their ability to absorb heavy metals, such as gold. Little is known of the genetic elements that allow for the biosynthesis of magnetic particles in MTB. In this study, genes MamB and MamM, genes known to be involved in magnetosome formation but whose functions are not known, were studied using the magnetotactic bacteria Magnetospirillum magneticum. Genomic DNA was …

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Listeriosis: A Case Study, Tara Tischio May 2014

Listeriosis: A Case Study, Tara Tischio

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

In large animal veterinary medicine, a minor infection in one animal can easily cripple the success of a farm. Listeria, a bacterial infection caused by the ingestion of contaminated silage, can spread rapidly throughout a farm inflicting serious damage to the central nervous system and killing the infected animals within weeks or even days. By following the case study of a pregnant, listeria-positive cow, this study aims to provide an overview of this disease in order to further educate the public on the human implications.

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Identifying The Role Of Bacterio-Opsin Associated Protein Gene In Bacteriorhodopsin Production In The Halophilic Archaeon Halobacterium Salinarum, Tarini S. Hardikar May 2014

Identifying The Role Of Bacterio-Opsin Associated Protein Gene In Bacteriorhodopsin Production In The Halophilic Archaeon Halobacterium Salinarum, Tarini S. Hardikar

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

The halophilic archaeon Halobacterium salinarum survives in low-oxygen conditions by producing a light-driven proton pump, bacteriorhodopsin (BR). BR is formed by a retinal cofactor covalently bound to the protein bacterioopsin (BO). In reduced oxygen conditions, H. salinarum synthesizes BR, which requires production of both BO and the retinal cofactor. The gene that encodes for BO is called bacterio-opsin protein gene (bop). In several organisms, it has been observed that another gene, bacterio-opsin associated protein gene (bap) is located next to the bop gene. However, the function of bap is unknown. To identify whether the bap gene has any role in …

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Remote Sensing Of Freshwater Bacterial Populations Using Spectral Analysis Of Satellite Imagery, John J. Crean, Steven Maisto, J. A. Concha, N. Raqueño, J. R. Schott, Maryann Herman, Fernando Ontiveros May 2014

Remote Sensing Of Freshwater Bacterial Populations Using Spectral Analysis Of Satellite Imagery, John J. Crean, Steven Maisto, J. A. Concha, N. Raqueño, J. R. Schott, Maryann Herman, Fernando Ontiveros

Undergraduate External Publications

Remote sensing of bacterial populations in small and large bodies of water can significantly enhance our ability to understand fresh water ecosystems and monitor water quality. Although the identification of individual species is still unfeasible, the detection of certain bacterial groups and the likelihood of occurrence would be very valuable. Spectral analysis of satellite imagery is currently used to determine water parameters like temperature, turbidity, phytoplankton and dissolved organic matter. In order to establish a correlation between some of these parameters and the presence of microorganisms, we collected water samples from several locations in the Lake Ontario Rochester Embayment and …

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Herbivory In The Northern Curly-Tailed Lizard (Leiocephalus Carinatus), Bonnie K. Kircher, Christopher D. Robinson, Michele A. Johnson May 2014

Herbivory In The Northern Curly-Tailed Lizard (Leiocephalus Carinatus), Bonnie K. Kircher, Christopher D. Robinson, Michele A. Johnson

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

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Earthworm Remyelination Gene Expression Analysis, Shelby Shevik May 2014

Earthworm Remyelination Gene Expression Analysis, Shelby Shevik

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

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