Around one percent of all children born have a congenital heart defect. If a child is born with a more serious heart defect, their chances of dying early in life are increased. It is important to understand the causes of heart defects to ensure health and longevity of life. In zebrafish and other vertebrates, heart […]
C04:Evaluating the effects of variable winter/spring conditions on phytoplankton in a productive lake
The research performed in this study is targeted towards understanding phytoplankton dynamics in Acton Lake in the winter versus the summer. This lake is eutrophic, meaning phytoplankton levels are increased and the lake may experience algal blooms. These algae blooms may disrupt lake food webs and reduce recreational opportunities as their expansion toxifies the water. […]
C05: Oxygen and Temperature Dynamics Over 30 Years in a Temperate Reservoir Dominated by Agricultural Land Use
Global climate change has caused temperatures in all environments to increase due to anthropogenic releases of greenhouse gasses. Freshwater ecosystems have been especially affected, as many lake organisms rely on high dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations for survival, and recent studies suggest that deep-water declines in DO are directly related to higher air and water temperatures. […]
C09: Comparison of Potency Estimation via Traditional Regression Approach Vs. Bioequivalence Test
The objective of this research is to compare potency estimation between the traditional regression approach and bioequivalence testing. Aquatic toxicity testing determines which level a chemical becomes harmful to the aquatic species. My comparison is conducted through simulation of a data set to generate p-values to indicate whether or not each test finds evidence of […]
C10: Characterization of 70 Bacterial Isolates Capable of Metabolizing Common Pesticides
Atrazine and Glyphosate are the most commonly applied herbicides in the United States, and herbicide usage is expected to increase in the coming decades as population increases demand more crop production. While research shows that some freshwater bacterial strains are capable of degrading herbicides, thereby introducing Carbon- and Phosphorous-rich nutrients into the ecosystem, further research […]
C15: Effect of Buffalo Reef Stamp Sand on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryonic Development
The invasive nature of stamp sand, residual waste from early copper mining activities in the 20th Century, threatens aquatic life in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Lake whitefish– a culturally and economically important game to tribal communities within the Buffalo Reef area– has recently declined in spawning. However, how stamp sand affects lake whitefish breeding and/or survival […]
C16: Food Type Alters Gastric Mill (Chewing) Behavior in the Crab Cancer borealis
Central pattern generators (CPGs) are neural networks that produce rhythmic movements, such as walking, chewing, and breathing, in both the presence and absence of sensory input. Exploring the relationship between sensory-regulated and intrinsically controlled CPG activity is crucial for better understanding disorders of rhythmic movement. The stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) of the Jonah crab, Cancer […]
C17: Separating Methane and Carbon Dioxide from Biogas using PDMS Membranes
Biogas is a gaseous mixture consisting primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. It is produced from the breakdown of organic waste by microorganisms. Due to the presence of methane, biogas has the potential to be converted into a value-added product. There are currently several methods of separating methane from the other components of a given […]
C20: Doxorubicin Chemoresistance Modulates GLUT Expression in Melanoma
Cancer continues to be a formidable threat to human health as the second leading cause of death in the United States. Many end-stage cancers frequently evolve into multidrug-resistant (MDR) forms, posing significant challenges in treatment design. To combat this, the Mancini Lab has recently devised a new mechanism of action known as Bystander-Assisted Immunotherapy (BAIT). […]
C21: Determination of NDM-4 Metallo-β-lactamase Structure: Insights on Antibiotic Resistance
Through mutations and horizontal transfer, bacteria has been able to acquire different forms of antibiotic resistance. In particular, bacteria that produce β-lactamases as a result of mutated or acquired genes have the ability to break down the β-lactam ring structure in many common classes of antibiotics (penicillins, carbapenems, monobactams, and cephalosporins). Metallo-β-lactamases, enzymes that confer […]