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... Vitamin E: A Possible Preventative Measure for CTE Cameron Dargis, Dylan Roth College of Arts and Sciences, Marian University Indianapolis 3200 Cold Spring Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46222 ABSTRACT TURBIDITY ASSAY Vitamin E Oxidation GFP Treated yeast samples with vitamin E and iron Shows yeasts natural and treated ability to fight off radical oxygens Turbidity assay was used to give us a visual on how well the yeast Slight increase when no radical oxygens present due to lack of them Dramatic increase in ability when non-heme iron was introduced could survive in the iron dense environments Good first method to evaluate the yeasts viability Viability Vitamine E Efficiency Tube INTRODUCTION This experiment is aimed to aide all future athletes. The brain injury known as CTE can only be diagnosed after death and upon autopsy. Upon research, what causes this is non-heme Iron deposits in the brain cause radical oxygen species that damage the nerve cells. Causes many different mental and physical problems Research on Vitamin E showed that it can accept radical oxygen species and increase neurological health. We will be testing these affects on yeast samples 5 4.5 1 283.7 2 437.2 3 4 3.5 3 2.5 422.8 1.5 4 216.4 1 0.5 5 195.3 0 Control CONCLUSIONS Same solutions used for this as in the turbidity assay affected the reproductive abilities more than the viability of This helped prove that the vitamin E was helping decrease MATERIALS AND METHODS First two methods were not successful, but the GFP gave us the results we needed Results show that Vitamin E inhibits the radical oxygens reacting with non-heme iron This experiment can a pivotal one in the future mental states of all contact sport athletes. the cells the amounts of dead cells, but did not give us enough The applications of this experiment can lead to many new and pivotal information on CTE. The next step for this experiment would to try different time intervals and introduce it to human trials evidence Prep Yeast Samples Bringing more awareness to this subject may be vital to preventing thousands of mental issues for all athletes. Treat with Vitamin E and Iron Tube 1 2 Hemocytometer iron HEMOCYTOMETER HYPOTHESIS Turbidity Assay Vitamin e 2 When counting dead and alive cells we were surprised it If yeast is treated with Vitamin E before being exposed to radical oxygen species via non-heme iron, then it will have a higher survivability than the non-treated yeast samples. Vehicle Bradford Assay GFP Alive 332 47 Dead 3 1 Trypan Blue (ml) 40 40 PBS (ml) 10 10 3 85 1 40 10 4 100 2 40 10 5 68 0 40 10 LITERATURE CITED [1] Aiguo Wu, Zhe Ying, & Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2009). Vitamin E protects against oxidative damage and learning disability after mild traumatic brain injury in rats. Neurorehabilitation and neural repair, 24(3), 290-8. [2] Nisenbaum, E. J., Novikov, D. S., & Lui, Y. W. (2014). The presence and role of iron in mild traumatic brain injury: an imaging perspective. Journal of neurotrauma, 31(4), 301-7. [3]Vitamin E natural compounds Alpha-Tocopherol a.k.a. Vitamin E. - ppt download. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://slideplayer.com/slide/5808545/ [4] Zhang, S., Qin, X., Lu, H., Wan, M., and Zhu, Y. (2016) The influence of vitamin E supplementation on yeast fermentation. J. Inst. Brew., 122: 289292. doi: 10.1002/jib.327. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to Dr. Doci and Kegan Main for aiding us in these experiments in lack of other partners.  ...

... Jacqueline Benitez, Katelyn McLaughlin, Mira Nicpon, Abigail Rost Dr. Doci BIO 204 Analyzing the Efficacy of Natural Baby Soaps for the Elimination of Bacterial Colonization on Bath Toys ABSTRACT Bacteria are one of the most abundant life forms in the environment. These microorganisms can be located anywhere, including bath toys that children may utilize. Although many may believe that the bath toys are cleaned due to the water and sap in the bath, studies have discovered that these water-retaining bath toys are a base for the formation of bacterial biofilms. These studies demonstrate that the biofilm formation can be influenced by the nutrients in the care products, such as baby soap. Unfortunately, very little is known about the interaction between bacteria on bath toys and baby soaps. Therefore, this research investigated the influence that organic and non-organic baby soaps have on the growth of Escherichia coli on rubber ducks. It was hypothesized that organic baby soaps would be more efficient at eliminating bacteria due to the natural antibacterial properties in some of its ingredients. In order to investigate the efficiency, five rubber ducks were coated with E. coli and then were washed with their respective soap. Colony formation assays were used to evaluate the efficiency of each soap at preventing the colonization of E. coli on the rubber ducks. Through this procedure, it was found that the organic baby soaps were more effective in preventing bacterial colonization. Potential infections in children can be prevented and environments could be sanitized properly by having an efficient soap that will eliminate bacteria effectively. INTRODUCTION Water-retaining bath toys have been known to harbor an elevated amount of potentially pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In the study, M l i-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak in a pediatric oncology ward related to bath o Jim B e and Saman ha Alabaster discovered that the bath toys in a pediatric oncology ward were a likely source of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak (Buttery et al., 1998). They discovered colonies of P. aeruginosa in the toys and their retained water that genetically matched the bacteria infecting the patients. Unknowingly, bath toys are promoting the growth of bacteria in the environment. However, it is important to consider factors in the environment that may influence the formation of biofilms on and within the water- retaining bath toys. A recent study revealed that biofilm formation on bath toys may be influenced by non- specified organic and nonorganic nutrients introduced to the water from care products, such as shampoo, body washes, etc. (Neu et al., 2018). However, the effects of care products such as shampoo, body washes, etc. on biofilm fo ma ion and bac e ial g o tree oil body wash ve h in ba h o ha e no been ho o ghl e plo ed In he d Tea anda d ca e o p e en coloni a ion Black ood and Thomp on in e iga ed he infl ence of ea ee oil and John on Bab Sof Wa h in p e en ing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization. Through this study, Blackwood and Thompson did no iden if an ignifican coloni a ion diffe ence and concl ded ha he John on Baby Soft Wash and tea tree oil were not effective in reducing colonization (Blackwood et al., 2013). This study was conducted in two intensive care units on critically ill adults who were randomized o John on oap o ee ee oil The efo e he e i a gap in e ea ch beca e hi d a conducted on humans and not bath toys. Due to this gap in research, there is an absence in understanding how these care products affect bacterial growth on bath toys and if there are certain products that can reduce or enhance bacterial growth. Since there is not an abundant amount of research on this topic, people are unaware that there are factors that can aid bacterial growth on the bath toys utilized by their children. These bath toys can prompt children to become ill if the bacteria are pathogenic. In order to continue with the research, we will investigate how organic and non-organic soaps affect the growth of the bacteria Escherichia coli on rubber ducks. The idea was that organic and non-organic soaps are both general designations, and both are available for the average consumer to purchase. By exploring the effectiveness of these organic and non-organic soaps, we can identify which bath products can inhibit bacterial growth and biofilm formation and which products enhance it. In this experiment, it is hypothesized that organic baby soaps will create a more opportunistic environment for bacteria to grow on a rubber duck compared to non-organic soaps. We believe that organic baby soaps will be more efficient in eliminating bacteria because they contain a higher source of antibacterial ingredients, such as rosemary and coconut oil. By conducting research on the efficiency of baby soaps, we will be able to educate society about the importance bath products have on biofilm formation on rubber ducks and other bath toys. Children are getting ill due to infected toys that were not properly cleaned or cleaned with ineffective cleaning products. With further experimentation, effective cleaning protocols, can by produced to decrease bacterial growth on toys that are continuously used by children. METHODS Preparation of LB Agar Plates. The agar plates were prepared for the inoculation of E. coli and to observe the amount of E. coli on the ducks after being cleansed by the different soaps. The agar solution for plates was prepared according to Table 1 and autoclaved for 15 minutes at 121oC under 60 psi. While the agar solution was being autoclaved, the plate pouring station was set up. We laid out 15 agar plates, obtained a 10mL automatic pipette, and then sanitized our station to create a clean work area. After the Agar solution was autoclaved, 10 mL was pipetted into each plate to create an equal amount of materials in each plate. Table 1. Preparation of LB Agar Plates LB Broth 5g BactoAgar 3.75 g Sterile Water 150 mL Inoculating E. coli on a Plate. In order to coat the rubber ducks in E. coli, a LB agar place was obtained and labeled with the plasmid name, date, and initials. Using a sterile loop, an E. coli colony was obtained and gently spread over a section of the plate. Then, the loop was dragged through the first streak and spread into another section. This step was repeated two more times. After the last streak, the plate was incubated overnight at 37oC. Preparation of LB Broth. The LB broth was prepared to grow the E. coli in a liquid culture to coat the rubber ducks. The LB Broth was prepared according to Table 2 and autoclaved for 15 minutes at 121oC under 60 psi. Once the autoclaving was completed, the LB broth was placed into the 4oC refrigerator. Table 2. Preparation of LB Broth Lactobacilli Broth Mix 11g Sterile Water 220 mL Inoculating E. coli in Liquid Culture. To utilize the E. coli for experimentation, 10 mL of LB broth were added to a 15mL conical-bottom centrifuge tube. Using a pipette, a single colony was obtained from the plate streaked previously. The pipette was ejected into the tube and inoculated at 37oC overnight. Coating Rubber Ducks with E. coli and Washing. After the bacteria grew in the LB broth, it was transferred to a dish. The five rubber ducks were coated with the bacteria in the dish and located into a separate beaker. The soap mixtures were prepared as seen in Table 3. After the soap mixtures were prepared, they were aggregated to the beaker and the rubber ducks were washed for five minutes. Once the rubber ducks were cleansed, they were transferred to a towel to dry. Table 3. Preparation of Soap Mixtures Duck #1 John on 6mL 150mL of H2O Duck #2 Lafe 6mL 150mL of H2O Duck #3 Dr. Woods 6mL 150mL of H2O Duck #4 Aveeno 6mL 150mL of H2O Duck #5 Control 6mL 150mL of H2O UVA Transmittance Once the ducks were dried, they were placed into separate beakers and then placed under a UV lamp in order to identify potential bacterial growth that would be illuminated by the lamp. Serial Dilution and Plating. After realizing that the UVA lamp did not provide any conclusive e l C e a e ial dil ion a planned acco ding o Dil ion and Pla ing of Bac e ia and Growth After each duck was dry, the five rubber ducks were placed into separate beakers, in which 10mL of LB broth was added. The duck was swirled around in the beaker and the broth was transferred into a 15mL bottom centrifuge tube to incubate overnight. This was completed for the five rubber ducks. Then a serial dilution was performed, as seen in Table 4, for each rubber duck. Table 4. Serial Dilution LB Broth Dilution 1 L L of D ck E. coli Dilution 2 L L of Dil ion 1 Dilution 3 L L of Dil ion After the serial dilution, three LB agar plates were obtained for each duck. In each plate, 100 microliters of each dilution were added and spread onto plates. After the plates were inoculated with the dilution, they were incubated at 37oC for 24 hours. RESULTS UVA Transmittance The rubber ducks were placed under a UV lamp after being cleansed and allowed to air dry in order to observe if the rubber ducks cleansed with baby soap still harbored bacteria. This was done with the intention of being able to quantify the number of bacteria growing on the surface of the ducks. However, this method gave us little to no data. As seen in Figure 1, it was not easy to identify bacterial growth on the ducks under the UV light. Therefore, a different approach was utilized to yield results over the experiment. Figure 1. Cleansed Ducks 1-4 under UVA Lamp. Serial Dilution and Plating of Bacteria The serial dilution and plating were utilized to measure the amount of Escherichia coli on the rubber ducks after they were cleansed with the assigned baby soap and observe if organic baby soaps harbored more bacteria that non-organic baby soaps. In the serial dilution, duck number five was treated as an indicator of uncontrolled bacterial growth since it was not cleansed. Each serial dilution was inoculated onto agar plates to observe the number of forming colonies to be able to compare each soap. Run 1. The initial serial dilutions and plating completed demonstrated that the four soaps were capable of reducing the concentration of bacteria on the rubber ducks. As seen in Figure 2, rubber duck number five has the highest concentration of E. coli on the agar plate since it was not cleansed with any soap. The four cleansed rubber ducks have significantly less bacterial growth on the agar plates of each solution than the uncleansed rubber duck. Figure 2 and Table 5 portray that rubber ducks washed with the organic baby soaps have few to no forming colonies. Rubber duck n mbe o di infec ed i h Lafe o ganic bab oap po a ed no g o h on he h ee dil ed agar plates. Rubber duck number three, washed with Dr. Woods organic baby soap, had two forming colonies in the first dilution and no colonies in the second and third dilution. On the other hand, the rubber ducks cleansed with non-organic baby soaps had multiple forming colonies. As seen in Table 5 and Figure 2 bbe d ck n mbe one 40 more E. coli colonie han bbe d ck n mbe a hed i h John on bab oap g e o and h ee R bbe d ck n mbe fo cleansed with Aveeno, had the highest amount of forming colonies out of the four disinfected rubber ducks. Through the plating of the serial dilutions, it can be observed that the non-organic baby soaps preserved higher forming colonies than the organic baby soaps. In this run, it can be concluded that organic baby soaps had a higher efficacy in eliminating bacterial colonization. Figure 2. Serial Dilution #1 of E. Coli Growth on Rubber Ducks Table 5. Serial Dilution Results Colony Forming Units Duck # Soap Dilution 10-1 Dilution 10-2 Dilution 10-3 Utilized 1 John on 40 25 10 2 Lafe 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 Dr. Woods - 4 Aveeno 55 7 1 5 Control 500 300 100 Figure 3. Average Colony Forming Units Run 2. The second serial dilution and plating reinforced that the four soaps reduced the number of bacteria on the rubber ducks. As seen in Figure 4, rubber duck number five has a significantly higher average CFUs. Figure 4 and Table 6 portrayed a similar trend as the previous n b he e a e impo an diffe ence R bbe d ck n mbe o di infec ed i h Lafe o ganic baby soap, portrayed a higher number of colonies than the first run. In the first serial dilution, duck number two had no colonies in any of the dilution. There was a significant increase in the colonies. On the other hand, rubber duck number three, washed with Dr. Woods organic baby soap, had no forming colonies in any of the dilution. In the last run, this duck had two colonies in the first serial dil ion and none in dil ion o and h ee R bbe d ck one a hed i h John on al o had a significant change. As observed in Figure 3, the plate has one merging colony. Unlike the last run, the colonies are merging into one making it difficult to calculate the exact CFUs. However, in the second and third dilution, no colonies are seen. In this run, the CFUs decreased and had less than he o ganic bab oap Lafe R bbe d ck n mbe fo clean ed i h A eeno demon a ed ha same trend. It had less CFUs than the control, but the plates had more bacteria than the ducks a hed i h he o ganic oap and John on Wi h i con i ency, it can be seen that Aveeno may eliminate some of the bacteria; however, it is not as efficient as other baby soaps. In this run, it is unclear which soap is more efficient since Dr. Woods and Johnson's yielded similar results. Figure 3. Serial Dilutions of E. Coli Growth on Rubber Ducks week 2 Table 6. Colony Forming Units Colony Forming Units Duck # Soap Dilution 10- Utilized 1 Dilution 10-2 Dilution 10-3 1 John on 1 0 0 2 Lafe 34 7 1 0 0 0 3 Dr. Woods 4 Aveeno 116 56 7 5 Control 800 300 250 Figure 4. Average Colony Forming Units As seen in Figure 5, run 1 and 2 portrayed that the organic soaps have fewer E. coli colony forming units than the non-organic bay soaps. Collectively, there is a significant difference between the efficiency of the organic and non-organic baby soap. Therefore, it can be concluded that organic baby soaps were more efficient in eliminating bacterial colonization. Figure 5. Overall Efficiency of Baby Soaps DISCUSSION Recent studies have discovered that water-retaining bath toys are a base for the formation of bacterial biofilms due to available nutrients from care products. In order to investigate the effect of baby soaps on biofilm formation, we tested how organic and non-organic baby soaps affected the growth of the bacteria Escherichia coli on rubber ducks. It was hypothesized that the organic baby soaps would be more efficient in eliminating bacterial colonization on the water-retaining toys. Initially, the original method designed did not yield concise results. When the rubber ducks were observed under the UVA lamp, it demonstrated a vague number of bacteria; however, it was difficult to record concise data. Therefore, a colony formation assay was completed to generate quantitative data. The results of the colony formation assay affirmed the hypothesis that organic baby soaps would eliminate bacterial colonization more effectively than non-organic baby soaps. The results of the first run portrayed that the ducks washed with the non-organic soaps, Jon on and A eeno lef a mode a e amo n of bac e ial colon fo ming ni and he Lafe and Dr. Woods organic baby soaps demonstrated little to no colony forming units. The control duck, which was not washed, produced a large amount of colony forming units. The results of our second run during week 2 were largely consistent. The ducks with the least amount of bacterial growth e e d ck John on non-o ganic and d ck D Wood o ganic D ck Lafe o ganic produced several colonies where before there had been none. Duck 4 (Aveeno, non-organic) displayed similar results as the week before. However, the rubber ducks washed with organic baby soaps, collectively, eliminated more bacteria than the non-organic baby soaps Some of the ingredients in the organic baby soaps have antibacterial properties. This why it was hypothesized that the ducks washed with the organic baby soaps would contain less bacterial colonies. For example, the Dr. Woods baby soap contained sea salt and rosemary extract. A study discovered that rosemary was effective in preventing growth of bacteria, such as E. coli, the model organism utilized. Coconut oil, which was an ingredient in both organic soaps and, had also been found to have antimicrobial properties due to the lauric acid (Nakatsuji et al). In Figure 5, it can be seen that the organic baby soaps had fewer colony forming units than the control and non-organic baby soaps. Therefore, it can be concluded that the organic baby soaps were more efficient overall because they contained the nutrients with antibacterial properties. This research allowed us to understand that using any type of baby soap is better than not using any at all although organic baby soaps may be more effective in eliminating bacteria. The data demonstrated that not using any soap resulted in at least 500 bacterial colony forming units. Therefore, it is important to provide families with an effective method to sanitize their bath toys with an efficient soap so bacterial growth is eliminated. In the future, it would be beneficial to determine specific bacterial species that can be effectively cleaned with the baby soaps utilized in this experiment. It would be interesting if we could identify if there is a specific ingredient in organic baby soaps that are eliminating the bacteria. By identifying this ingredient, it could be aggregated to cleaning products to enhance their effectiveness and eliminate bacterial colonization. RESOURCES Blackwood, B., Thompson, G., McMullan, R., Stevenson, M., Riley, T. V., Alderdice, F. A., Trinder, T. J., Lavery, G. G. and McAuley, D. F. (2013). Tea tree oil (5%) body wash versus standard care (Johnson's Baby Softwash) to prevent colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in critically ill adults: a randomized controlled trial. J Antimicrob Chemother 68, 1193-1199 Bozin, B., Mimica-D ki N Samojlik I Jo in E An ibac e ial and an io idan p ope ie of rosemary and sage (Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Salvia officinalis L.) essential oils. Planta Medica, 73,09. Buttery, J. P., Alabaster, S. J., Heine, R. G., Scott, S. M., Crutchfield, R. A., & Garland, S. M. (1998). Multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak in a pediatric oncology ward related to bath toys. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 17, 509-513. Ibfelt, T., Engelund, E.H., Schultz, A.C. and Andersen, L.P. (2015). Effect of Cleaning and Disinfection of Toys on Infectious Diseases and Micro-Organisms in Daycare Nurseries. Journal of Hospital Infection 89, 109 115. Neu, L., Bnziger C., Proctor C.R., Zhang, Y., Liu, W.T., Hammes, F. (2018). Ugly Ducklings- the Dark Side of Plastic Materials in Contact with Potable Water. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 4, 7. Rosso, J. D., Kim, G., Nakatsuji, T., Kao, M., Fang, J., Zouboulis, C.,Huang, C. (2011). Antimicrobial Property of Lauric Acid Against Propionibacterium Acnes: Its Therapeutic Potential for Inflammatory Acne Vulgaris. Yearbook of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, 10,186-187.  ...

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... The Effects of Sugars on Lactobacillus casei Growth Alexis Felty, Sidney Gerkin, Taylor Kowalski, Parker Williams College of Arts and Sciences, Marian University Indianapolis 3200 Cold Spring Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46222 ABSTRACT CREATION OF STANDARD CURVE The Western culture tends to deem the Eastern culture as obese and unhealthy due to the large amounts of saturated fats and abundance of sugars that it consumes. Some studies argue that Lactobacillus casei can alter health and researchers are attempting to prove that different sugars, natural or artificial, have different effects on the growth of L. casei [1]. L. casei was chosen as the experimental model due to easily replicable growing conditions and the importance of the bacteria in the gut microbiome. Figure 1. Lactobacillus casei. L. casei is a bacteria that is located in the small intestine. Figure 3. Concentration of Bacteria vs. NTU A bacteria concentration of 0.25 would produce an NTU of ~300, which is an ideal concentration of bacteria needed in order to produce an accurate turbidity. TURBIDITY RESULTS CONCLUSIONS o Death of Lactobacillus casei occurred with the addition of lactose, glucose, sucrose, and saccharin. (1) (3) (2) (4) Source: www.devbio.biology.gatech.edu Sugar-bacteria solutions were created and their turbidities were taken to quantify the amount of bacteria growth after 24 hours of incubation. We hypothesized that the lactose would result in greater proliferation of Lactobacillus casei than glucose, sucrose, and saccharin, respectively. However, we found that all the additional sugars added to the bacteria have an inhibitory effect on the growth of L. casei. By identifying the effects that different sugars have on the concentration of bacteria within the gut microbiome, it will then be possible to manipulate diets and understand the effects that both natural and artificial sugars will have on the body. MATERIALS AND METHODS Create Solutions Incubation Decanting Resuspension Turbidity Assay o MRS Plate An MRS Plate was created to grow L. casei colonies. o The additional sugars were added to the MRS broth which already contained an ideal amount of sugar for L. casei growth. This combination could have caused a sugar-overload resulting in the death of bacteria. o Too much sugar could be detrimental to the gut microbiome. o Consuming diet sodas is no more beneficial or detrimental to your health than consuming naturally sweetened drinks. Figure 4. NTU Normalized to No Additional Sugar Added The raw turbidities of all experimental replicates were normalized to the turbidity of the no sugar added control. FUTURE DIRECTIONS o Simulate the gut microbiome by creating an environment with many different types of bacteria. We will identify the differential sensitivity of the sugars. o Create the MRS broth from scratch, leaving out the dextrose, allowing us to control the amount of sugar within the broth. Through titration of the sugars, we will identify the point at which the bacteria overload on sugar. o MRS Broth MRS Broth was made as a growing solution for the L. casei. o Turbidity Assay A turbidity assay allows for the concentration of the bacteria solutions to be quantified. Figure 2. Sugar-Bacteria Solutions Figure 6. Sugar Structures The chemical structures of lactose (1), glucose (2), sucrose (3), and saccharin (4). LITERATURE CITED [1] Guarner, F., & Malagelada, J. R. (2003). Gut flora in health and disease. The Lancet, 361(9356), 512-519. Figure 5. Effect of Sugar on L. casei Growth This figure compares the average turbidities of all experimental replicates to that of the no sugar added control. The outlying runs from Figure 4 were removed from this graph. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank Dr. Colleen Doi and Kegan Main for all their help guiding us through this process.  ...

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... The Effects of Sexual Dimorphism on Toxic Prey Avoidance in the Chinese Praying Mantis, Tenodera sinensis Sophie Podgorski, Emma Swartz, Tisa Steinmeyer, and Kayla I. Miller, PhD College of Arts and Sciences, Marian University Indianapolis 3200 Cold Spring Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46222 INTRODUCTION This experiment strives to investigate if sex based behaviors in praying mantid feeding habits hold true when sexual dimorphism is not obvious in juvenile mantids Sensitivity to bitter tastes provides an important means for animals to detect various toxic compounds in food (Wooding et al. 2006). In predators, taste sensitivity also allows animals to exploit nutritious but toxic food sources by monitoring the consumption of compounds that may cause illness or death (Wooding et al. 2006). Studies on the Chinese praying mantis, Tenodera sinensis, show that the mantids will wipe their mouths, shake, and reject bitter tasting toxic prey when it is encountered (Carle et al. 2015). Adult male mantids were found to have a more exaggerated response, lower level of acceptance, and reduced consumption of bitter prey compared to females who have higher nutritional requirements due to their larger bodies and reproductive cycles (Carle et al. 2015). A difference in juvenile mantid feeding behavior based on sex has not been observed (Paradise and Stamp, 1991) MATERIALS AND METHODS 0 MM AND 50 MM CONCENTRATION Figure 1. Ethogram showing the activity happening during the feeding time for 50 mM concentration Figure 2. Ethogram showing the activity happening during the feeding time for 0 mM concentration Figure 3. Ethogram showing our expected results for how females would react as adults at the 50 mM concentration of quinine Figure 4. Ethogram showing our expected results for how males would react as adults at the 50 mM concentration of quinine Females reacted 22% of the time while males reacted 50% of the time when given the 50mM concentration of quinine 500 MM CONCENTRATION Figure 5. Ethogram showing the activity happening during the feeding time for 500 mM concentration . Figure 6. Ethogram showing our expected results for how females would react as adults at the 500 mM concentration of quinine Figure 7. Ethogram showing our expected results for how females would react as adults at the 500 mM concentration of quinine Picture 1. Praying mantis having no reaction Picture 2. Praying mantis reacting to bitter taste Picture 3. Praying mantis during the first trial FOOD CHOICE PREDICTS SEXUAL DIMORPHISM The predicted results are the praying mantids would have more reactions and rejections with the 500 mM concentration group than the 50 mM concentration group It is anticipated the mantids would react more frequently to the bitter taste in the 50mM trial and still eat the prey while in the 500mM trial the mantids would reject the flies and not eat them at all This outcome would be expected because the 500 mM concentration of Quinine was the more bitter tasting one Individuals within this study would have different reactions to the bitter taste and frequently reject the flies or react to the bitter taste, which could be from sexual dimorphism Once the individuals could be sexed, the hypothesis could beconfirmed in that females were more willing to eat bitter prey than males This would match up with the results from Carle et al. 2015. They found that adult male mantids are more sensitive to bitter taste than the adult female mantids FUTURE DIRECTIONS Unfortunately, our praying mantids did not hatch so all of the above data is speculative data based upon our pilot study we did during Spring 2018 To continue this research, we would repeat the pilot study starting our trials during the mantids third instar and sex them once they were in their 5th instar LITERATURE CITED With the 500 mM concentration the females reacted 68% of the time and rejected the flies 23% while the males reacted 45% of the time but rejected the flies at 52%. Carle, T., Yamashita, T., & Yamawaki, Y. (2015). Aversion for bitter taste reveals sexual differences in alimentation strategies in a praying mantis. Animal behaviour, 106, 79-87. Paradise, C. J., & Stamp, N. E. (1991). Prey recognition time of praying mantids (Dictyoptera: Mantidae) and consequent survivorship of unpalatable prey (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Journal of Insect Behavior, 4(3), 265-273. Wooding, S., Bufe, B., & Grassi, C. (2006). Independent evolution of bitter-taste sensitivity in humans and chimpanzees. Nature International Journal of Science, 440, 930-934. Paradise, C. J., & Stamp, N. E. (1990). Variable quantities of toxic diet cause different degrees of compensatory and inhibitory responses by juvenile praying mantids. Entomologia experimentalis et applicata, 55(3), 213-222.  ...

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