Welcome to 2014 LSMCE Undergraduate
Research Poster Presentation!
Friends of Louis Stokes Midwest Center of Excellence,
You are cordially invited to LSMCE Student Poster Session on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at
Chicago Marriott Schaumburg, Foyers E-F from 10:30 to 11:40 am. We received 52 research
poster abstracts from talented undergraduate students attending 30 colleges and universities across the nation. The students are here to present the outcomes of their hands-on research learning under the mentorship of faculty members in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at their institutions.
One of the LSMCE goals for the conference is to highlight the value of undergraduate research and to provide underrepresented minority students the opportunity to showcase
their scholarly accomplishments and personal commitment to disciplinary learning. You will
be amazed at their creativity and inspiration to advanced studies in the STEM disciplines. We
hope you will take time to meet the students and ask them about their research process and
learning gains from their disciplinary focused research projects. Your interest in their work
would be an intrinsic reward for their continuing scholarly pursuit in the STEM disciplines.
Furthermore, the poster session offers a unique opportunity for URM students to learn from
each other, to network for career development and to experience the essence of disciplinary
professionalization.
Welcome!
Kim S. Nguyen, Ed.D.
Co-PI and Co-Director of the Louis Stokes Midwest Center of Excellence
http://www.lsmceconference.org/
The Louis Stokes Midwest Center of Excellence (LSMCE) 2014 Conference, Roadmap to Action: LSAMP Principles for Broadening Participation
in STEM, is supported by the National Science Foundation award
#1202563.
Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed
in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the National Science Foundation. LSMCE does not discriminate based on gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.
10:30– 11:40 a.m.
Poster Session
(Foyers E-F)
The conference poster session will be in Foyer E-F from 10:30 a.m. to approximately 11:40 a.m. Students will be available to answer questions over their research during this time. Posters will be on display from 4:00 p.m. Friday evening
until noon on Saturday, October 25.
Photos of students and their research posters will be taken at the event. The posters will be judged by an invited panel of experts.
Map available on page 24
Oral Presentation Awardees will present on Saturday, October 25
from 3:15-4:00 p.m., in Salon I/J.
Come show your support!
3:15 – 3:30 p.m.
The Effects of the Ubiquitous Industrial Toxin 4-nonylphenol on the Human
Immunoproteasome System
Adil Afridi
SUNY College at Old Westbury
3:30– 3:45 p.m.
Ionizing Radiation Affects Epigenetic Programming in Adolescent Mice
Darryl Watkins
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
3:45 - 4:00 p.m.
Investigation of the Influence of Environmental Factors on Bromeliad Invertebrate Biodiversity
Maya Navarro
DePaul University
Supported by Fermilab
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Name (Last, First)
Poster
Poster Title
University
#
Alanis, Joseph
Upper Iowa University
1
The Math of Image Compression: JPEG
Antchouey, Coretha
Kennesaw State University
2
Expression of Dinoflagellate HV1 from Pichia
Appiah-Pippim, Georgette
University of Connecticut
3
Investigating the Bioactive Constituents From the Blue-Green Algae,
Spirulina plantesis and Nostoc commune
Batres, Gary
Doane College
4
Reactive Arrays of Colorimetric Sensors for Metabolite and Steroid Identification
Becker, Cody
University of WI-Milwaukee
5
Using Kites for Aerial Photography to Obtain Pictures of Chladophora
Algae
Bell, Kwame
Syracuse University
6
Thinking Big: Estradiol Regulates Memory and Bioenergetcs
Benn, Stephen
Syracuse University
7
Incorporation of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) to Reinforce the Mechanical
Stability Provided by an Electrospun Thermoplastic Polyurethane Sleeve
for the Purpose of Stabilizing Bone Defects
Bradley, Joseph
Harris-Stowe State University
8
Medicinal Plants of Peru: Respiratory Treatments
Brown, Angelic
Rochester Institute of Technology
9
Gamification in Education and Its Potential Risks and Benefits to Motivating Student Interest In Learning
Butler, Tia
DePaul University
10
Synthesis and Characterization of {[bis(3,5-dimethylphenyl)phosphino]
methyl}diphenyl Phosphine
Conner, Justin
Oregon State University
11
Biological Contaminant Effects on the Disease Susceptibility of PostMetamorphic Amphibians.
Conor, Phillip
University of WI– Eau Claire
12
Synthesis and Systematic Study of Smart Diblock Copolymer PEGPDMAEMA
Covarrubias, Ernesto
California State University,
Los Angeles
Day, Centennial
Harris-Stowe State University
13
Biomechanical Tolerance of Human Tibia Models Under Dynamic LateroMedial Bending
14
The C. elegans Microtubule Minus-end Capping Homolog, PTRN-1, Stabilizes Synapses and Neurites
Dixon, Dannea
Syracuse University
15
Analyzing the Ground Water Quality in the Homes of Central New York
State Residents, Pre-Hydraulic Fracturing
Esterlen, Bethany
Western Illinois University
16
Forensic Discrimination of Lipstick
Evans, Taylor
Rochester Institute of Technology
17
The Role of Kinases in Alpha-Synuclein Oligomerization and Their Potential Involvement in Parkinson's Disease
Faronbi, Paul
Iowa State University
18
Growth and Differentiation of Brain Progenitor Cells on 2-D and 3-D Polystyrene Substrates
Gilbert, Reesheda
Kennesaw State University
19
Morphological and Ultrastructural changes due to antifungal activity of
Essential Oil Vapors Against Aspergillus Species in Georgia Peanuts
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Location Numbers
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Girgis, Shady
University of WI-Milwaukee
20
Monitoring DNA Binding to a Yellow Fluorescent Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Helicase Fusion Protein using FRET
Gonzales, Justin
Western Illinois University
21
Ultra-Sensitive Radio Frequency Measurements of Material Properties Utilizing
a Tunnel Diode Resonator Circuit
Granados, Norma
Iowa State University
22
Microfluidics for Organ-on-Chip Applications
Halbe, Daniel
Western Illinois University
23
Undergraduate Research with the World's Largest Single-Dish Radio Telescope: Monitoring the Variability of Molecular Radiation in a Star Forming Region
Hightower, Cary
Bradley University/North Carolina A&T State University
24
Anthropometric Study of Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMD)
in Male Non-classical Pianists
Jones, Crystal
Iowa State University
25
Targeted Deletion of Zebrafish lncRNAis18 with TALENs
Jones-Butts, Shannon
Southern University and A&M
College
Kelley, Shameka
Lincoln University
26
Nutritional Analysis of Goat Meat Patties Compared to Pork Patties
27
Figs, Newton and More: Creating Future STEM Leaders for a Diverse World
Kohl-Blomsness, Nokoma
University of WI– Eau Claire
28
4-Point Resistivity Measurements of Silicon-Carbide Nanowires
Lopes Costa, Icaro
Western Illinois University
29
Modeling and Visualization of a Time-Dependent Phenomenon in Astrophysics
Lujan, Andreina
Regis University
30
Co-oxidation and Catalysis in Chromic Acid Oxidations:
A Model for the Detoxification of Hexavalent Chromium in Water
Malone, Margaret
Bradley University
31
A Biomechanical Study Investigating Non Classical Female Pianists and Factors
Contributing to the Exposure of Playing Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
(PRMD)
Maluwelmeng, Connie
Iowa State University
32
Modeling and Optimization of Solar Tower Power Plants
Martinez, Gerardo
Syracuse University
33
Mercury Fate in the Madison County Constructed Wetland
Martins, Dennise
University of Rhode Island
34
Male Factor Infertlity
Mbog, Rodrigue
University of Iowa
35
Identification and Characterization of Novel Circadian Rhythm Genes Through
the Use of Tissue Specific RNA Interference in Drosophila
Murillo, Esdras
Iowa State University
36
Solar Driven Liquid Desiccant System Dehumidifier
Niederklopfer, Anthony
Iowa State University
37
Implementation of High-Speed Imaging and Digital In-Line Holography to
Study Feedstock Degradation Within a Pyrolysis Reactor
2
Name (Last, First)
Poster
#
Poster Title
Obi, Sierra
University of Rhode Island
38
Nanoparticle Interactions with Modle Cell Membranes
Odufuye, Zaid
University of Rhode Island
39
Electronic Waste (also known as E-Waste)
Pena, Alexis
Syracuse University
40
A Computational Investigation of Tight Junctions
Roberts, Anthony
Northern Illinois University
41
Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy as a Method of Rapid Bacteria Detection and Analysis
Romero, Alicia
California Polytechnic State
University
42
Adapting Chromosome Conformation Capture to Assay Human Fecal Samples
Sanders, Tim
Chicago State University
43
The Big Ideas Of Cosmology
Sanders, Jazmine
Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville
Santos Teixeira, Wallace
Western Illinois University
44
Several Antibacterial Antibiotics Enhance Some Immune Responses in
Mice
45
On Quantum Error Correction via Uhrig Dynamical Decoupling
Sargent-Johnson, Nicholas
West Virginia University
46
Assessment of the Affinity of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles to Estradiol
Scheibel, Raymond
Western Illinois University
47
Arboviruses in western Illinois: A West Nile Virus Surveillance Study and
Vector Biology Educational Initiative
Shoemaker, Katherine
Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute
Spears, Andre’
Southern University and A&M
College
48
Velocity Substructure in the Virgo Overdensity
49
Investigating the Interactions of Competing Adsorbates on Pt Catalysts
using Electrochemical Techniques
Strickland, Brenisha
Chicago State University
50
Determining and Measuring the Accumulation of Vitamin C in Prairie Garden Plants
Valerio, Kevin
University of Rhode Island
51
The Demand for Paper Based Lateral Flow Devices
Wong, Liam
Oregon State University
52
Semi-Quantitative Readout in a Paper-based Test for the Home Monitoring
of Phenylalanine Levels in Phenylketonuria Patients
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Student Awardee
Abstracts
Louis Stokes Midwest Center of Excellence congratulates the 2014 Oral
Presentation Award winners and extends our gratitude to Fermilab for sponsoring
the LSMCE 2014 Student Awards.
Adil Afridi
SUNY College at Old Westbury
The Effects of the Ubiquitous Industrial Toxin 4-nonylphenol on the
Human Immunoproteasome System
With the arrival of the industrial revolution and with the continuous advancement of technology, toxic chemicals have become ubiquitous in today’s society. Scientists have found an alarming presence of 4-nonylphenol (4-np) in our environment
and in the products of our homes. 4-nonylphenol is banned by the European Union due to its toxicity but still legally used in
the U.S. It is used in the production of surfactants to make plastics, rubbers, cleaning products, cosmetics and other products humans are constantly exposed to. Scientific research has also detected 4-np in our soil, air, major rivers and lakes,
bottled water, and in the animals we eat, including fish. Once in the body, 4-nonylphenol functions as a xenoestrogen and
binds to estrogen receptors on lymphocytes to evoke an immune response. Previous research has found that embryos exposed to 4-np have developed sexual deformations, birth defects, learning disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases.
Lakes with high levels of 4-np has shown increased incidence of hermaphroditism amongst its salmon population. In this
project, experimental trials were designed to determine the acute and chronic effects of 4-np on key human immunoproteasome genes and its link to autoimmune diseases. In time-dose dependent trials, U-937 human leukemia cells were treated with 1 nM and 5 nM concentrations of 4-nonylphenol. These samples were incubated for intervals of 24- hours, 48hours, and 4-days to determine its effect on LMP7, IL-10, and GSK-3 genes. The selected genes play a critical role in the inflammatory response, including immunocyte signaling, antigen presentation, B-cell proliferation, T-cell activation, and proteasomal protein degradation. Upon running DNA samples on 1% SDS-PAGE, DNA analysis of gene expression conveyed
that in the 24-hour exposure, LMP7 and IL-10 were down regulated in both the 1 nM and 5 nM treatments. In the 48-hour
treatment, LMP7 expression began to rise in the 5 nM treatment. IL-10 and GSK-3 were also upregulated in the 48-hour
treatment and continued to rise in the 4 day samples. These results indicate that relatively long exposure to 4-nonylphenol
does indeed alter the expression levels of key immunoproteasome genes. Exposure to 4-np upregulated all three genes tested, higher in the 5nm sample for each time interval. This industrial chemical may hyper activate the human immune function and propagate consequent neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s under high-dose and long-term exposure.
However, these preliminary results have to be repeated for statistical accuracy .
Photo courtesy
of Fermilab
4
Invited Student Oral Presentation Awardees
Maya Navarro
DePaul University
Investigation of the Influence of Environmental Factors on Bromeliad
Invertebrate Biodiversity
Bromeliaceae is a family of Neotropical plants that retain water between leaves of a rosette arrangement. Each waterretaining tank is referred to as a phytotelma. This particular system is important to consider in the understanding of biodiversity because it creates an ecosystem of its own, providing a habitat for many invertebrates and larvae. In this study,
the relationship between environmental factors such as water quality and the biodiversity of invertebrates in epiphytic
bromeliads was examined in two different settings. Sample sizes of ten bromeliads were taken from the primary and secondary forests of the Las Cruces Biological Station in Coto Brus County, Costa Rica and compared. Prior to extraction from
the trees, temperatures of the water in the inner phytotelmata of the bromeliads were recorded. Parameters including pH
and phosphate levels in each bromeliad were then measured using approximately 15 mL of bromeliad water, the Testratest Laborett water kit, and the Hanna Instruments phosphate kit. Trends approaching significance were found between the number of species within the bromeliads and maximum tank volume (p = 0.06608) as well as the total number
of invertebrates within each bromeliad (p = 0.06903). The number of species was however correlated to bromeliad distance from the ground (p = 0.03215). The number of invertebrate species in bromeliads of the primary and secondary
forest was not correlated with the water temperature (p = 0.1420), pH (p = 0.2826), or phosphate level (p = 0.6954), however, these parameters should still be considered in the analysis of invertebrate biodiversity within bromeliads .
Darryl Watkins
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Ionizing Radiation Affects Epigenetic Programming in Adolescent Mice
Humans are exposed to low and mild doses of radiation frequently, ranging from the natural environment to medical procedures like x-ray and CT scans. Ionizing radiation of various doses has been known to potentially cause not only cellular
but also genomic changes. Here, we demonstrated that epigenetics is also altered by the radiation. Epigenetics is a chemical coding above the gene, which plays critical roles in brain development, cognitive aberrations and other neurological
impairments. How radiation, as an external environmental factor, causes epigenetic change is not understood. DNA methylation, key in epigenetics, including 5-methylcytosine (5M) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) have been shown to
either suppress or activate gene transcription. To aid in elucidating the role in which radiation affects epigenetic outcomes, we examined the effects of radiation on both epigenetic and phenotypic and transcriptional markers within the
hippocampus and cortex. In this study we treated C57BL/6 mice, postnatal day (P) 21 with various doses (2Gy- 4.5Gy) of
radiation coupled with varying frequencies (0.5 Gy x 4, 1.5 Gy x 3, or 4.5Gy x 1) during a four week period via x-ray. We
used immunohistochemistry staining with cell proliferation, transcription and epigenetic markers. We found loss of 5M
and 5hmC as well as a loss of a transcriptional activation marker within regions of the hippocampus and cortex. Furthermore, decreased cell proliferation in the adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus was found. Exposure to ionizing radiation
altered the normal epigenetic profile of the mice. Understanding the mechanism by which ionizing radiation affects epigenetic programming will provide insight on how to develop protection against the harmful risk associated with radiation
exposure .
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Alanis, Joseph
MATH OF JPEG IMAGE COMPRESSION
A black and white digital camera creates a greyscale digital image with a large array of sensors, typically 1024 X 1024, which
measures the light intensity on each sensor and records this measurement as a number that is proportional to the intensity.
The number is typically an eight bit integer (1 byte) number ranging from -128 to 127. The amount of space necessary to
store such a grayscale image is 1Mb (1024x1024x1 byte per pixel = 1,048,576=1Mb). Storing a 1Mb sized image is easy with
today’s hardware. However, in today’s social media, sharing of pictures is rather important. Therefore, in this environment
and where the connection bandwidth is limited, the file needs to be as small as possible to send images over the Internet
quickly. The JPEG compression process was designed to significantly compress the file size of such images, in order to allow
faster image downloads, without noticeable loss of quality. In this poster I will be describing the mathematics underlying the
four major steps in the JPEG compression process.
This study was sponsored by the Iowa Illinois Nebraska STEM Partnership for Innovation in Research & Education.
Antchouey, Coretha
EXPRESSION OF DINOFLAGELLATE HV1 FROM PICHIA
Dinoflagellates are single-celled marine organisms, some species of which are responsible for the beautiful bioluminescent
flashes that occur when seawater is disturbed at night. The bioluminescence is emitted from small organelles called scintillons that contain the molecules of luminescence; purified preparations of these molecules have been shown to flash when
acidified. Voltage gated proton channels (Hv1) are postulated to move protons from the acidic vacuole into the scintillons.
We used PCR to subclone dinoflagellate Hv1 into the Pichia pastoris transfection plasmid picZA, to transform Pichia and express the protein. We aim eventually to recapitulate scintillon function, thus confirming Hv1’s proposed role in bioluminescence.
Appiah-Pippim, Georgette
INVESTIGATING THE BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS FROM THE BLUE-GREEN ALGAE, SPIRULINA PLANTESIS AND NOSTOC
COMMUNE
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death of men and women in the US. Two risk factors for cardiovascular
disease are hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia. Hyperlipidemia is a chronic condition in which the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol are elevated in the body. Lipids are not soluble in the blood plasma and are instead transported as lipoproteins. Hypercholesterolemia is a form of hyperlipidemia in which the cholesterol levels are elevated. Current drugs that
are prescribed to regulate lipid levels often have adverse effects such as liver dysfunction.Blue-green algae (BGA), also
known as cyanobacteria, have been consumed for years for their health benefits because they are believed to increase energy
and prevent disease. Two genera of edible blue-green algae include Spirulina plantesis (SP) and Nostoc commune var.
sphaeroides Kutzing (NO). Various studies have shown that Nostoc and Spirulina may have anti-cancer and anti-inflammation
and anti-bacterial properties.In a previous study, Nostoc commune lowered lipid levels in hypercholesterolemic rats. The rats
were fed a Nostoc supplemented diet and their lipid levels were measured by their fecal output and intestinal absorption.
However, the study did not examine the compounds responsible for this activity or the mechanism behind the activity of Nostoc. The goal of this project is to isolate the specific compound(s) responsible for the hypocholesterolemic effects of BGA
Batres, Gary
REACTIVE ARRAYS OF COLORMETRIC SENSORS FOR METABOLITE AND STEROID IDENTIFICATION
The work described here examines a rapid mix-and-measure method called DETECHIP suitable for screening of steroids and
metabolites. The addition of steroids and metabolites to reactive arrays of colorimetric sensors generated characteristic color “fingerprints” that were used to identify the analyte. A color analysis tool was used to identify the analyte pool that includes biologically relevant analytes. The mix-and-measure arrays allowed the detection of disease metabolites, such as orotic acid and argininosuccinic acid; and steroids, such as androsterone and estrone. The steroid 1, 4-androstadiene was also
detected by this method while dissolved in synthetic urine. Some of the analytes, such as androstadiene, stanozolol, and androsterone were co-dissolved with (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin in order to increase solubility in aqueous buffered solutions. The colorimetric arrays do not intend to eliminate ELISA or mass spectroscopy based screening, but to possibly provide an alternative analytical detection method for steroids and metabolites. This study has been published in Journal of Sensor Technology. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jst.2014.41001
Funding provided by National Science Foundation (NSF) EPS-1004094 and IINSPIRE LSAMP
6
Becker, Cody
USING KITES FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY TO OBTAIN PICTURES OF CHLADOPHORA ALGAE
Kite aerial photography (KAP) is primarily used to study areas where humans and conventional aircraft are unable to reach.
As a result, it is very popular with scientists and is becoming a growing hobby as well. The use of kites for areal photography
helped to obtain images of Chladophora algae. Once images were obtained, we correlated the time and location using the
APM GPS system. We also determined at which growth stage the algae displayed via multispectral imaging techniques. Since
each stage of the algae's life has a different spectral signature, we were then able to accurately pinpoint at what stage the
algae is in. The ultimate goal was to figure out what prohibits and inhibits the Chladophora algae growth on the coasts of
Lake Michigan.
Bell, Kwame
THINKING BIG: ESTRADIOL REGULATES MEMORY AND BIOENERGETICS
Recent studies have shown that estrogens, a hormone, may regulate various bioenergetic processes in the brain, from glucose transportation, glycolysis and the tricarboxylic citric acid (TCA) cycles to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) (Ding et
al 2013, Yao et al 2012). Estradiol, the predominant estrogen in females, may shift learning strategy while exerting an effect
on brain bioenergetics. Since both glucose and lactate function as two major energy substrates for brain activity it is important to define their concentrations in the extracellular space of the hippocampus during memory testing. The Gold and
Korol labs hypothesize that ovariectomized female rats have decreased extracellular levels of glucose and higher lactate levels in the brain. In our present study, 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized and randomly assigned to
treatment groups of estradiol (45 µg/kg) or oil vehicle (1 mL/kg) that were administered 24 and 48 hours prior to microdialysis. Using collected perfusate samples of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) containing a known glucose or lactate concentration on the order of 0-2mM from each animal, the net concentration change is calculated as follows: (concentration in perfusate) – (concentration in sample collected), and will be plotted as individual points with a line of best fit. The point of zero
net flux would be the point at which there is no net movement of glucose across the probe membrane yielding a net concentration change of zero (McNay and Gold, 1997).The point of zero net flux provides a good estimate of the levels of either glucose or lactate in the hippocampal extracellular fluid.
Funding for this study was provided by Syracuse Department of Biology, Louis Stokes Advancement or Minority Participation, the NSF IOS 0843175 and IOS 1318490.
Benn, Stephen
INCORPORATION OF POLY-L-LACTIC ACID (PLLA) TO REINFORCE THE MECHANICAL STABILITY PROVIDED BY AN ELECTROSPUN THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE SLEEVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF STABILIZING BONE DEFECTS
Here we describe results of electrospinning parameters on a semi-crystalline biocompatible Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) that is
intended to reinforce an electrospun sleeve prepared by a shape memory polymer (SMP) for the purpose of stabilizing a
bone defect site. SMPs have characteristics which allow them to be manipulated and fixed in a temporary shape and later
recover back to their permanent shape on command. A previous study has demonstrated that scaffolds electrospun from a
custom-synthesized thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) can be deformed, fixed into a temporary shape, and then triggered to
recover under simulated physiological conditions [1]. This shape-memory functionality of the TPU allows us to make a biomaterial sleeve that can be triggered to contract for the purpose of stabilizing a bone defect site. Preliminary in vivo study has
indicated the mechanical stability provided by an electrospun sleeve made solely from the amorphous TPU is not robust
enough; incorporation of semi-crystalline PLLA may reinforce the mechanical property of TPU sleeve. The governing parameters investigated to develop robust PLLA were the solution concentration, applied voltage, and the solution flow rate. A
7.5% PLLA solution produced little to no fibers at low applied voltage; at higher applied voltages it generated the greatest
beading instability. An 8.5% solution resulted in larger fiber diameter and decreased in beading instability. When comparing
resultant fibers from two groups, an 8.0% solution produced fibers with similar fiber diameter compared to the 8.5% solution and produced significantly less bead instability. The results of the experiments suggest a correlation between fiber diameter and applied voltage: increasing voltage resulted in larger fiber diameter. Our preliminary study demonstrated a counterintuitive model for electrospinning so we plan to investigate our initial parameters again. Knowing the parameters should
be useful for further co-spinning application to blend PLLA with TPU during the electrospinning process.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Bradley, Joseph
MEDICINAL PLANTS OF PERU: RESPIRATORY TREATMENTS
As part of an ongoing 20 year project studying medicinal and economically important plants in Northern Peru, this project
focuses on plant use and distribution by market vendors and healers, compared to historical surveys of plant use as well as
how plants are used to treat respiratory illnesses. Herbal medicine data were collected from market vendors and healers.
Data were entered into excel in the form of presence absence data, using “1” to represent presence and “0” to represent absence. This data was used in R Statistical Framework to generate a dissimilarity matrix in the form of a dendrogram for both
market data and respiratory treatment data. Market dendrograms were shown in five (5) different forms. 1. Historical surveys, current surveys, vendors, and healers. 2. Current surveys, vendors, and healers. 3. Historical surveys, vendors, and
healers. 4. Vendors and healers. 5. Vendors and healers only. Each dendrogram were analyzed and compared and conclusions made about how plants were used historically and how they were used modernly. Results show that most historical
knowledge has been lost with the exception of 3 healers (ISA40, JULS149, and GER131). However, much of the plant use, including by the three exception vendors is experimental. This is seen by the fact that most of the healers and vendors use
many plants that are not included in the historical surveys but are that are present in recent surveys. The three exception
healers also have plants that are not in either historical or recent surveys showing that it may be experimental and/or new
knowledge of plant cures. Dendrograms of respiratory treatments also seem to confirm that conclusion. Illnesses that were
considered respiratory were asthma, bronchitis, “lungs”, inflammation of the lungs, and tuberculosis. Each illness had a number of treatments. There were 41 mixtures for bronchitis, 16 for of asthma, 1 lungs, 1 inflammation of the lungs, 1 pneumonia and 2 tuberculosis. Many of the mixtures treated a variety of things while very few were specific to one disease, or even
just respiratory
Brown, Angelic
GAMIFICATION IN EDUCATION AND ITS POTENTIAL RISKS AND BENEFITS TO MOTIVATING STUDENT INTEREST IN
LEARNING
Gamification in education, or the incorporation of game elements in educational settings, has garnered much attention and
been heavily researched over the past few years, however, there still appears to be a need for further research into its potential usefulness across multiple areas of learning. This study examines current research and opinion pertaining to gamification, and the potential benefits and risks of utilizing it in educational environments, as well as the use of games and game
mechanics to motivate student interest in learning. After accessing several “gamified” systems used in educational settings,
the general preliminary findings were as follows: 1) students developed greater persistence in completing assignments during testing sessions that involved quest-based instruction when compared to sessions that involved traditional teaching
methods, 2) many of the systems were viewed as welcomed upgrades compared to traditional methods of managing classrooms behavior, but there were some concerns over technical issues associated with mobile versions of software, as well as
certain limitations that some of the systems had (i.e. cross system integration), 3) the systems possessed many pros and
cons, thus they have garnered mixed reviews; though they continue to show increased popularity with university/
organization partners (or potential partners) as well as with users. Given that gamification in education is still a fairly new
and exploratory topic, more comprehensive research in this area is needed in order to determining whether the abovementioned are examples of product successes or failures.
This study was funded by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation
(LSAMP) Program.
Butler, Tia
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF {[BIS(3,5-DIMETHYLPHENYL)PHOSPHINO]METHYL}DIPHENYL PHOSPHINE
Palladium complexes containing bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm) or bis(diphenylphosphino) methanide (dppm-H)
ligands have been shown to demonstrate catalytic activity for organic transformations. Surprisingly, its asymmetric derivatives remain relatively unexplored. Our research focuses on the synthesis of palladium complexes containing unsymmetrical
diphosphine ligands and the steric and/or electronic effects of the phosphorus substituents on the reactivity at the methylene carbon. Previous results suggest that sterically bulky phosphorus substituents favor the formation of binuclear Pd
Complexes in which the ligands bridge between the metal centers, and that the methylene proton is more acidic when the
phosphine substituents are aromatic. This study describes the synthesis of an asymmetric Ph 2PCH2PR2 ligand, where R = 3,
5-dimethylphenyl. The compound was characterized by 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy to verify the successful isolation of the
desired ligand.
8
Conner, Justin
BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANT EFFECTS ON THE DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF POST-METAMORPHIC AMPHIBIANS
Amphibian populations have been in rapid decline in the past few decades although there are a multitude of factors that are
contributing to this decline; two known factors are biological contaminants (pesticides) and BD a fungal chytrid pathogen
have rarely been studied together. The purpose of this experiment was to explore host response to concurrent exposure of
contaminants and the BD fungus. This was done on 6 species of recently metamorphosed amphibians: Rana cascadae,
Pseudacris regilla, Anaxyrus boreas, Rana pipiens, Pseudacris crucifer, and Anaxyrus americanus initial weight and SVL as
well as ending weight and SVL was recorded. Each species was exposed to either four different pesticide treatments Water
(control), Ethanol(control for pesticide vehicle), Insecticide( mix of four common insecticides) and Herbicide( mix of four
common herbicides). There were two different BD treatments that each species received, they were either exposed to pathogen or did not receive the pathogen. The duration of the experiment was 14 days and at the end of the experiment every
individual was swabbed so that we could quantify infection load via qPCR. The survival curves that were produced showed
that BD had a huge effect on survival rate however, evidence was not conclusive on the effects that pesticides had on the
survival rates of individuals.
Conor, Phillip
SYNTHESIS AND SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF SMART DIBLOCK COPOLYMER PEG-PDMAEMA
Smart polymers are polymers that dramatically change their properties in response to an external stimulus such as temperature or pH. Smart polymers have numerous applications in industry including medicine, cosmetics, and plastics. We use a
specific polymerization process to control how long our polymer chains are, due to the fact that the smart properties depend on polymer chain length. These polymers are characterized using 1H-NMR, GPC, UV-Vis, fluorescence, and DLS to determine both polymer chain length and smart polymer properties. We have synthesized and characterized diblock copolymers of PEG-PDMAEMA with different molecular weights that ultimately affect the smart polymer behavior.
Covarrubias, Ernesto
BIOMECHANICAL TOLERANCE OF HUMAN TIBIA MODELS UNDER DYNAMIC LATERO-MEDIAL BENDING
Research has been conducted with the purpose of testing the tolerance of the lower extremities specific to high-impact automobile accidents. In order to validate a biomechanical tibial surrogate in high impact collisions, dynamic three point
bending was performed using a custom guided drop impact apparatus. Two biomechanical surrogates were struck midshaft generating classic “Butterfly” fracture patterns and forces similar to those documented in post-mortem human subject
testing. With additional validation, the tibial surrogate may be utilized as a forensic tool used to investigate trauma-inducing
leg impacts for the purpose of determining loading conditions from fracture patterns.
Day, Centennial
THE C. ELEGANS MICROTUBULE MINUS-END CAPPING HOMOLOG, PTRN-1, STABILIZES SYNAPSES AND NEURITES
The nervous system functions by making connections to other neurons or muscle cells at sites called synapses. The cellular
microtubule cytoskeleton functions in neuronal path-finding during development and in moving material to synapses. The
role of regulators of microtubule minus-end dynamics in neuronal function remains largely unexplored. In epithelial cells,
CAMSAP proteins cap microtubule minus ends, and are important for the stability of cell adhesions. Here we report that the
C. elegans CAMSAP homolog (ptrn-1) affects the overall stability of axons and synaptic specializations, neurotransmission,
and body movements.
In ptrn-1 mutants we found neuromuscular and morphological defects in neurons. Remodeling of neuronal morphology is
likely microtubule-based; as mutants known to disrupt higher-order microtubule structures mimic ptrn-1 phenotypes. The
behaviors of the C. elegans ptrn-1 mutants are abnormal in comparison to the normal C. elegans. Our preliminary data indicate that ptrn-1 mutants have small affects on the amount of neurotransmission, and slight affects on movements.
Our results suggest that destabilization of microtubule structures caused by loss of ptrn-1 activates a regeneration program
leading to changes in neurite morphology and minimal effects on behavior. We propose a model whereby local minus-end
microtubule stabilization mediated by a functional PTRN-1 is necessary for normal behavior and maintenance of synaptic
sites
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Dixon, Dannea
ANALYZING THE GROUND WATER QUALITY IN THE HOMES OF CENTRAL NEW YORK STATE RESIDENTS, PRE-HYDRAULIC
FRACTURING
Unconventional extraction techniques are a process that drillers use to extract oil, natural gases, and other resources buried
hundreds of feet below the ground, by drilling horizontal wells and hydraulically fracturing the source material. Using this
method allows companies to extract previously inaccessible oil and natural gas. The natural gas itself is a benefit to the environment and the economy, but the extraction methods have raised some concerns regarding the risk for groundwater contamination. Concern over this issue has prompted New York State legislature to place a hold on any horizontal drilling or
hydraulic fracturing processes. I had the opportunity to work with the members of Project SWIFT, whose goal is to establish
a baseline for groundwater quality before the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing is lifted. The Project SWIFT team obtained
water samples from homeowners in Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Steuben and Tioga counties in Central New York State.
This project focuses on making the data obtained, publicly available for the homeowners and anyone else to view online. Using the family of ArcGIS software, an online map was created to show the average solute concentrations in each region where
a sample was taken from. The goal was to make a map that showed solute concentrations from each well on one single map.
To compensate for the difficulties of effectively depicting solute concentrations from 203 wells without the intersection and
overshadowing of data points, the average concentration for each solute (Na, Mg, Cl, NO3, etc..) was calculated within the
boundaries of 3 “puzzle pieces”; better known as shape files. These boundaries include: zip code, county, and a 7x7 km grid.
The well data was merged with each shape file and the average concentration within a regional boundary was calculated.
Esterlen, Bethany
FORENSIC DISCRIMINATION OF LIPSTICK
Currently research in our labs is being conducted to develop methods for extracting and separating lipstick samples that are
left on different mediums at the scene of a crime. If lipstick is left behind the chemical substituents within the lipstick can be
separated into a unique set of bands. This set can then be compared to known separations of lipstick in order to determine
the make and color. This could be very useful when initially determining suspects. Forty different lipsticks of various colors
and brands were used to conduct the research. A sample of lipstick was smeared onto filter paper and then placed into a test
tube containing petroleum ether to remove waxes and oils. The filter paper was then placed into a separate test tube containing methanol-ammonium hydroxide; this solution was transferred to a glass vial to be heated. After the solution evaporated,
leaving only dried dyes, methanol was added to the vial to re-dissolve the residue. The solution was then spotted onto a thin
layer chromatography (TLC) plate and placed in a beaker containing ethyl acetate, methanol, and ammonium hydroxide to
separate the components of the dyes. The dyes migrate up the TLC plate based on their retention factor, which will be unique
to each lipstick.
Evans, Taylor
THE ROLE OF KINASES IN ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN OLIGOMERIZATION AND THEIR POTENTIAL INVOLVEMENT IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Parkinson's Disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease, is a devistating disorder in which patients'
motor and cognitive functions are severly impaired. PD is characterized by dopaminergic neuron denervation and the presence of Lewy bodies, abnormal intraneuronal protein aggregations. Alpha-synuclein, the primary protein linked with Parkinson's Disease pathophysiology, is known to be aggregated and hyper-phosphorylated in Lewy bodies, hallmark intracellular
aggregations of proteins found in the brains of PD patients. Kinases, enzymes responsible for carring out the process known
as phosphorylation, are commonly involved in the post-translational modifications of proteins. There is a tendency of alphasynuclein to be hyper-phosphorylated in a seemingly pathogenic state. This phenomenon, in association with its tendency to
aggregate, has not been heavily investigated; therefore, this study looked at the role of kinase inhibition on both levels of
phosphorylated alpha-synuclein and oligomerized alpha-synuclein in vitro. Inhibition of three different kinases, glycogen
synthase-kinase 3 beta (GSK3B), P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38MAPK), and casein-kinase 2 (CK2), was induced
through kinase-inhibitor compound exposure. The project hypothesis predicted that inhibition of these the kinase activity of
GSK3B, P38MAPK, and CK2 would reduce the occurrence of aggregated alpha-synuclein in vitro. The levels of phosphorylated synuclein and total synuclein were quantified through western blotting while oligomerization levels of the protein were
quantified through a luciferase complementation assay designed by the McLean lab. Exposure to six different protein-kinase
inhibitors resulted in varying levels of phospho-synuclein, total synuclein, and oligomerized synuclein. Inhibition of
P38MAPK through compounds PD169316 and SB239063 showed the largest decrease in all three aforementioned synuclein
forms, indicating a potential molecualr relationship between hyper-phosphorylated synuclein and oligomerization levels.
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Faronbi, Paul
GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION OF BRAIN PROGENITOR CELLS ON 2-D AND 3-D POLYSTYRENE SUBSTRATES
Brain Progenitor Cells (BPCs) have the ability to differentiate into neurons and glia. A goal of this study is to compare two
dimensional (2D) versus three dimensional (3D) cell culture environments on the differentiation of BPCs. The BPCs were
derived from the brains of newborn transgenic GFP-expressing mice. GFP-expression facilitates cell tracking for transplantation studies. The BPCs were grown on 2D and 3D polystyrene (PS) substrates coated with ECL (entactin, collagen and laminin). Half micro- patterned half smooth PS films were fabricated and attached to coverslips for culture. 3D Alvetex scaffolds,
200 µm thick, were also used to culture cells. The BPCs were characterized using a standard immunocytochemistry (ICC)
protocol. Cell-type specific antibodies were used to characterize BPC differentiation after 6/7 days in culture. Samples were
imaged on a fluorescent microscope. Results indicate that the BPCs grew well on PS films and scaffolds coated with ECL. The
growth of the cells on the substrates seemed to suggest that the 3D scaffold and micro-patterned films may affect the differentiation of the BPCs. However, additional studies are necessary to clarify these preliminary results. In future studies we
plan to use biodegradable poly-lactic acid (PLA) films as a culture environment. It is our hope that we can later pursue in
vivo studies. Investigating methods to influence stem and progenitor cell differentiation is an important strategy towards
application of cell transplantation procedures. Funding provided by The Stem Cell Biology Fund and the US Army Medical
Research and Material Command #W81XWH-11-1-0700 and LSAMP-IINSPIRE research funding.
Gilbert, Reesheda
MORPHOLOGICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES DUE TO ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OIL VAPORS
AGAINST ASPERGILLUS SPECIES IN GEORGIA PEANUTS
New ecologically friendly and innovative techniques aimed at preventing and controlling Aspergillus infection in peanuts,
are especially important to peanut farmers. Aspergillus mold is a cumbersome invader of edible nuts, grains and feed for
domestic animals. A. flavus and A. parasiticus commonly infect peanuts, producing carcinogenic byproducts called aflatoxins.
More specifically, A. flavus is the second leading cause of invasive aspergillosis infection when compared to other Aspergillus
species. A novel approach employing natural compounds as a substitute for commercial fungicides was examined. We hypothesize that essential oils and vapors may inhibit the mycelial growth of A. flavus and that these oils when combined may
exhibit a better antifungal properties. Our research methodology initially set to grow and characterize A. flavus via poison
food method. Pure cultures were maintained and sub-cultured on a weekly basis for experimental analysis.
To compare zones of inhibition, Minimal Inhibition Concentration (MIC), and Minimal Fungicide Concentration (MFC) were
conducted. Mycelia cultured on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates, were exposed to clove and cinnamon essential oil vapors
(EOVs), separately. Serial dilution method at concentration 1000, 1100, 1500, 2000, 2200, and 2500 were prepared, and
sterile filter paper disk were exposed to each concentration. Experimental set up was exposed to Cinnamon and Clove’s
EOVs and placed in double sealed beaker (vapor chamber) as a method to prevent dissipation of essential oil vapors.
Time intervals for exposure to vapors were 48, 72, and 96h, respectively, and incubated for seven days. In another experiment, to test synergistic properties of Clove and Cinnamon oils, sealed sterile PDA plates containing mycelia of A. flavus were
inoculated, with different concentration of Cinnamon and Clove oils and incubated for seven days. MIC and MFC for Cinnamon/Clove oil as synergistic agents was recorded. Zones of inhibition were quantified using descriptive and inferential statistics. TEM and SEM microscopy were carried out to detect the impact of oils on morphology and ultrastructural changes.
Results revealed that clove oil vapors significantly inhibit A. flavus than cinnamon oil vapors. When these essential oils are
combined, they produced a greater effect against Asperguillus species. Further studies may focus on active ingredients of
Girgis, Shady
MONITORING DNA BINDING TO A YELLOW FLUORESCENT HEPATITIS C VIRUS NS3 HELICASE FUSION PROTEIN USING
FRET
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which infects 170 million people worldwide each year.
One enzyme that is necessary for HCV replication in vitro is the HCV helicase, which is located on the helicase domain of the
non-structural protein 3 (NS3). A helicase displaces strands of DNA or RNA, and inhibiting the helicase can stop HCV replication in cells. Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) was used to monitor DNA binding by measuring the energy transfer
between a donor and acceptor fluorophore. The donor fluorophore in my assay was yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), which
was substituted for the protease domain of the NS3 protein, while the acceptor fluorophore was either Hexachlorofluorescein (Hex) or Cyanine 3 (Cy3), which was bound to the strand of DNA. Measuring the change in fluorescence intensities when
both fluorophores are bound at a set range of emission wavelengths shows whether FRET is occurring. The results demonstrate that YFP-hel and Hex are potentially an effective donor-acceptor pair, and this assay is suitable for the quantitative
measurement of the DNA binding activity of HCV NS3, while YFP-hel and Cy3 are not an effective donor-acceptor pair. Model
inhibitors are used to displace labeled oligonucleotides, which return the fluorescence intensities back to normal. However,
this didn’t occur when the unlabeled oligonucleotide, dT20, was added to the YFP-hel and Hex pair.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Gonzales, Justin
ULTRA-SENSITIVE RADIO FREQUENCY MEASUREMENTS OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES UTILIZING A TUNNEL DIODE
RESONATOR CIRCUIT
The research project on which my presentation will focus is centered on the construction of a tunnel diode resonator (TDR)
circuit laboratory in the Physics Department at Western Illinois University (WIU). A TDR circuit is a specially designed LC
resonating circuit that is powered by a tunnel diode [1]. Due to the ability to measure parts-per-billion changes in the resonance frequency of the TDR circuit, which is in the radio frequency band, it is an ideal tool for making ultra sensitive measurements of various material properties. Samples of materials to be studied, which can be as large as 1-2 mm, can be mounted on a sapphire stage and mounted inside of the inductor coil to study the magnetic susceptibility as a function of temperature or inserted between the capacitor plates of the circuit to measure the electric susceptibility versus temperature. This
technique is able to measure such properties as the London penetration depth for magnetic fields in superconductors, dielectric constants, thermal expansion coefficients, pressure, and magnetostriction. This tool has also been used to study features
associated with magnetic ordering to extract critical scaling exponents and to differentiate between local and itinerant magnetic order. This circuit is specifically designed to operate at low temperatures and much of this work has been done to implement TDR circuits into the closed cycle helium refrigerator at WIU, which has a base temperature just above 10 K. My
presentation will address the details of the design for housing a TDR circuit that will operate in this low temperature environment as well as how sample stages are designed for inserting materials into the inductor coil or between the capacitor
plates of the resonating circuit. References: 1) C. T. Van Degrift, Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 46, No. 5, May 1975
Grandados, Noma
MICROFLUIDICS FOR ORGAN-ON-CHIP APPLICATIONS
The research of biological processes, diseases, transplants, and drug effects have greatly depended on traditional in vitro cell
culture and in vivo animal models. The studies conducted using in vivo and conventional in vitro models, although very significant, are not the best methods for the development of major advances in microengineering technologies. Traditional cell culture systems are not a realistic representation of key structural, functional, and mechanical properties of a functional organ
in vivo. Due to the restrictions on animal model use, low efficiency, and the significant number of new drug failures, an interest in nanotechnology and micro technology is rising. Because of this a pursuit for the development of a system that is inexpensive, precise, and efficient as well as a better representation of the body’s organs is underway. Organ-on-chips are micro
devices that utilize microfluidics. These micro devices consist of various channels, cell culture chambers, and medium reservoirs. The micro pump that allows for fluid flow is connected to the device via micro tubes. Many organs have been modeled
by different groups including, heart, brain, placenta and liver, as well as the intestine, kidney, muscles, and blood arteries.
Organ-on-Chips can be used for advancements in the medical pharmaceutical fields such as replicating biological processes,
understanding and treating diseases, analyzing drug effects as well as toxicity testing. These micro devices are rapidly growing in popularity mainly because they better mimic the responses of organ-like structures in an environment suitable for the
survival of living cells.
Halbe, Daniel
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH WITH THE WORLD'S LARGEST SINGLE-DISH RADIO TELESCOPE: MONITORING THE
VARIABILITY OF MOLECULAR RADIATION IN A STAR FORMING REGION
We report results from a yearlong survey conducted with the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the world’s largest single
dish telescope, which has a diameter of 305 meters (1,000 ft). Arecibo is the most sensitive telescope for the study of molecular radiation at microwave and radio frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. The observations discussed in this poster
were conducted as part of an undergraduate research project, where we remotely controlled the telescope from the Astrophysics Research Laboratory at Western Illinois University. Remote observations are convenient, as there are no travel costs
required, and are now possible through technological advancements in computers and network connectivity. Observations
conducted remotely require only free special software to allow control of the telescope. In the survey, we monitored several
known regions of massive star formation for variability of radiation from mostly methanol (CH 3OH) and hydroxyl (OH) molecules. Here we report results on one particular region called IRAS 18566+0408. At present, this is the only massive star forming region where periodic radiation flares from different molecular species have been detected; the flares have a periodicity
of approximately 8 months. We obtained data over a full period of variability, which included the detection of a complete
flare event and the onset of another. We confirmed the detection of variable OH emission in this region, which was first reported in a publication by a previous lab member (Al-Marzouk et al. 2012). The mechanism responsible for the flares is still
unclear, and possibilities include pulsations of a massive protostar or modulation by a binary system. This project is a perfect
example of the potential of the Arecibo Telescope (a facility of the National Science Foundation) for undergraduate research.
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Hightower, Cary
ANTHROPOMETRIC STUDY OF PLAYING-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS (PRMD) IN MALE NON-CLASSICAL
PIANISTS
Playing Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMDs) is experienced by musicians. The potential factors associated with
PRMDs are classified as misuse, overuse and playing conditions. Research related to PRMDs primarily focused on classical musicians. Studies have also shown that anthropometrically smaller individuals are more susceptible to musculoskeletal injury.
Thus, a directly proportional relationship between hand dimensions and prevalence of PRMD symptoms is likely. This research looks to explain how hand dimensions may not diminish the exposure to factors directly related to PRMDs. Thirtyeight male non-classical pianists with varied skills participated in the study. Five tests were conducted for each subject. Each
subject selected one song to play twice for tests one and five at their selected meter (beats per minute). Test two through four
were played at 80, 60, and 120 beats per minute respectively. Each pianist was required to play a test specific song based on
self- identified genre. The hands of each subject were scanned and measured using ImageJ Software 1.48 (National Institutes
of Health, Bethesda, MD) and placed into anthropometric percentile groups. The following four percentile groups were
<25, 26-50, 51-75, 76,>99. Statistical analysis was conducted IBM SPSS 19 statistical software (IBM, Armonk, New York) using previously collected wrist angle and wrist angular velocity data in combination with the anthropometric measurements.
Our findings determined that across all five tests participants within the 26-50 percentile range experienced the least angular wrist displacement on their left side. However, on the same side, the greatest wrist angular velocity was experienced. We
concluded that males within the 26-50 percentile range are more likely to experience PRMD symptoms in their left wrist. This
is because of contradictory movements. They are limiting their range of motion while trying to move the wrist faster. This
puts a lot of pressure on the wrist and could potentially lead to a PRMD.
Jones, Crystal
TARGETED DELETION OF ZEBRAFISH LNCRNAIS18 WITH TALENS
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important players in epigenetic regulation of gene expression during development
and disease (Niland et al, 2012). A number of mechanisms have been proposed for lncRNA action, however, few functional
studies of lncRNAs have been described. We are using Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN), engineered
site-specific nucleases, to create targeted mutations in a novel zebrafish lncRNA. We previously mapped a highly penetrant
retinal tumor model to transgene disruption of the zebrafish lncRNAis18 gene. The objective of this project is to isolate a
second zebrafish lncRNAis18 allele that contains a deletion of part of the lncRNAis18 gene. Two TALEN pairs were designed
to simultaneously target double-strand breaks to exons 2 and 5 of lncRNAis18. Injection of 25-40pg of the TALENs targeting
individual exons into zebrafish embryos resulted in efficient mutagenesis of the target sites. To isolate the lncRNAis18 deletion allele we co-injected embryos with the TALEN pairs targeting both exons 2 and exon 5. We predicted co-injection of
TALEN pairs targeting exons 2 and 5 of lncRNAis18 would create a 147kb deletion after loss of the intervening sequence and
repair by the non-homologous enjoining pathway, and were able to confirm our prediction through PCR. We verified the
deletion allele by sequencing PCR products from 3 embryos. We have found and are continuing screening for germline
transmission of the deletion allele to establish a new line. The lncRNAis18 deletion allele will provide a new genetic tool to
study the function of lncRNAis18 in zebrafish development and cancer.
Funding support was provided by LSAMP IINSPIRE.
Jones-Butts, Shannon
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS OF GOAT MEAT PATTIES COMPARED TO PORK PATTIES
Obesity and cardiovascular related diseases are often times preventable and directly related to the dietary habits of consumers. Unfortunately popular red meats including beef and pork are known to be linked to an increase risk of these diseases.
The research conducted on goat meat has not been done to the extent as of beef and pork are concerned. However, there is
data that shows the high nutritional value, including a better unsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio, of goat meat compared to beef and pork. According to the USDA the annual goat meat consumption is low in the U.S. which can be a result of
the fact that goat meat is generally unavailable in retail markets. The unavailability and low consumption of goat meat may
be the result of consumers’ unfamiliarity or disliking of goat meat. Goat meat has potential to enhance the health of susceptible populations without consumers having to take meat products out of their daily diet. But rather by replacing the traditional consumed meats with goat meat. The purpose of this study was to compare the nutritional composition of a goat meat
product to similar pork product and analyze the consumer acceptability of the goat meat product. For analysis the tests that
were done on the meat included protein, fat, moisture, ash, and carbohydrate. Consumer acceptability showed that there
was not a substantial difference in the aroma, taste, juiciness and overall acceptability between goat and pork patties. However, there was a substantial difference in tenderness between goat and pork patties. The goat patties resulted to be less
tender than the pork patties. There was also a substantial difference in the fat and moisture content of the goat meat having
less fat and more moisture than the pork patties.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Kelly, Shameka
FIGS, NEWTON AND MORE: CREATING FUTURE STEM LEADERS FOR A DIVERSE WORLD
The purpose of this project was to promote minority student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) through hands-on activities, academic assistance, and awareness of STEM opportunities. Participants were middle
and high school students in Jefferson City, Missouri. The project consisted of a four-hour, hands-on activity program in which
students were given the opportunity to see STEM disciplines in an exciting and inviting environment. Students participated
in four activities for each letter of the STEM acronym. Before the program, students indicated whether Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics interested them. After the program, the participants were instructed to fill out a survey on
their satisfaction with the event and their level of STEM interest. Future goals for this project are to continue to create events
promoting a positive working relationship between the STEM programs at Lincoln University and the students in the local
Jefferson City, MO community.
This program was supported by Women's Leadership, a Lincoln University campus organization; AMASS and STEM Alliance,
two Lincoln University NSF funded projects.
Kohl-Blomsness, Nokoma
4-POINT RESISTIVITY MEASUREMENTS OF SILICON-CARBIDE NANOWIRES
Silicon carbide is well suited for optoelectronic, microelectronics and nanoelectronics due to its unique properties such as
high thermal stability, mechanical strength, large band gap, chemical inertness, and high electron mobility. We are investigating the electrical properties of silicon carbide nanowires (SiC NWs) we have grown by reacting SiO with carbon nanotubes at
1450 C. We are testing the electrical properties of the SiC NWs with miBot Mobile Robots. The miBot Mobile Robots are
placed in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in order to allow the placement of the probes relative to the SiC NWs. The
probes at the end are about 1 micrometer in diameter. The miBots provide the electrical connections to perform 4-point
electrical resistivity tests. With the miBots connected to a source meter, we can measure the resistance of a SiC nanowire by
controlling the current that the two outer miBots send through the wire and measuring the voltage drop between the inner
miBots. The resistivity is calculated using the geometry of the wires as measured in the SEM.
Lopes Costa, Icaro
MODELING AND VISUALIZATION OF A TIME-DEPENDENT PHENOMENON IN ASTROPHYSICS
Mathematical models are developed in many areas of Astrophysics to explain observations and model time-dependent phenomena for which predictions can be tested by follow-up observations. Computers are indispensable in creating graphical
visualizations of various models, which improve the comprehension of the physical phenomena. In this poster, we present
results of an undergraduate research project of modeling and visualization of NGC 7538; a massive star-forming region located approximately 9,000 light-years from Earth. In the 1970's and 80's, it was discovered that the region contains two different gas clouds that emit a special type of radiation from formaldehyde gas. Since the 1990's, observations have revealed a
change in the amount of formaldehyde radiation, with the peculiar characteristic that the variability from one cloud appears
to be delayed by 14 years with respect to the variability of the other formaldehyde source. We developed a model using Python software, in which we approximate the formaldehyde clouds as spinning ellipsoids. The model successfully fits the observed formaldehyde intensities measured since the 1970's. In order to create a visual representation of the model, we used
the 3D visualization software Blender3D, which allows us to show the time evolution of the formaldehyde clouds with respect to the star formation environment in NGC 7538. Based on the results of the model, we submitted a proposal to conduct
further observations next year with the Very Large Array telescope in New Mexico (a facility of the National Science Founda(Lujan, Andreina
CO-OXIDATION AND CATALYSIS IN CHROMIC ACID OXIDATIONS: A MODEL FOR THE DETOXIFICATION OF HEXAVALENT
CHROMIUM IN WATER
Hexavalent chromium compounds are known lung carcinogens and occupational hazards. The high levels of hexavalent
chromium in ground water have been a public health issue since the case involving California Pacific Gas & Electric Company
and the Hinkley ground water contamination. In addition to industrial contamination, the chromium(VI) problem in drinking
water is further compounded by the fact that chromium(III) (chromite ore; FeCr2O4, in rocks, soil and sediments) undergoes
geochemical oxidation to the mobile Cr(VI) by manganese (IV) (MnO2), thus entering into ground water. (cont. on page 15)
cont.) Past and current large-scale in-situ remediation efforts involve injection of lactate (milk sugar) or ethanol by PG&E;
the removal of Cr(VI) to safe levels has not been achieved over the last 5 years. The chromic acid oxidation of alcohols/
hydroxy acids has a second order dependence on [H+], and therefore, it is not surprising that chromium (VI) is still found in
significantly high concentrations at pH levels (5.5 -8.5) of contaminated ground water; the pH of ground water varies depending on the soil environment and presence of metal ions such as iron.
14
Malone, Margaret
A BIOMECHANICAL STUDY INVESTIGATING NON CLASSICAL FEMALE PIANISTS AND FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE EXPOSURE OF PLAYING RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS (PRMD)
Across various instruments females have reported higher Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMDs) of the hand,
arm and wrist than males. Anthropometrically, females are more likely to have smaller hands than their male counterparts.
Thus, females may experience difficulty playing octaves or more challenging scores of music. In this study, 22 non-classical
female pianists participated in 5-5 minute tests where they played a personal song, tests 1 and 5 and a research selected song,
tests 2-4, at 60, 80, and 120 beats per min, respectively. These tests were used to record the wrist angle and angular velocity
of each hand. The female musicians were separated into four anthropometric categories (<25, 26-50, 51-75, >76) based one
their wrist and hand lengths. It was determined that 61.4 % of the wrist widths and 43.2% of the hand lengths were in the <
25 percentile category (< 2.15 in & < 6.17 in). The wrist angle and angular velocity of the participants in each category were
compared. In all test, subjects with the >76 percentile wrist and hand anthropometric category experienced a wrist angle decrease over time, which is further away from neutral position (0_ angle). In the comparison, the right hand moved closer to
the neutral position over time. The left hand executes more chords and harmony therefore greater wrist angles may be expected. This analysis shows that as the wrist width and hand length increases potential exposure to factors leading to PRMDs.
Subjects with an anthropometric hand length between 26 – 50 percentile experienced a more balanced wrist angle and rate of
play over time, which may decrease their expose to PRMDs. This study has shown that smaller percentile hand length and
wrist widths as well as those in the >76 percentile anthropometric category may experience an increased exposure to factors
leading to PRMDs.
Maluwelmeng, Connie
MODELING AND OPTIMIZATION OF SOLAR TOWER POWER PLANTS
The purpose of this project is to create a basic structure for a graphical user interface. In previous efforts, a working software
had been developed that optimized solar tower power plants based on several criterion such as location and area, solar tower
configuration, time of day, number and position of heliostats (mirrors that reflect sunlight into the central receiver located on
the tower), and many other parameters. A problem arose when we realized the likelihood that a majority of people would
not understand the variables specified for the various parameters within the program. Thus, this project was created. A
graphical user interface creates a way for users to easily interact with digital copies of their existing or in-design solar tower
power plants. Using Qt Creator in conjunction with expensions such as OpenGL, QCustomplot, and Google Maps API, we built
a visualization of the solar tower plant location, 3D visuals of heliostats and solar towers with receivers that gave users the
ability to edit, simulate, and/or optimize their plants. Since the software is still under development, not all functions have
been incorporated into the working structure. We expect the finished product to build upon the previous functions and allow
the selection/deselection of any areas on the map to visualize odd geometric shaped fields or restricted areas, display the
placement of heliostats on the field map, and have a more visually appealing interface. This graphical user interface is a key
tool in showcasing all of what our software has to offer.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No HRD-1102461, the 2014
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, and funding from RWTH Aachen University and Iowa State University.
Martinez, Gerardo
MERCURY FATE IN THE MADISON COUNTY CONSTRUCTED WETLAND
Agricultural nonpoint source pollution is the leading source of water quality impacts on surveyed rivers and lakes. The Madison County Constructed Wetland was built in 2007, mainly to remove leachate contaminants from cow feed and manure
washed away from the fields. It is comprised of one catchment basin and four filter cells that were monitored from 2012 until 2013 to determine the efficiency of removing nutrients and heavy metals entering the wetland. Samples were collected
from the inflow and outflow of each filter cell as well as from the Chenango River upstream and downstream from the wetland drainage in order to determine the wetland’s efficiency. Although wetlands are constructed primarily to remove nutrients, they can also serve to trap metals associated with suspended solids including mercury (Hg), a global pollutant that affects human and ecosystem health. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of Hg removal and the impact of Hg
entering the constructed wetland. The target contaminant was total mercury (T-Hg), but also focusing on parameters that
are strong predictors of the outflow of mercury such as: dissolved organic carbon (DOC), sulfate (SO 42), and suspended solids. Results show that the wetland is most efficient in removing inputs of T-Hg during the spring and least efficient during
the summer, with a 78% and 51% efficiency rate respectively. During the spring and winter, the receiving stream was unaffected by Hg concentrations. Conversely, in the summer and fall, the Hg concentrations are negatively affecting the receiving
stream. Overall the constructed wetland was able to remove 63% inputs of Hg, 65% of DOC, 90% of sulfate, and 96% of total
suspended solids.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Martins, Dennise
CLONING OF THE SHORT AND LONG 3'UNTRANSLATED REGION (UTR) DUE TO ALTERNATIVE POLYADENYLATION IN
MALE GERM CELL TRANSCRIPTS.
Male factor infertility is an issue for livestock and humans. Dysregulation of messenger RNA (mRNA) during development of
the male germ cell can lead to infertility. One control of mRNA regulation is the production of transcripts with a short or long
3'UTR, generated by alternative polyadenylation that can lead to different levels of protein production or RNA stability. In
order to test the hypothesis that the short 3'UTR isoform has higher protein production, reporter vectors containing the
short and long 3'UTRs of candidate transcripts need to be made. The transcript used in this experiment was Cpsf6, a RNA
binding protein. To produce these reporter vectors, genomic DNA was isolated from mouse testes. Primers were designed
for the Cpsf6 short 3'UTR and the long 3'UTR using reported Cpsf6 sequence. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted with the following conditions: Amplified products were excised from the gel and submitted for sequencing. Sequences
were obtained that matched the short and long 3'UTR isoforms. Further experiments will ligated these 3'UTR isoforms into a
reporter vector to conduct translational efficiency assays in a male germ cell line. The ultimate goal of this project is to uncover the underlying processes that occur during spermatogenesis and the subsequent production of male germ cells. This
will provide a greater understanding of the molecular regulation of this process as well as factors that may contribute to the
dysregulation of healthy sperm production. This will hopefully allow for identification of underlying causes of male infertility
which in turn can lead to more accurate tests, treatments, and contraceptive targets.
Funding provided by the National Institutes of Health (1R15HD072553-01A 1) to BLS, and the University of Rhode Island's
Science and Engineering Fellows
Mbog, Rodrigue
IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL CIRCADIAN RHYTHM GENES THROUGH THE USE OF TISSUE SPECIFIC RNA INTERFERENCE IN DROSOPHILA
A circadian rhythm is a roughly twenty four hours cycle in the physiological processes living beings, including plants and animals. Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated, even though they can be modulated by external cues such as sunlight
and temperature. The first study of circadian rhythm was done in plants more than two hundred years ago and it lead to
some interesting observations. After that study, many others followed up and more exceptional results came out such as the
first discovered genetic component of a circadian clock, also the discovery of the first mammalian clock gene. Circadian
rhythm is very important for every living organism because it regulates almost every physiological processes of the body.
Once the rhythm is disrupted, processes such as eating and sleeping patterns can change. Modification of the rhythm also
increases the chance of cardiovascular accident, obesity and neurological issues like depression or bipolar disorder. Circadian
rhythms have some properties highly conserved in animals, which are most of the time used in laboratories, and help to get
deep knowledge about the rhythm by running some experiments. With all the work already done and discoveries found, just
a little is still known about the circadian rhythm, reason why its study is very exceptional. The goal of this project is to identify and characterize the importance of different circadian genes in Drosophila. In order to do so, we use the RNA interference
(RNAi) technic which is a powerful tool in genomic analysis and very useful to develop highly specific gene silencing.
The overview method used for this project is the following: two circadian GAL4 strains (tim GAL4 and clock GAL4) combined
with UAS-dicer2, are crossed to a series of RNAi strains in order to knock down the expression of specific genes within circadian clock neurons. Progeny are loaded in a behavioral assay for five days of entrainment condition (12hrs light: 12hrs dark)
followed by seven days of constant darkness. Circadian rhythmicity is analyzed from the constant conditions. Data is evaluated and lines exhibiting significant alteration in rhythmicity or period are noted for future consideration.
Join us in 2015!
Visit the website for details.
16
Murillo, Esdras
ENERGY EFFICIENT DEHUMIDIFICATION BY SOLAR DRIVEN LIQUID DESICCANT SYSTEMS FOR RESIDENTIAL APPLICATION
In regions with high humidity levels, liquid desiccant systems have the potential to be extremely effective as renewable dehumidifiers in buildings. With the ability to be powered by solar hot water tanks, these systems are energetically cleaner
than the standard air conditioning techniques currently in use. These current systems are equipped with a compressor, cooling coil, and a flowing refrigerant to cool the air. In order to create a comfortable relative humidity level, the temperature of
the incoming air must be dropped below its dew point; this is the temperature at which water condenses and can then be
eliminated from the system. In the majority of the United States, dew point temperatures are much lower than comfortable
temperatures. Therefore, in current standard practice, air is first cooled far below comfortable temperatures to reduce humidity levels, and then heated back up to a more acceptable climate before entering the living space. However, if a system
with independent control of humidity was introduced, the need for excess cooling and reheating would be eliminated. Liquid
desiccants have the potential to be such a system. The purpose of this study is to design an efficient liquid desiccant system
that implements a small air-to-liquid desiccant interaction device with the intention of long term use in a common residential building. The objective efficiency of the system would lower the humidity level to between 40% to 50% relative humidity at temperatures between 720F and 780F. This study aims to determine the optimum variable magnitudes to produce the
highest extent of dehumidification while occupying the smallest possible space to fully dehumidify a common residence.
These variables include air velocity, desiccant liquid flow rate, desiccant liquid temperature, contact area between desiccant
liquid and air, and water temperature. The system is currently being individually tested in a laboratory setting with an aqueous Calcium Chloride solution acting as the liquid desiccant. There are future plans to install the system for further testing in
a community lab designed as a solar, net-zero energy building and equipped with a solar powered thermal tank. This paper
will provide valuable data pertaining to the effectiveness and efficiency of solar driven liquid desiccant systems in the common residence by discussing the results conducted in a laboratory setting.
Niederklopfer, Anthony
IMPLEMENTATION OF HIGH-SPEED IMAGING AND DIGITAL IN-LINE HOLOGRAPHY TO STUDY FEEDSTOCK DEGRADATION
WITHIN A PYROLYSIS REACTOR
The efficient production of bio-derived fuels through the process of pyrolysis is one challenge for large-scale renewable energy adoption. The chemical reactions and physical mechanisms governing the overall pyrolysis process must be understood
to promote effective generation of bio-oil. In this study, the degradation of feedstock particles is examined within an optically accessible laboratory-scale pyrolysis cell. In order to determine the physical extent and the phase transitions involved,
two optical diagnostics are developed and implemented within this cell. High-speed imaging of the overall feedstock decomposition at various cell conditions is performed. Digital in-line holography is tested under various micro-scale conditions,
and is used to examine ejective boiling of guiacol, a phenolic product of lignin pyrolysis. Finally, holography is used to measure particle location and size throughout the injection event, and this information is used in conjunction with the high-speed
images to determine phase and physical extent of biomass during the initial stages of a pyrolysis reaction.
Funding provided by research undergraduate experience (REU) IINSPIRE-LSAMP,Epscor, and Mosaic.
Obi, Sierra
NANOPARTICLE INTERACTIONS WITH MODLE CELL MEMBRANES
The field of nanotechnology has led to the emergence of new, innovative technologies and products in nearly every
industry sector; there are well over 2000 consumer products available today. Expectantly, the nanomaterials used to
create these products enter the environment during production and after disposal or usage. Although there has been
a considerable amount of research conducted in order to create and advance these products, there has not been a
commensurate amount of research to understand the Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) risks of these nanomaterials. The most popular nanomaterial used in consumer products are silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which have
powerful antimicrobial properties. For example, AgNPs can be used to sterilize commercial appliances or to coat athletic clothing to help prevent bacterial growth that would cause odor. The antimicrobial properties raise obvious questions regarding EHS: What are the short and long term effects of environmental exposure? How many "beneficial"
bacteria are we destroying in the process? To further our understanding about the toxicity of AgNPs, we examined
the disruption of model bacterial membranes caused by interactions with AgNPs based on a fluorescence spectroscopy study of membrane microviscosity. Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol
(DPPG) were used to form a model anionic bacterial membrane. ( c o n t . o n p a g e 1 8 )
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
(cont.) The membrane fluorophore diphenylhexatriene (DPH) was used to measure microviscosity as a function of temperature, sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration, and the type of AgNP surface coating (anionic, cationic, or neutral).
This study highlights the effects of electrostatic interactions between bacterial membranes and AgNPs in controlling
membrane disruption.
This study was sponsored by the Science and Engineering Fellows program, which is part of the National Science
Foundation (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research at the University of Rhode Island, and
the NSF Environmental Health and Safety of Nanotechnology program (Grant No. CBET-1055652).
Odufuye, Zaid
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE DISASSEMBLY OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS
Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is one of the largest types of waste produced in the world. These types of waste
are exponentially growing throughout the years due to the high demand of more advanced technology. One potential
solution to reduce the e-waste is reusing electronic components in future devices. The electronic components that are
chosen for reuse must be common and essential to multiple different electronic devices. From there, the electronic component must also be in good condition to be used. From the observation of different common electronic devices, capacitors and quartz crystals were chosen to be recycled because both of these devices are essential for a wide range of electrical components as well as being expensive. Old printed circuit boards and motherboards were collected to experiment
on. A tool was designed in SolidWorks that is able to de-solder two pins simultaneously. The de- soldering tool was machined and attached to the tip of a soldering iron. The de- soldering extension was created from copper and because of
copper conductive properties; heat is able to transfer from the soldering iron, to the extension, to the component that is
being de-soldered. Once the capacitors and quartz crystals were removed from the printed circuit boards and motherboards using the de-soldering tool, a circuit was designed to test the capacitance of the capacitors and the frequency of
the quartz crystals. A series of tests were ran to calculate the time needed to remove the capacitors and quartz crystals
from the printed circuit boards and motherboards and the reusability of the capacitor and quartz crystal.
Funded by the Science and Engineering Fellows and The University of Rhode Island Department of Mechanical, Industrial
and Systems Engineering
Pena, Alexis
A COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF TIGHT JUNCTIONS
Tight junctions (TJ) are vital intracellular barriers that are responsible for regulating paracellular transport. Claudins, a family of small transmembrane proteins with approximately 27 members, are an integral part of the TJ strands. The claudin composition of a tight junction determines a given tissues tightness, the looser the connection, the more materials can pass
through. Claudins can single-handedly create pores in TJs as well. Tight junctions provide molecular-level protection and
prevent infection and toxins from entering the body; in the same sense TJs allow nutrients and vital solutes to pass through.
Claudins are associated with various diseases including metastatic cancer as well as an entry point for many viruses. Simple
disruption or alteration of claudins can trigger the development of cancer metastasis and various diseases. Understanding
structure of claudin proteins and its interaction can lead to a better mechanistic detail of what is going on at the molecular
level. Despite their importance and abundance in all cell membranes and their ubiquitous nature, the exact 3-D structure of
Claudins has remained elusive to traditional X-ray crystallographic and NMR studies. In this investigation, a computational
approach was used to determine the Claudin structure of claudin 1-10. High accuracy homology modeling, coarse-grained
molecular dynamic simulations, reverse transformation, and refinement were employed to predict the protein structures
with relative accuracy. Understanding structure of claudin proteins and its interaction at the molecular level can lead to effective drug delivery technology. Future research effort is on understanding the interactions among claudins using similar
molecular dynamic simulations and protein docking.
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Roberts, Anthony
ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY AS A METHOD OF RAPID BACTERIA DETECTION AND ANALYSIS
Microbiological impedance spectroscopy has been employed for several decades to determine the presence and concentration of known bacteria and pathogens. Recent interest in lab-on-a-chip technology has been the motivation to develop miniature accurate and rapid instrumentation to identify various strains of bacteria thus minimizing the necessity to culture,
stain and perform population counting in a laboratory environment. In this work, a substrate using borosilicate microscope
slides containing interdigitated electrodes is implemented to measure the real and imaginary impedance components of
thin-film bacterial suspensions in the time domain. The resultant resistance and reactance changes that occur in real time
appear to be characteristic of the cell wall composition that differentiates gram positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Romero, Alicia
ADAPTING CHROMOSOME CONFORMATION CAPTURE TO ASSAY HUMAN FECAL SAMPLES
The human gut microbiome is a diverse community composed of thousands of bacterial species, plasmids, and bacteriophages. It is hypothesized that horizontal gene transfer mediated by plasmids and other mobile elements is responsible
for the rapid evolution of bacteria observed under acute stress such as antibiotic treatment. However, a system-wide
technique to assay the dynamic associations between mobile elements and their specific hosts is lacking. Here, we
describe the adaptation of Chromosome Conformation Capture (3C) to assay human fecal samples. In 3C, cells are
fixed and lysed to obtain cross-linked DNA fragments, which are digested and ligated under dilute conditions. Cross-links
are then removed and paired-end sequencing allows for identification of the cellular origin of DNA fragments. Initial
attempts to apply 3C to fecal samples produced only partially digested DNA, prompting investigation of the digestion step.
We found that increasing formaldehyde concentration generates larger cross- linked molecules with little inhibitory
effect on digestion. Additionally, reduced lysate concentration enhanced digestion efficiency and reproducibility, likely
due to digestion inhibitory factors in stool. This work sets the foundation for the application of 3C to study complex microbial communities. Assembly of a 3C library from these methods will complement metagenomic data and provide
greater understanding of horizontal gene transfer within the human gut microbiome.
Sanders, Jazmine
SEVERAL ANTIBACTERIAL ANTIBIOTICS ENHANCE SOME IMMUNE RESPONSES IN MICE
Our laboratory has long been interested in antibacterial antibiotic molecule effects on the host immune response. Utilizing a
mouse model for our study, antibiotics including cubicin, tigecycline, dalbavancin, Zithromax, ketek and others have been
found to stimulate macrophage killing of eukaryotic candida yeast targets, many at statistically significant levels. T cell function also was drug-enhanced, determined with an ear-thickness assay used to measure the amount of DTH occurring. More
recently we have begun to study some of the mechanisms that are responsible for the microbicidal enhancement seen in the
drug-exposed macrophages such as changes in cytokine production, nitrogen oxide production and the amount of toxic oxygen and digestive enzymes produced. This work was supported in part by the Max Baer Heart Fund, Fraternal Order of Eagles. J. Sanders is an LS-AMP Research Scholar, NSF/HRD 094024.
Sanders, Tim
THE BIG IDEAS OF COSMOLOGY
Powerful new observations and advances in computation and visualization have led to a revolution in our understanding of
the structure, composition, and evolution of the universe. These gains have been vast, but their impact on education has
been limited. Informed by our research on student learning, our research group has created a series of web-based cosmology learning modules. The goal of the curriculum is to increase the knowledge of general education college students who take
courses in cosmology by applying new and innovative techniques to help the students better understand scientific concepts
and reasoning processes. My role was to help debug the curriculum for students. I read through each module, answered conceptual questions, tested interactive activities, and played videos that would increase my understanding of the universe. I
also completed a wrap up component, homework, and a survey from each chapter. I reported mistakes within the text and
activities and also gave feedback on each of the chapters to make sure that the material was useable and comprehendible for
students.
This work was supported by: NASA ROSES E/PO Grant #NNXl0AC89G, Illinois Space Grant Consortium & National Science
Foundation CCLI Grant #0632563 at Chicago State University and the Fermi E/PO program at Sonoma State University.
Module development is also being supported by Sonoma State’s Space Science Education and Public Outreach Group and
Great River Technology/Kendall Hunt Publishing.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Save the Date!
2015 LSMCE CONFERENCE
October 23-25, 2015
Wyndham Indianapolis West
Indianapolis, Indiana
Photo courtesy of Lavengood Photography
20
Santos Teixeira, Wallace
ON QUANTUM ERROR CORRECTION VIA UHRIG DYNAMICAL DECOUPLING
Quantum mechanics was established in the first half of the last century as a new way to explain some small-scale phenomena
that the classical laws of mechanics and electromagnetism could not do. After some decades, it left behind the philosophical
questions involving its nature and began to be studied in the context of computation and information theory. Some properties of quantum systems, such as superposition of states and entanglement, could help to solve some unsolvable classical
problems, such as factoring large numbers into prime numbers or searching for names in a phonebook once the phone number is given. However, in order for a quantum computer or quantum communication channel to be practical, its interaction
with its environment, which may cause loss of quantum information due to a process called decoherence, needs to be analyzed carefully. Some techniques for quantum error correction (QEC), which were developed in the 1990s and were mainly
based on their classical counterparts, are being improved since then. However, a different class of techniques called dynamical decoupling (DD) has come up as an alternative to QEC because it usually requires less physical resources to be performed
than the former one does. DD essentially uses a finite sequence of electromagnetic pulses to control the qubits (quantum analog of the smallest bit of information) and force the system-environment coupling to get as close to zero as possible. In this
context, this work aims to study the mechanisms of DD, specifically the one called Uhrig dynamical decoupling (UDD).
UDD uses non-equidistant pulses to optimize the decoherence suppression, in particular, for strong couplings to the environment. Moreover, we are interested in using such techniques with ion-traps schemes, because they have been considered good
architectures for devising quantum computers.
Sargent-Johnson, Nicholas
ASSESSMENT OF THE AFFINITY OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLES TO ESTRADIOL
Titanium dioxide is an endocrine disrupting compound (EDC) that is widely used in commercial products such as cosmetics,
milk and toothpastes. EDCs lead to health issues like defects in reproduction and obesity because they are disposed of in our
water systems. In this study, a prototype for capturing and concentrating 17β-estradiol using titanium dioxide nanoparticles
is created using a frit of magnetic micro-beads. This system contains a pinched fused-silica capillary held inside a piece of
grooved wood. Two magnets are used to hold and load magnetic micro-beads, titanium dioxide, and 17β-estradiol. The collected amounts of 17β-estradiol are quantified using capillary electrophoresis (CE). The use of CE is important because it allows the use of small sample volumes and is ideal because the output volume of the prototype is very small. Similar systems
used in previous studies have shown the ability to concentrate samples thus lowering the detection limit of EDCs. The results
of our prototype will be to concentrate and determine the binding affinity of 17β-estradiol to titanium dioxide via CE.
Scheibel, Raymond
ARBOVIRUSES IN WESTERN ILLINOIS: A WEST NILE VIRUS SURVEILLANCE STUDY AND VECTOR BIOLOGY EDUCATIONAL
INITIATIVE
Arboviral diseases, such as the mosquito-borne West Nile virus disease, pose a growing risk to the health of humans and animals. In 2002, during the largest West Nile virus epidemic, Illinois led the nation in the highest number of human cases and
deaths. In order to prevent future outbreaks, vector surveillance studies play a critical role in understanding the distribution
of the virus. The objective of this study was to aid local health departments throughout western Illinois in the collection and
testing of mosquitoes for the presence of West Nile virus. Two different testing methods were used for this project, and multiple field sites were established in Cass, Fulton, and McDonough County. Gravid traps began collecting adult mosquitoes on
June 19, 2014. The insects were examined and counted, but only females were tested for virus. Mosquitoes captured in Cass
County and McDonough County were analyzed for West Nile virus using the VecTest ® Antigen Assay. McDonough County collections were also tested for St. Louis encephalitis virus using the VecTest ® Antigen Assay. Mosquitoes captured in Fulton
County were analyzed with the RAMP® WNV Test. In Cass County, 2467 mosquitoes were analyzed and none of tests were
positive for West Nile virus. Collections and testing for McDonough and Fulton County are ongoing, with 1271 and 516 mosquitoes having been collected from each respective county to date. This project was carried out in collaboration with local
county health departments and served to establish an environmental health/vector biology education initiative for students
at Western Illinois University. Our goal is to continue to work closely with health departments in the future to promote individualized learning experiences, in which students develop applied and integrated skills in the public health, microbiology,
entomology, and epidemiology fields.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Poster Abstracts
Shoemaker, Katherine
VELOCITY SUBSTRUCTURE IN THE VIRGO OVERDENSITY
This research is primarily in the field of astrophysics and involved the analysis of spectra taken by the Large Sky Area MultiObject Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST). In this presentation, the process for the identification of a previously unrecorded velocity cluster within the Virgo Stellar Stream is discussed.
Initially the project was to look at the Virgo Overdensity, which was observed in previous data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The expected velocity cluster that appears within the data is the Virgo Overdensity as predicted, however, another
cluster seems to exist consistently within the samples. The stars that were isolated and observed support the existence of the
Virgo Overdensity and also, potentially indicate another possible substructure within the same region of sky. The characterization of this cluster is presented along with the steps taken to isolate the Virgo Overdensity as previously described in earlier
papers by Dr. Jeff Carlin and Dr. Heidi Newberg.
After months of calculations and technical analysis, several conclusions have been drawn regarding this unidentified velocity
structure. The velocity structure within the Virgo Stellar Stream does possess the same velocity signature as the disk region of
the Milky Way Galaxy and there is a possibility that errors occurred in the data to produce false peaks in the velocity histogram
of the selected spectra. However, the likelihood that computational errors occurred is very minute. The amount of error that
would be needed to justify that this structure is merely contamination would be fairly large and call into question the quality
of the spectra in general. The peak remains consistent throughout the samples and numerous calculations have been performed to attempt to explain this peak with the hypothesis of disk contamination. Disk contamination remains the strongest
theory for the explanation of the anomaly, but it's existence and consistent structure support the potential that it is in fact, an
unidentified cluster within the Virgo Stellar Stream.
Spears, Andre’
INVESTIGATING THE INTERACTIONS OF COMPETING ADSORBATES ON PT CATALYSTS USING ELECTROCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES
A limiting factor in the commercialization of fuel cells is durability. Impurities found in the air can enhance the durability factor which degrades the performance of a fuel cell. Studying half cell reactions of fuel cells using electrochemistry we are able
to examine only one half of the fuel cell. In this case we studied the anode half of a fuel cell. Common impurities in the air are
carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. We studied the interactions of carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide on platinum
electrodes, in both isolated and combined experiments. The catalyst used on the electrode was 4.8% platinum using graphitized carbon. The electrode was placed in a 0.5 M sulfuric acid solution. This study utilized a 200:1 concentration ratio for
carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide hydrogen sulfide, respectively. Such ratios are not uncommon in hydrogen fuel
streams. Furthermore, we varied the time of exposure for each adsorbate to capture their signature oxidation peaks, and subsequently repeated the experiments with both species present. By varying the time of exposure we can study the affects of
carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide on the electrode. We show a direct correlation between the time of exposure and surface coverage by probing the chemical adsorption of carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide and their subsequent oxidations
for quantification. Also, with time we will show which gas is more aggressive. Our findings agree with previously reported
polymer electrode membrane fuel cell results, in that the carbon monoxide adsorption kinetics are faster but they form much
weaker bonds with platinum surfaces.
Photo courtesy of
2013 LSMCE Conference
22
Strickland, Brenisha
DETERMINING AND MEASURING THE ACCUMULATION OF VITAMIN C IN PRAIRIE GARDEN PLANTS
This study used quantitative methodology to examine Vitamin C in prairie garden plants in an urban Midwestern
environment. Specifically, this study focused on comparing and measuring the accumulation of Vitamin C content
in prairie garden plants. It was believed that prairie garden plants will relatively share the same amount of Vitamin C content. Literature in the field of botany, prairie gardens, and Vitamin C was reviewed in regard to environment, methodologies, and Vitamin C content. This study took place over a five-week period during the month of
July 2014. During the five weeks, researchers collected, observed, extracted and tested for the accumulation of
Vitamin C content in the shaded, partly shaded and sunny areas of the prairie garden plants. It was determined
that each individual prairie garden plant varied in Vitamin C consistency, due to prairie plants adaptive nature.
Future studies should consider a layout of each prairie garden, and specific prairie plants that have being planted
there. Also, the soil and area in which the plants grow must also be taken into consideration. In conducting this
study, plants of the same family should be selected from various locations of the prairie garden such as: shaded
area, sunny area, and partially shaded area.
Valerio, Kevin
THE DEMAND FOR PAPER BASED LATERAL FLOW DEVICES
The demand for Paper-based Lateral Flow devices is growing. These devices are designed to detect certain
foreign particles in a sample. Compared to the leading bench top tests, these devices are more convenient to
because they do not require the presence of a professional to use, and results can be obtained faster. They
are also easy to fabricate, inexpensive, and more accessible. Current challenges faced by designers of such
devices include increasing precision of detection, increasing reliability, and decrease test times. Valve technology is incorporated into this device to allow for the fluid to flow autonomously. IN order for this device
to work effectively valves need to hold back the wash and substrate fluids in order for the reaction between
the fluids to occur.
Throughout the summer chips were designed in order to test reliability, and test time. Experiments were
conducted to investigate the fluid flow characteristics in order to compare results to theory, i.e. Washburn
equation. Using the Washburn equations, the data from this experiment can be used to estimate characteristics of paper such as pore diameter of the paper. Understanding fluid flow times and distances is crucial in
designing these chips because everything needs to flow fluently, and the valves in the chips need to be
opened at different times to obtain the results needed in order to increase consistency, accuracy and repeatability.
Wong, Liam
SEMI-QUANTITATIVE READOUT IN A PAPER-BASED TEST FOR THE HOME MONITORING OF PHENYLALANINE
LEVELS IN PHENYLKETONURIA PATIENTS
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited genetic disorder that results in increased levels of an amino acid
called phenylalanine (Phe) in the blood. If PKU is not diagnosed and treated, the Phe build up can lead to
mental disabilities and other serious health problems. The most common therapy for individuals with PKU
is a strict diet to achieve target Phe levels in the blood. Thus, monitoring Phe levels in the blood of these
individuals is a critical component of therapy. Existing tests for PKU require high---resource laboratories,
which are not available to many populations and cannot provide the real---time feedback required for effective therapy monitoring. In many regions of the world, the level of resources is too low to support testing that
requires any instrumentation. It would be ideal to develop an instrument---free, rapid and simple test for PKU
patients to monitor their Phe levels. We are developing a paper---based test that provides a semi---quantitative
output of the concentration of Phe from a sample of blood. Users will be able to measure the concentration of
Phe in a blood sample by looking at the simple pattern or intensity of color produced and matching it to the
expected result for “low”, “medium”, or “high” levels of Phe. The focus of this presentation is on the demonstration of the use of colorimetric indicators to achieve distinct visible output for clinically relevant concentration ranges of Phe in a sample. Specifically we are optimizing reagent concentrations to produce the most
robust signal and evaluating different colorimetric indicators to determine which indicators produce the
ideal response curves (signal vs. Phe concentration) for quantitative readout. The ideal intensity--- based re-
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation award 1202563
Map
Conference Room Locations
Conference rooms are located on the main lobby level to the left of the main entrance. Attendees
can also enter via the entrance that leads to the ballroom area which is located on the North side
of the building.
Poster set up can begin at 4:00 PM on Friday, October 24.
Foyer E-F
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advocating for increases of minority
success in STEM education
http://lsmce.org