Several studies have reported that the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is a sensory relay node in the brain that interacts with fear circuitry. However, little is known about the PVT in relation to safety learning, particularly its interaction with the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) in the context of safety expression. Here, […]
BI-01: Exploiting the magnetocaloric properties of advanced materials in magnetic refrigeration and hyperthermia cancer treatment
The magnetocaloric effect refers to the heating or cooling of a magnetic material when placed in an external magnetic field. Recent studies showed that this property can be exploited in numerous applications including magnetic refrigeration and hyperthermia cancer treatment. While magnetic refrigeration technology is more energy efficient and environmentally friendly than the gas-based refrigeration systems, […]
BI-03: Examining the effect of Genetic Manipulation on Nerve Remodeling and Eclosion Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster
Abdominal nerves of Drosophila are ensheathed by four layers, the acellular neural lamella (NL), and three glial cell layers. During metamorphosis, a four-day event, five of the eight pairs of abdominal nerves fuse to form the terminal nerve trunk (TNT) structure. During the first day of metamorphosis, the NL is completely degraded. The aim of […]
BIII-02: Characterizing the lens regeneration process in Pleurodeles waltl
Regeneration is an extraordinary process shared across a diverse range of organisms. However, for most organisms, including humans, the range of regenerative capacity is lost after embryonic development and declines as development progresses. The mechanisms responsible behind the decline in regenerative capacity still need to be better understood. Some vertebrates, such as newts, have remarkable […]
CSI-04: Effects of Acute Early Life Stress and CRH2 Receptor Antagonism on Anxiety in Adult Rats
After undergoing an early life stress (ELS) event, susceptibility to fear and anxiety-related disorders becomes more common. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder are often precipitated by ELS experience and can negatively impact one’s life and ability to function. An established reciprocal neural circuit between serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) […]
CSIV-05: Role of Hypoxia on Chick Retinal Pigment Epithelium Reprogramming
The retina is one of the most important tissues since an injury to the retina can lead to irreparable visual loss. Therefore, studying the process of retinal regeneration is important for understanding how the retina can be healed after an injury. The embryonic chick has been identified as a model for retinal regeneration, as until […]
C17: A Comprehensive Study of Mouse Lens Epithelial Explant Development
The lens is a useful tissue to study development because it is very simple, and self-containing. The lens is made of only two cell types; epithelial cells, and fiber cells. The epithelial cells are cuboidal and aligned in a single row along the anterior edge of the lens and they mature into the long transparent […]
B35: Sedimentation Trends in Acton Lake
Acton Lake is a reservoir in Hueston Woods State Park that was created in 1956 by the damming of Four-Mile Creek. Early on, high levels of erosion and agricultural runoff contributed to high sedimentation rates. In 1992, the USDA began encouraging farmers in the Acton Lake watershed to adopt conservation tillage. The goal of this […]
A03: What Does It Take to Change? Negative Drinking Consequences and Willingness to Change Drinking Behavior in College Students
College student alcohol consumption remains a serious health problem despite frequent intervention and research. Excessive alcohol consumption among college students has been linked to various negative outcomes such as missing class, unsafe sex, accidental injury, assaults, and death (Hingson et al., 2009; White & Hingson, 2014). In a study of college students, more than half […]
A05: Distinguishing Species-Specific Pollen Differences in Genus Vasconcellea of the Papaya Family
Palynology, or the study of pollen/spores is a functional field that informs physical and evolutionary relationships of plants. This field helps augment historical, archeological, and environmental studies dealing with plant identification based on pollen morphology and can infer global plant diversity and evolutionary patterns in pollen and pollen/pollinator interactions. Previous work on pollen morphology in […]