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Determining the role and necessity of mecr in Caenorhabditis elegans
No full textRecessive mutations to the gene MECR lead to Mitochondrial Enoyl-CoA Reductase Protein-Associated Neurodegeneration (MEPAN) syndrome, a rare mitochondrial disease. MECR is part of the mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis II (mtFASII) pathway, reducing the last step of the pathway to produce acyl chains of varying lengths that include precursors of essential cofactors for proteins in most stages of cellular respiration. Deletion of mecr-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans MECR ortholog, significantly shortens lifespan, leads to smaller germlines, and produces germline defects that result in near complete sterility. Contrary to our predictions, the transition zone—the area where undifferentiated germ cells transition from mitosis to meiosis—of mutant worms was smaller than wild type (WT). Germ cell proliferation rates were also decreased, although proliferation unexpectedly occurred in the primary spermatocytes. While the mechanism of germline dysfunction is unclear, we predict RNA binding proteins (RBPs, e.g. GLD-1/LIN-41) involved in the development of germ cells are impaired as our findings are phenotypically similar to RBP mutants. In addition to investigating the germline defects of mecr-1, we have also investigated its C. elegans paralog, mecr-2, whose function is unknown. We hypothesized that mecr-2 would not be necessary, which we tested with lifespan and brood size assays and western blot analysis of lipoic acid (LA) production, the canonical mtFASII product. We found no significant difference between the lifespans or brood sizes of mecr-2 knockout worms and WT, indicating that mecr-2 is not necessary in the presence of mecr-1. However, mecr-1 and mecr-2 mutant strains presented unexpected patterns in LA production, including the retention of LA despite impairment of mtFAS which is the only known pathway through which LA is produced. The observed LA production suggests that there is an unknown mechanism of LA production in C. elegans. In all, we found that mecr-1 mutants have severe germline defects while mecr-2 mutants do not appear to be impaired
Spot the Differences: A Multivariate Exploration of Frontal-Midline Theta Power
No full textSeveral cognitive tasks, such as cognitive control and episodic memory, have been associated with frontal-midline theta (4-8 Hz) power. However, it is unclear if the theta power observed at this location across tasks is due to task-specific or common cognitive mechanisms. The traditional local approach of analyzing one or two frontal-midline electrode sites potentially excludes information distributed across the scalp that might help clarify this question. To address this limitation, the current study uses multivariate classification to investigate the distributed patterns of theta across the scalp during both a cognitive control and an episodic memory task. Consistent with prior reports, significant differences in theta power were observed at frontal-midline sites for both cognitive tasks. Importantly, conditions were also successfully differentiated within each task using theta oscillations from every electrode across the scalp in multivariate classification. However, multivariate cross-classification between tasks was unsuccessful. These results suggest that the frontal-midline theta observed in both cognitive control and episodic memory tasks does not reflect engagement of a common cognitive process. Rather, differences in frontal-midline theta power is part of a unique global response associated with each task
Exploring the Potential of AI for Swim Technique Evaluation and Athlete-Centered Coaching
Full text linkThis project explores the use of AI-powered video analysis to simulate elite-level coaching in butterfly stroke technique. Using Google’s Gemini 2.5, the goal of the project is to determinewhether a large multimodel, trained on technique videos of elite swimmers, can generate detailed and personalized feedback that mirrors the insight of a well-informed human swim coach. Training videos featuring Olympic-level butterfly swimmers were used to establish an internal reference model of an ideal butterfly technique. The model was then presented with videos of collegiate swimmers and prompted to deliver coaching-style feedback. Overall, this project demonstrates the potential for AI systems to support accessible athletic development, offering real-time, technical feedback based upon researched coaching science and elite athletic performance
A Comparison of Insect Succession in Decomposing Quercus coccinea and Magnolia stellata Leaf Litter
No full textThe Effects of Elevation on the American Pika (Ochotona princeps) Microbiome in Glacier National Park
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Tannase Activity of Bacteria on Quercus coccinea Leaves Contributes to the Breakdown of Tannins
No full textPosterior regeneration is similar across Lumbriculus variegatus exposed to sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and freshwater
No full textA Total Modernity and Alternative Avant-Garde Art in China
Full text linkIn this paper, Gao discusses twentieth century Chinese avant-garde in two major periods: the avant-garde of the 1920s and 1930s; and the contemporary avant-garde of Post-Mao era - the 1980s and 1990s. (Nicole Wang \u2726)https://digital.kenyon.edu/zhoudocs/1514/thumbnail.jp