Drafts

Figure 10 summarizes the data of the four graphs. Figures 6 through 9 depict our data in graph form. The blue lines represent Trial 1 and the orange lines represent Trial 2. The first floor window sill is 21.33 m away from the reptile room, the second 19.69 m, the third 16.22 m, and the fourth 14.44 m. There was one crack present on the second floor.

The first graph, Figure 6, depicts the relationship between the number of dead bugs and distance from reptiles. In Trial 1 and Trial 2, zero dead bugs were found on the first and second floors. Two were found on the third floor in each trial. Four dead bugs were found on the fourth floor in Trial 1 and three were found in Trial 2. Therefore, a greater number of bugs were found on floors three and four when compared to floors one and two.

The second graph, Figure 7, depicts the relationship between the number of live bugs and distance from reptiles. In Trial 1 and Trial 2, zero live bugs were found on the first and second floor. In Trial 1, one live bug was found on both the third and fourth floor, and in Trial 2, zero live bugs were found on the third and fourth floors. Although few were observed, there was a greater number of bugs found on floors three and four.

The third graph, Figure 8, depicts the floor number versus the distance from reptiles. The first floor is the farthest from the reptile room and the fourth floor is the closest.

The fourth graph, Figure 9, depicts spider webs versus the distance from reptiles. Generally, there were many spider webs on the upper three floors for each trial with the least amount on the second floor.

In the spring 2018 semester of Dr. Stephen Brewer’s Writing in Biology course, students were tasked with designing proposal projects. Groups of students then voted on which project to base their poster presentation on. The purpose of the experiment we chose was to examine the relationship between the number of arthropods on window sills in Morrill IV South and their distance from the reptile room, which is located on the fifth floor of the Morrill II building. We observed the window sills adjacent to the bridge connecting Morrill IV North to Morrill IV South on the first, second, third, and fourth floors of the Morrill IV South building for signs of arthropods. These signs included live arthropods, dead arthropods, wings, exoskeletons, cracks, and webs, all of which will be quantified and related to the distance from the reptile room. Variables that influenced the number of arthropods and signs of arthropods include whether or not the window can open and the foot traffic of that particular floor. The aim was to find and explain the relationship between the number of arthropods on respective windowsills and their distances from the reptile room and to discover the ideal distance where arthropods thrive.

Our data in the results section supports the information that was gathered from the studies. According to the luxury effect, the fourth floor should have the greatest number of arthropods since it is the closest to the reptile room. It also has the least amount of foot traffic. Because the first floor has the heaviest human traffic, there were the least amount of arthropods with only 3 spider webs combining both trials. The second floor only had 9 arthropods or signs of arthropods. Third floor had twelve arthropods including dead bugs, live bugs, and spider webs. Fourth floor had 18 including dead bugs, live bugs, and spider webs combining both trials for all 3. Based off of our sources, our data lines up with the luxury effect and the theory that foot traffic reduces the number of arthropods.

First we counted the live arthropods, dead arthropods, webs, and cracks present on each window sill in two separate trials and created a table to quantify our data. The first trial took place on Tuesday, April 17th, and the second trial took place exactly one week later on Tuesday, April 24th. With the help of Professor Brewer, we were able to obtain the distance from all four window sills to the reptile room using Google Earth Pro. This program produced a 3D model of the Morrill II and Morrill IV South building.Using the arrows and ruler tool, the distance was measured. Because the reptile room was on the 5th floor, we had to take distance from all 4 different floors (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th). Next we created four line graphs comparing Trial 1 and Trial 2. These graphs, Figures 1-4, respectively, are called Dead Bugs Versus Distance from Reptiles, Live Bugs Versus Distance from Reptiles, Floor Number Versus Distance from Reptiles, and Spider Webs Versus Distance from Reptiles. Figure 5 was created to put all the data together in one table.

The relationship between the distance from the reptiles to arthropods can be explained by other studies done in the past. An example of a phenomenon that explains this relationship is the luxury effect, which is strong particularly for lizards. Luxury effect displays links between urban biodiversity and sociology-economics (Litwhiler 2016). Studies have shown that factors such as climates and environmental factors play a key role when it comes to living organisms, and reptiles are no exception (Lee and Lim 2016). There are other factors that cause less arthropods, such as foot traffic. Since the first floor being the floor has the most traffic, it will have the least number of arthropods or signs of arthropods, as compared to the 4th floor that doesn’t have as much foot traffic. Since foot traffic causes a disturbance of other living organisms, there are less arthropods present. By critically observing and counting up the numbers of the arthropods and how they contain different physical features whether they be live or dead, we can observe and study how the relationship of the two affects each other.

The video “Great Human Odyssey” is an informative video that walks the viewer through important discoveries made throughout history that help construct the timeline of homo sapien evolution. The overall message of the video is that Homo sapiens as a species are extremely adaptive and are the only species in the world that has been able to cover the entire globe and conquer all types of climates and terrains. Also the video drives home the idea that this adaptive nature is what allowed Homo sapiens to avoid mass extinction, a fate that wiped their ancestors out and pushed them as a species to the brink. I enjoyed the examples of current groups that live like the ancestors, for example the Sans Bushmen who use the “persistent hunting” technique in order to hunt prey, this is the same technique scientists believe that the Sans’ ancestors used when hunting game. I did find that at some points the video was a little bit dry and very heavy with information. But overall I found the video interesting and enjoyable.

We were interested in determining if there was any correlation between how many arthropods were in rooms and how far away the Morrill Greenhouses are. We found barely any correlation and a lot of our quantitative data deviated from the mean. This probably means that there are other variables that play a role in how many arthropods (and spider webs) you can find in various classes. However, this proved to be a very interesting study because we can now compare our results with the results of the other groups that looked at other variables besides distance from the greenhouses such as temperature and distance to the reptile rooms. If we had more time, we would be interested in looking at how outside temperaure compared to indoor temperature affects the arthropod count indoors. Also it would be helpful to know if room use also has any correlation with arthropod count in windowsills.

After making the correct diagnosis, the patient can participate in several types of therapeutic treatments and clinical trials. There are several ongoing and completed trials for treating retinitis pigmentosa with gene therapy, drugs, oxygen therapy, stem cell transplantation and even acupuncture, that can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov. For instance, in a study performed by Rubens C. Siqueira, patients with severe retinitis pigmentosa were treated with an “intravitreal injection of autologous bone marrow stem cells” and evaluated monthly for an entire year with OCT and ERG. Results revealed a “1-line improvement in best-corrected visual acuity was measured in 4 patients 1 week after injection and was maintained throughout follow-up” and no detectable ERG responses. They concluded that since there were no adverse/toxic effects, it would be probable to conduct and investigate more types autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell therapies (Siqueira, 2011).
In another 2011 study, a RHO suppression and RHO replacement gene therapy was administered on a mouse model (P347S) with RHO-linked autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Both 5-day-old and adult mice were injected with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors that were used to “deliver an RNA interference (RNAi)-based rhodopsin suppressor and a codon-modified rhodopsin replacement gene resistant to suppression due to nucleotide alterations at degenerate positions over the RNAi target site” (Millington, 2011). By suppressing and replacing the mutated photoreceptors, the researchers predicted that they should function similarly to wild-type photoreceptors. They found that the ONL completely disappeared in untreated mice (the control group with the disease) and mice that were treated rhodopsin was expressed in the ONL. ERG comparisons between both groups showed significant improved responses when both types of vectors were administered. They also concluded that this type of approach can possibly pertain to any patient with RHO-linked regardless of the mode of action of a particular RHO mutation in future clinical studies (Millington, 2011). Consequently, retinitis pigmentosa is uncurable, however it seems that gene therapy could provide some type of solution.

Siqueira, R C, et al. “Intravitreal Injection of Autologous Bone Marrow-Derived Mononuclear Cells for Hereditary Retinal Dystrophy: a Phase I Trial.” Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.)., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 31 June 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21293313?dopt=Abstract.

Millington-Ward, Sophia, et al. “Suppression and Replacement Gene Therapy for Autosomal Dominant Disease in a Murine Model of Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa.” Molecular Therapy, vol. 19, no. 4, 11 Jan. 2011, pp. 642–649. NCBI, doi:10.1038/mt.2010.293.

There are several barriers to finding cures and treatments of retinitis pigmentosa. Based on the information presented above, this is true because retinitis pigmentosa comes in many specific forms of inheritance, however there are possible modern treatments that could overcome these barriers. Diagnosis would begin with genetic tests (highly recommended) such as applying and sending a DNA sample to “eyeGENE” to find the genes associated with the disease, severity and the progression of the disease (https://eyegene.nih.gov/). Doing so also allows the researchers to provide the patient with possible recruitment into clinical trials. An ERG would measure the retinal electrical activity in response to light (Facts About, 2014). An optical coherence tomography (OCT) would be used to take detailed images of the retina in order to see how much of the retina is affected and to provide a better case in treating the patient’s retinitis pigmentosa.

Title: Effect of Proximity to Greenhouse on Arthropod Presence in Morrill Windowsills
Introduction:
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Morrill Greenhouses have a variety of plant species and arthropods that can have an effect on the presence of arthropods in rooms inside the adjacent Morrill science buildings. Having more knowledge on the indoor arthropod microinvertebrate climate can influence future environmental or health implications. There are few similar studies that have been done on residential microclimates. In this study we collected the quantitative data on spiders, flies, insects and spider webs in window sills/ledges to examine if the distance from the greenhouses has an effect on arthropod presence. The further the room is from the greenhouses, the less arthropods will be present.
Methods:
Collect quantitative data on arthropods (spiders, insects and flies) and spider webs once per week for two weeks.
Find distances between rooms observed and Morrill Greenhouses using Google Earth Pro.
Record and tabulate results.