Biology Commons^™

Global Phylogeny Of The Water Penny Beetles Using Both Molecular And Morphological Evidence (Co, Mathew Vincent Wood

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Psephenidae is a family of freshwater beetles usually found in swift streams worldwide. Their unique disc shaped and flattened larvae have made this a group of interest for scientists for centuries. Morphologically, this family has been relatively well researched, and systematically the family is fairly well known and supported as monophyletic. One issue with Psephenidae, and with many other insect groups, is the lack of the molecular phylogenetic analyses to test morphology hypothesizes.

After successfully sequencing these two genes from species representing nearly all of the known genera, the data were analyzed using both Bayesian and parsimony methods. Analyses …

Seed Germination Requirements For Four Fire-Recruiter Chaparral Shrubs, Kati Mcclain

Senior Honors Projects

Wildfires are a natural part of chaparral ecosystems, as they are essential to vegetative regrowth and plant recruitment. For many chaparral species, fire stimulates germination of dormant seeds in the seed bank. This study explored fire-related cues necessary for seed to break dormancy, germinate, and emerge in four chaparral species (Ceanothus cuneatus, C. jepsonii, Arctostaphylos manzanita, A. viscida). Seed were exposed to various treatments mimicking wildfire conditions, including boiling water and charred wood (charate), as well as physical scarification by concentrated acid, and monitored for germination. Our data indicate that Ceanothus seed require heat cues to germinate, but fire-related chemical …

Decay Of Macroalgae And Leaves And Their Relation To Detrital Food Webs, Megan E. Grandinetti

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This project addressed if decaying macroalgae and leaf detritus play a major role in the detrital pool of a 7th-order karst riverine system. Decay rates, macroinvertebrates colonization patterns, and change in δ13C values of Cladophora, Platanus occidentalis, and a mix of Acer negundo and A. saccharinum were tracked during summer and autumn months for portions of multiple years.

Packs of air-dried Cladophora, Acer, and P. occidentalis were placed in mesh bags and put in groups (n=4) in wire baskets. Seven baskets were submerged in riffle (0.5 m) and deeper run (2 m) habitats. Benthic organic matter was collected with each …

Modulation Of Prey-Capture Kinematics And Suction Feeding Performance In Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus Dolomieu, Andrea Sejdic

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The feeding behavior of fishes is a topic that has piqued the interests of many researchers given the dynamic and ancestral nature of aquatic prey-capture. This study examines aquatic feeding in terms of the suction and ram components of feeding in smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu, and how they modulate their kinematic behavior when attacking pelagic and benthic prey. Relative to other Micropterus genera, the reduced gape in smallmouth bass suggests they may create considerable suction pressure – stronger subambient pressure pulled through a smaller opening creates greater velocity. Suction feeding is useful when feeding on benthic prey, such as crayfish. …

The Coastal Monitor: Vol. 1, No. 2, John Tanacredi Ph.D.

The Coastal Monitor

At a recent event a colleague asked me, “So what do you do at CERCOM?” My immediate response was the “M” word fundamentally! After 45 years involved in environmental sciences, monitoring remains the most important and critical aspect of not only any field station in support of the academics conducted, but the seminal responsibility to be able, as a scientist, to reveal trends in the massive volume of data collected through routine monitoring exercises. It is extremely rare for a single data point, or even a single season of data, no matter how accurate the individual data point is, to …

Section Abstracts: Natural History And Biodiversity

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Natural History and Biodiversity Section for the 94th Annual Virginia Academy of Science Meeting, May 18-20, 2016, at University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.

A Putative Dual Role For Yorkie In Hippo Pathway Signaling, Caroline Hall

Celebration of Scholarship 2012-2017

The Hippo Pathway inactivates genes involved in organ size and when aberrant, can lead to cancer. To control organ size, the Hippo Pathway inhibits Yorkie (Yki), a transcriptional co-activator that works with Scalloped (Sd), a DNA binding protein. When active, Yki translocates into the nucleus and initiates transcription. Conversely, when inactive, Yki remains in the cytoplasm. However, my work shows that cytoplasmic, inactive Yki interacts with other proteins in the Hippo Pathway by recruiting them to the plasma membrane. Accordingly, this study challenges the notion that cytoplasmic Yki is inactive and instead, may play a dual role in the Hippo …

The Chondrocranium Of Lepidochelys Olivacea And The Taenia Marginalis, Vinh Trinh

Celebration of Scholarship 2012-2017

This study describes the anatomy of the chondrocranium of Lepidochelys olivacea (Cryptodira, Cheloniidae) through embryonic development, and aims to understand the taenia marginalis. Cleared and double-stained embryos were dissected and observed. The taenia marginalis is present as a thin, ribbon-like process that extends posteriorly from the dorsal margin of the planum supraseptale, and was found to be present as a transient anatomical bridge between the planum supraseptale and the otic capsule in a late Stage 24 specimen. Though present and well-formed for a short period of time, the taenia martinalis is quickly resorbed and is absent in all later specimens …

Lactate Dehydrogenase Is Crucial For Tumor Associated Macrophage Protection Of Multiple Myeloma Cells Against Chemotherapy, Carolyn Stierhoff

Celebration of Scholarship 2012-2017

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer characterized by an accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Although chemotherapy is the most effective treatment, the majority of patients experience relapse. The major cause of treatment failure is the development of multidrug resistance. Thus, overcoming drug resistance will greatly improve patient survival. The enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) plays an important role in anaerobic respiration by converting pyruvate into lactate in the absence or low supply of oxygen. It has been observed that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) present in tumor environments can protect MM from chemotherapy treatment. We discovered that an LDH …

A Putative Dual Role For Yorkie In Hippo Pathway Signaling, Caroline Hall

Senior Honors Projects

The Hippo pathway inactivates genes involved in organ size and when aberrant, can lead to cancer. To control organ size, the Hippo pathway inhibits Yorkie (Yki), a transcriptional coactivator that works with Scalloped (Sd), a DNA binding protein. When active, Yki translocates into the nucleus and initiates transcription. Conversely, when inactive, Yki remains in the cytoplasm. However, my work shows that cytoplasmic, inactive Yki interacts with other proteins in the Hippo pathway by recruiting them to the plasma membrane. Accordingly, this study challenges the notion that cytoplasmic Yki is inactive and instead, may play a dual role in the Hippo …

A Nonintrusive Evaluation Of Mammals In Hobson Forest, Katy Dahl

Honors Capstones

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

Analyzing The Gut Microbiome Of Human Populations In Crawford County, Tayita Abudu, Megan Peters, Mandy Peak

Poster Presentations

Human microbiota is the collection of microbes living in and on our body. Microbial cells outnumber human cells by 10 to 1 in a healthy human body. Previous studies demonstrated the gut microbiome from human samples correlate with disease, diet, and other human characteristics. Three microbe families that are prevalent are Bacterioidaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Lachnospiraceae/ Ruminocooaceae. Even though studies have found a link between microbiome and health, the role in chronic diseases has yet to be elucidated. To determine the type of bacteria in the human microbiome, 16S rRNA gene sequence data is isolated and examined from human DNA. Wastewater …

An Analysis Of Bacterial Contamination Of Chicken Eggs And Antimicrobial Resistance, Holly Spitzer

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Chicken eggs are a major component of American diets, with an average yearly consumption of approximately 250 eggs per person (American Humane Society). While highly nutritious, eggs are also one of the leading causes of food poisoning and food borne illness in the United States. Eggs may become contaminated by a number of different types of bacteria during production, including Salmonella, a group of bacteria that, according to the CDC, causes more than 1.2 million cases of food borne illness in the United States every year. In an effort to decrease the frequency of bacterial contamination, many food producers …

Clinical Guidelines In Practice: How Well Are Primary Care Providers Following National Chronic Kidney Disease Recommendations?, Kaitlyn Edbauer

Celebration of Scholarship 2012-2017

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), prevalent in more than 10% of the United States population, is a progressive, degenerative disease affecting the renal function of afflicted individuals. CKD has gained awareness among clinicians due to growing concern about the many complications that arise in patients with CKD. The KDIGO (Kidney Disease; Improving Global Outcomes) 2012 clinical guidelines for the treatment of CKD created uniform measures aimed to improve quality care and effective treatment of the CKD population. This study investigates the extent to which these measures are being implemented and adhered to among providers at the practice level.

A New Species Of Stanieria(Cyanobacteria) Isolated From A Small Pool On Mexican Riviera, Sergey Shalygin

Celebration of Scholarship 2012-2017

Among coccoid Cyanobacteria, special reproductive cells have been found: exocytesand baeocytes. These cells can be very different in terms of development. Exocytesare attached to the apical part of the mother cells. Baeocytesdevelop inside the mother cells, forming robust sheaths (Fig.1.A;B). In the phylogenetic sense, representatives of exocytesproduction belong to the CHROOCOCCALES, as opposed to baeocytesproducers which occur in the PLEUROCAPSALES (Fig.2.). In our research we found coccoid cyanobacteria, that produce baeocytesfrom the Mexican Riviera on the Yucatan Peninsula

Seed Germination Requirements Of Four Fire-Recruiter Chaparral Shrubs, Kati Mcclain

Celebration of Scholarship 2012-2017

No abstract provided.

Microbial Ecology Of Waterborne Pathogens In Sus Scofra And Odocoileus Virginianus In The Jackson Bienville Wildlife Management Area, Jaymes Hunter Collins

Doctoral Dissertations

Previous studies have demonstrated that feral swine (Sus scofra ) are significant reservoirs for a number of pathogens that present a potential threat to wildlife and humans. Despite this, few studies have gone beyond quantifying the incidence of these pathogens to further probe their ecology within a specific habitat or ecosystem.

Overall, the objective of this study was to characterize three potential reservoirs in a feral swine infested habitat; two ungulates, and one aquatic reservoir. Our study area was the Jackson-Bienville Wildlife Management Area (J-B WMA). We chose four waterborne bacteria: Brucella spp., Leptospira interrogans, Salmonella enterica, and Helicobacter …

Clay Nanotube Composites For Antibacterial Nanostructured Coatings, Christen J. Boyer

Doctoral Dissertations

A surging demand for the development of new antimicrobial nanomaterials exists due to the frequency of medical device-associated infections and the transfer of pathogens from highly touched objects. Naturally occurring halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) have shown to be ideal particles for polymer reinforcement, time-release drug delivery, nano-reactor synthesis, and as substrate material for nanostructured coatings.

This research demonstrates the feasibility of a novel method for coating HNTs with metals for antibacterial applications. The first ever ability to coat HNTs through electrolysis was developed for customizable and multi-functional antibacterial nanoparticle platforms. HNTs were investigated as substrate for the deposition of copper …

Structural And Activity Characterization Of Human Phpt1 After Oxidative Modification, Daniel R. Martin, Priyanka Dutta, Shikha Mahajan, Sameer Varma, Stanley M. Stevens Jr.

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

Phosphohistidine phosphatase 1 (PHPT1), the only known phosphohistidine phosphatase in mammals, regulates phosphohistidine levels of several proteins including those involved in signaling, lipid metabolism, and potassium ion transport. While the high-resolution structure of human PHPT1 (hPHPT1) is available and residues important for substrate binding and catalytic activity have been reported, little is known about post-translational modifications that modulate hPHPT1 activity. Here we characterize the structural and functional impact of hPHPT1 oxidation upon exposure to a reactive oxygen species, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Specifically, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantify site-specific oxidation of redox-sensitive residues of hPHPT1. Results from this …

Hunting, Food Subsidies, And Mesopredator Release: The Dynamics Of Crop-Raiding Baboons In A Managed Landscape, Rachel A. Taylor, Sadie J. Ryan, Justin S. Brashares, Leah R. Johnson

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

The establishment of protected areas or parks has become an important tool for wildlife conservation. However, frequent occurrences of human-wildlife conflict at the edges of these parks can undermine their conservation goals. Many African protected areas have experienced concurrent declines of apex predators alongside increases in both baboon abundance and the density of humans living near the park boundary. Baboons then take excursions outside of the park to raid crops for food, conflicting with the human population. We model the interactions of mesopredators (baboons), apex predators, and shared prey in the park to analyze how four components affect the proportion …

Mutlifunctional Platforms For Gene And Drug Delivery For Cancer Therapy, Jeffery J. Ambrose Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations

The National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society estimate that 1.6 million new cancer incidences and over half a million cancer related deaths occur annually [1][2]. Cancer the second most common cause of death in the United States [1], [2]. Although the causes of cancer can vary depending on cell type, all or almost all instances of cancer arise from a mutation or from an abnormal activation of the cellular genes that control cell growth and mitosis [3].

Treatment of a given cancer type depends on the subtype, stage and progression of the cancer. Varieties of cancer therapy include …

Population Structure Of Colonizing And Invasive Staphylococcus Aureus Strains In Northern Vietnam, Bich Ngoc Thi Vu, Alexander J. Jafari, Matthew Aardema, Huong Kieu Thi Tran, Diep Ngoc Thi Nguyen, Trinh Tuyet Dao, Trung Vu Nguyen, Toan Khanh Tran, Chuc Kim Thi Nguyen, Annette Fox, Anne Laure Bañuls, Guy Thwaites, Kinh Van Nguyen, Heiman F.L. Wertheim

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Staphylococcus aureus is an important global health problem worldwide. There is still scarce information on the population structure of S. aureus strains in Asia, where the majority of the world population lives. This study characterized the diversity of S. aureus strains in northern Vietnam through multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Eighty-five carriage isolates from the community and 77 invasive isolates from the clinical setting were selected and tested for meticillin resistance and the presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL). MLST was performed on these isolates, of which CC59 (25.4 %), CC188 (17.3 %) and CC45 (16.7 %) were the predominant clonal complexes …

Jewels Of The Orchidaceae, W. John Hayden

Biology Faculty Publications

To temperate-zone plant enthusiasts, the orchid family seems more than a little strange. On the one hand, native orchids grow wild without assistance from people, they are rooted in the soil, and they survive freezing cold winter temperatures. On the other hand, the tropical orchids that we encounter are ornamental plants, pampered by their human caregivers, cultured indoors in pots filled with fir bark or other media designed to mimic the plants’ natural epiphytic habit, and, as a group, these ornamental tropical orchids have essentially zero tolerance to frost. Of course, their flowers, fruits, and seeds define them all as …

Volume 08, Meghan Enzinna, Casey Dawn Gailey, Raven Collins, Chiara Enriquez, Amelia Mcconnell, Alexander Morton, Emma Beckett, Leah G. Parr, Briana Adhikusuma, Taylor Embrey, Rowan Davis, Danielle Sisson, Bianca Cherry, Melissa Cacho, Chloe Woodward, Catherine Rollins, Carson Reeher, Landon Cooper, Haley Vasquez, Marlisha Stewart, Eric Whitehead, Sabrina Walker, James Bates

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction from Interim Dean Dr. Jennifer Apperson

Indigenous Peoples and the Modern Era by Meghan Enzinna

"Who Says": How Selena Gomez and the Scene Attempt to Subvert the Popular Standards of Beauty by Casey Dawn Gailey

Art by Raven Collins

Meltdown on Social Media: Amy's Baking Company Meets Kitchen Nightmares by Nathena Haddrill

Art by Chiara Enriquez

Design by Amelia Mcconnell

Worth More Than a Thousand Words: A Visual Rhetorical Discussion of Virtual Reality by Examining "Clouds Over Sidra" by Alexander Morton

Design by Emma Beckett

The Sonata: An Analysis of Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Minor, K. …

15-Lipoxygenase-2 Expression And Activity In Hek 293 Cells, Kirstie Rae Schieffler

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Chemosensory Signals From Gravid Females Elicit Behavioral Response From Dominant Male Astatotilapia Burtoni, Cristopher T. Mcvicker

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Mitochondrial Dna On The Fitness Of The Marine Crustacean Tigripus Californicus, Ellen Foster

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) Specific Alu Repeats, Thomas Beckstrom

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Ammonium Salt Toxicity In Cabbage Family Plants, Madison Boudreaux

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Development Of Mouse Melanoma Model To Evaluate Oncolytic Viral Therapy Using Osv, Kelli A. Clemons

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.