https://zachsnier.com/landing daily 1.0 2022-10-08 https://zachsnier.com/my-learning-journey daily 0.75 2020-08-10 https://zachsnier.com/biologyprojects daily 0.75 2020-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1575536635608-0LMM9H8OS06MZ3XL4AJQ/unnamed.jpg Biology Projects - Mark-Recapture Study of Allegheny Crayfish in Tyler Run Creek, York PA Crayfish can be a critical indicator of environmental health and biodiversity and play a large role in the ecosystem and its monitoring. If the populations are altered, there can be large effects on biodiversity, community structure, and ecosystem function. With the importance of crayfish comes a more pressing need for conservation. Conservation efforts can be effective given accurate and precise population estimates. One dilemma facing conservation efforts is the lack of well-established methodology for monitoring crayfish populations, but recent research has shown crayfish would be a suitable population for a mark-recapture monitoring methodology. In this study, the researchers set out to compare population models for the Allegheny crayfish (Orconectes obscurus) and specifically evaluated via modeling software factors that affect the populations including time, size, and flooding. It was hypothesized that flooding and size will affect apparent survival and time will affect capture probability. The results showed four models best fit the mark-recapture data showing flooding and carapace size affects capture probabilities and time and carapace size affects apparent survival. These results indicate variation in the population and population viability and provide insight into the impacts on survival with time, size, and flooding. Human intervention in stream morphology may be a contributing factor to the flooding that affects survival thus highlights a need for a more thorough study on other taxa in Tyler Run Creek to compile a foundation for a conservation study. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1575536944125-AKJW6EUYDMI98X0G3E00/IMG_5545.png Biology Projects - Taq DNA Polymerase: Transformation, Isolation, and Purification in Escherichia coli The ability of genetic code to be adapted to scientists’ purposes has brought the tool of transferring DNA between different organisms to the forefront of molecular biology. Using this tool has brought recombinant protein engineering which includes using an expression system to add protein producing genes to an organism. Frequently, Escherichia coli (E. coli) is used as the host organism and expression system. As a result of this tool, a genetically modified organism is now able to produce a new protein and can do so on a constitutive or condusive basis. In this study, researchers set out to use E. coli to insert a plasmid containing the sequence to produce Taq DNA polymerase on a conducive basis by using a LAC operon as the promoter. The researchers aimed to obtain a maximally pure Taq DNA polymerase sample. The procedure consisted of four stages: growth, isolation, purification, and analysis. For growth, the sample was grown while not producing the protein in order to establish colonies then induced with IPTG to turn on the promoter to promote protein production. Following protein production, sample was isolated using a buffer set and centrifugation. The isolated sample was then purified using centrifugation and reagents. In order to verify purity, the purified sample was analyzed using a Coomassie blue stained SDS-PAGE gel and PCR assay sourced gel. The researchers expected a single band at 94 kDa. Future studies could focus on refining the procedures involved in transformation, isolation, and purification to develop purer samples. The increased effectiveness at obtaining purer samples will be applicable to much in biology. With proteins becoming a more prevalent toolkit in medicine, a particular protein may be useful as a treatment of disease thus calling for a methodology that creates the most pure sample. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1575537083226-2X3NSWCD9NZK6VCLD18J/Picture1.png Biology Projects - PCR Amplification of STR as a Means to Fingerprint DNA DNA fingerprinting is a relatively new method used by law enforcement to investigate crimes. STR DNA fingerprinting on the TH01 Loci was used in this experiment to match DNA from a crime scene to DNA of 4 suspects. The results yielded two alleles per sample of the possible approximate 20 alleles (although only 8 alleles were examined). The data supported a hypothesis that suspects A, B, and D were not present at the crime scene while immature to support hypothesis that suspect C was at crime scene. Further experimentation on additional loci is necessary to build evidence that suspect C was at the crime scene. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1575536188217-D68NT917A32KK2ZMJ15H/IMG_8536.jpg Biology Projects - Nitrogen availability on the microalga (Nannochloropsis limnetica) growth Yearly averages of CO2 levels have been recorded as increasing since the measurements began in 1958 and global effects are being seen. One-third of U.S. CO2 output is from the transportation sector which provides a specific target for improvement. Biofuels are a potential solution to mitigate the effects by reducing the amount of CO2 being put in the atmosphere by the transportation sector. Biofuels have different mediums including algae. Algal biofuels are not yet a viable solution as a species for best-use has not been identified. In this study, Nannochloropsis limnetica was examined and experimented for by examining the amount nitrogen availability and its effect on growth. The results show nitrogen availability to have a positive correlation to growth as reflected by an increased growth constant. This allows for researchers to quantitatively compare to other species and evaluate for resource efficiency in relation to growth. The comparison would allow for the identification of species that are best as a medium for biofuels givens its need for nitrogen. Researchers may build upon the results presented by optimizing growth of this species in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus availability and quantifying lipid production specifically. Researchers current knowledge database could be expanded so that the biofuel industry can choose a product that is cost-effective for the fuel-marketplace and CO2-efficient for the climate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1575535942863-ZF0X685C2HUE5OCEKT93/GABRG3%2B%25281%2529.jpg Biology Projects - Embryonic Expression Pattern of GABRG3 Gene in zebrafish (Danio rerio) Neuropsychiatric conditions are disease with origins in the nervous system and have proven to be a burden on society. Individuals afflicted with such a condition have impaired health and daily living. Dependence is a category of conditions that were of interest to the researchers of this study; specifically alcohol dependence as it is a national health issue. The risk to develop alcohol dependence has genetic links to many genes including GABRG3. This was the gene of interest for the study. The researchers extracted RNA and synthesized cDNA to clone the DNA then transformed into a pDrive Plasmid and hybridized using in-SITU hybridization. The results showed expression in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo during neurodevelopment at 24hpf. This confirms the importance of GABRG3 in early neurodevelopment. The findings raise the implication that Zebrafish can be used as an animal model to further develop this gene and its link to alcohol dependence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1575536793810-53EUXBMOKX3UG9S9D69H/Picture1.png Biology Projects - The Feasibility of BC3F3 Chinese-American Chestnuts in Nixon Park, York, PA Before 1900, American Chestnuts (Castanea dentata) dominated the forests of Northeastern United States. These giant hardwoods were extremely beneficial to the forest ecosystem because they provided nutrition, habitat, nutrient cycling and protection from erosion (Elliott 2007). After the introduction of the invasive fungi, Cryphonectria parasitica, Chestnuts faced massive deaths across their landscape. The BC3F3 backcrossed Chinese-American Chestnut offers resistance to Cryphonectria parasitica while maintaining its American Chestnut characteristics (ACF 2018). In this study, two regions within Richard M. Nixon County Park in York, Pennsylvania were investigated for characteristics that would provide the trees with optimal growing conditions. Within each region, 5 sites were measured for soil moisture and pH, canopy cover, leaf litter, and air temperature. Although the regions varied in sun exposure, temperature, canopy cover, and leaf litter, more research is necessary to determine which of these areas are the most suitable for the Chestnut hybrid. Therefore, a pilot study is recommended to ascertain the viability of the plan to reintroduce the hybrid American Chestnut to Nixon Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1575536416178-13CSEO8MRLHG5JZYMBJS/Picture1.png Biology Projects - Intermale and Normal Courtship of Drosophila Under Chronic Ethanol Exposure Alcohol has relationship with raising levels of sexual arousal and affecting sexual behavior in humans however, but there are not many suitable animal models to study these behaviors. In this study the effect of ethanol on sexual behavior in male Drosophila will be observed. In an attempt to cause male Drosophila to develop decreased sensitivity to ethanol, we tested to see if courtship activity would also progressively due to chronic ethanol exposures. Virgin male Drosophila were collected and given a two day acclimation period followed by four days of ethanol exposure. Following the exposures the flies were then observed in a courtship apparatus with a female for amount of time spend in courtship displays, a control group of males of the same age were also tested in the same manner. The results did show an increased habituation to ethanol vapors over the exposures, but did not show increased courtship activity with chronic ethanol exposure. Overall we did not see any effect on courtship when the males underwent a four day chronic ethanol exposure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/1586590299979-KYBX60LZ8DUX73717QCF/image-asset.jpeg Biology Projects https://zachsnier.com/strengths daily 0.75 2020-04-12 https://zachsnier.com/welcome daily 0.75 2023-12-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d48d3095e751100013a0e17/63b05c31-bef0-4869-9f15-4459f3882dde/82EF2A31-756A-4163-940F-193993AD3C5B.jpeg Welcome https://zachsnier.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-01-08 https://zachsnier.com/life-advice daily 0.75 2022-10-08 https://zachsnier.com/climatechange daily 0.75 2023-01-08 https://zachsnier.com/datascience daily 0.75 2023-01-08