All Abstracts

  Trichosphaerium is a multinucleated marine amoeba known to exhibit different morphotypes. Most eukaryotic amoebas have a defined shape and size at some stages of their life, which is critical for taxonomic and behavioral studies. In some cases, variations in form or size are seen in alternating f...

Countries across the world have released a conscious and unconscious message that positive economic performance means more happiness for a nation. When determining what factors impact the pursuit of happiness for an individual, it is often assumed that income is key. This thesis observes the opposin...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. PCa begin to form when healthy prostate cells undergo mutations in various genes that regulate the cell cycle. Our lab recently demonstrated that JunD, a transcription factor, c...

Disinfectants are characterized as chemical liquids that kill or inhibit bacteria. They are used on everyday surfaces in order to lower potential infections of humans and cattle. Here, we seek to identify disinfectants and their respective concentrations that inhibit growth of several relatives of E...

    Kanamycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic derived from the bacterium Streptomyces kanamyceticus. Previous research indicated that when plants are exposed to kanamycin, their iron uptake is reduced. In addition, when the antibiotic resistance gene WBC19 is mutated, they reduce zinc uptake. This...

  The redistricting of congressional lines can negatively affect Black voter participation in the U.S. House elections. Danny Hayes and Seth C. McKee authors of "The Participatory Effects of Redistricting" find that the drawing of congressional district lines can significantly reduce political ...

The purpose of this project is to examine the effects of the antibiotic kanamycin and the chelator citrate on growth and metal uptake of Arabidopsis plants, especially under low iron availability. Previous studies have indicated that metal uptake in the presence of kanamycin was highly modulated by ...

  With the increased growth of cities, more natural habitats are becoming disturbed or fragmented, which leads to an influx of wildlife previously found in rural habitats into urban areas. To successfully inhabit these areas, some of these animals have to adapt or change their behavior. Some change...

The structure of eukaryotic flagellum is significant to its ability to function properly and allow movement for the cell. The transition zone is an intermediate structure found between the basal body and axoneme that is responsible for managing flagellar traffic. Mutations within genes that code for...

Balance is primarily controlled by vision, proprioception, and the vestibular system. Deficits in any of these sensorimotor systems can lead to poor dynamic balance. Previous studies revealed that among all racial groups balance declines with age. However, few studies have determined how dynamic bal...

  Colorism is defined as social, financial, and political preference based on skin color. Some African Americans could pass for white and would denounce their race in order to fit in with their oppressors. Racism is more than just white or black. The discrimination of darker skin tones exists withi...

African Americans have been reported to be at an increased risk for stress-related disparities compared to European Americans. Stress has been linked with poor health outcomes such as heart disease and diabetes. These disparities in health are also displayed within psychological symptoms. African Am...

Climate change is a significant area of study for ecologists. Of particular interest are the relationships between organisms and their environments. This is due to the substantial influence that climate often has on a species’ living environment, behaviors and it’s ability to coexist with other ...

Appropriate seed development in Arabidopsis involves the coordinated growth between embryo and endosperm. After endosperm cellularization, embryo growth accelerates, which suggests that sugar is reallocated from endosperm to embryo. Invertase, an enzyme that breaks down sucrose, has been shown to r...

Given the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation (E&I) for economic growth, the question of what stimulates them is imperative. Recent research has focused on business training programs as a main driving force. However, these programs have shown mixed effectiveness. Therefore, it is necessar...

Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch Syndrome is a genetic condition that is known to increase the risk of colon cancer. HNPCC accounts for about 5% of all colon cancer cases. HNPCC is caused by mutations in DNA mismatch-repair (MMR) genes such as MSH2. The MSH2 protein forms a...

Bacterial biofilms are aggregates of bacteria engulfed in a matrix that display a strong resistance to external insults. Using commensal Neisseria species,  N. elongata, N. cinerea, and N. mucosa, we tested their ability to form biofilms in the presence of physiologically relevant concentrations...

This research combines concepts from Abstract Algebra and Geometry. We start with a finite collection of hyperplanes in the Euclidean Space Rn. Arrangements of hyperplanes partition the plane into several sections.We call these sections faces. A binary operation is defined on the set of faces of the...

  In a culture that expressly values female virginity, to not be a virgin at the time of marriage is grounds for divorce, shame or even violence. This paper offers a critical review of what is known about the expression of sexuality in Morocco by bringing together several domains of research-studi...

The environment influences behaviors including mate choice and other mating behaviors. In red flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum), males primarily initiate sexual contact and exhibit mate choice. In general, male mate choice is based on female reproductive potential, thus males prefer virgin to non-...

The purpose of my research is to persuade the audience that the art of suspense is vital to any film. This would be of interest to the reader, because films are something that the majority of people have access to or have seen at least once in their lifetime.   My hypothesis is that the execution,...

There are many unanswered questions regarding the effect of antibiotics on plants. Previous results indicated that metal uptake in the model plant Arabidopsis was affected by the antibiotic kanamycin. We have proposed a model of metal uptake that involves three transporters: IREG1, WBC19, and FRD3 i...

Antibiotic resistance is a global public health concern caused by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. An estimated 23,000 patients die annually in the US. The majority of clinically important antibiotics used today are derived from soil bacteria. With the aid of biochemical and molecular tests, w...

The globalization of trade is a phenomenon that should, on the surface, impact communities in predictable ways. My research will investigate the pattern of “winners” and “losers” from globalization in China with two aims. First, I will test which model of trade policy-making fits best in Chi...

Hereditary Nonpolypopsis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) is an inherited autosomal dominant genetic condition with an increased risk for colon or endometrial cancer. HNPCC is caused by a mutation in one of the genes associated with Mismatch Repair mechanism (MMR), such as MSH2. MMR repairs the single poin...

Microbes live in diverse natural habitats, ranging from hot hydrothermal vents deep into the ocean, to the insides of our guts. Microbes have not been passive passengers, but active contributors to the transformation of our planet and evolution of its inhabitants. Soil harbors an abundance of microb...

Since the industrial revolution in the 19th century, humans have released a steadily increasing amount of greenhouse gases. This increase was accelerated due to the development of the petrochemical industry in World War 2. Greenhouse gases trap heat within the atmosphere, causing an overall warming ...

Empirical studies have shown that in the United States, the biased response of police officers is to consistently stop, search, and arrest Blacks and Hispanics at higher rates than whites and other non-minority citizens (Hurwitz and Peffley 2005). Similarly, ethnic profiling in France and Australia ...

 In this study, I seek to understand the differences between Kenya’s form of African Socialism and Tanzania’s African Socialism. This research serves as a case study, examining the political, economic and social success and failures of capitalism and socialism in Africa post-colonization. I...

The central banking system in West Africa is not designed to stimulate entrepreneurship thus limiting the region’s potential for economic growth. Consequently, entrepreneurs in the “informal market”, accounting for fifty-percent of employment in Senegal’s urban areas, face barriers to access...