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Browsing Biological Sciences Honors Theses by Title
Now showing items 1-20 of 41
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A comparison of ovarian morphology and reproductive and metabolic features between South Asian and White women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
(2019-05)Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition, with known variability in the severity of its cardinal features and long-term health consequences across races and ethnicities. Diagnosis of ... -
A novel hydroxyapatite-containing 3-D model to study the effects of mechanical loading on breast cancer bone metastasis
(2013-05)Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States, and most of these deaths are due to metastasis to a secondary site, which is primarily the skeleton. The connection between ... -
Analysis of Selection Patterns in Germline Stem Cell Genes (Stonewall, Otefin) in Drosophila pseudoobscura
(2013-07-15)Previous experiments have shown two germline stem cell genes, bam and bgcn, to be under strong positive selection in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans (Bauer DuMont et al. 2007). This prompted the question ... -
Approximate Bayesian Computation for Studying Selective Sweep Signatures in Local Coalescence Trees
(2017-05)Understanding the process of rapid molecular adaptation is important for many key challenges humanity faces today, such as the evolution of pesticide and drug resistance. Our standard population genetic model for describing ... -
A Comparison of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1, and Rous Sarcoma Virus Plasma Membrane Binding Requirements for Retrovirus Assembly
(2013-07-11)Plasma membrane (PM) association is an essential step in the retroviral life cycle that involves the complex association of the Gag polyprotein with cellular machinery, RNA, and specific lipid signatures of the inner ... -
Creation of αMHC-GCaMP8 plasmid to monitor the differentiation of human iPSCs into cardiomyocytes
(2016-05)Due to the poor regenerative potential of adult heart tissue, heart disease is a major cause of death worldwide. With developments in cell biology, researchers have gravitated towards investigating the applications of stem ... -
Developing a Tool to Confirm the Successful Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Cardiomyocytes
(2020-06)Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States since 1921 (Greenlund et al., 2006). However, age-adjusted cardiovascular disease death rates have declined by 55% since 1950, a trend that is in part ... -
Diet-induced plasticity in the adult Drosphilia melanogaster midgut
(2015-05)Diet is a foundational factor in metabolism and development. The ratio of dietary macronutrients has significant effects on lifespan and healthspan, and the gut itself has been known to adapt to changes in diet through ... -
Effect of female reproductive diapause on Drosophila melanogaster innate immune defense
(2014-05)Drosophila melanogaster females undergo reproductive dormancy, or diapause, under conditions of low temperature and short daylight hours. This stage is characterized by non-vitellogenic ovaries, increased lipid stores, ... -
The Effects of Small Molecule VU573 and Barium on Malpighian Tubule Electrophysiology of the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti
(2013-07-12)VU573 is a synthetic organic molecule weighing 350 daltons, found to block inwardly-rectifying potassium (Kir) channels in high-throughput screening. In order to evaluate VU573 as a novel pesticide capable of inducing ... -
Experience and knowledge in Lyme Disease: A scoping review of patient-provider communication
(2019-05)Purpose: Limited research exists on the patient-provider communication dynamic with respect to Lyme disease (LD). There is evidence that being informed, on the part of both patient and provider, enhances communication, ... -
Exploring the functional role of the bacterial protein SeqA and co--?occurring genome stability systems in TnsE--?mediated Tn7 transposition using the E. coli model system
(2013-05)Transposon Tn7, is unique among transposons for both its target specificity and selectivity. One of its target selection pathways, mediated by the protein TnsE, has been found to allow Tn7 to preferentially transpose into ... -
Exploring the role of differential gene expression in the age-associated impairment of peripheral nerve regeneration
(2020-06)The peripheral nervous system’s ability to regenerate after injury declines with age, but the reason for why this occurs is unknown. With the goal to understand the role of age-associated transcriptional changes in the ... -
Genetic Basis of Rotenone-induced Parkinson’s Disease Model in Drosophila melanogaster
(2020-06)Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological disorder that exists in sporadic and familial forms and causes the death of dopamine-producing neurons in humans. Rotenone, a pesticide, can be used to induce a model of sporadic ... -
Identification of novel candidate genes involved in resistance against a fungal pathogen in Drosphila melanogaster using the DSPR and QTL analysis
(2015-05)The severity of infection and its effect on organisms differs and has a genetic basis. Though many genes are known to directly play a role in immune pathways, more genes involved in immunity (including those that affect ... -
Immunohistochemical quantification of serotonin and serotonin transporters in the lumbar region of the mouse spinal cord after spinal cord injury
(2013-07-12)Central pattern generators (CPGs) are important neuronal networks that are made up of interneurons that organize rhythmic motor output such as respiration, mastication, and locomotion. Locomotor CPGs are located in the ... -
Investigations into the impact of and mechanisms behind age-associated impaired healing following peripheral nerve injury
(2020-08)Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) present a challenging and debilitating problem to both patients and the healthcare industry . Elderly patients in particular demonstrate a significantly reduced rate of recovery after PNI, ... -
Kar2 modification as a response to reactive oxygen species generated from protein folding machinery inside the endoplasmic reticulum
(2014-01)Reactive oxygen species are generated as a byproduct of protein folding inside the endoplasmic reticulum. Hydrogen peroxide is a particular form of reactive oxygen that can damage and modify DNA as well as cellular proteins. ...
