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VERSION:2.0
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CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
X-WR-CALNAME:Bio. Sci. Graduate Seminar - Prajakta Kokate & Sarah Lewallen
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Eastern Time (US & Canada)
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260607T194732Z
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_31988311799661
DTSTART:20191205T200000Z
DTEND:20191205T210000Z
DESCRIPTION:Prajakta Kokate \nPhD Student \nBiological Sciences  \nAdvisor:
  Thomas Werner \n\nPresentation Title: Quantifying the Genetic Variation a
 nd identifying the Genetic mechanism(s) of mushroom toxin resistance\n\nAb
 stract: Drosophilids are model organisms used in various studies ranging f
 rom ecology to evolutionary genetics. About 2000 known species of drosophi
 lids use a myriad of hosts\, including fruits\, vegetation\, cacti\, and m
 ushrooms. This radiation of drosophilids that allows the use of these chem
 ically distinct hosts involves a series of genetic adaptations. One such a
 daptation is found in the mushroom-feeding (mycophagous) drosophilids. The
  mycophagous drosophilid species studied so far are found to be resistant 
 to α-amanitin\, a lethal toxin present in certain mushroom species.  This
  is intriguing because the provision to be able to tolerate the toxin seem
 s to be an overkill as only 1-2% of the mushroom species possess the letha
 l toxin. Also\, when a species changes its host from mushrooms to vegetati
 on\, the trait of toxin resistance is lost\, which suggests that it must b
 e a costly trait. \n\nThe first aim of my project is to quantify the stand
 ing genetic variation in mushroom toxin resistance in four different speci
 es across three geographically distinct locations.  The fitness costs of t
 he toxin resistance will also be studied. The second aim is to identify th
 e genetic mechanisms that confer resistance to the toxin in these species.
 \n\n \n\nSarah Lewallen\nMS Student \nBiological Sciences  \nAdvisor: John
  Durocher\n\nPresentation Title: Decentering and Arterial Stiffness\n\nAbs
 tract: The stiffening of arteries is an independent predictor of cardiovas
 cular disease which can be negatively impacted by stress and anxiety. Prev
 ious studies with very large sample sizes indicate that there is a moderat
 e correlation between aortic augmentation index (AIx\; an overall indicato
 r of arterial stiffness) and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Mindfuln
 ess-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a method that has been implemented fo
 r centuries in ancient cultures to support relaxation. MBSR promotes kind 
 awareness of thoughts by teaching the practitioner to be present in the cu
 rrent moment without judgment. Decentering\, a mindfulness-related quality
 \, involves an individual’s ability to recognize thoughts as simply psyc
 hological stimuli and accept a distant perspective. Currently\, it is unkn
 own how decentering might influence arterial stiffness (assessed as caroti
 d-to-femoral pulse wave velocity) and aortic wave reflection. Understandin
 g how decentering may impact these cardiovascular variables presents new p
 otential strategies of maintenance or remediation of elevated blood pressu
 re and/or stage I hypertension. The current study investigated the relatio
 nship between the fundamental ability to decenter and cardiovascular varia
 bles such as AIx and arterial stiffness in both normotensive and hypertens
 ive individuals.
GEO:47.120636;-88.546486
LOCATION:Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC)\, 201/202
SUMMARY:Bio. Sci. Graduate Seminar - Prajakta Kokate & Sarah Lewallen
URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.mtu.edu/event/bio_sci_graduate_seminar_-_praja
 kta_kokate_sarah_lewallen
CATEGORIES:Academics
CATEGORIES:Lectures/Seminars
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