Biology Commons^™

Use Of Space And Foraging Behavior Of Loggerhead Shrikes In Urban Areas, Katie Anne Maddox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Loggerhead shrikes, Lanius ludovicianus, are a declining grassland songbird native to North America. Land-use change has been associated with the decline of grassland bird species. However, the process of urbanization creates novel short-grass habitats reminiscent of shrikes’ natural habitats. Loggerhead shrikes have been observed living in developed areas, particularly in Southeastern coastal states. Understanding the long-term impacts of urban-dwelling on loggerhead shrike populations is vital to identifying whether urban areas offer refuge or act as an ecological sink for shrike populations.

In chapter one, I quantified the use of space by shrikes in urban habitats within Horry County, South …

Deterrent Effects Of The Select Magnetic And Repellent Treated (Smarttm) Hooks And The Recently Developed "Smarter" Hooks On Sharks In Recreational Hook-And-Line And Longline Trials, Ryan Lowndes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As bycatch continues to impact global shark populations, there is a continuing need for effective bycatch reduction devices. Prior research has shown promise in exploiting sharks' electrosensory ability to this end. We tested the deterrent efficacy of the Select Magnetic and Repellant Treated (SMARTTM) and the newly developed "SMARTER" hooks in experimental longline and hook-and-line trials. Both are magnetized and contain an electropositive metal component made of magnesium (SMART) and a magnesium alloy designed to extend longevity (SMARTER). We deployed 127 longlines with SMART hooks, SMARTER hooks, controls, and procedural controls from 2021-2022 in Winyah Bay, South Carolina, and caught …

Importance Of Pelvic Floor Education And Rehabilitation Techniques For Adolescents And Young Adults: A Review, Katherine Laura Schmidt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The pelvic floor is the collection of many muscles forming what is often called the pelvic girdle. Understanding the different muscles and their roles is an important part of pelvic floor education. Although both males and females have pelvic floors, there is a lack of knowledge of basic anatomy seen in adolescents and young adults. This review analyzes the importance of providing more education for students about the pelvic floor, gives examples of common pelvic disorders for young adults, and provides details on the physical therapy rehabilitation techniques offered today to treat these conditions.

Extranodal Tumors And Chromosomal Abnormalities Associated With Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma In T(14;18)-Positive Patients, Alexis Finch

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Nebraska is mostly an agricultural state with a non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) incidence rate of 20.1 per 100,000 individuals, which is greater than the US incidence rate of 19 per 100,000 individuals. It is possible that the higher incidence rate in Nebraska is due to an increase in pesticide usage. Pesticide exposure is linked to t(14;18), a genetic translocation involving the BCL2 gene that regulates apoptosis. The dysregulation of apoptosis could contribute to the proliferation of NHL. This exploratory study utilized the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group, which consists of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, or some other neoplastic hematologic disorder …

Education, Beliefs, And Health Literacy Of Care Providers On Mouth Care Of Older Adults, Molly Lakin

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Oral health is important to one’s overall health and quality of life as it can lead to chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders (Haumschild et al. 2021). In long-term care facilities, it is important that dependent older adults are provided mouth care to maintain their oral health and decrease their chances of developing a chronic illness; however, there are barriers affecting the level, quality, and quantity of mouth care being provided in these facilities. A survey was developed to look at the education, beliefs, and health literacy of care providers on providing mouth care in hopes …

Development Of A Computational Model To Investigate Pathways And The Effects Of Treatment In Fanconi Anemia, Sabrina Kellett

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare type of anemia that is not easily studied and can have very detrimental effects. This disease compromises the bone marrow, resulting in decreased hemopoiesis. Symptoms of FA also include abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord, incorrect formation of the kidneys, abnormal formation of the heart and lungs, and a dramatically increased risk of developing cancer. FA can be caused by various mutations in any of the 22 genes that encode for proteins involved in what is called the FA DNA repair pathway. In healthy individuals, this pathway specifically repairs interstrand cross-links (ICLs) recognized …

Sequence Analysis Of Herbicide Target Genes In Herbicide-Tolerant Rice, Jonathan Kearney, Nilda R. Burgos, Gulab D. Rangani

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The tolerance of mutagenized rice (Oryza sativa) lines to selector herbicides was investigated and the sequence of ALS gene was analyzed in plants that survived treatment with 4x the label rate of imazethapyr herbicide. This was done to determine if insensitivity to imazethapyr is due to mutation(s) in the herbicide binding site. Seedlots previously treated with ethyl-methyl sulfonate were planted in the field and 3-leaf seedlings were treated with various herbicides to screen for herbicide-tolerant mutants. Seeds from survivors composed the rice lines tested in the current research. Seeds were planted in the greenhouse and 3-leaf seedlings were …

Interactive Map Code (R And Rstudio), Peter G. Butterfield

Data Files: White Oaks in Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest

Interactive map code puts data and coordinates into readable table format and creates data visualizations.

Effects Of Maternal Disease History On Provisioning, Brooding, And Offspring Outcomes, Sakura Roberts

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Disease within a population has the ability to shape the development, evolution, and general performance of a species. Pathogen exposure to hosts can influence their physiology and behavioral patterns to further shape offspring immunity. Parental conditions experienced by offspring during early development can benefit survival and fitness (e.g. increasing provisioning rates), as well as help deter against similar diseases experienced by parents. By testing if parental behavior changes can better prepare offspring outcomes for disease exposure, such as disease severity or duration of infection, we can see the beneficial impacts it has on disease dynamics and host-pathogen processes. Incubation temperature, …

Computational Modeling Of The Fanconi Anemia Gene Network And Its Connection To Cancer, Alyssa Warren-Belford

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic condition in which the cell’s DNA repair machinery is dysregulated, significantly increasing the chances of tumorigenesis. Further research is being done in order to improve patient outcomes and incidences of cancer. Our group created a computational model of the FA DNA repair gene network, which removes interstrand crosslinks found in damaged DNA and repairs it so DNA synthesis can continue. Computer simulations show the number of DNA damage indicators decreased as the pathway continued. This was expected as the FA pathway repairs DNA damage. The goal of this project was to provide further …

Identifying Nocturnal Pollinator Diversity In Apple Orchards In Northwest Arkansas, Emily Brown

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Insects have an essential role in nature, largely in part to pollination. These animals allow for many plants to reproduce and are directly involved in many of the earth’s fruit and vegetable supply. Bees, along with many other diurnal pollinators have gained the attention of the public, which has sparked debates and change to protect them. Many nocturnal species have previously been disregarded due to the assumption that diurnal pollinators provide the only significant pollinations, although recent studies show otherwise. For example, a recent study in apples suggests that nocturnal insects increase fruit production and flower cluster pollination at comparable …

Involvement Of Chromosome Remodeling Complexes On Chromosome Segregation, Adelle Warford

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Errors in chromosome segregation during cell replication are detrimental to the health of living cells. These errors cause aneuploidy: daughter cells with an incorrect number of chromosomes, as well as polyploidy: the complete duplication of a genome. In humans, these segregation errors are responsible for many harmful diseases and disorders. Using the model organism S. cerevisiae, a double mutant was created by removing two key chromosome remodeling complexes, SWR1 and INO80, both known to independently cause aneuploidy, decreased fitness, and damages the sensitivity of a cell's DNA (Andalis et al. 2004). By creating a double mutant strain, genetic cell …

Assessing Illegal Shooting Of Birds Along Power Lines, Eve C. Thomason

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Birds found dead near power lines typically are assumed to have died from electrocution. However, birds die from many causes, and inaccurate diagnosis of cause of death undermines law enforcement, management, threat assessment, and mitigation. We used field and necropsy data from dead birds collected along 196 km of power lines in four western USA states in 2019 – 2022 to test the assumption that electrocution is the leading cause of death of birds on power lines. Of 175 birds with a known cause of death, 66% died from gunshot, whereas only 17% died from electrocution or by trauma. To …

Automating Pharmacokinetic Predictions In Artemisia, Celin Younan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Pharmacokinetics (PK) is the time course of a compound in the body that is dependent on mechanisms of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion or ADME. A thorough understanding of PK is essential to predict the consequences of organisms exposed to chemicals. In medicine, predictions of PK of drugs allows us to properly prescribe drug treatments. In toxicology, PK allows us to predict the potential exposure of environmental contaminants and how they may affect organisms at the time of exposure or in the future. Chemical ecology could benefit from computational predictions of PK to better understand which plants are consumed or …

Determining The Effect Of Absorbents And Soybean Systems On Pfas Precursor Transformation, Tamia Wellington

Biological Sciences

PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) refers to a class of chemicals that consist of long-chains of carbon bonded to fluorine. These are chemicals that have many industrial uses, from cosmetics to industrial fire-fighting foam. Since PFAS is so widely used and available, it has become increasingly present in water and soil, resulting in its uptake and bioaccumulation in plants. This study focused on the impacts of powdered activated carbon (PAC) and montmorillonite on the PFOS precursor N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA), in soil, and in plants grown in that soil. This study focused on spiking soil with PFAS chemicals, …

Quantification Of Fibrosis And Infiltrates In The Salivary Gland, Nikhita Kumar

Biological Sciences

Fibrosis is characterized by the excessive buildup of extracellular matrix components (ECM) in tissues and organs in response to injury, chronic inflammation, auto immune disorders, and genetic alterations. Non-obese diabetic mice (NOD) are a model for Sjögren’s Syndrome. We hypothesize that NOD mice, which start to develop Sjögren’s-like disease at approximately 12 weeks of age are suffering from hyposalivation at least in part due to fibrosis of the submandibular salivary glands (SMGs). Fibrosis refers to the over-production of extracellular matrix proteins in the connective tissue compartment. To test this hypothesis 16-week-old mice were treated with either the fibrosis inhibitor Nintedanib …

Improvement Of Depressive-Like Behaviors In Hemi-Parkinsonian Rats With Non-Invasive Peripheral Focused Ultrasound Modulation, Hudy Berger

Biological Sciences

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease with marked loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). In PD, there are motor and non-motor symptoms. Depression, a non-motor symptom, is seen in 40% of the patients with PD which decreases their quality of life. For treatment-resistant depression, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been shown to improve depression. Here, non-invasive focused ultrasound (FUS) is investigated as a therapeutic to improve depression-like behavior by targeting the celiac plexus since it is innervated by the vagus nerve. FUS was chosen due to its parallel mechanism to VNS. …

Progress Towards Peptide And Protein Synthesis Involving Thiol Moieties, Ryan Lo Chen

Biological Sciences

Polypeptides and proteins play crucial roles in biological systems, including enzymatic activity regulation, molecule transport, and cell and tissue structural support. Amino acids are the building blocks of peptides and proteins, and peptides can act as hormones, neurotransmitters, and enzymes. Proteins are made up of one or more polypeptide chains and have diverse functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, transporting molecules, and providing structural support. Protein preparation can be done biologically by expression systems or isolation and purification from natural sources. While these methods have their advantages, they also have their shortcomings. Chemical synthesis is an alternative method that allows …

Potency Of Novel Anti-Toxoplasmic Compounds, Matthias Walters

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an intracellular apicomplexan parasite. Toxoplasmosis is often asymptomatic, though, it can be debilitating or fatal to immunocompromised individuals and fetuses, being one of the leading causes of fetal mortality and birth defects. Toxoplasmosis is treated with a synergistic combination of drugs pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine; however, these drugs are only effective against the acute stage of infection, and the pyrimethamine is relatively cytotoxic, damaging bone marrow and causing noxious side effects. Due to these limitations, a safer alternative that targets the chronic stage of infection is needed. In this study, we tested …

Trends In Nestling Body Size In A Declining Population Of American Kestrels, Kristina M. Ollo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) are small falcons that feed primarily on large insects but also small mammals and birds. During recent decades kestrel populations have been declining in North America, for reasons still unknown. One plausible explanation is that nestlings are becoming malnourished over the years from lack of food resources and are fledging at smaller sizes. Fledging at a smaller size puts kestrel nestlings at greater risk of post-fledging mortality due to starvation or predation. Here we examined long-term trends in the morphological development of American Kestrel nestlings to see if there have been any significant changes over time. …

Validation Of A Novel Genomic Biomarker Of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Scalability And Evaluating Genotype Implications On Cellular Senescence, I Kade Karisma Gita Ardana

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The market demand for hMSCs continues to increase along with the increasing popularity of hMSCs used in the research, medical and industrial fields. This increase has an impact on the need for good quality MSCs. This quality is determined by the ability of MSCs to proliferate and their resistance to senescence. Donor dependent heterogeneity may affect MSC qualities from one individual to another; therefore, a specific biomarker with the ability to identify individuals with desirable hMSC qualities is required. The GSTT1 gene has been found to be associated with hMSC scalability. This gene is deleted in about 38% of the …

In Vitro Screening Of 12 Strains Of Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus Corniculatus) Against Haemonchus Contortus, Isabella Caldwell, Elizabeth Kass, Rebecca Brown, Katherine Harper Petersson

Senior Honors Projects

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), primarily Haemonchus contortus, are one of the leading causes of death in sheep and goats. As resistance to commercial dewormers continues to rise, alternative strategies for GIN parasite control are needed. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that secondary plant compounds in birdsfoot trefoil (BFT, Lotus corniculatus) possess antiparasitic activity against GIN. In this study, the antiparasitic effect of twelve strains of BFT on the hatching of H. contortus eggs and motility of larvae was determined. BFT strains were harvested in June of 2020 and hay-dried. H. contortus eggs were recovered from mono-infected Dorset yearlings by running fresh …

Maureen Biology: Teaching Environmentalism Through Television, Maureen Kennedy

Senior Honors Projects

Children’s television is proven to be an effective instrument for educational material for young age groups and can be utilized to teach social awareness, traditional educational content, and about worldly issues. Highly successful shows for varying adolescent ages, such as Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and Bill Nye the Science Guy, exist for the sole purpose of increasing young viewers’ cognition and knowledge. Differing formats are used to convey educational content, such as narrative and expository structures, depending on the material and target age group. This project will develop the script for a children’s television show in the expository format that …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, March - May 2023, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 4, Issue 2

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2-7 Awards and Recognition
Page 8 March 3rd Corothers Seminar
Page 9 54th Geography Convention
Page 10 Spring 2023 Day of Scholars
Page 11 2023 URSCAD Snaps
Page 12-14 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 15 Open PRAIRIE Data

Are Rising Seas Pushing Ghost Crabs Out Of Their Comfort Zone?, Finn Gillette

Honors Theses

Ghost crabs (Ocypode quadrata) can be found on sandy beaches bordering the western Atlantic Ocean. These semiterrestrial crustaceans are often found between the swash zone and the dunes on beaches. Dunes are critical refuges for ghost crabs during storms and extreme tide events. This makes them a useful indicator species for monitoring the effects of global warming-induced sea level rise on beach biota, as their distribution patterns among beach zones may correlate with shifts found in other species. Beach surveys conducted from 2015 onward assessed the population density of ghost crabs on beaches of Horry and Georgetown counties …

Heat Stress Effects On Culex Pipiens Mosquitoes, Valeria Montoya

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent. This is a concern for both humans and other organisms like insects. Culex pipiens f. molestus mosquitoes are primary vectors of diseases including equine encephalitis, West Nile virus, Rift valley fever, and St. Louis encephalitis. With Cx. pipiens f. molestus being the primary vector of West Nile virus in North America, it is important to understand how more frequent heat waves affect their population dynamics. In this study, I compared the thermal tolerance of larval Cx. pipiens f. molestus that were exposed to prior heat stress to those that …

Effects Of Implementing High Structure And Mastery Level Learning On Student Understanding In An Introductory Biology Course, Alexis Pereira

Honors College

The Introductory Biology courses at Abilene Christian University are infamously labeled "weed out" classes. This daunting association has raised concerns for Biology professors when considering why students are not succeeding at an acceptable rate. We investigated topics such as social, economic, and other background history as a baseline to enhance course outlines. This incorporation into changing the curriculum promoted classroom equity while pursuing societal integrity which is at the root of improving student success. Once taken into account, we focused on implementing mastery learning by including reading assignments, multiple attempts on quizzes, in-class learning activities, and practice exams. We also …

Fecal Cortisol Metabolites: A Non-Invasive Method For Monitoring The Long-Term Health Of Free Ranging Brown Bears, Justin A. Pinero

All NMU Master's Theses

Ecotourism is a rapidly growing industry worldwide and has been used as a tool that can promote conservation. While ecotourism can serve as a mechanism to help conserve natural areas, increases in visitors present challenges for managers tasked with balancing conservation goals while ensuring positive visitor experiences. As such, managers and ecologists are increasingly using fecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) to index stress associated with ecotourism. In this study, I sought to (1) quantify the relationship between blood cortisol levels and FCM concentrations in brown bears (Ursus arctos), and (2) evaluate whether ecotourism elicits a measurable stress response in …

Cell-Specific Mechanisms Of Microrna Modulation Of Anoctamin-1 (Ano1) In Oral Cancer, Daniel Hou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Anoctamin-1 (ANO1) is a calcium-gated chloride ion channel with multiple physiological roles, including transepithelial ion transport, smooth muscle contraction, salivary secretion, and nociception. Recently, ANO1 has been identified to play a key role in cancer progression. ANO1 is overexpressed in different types of cancer, including oral cancer. ANO1 overexpression is commonly the result of ANO1 gene amplification on the chromosome 11q13 locus. In cancer cells, ANO1 upregulation has been reported to promote cell proliferation and migration of tumor cells, whereas ANO1 downregulation induces apoptosis through multiple signaling pathways. As such, ANO1 is now considered a useful biomarker for cancer progression …

Interactive Effects Of Fungal Community Structure And Soil Moisture On Wyoming Big Sagebrush Performance, Arden Marlene Engel

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Large swathes of the North American sagebrush steppe have been converted to grazing and agricultural use. Remaining fragmented areas are threatened by invasive annual grasses and associated perpetuation of increased fire frequency, with efforts to restore sagebrush after fire largely unsuccessful. Lack of success may be due, in part, to poor interactions between sagebrush seed sourced from distant locations and unfamiliar soil fungi.

A greenhouse experiment was designed to evaluate effects of soil fungal community composition on sagebrush reestablishment by answering: (1) How does inoculation with ‘coevolved’ versus ‘foreign’ fungal inoculum impact sagebrush fitness? (2) How does moisture availability modify …