Germination of Arabidopsis thaliana Aided by Bacterial Interaction

Hypothesis: Arabidopsis thaliana specimens germinated in isolated soil bacteria will exhibit positive growth characteristics and rates. Background: Arabidopsis thaliana is a small flowering plant in the family, Brassicaceae. The characteristic short lifecycle and other qualities make this model plant for scientific research.1 Nitrogen is very limited in a usable form for plants in most soils. The liberation of nitrogen from the environment is essential for the plants' survival. Nitrogen fixation is done by soil micro-organisms that break apart nitrogenous compounds into simple, assimilable forms of this essential nutrient. Introduction of soil microorganisms is in agricultural to ensure an ample supply of nitrogen containing compounds to improve crop yield. Four ecotypes: Kas-1 (India), Col-0 (USA), Rsch-4 (Russia), and Bs-5 (Switzerland) were used to test the resulting growth with respect to ecotype and origin. Biomass produced from measured using Kas-1 at varying temperatures. Four ecotypes allow for genetic variation to be considered when analyzing the collected results

The Growth of Arabidopsis thaliana Facilitated by Microbe Interaction

Bessie Abrego, Kayla Simmons, and William Omdahl's poster on the presence of microorganisms will facilitate the germination and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana

Microarchitecture and Nanomechanical Properties of Trabecular Bone After Strontium Administration in Osteoporotic Goats

Strontium (Sr) ralenate is a new agent used for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. As a bone-seeking element, 98% of Sr is deposited in the bone and teeth after oral ingestion. However, the effect of Sr treatment on bone microarchitecture and bone nanomechanical properties remains unclear. In this study, 18 osteoporotic goats were divided into four groups according to the treatment regimen: control, calcium alone (Ca), calcium and Sr at 24 mg/kg (Ca + 24Sr), and calcium and Sr at 40 mg/kg (Ca + 40Sr). The effects of Sr administration on bone microarchitecture and nanomechanical properties of trabecular bones were analyzed with micro-CT and nanoindentation test, respectively. Serum Sr levels increased six- and tenfold in the Ca + 24Sr and Ca + 40Sr groups, respectively. Similarly, Sr in the bone increased four- and sixfold in these two groups. Sr administration significantly increased trabecular bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and double-labeled new bone area. Sr administration, however, did not significantly change the nanomechanical properties of trabecular bone (elastic modulus and hardness). The data suggested that Sr administration increased trabecular bone volume and improved the microarchitecture while maintaining the intrinsic tissue properties in the osteoporotic goat model