Undergraduate Research Day 2020

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/20158

With students involved in so many research opportunities, Undergraduate Research Day provides the perfect opportunity for them to share their work with the campus community. Held each April, Undergraduate Research Day showcases current research, scholarship, and artistic endeavors.

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.AGNR

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Analysis of animal use of "4-Poster", a commercial host-targeted tick control device
    (2020) Pineda Hernandez, Estefany; Li, Andrew; Mullinax, Jennifer
    In the mid-1800s there were 500,000 white-tailed deer. By 1992, the deer population rebounded to an estimated 18 million. The expanded deer population has facilitated black-legged tick expansion throughout the northeast of the United States which has resulted in an increased incidence of Lyme Disease. The main objective of the USDA-ARS Area-wide Tick Control Project is to manage deer and tick populations, as an effort to reduce the number of ticks, thus decreasing Lyme disease transmission potentials. The “4-Poster” is a host targeted tick control device used in USDA's Areawide Tick Control project in Howard County, Maryland. The device has a bait dispenser surrounded by paint rollers coated with permethrin- based “Tickicide” solution. While feeding, deer will brush against the rollers applying permethrin to their ears and neck. The objective of this project is to help evaluate the use of the "4-Poster" device by deer and non-target animals.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Influence of sticky card color and tree species on three parasitoid genera of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)
    (2020) Figurskey, Adelaide; Herman, Cassondra; Shrewsbury, Paula
    Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), or brown marmorated stink bug, is an invasive species in the U.S. that causes significant economic damage to a diversity of crops. Biological control by egg parasitoids is a promising measure that needs further research. Accurate sampling for parasitoid activity is critical for assessment of the impact of multiple genera of egg parasitoids shown to be associated with H. halys. To test color and tree species preference of three parasitoid genera (Anastatus, Trissolcus, Telenomus), different colored sticky cards were placed on three species of trees. We found that the three parasitoid genera appeared to have preference for yellow and green sticky cards over blue and red. Parasitoids appeared to have preferences in tree species, but their preference varied for each species. Results suggest that Anastatus may prefer green sticky cards and cherry trees, however more research should be done to support this finding.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Analysis of animal use of "4-Poster", a commercial host-targeted tick control device
    (2020) Pineda Hernandez, Estefany; Li, Andrew; Mullinax, Jennifer
    In the mid-1800s there were 500,000 white-tailed deer. By 1992, the deer population rebounded to an estimated 18 million. The expanded deer population has facilitated black-legged tick expansion throughout the northeast of the United States which has resulted in an increased incidence of Lyme Disease. The main objective of the USDA-ARS Area-wide Tick Control Project is to manage deer and tick populations, as an effort to reduce the number of ticks, thus decreasing Lyme disease transmission potentials. The “4-Poster” is a host targeted tick control device used in USDA's Areawide Tick Control project in Howard County, Maryland. The device has a bait dispenser surrounded by paint rollers coated with permethrin- based “Tickicide” solution. While feeding, deer will brush against the rollers applying permethrin to their ears and neck. The objective of this project is to help evaluate the use of the "4-Poster" device by deer and non-target animals.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Analysis of animal use of "4-Poster", a commercial host-targeted tick control device
    (2020) Pineda Hernandez, Estefany; Mullinax, Jennifer; Li, Andrew
    In the mid-1800s there were 500,000 white-tailed deer. By 1992, the deer population rebounded to an estimated 18 million. The expanded deer population has facilitated black-legged tick expansion throughout the northeast of the United States which has resulted in an increased incidence of Lyme Disease. The main objective of the USDA-ARS Area-wide Tick Control Project is to manage deer and tick populations, as an effort to reduce the number of ticks, thus decreasing Lyme disease transmission potentials. The “4-Poster” is a host targeted tick control device used in USDA's Areawide Tick Control project in Howard County, Maryland. The device has a bait dispenser surrounded by paint rollers coated with permethrin- based “Tickicide” solution. While feeding, deer will brush against the rollers applying permethrin to their ears and neck. The objective of this project is to help evaluate the use of the "4-Poster" device by deer and non-target animals.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effects of High Carbohydrate Supplementation on Hepatic Mitochondrial Metabolism
    (2020) Zhang, Christine; Sunny, Nishanth
    Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major public health issue affecting over 75 million patients and over 70% of patients that suffer from Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and obesity. Previous research has demonstrated that progression of NAFLD is accompanied by liver mitochondria adaptation and eventual dysfunction as they fail to respond to the influx of free fatty acids and the metabolic actions of insulin. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of high carbohydrate supplementation on mitochondrial metabolism, specifically the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, of hepatocytes utilizing a metabolomics centered approach. Data obtained through gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) suggest that LF and HC fed animals exhibit higher mitochondrial (TCA) activity compared to their HF counterparts. Short-term increased mitochondrial activity suggests an increased robust metabolic response, however, long-term effects may be detrimental to metabolic flexibility through increased production of reactive oxygen species. While the comprehensive effects of high carbohydrate supplementation on metabolism are still under investigation, these results suggest that diets high in carbohydrates may lead to exacerbation of mitochondria, and ultimately metabolic dysfunction.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Saltwater Intrusion Releases Iron and Phosphorus from Agricultural Soils
    (2020) Ouyang, Tianyin; Weissman, Danielle; Tully, Katherine; Weissman, Danielle
    Saltwater intrusion (SWI) associated with global sea-level rise pervasively occur in agricultural lands, with potential to alter biogeochemical cycles and reduce agricultural yields. As SWI encroaches on coastal areas, agricultural fields can release large quantities of phosphorus (P) into nearby waterways due to interactions between sulfate (SO42-) and iron (Fe), that make Fe less available to sequester P. This study investigates key biogeochemical mechanisms that mediate the interaction between saltwater, Fe and P in coastal agricultural soils. We collected agricultural soil on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland and exposed it to eight different salt treatments under aerobic and anaerobic conditions over a period of thirty days. We analyzed the PO43- and Fe concentration in soil-water and total Fe in treated soil at days 0, 15, and 30. The results show that soil-water Fe and PO43- concentrations increase under anaerobic conditions over time in all eight salt treatments, suggesting that SWI can stimulate Fe and PO43- release under anaerobic conditions despite variation in saltwater compositions. The high levels of PO43- in sodium (Na)-containing treatments indicate that increases in sodicity can facilitate P release; the high levels of Fe in treatments consisting CaSO4 show that the presence of Ca potentially prompts the interaction between Fe and SO42-.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Investigation of 1P-LSD as a Novel Drug Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders
    (2020) Foster, Kayla; Hansen, Abigail; Lee, Matthew; Mohammed, Alan; Morrell, Matthew; Nguyen, Thach-Vu; Olson, Caroline; Pascale, Lucas; Sunny, Nishanth
    Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), defined by repetitive behaviors or impaired social communication, is a prevalent yet relatively misunderstood set of conditions. ASD encompasses a series of neurodevelopmental disorders that have various physiological manifestations (Goines & Ashwood, 2013). Due to the heterogeneity of ASD, the true mechanisms leading to the development of ASD and its symptoms remain unclear and require more research (Rossignol & Frye, 2012; Watts, 2008). The purpose of this project is to test whether or not 1P-LSD, an analogue of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), has the potential to treat symptoms of ASD, specifically the hyperexcitation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain which causes the neuronal excitotoxicity highly implicated in the pathology of ASD. We will determine the two highest doses of 1P-LSD which do not result in any hallucinogenic side effects in Phase 1 of this protocol and utilize these doses towards treatment of symptoms associated with ASD in Phase 2 of this protocol. We will monitor NMDA receptor activity, which is usually impaired in ASD, following microdosing of 1P-LSD. For these experiments, we will be using an autistic mouse model (Slc6a4) compared to normal mice (C57BL/6J). The efficacy of the treatment model will be assessed by measuring the levels of a subunit of the NMDA receptor, the NR2B subunit, using western blotting and immunohistochemistry, and by measuring the levels of glutamate using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).