Life and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Theses: Recent submissions
Now showing items 41-60 of 625
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Isolation and Analysis of the Novel Mycobacteriophage, CCP1
(2015-04-01)Bacteriophages are the largest remaining body of undescribed biodiversity on the planet. The present study attempted to isolate and analyze the structure and genetics of a novel mycobacteriophage extracted from a soil ... -
Investigating the Role of PrP and Amyloid Beta Proteins in AD and Other Protein-Misfolding Diseases
(2015-04-01)Prion diseases are very rare, neurodegenerative diseases caused by misfolding of the Prion protein. The pathologies created by the misfolded protein are remarkably similar to those of Alzheimer’s disease. This paper provides ... -
The Associations Between Large Mammal Abundance, Elevation, and Tick Capture Rate in the Big Belt Mountains
(2015-04-01)The Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni, is the primary tick vector of human pathogens like Colorado tick fever and Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the Rocky Mountain Region. Drag sampling was conducted to ... -
Comparison of West Nile Virus infection rates in Culex tarsalis and exposure rate of horses in Montana using RT-PCR and ELISA
(2015-04-01)Horses are more susceptible to West Nile virus (WNV) than human beings. In addition, for many ranchers in Montana, horses are their livelihood. In Montana, the only risk assessment tool for WNV is mosquito surveying. Testing ... -
Characterization of a Novel Mycobacteriophage via Sequence Analysis
(2015-04-01)Bacteriophages provide a relatively new area of scientific research. Approximately 1031 viruses on earth are capable of infecting bacteria and thereafter disseminating. Despite their widespread and pervasive nature, ... -
Fire History And Tree Growth Responses In The Tenmile South Watershed, Helena, MT
(2015-04-01)The Tenmile South watershed, southwest of Helena, Montana, is the subject of a controversial fuel reduction project initiated by the surrounding community. Historic mining activities have resulted in the accumulation of ... -
Exploring the Role of Dctn2 in the Trafficking of GluR2- containing AMPA Receptors
(2015-04-01)AMPA receptors are post-synaptic receptors that play a role in thinking and learning. Although their function is understood, the trafficking and regulation of AMPA receptors in neurons remains unclear. The goal of my ... -
The Carrier Rate of Colorado Tick Fever in the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, Dermacentor andersoni
(2015-04-01)The adult Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, Dermacentor andersoni, is capable of transmitting several diseases to humans, including Colorado Tick Fever (CTF). The abundance and distribution of the virus that causes this disease ... -
Population Genetics of the Tick, Dermacentor andersoni, in Montana, based on the Mitochondrial 16S Gene
(2015-04-01)The tick Dermacentor andersoni is a vector for Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Powassan encephalitis, and bovine anaplasmosis. Under the Infectious Disease Ecology Research Program at Carroll College, ... -
Investigating the Role of Olfm1 in the Trafficking of GluR2-containing AMPA receptors
(2015-04-01)Neurons have the ability to either increase or decrease the strength of their connections with other neurons. This property is known as synaptic plasticity and is thought to influence higher cognitive functions such as ... -
Stem Cells: Scientific Progress and its Ethical Implications
(2014-04-01)It is maintained by many scientists that stem cell research is an important resource for new discoveries and understanding, especially in the newly developing field of regenerative medicine. However, research involving ... -
Assessing Vegetational and Climatic Influences on the Distribution of Dermacentor andersoni in Western Montana
(2014-04-01)Both on the micro and macro levels human risk to the host-seeking adult stage of Dermacentor andersoni is poorly understood (Eisen et al. 2007). Due to the difficulties associated with identifying, quantifying, and evaluating ... -
Testing the Cytotype Concept in Black Flies (Diptera: Simuliidae)
(2014-04-01)Paracentric inversions have been linked to maleness in 17 taxa of the Simulium arcticum complex (Diptera: Simuliidae). Linkage to maleness not only defines taxa but also suggests that the sex determining gene or genes lie ... -
Comparison of West Nile Virus exposure in horses and infection rates in the mosquito Culex tarsalis in Montana.
(2014-04-01)I compared infection rates of West Nile Virus in the vector Culex tarsalis and exposure of the virus via antibody presence in horses. This research was performed to determine which method is more efficient at detecting the ... -
Relative Utility of Different Lengths of the Mitochondrial 16S rDNA Gene in Population Genetics of the Tick Species, Dermacentor andersoni.
(2014-04-01)The hard tick species, Dermacentor andersoni, is an important vector of zoonotic disease in the state of Montana. The purpose of this study was to compare different fragments of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene to determine ... -
The Maintenance of Tumor HLA-A2 Expression In Differing Culture Environments
(2014-04-01)Adoptive T cell immunotherapy is an emerging field in the research of cancer treatment. Yet, despite the scientific expansion of knowledge in this area, obstacles have arisen that hinder the rapid progression of this field. ... -
Detection of Inducible HSP70 as a Measure of Heat Stress in Mammalian Tissue
(2014-04-01)The North American Pika, Ochotona princeps, is a keystone high altitude species whose populations have been declining and whose distributions have been receding to higher elevations in the Great Basin. The present study ... -
Topographical Variables Influencing Dermacentor andersoni Distribution in Montana
(2014-04-01)The Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni, is a known arthropod vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Tularemia. This tick is prevalent in the western part of the United States. The ... -
Exploring the Role of Olfm1 in the Trafficking of GluR2- containing AMPA Receptors
(2014-04-01)The interactions between post-synaptic receptors and pre-synaptic molecules are responsible for coordinating numerous human activities such as thought, behavior, memory, learning and homeostasis. Important excitatory ... -
Biochemical Markers for Thermal Stress in North American Pikas (Ochotona princeps)
(2014-04-01)North American pikas (Ochotona princeps) are a high altitude keystone species that are indicative of that ecosystem’s condition. Over the last twenty years, numerous populations of pikas have declined or disappeared. Because ...