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ANALYZING DWARF SEASHORSE (HIPPOCAMPUS ZOSTERAE) REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS THROUGH JUVENILE GROWTH AND SURVIVORSHIP RATES**
No full textThe dwarf seahorse, Hippocampus zosterae, is a flagship species whose population dynamics and reproductive patterns can provide insight on the health of threatened seagrass ecosystems. This study aims to better understand dwarf seahorse reproductive parameters, including brood sizes, juvenile growth, and survivorship rates. During the summers of 2021 and 2022, seahorses collected from Tampa Bay were brought into the lab for mating trials. To evaluate effects of animal measuring techniques on growth and survivorship, offspring from those trials were divided into three equal treatments: the photo treatment where offspring were photographed for body length, the weight treatment where offspring were weighed for mass, and the non-treatment group where offspring were not handled or measured. Offspring in the photo and weight treatments were measured every eight days. Ongoing measurements of photographs using ImageJ will determine body lengths. Lengths from the photo treatment and masses from the weight treatment will be used to calculate growth curves. To determine survivorship rates, offspring in each treatment were counted every four days. Brood sizes ranged from 8 to 70 offspring, averaging 31.7 ± 3.4 offspring per brood (n=25). Average paternal mass was 196.5 ± 12.6 mg (n=25) after giving birth, while average offspring mass was 2.07 ± 0.045 mg across all broods at birth (n=25 broods, 243 offspring). Trends show relatively high survivorship within the first 30 days after birth, followed by a decline. Preliminary results suggest there is no difference between treatments, resulting in a 20% survival in all treatments by day 100. These results follow similar trends found in other seahorse species, including those with larger reproductive outputs than the dwarf seahorse. These outcomes contribute to our knowledge of seahorse life history traits, providing valuable information for recruitment and survival patterns of smaller species to ultimately enhance seahorse conservation practices in the wild
ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND COMMUNITY STRUCTURES IN A LONGLEAF PINE RESTORATION SITE: DOMINANT HERBACEOUS SPECIES AND THEIR SOIL BACTERIAL MICROBIOMES
No full textThe longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystem is one of the most diverse and endangered temperate ecosystems in North America. The native herbaceous species serve as fuel for the low-intensity, recurring fires the system depends on and thus play a major role in the maintenance of ecosystem structure. Soil microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, are known to aid greatly in many plant processes, including nutrient and water acquisition, resistance to infection, decomposition, and nutrient cycling. However, little is known about the relationship between dominant herbaceous species and soil bacterial compositions within montane longleaf pine ecosystems. In this preliminary study, we completed a multiyear, seasonal analysis of the soil bacterial microbiome composition upon removal of the two most dominant herbaceous species in a longleaf pine restoration site. The objective was to identify the major soil bacterial taxa and establish if changes occurred in their community structures following above-ground community manipulation. We also wanted to investigate relationships between bacterial community structure and environmental factors. Six randomized blocks (2.4m2) were established at Sheffield Wildlife Management Area in Paulding County, Georgia. Each block contained four subplots (50cm2), each with one of the following treatments: 1) control; 2) most dominant herbaceous species removed; 3) second most dominant herbaceous species removed; 4) soil disturbance: no species removed. DNA was extracted from soil samples from subplots each season and PCR amplified for bacterial gene sequences. Preliminary results indicated that the most abundant bacteria were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria, and soil bacterial relative abundances changed with plant removal and seasons. This information will serve as baseline data for future studies focused on the intricate relationships between ecologically important plants and their equally important microbial symbionts. Understanding these relationships will help inform the restoration process
CHARACTERIZATION OF RUST TO FORM RECYCLED IRON(III) OXIDE NANOPARTICULATE SOLUTIONS**
No full textFabrication of photoelectrochemical cells with hematite (α-Fe2O3, iron(III) oxide) is of interest due to its photocatalytic ability to split water to produce hydrogen gas and its ability to absorb light in the visible range. In the search for sources of economic and environmentally friendly materials, a sample of rust collected from a junkyard and a sample of laboratory grade Fe2O3 were analyzed with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The XRD of the powder samples yielded no results due to the samples being amorphous. Annealing at 450oC and 600oC for 1 hour was carried out and XRD analysis is in progress. EDS analysis on the powders confirmed the presence of Fe and O atoms in the lab grade sample and the presence of Fe, O, Si, C, among other components in the rust sample. Iron(III) oxide nanoparticulate electrodes prepared with solutions of lab grade FeCl3 and recycled rust were also analyzed with the SEM. The EDS analysis of the electrodes confirmed the presence of Fe and O in both samples. We are currently fabricating electrodes with colloidal solutions of Fe2O3 prepared from each of the sources in order to compare the photocurrent efficiency of the materials
THE IMPACT OF GENETICS UPON COVID-19 SEVERITY IN YOUNG ADULTS**
No full textAnalysis of DNA sequencing and variation between subjects are used to determine differences in genetic predispositions, especially for the immune response to new viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study is to determine if a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the colony stimulating factor-2 (CSF2) gene (rs25882: T\u3eC) correlates with change in severity of COVID-19 symptoms. The CSF2 gene codes for the granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) protein, which controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes and macrophages. Studies have suggested that GM-CSF is important for clearing mild SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, when GM-CSF is activated in late stages of COVID-19, it can cause a cytokine storm resulting in severe lung injury. Eighteen young adults (ages 18-22) who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2were recruited for the study and divided into two groups based on survey data. One group had a severe symptoms for COVID-19 while the other was either asymptomatic at the time of their positive SARS-CoV-2 test result or had mild symptoms. DNA was extracted from participants buccal cells. Nested PCR was used to amplify first an 863 bp fragment of the CSF2 gene and then a 300 bp fragment within the same sequence. The PCR product was purified and sequenced by Sanger sequencing. We predict that the frequency of T at rs 25882 will be higher in participants with severe COVID-19 illness than in the general population
EXPLORING NOVEL SPLICE VARIANTS OF CHICO IN DROSOPHILA: EXISTENCE AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS**
No full textThe insulin signaling pathway (ISP) is conserved among animals and maintains glucose homeostasis, manages growth at the cellular and organismal levels, controls cognitive development, and regulates learning behavior. The chico gene of Drosophila plays an essential role in the ISP. Specifically, insulin-like protein binding to its cell-surface receptor activates through Chico the AKT and MAPK pathways. Whole-transcriptome analyses suggest that the chico gene undergoes alternative splicing involving exons six and seven in D. mojavensis but not D. melanogaster. This variation in D. mojavensis raises the following questions: 1. Do splice variants occur in other Drosophila species? 2. What paths led to the evolution of novel intron-exon borders in the Drosophila genus? 3. Can targeted RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions) confirm the novel splice variants? Close inspection of the intron-exon borders using a genome browser revealed that six out of 36 Drosophila species exhibit a novel splice site, with three having a different innovation than that of D. mojavensis. Phylogeny-aware multiple sequence alignments by WebPrank will be used to identify the mutations involved in creating novel splice site for the chico gene. Finally, RT-PCR will be used to confirm the presence of the predicted novel splicing isoforms
BREAKING BARRIERS: INVESTIGATING GENDER DYNAMICS IN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS LAB CLASSES **
No full textThe underrepresentation of female students in the field of science has been a topic of concern for decades. This study aims to explore the gender dynamics in introductory physics lab classes, particularly focusing on the handling of laboratory equipment. The research seeks to investigate whether female students are equally inclined and confident in handling physics equipment compared to their male counterparts, or if they experience barriers that deter their active participation in laboratory activities. Through a comprehensive literature review and empirical data collection, this study aims to shed light on the potential factors contributing to the underrepresentation of female students in physics, thereby offering insights for educational institutions to create more inclusive and equitable learning environments
LEARNING BY TEACHING: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF UNDERGRADUATE MENTOR EXPERIENCES IN THE IBEARS PROGRAM
No full textThis qualitative study aims to investigate the ways in which undergraduate science majors reflect upon “learning by teaching” during their time as mentors in the iBEARS (Inclusive Biologist Exploring Active Research with Students) program, a project-based learning experience. Our research question inquires if undergraduate mentors implicitly or explicitly reference learning by teaching in their weekly reflections after teaching, and if so, what themes are the most prevalent in the reflection. The undergraduate science majors serve as mentors, virtually guiding K-12 classrooms through creating a research project over 15 weeks utilizing project-based learning. The constant comparison method was used to identify explicit and implicit references to the “learning by teaching model” made by undergraduate mentors. One classroom was observed, with three undergraduate mentors assigned to instruct the virtual class sessions. The preliminary results of our study suggest that undergraduate mentors both explicitly and implicitly reference learning by teaching in their weekly reflection videos. Explicitly, undergraduate mentors acknowledge ‘recognition of the state of knowledge’ and ‘adjustments in teaching approach/ pedagogy’. Implicitly, the undergraduate mentors recognize the importance of ‘collaboration’ and ‘modeling’. Our preliminary results reflect important constructs from “learning by teaching” literature while informing how this critical reflection of pedagogy has impacted the undergraduate mentors. There is also a distinction between the hard and soft skills needed by mentors. The mentors explicitly referenced the need for hard skills while implicitly referencing the need for soft skills also. Future research is needed to further investigate the development of this pedagogy practice in the context of the iBEARS program
STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF CHIRAL MAGNETIC OXIDE MNTEMOO6**
No full textThe interest in studying and understanding the magnetic properties of chiral magnetic oxides has been growing significantly due to their potential to host topological magnetic structures and multiferroic properties. It has been reported that the colinear magnetic exchange, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, and anisotropic interaction can result in non-trivial magnetic textures, motivating our studies on the magnetic properties of chiral magnetic oxides belonging to MTeMoO6 family (M =Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu etc.). We have grown single crystalline samples using the top seeded melt growth method. The samples have been characterized by Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID), and neutron scattering method. In this talk, I will discuss the observed magnetic and electrical properties of MnTeMoO6 based on the magnetic structure obtained from the neutron diffraction measurements
EVALUATING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION USE AND SYMPTOM TRAJECTORIES IN CLINICAL HIGH-RISK YOUTH FOR PSYCHOSIS**
No full textOur study deepens the understanding of psychotropic medication\u27s role in symptom progression among youth at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P). We tapped into the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study 3 (NAPLS3) data, examining 253 CHR-P diagnosed individuals out of an initial pool of 807. Participants were medication-free at baseline and were observed for the introduction of antipsychotic or antidepressant treatment prior to the subsequent 2-month follow-up assessment and examined the severity of symptoms classified into Positive, Negative, Disorganization, and General categories, as measured by the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) and the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS). The core hypothesis is that, compared to CHR-P individuals who do not receive psychotropic medication, individuals who begin psychotropic treatment after baseline will show reductions in symptom severity at the 2-month follow-up. We performed an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc tests to explore significant changes in symptom scores across distinct medication groups, from baseline to the 2-month juncture. Our results so far suggest that, barring the Disorganization group, all other symptom domains showed significant improvement post-medication initiation. Particularly, individuals starting antipsychotic treatment exhibited substantial reductions across all symptom categories. This in-depth analysis is poised to shed light on the nuanced effects of psychotropic interventions, guiding future therapeutic strategies for CHR-P populations. Future research will focus on showing distinct impacts of medication groups on the symptom scores controlling for sex, age, and baseline scores
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE FORMATION PROCESSES ON A TERRACE OF THE LITTLE TALLAPOOSA RIVER, CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA**
No full textAn archaeological site on University of West Georgia campus contains shallowly buried artifacts, likely late-Archaic in age. The aim of this study is to evaluate site formation processes and to reconstruct environmental conditions at time of occupation. We initially hypothesized that the artifacts were buried on a natural levee, with active deposition roughly contemporaneous with, and subsequent to, site occupation. Examination of a lidar-based DEM to compare the site to other fluvial features elsewhere along the river valley support the interpretation of the site as a natural levee. Detailed particle size analysis was done to determine sand, silt, and clay fraction percentages. We looked for breaks in sedimentation and evaluated several tests for lithologic discontinuities that would indicate a buried surface. The results tend to suggest post-depositional artifact burial due to bioturbation, given the lack of clear lithostratigraphic breaks in size characteristics of the clay-free fraction. We also sampled for portable luminescence measurements, which promise to add more information for evaluating the hypothesis. The presence of artifacts on similar terraces in the basin suggests that these were preferred locations for human activity in prehistory. Using ArcGIS Pro, we created maps of terraces in Carroll County based on USDA SSURGO (Soil Survey Geographic Database) map units. We then used lidar-based DEMs to evaluate the reliability of fluvial soil map units and their ostensible distinction between high terrace, low terrace, and floodplain