Honors Projects
Showing 171 - 180 of 564 Items
Mechanisms underlying variable responses to the neuropeptide C-type allatostatin (AST-C) across isoforms and among individuals in the American lobster, Homarus americanus
Date: 2020-01-01
Creator: Audrey J. Muscato
Access: Open access
- Central pattern generators (CPGs) produce patterned outputs independent of sensory input. The cardiac neuromuscular system of the American lobster (Homarus americanus) is driven by a CPG called the cardiac ganglion (CG), which is composed of nine neurons, making it a model system of study. Modulation of CPGs allows for functional flexibility. One neuropeptide family that modulates the CG is C-type allatostatin (AST-C I-III). Previous research has shown variation in the responses of the CG across the three isoforms and among individuals. First, we investigated why AST-C I and III elicit responses that are more similar to each other than they are to the responses elicited by AST-C II. We hypothesized that an amino acid difference in the conserved sequence was responsible for the observed variation in responses. We synthesized isoforms of AST-C that replaced the endogenous amino acid and recorded responses to these isoforms. The identity of one particular amino acid in the conserved sequence seems to be responsible for variations in responses in frequency. Next, we focused on variation among individuals in their responses to AST-C I and III. We hypothesized that the mechanism behind this individual variation is differential expression of AST-C receptors and/or their downstream targets. We recorded physiological responses of the cardiac system to AST-C and then sequenced CG RNA from the same lobsters. Differential expression of one of the AST-C receptors and a number of downstream factors is correlated with physiological response. These findings inspire further experimentation investigating molt cycle as the underlying cause.
ELMO, A Possible Pectin Biosynthesis Scaffold Access to this record is restricted to members of the Bowdoin community. Log in here to view.
Date: 2023-01-01
Creator: Nuoya (Laura) Yang
Access: Access restricted to the Bowdoin Community
A Machine Learning Approach to Sector Based Market Efficiency
Date: 2023-01-01
Creator: Angus Zuklie
Access: Open access
- In economic circles, there is an idea that the increasing prevalence of algorithmic trading is improving the information efficiency of electronic stock markets. This project sought to test the above theory computationally. If an algorithm can accurately forecast near-term equity prices using historical data, there must be predictive information present in the data. Changes in the predictive accuracy of such algorithms should correlate with increasing or decreasing market efficiency. By using advanced machine learning approaches, including dense neural networks, LSTM, and CNN models, I modified intra day predictive precision to act as a proxy for market efficiency. Allowing for the basic comparisons of the weak form efficiency of four sectors over the same time period: utilities, healthcare, technology and energy. Finally, Within these sectors, I was able to detect inefficiencies in the stock market up to four years closer to modern day than previous studies.
Host and symbiont-specific patterns of gene expression in response to cold stress in the temperate coral Astrangia poculata
Date: 2023-01-01
Creator: Kellie Navarro
Access: Open access
- The coral Astrangia poculata inhabits hard-bottom environments from the Gulf of Mexico to Massachusetts and withstands large seasonal variation in temperature (–2 to 26 °C). This thermal range and its ability to live in a facultative symbiosis makes this species an ideal model system for investigating stress responses to ocean temperature variation. Although it has been shown that aposymbiotic A. poculata upregulates more genes in response to cold stress than heat stress, the transcriptomic response of the holobiont (coral host and symbiotic algae) to stress is unknown. In this study, we characterize changes in gene expression in both the host and symbionts under cold stress (6ºC) and ambient (12ºC) seawater temperatures. We use RNAseq to visualize how patterns of global gene expression change in response to these temperatures within the transcriptomes of replicate corals (n=10, each temperature) and their symbiont partners. By filtering the holobiont assembly for known coral host and symbiont genes, we contrasted patterns of differential expression (DE) for each partner and the functional processes for each set of DE genes. Differential gene expression analyses revealed that the cnidarian coral host responds strongly to cold stress, while algal symbionts did not have a significant stress response. In the coral host, we found up-regulation of biological processes associated with DNA repair, immunity, and maintaining cellular homeostasis as well as downregulation of mechanisms associated with DNA repair and RNA splicing, indicating inhibition of necessary cellular processes due to environmental stress.
Power Play: The President's Role in Shaping Renewable Energy Regulation and Policy
Date: 2023-01-01
Creator: Luke Bartol
Access: Open access
- With the impacts of climate change becoming more and more apparent every day, finding means of effective action to mitigate its effects become increasingly critical. While localized work can play an important role, federal action is necessary to have the most widespread and effective impact, especially on interconnected issues such as clean energy. Congressional action is the avenue of change at this level, however in an increasingly partisan and divided environment, progress on this front is far short of what is needed. Looking to the president is logical here, both as a single actor more insulated from partisan fights, but also as head of the branch in charge of implementing the nation’s laws. This paper looks to explore what means of influence the president has on the action taken by federal agencies and how such methods can be made more effective. Through a principal-agent framework, the role of regulatory and appointment powers are examined with a variety of historical and contemporary case studies. While only a subset of the powers afforded to a president, the areas explored offer wide latitude for action, in areas that are particularly important for energy development. The paper concludes with some reflections for the future, suggesting how these considerations can be practically applied.
Alongside Despair: Signs of Life on the River des Peres
Date: 2020-01-01
Creator: Marina Henke
Access: Open access
- This River des Peres is a partially enclosed river which runs through St. Louis, Missouri. Used since prior to the city’s founding, the des Peres has gone through two considerable engineering projects: one in 1901 in light of the World’s Fair, and one in 1923, which encapsulated more than half of the river and placed nearly five miles of it underground. Presently, the des Peres constitutes the backbone of the sanitary and sewer system of St. Louis city and county. Ultimately, the river offers a broad meditation on what it means to live around and in a “natural” waterway that is simultaneously not natural at all. Themes of St. Louis are equally reflected in the river: of environmental racism, of Midwestern decline, and of urban decay and renewal. Additionally, those who interact with the river prove a broad cast of characters. Through using a selection of interviews with locals, alongside an engagement with the work of contemporary poet Donald Finkel, this piece of creative nonfiction explores the multiplicity, and ultimately the value, of distorted natural spaces.
"We are your wives, sisters, daughters, mothers and friends:" United States' Women's Stories from the Public to the Archive Access to this record is restricted to members of the Bowdoin community. Log in here to view.
Date: 2019-01-01
Creator: Sadie LoGerfo-Olsen
Access: Access restricted to the Bowdoin Community
Tapping at the Windows: A Collection This record is embargoed.
- Embargo End Date: 2025-05-14
Date: 2020-01-01
Creator: Samuel Milligan
Access: Embargoed
N,N’-Dimethyimidazolium-2-Carboxylate as a Ligand Precursor for the Accession of a Constrained Olefin Dimerization Catalyst
Date: 2020-01-01
Creator: Michael Harris
Access: Open access
- A significant market share of modern plastics is held by long-chain hydrocarbon polymers, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, properties of which can be dramatically changed by addition of linear α-olefins. Production of linear α-olefins involves the creation of many unwanted byproducts, representing significant quantities of both economic and ecological waste. While catalysts have been designed to selectively produce industrially useful olefins, these catalysts often encounter challenges such as synthesis of other unwanted byproducts, slow reaction times, and difficulty of synthesis. Based on one such prior catalyst, we report here synthetic work towards a cobalt catalyst with a constrained N-heterocyclic carbene supporting ligand predicted to allow for more favorable product distributions. Synthesis of two precursors to a sterically unhindered N-heterocyclic carbene, as well as development of a synthetic protocol for the coordination of N,N’- dimethylimidazolium-2-carboxylate to Cp*Co(ethene)2 was completed. Activation of the precatalyst and preliminary catalytic experiments were performed, though abbreviated research periods made complete analysis impossible. Finally, we report evidence of the formation of a novel cobalt-NHC dimer as a temperature controlled byproduct of the desired catalyst synthesis.
Personally Relevant Indoor Nature Imagery’s Impact on Students’ Well-Being, Connection to Nature, and Eco-Conscious Behaviors
Date: 2019-05-01
Creator: Sarena Sabine
Access: Open access
- Previous research has shown that experiences in nature are predictive of increased connection to nature, well-being, and pro-environmental behavior. The current study investigated whether daily exposure to indoor nature imagery would also improve well-being and eco-conscious behaviors, and whether personally relevant images would enhance this hypothesized effect. Participants completed a test assessing baseline connection to nature and well-being, specifically satisfaction with life, positive and negative emotions, and stress. In the 2 (Nature vs. Built) X 2 (Familiar vs. Unfamiliar) study design, 125 participants either received a poster from a photo that they submitted (a personally-relevant nature scene or personally-relevant built scene) or a poster of an unfamiliar natural or built scene. After four weeks of daily exposure to this new poster in their home, participants completed a post-test which included the same measures of well-being and connection to nature, along with a novel eco-conscious behaviors measure involving environmental petitions. The nature intervention significantly improved participants’ satisfaction with life. The personal relevancy of images did not enhance well-being, either alone nor in interaction with image content. The finding that daily exposure could lead to improved well-being has implications for addressing mental health concerns.