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Full-Text Articles in Biology

Monotypic: Evolution And Adaptations Of The World's Most Distinctive Species, Emerson Harman, Amanda Almon Apr 2024

Monotypic: Evolution And Adaptations Of The World's Most Distinctive Species, Emerson Harman, Amanda Almon

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

"Monotypic: Evolution and Adaptations of the World’s Most Distinctive Species" is a BFA and Honors Capstone exhibition focused on introducing the public to the unique qualities of plants and animals that are the sole extant representative of their taxonomic family or higher classification. The exhibition is centered around the use of illustrative infographics to effectively deliver scientific information in an engaging manner to a wide audience. "Monotypic" explores the individual evolutionary adaptations that make each of these lineages so distinct from any of their living relatives while also touching on the interactions with their environments, relationships with other species, and …


Estimating Changing Marshland Habitat And Conservation Potential For Diamondback Terrapins In New Jersey Under Climate Change And Development Pressures, Jacqueline Ganter Apr 2024

Estimating Changing Marshland Habitat And Conservation Potential For Diamondback Terrapins In New Jersey Under Climate Change And Development Pressures, Jacqueline Ganter

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

The diamondback terrapin, a brackish water turtle native to the eastern US, is listed as a species of ‘special concern’ in the state of New Jersey, due to decreasing habitat from development and changing climatic conditions. Diamondback terrapins reside in saline marshes and wetlands and nest in sandy substrate, primarily beaches and dunes, in June and July. The state of New Jersey is vulnerable to both sea level rise, leaving diamondback terrapin habitats and nesting areas at risk of inundation under future climate scenarios, and, as the most densely populated state, subject to continual development pressures on potentially conservable land. …


Even The Ocean Is Online: Digital Representation Of The Ocean, Nevaeh Johnson, Hannah Cissell Apr 2024

Even The Ocean Is Online: Digital Representation Of The Ocean, Nevaeh Johnson, Hannah Cissell

Student Academic Conference

This presentation is about #8, the digital representation of the ocean, of the UNESCO Challenge. More research needs to be done on the ocean to preserve marine life and coastal land. We need the help of large corporations in a collaboration on a digital representation of the ocean. This will help us visualize the oceans' past, current, and possible future. A digital map of the ocean will help with us pollution, help slow down climate change, and help us prepare for environmental disasters. We could create a digital map of the ocean floor by using a multibeam or a side …


Assessment Of Thermal Preferences And Critical Temperature Tolerance Polygons On Mangrove Fish And Invertebrates From South Florida, Jailynn Konkler Apr 2024

Assessment Of Thermal Preferences And Critical Temperature Tolerance Polygons On Mangrove Fish And Invertebrates From South Florida, Jailynn Konkler

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Mangroves serve as important nursery habitats for several species of subtropical fishes and invertebrates. Southeastern Florida mangrove environments have experienced an increasing frequency of strong hot and cold weather front systems, but little information is known about the temperature thresholds for mangrove-associated prey species that lethally disrupts homeostasis. To assess the vulnerability of mangrove-associated prey species to these short-duration temperature fluctuations, critical thermal methodology (CTM) was used to determine thermal tolerances for two fishes and two invertebrates, using loss of equilibrium (LOE) as the endpoint to determine CTmax and CTmin values as a survivable proxy for death. Physiological tolerances were …


One-Pot Synthesis Green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized On Activated Carbon Derived From Pineapple Peel For Adsorption Of Pb(Ii), Vienna Saraswaty, Evyka Setya Aji, Ardi Ardiansyah, Ayu Hanifah, Nathania Puspitasari, Shella Permatasari Santoso, Sandy Budi Hartono, Chandra Risdian, Elsy Rahimi Chaldun, Henry Setiyanto Apr 2024

One-Pot Synthesis Green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized On Activated Carbon Derived From Pineapple Peel For Adsorption Of Pb(Ii), Vienna Saraswaty, Evyka Setya Aji, Ardi Ardiansyah, Ayu Hanifah, Nathania Puspitasari, Shella Permatasari Santoso, Sandy Budi Hartono, Chandra Risdian, Elsy Rahimi Chaldun, Henry Setiyanto

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The current study introduces a one-pot technique for synthesizing an environmentally benign and cheap composite adsorbent, namely ZnO-PPAC, for the adsorption of Pb(II). The designated adsorbent was prepared by incorporating green synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on activated carbon-derived from pineapple peel. The prepared adsorbents were characterized using XRD, SEM, EDS, FTIR, and BET techniques. The XRD pattern verifies that the ZnO was successfully synthesized and immobilized onto the PPAC in a one pot synthesis system. The surface areas of ZnOPPAC and PPAC adsorbents were 13.62 m2/g and 961.96 m2/g, respectively. The FTIR evaluation of the ZnO-PPAC adsorbent revealed several …


Evolution Of The Human Eye: As Compared To Other Vertebrates, Madison Queener Apr 2024

Evolution Of The Human Eye: As Compared To Other Vertebrates, Madison Queener

Honors Projects

There are three different types of eyes, the simple eye, the compound eye, and the camera eye (Cambridge Dictionary) (Myer-Rochow, 2014) (UCL, 2020). The retina of the eye has evolved and adapted to fit the lifestyles of the respective organisms. Because of this part of the eye, organisms are able to see different colors and use light to define the world using photoreceptors. Photoreceptors are rod cells, which are light sensitive and process light, and cone cells, which perceive the different color wavelengths, that pass visual information to the brain (Kazilek, 2010). About 5% of the photoreceptors in the retinas …


Inferring Function From Form: Subcortical Projection Cell Types In Rat Orbitofrontal Cortex, Suelynn Ren Apr 2024

Inferring Function From Form: Subcortical Projection Cell Types In Rat Orbitofrontal Cortex, Suelynn Ren

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Frontal cortex supports sophisticated behaviors by controlling phylogenetically older subcortical brain regions. Within the deep layers of cortex, subcortically projecting pyramidal neurons integrate local and long-range inputs along the entire depth of the cortical column. How subcortically projecting neurons might be fractionated into cell types and how their unique features constrain top-down communication is unknown. In this dissertation, I first established the output circuit architecture of subcortically projecting neurons in rat orbitofrontal cortex at a cellular resolution. I found that subcortically projecting neurons preferentially innervated a single target, demonstrating a one-neuron-one-target projection logic. Such target-defined projection neurons were molecularly distinct …


Exploration Of Enterococcus Faecalis Bacteriophages Diversity: Comprehensive Phylogenetic Analysis And Discovery Isolation Of Enterococcus Faecalis Phage From A Soil Sample In South Florida, Hailey N. Jauernick Apr 2024

Exploration Of Enterococcus Faecalis Bacteriophages Diversity: Comprehensive Phylogenetic Analysis And Discovery Isolation Of Enterococcus Faecalis Phage From A Soil Sample In South Florida, Hailey N. Jauernick

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal bacterium found in the gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity, and vagina of humans, which can transition to pathogenic states, leading to diverse infections. Many E. faecalis infections are becoming progressively challenging to treat, stemming from the lack of effective antibiotic therapies against its virulence factors, including biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy emerges as a promising alternative, targeting bacteria with minimal impact on host flora. However, despite phages' ubiquitous presence and potential applications in medicine and biotechnology, their diversity and ecological niches are vastly understudied. Here, we investigated the diversity of sequenced E. faecalis phages …


Depletion Of Protein Phosphatase 1 Results In Persistent Activation Of The Integrated Stress Response And Age-Associated Exacerbation Of Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease, Amit Prabhakar, Meetu Wadhwa, Prajakta Ghatpande, Rahul Kumar, Brian B. Graham, Giorgio Lagna, Akiko Hata Apr 2024

Depletion Of Protein Phosphatase 1 Results In Persistent Activation Of The Integrated Stress Response And Age-Associated Exacerbation Of Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease, Amit Prabhakar, Meetu Wadhwa, Prajakta Ghatpande, Rahul Kumar, Brian B. Graham, Giorgio Lagna, Akiko Hata

Biology

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) is a form of pulmonary hypertension that affects individuals across the age spectrum. PVOD is characterized by the obstruction of small pulmonary vessels, causing increased pulmonary artery (PA) pressure and leading to right ventricular heart (RV) failure. Previous research showed that the administration of Mitomycin-C (MMC) in rats mediates PVOD through the activation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2) kinase PKR and the integrated stress response (ISR), resulting in the impairment of vascular endothelial junctional structure and barrier function. In this study, we reveal that older rats experience more severe pulmonary vascular remodeling and RV …


Sexual Dimorphism Of Circadian Liver Transcriptome, Artem A. Astafev, Volha Mezhnina, Allan Poe, Peng Jiang, Roman Kondratov Apr 2024

Sexual Dimorphism Of Circadian Liver Transcriptome, Artem A. Astafev, Volha Mezhnina, Allan Poe, Peng Jiang, Roman Kondratov

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Sexual dimorphism affects various aspects of physiology, metabolism and longevity. Circadian clock is a master regulator of metabolism. Anti -aging dietary interventions reprogram circadian transcriptome in the liver and other tissues, but little is known about sexual dimorphism of circadian transcriptome. We compared circadian transcriptomes in the liver of male and female mice on ad libitum (AL) and 30% caloric restriction (CR) diets. We found that AL female mice had a larger number of oscillating genes than male mice, and the portion of the transcriptome with sex -specific rhythms displayed phase difference. We found that CR increased the number of …


Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus Narinari) Jaw, Lili M. Mcelhill, Alison G. Novara, David W. Kerstetter Apr 2024

Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus Narinari) Jaw, Lili M. Mcelhill, Alison G. Novara, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.


Investigating A Family Of Fungal Pseudopeptidases With Bioinformatics Tools, Andy Zhao Apr 2024

Investigating A Family Of Fungal Pseudopeptidases With Bioinformatics Tools, Andy Zhao

Honors Theses

Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions; however, some proteins related to enzymes lack enzyme activity. To investigate changes that occur as enzymes becomes pseudoenzymes, I studied a unique family of fungal carboxypeptidases. I identified all fungal carboxypeptidase protein sequences in the NCBI database, constructed an alignment and phylogenetic tree for sequence comparison, and used Alphafold2 for 3D modeling of representative proteins. Fourteen unique groups were identified. All fungal proteins selected are separated into 3 categories, predicted to be active, intermediate, and inactive, respectively. Proteins predicted to be pseudoenzymes contained additional loops in mutation hotspots not found in predicted active enzymes. This research …


Synthesis Of Novel Temozolomide Amides As Potential Anti-Glioblastoma Agents, Sion Kim Apr 2024

Synthesis Of Novel Temozolomide Amides As Potential Anti-Glioblastoma Agents, Sion Kim

Honors Theses

Glioblastoma is treated with Temozolomide (TMZ), a lipophilic alkylating drug that can cross the brain-blood barrier. To confront drug resistance, this research aimed to synthesize novel TMZ amide hybrids by using the acid chloride method, replacing an amino group with a primary amine. These novel hybrids were tested on U87-MG cells to determine if the primary amines with greater anticancer properties and lipophilicity have enhanced the drug's anticancer activity and bioavailability. The calculated lethal concentration 50 (LC50) of the hybrids ranged from 0.005 mg/mL to 0.2258 mg/mL, with some demonstrating greater anticancer effects than TMZ itself.


Alleviating Environmental Stresses In Native Arkansas Plants By Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation, Rebecca C. Morse Apr 2024

Alleviating Environmental Stresses In Native Arkansas Plants By Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation, Rebecca C. Morse

ATU Scholars Symposium

The rapid human-driven changes in the environment during the Anthropocene have placed extreme stress on many native plants and animals. Beneficial interactions with microorganisms may be crucial for ameliorating these stressors and facilitating the ecosystem services host organisms provide. The role of an important mutualistic association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the competitive ability and successful adaptation of Arkansas native species by enhancing nutrient uptake has not been previously considered. Analysis of field root and soil samples from the native species in their native range as well as a controlled green-house experiment will be conducted to determine the level …


Bat Survey Of Winona, Hailey B. Christensen, Morgan L. Winter Apr 2024

Bat Survey Of Winona, Hailey B. Christensen, Morgan L. Winter

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Two bat detectors were placed at Garvin Heights and West Lake Winona to test bat activity in Winona, Minnesota. It was hypothesized that there would be a higher activity of bats at West Lake Winona than there would be at Garvin Heights. It was also hypothesized that high moonlight illumination would impact bat activity in a negative way. After data analyses were performed, it was found that bats were more active at West Lake Winona than at Garvin Heights. Based on the data analyses for moon light illumination and bat activity, there is no pattern common to all species, but …


Changes In Animal Vocalizations In Response To A Total Solar Eclipse, Colton W. Morris Apr 2024

Changes In Animal Vocalizations In Response To A Total Solar Eclipse, Colton W. Morris

ATU Scholars Symposium

My proposed research project will study the changes in animal vocalizations in response to the total solar eclipse that will take place in Russellville, Arkansas, on April 8, 2024. I will use audio recordings before, during, and after the eclipse to quantify changes in animal vocalizations. Most recordings will be in the range of normal hearing, and will primarily detect birds, frogs, and insects. Additionally, I will deploy one ultrasonic recorder capable of detecting bats. From these recordings I will be able to quantify overall and species-specific call rates. Audio recordings will be paired with continuous measurements of light intensity …


Molecular Methods Used To Identify A New Species Of Dictyocaulus (Family Dictyocaulidae) In White-Tailed Deer, Garit T. Wollan, Elisa M. Quevedo Apr 2024

Molecular Methods Used To Identify A New Species Of Dictyocaulus (Family Dictyocaulidae) In White-Tailed Deer, Garit T. Wollan, Elisa M. Quevedo

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Lungworms (Dictyocaulus) are a type of parasitic nematode found in the lungs of vertebrates and can cause life threatening diseases to their host(s). Dictyocaulus is a type of lungworm found in cattle (Bos taurus), deer (Cervidae), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), sheep (Ovis aries), and horses (Equus caballus). The purpose of this study was to use DNA analysis to distinguish between different species of Dictyocaulus among cattle, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and red deer (Cervus elaphus). Adult lungworms were collected from the lungs of cattle from research farms in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Mississippi, from the lungs of red deer from a …


Post Rehabilitation Analysis Of Stream Habitat And Brown Trout In Cedar Valley Creek, Ashlynn D. Leonard, Emma C. Ehlers Apr 2024

Post Rehabilitation Analysis Of Stream Habitat And Brown Trout In Cedar Valley Creek, Ashlynn D. Leonard, Emma C. Ehlers

Research & Creative Achievement Day

A section of Cedar Valley Creek went through a rehabilitation process that was intended to improve the trout habitat as well as to reinforce banks, deepen the stream, and narrow the channel. We took brown trout (Salmo trutta) counts and did habitat analyses at five locations (each 50 m long), in the restored stream section of Cedar Valley Creek during fall 2023 to compare to pre-rehabilitation data collected in 2022. A backpack electrofisher and nets were used to collect brown trout via a single-pass removal sampling process. All trout were measured for total length (mm) before being released back into …


Carbon Sequestration And Its Role In Mitigating Climate Change, Mallory Woodward Apr 2024

Carbon Sequestration And Its Role In Mitigating Climate Change, Mallory Woodward

ATU Scholars Symposium

Carbon sequestration is when carbon dioxide is stored in ecosystems like grasslands forests, soils and oceans. Wetlands are one of the many important ecosystems that sequester carbon and act as a carbon sink. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2019 33,621.5 million metric tons of carbon were released into the atmosphere globally, due to human emissions. Anthropogenic carbon emissions have rapidly increased over the past 150 years. Since 1982, The global rate of warming is more than three times as fast, currently rising 0.36 degrees Fahrenheit each decade, and the rate will continue to increase. How do wetlands …


Characterization Of Bacteria And Fungi In Hotel Bathroom Products, Madie Clarke, Regan L. Feit, Rebecca A. Nachreiner Apr 2024

Characterization Of Bacteria And Fungi In Hotel Bathroom Products, Madie Clarke, Regan L. Feit, Rebecca A. Nachreiner

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Refilling hotel products and storing open products in bathrooms are excellent conditions for bacterial growth. Bacteria accumulate in frequently touched surfaces and thrive in warm, moist, nutrient-rich environments. Bathrooms are also the perfect breeding ground for microbes to flourish. Not all bacteria are bad for our health, but it would be beneficial to know what microorganisms can be found in cosmetic or cream products that are used on a daily basis. This is especially important when bacteria or fungi are known pathogens. This study evaluated and classified bacteria and fungi in shampoos and body lotions using Trypticase Soy Agar (TSA) …


Detection Of Lyme's Disease Caused By Borrelia Burgdorferi In Ixodes Scapularis Using A Pcr Multiplex And Real-Time Pcr, Emily T. Dittman, Bethany G. Basile Apr 2024

Detection Of Lyme's Disease Caused By Borrelia Burgdorferi In Ixodes Scapularis Using A Pcr Multiplex And Real-Time Pcr, Emily T. Dittman, Bethany G. Basile

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Ixodes scapularis (deer ticks) are a vector for the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that is known to cause Lyme's Disease in animals and humans (Homo sapiens). In the past few years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of Lyme's Disease cases throughout the midwestern United States indicating that many ticks have been infected with B. burgdorferi. Using I. scapularis DNA samples collected from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the spring of 2006 from Buffalo County, WI and Winona County, MN, both traditional and real-time PCR methods were used to test for the presence of the B. burgdorferi organism in …


Microbiological Study Of Used Cosmetic Products, Macy S. Priest, Rachel L. Przybilla Apr 2024

Microbiological Study Of Used Cosmetic Products, Macy S. Priest, Rachel L. Przybilla

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The bacterial and fungal load in commercial creams and cosmetic products -was examined. This research aimed to identify pathogenic microbes, their toxin production, and their potential impact on product integrity. Our tests showed bacterial growth in the beauty products Cetaphil Facial Cleanser, CereVe moisturizing lotion, and Maybelline facial powder. Several microbes were characterized: a gram-positive bacteria identified as Bacillus cereus as well as an unknown gram-negative bacteria. In addition, the fungus Fusarium was observed. These microbes might be commonly observed in beauty products, but theoretically many different species of bacteria could grow in this type of environment.


Morphology Of Trematodes In Gadwall Ducks (Mareca Strepera) Found In The Mississippi Valley: Parasitology Class Project, Annika N. Lensch, Ethan B. Gjervik, Mckenna A. Baker, Elizabeth K. Haumont, Mivang Xiong Apr 2024

Morphology Of Trematodes In Gadwall Ducks (Mareca Strepera) Found In The Mississippi Valley: Parasitology Class Project, Annika N. Lensch, Ethan B. Gjervik, Mckenna A. Baker, Elizabeth K. Haumont, Mivang Xiong

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Gadwall ducks (Mareca strepera) are commonly found in lakes, ponds, and marshes west of the Mississippi River in summer months. A Gadwall duck is considered a dabbler duck which feeds on aquatic plants floating on the water's surface occasionally feeding on insects, crustaceans (crayfish, crabs), and small fish. Trematodes are a commonly found parasite in the gastrointestinal tract of many species of ducks. The ducks used in this study were legally collected and donated by hunters from Buffalo City, Wisconsin along the Mississippi River. This study will focus on identifying trematodes found within Gadwall ducks such as Echinostoma, Zygocotyle, and …


Genetic Association In Entylia Carinata Using Random Forest Classification, Caden J. Harper Apr 2024

Genetic Association In Entylia Carinata Using Random Forest Classification, Caden J. Harper

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The goal of this research was to identify locations in the genome of the Entylia carinata, known as the treehopper, that are associated with anomalous behavior exhibited by the species. Treehoppers are phytophagous insects and are shown to feed, reproduce, and rear their young on specific aster species. Observation has shown that the insects will disregard potential mates in close proximity in favor of those that originate from the same plant species as themselves. This behavior suggests genetic separation in the species based on plant nativity and warrants genetic analysis. Machine learning offers an effective genetic association technique due to …


Denial Of Pregnancy Or Cryptic Pregnancy, Nadia N. Shuriah, Elaine Mcfarland, Bethany Spenn, Kaisha Butz Mcmanus Apr 2024

Denial Of Pregnancy Or Cryptic Pregnancy, Nadia N. Shuriah, Elaine Mcfarland, Bethany Spenn, Kaisha Butz Mcmanus

BIO4960: Practicum in Biology I

Denial of pregnancy, or cryptic pregnancy, presents a complex situation where individuals are unaware of their pregnancy until the late stages of labor. This study delves into the multifaceted nature of concealed and denied pregnancies, exploring their prevalence, factors contributing to them, and their implications for both individuals and healthcare systems. By reviewing relevant literature and case studies, we aim to illuminate the difficulties healthcare providers face in identifying and managing cases of denial of pregnancy. Additionally, we stress the significance of proactive screening and comprehensive care to ensure the well-being of mothers and infants. This research endeavors to deepen …


Migratory And Non-Migratory Yellow Perch Differ In Locomotor Traits, Wade Poling Apr 2024

Migratory And Non-Migratory Yellow Perch Differ In Locomotor Traits, Wade Poling

Honors Theses

Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) are widely distributed throughout the Midwest and are popular game fish and table fare. Seasonally, some eastern Lake Michigan Yellow Perch migrate into drowned river mouth lakes. Drowned river mouths are highly productive environments that also hold non-migratory resident Yellow Perch. Migration requires substantial energy expenditure; therefore, we expected migratory Yellow Perch to evolve locomotory traits that optimize energy efficiency for swimming long distances. We expected drowned river mouth lake resident Yellow Perch to evolve locomotory traits that enhance maneuverability, which are beneficial in avoiding predators, capturing prey, and moving through the structurally complex littoral …


Exploring The Longitudinal Effects: Non-Traditional Pedagogies And Practical Learning On Biology Education And Medical Understanding, Thomas Ziebro Apr 2024

Exploring The Longitudinal Effects: Non-Traditional Pedagogies And Practical Learning On Biology Education And Medical Understanding, Thomas Ziebro

Honors Projects

Medical disinformation is becoming a rampant problem in the United States, and the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted it. There have been attempts to fight the problem at the source through fact verification. These attempts have been unsuccessful. This paper investigates the efficacy of non-traditional pedagogies and the correlation between them and an individual perceived and practical ability to understand their primary care provider. The purpose of this research was to establish whether non-traditional pedagogies at the secondary and post-secondary level are more effective than traditional lecture-based instruction. The research was conducted through an anonymous cross-sectional survey which included questions about educational …


Metabolic Scaling Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, Jacob Woelber Apr 2024

Metabolic Scaling Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, Jacob Woelber

Honors Thesis

The common assumption in regard to metabolic rate scaling with body size is the 3/4 law, which predicts a scaling exponent of 0.75 between log metabolic rate and log body size. Supporting evidence exists for this theory on a large, general scale. However, factors such as temperature, predation, and environment can cause the scaling exponent to deviate from 0.75. This paper takes a closer look at the effects of temperature and predation on metabolic rates via oxygen consumption in freshwater macroinvertebrate populations. To do this, 24 tanks were filled with water to allow natural populations of macroinvertebrates (predominantly Chironomidae) to …


Mechanisms Of Rod Photoreceptor Metabolism And Function In Health And Disease, Tae Jun Lee Apr 2024

Mechanisms Of Rod Photoreceptor Metabolism And Function In Health And Disease, Tae Jun Lee

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Over 250 million people globally live with visual acuity loss or blindness as an estimated 7 million people suffer from visual acuity loss in the United States. People in the United States value vision over memory, hearing, or speech and consider losing vision to be among the top four worst outcome to happen to them. The economic cost of major vision problems is estimated to increase to 373 billion dollars by the year 2050. Among the irreparable causes of vision loss, retinal degeneration stands as a chief contributor to catastrophic eye disease. The retina is a neurosensory tissue located in …


Germinal Center Persistence Diversifies B Cell Responses To Vaccination, Katherine Marie Mcintire Apr 2024

Germinal Center Persistence Diversifies B Cell Responses To Vaccination, Katherine Marie Mcintire

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Vaccination is the best defense against infection, but highly variable and evolving pathogens like influenza virus pose a significant immunological challenge for vaccine design. An ideal influenza virus vaccine should elicit a durable and broadly cross-reactive antibody response. However, the development of cross-reactive antibodies is hindered by the high degree of antigenic variation among influenza viruses, particularly in the surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA), which is the main target of vaccine-induced responses. Successful vaccination works by driving the differentiation of antigen-specific B cells into short-lived, antibody-secreting plasmablasts (PBs) and long-lived populations of memory B cells (MBCs) and bone marrow plasma cells …