Exploring Ohio's Frozen History: Gorges and Glacial Outwash Erosion of Southwest Ohioby Nathanael Harkrider (Undergraduate) There are many gorges cut through Wisconsinian end moraines in southwestern Ohio. Finding the processes that led to the formation of gorges, cliffs, and outwash plains within southwest Ohio was done through the use of digital maps in ArcGIS, field observation, and historical research analysis. Digital Elevation Maps (DEM)’s were created from LIDAR data to locate incised gorges and compared with the Ohio Quaternary Geology map from USGS. Areas of interest marked as glacial outwash were explored in the field for evidence of gorges cut into bedrock. The meltwater from the last Wisconsinian glacial advance interacted with bedrock and glacial sediments beneath end moraines to incise valleys into the terrain when the glaciers receded. They allowed water from the melting ice and the captured ancient Teays River to flow southward and create the Great Miami River on their path to the Ohio River. It cut through both ground and end moraines creating many side tributaries in the process. This is hypothesized to have been the cause of many modern drainages that appear to be formed by water energy far greater than they contain today. The gorge in Devil’s Backbone Park in Camden, Ohio which is located in the Camden Moraine was compared to regional moraines to find a correlation between glacial processes. Gorges in the Cuba moraine near Ceasar’s Creek Wilderness area, and near the Powel moraine This would provide clarification on the geomorphic interaction of glaciers with the surrounding terrain. The historical context can get a snapshot of Ohio's glacial past by looking at the modern geologic features left behind if the moraines do prove to have influence over ancient stream erosion. |
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Is Seed Germination Time in Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) a Trait that can be Selected?by Daniel Bartholomeusz (Undergraduate), Grace Elliot (Undergraduate), Emma Ginter (Undergraduate), Micaiah Knott (Undergraduate), Elle Plaisier (Undergraduate), Emma Wall (Undergraduate), Robert Paris (Faculty) The interaction between temperature and germination rates in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is not well documented. Assessing whether faster germination time is a genetically controlled trait that can be affected through selection has important economic impacts on soybean seed yield. In order to examine this question, an experiment was designed whereby sets of ten soybean seed were rolled up in 35 cm lengths of moistened paper towels and placed in plastic containers to maintain moisture. The seed were exposed to one of two temperature treatments: a “room temperature” maintained at 22°C, or a “cold temperature” maintained at 10°C until all of the seed germinated. Within each set of 10 seeds, the first two to germinate were designated as “early-germination”, and the last two to germinate were designated as “late-germination in each of the temperature treatments (22°C and 10°C). The two early-germination seeds as well as the two late-germination seeds were removed and planted in 3-inch plastic pots containing a soilless potting media and placed under grow lights. The remaining six seed that germinated between early and late were discarded. The germinated seed, of both early and late germination types, will be grown to maturity, and seed collected for germination analysis. Data analysis will be conducted to determine if there is a correlation between initial seed germination time and F1 seed germination time. If a correlation is found, this would be an important step in identifying a genetic factor that could contribute to increased seed yield in commercial soybean production. |
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Paying Off My Student Loans with Massies Creek Goldby Bradley Hostetter (Undergraduate) Fine gold can be found in many streams in Ohio as a result of the Pleistocene glaciation. Canadian gold was transported via glacier into the Midwest where it was distributed and deposited by glacial meltwater streams. Twenty-six sites spanning the length of Massie’s Creek from near the headwaters to near the confluence with the Little Miami River were selected for sampling. Locations where Massie’s Creek flows under a public road were chosen as sampling sites. One five-gallon bucket was filled with sediment from each sampling location. Sampling priority was given to stream features where gold is known to accumulate during floods such as gravel point bars, natural riffles in the stream bed, or behind large objects such as boulders and logs. Sluice and pan placer mining methods were used to identify gold. Collected sediment was run through a Keene Engineering Super Mini Sluice Box to classify the material, remaining material was panned through to identify gold. Gold was identified by its malleability, high specific gravity, luster, and color. A map detailing the sample site locations was created using ArcGIS. Glacial till thickness and topographic relief data were recorded for each site to potentially correlate gold concentration. Gold seemed to be more prevalent and larger in size nearer to the confluence of Massie’s Creek with the Little Miami. More gravel and sand were present which allowed for easier processing of material. Sites sampled from the upstream portion of Massie’s Creek closer to the headwaters produced fewer gold flakes that were smaller in size. Material sampled closer to the headwaters was primarily clay material. However, human error in the processing of the different materials in Massie’s Creek prevents solid conclusions on gold concentration from being made. |
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The Antimitotic Drug BAY-293 Reduces Acetylation at H3K27 and Decreases Diversity of Genes Expressed while Reducing Expression of rRNA and Ribosomal Proteins in Tetrahymena thermophilaby David Armistead (Undergraduate), Charlie Cook (Undergraduate), Luke DeKryger (Undergraduate), Ethan Elliott (Undergraduate), Alexa Haines (Undergraduate), Isaiah Kelly (Undergraduate), Chukwuemelie Ojukwu (Undergraduate), Sarah Radzelovage (Undergraduate), Karianne Reynolds (Undergraduate), Abigail Skurdal (Undergraduate), Hunter Tenpas (Undergraduate), Jessica Terrell (Undergraduate), katie White (Undergraduate), Heather Kuruvilla (Faculty) The methylation and acetylation of histone tails is a critical part of gene regulation which has implications for homeostasis and disease. In cancers such as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) where many patients are heterozygous for a mutation on histone H3 that replaces lysine with methionine, cells show a higher amount of acetylation and less trimethylation at this position. Tetrahymena thermophila are free-living, eukaryotic ciliates that are often used for epigenetic studies due to their rapid rate of cell division and the ease with which they may be cultured. We have previously shown that BAY-293, an inhibitor of the Ras-GEF Sos, significantly impacts mitotic rate in Tetrahymena thermophila. Since lysine 27 of histone H3 is apparently a critical residue impacting growth regulation, we asked the following questions: 1. Would treatment with BAY-293 impact H3K27ac in Tetrahymena thermophila as measured by immunofluorescence? 2. Would BAY-293 affect gene expression in this organism as measured by total RNA sequencing? Our results indicate that 90-minute exposure to BAY-293 significantly reduces acetylation at H3K27. Acetylation returns to normal once the drug has been washed out for 90 minutes. 90-minute exposure to BAY-293 also reduces a number of cellular RNA populations, including mRNA, some noncoding RNAs, and rRNA. |
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Investigating the Effects of miR-145 Restoration on Cell Proliferationby Amanda Olson (Undergraduate), Caleb Ling (Undergraduate), lauren Miley (Undergraduate), Lilyanna Ritenour (Undergraduate), Jacob Southwell (Undergraduate), Kaleb Pauley (Faculty) Glioblastoma is the most common form of malignant brain tumor. It is a rapidly invasive form of cancer that impacts nerve endings in the brain. Its aggressive nature and resistance to therapeutic treatments make it highly lethal. Researchers have focused their studies on identifying the signaling pathways of glioma, and it has been found that glioblastoma presents with lowered expression of miR-145. MicroRNA (miRNA) regulates gene expression and cell proliferation. MicroRNA interacts with the 3’ untranslated region of its target mRNA, thereby stopping translation and initiating mRNA degradation. Studies have shown that a decreased expression of miR-145 can impact cell proliferation. Our goal was to restore miR-145 in various glioblastoma cell lines and compare their cell proliferation rates to those with normal expression of miR-145. We hypothesized that miR-145 restoration would decrease glioblastoma cell proliferation. Our preliminary data supports this hypothesis for multiple glioblastoma cell lines. |
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Analytical Validation of Reproductive Hormones by Enzyme Immunoassay in Several Elasmobranch Speciesby Jennifer Britton (Undergraduate) Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is a useful tool for detecting hormone concentrations in blood samples; it is less expensive and safer than chemiluminescent and radioimmunoassays, respectively. Validations of the antibodies used in assays are necessary to ensure accurate detection of the specific hormones for each species. This study sought to validate EIA for elasmobranch species, a group for which endocrine data is lacking: Ginglymostoma cirratum, Carcharhinus acronotus, Carcharhinus plumbeus, Pristis pristis, and Galeocerdo cuvier. Previously banked plasma underwent a double diethyl ether extraction to separate the hormones from blood plasma proteins. Assays used polyclonal antibodies raised against testosterone (T; R156/7), estradiol (E2; R0008), and progesterone (P4; R4859). Serial dilutions of pooled, extracted plasma for each species were tested to determine if dose-response curves were parallel to serially diluted synthetic standards. Parallel displacement curves were obtained for C. plumbeus (T, E2, P4), C. acronotus (T, E2, P4), P. pristis (T, P4), and G. cuvier (T). Sample volume was sufficient to perform an accuracy check for G. cuvier to determine the percent recovery of known concentrations of testosterone (109%) added to pooled plasma (y=0.996×-0.001;R 2 =0.996). Testosterone concentrations were 66 × higher in male compared to female P. pristis, providing preliminary evidence of physiological relevance for that assay. This project demonstrates the potential utility of EIA for studying reproductive biology of elasmobranchs. Next steps include concentrating pooled plasma to re-test assays where parallelism was not confirmed becuase measured hormone concentrations were low and examining physiological relevance of these hormones for these species. |
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Effects of the Ras-GEF Inhibitor, BAY-293, on Gene Expression and Phosphorylation in Tetrahymena thermophilaby Caleb Alberghene (Undergraduate), Jennifer Britton (Undergraduate), Jacob Chadwick (Undergraduate), Abigail Damron (Undergraduate), Jenifer DeKoninck (Undergraduate), Gracyn Duesing (Undergraduate),Elizabeth Eidsmoe (Undergraduate), Sydney Haga (Undergraduate), Abigail Misselbeck (Undergraduate), Austin Nelson (Undergraduate), Emily O'Neal (Undergraduate), Nehemiah Peters (Undergraduate), Karianne Reynolds (Undergraduate), Heather Kuruvilla (Faculty) The Ras/MAPK signaling pathway is a highly conserved mitotic pathway that is is mutated or dysregulated in many cancers. Until recently, Ras was considered “undruggable”, but recently drugs have been designed that would inhibit mitotic signaling through Ras, thus slowing down cancer progression. Our previous work with the Ras-GEF inhibitor, BAY-293 has shown that BAY-293 inhibits mitosis, decreases histone acetylation, and reduces expression of rRNA and mRNA populations in Tetrahymena thermophila. We found that two RNAs, the NgoA RNA and a homologue of the ENO2 gene in yeast, both of which have unknown functions, are differentially regulated in Tetrahymena thermophila that are treated with BAY-293. Since these RNAs are associated with mitosis, we are interested in the function of these RNAs. In our current study, we are using mRNA purification and long-read RNA sequencing to determine if the NgoA RNA and ENO2 homologue are mRNAs or noncoding RNAs. In addition, we are using fluorescence microscopy to quantitate the effects of BAY-293 on serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation in this organism. |
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Successful Transfection of the pC9T Plasmid into Tetrahymena thermophila Using Liposomesby Nathan Spottswood (Undergraduate), Seth Hale (Undergraduate), Sarah Lemacks (Undergraduate), Autumn Sellars (Undergraduate), David Armistead (Undergraduate), Luke DeKryger (Undergraduate), Alexa Haines (Undergraduate), Isaiah Kelly (Undergraduate), Hunter Tenpas (Undergraduate), Jessica Terrell (Undergraduate), Katie White (Undergraduate), Heather Kuruvilla (Faculty) Tetrahymena thermophila have been used as a model system for decades, due in part to the fact that they are inexpensive and easy to grow. Cells can easily be grown in large quantities if protein or nucleic acid extraction is necessary. However, transfection of Tetrahymena thermophila with plasmids has traditionally been accomplished either by using electroporation or a gene gun, neither of which is particularly inexpensive or efficient. We sought to transfect Tetrahymena with the pCas9T plasmid using commercially available liposomes in order to present a simpler alternative to the classical transfection methods. Both DNA electrophoresis and RNA sequencing indicates that our plasmid is entering the cell. |
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H3K27Ac Levels are Affected by Heat Stress and Anti-Mitotic Drugs in Tetrahymena thermophilaby Nathan Spottswood (Undergraduate), Seth Hale (Undergraduate), Sarah Lemacks (Undergraduate), Autumn Sellars (Undergraduate), Charlie Cook (Undergraduate), Ethan Elliott (Undergraduate), Chukwuemelie Ojukwu (Undergraduate), Sarah Radzelovage (Undergraduate), Karianne Reynolds (Undergraduate), Abigail Skurdal (Undergraduate), Heather Kuruvilla (Faculty) Gene regulation is one of the most complex tasks to be undertaken by any eukaryotic cell, and a prime contributor to gene regulation is the post-translational modification of histone tails. Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is an example of a cancer that occurs when one lysine, H3K27 on the tail of histone H3, is mutated to a methionine, making the usual post-translational modifications (methylation and acetylation) that occur at position 27 impossible. We believe that this lysine residue is critical for the regulation of cell division. Our hypothesis was that perturbations of cell division, as well as stress, will affect acetylation at H3K27. We also sought to find some of the binding partners that interact with H3K27ac by doing whole cell CO-IP. Our results show that stress and mitotic inhibitors affect acetylation levels of H3K27, and that proteins associated with DNA repair, transcription, RNA processing, and nuclear proteostasis associate with H3K7ac. |
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Survey and Conservation Status of Flora at Indian Mound Reserve Cedarville, Ohioby Jordan Oldham (Undergraduate) The three prominent gorges in Southwest Ohio serve as refugia for native eastern US flora, including ferns and spring ephemeral wildflowers. Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve stands out as a locality where rare spring ephemerals like snow trillium (Trillium nivale) and unique trees like the eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) maintain stable populations due to stringent conservation efforts. This survey aims to assess if other local gorges lacking state or federal protection also harbor rare flora. Indian Mound Reserve, chosen for its proximity and status within the Greene County Parks system, was subjected to a year-long field survey across 137 acres, focusing on the area within Massie Creek Gorge. iNaturalist aided in verifying field observations and supplementing the survey with potentially missed species. Post-survey, flora was categorized into native trees, ferns, and wildflowers; non-native naturalized flora; and invasive species. Lichens, fungus, bryophytes, and graminoids were excluded due to their diversity and identification challenges in the field. The lists were cross-referenced with NatureServe, BONAP (The Biota of North America Program), and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ state-listed species to determine conservation statuses. Only two species (Trillium nivale; Thuja occidentalis) were classified as vulnerable (S3) by NatureServe, two (Thuja occidentalis; Monarda clinopodia) as rare by BONAP, and two (Trillium nivale; Thuja occidentalis) as rare by ODNR, with a single species (Thuja occidentalis) listed as potentially threatened. Despite the absence of state or federal protections, this study reveals that protected areas at a county level contribute significantly to the survival of rare flora. While populations may be smaller compared to Clifton Gorge, the findings underscore the substantial benefits of even localized conservation measures. |
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Nuclear Isolation Reduces Nonspecific Binding by anti-H3K27Ac Antibody in CO-IP Studiesby Charlie Cook (Undergraduate), Ethan Elliott (Undergraduate), Chukwuemelie Ojukwu (Undergraduate), Sarah Radzelovage (Undergraduate), Karianne Reynolds (Undergraduate), Abigail Skurdal (Undergraduate), Heather Kuruvilla (Faculty) Histone acetylation is critical for gene expression in eukaryotes. Acetylated lysines on histone tails are bound by bromodomain containing proteins which recruit chromatin remodeling proteins, site-specific transcription factors and other transcriptional apparatus. Our lab is particularly interested in the interactions between histone H3 acetylated at lysine 27 (H3K27ac) and any proteins that might be binding to it. In our previous work, we immunoprecipitated (using CO-IP) whole Tetrahymena extract with an anti-H3K27ac antibody and used an antibody binding column to isolate proteins which bound to this column and presumably bound to H3K27ac. Mass spectroscopy analysis of our CO-IP sample detected 763 proteins, many of which were not nuclear. We hypothesized that nonspecific binding of proteins to the antibody was to blame and determined to produce a nuclear extract in order to reduce nonspecific binding. We used a novel protocol produced by ChatGPT to partly purify nuclei from Tetrahymena using a short detergent extraction. These nuclei were then fully extracted and subjected to CO-IP. We subjected our sample to SDS-PAGE, which showed a great reduction in the number of proteins staining when compared to our whole cell extract sample. However, we still obtained multiple bands on our western blot, suggesting that non-specific binding of our antibody to proteins other than histone H3 may be occurring. Further research may involve changing the blocking conditions on our Western blot or finding a more specific antibody. |
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Multi-habitat Kick Sampling Versus Substrate Pick Sampling for Collecting Midges In Ohio.by Savannah Battle (Undergraduate), Samuel Coleman (Undergraduate), Bella Guercio (Undergraduate), Christian Jarboe (Undergraduate), Jack Kinsey (Undergraduate), Michael Mendel (Faculty) Species richness of midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Ohio’s flowing waters is high; the types of habitats these midges inhabit is also diverse. Substrate pick sampling was used exclusively to collect black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in an earlier survey in Ohio. Previous work had determined the substrate pick sampling alone was adequate in determining the diversity of black flies. As part of a preliminary study, midges were also collected using substrate pick sampling alone. The current study seeks to determine if using multi-habitat kick sampling in addition to substrate pick sampling might better describe the midge larval species diversity that occurs in Ohio streams in the Huron Erie Lake Plateau (HELP) ecoregion located in northwestern Ohio. Larvae were collected using both techniques from streams located in various counties located in the HELP. Mouthparts and other morphological structures were examined under a compound microscope to identify the midge larvae to the lowest taxonomic level (preferably species). Multi-habitat kick sampling may increase the number of species collected because it disturbs the stream sediments that some midges inhabit. Further study is needed to determine the extent to which multi-habitat kick sampling, coupled with substrate pick sampling, increases midge collection efficiency. |
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Petrology of the Coconino Sandstone at Andrus Point, Grand Canyon, Arizonaby Emma Henze (Undergraduate) The Coconino sandstone and its equivalents are primarily found in the Colorado Plateau province of the United States. Outcrops are observed throughout this region, including the Grand Canyon. Samples were collected from Andrus Point, Grand Canyon, and were used to create twenty thin sections for petrographic analysis. This area is of particular interest because it lies along the northern edge of the known outcrop of the Coconino. The focus of this study is to analyze these thin sections and gain insight into the Coconino’s depositional environment and its interactions with adjacent formations. |
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The Distribution of Chironomidae Larvae in Northwestern Ohio in Mayby Micah Chan (Undergraduate), Aaron Ehrlich (Undergraduate), Elias Ng (Undergraduate), Taylor Nyce (Undergraduate), Hannah Smith (Undergraduate), Michael Mendel (Faculty) Midge (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae occur in diverse communities, are widely distributed and are abundant in many freshwater habitats. Species diversity varies directly with changes in stream characteristics and pollution. The objective of this study is to survey midge larvae in northwestern Ohio; chiefly in the Huron Erie Lake Plateau (HELP) ecoregion. Larvae were collected from riffles, runs and pools in small to medium-sized streams from May 1st to May 15th. This collection time interval is outside the Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) designated sampling period between June 15th and September 30th. This difference in time periods will help reveal midge diversity and distribution in Ohio. Midge larvae were identified to the lowest taxonomic level (preferably species). The software program EstimateS was used to develop rarefaction and extrapolation curves (including associated confidence intervals) for midge species richness for northwestern Ohio. The Geographic Information System was used to map the locations of the sampling sites. Several different diversity indices were used to estimate and compare midge species diversity. |
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Carbonate in the Coconino Sandstone Near Ash Fork, AZby Emma Henze (Undergraduate) Carbonate material is found widely throughout the Permian Coconino sandstone. One outcrop north of Ash Fork, Arizona is observed to contain a carbonate-rich lens. Conventional interpretation attributes the Coconino to eolian processes. This research aims to propose a mechanism of formation for the lens based on thorough site investigation and laboratory analyses. Methods include field observation and thin section description, as well as particle size, XRD, and SEM analyses. The resulting data revealed that the lens contains high percentages of calcite, with sparse dolomite rhombs. Muscovite, K-feldspar, and plagioclase were observed, and quartz sand grains were found to be subangular and pitted from carbonate dissolution. Illite was observed to be both detrital and authigenic. Lens-shaped carbonate features were also found in the Coconino near Hermits Rest, Grand Canyon, with similar features to that of the Ash Fork outcrop. While the Coconino is conventionally interpreted as an eolian deposit, the extent of this carbonate in conjunction with its textural features implies that subaqueous processes likely deposited this sandstone. This combination of observations supports a subaqueous depositional model for the Coconino sandstone. |
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Sucrose and Sucralose Adversely affect Lactobacillus rhamnosus Biofilm Formation through spaE and luxSby Abigail McNeal (Undergraduate), Tracy Collins (Undergraduate) Probiotics are microorganisms that are known to confer health benefits on the individuals consuming them. Several probiotics have been shown to assist in gastrointestinal health, improve immune health, and promote weight management. Studies have indicated that diet may affect the colonization of probiotic strains in the intestinal tract. Because western diets are often characterized by high consumption of refined sugars, we examined how sucrose, and the sugar substitute sucralose affects Lactobacillus rhamnosus biofilm formation. L. rhamnosus is a gram-positive bacterium shown to aid in digestive health and prevent the survival of potentially harmful bacteria in the gut. Static biofilms were grown in 96-well plates in the presence of varying concentrations of sucrose and sucralose for 72 hours. Biofilm density was measured using crystal violet. In the presence of sucrose, there was a decrease in L. rhamnosus biofilm formation, whereas sucralose appears to enhance biofilm formation. Additionally, we examined whether sucrose or sucralose affected L. rhamnosus growth. Cells were grown in MRS media supplemented with either sucrose or sucralose. At multiple time-intervals, the number of CFU/ml was determined using standard plate count method. The effects of sucrose and sucralose on spaE and luxS expression was also determined using RT-PCR. Both, sucrose and sucralose affected the expression of both genes which are involved in attachment and biofilm formation in the intestinal tract. These results indicate that sugar may negatively impact L. rhamnosus colonization. |
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Revisiting the Balloon’s Geometryby Marcus Cole (Undergraduate), Mohan Pereira (Faculty) The shape of a balloon is very familiar to us: from liquid droplets, avian eggs, and certain fruits and vegetables to man-made instruments and structures. However, finding an analytical formula to describe its geometry is almost impossible. Also, these shapes' surface area and volume are crucial in calculating other physical quantities. To circumvent the problem, we often approximate this shape to a spherical shape. In this work, we introduce a better mathematical model to describe the shape of the balloon and its overall geometry, allowing better estimations of the object's physical properties with this shape. We present a theoretical model and validate and compare the accuracy of our results using experimentation. |
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Geospatial Analysis of Channel Topography Along the Little Miami and Great Miami Streams, Southwest Ohioby Ellie Sultan (Undergraduate) The Little Miami and Great Miami streams flow through the boundary of the last glacial maximum. The glaciers of the last glacial maximum were foundational to the formation of these streams. This study looks at how channel topography geospatially correlates to various geologic features to better understand the relationship between the glaciation and the streams. Kml files were created in Google Earth of high relief channel banks along the two streams. These files were then uploaded to ArcGIS Pro and overlayed with various geospatial data sets from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources including karst, bedrock, quaternary geology, and drift thickness. Measurements of jointing were taken in the field, where applicable, and compared to regional jointing by use of rose diagrams. Detailed 1km scale profiles of both streams were also created using data collected from Google Earth. This study provides further insight and geospatial visualization of the processes that created these streams. |
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TMP Acts as a Quorum-sensing Inhibitor towards P. aeruginosaby Molly Chu (Undergraduate), Lydia Jang (Undergraduate), Belle Johnson (Undergraduate), Isaiah Kelly (Undergraduate), Matthew Lacey (Undergraduate), Chukwuemelie Ojukwu (Undergraduate), Benjamin Treece (Undergraduate), Tracy Collins (Faculty) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterium known for being an opportunistic pathogen. This bacterium is responsible for causing skin, urinary tract, and lung infections. Its ability to cause disease is mediated through the production of chemical signals (autoinducers) in a process known as quorum-sensing (QS). During QS, the bacterium monitors and coordinates behavior in response to changes in population density. Specifically, genes responsible for biofilm formation and virulence factors are QS-controlled. Because P. aeruginosa is highly resistant to antibiotics, it is important to find alternate methods to combat infections caused by this bacterium. One alternate method of treatment is using QS inhibitors (QSI). In this study, we examined the ability of the cationic porphyrin 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-pyridino)-21H,23H-porphine, tetra-p-tosylate salt (TMP) to disrupt QS and biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa. To determine whether TMP disrupts QS, we measured the expression lasI (autoinducer synthetase) in the presence of TMP using real-time PCR. There was a 37% and 56% decrease in lasI expression in the presence of 100 and 225 µM of TMP, respectively. In addition, the effect of TMP on P. aeruginosa biofilm formation was assessed using standard plate count method and fluorescence microscopy. There was a 90 and 99% reduction in biofilm formation when P. aeruginosa cells were pretreated with 100 and 225 µM of TMP, respectively. These results indicate that TMP may act as a QSI by preventing expression of lasI and, thus, affecting the ability of P. aeruginosa to form biofilms. |
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TMP Enhances the Antimicrobial Action of Amikacin Towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilmsby Josilyn Bulach (Undergraduate), Braydan Cymbalak (Undergraduate), Hailey Faulkner (Undergraduate), Clara Halsey (Undergraduate), Sam Randall (Undergraduate), Abigail Shepherd (Undergraduate), Tracy Collins (Faculty) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infection in immunocompromised patients. This bacterium form biofilms in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who suffer from persistent lung infections. Because P. aeruginosa biofilms are difficult to eradicate using antibiotics, it is important to pursue alternative treatment methods. Porphyrins are a group of heterocyclic macrocycle organic compounds that have traditionally been used in photodynamic therapy (PDT}. Photoactivated porphyrins create reactive oxygen species that damage bacterial cells. Previous studies have shown that photoactivated 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-pyridino)-21H,23H-porphine, tetra-p-tosylate salt (TMP) inactivates P. aeruginosa biofilms. In addition, inactivated TMP enhances the action of aminoglycoside antibiotics such as tobramycin. In this study we examined the combined effects of TMP and the antibiotics amikacin and ceftazidime on P. aeruginosa biofilms. The combined effects of TMP and antibiotics on P. aeruginosa biofilms was assessed by exposing biofilms to TMP for 15 min, followed by 2h incubation with antibiotics. Standard plate counts of cells recovered from attached biofilms revealed that TMP did not enhance the killing of biofilms treated with ceftazidime. However, TMP increased killing of biofilms treated with amikacin. In addition, fluorescent microscopy demonstrated that biofilms pretreated with TMP were significantly more sensitive to amikacin than untreated biofilms. Furthermore, there was an increase endA expression when P. aeruginosa cells were exposed to TMP. Increase in endA, a gene responsible for biofilm dispersion, may account for the increased permeability of P. aeruginosa biofilms to the antibiotic amikacin. |
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A Survey of the Bull Works, Greene County, Ohioby Gretchen Nichols (Undergraduate) In Ohio many prehistoric earthwork sites associated with the Adena and Hopewell cultural complexes were surveyed and mapped in the 19th century. The Bull Works appear as an unnamed example of a sacred enclosure in Squire and Davis’, 1848, Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, but since then no archaeological surveying or mapping has been done of the site. This study attempts to locate traces of the highly degraded Bull Works and its features using LiDAR data interpretation in combination with ground-observations. Remnants of the rectangular enclosure’s earthen embankments and the horseshoe shaped embankment to its south were located using these methods. |
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Can Glioblastoma Cell Proliferation be Slowed Down by miR-145?by Maddie Brzezinski (Undergraduate), Jackson Elms (Undergraduate), Hailey Faulkner (Undergraduate), Charles Henry (Undergraduate), Isabeau Pagnard (Undergraduate), Andrew Schmidt (Undergraduate), Kaleb Pauley (Undergraduate) Glioblastomas are the most metastatic forms of brain cancer and are derived from glial cells. Glial cells, otherwise known as neuroglia, are nerve cells that provide support and protection throughout the central nervous and peripheral nervous systems. Specific glioblastoma cell lines - T98, U87, U251- have been studied and are particularly aggressive. This makes it next to impossible to treat with the current protocol. MiR-145, a tumor-suppressing microRNA, has shown potential treatment possibilities. It is known for its role in regulating cell proliferation, and with glioma cells, it seems to be downregulated. We focused primarily on experimentation involving the T98 cell line. Our results show positive findings, with the proliferation of T98 being lower in the cells treated with miR-145. Despite these positive findings, translating preclinical trials into clinical trials is still challenging. More research is needed to confirm the validity of miR-145 as an approved clinical treatment for glioblastoma. |
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Comparative Metabolomics of Four Fatigue Disorders: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME), Long COVID, Fibromyalgia (FM), and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
