Abilene Christian University
University of Rhode Island
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
GALILEO, University System of Georgia
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
University of New Hampshire, Durham
Florida International University
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Restoring Polyhyrdoxybutyrate (Phb) Depolymerase Expression In A Bald Mutant Of Streptomyces Sp. Sfb5a,
2021
Bridgewater College
Restoring Polyhyrdoxybutyrate (Phb) Depolymerase Expression In A Bald Mutant Of Streptomyces Sp. Sfb5a, Youmna Moawad
Honors Projects
Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable, plastic-like polymer produced by some bacteria and degraded by others. The filamentous bacterium Streptomyces sp. SFB5A degrades PHB for growth using an extracellular PHB depolymerase, encoded by the phaZ gene. A morphological mutant of this bacterium, bld4, cannot form aerial filaments and cannot produce PHB depolymerase, despite having the phaZ gene. The inability to synthesize PHB depolymerase may be due to a mutation in a gene encoding one of its transcriptional regulators. A gene (lrp) coding for a potential transcriptional regulator is located 2,700 base pairs upstream from phaZ. Our goal was to clone ...
Stream Sediment Monitoring In Morehead Kentucky,
2021
Morehead State University
Stream Sediment Monitoring In Morehead Kentucky, Kristopher Krolikowski, Jen O'Keefe
2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations
Sediment loads in stream systems play a big role in how overall runoff behaves. Streams naturally transport sediment at various ratios depending on precipitation. When vegetation is removed in upstream environments, sediment loads on streams increase. Sudden increases of sediments in streams can cause many issues, such as flooding or stream re-direction. In Morehead, KY, large-scale logging operations on the ridge above Knapp Avenue and on the ridge above the north end of Allen Avenue have caused increased sediment load in a small stream called Oxley Branch. This stream flows south parallel to Knapp Avenue and along the eastern property ...
Evaluation Of Chili Pepper (Capsicum Annuum), Tiger Nuts (Cyperus Esculentus), And Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) As Sources Of Antioxidant Compounds For The Potential Of Antiaging-Like Activity,
2021
Jacksonville State University
Evaluation Of Chili Pepper (Capsicum Annuum), Tiger Nuts (Cyperus Esculentus), And Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) As Sources Of Antioxidant Compounds For The Potential Of Antiaging-Like Activity, Chelsea Toyer
Theses
Aging is a natural process that living organisms go through as they become older. In humans and other animals, aging is accompanied by several morphological changes, including the formation of wrinkles. Wrinkles are also caused by various environmental factors such as excessive exposure to sun or pollution, and continuous sleep deprivation. These environmental factors cause oxidation of skin cells and the degradation of subcutaneous fatty acids, leading to the formation of wrinkles. Skin care and wrinkle treatment products are part of a multimillion-dollar industry. Plant-based products are an alternative method for treating wrinkles and premature aging. Several antioxidants naturally found ...
Modeling Population Responses Of California Serpentine Flora In The Face Of Climate Change,
2021
University of San Francisco
Modeling Population Responses Of California Serpentine Flora In The Face Of Climate Change, Alexandra Palacios
Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD
Rare and endemic taxa are crucial to sustaining local biodiversity, but as climate change becomes more apparent, understanding how these key species will respond becomes increasingly important. In California, 14.7% of rare and endemic flora inhabit serpentine outcrops. Serpentine soils are known for being toxic to most plant species, as many of them contain high levels of heavy metals, high Mg:Ca concentration ratios, and greater temperature variation due to a lack of organic matter. In the context of climate change, one can hypothesize that species with an affinity to serpentine will be more able to handle increasingly extreme ...
A Systematic Review Of The Application Of Remote Sensing Techniques For Imaging Land Use Variation In Urban Environments,
2021
University of San Francisco
A Systematic Review Of The Application Of Remote Sensing Techniques For Imaging Land Use Variation In Urban Environments, Ashley Sango
Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD
Urban land use has started to vary more widely over the last couple of decades to accommodate the increasing numbers of people moving into cities. The objective of this systematic review was to explore the breadth of current options available for mapping urban landscapes. This is because these landscapes are characterized by the presence of both built and vegetated spaces in compact areas where imaging is clearer when using remote sensing techniques. Using a modified PRISMA protocol, I searched through Google Scholar in December 2020 to identify studies detailing remote sensing methods for imaging vegetation in urban areas using a ...
Molecular And Bioinformatic Approach To Investigating Epigenetic Control Of Dax-1 Expression In Cancer,
2021
University of San Francisco
Molecular And Bioinformatic Approach To Investigating Epigenetic Control Of Dax-1 Expression In Cancer, Caroline P. Riedstra, John Anderson
Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD
Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) control a wide range of functions during development and disease progression. Dosage-Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita, Critical Region on the X chromosome, gene 1 (DAX-1 or NR0B1) is an orphan nuclear hormone receptor predominantly expressed in the testes, ovaries, breast, adrenal cortex, and lung. As an orphan NHR with a unique molecular structure, DAX-1 can interfere with gene expression by repressing transcription. Playing a key role in growth and development by modulating hormone function, DAX-1 has been implicated in Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita (AHC) and Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal (DSS). Previous research has also shown that ...
Role Of Serpentine Soil In Divergent Selection And Population Differentiation In Mt. Tamalpais Populations Of Native Flower Erythranthe Guttata,
2021
University of San Francisco
Role Of Serpentine Soil In Divergent Selection And Population Differentiation In Mt. Tamalpais Populations Of Native Flower Erythranthe Guttata, Cate Gwinn
Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD
Serpentine soils found on Mt. Tam provide a harsh, high metal environments that are inhabitable to most plants unless highly specialized. Native species Erythranthe guttata is unique in that it is able to survive on both serpentine and non-serpentine soils. With these drastically different selection pressures, we expect these populations to genetically diverge, but close proximity with high gene flow between populations may prevent this. My research tests if ecologically distinct populations of E. guttata on serpentine and non-serpentine soils are genetically distinct, deduced by molecular data found by genotyping via RADSeq methods. This molecular data will be used to ...
Hidden Consequences: The Effects Of Daikon Radish On The Microbial Communities Of Purple Vetch In Cover Crop Mixtures,
2021
University of San Francisco
Hidden Consequences: The Effects Of Daikon Radish On The Microbial Communities Of Purple Vetch In Cover Crop Mixtures, Marcello B. Kuan
Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD
Many microbes live in and on plants. Some of these microbes are mutualists, and help the plant, while others are pathogenic and cause harm. It is not always clear which will occur, because the outcomes are influenced by the host, the microbe, and their shared environmental context. A previous study from our lab of the microbes associated with cover crops at the oldest continually-operating organic farm in California, Star Route Farms, found that leaves of cover crops were frequently inhabited by fungi in the classes Dothideomycetes, Leotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Agaricomycetes. Using the recently-published FungalTraits database, I determined the commonly observed ...
Climate As A Driver Of Divergence In Soil-Specialist Plants,
2021
University of San Francisco
Climate As A Driver Of Divergence In Soil-Specialist Plants, Nicole Ibanez
Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD
The global climate is changing rapidly, and stochastic events like droughts are becoming increasingly frequent and severe. It is important to understand how communities are affected by climate, especially in rare, fragmented ecosystems. The California Floristic Province provides a unique landscape with a dramatic precipitation gradient. Within that gradient, serpentine soil ‘islands’ dot the landscape. Serpentine soil is characterized by harsh abiotic factors that make it difficult for plants to grow. Plants that can tolerate serpentine soils can be found growing on and off of serpentine soils in sympatry, and are a model system for studying local adaptation via stress-tolerant ...
Big Five Personality Traits And Political Orientation: An Inquiry Into Political Beliefs,
2021
Cleveland State University
Big Five Personality Traits And Political Orientation: An Inquiry Into Political Beliefs, Ian E. Phillips
The Downtown Review
Personality research centered on the Big Five personality traits has heavily impacted our understanding in regards to what forces orient a person on a political spectrum. Examining how personality differences interact with political orientation, this research seeks to provide information on what makes someone either more or less likely to be liberal or conservative based on their temperament. In this paper, previous personality research is synthesized into one discussion, centered on what the effects of each trait are and how they impact political orientation, the heritability of personality, and what implications there are for such research in the realm of ...
Stage Of Estrous Cycle Influences Behavior After Social Stress,
2021
University of South Dakota
Stage Of Estrous Cycle Influences Behavior After Social Stress, Alexander Jonah Rodriguez
Honors Thesis
Since women are almost twice as likely to develop major depression compared to men, research into this and other potentially debilitating mood disorders using behavioral studies should involve females despite hormonal, physiological, and potential behavior changes due to reproductive cyclicity. Until recently, most studies exclusively used males, thus limiting results of previous research to half of the population. Using adult female C57BL/6N mice as model organisms, we exposed them to novel forms of social stress across five days which encompassed the four-day estrous cycle to determine if the stages of the estrous cycle had an impact on behavior when ...
Terrestrial Soldier Crab (Coenobita Clypeatus, Fabricius 1787) And Cerion Spp. (Röding 1798) Shell Relationship On San Salvador Island, Bahamas,
2021
Georgia College
Terrestrial Soldier Crab (Coenobita Clypeatus, Fabricius 1787) And Cerion Spp. (Röding 1798) Shell Relationship On San Salvador Island, Bahamas, Harley Hunt
Biology Theses
The Caribbean terrestrial soldier crab, Coenobita clypeatus(Fabricius 1787), coexist and utilize the shells of numerous species of land and marine gastropods. Soldier crabs rely on gastropod shells for protection as the crabs have a soft abdomen, leaving them vulnerable for predation and desiccation, threatening their survival. This creates a strong pressure to obtain well-fitting shells that provide adequate protection against water loss. Cerion of Röding (1798) shells are one of the most commonly used shells among living colonies of C. clypeatuson San Salvador Island. This study is interested in the frequency of shell use by C. clypeatus crabs ...
Transmission Of Escherichia Coli Through Toilet Seats,
2021
Kean University
Transmission Of Escherichia Coli Through Toilet Seats, Kenna Atienza, Diana Ludizaca, Carisa Davis
Kean Quest
Microbes are found on all kinds of surfaces, but not all are pathogenic. Bathrooms are perceived by the public as an important area in the transmission of pathogenic microbes, and the purpose of this project was to investigate the transmission of bacteria from toilet seats to skin. Escherichia coli strain K-12 was applied to the toilet seat and different methods were used to see which was the best way to prevent the transmission of bacteria to the skin. E. coli strain K-12 was identified in samples using the differential media, Eosin Methylene Blue agar. The experiment found that cleaning the ...
Late Pleistocene Rodents From Clark Quarry, A Vertebrate Fossil Locality In Southastern Georgia,
2021
Georgia College
Late Pleistocene Rodents From Clark Quarry, A Vertebrate Fossil Locality In Southastern Georgia, Parker Rhinehart
Biology Theses
Clark Quarry is a Late Pleistocene fossil locality near Brunswick, GA, United States with a diverse vertebrate fauna. Morphological descriptions of Mammuthus columbi (Columbian Mammoth), snakes, amphibians, and birds from Clark Quarry have previously been completed along with a stable isotope analysis of M. columbi and Bison latifrons (Long-horned Bison) enamel. Herein, the rodent fauna is described using primarily teeth recovered by screen-washing quarry sediment. Nine rodent taxa have been identified, two of which are the extinct species Synaptomys australis (Florida Bog Lemming) and Neochoerus aesopi (Late Pleistocene Capybara). Of the remaining seven taxa, Erethizon dorsatum (North American Porcupine) and ...
Involvement Of The Ino80 Chromatin Remodeling Complex In Cell Division And Genomic Stability,
2021
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Involvement Of The Ino80 Chromatin Remodeling Complex In Cell Division And Genomic Stability, Ethan Chen
Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses
Cell division is a vital biological process for growth and development in both single and multi-cellular organisms—whereby the cell must duplicate its organelles and genome in entirety and appropriately distribute the copied contents to the daughter cells. Cells undergo a cycle of two distinct phases: interphase and mitosis. During interphase, the cell replicates its genomic DNA (in the form of chromosomes) located within the nucleus. DNA replication is carried out in a euchromatin state, where the chromosome structure is loose and easily accessible by DNA polymerase and other replication enzymes. Upon the completion of replication, chromatin is condensed into ...
How Acetylation Regulates Metabolic Enzyme Function During Environmental Shifts,
2021
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
How Acetylation Regulates Metabolic Enzyme Function During Environmental Shifts, Jared Canonigo
Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae can regulate the mechanisms of proteins through post-translational modification. These modifications play a vital role in functional proteomic activity because they can regulate protein activity, localization, and interaction with other cellular molecules. Such modifications include phosphorylation, methylation, and acetylation. The metabolic mechanisms of yeast became of keen interest to our lab because our lab noticed many stress defense proteins were being acetylated during stress heat shock. Notably, Adh1p and Adh2p showed both an increase and a decrease in acetylation at two lysine residues (K315 and K314) overtime during heat shock respectively, though the exact function ...
Temperature-Dependent Macrophage Activity In Rainbow Trout,
2021
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Temperature-Dependent Macrophage Activity In Rainbow Trout, Danica Mcgrevey
Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Fever is an essential component of the immune response. Fever enhances immune responses as well as creates an environment in which the body has advantages over pathogens. Macrophages are often the first cells that come in contact with pathogens, as they reside in tissues. They are important for their engulfment of pathogens that results in the digestion of the pathogen, but they also produce nitric oxide and cytokines that contribute to immune response in a variety of ways, including initiating adaptive immunity and directing the production and activity of other immune cells. We were curious about macrophages from other temperature ...
Studies Of The Dutpase Of The Western Corn Rootworm,
2021
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Studies Of The Dutpase Of The Western Corn Rootworm, Carlos Riera-Ruiz
Dissertations and Theses in Biological Sciences
The western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is a major corn pest in the United States and Europe. WCR has developed resistance to multiple management strategies, including Cry proteins. Even though the biology and ecology have been thoroughly studied in WCR, their genome and molecular mechanisms are understudied. This work focuses on the ubiquitous enzyme deoxyuridine triphosphatase (dUTPase) encoded by the DUT gene. dUTPase hydrolyzes dUTP into dUMP and pyrophosphate. It contributes to genome stability by keeping the uracil-to-thymine ratio at a certain level. In WCR, two dUTPase isoforms were predicted using transcriptome analyses. These two potential isoforms shared ...
Dna Damage And Aging In Progeria Compared To Healthy Cells.,
2021
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Dna Damage And Aging In Progeria Compared To Healthy Cells., Ashtyn Marie Hill
Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects
No abstract provided.
Effectiveness Of Visual Representations In Undergraduate Human Anatomy And Physiology I & Ii,
2021
University of Mississippi
Effectiveness Of Visual Representations In Undergraduate Human Anatomy And Physiology I & Ii, Mary Agnes Mestayer
Honors Theses
The objective of this project was to explore intersections between student preferences and student performance on anatomical visual representations in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Visual representations are a critical resource for the formation of relationships between function and structure furthermore; students interpret these representations uniquely based on specific factors (learning objective, prior knowledge, the diagram studied, etc.). Phase I of this project gathered undergraduate responses to ten Likert-style questions on their opinions on diagrams and their use in the A&P classroom. Phase II of this project presented participants with twelve manipulated diagrams sourced from three diagram ...
