Mosquitoes act as disease vectors and are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. Understanding the biology of these organisms can be beneficial for monitoring and preventing mosquito transmitted illness. During the aquatic larval stage, mosquitos are at risk of predation from backswimmers (Notonecta undulata) and from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation conditions. […]
B16: Effects of Earthworm Exclusion on Soil Microbial Activity
Earthworm activities alter soil structure, microbial activity, and nutrient availability in ecosystems colonized by earthworms compared to those lacking earthworms. Where earthworm populations are abundant, their activities increase surface leaf litter decomposition, and mixing of surface litter into the soil by earthworms and likely provides organic matter that enhances soil microbial activity. However, seasonal and […]
B14: Investigating the Function of TC-Tiotsh in the First Thoracic Segment of the Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum
The impressive diversity of wings in insects offers an attractive opportunity to study the molecular basis underlying morphological evolution. The wings of insects play an important role in the adaptation of insects to a wide variety of environments. However, the evolutionary origin of this critical structure is still elusive. In order to investigate the origin […]
B13: Potential Health Problems by Alcohol Consumption in Adolescent Rats due to Changes in the Gut Microbiome
Alcohol is the most widely used substance among Americans, including adolescents and adults. Adult binge drinking and high alcohol consumption increase risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Alcohol consumption causes dysbiotic changes in the composition and bacterial metabolites of gut microbiota, suggesting that microbiome changes may underlie alcohol-induced risk for type 2 diabetes. Most published […]
C04: Physiological plasticity of Brassica rapa in soil salinity
As climate changes, the global precipitation pattern has been changing as well. Due to decreased rainfall and drought, many agricultural fields over the world have to rely more heavily on irrigation to properly care for crops. Increased soil salinity caused by agricultural runoff and drought can have adverse effects on crop growth and overall quality. […]
A02: Quantitative Genetics and Plasticity of Brassica Phenology
Soil salinity is a major challenge to agriculture, causing an estimated $27.3 billion in economic losses globally each year. Over 20% of irrigated land suffers from soil salinity, and changing precipitation patterns as well as rising sea levels associated with climate change are predicted to exacerbate these problems. Yet, in Brassica rapa, an economically important […]
A01: Genetic architecture underlying Brassica rapa morphology during salt stress
With global climate change, temperatures are expected to increase and precipitation is expected to decrease in some agricultural areas. Consequently, crops in these areas will need irrigation, but irrigation can cause higher soil salinity. As a first step towards engineering crops that are resistant to salt stress, we are studying the genetic architecture underlying salt […]
B08: Comparing the Lens Explant System to the Intact Mouse Lens Through RNA Sequencing
Cell differentiation lies at the heart of development in all multicellular life. The molecular switches that control development are complicated to study, making the ocular lens an invaluable tool. It provides a simple model of cell differentiation, since it only has two cell types: epithelial cells and fiber cells. Differentiation of epithelial cells into fiber […]
B04: Inflammation can Alter Social Behavior: Is Nitric Oxide the Link?
Nitric oxide (NO) functions as both a gaseous neurotransmitter in the brain and a key signaling molecule in the innate immune system. NO is synthesized from arginine by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Our goal in this project was to utilize the house cricket Acheta domesticus to study the role of NO in both […]
A07: An Examination of the Function of NHE11 in Mice: a Pseudogene’s Unappreciated Role in Male Fertility?
Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) are transport proteins embedded in the plasma membrane that maintain proper pH in the cell by exporting hydrogen ions (H+) in exchange for extracellular sodium ions (Na+). Previous studies have shown that male mice deficient for the NHE10 protein are completely infertile due to immotile sperm. The most recently discovered isoform, NHE11, […]
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