Biology Commons^™

Northern Saw-Whet Owls: A Descriptive Look At Their Anatomy, Behavior, And Migration, Brandon M. Ray

Senior Honors Theses

The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a small species of migratory owl native to North America. Through an analysis of research conducted at Liberty University’s Camp Hydaway in the Piedmont of Virginia as well as comparison studies at owl netting stations in the mountains and the coastal plain, it was shown that the Northern Saw-whet migrates along consistent routes southward while the timing and frequency of the migration varies by several days based on sex, age, owl population fluctuations, weather, and the owls’ physical health. Several years’ worth of owl capture data were compiled from stations across …

Volume 06, Kristen Gains, Amanda Willis, Holly Backer, Monika Gutierrez, Cara O'Neal, Sara Nelson, Sasha Silberman, Jessica Beardsley, Jamie Gardner, Edward Peeples, Matthew Sakach, Tess Lione, Emily Wilkins, Kelsey Holt, Jessica Page, Jamie Clift, Charles Vancampen, Gilbert Hall, Jenny Nehrt, Kasey Dye, Amanda Tharp, Jamie Leeuwrik, Ashley Mcgee, Emily Poulin, Michael Kropf, Nick Pastore, Austin Polasky, Morgan Glasco, Laura L. Kahler, Melinda L. Edwards, Brandon C. Smith, Mariah Asbell, Cabell Edmunds, Amelia D. Perry, Alyssa Hayes, Irina Boothe, Perry Bason, James Early

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction from Dean Dr. Charles Ross

Caught Between Folklore and the Cold War: The Americanization of Russian Children's Literature by Kristen Gains

Graphic Design by Amanda Willis

Graphic Design by Holly Backer

Prejudices in Swiss German Accents by Monika Gutierrez

Photography by Cara O'Neal

Photography by Sara Nelson

Edmund Tyrone's Long Journey through Night by Sasha Silberman

Photography by Jessica Beardsley

Photography by Jamie Gardner and Edward Peeples

The Republican Razor: The Guillotine as a Symbol of Equality by Jamie Clift

Graphic Design by Matthew Sakach

Genocide: The Lasting Effects of Gender Stratification in Rwanda By Tess Lione and Emily …

Examining Alu Elements In The Squirrel Monkey Genome, Michelle Limbaugh

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Latitudinal Geographical Variation In Sexual Dimorphism In A Tropical Montane Bird (Furnariidae: Pseudocolaptes Boissonneautii), Kalli Juel Trahan

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Functional Morphology Of The Spiracle And Surrounding Structures Of The Spiny Dogfish Shark, Squalus Acanthias, Kyle L. Paulk

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Kothi Retrotransposon Through The Common Marmoset Genome, Erika Arceneaux

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

A Genetic Basis For Differential Survival Of Escherichia Coli In The Environment, Chelsea Kliebert

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Methods Of Stabilizing A Key Player In The Inflammatory Response: Co-Expression Of 5-Lipoxygenase And Coactosin-Like Protein, Aimee Landry

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Lipidomic Analysis Of Glioblastoma Multiforme, Soo Jung Ha

Open Access Theses

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant form of the primary brain tumor. Due to its highly invasive nature, current treatment options have not been able to improve the survival rate in past 20 years. In order to discover GBM therapeutic targets, omics technologies have been widely used to identify potential biomarkers. ^ This research study focused on investigating lipid biomarkers of human GBM orthotopic mouse models employing mass spectrometry. Human tumor cell lines GBM10 and GBM43 were injected in the right cerebral hemisphere and flank sites in NOD/SCID mice (n = 10 mice per group). Left cerebral …

Identifying The Dna Sequence Requirements For A Synergistic Interaction Between Two Cis-Regulatory Elements, Kaitlyn R. Francis

Honors Theses

My thesis research studies the genetic material that is the blue print to make animal life. In animals, a key type of genetic material is sequences collectively referred to as cis-regulatory elements (CREs). These sequences control the expression of genes; more specifically they instruct when to turn “ON” or “OFF” the production of a gene’s functional product. My research investigates the interaction between the two CREs, the Anterior Element and the Dimorphic Element of the fruit fly species Drosophila melanogaster. These two CREs act synergistically to produce a pattern of expression for the bab1 and bab2 genes that differs …

Novel Neuroprotective Function Of Apical-Basal Polarity Gene Crumbs In Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) Mediated Neurodegeneration, Andrew Steffensmeier

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD, OMIM: 104300), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no cure to date, is caused by the generation of amyloid-beta-42 (Aβ42) aggregates that trigger neuronal cell death by unknown mechanism(s). We have developed a transgenic Drosophila eye model where misexpression of human Aβ42 results in AD like neuropathology in the neural retina. We have identified an apical-basal polarity gene crumbs (crb) as a genetic modifier of Aβ42-mediated-neuropathology. Misexpression of Aβ42 caused upregulation of Crb expression, whereas, downregulation of Crb either by RNAi or null allele approach rescued the Aβ42-mediated-neurodegeneration. Co-expression of full length Crb with Aβ42 increased severity …

The Role Of The Arista On Lucilia Sericata In Sensing Wind And Airflow, Relative Humidity And Volatile Compounds, Alexandra Elaine Jacob

Honors Theses

Lucilia sericata is a species of blow fly that has important applications in the fields of forensic entomology and medicine. L. sericata is one of the first organisms that arrives at decaying carrion in response to decay odors released by the carrion. The attraction stimuli are presumably the decay volatiles, but wind flow, and humidity may also influence the blow fly resource-oriented behavior. This fly species has feather-like structures known as arista that project from the antenna. The function of these structures is not completely understood, however they may play a role in sensing airflow and wind, humidity, and volatile …

Effects Of Low Cell Ph And Elevated Inorganic Phosphate On The Pca-Force Relationship In Single Muscle Fibers At Near-Physiological Temperatures, Cassandra R. Nelson, Robert H. Fitts

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Intense muscle contraction induces high rates of ATP hydrolysis with resulting increases in P_i, H⁺, and ADP, factors thought to induce fatigue by interfering with steps in the cross-bridge cycle. Force inhibition is less at physiological temperatures; thus the role of low pH in fatigue has been questioned. Effects of pH 6.2 and collective effects with 30 mM P_i on the pCa-force relationship were assessed in skinned fast and slow rat skeletal muscle fibers at 15 and 30°C. At 30°C, pH 6.2 + 30 mM P_i significantly depressed peak force in all fiber types, …

Anolis Sex Chromosomes Are Derived From A Single Ancestral Pair, Tony Gamble, Anthony J. Geneva, Richard E. Glor, David Zarkower

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

To explain the frequency and distribution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes in the lizard genus Anolis, we compared the relative roles of sex chromosome conservation versus turnover of sex‐determining mechanisms. We used model‐based comparative methods to reconstruct karyotype evolution and the presence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes onto a newly generated Anolis phylogeny. We found that heteromorphic sex chromosomes evolved multiple times in the genus. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) of repetitive DNA showed variable rates of Y chromosome degeneration among Anolis species and identified previously undetected, homomorphic sex chromosomes in two species. We confirmed homology of sex chromosomes in the genus …

Carbon Source-Dependent Alteration Of Puf3p Activity Mediates Rapid Changes In The Stabilities Of Mrnas Involved In Mitochondrial Function, Melanie Miller, Joseph Russo, Anthony Fischer, Florencia Leban, Wendy Olivas

Biology Department Faculty Works

The Puf family of RNA-binding proteins regulates gene expression primarily by interacting with the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) of targeted mRNAs and inhibiting translation and/or stimulating decay. Physical association and computational analyses of yeast Puf3p identified >150 potential mRNA targets involved in mitochondrial function. However, only COX17 has been established as a target of Puf3p-mediated deadenylation and decapping. We have identified 10 new targets that are rapidly degraded in a Puf3p-dependent manner. We also observed changes in Puf3p activity in response to environmental conditions. Puf3p promotes rapid degradation of mRNA targets in the fermentable carbon source dextrose. However, Puf3p-mediated …

Red Light Green Light: A Novel Approach To Studying The Interaction Between Enhancers And Gene Promoters, Jordan E. Vellky

Honors Theses

The human genome consists of over 3 billion base pairs, but only about 2% of this extensive supply of genetic information is recognized as a functional protein coding sequence. The remaining 98% was once considered to be “junk DNA” that lacked functional elements. Recently, this assumption has been replaced by an understanding that the non-coding genome contains many functional elements involved in gene regulation. These elements include promoters, or the region where gene expression is initiated, and enhancers, which communicate to promoters information about the cells in a body and when a specific gene’s expression should be ON or OFF. …

Determining The Transcription Factor Genes Populating A Fruit Fly Pigmentation Gene Network And Their Regulatory Connections, Samantha Stringer

Honors Theses

Morphological traits for organisms result from the concerted action of numerous genes that are interconnected into a gene network at the level of transcriptional regulation. In each network, transcription factors control the spatial, temporal, and even sex-specific patterns of gene transcription. To better understand how a gene network operates during development, I investigated the network controlling a male-specific pattern of Drosophila melanogaster abdominal pigmentation. Using RNA interference, I reduced the expression of 558 transcription factor genes to identify those needed for normal pigmentation by the occurrence of aberrant pigmentation patterns. From this, I identified 28 genes, which include several that …

Impact Of Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii) Leachate On Culex Pipiens Life History Attributes, Lauren Shewhart

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to look at the impact of a highly invasive plant, Lonicera maackii, on the primary vector of West Nile Virus in the Eastern United States, Culex pipiens. Three different assays using two different microcosms experiments were conducted to determine the rate of survivorship, pupation, emergence, and larval growth of mosquito larvae in native (Platanus occidentalis and Acer saccharum) and invasive (L. maackii leaf and flower) leachates. It was found that L. maackii has the potential to increase mosquito populations due to the fast decaying nature of its leaves and …

Examination Of Host Range Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phages Ut1, Sn-T, And Pev2 For Treatment Of Bacterial Biofilms In Fuels, Kathleen M. Sellick

Honors Theses

Biofilms are slimy substances made up of bacteria that attach to surfaces. Biofilms can be found in humans (lung of Cystic Fibrosis patients), natural settings (rocks in streams) and man-made environments (medical devices, pipelines). Biofilms are also found in aviation fuel tanks, causing physical issues such as clogging in fuel lines and changing the chemical makeup of the fuel via bacterial metabolism. Bacterial viruses, known as bacteriophage, show potential for reducing biofilms through phage therapy. The goal is to find a phage or combination of phage with a broad host range that would be most effective in reducing the biofilms …

Epinephrine Regulates Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 Expression And Subcellular Localization In Cultured Erythrocytes From The Freeze-Tolerant Treefrog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, Connor J. Ratycz

Honors Theses

Cope’s gray treefrog Hyla chrysoscelis, accumulates and distributes glycerol as a cryoprotectant in anticipation of freezing. Transmembrane glycerol and water flux in H. chysoscelis erythrocytes likely occurs through HC-3, an ortholog of mammalian aquaporin 3. HC-3 protein is in higher abundance and is preferentially localized to the plasma membrane in RBCs from cold-acclimated treefrogs as compared to warmacclimated animals. It is hypothesized that neuroendocrine agonists via receptor mediated second messenger pathways integrate signals derived from fasting, dehydration, diurnal, and/or temperature changes during cold-acclimation to regulate HC-3 expression as part of the mechanism of freeze tolerance. In this study, cultured …

Do Omnivorous Shrimp Influence Mayfly Nymphs In A Tropical Island Stream?, Nicholas A. Macías, Jose Checo Colón-Gaud, Jonathan W. Duggins, Alonso Ramírez

Biology: Faculty Publications

Interspecific interactions can play an important role in determining habitat selection and resource use between competing species. We examined interactions between an omnivorous shrimp and a grazing mayfly, two co-dominant taxa found in Puerto Rican headwater streams, to assess how predator presence may influence mayfly resource use and instantaneous growth in a tropical rainforest ecosystem. We conducted a series of behavioral and growth experiments to determine the effects of the freshwater shrimp, Xiphocaris elongata, on the growth rate and resource selection of mayfly nymphs in the family Leptophlebiidae. For resource choice assessments, we conducted a series of five day laboratory …

Alkaline Ph Activates The Transport Activity Of Glut1 In L929 Fibroblast Cells, Stephen M. Gunnink, Samuel A. Kerk, Benjamin D. Kuiper, Ola D. Alabi

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

The widely expressed mammalian glucose transporter, GLUT1, can be acutely activated in L929 fibroblast cells by a variety of conditions, including glucose deprivation, or treatment with various respiration inhibitors. Known thiol reactive compounds including phenylarsine oxide and nitroxyl are the fastest acting stimulators of glucose uptake, implicating cysteine biochemistry as critical to the acute activation of GLUT1. In this study, we report that in L929 cells glucose uptake increases 6-fold as the pH of the uptake solution is increased from 6 to 9 with the half-maximal activation at pH 7.5; consistent with the pKa of cysteine residues. This pH effect …

Positions In The Glun2c-Containing Nmdar Regulate Alcohol Sensitivity And Ion Channel Gating, Man Wu

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, a subtype of glutamate-gated ion channel, has been shown to be a major target of ethanol in the central nervous system (CNS). Previous studies have identified positions in the third and fourth membrane-associated (M) domains of the NMDAR GluN1 and GluN2A subunits that influence ethanol sensitivity. Among the alcohol sensitive sites, a methionine residue is highly conserved in all GluN1 and GluN2 subunits. We proposed the methionine position (Met-821) in the M4 domain of the GluN2C subunit can regulate ethanol sensitivity and ion channel gating. 14 mutations were made at the methionine position, 7 substitutions yielded …

Trichomonas Stableri N. Sp., An Agent Of Trichomonosis In Pacific Coast Band-Tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas Fasciata Monilis), Yvette A. Girard, Krysta H. Rogers, Richard Gerhold, Kirkwood M. Land, Scott C. Lenaghan, Leslie W. Woods, Nathan Haberkern, Melissa Hopper, Jeff D. Cann, Christine K. Johnson

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

Trichomonas gallinae is a ubiquitous flagellated protozoan parasite, and the most common etiologic agent of epidemic trichomonosis in columbid and passerine species. In this study, free-ranging Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata monilis) in California (USA) were found to be infected with trichomonad protozoa that were genetically and morphologically distinct from T. gallinae. In microscopic analysis, protozoa were significantly smaller in length and width than T. gallinae and were bimodal in morphology. Phylogenetic analysis of the ITS1/5.8S/ITS2, rpb1, and hydrogenosomal Fe-hydrogenase regions revealed that the protozoan shares an ancestor with Trichomonas vaginalis, the sexually-transmitted agent of trichomoniasis in humans. Clinical …

Microglia Respond To Both Permanent And Temporary Deaferentation In The Adult Zebrafish Olfactory Bulb, Amanda K. Mckenna

Masters Theses

The major goal of this study was to investigate a microglial response following deafferentation in the adult zebrafish, Danio rerio, olfactory bulb. Microglia were identified in the olfactory bulb using the 4c4 antibody and phagocytic-dependent labeling (DiA). Microglia responded to both methods of deafferentation namely, permanent (cautery) and temporary (Triton X- 100). On one and three days following both permanent and temporary deafferentation there was a significant increase in microglia in the treated olfactory bulb. At five and seven days after permanent and temporary deafferentation there was no longer a significant difference between the treated and untreated olfactory bulbs, …

Vaccinia Virus Flll Mediated Expedition Of Tanapoxvirus Replication In Cell Culture, Yih Wen Goh

Masters Theses

Tanapoxvirus (TPV) produces large but slow-forming plaques as opposed to vaccinia virus (VACV) that forms similar large plaques but more rapidly. A number of genes were identified in VACV, inclucding FllL, A33R, A34R and A36R that contribute to the regulation of virus release and dissemination, and are particularly responsible for the induction of actin tails. Among them, TPV lacks homologs of the FllL and A36R genes. F11Lmediated inhibition of RhoA-mDia signaling was shown to enhance the microtubules dynamics and modulates the cortical actin that assisted in the release of progeny virus from infected cells. To understand the possible effects of …

Costs Of Female Mating Behavior In The Variable Field Cricket, Gryllus Lineaticeps, Cassandra M. Martin

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Female animals may risk predation by associating with males that have conspicuous mate attraction traits. The mate attraction song of male field crickets also attracts lethal parasitoid flies. Female crickets, which do not sing, may risk parasitism when associating with singing males. If parasitism risk is sufficiently high, it may affect the evolution of female mating behaviors. In this dissertation, I explore the interaction between the female variable field cricket, Gryllus lineaticeps, and the parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea. To begin, I investigated whether female parasitism risk resulted from being near singing males. I found that females can become …

A Molecular Genetic Assessment Of Sex Ratios From Pre- Fledged Juvenile And Migrating Adult Common Loons (Gavia Immer), Alec R. Lindsay

Journal Articles

We used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based sex identification technique to evaluate the sex ratios of pre-fledged juvenile Common Loons (Gavia immer) from three breeding populations in northern Michi- gan and northern Wisconsin, and of dead adult Common Loons migrating through Lake Huron. Results of these analyses show that more juvenile males than females fledged from all three breeding populations, although none of these biases differed significantly from parity. The sex ratio of migratory adults was at parity. No parental or territory quality indicators were significantly associated with the sex of chicks fledged from one intensely studied northern Michigan population …

School Of Biological Sciences News, 2014, School Of Biological Sciences

School of Biological Sciences News

Alumni newsletter of Illinois State University's School of Biological Sciences.

Climate Change And Forest Herbs Of Temperate Deciduous Forests, Jesse Bellemare, David A. Moeller

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

This chapter reviews what is known about the long-term, large-scale range dynamics of forest herbs in response to past climate change. It presents a new biogeographic analysis investigating how contemporary distribution and diversity patterns among a subset of rare forest herbs may relate to these past climate dynamics. It also discusses how forest herb species may be affected by contemporary climate change and considers options for species conservation.