Part 1:
White muscle disease (WMD), a degenerative muscle disease brought on by a deficiency of the essential trace nutrient selenium, is thought to be mediated by the protein Selenoprotein W (SeW). In its relationship with WMD, SeW, like many selenoproteins, binds to glutathione, serving some purpose in redox mechanisms...
Horticultural and nursery crops are the leading agricultural commodity in Oregon. Among currently grown nursery plants, Verbena x hybrida is a staple ornamental. It is grown and shipped worldwide, thus requiring a high level of certainty concerning the plants’ health and potential viability. V. x hybrida cultivars have been infected...
This study tested natural products from cyanobacteria from the Red Sea in Egypt and marine tunicates from the Algoa Bay in South Africa. Products from marine organisms have been used as lead compounds for the synthesis of new drugs because of their biological activity mechanism. Specifically, these products may contain...
This research looks at the demographics, industry, and land use shifts over the past decades in the John Day Region of Eastern Oregon in order to better understand the shifting rural community in the United States. Census data was collected and analyzed to describe the shift. Published literature and interviews...
New antibiotic compounds with novel mechanisms of action have become essential in response to the recent paradigm of increasingly resistant strains of bacteria. Secondary metabolites (natural products) from bacteria such as Actinobacteria serve as lead compounds for the development of pharmaceutical drugs widely used to fight bacterial, viral and fungal...
This internship project (Dr. Dawn Wright—Department of Geoscience) was a synthesis of several aspects of the research process. The documentation of methods consisted of: primary data collection of soil samples, geographical coordinates, georeferencing, basemap creation, laboratory machine operation, laboratory methods, laboratory quality control planning, statistical analysis, and geo-statistical analysis using...
In this study, the gene expression levels between 6 month old mice and 26 month
old mice were compared. The purpose of this research was to identify genes that are
differentially regulated due to aging. The results showed 148 significantly differentiated
genes in the analysis of a total of 44,170...
Crime rates affect everything from home values, to the quality of education. Through the use of Social Disorganization Theory this paper will support the hypothesis that there is a correlation between neighborhood upkeep and crime rates within neighborhoods. Social Disorganization theory itself aims to show the correlation between the place...
There are record numbers of immigrants in the U.S., with no indication of declining in the future. Social debates surrounding issues such as immigration are fragile. It is critical that research and knowledge put out to the public and used by policy makers to create or reform immigration legislation must...
Farensoid X Receptor (FXR) is a very flavoring protein for the treatment and prevention of the many conditions related to metabolic syndrome. Our experiment explores the binding activities of FXR when introduced to various natural and synthetic ligands. Currently, an initial assay showing the Stern-Volmer relationship of our date supports...
Metacarcinus magister, the Dungeness crab, is a commercially important species on the Pacific Northwest coast as the most profitable fishery in Oregon and an important ecological player as both predator and prey. Understanding the spatial distribution of Dungeness throughout different life history stages is beneficial both ecologically and economically. Zostera...
Metacarcinus magister, the Dungeness crab, is a commercially important species on the Pacific Northwest coast as the most profitable fishery in Oregon and an important ecological player as both predator and prey. Understanding the spatial distribution of Dungeness throughout different life history stages is beneficial both ecologically and economically. Zostera...
Most animals are active either during the day, night, or twilight, and transition periods between these times exhibit interesting behavior. Actions may be related to avoiding predators, seeking shelter, defending territory, feeding, or other interests. Herbivorous fishes on coral reefs, such as parrotfishes, forage constantly throughout daylight periods due to...
Sea stars are well known on the Pacific coast as being keystone species. Pisaster ochraceus plays a major role in controlling the lower limits of the high zone mussel beds, normally preying on medium to large-sized species. Leptasterias hexactis is often found feeding on smaller prey. According to the competitive...
The release of transgenes into the environment by transgenic plant species is a significant ecological concern, and consequently a containment method for these genetically modified organisms is highly sought after. For poplar trees, an option for containment is to produce trees that do not flower and therefore cannot spread genetic...
It has been observed and documented that Pisaster ochraceus has very striking colors, but the reasons behind the coloration are still unknown. Three coloration categories were determined and used for a feeding trial study to investigate the effects of diet on coloration in Pisaster ochraceus. This study involved 30 hand...
This study evaluated the memory and visual discrimination capabilities of Enteroctopus dofleini, the Giant Pacific Octopus. Octopuses have been known to have advance sensory capabilities and through this study we challenged our specimen to remember and actively choose a specific patterned jar based on a visual pattern and positive reinforcement....
Saccharina sessilis, lettuce kelp, is a macroalgae that contributes to the primary production in the intertidal zone off of the Oregon Coast. Macroalgae can serve as a bioindicator of increased nutrient input, water quality, and shifts in the intertidal environment. Competition for light exists between macroalgae species and with other...
The origin of hornblendite and other mafic mineral-rich veins found in Cretaceous plutonic rocks from the Northern Cascades is currently not well known. This study seeks to investigate the possible relationship between host plutonic rocks and hornblendite and pyroxene-rich veins by comparing the chemical compositions and petrographic features between the...
Fusarium solani is a chronic disease that causes root rot which affects bean production worldwide. Recently, a QTL map was generated which identified several SNPs which were found to be associated with resistance to the pathogen. To be useful in a breeding program, INDELs must be identified which co-seggregate with...