TEXAS
WOMAN'S
UNIVERSITY
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A P R I L 18 - 19
2017 Student Creative Arts and Research Symposium
WELCOME
to the 2017 Student
Creative Arts & Research Symposium
The Symposium Planning Committee is pleased to welcome you to the 2017 Annual Student
Creative Arts & Research Symposium. Over the past years we have honored students, both
artists and scholars, who have since gone on to fulfill the promise they first demonstrated at
these symposiums. These students have become researchers, teachers, artists, health care
providers, and working professionals contributing to society and serving as positive role models
as graduates of TWU. We are celebrating our 20th year of meeting the following goals:
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Provide opportunities for all students to share their scholarly pursuits and build leadership
and other professional skills, and
Celebrate student-mentor achievement in a way that promotes a culture of scholarship and
community at TWU.
We continue to offer various venues for presentations including poster and platform sessions
and virtual presentations. Thank you for joining us in this joyous celebration of a culture of
scholarship at this, our 20th Annual Symposium!
2017 Symposium Planning Committee
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Chair: Don Edwards, Chair and Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science
Dayna Averitt, Assistant Professor, Biology
Linda Caldwell, Professor, Dance
Mark Hamner, Associate Provost for Institutional Research and Improvement; Associate
Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science
Gretchen Knurr, Coordinator, Honors Program
Tracy Lindsay, Director of Operations, Research and Sponsored Programs
Jennifer Martin, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Professor, Family
Sciences
Sarah McMahan, Associate Professor, Teacher Education
Desiree Patterson, Graduate Student Representative, Nutrition and Food Sciences
Elizabeth Restrepo, Associate Clinical Professor, Nursing
Shannon Scott, Chair and Professor, Psychology and Philosophy
Donna Scott Tilley, Assistant Provost for Promotion of Research and Sponsored Programs,
Professor, Nursing
Lynda Uphouse, Cornaro Professor Emerita, Biology
Gary Washmon, Professor, Visual Arts
Ann Wheeler, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Symposium Planning Committee is grateful to the many people whose support has made the 2017
Student Creative Arts & Research Symposium possible. The student presenters and mentors are to be
thanked for their participation and congratulated on their accomplishments! All participating mentors
and featured speakers are dedicated scholars who care about inspiring student researchers and artists.
The Symposium Planning Committee was fortunate to receive support from several sources this year in
addition to TWU budget support. We are especially grateful for the generous support provided by:
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Chancellor and President Carine Feyten and the Chancellor’s Circle;
Student Service Fees;
Center for Faculty Excellence;
Friends of the Multi-ethnic Biomedical Research Support Program;
Research and Sponsored Programs;
Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs;
Student Life; and
Office of Technology.
Many members of the University community graciously provided their time and expertise to support
Symposium functions. We want to thank the members of the Symposium Planning Committee for
their guidance and the members of the Research Committee of the Graduate Council for the final
selection of the Chancellor’s Student Research Scholars and Graduate Council Awardees for
Exceptional, Original Scholarship. We are grateful to personnel in Learning Technologies Support for
their assistance with the media needs of our speakers and student presenters during the conference.
In addition, staff members in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs deserve special
recognition for all the work they did to make this program a success.
A special thank you goes to Jessica McClendon, MFA Art Candidate, for her work, Brandon (oil, resin
and mixed media), on the cover of this program.
Once again, the Annual Student Creative Arts & Research Symposium has received University-wide
support. This celebration of student discovery and of scholarly discourse across disciplines is a part of
TWU’s rich academic tradition. Everyone's contributions are much appreciated!
Acknowledgements
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Roger Malina ‐ Beyond the Two Cultures: Common Science Doesn’t Make Common Sense ..... 4 Panel Discussion: Why Should I Attend Graduate School? and What Do I Do When I Get Out of Graduate School? ... 4 Chancellor’s Student Research Scholars: A Celebration of Research ........................................................................... 5 Showcase of Student Research: Paramita Basu and Jordan Joy ................................................................................. 6 Abstracts and Artist Statements for Presentations ..................................................................................................... 7 Artist Statements for Dance Presentations ................................................................................................... 8 Platform Session I‐A (ACT 301) ...................................................................................................................... 9 Platform Session I‐B (ACT 501) ...................................................................................................................... 9 Platform Session I‐C (ACT 601) .................................................................................................................... 10 Poster Session I (ACT 2) ............................................................................................................................... 10 Platform Session II‐A (ACT 301) ................................................................................................................... 18 Platform Session II‐B (ACT 501) .................................................................................................................. 19 Platform Session II‐C (ACT 601) ................................................................................................................... 19 Poster Session II (ACT 2) .............................................................................................................................. 20 Virtual Session II (ACT 225) ......................................................................................................................... 28 Platform Session III (ACT 501) ..................................................................................................................... 29 Poster Session III (ACT 2) ............................................................................................................................. 29 Virtual Session III (ACT 225) ......................................................................................................................... 36 Platform Session IV (ACT 301) ..................................................................................................................... 37 Poster Session IV (ACT 2) ............................................................................................................................. 37 Platform Session V (ACT 501) ...................................................................................................................... 45 Poster Session V (ACT 2) .............................................................................................................................. 45 Virtual Session V (ACT 225) ......................................................................................................................... 52 Platform Session VI (ACT 501) ..................................................................................................................... 53 Poster Session VI (ACT 2) ............................................................................................................................. 53 Index of Artists, Authors, and Mentors ...................................................................................................................... 61 List of Faculty Sponsors .............................................................................................................................................. 67 TWU Components Presenting and Participating Institutions .................................................................................... 68 Schedule of Events ........................................................................................................................................ Back Cover Table of Contents 3 KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Roger F. Malina, PhD
Beyond the Two Cultures:
Common Science Doesn’t Make Common Sense?
Tuesday, April 18, 2017, 1:15 pm – 2:30 pm
ACT 301
Roger Malina is an astrophysicist who directed and helped build a
NASA satellite to map the sky. He was also director of the Astronomical
Observatory of Marseille – where the first planet around another star
was discovered and new kinds of telescopes were conceived and built.
He currently is a Distinguished Chair of Art and Technology at the
University of Texas at Dallas. There he founded the ArtSciLab, which
works on projects that cannot be done unless artists, designers and
scientists work together. He is also a publisher and Executive Editor of
the Leonardo Publications at MIT Press which documents and
advocates the work of artists involved in science and emerging
technologies.
Dr. Malina will address the ongoing discussion of how to create new
ways to integrate the arts, design and humanities into STEM (science, engineering, technology, math
and medicine). Sometimes called “STEM to STEAM,” this discussion focuses on how to bring together
different ways of knowing to tackle the hard problems of our times.
Why Should I Attend Graduate School? and
What Do I Do When I Get Out of Graduate School?
Wednesday, April 19, 2017, (4:00 – 5:00 pm)
ACT 301
Do you think you want to attend Graduate School? Do you wonder what you will do once you’ve
finished? This session is designed to help you find out. The panel discussion will address what is
required to get into graduate school and what life can be like on the other side.
Facilitator:
Dr. Holly Hansen-Thomas, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Panelists:
Brett Dyer, MFA in Painting and Intermedia Art, 2005
Danyeal Heckard, BS in Biology, 2010
LaTondra Lawrence, PhD in Molecular Biology, 2015
Rebecca Meraz, candidate for PhD in Nursing, May, 2017
Keynote and Graduate School Panel Discussion
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CHANCELLOR’S STUDENT RESEARCH SCHOLARS
A CELEBRATION OF RESEARCH
Tuesday, April 18, 2017, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm (ACT 301)
Chancellor’s Student Research Scholars
A special category of recognition - the Chancellor’s Student Research Scholars - was begun in 2004.
These student participants were nominated by their faculty mentors for exhibiting outstanding
achievement in their research or creative arts endeavors. Final selection of these scholars was made by
the Research Committee of the Graduate Council. The scholars will be recognized and awarded
individually at this session and will briefly share their research experiences.
Congratulations to our 2017 Honorees and their Faculty Mentors:
Doctoral Students:
Remya Ammassam Veettil, Biology .................................................................................... Dr. DiAnna Hynds
Paramita Basu, Biology ...................................................................................................... Dr. Camelia Maier
Jemin Kim, Kinesiology .................................................................................................. Dr. Young-Hoo Kwon
Isha Mehta, Biology ............................................................................................................ Dr. DiAnna Hynds
Pallavi Panth, Nutrition & Food Sciences..........................................................................Dr. Nancy DiMarco
Sumod Sebastian, Biology ................................................................................................... Dr. DiAnna Hynds
Carrie Wilks, Biology ........................................................................................................ Dr. Michael Bergel
Masters Student:
Amber Thomas, Nutrition & Food Sciences ........................................................................... Dr. Shanil Juma
Undergraduate Students:
Myra Briley, Fashion & Textiles............................................................................................ Dr. Sheri Dragoo
Hadley Brown, Nutrition & Food Sciences ..................................................................... Dr. Victorine Imrhan
Michaela Cortes, Nursing - Dallas .......................................................................... Professor Jennifer Wilson
Hannah Grant, Mathematics & Computer Science........................................................... Dr. Alicia Machuca
Paige Hall, Chemistry & Biochemistry.................................................................. Dr. Nasrin Mirsaleh-Kohan
Sirima Tongkhuya, Biology .................................................................................................. Dr. Dayna Averitt
Nkemjika Uke, Biology ...................................................................................................... Dr. Michael Bergel
Chancellor’s Student Research Scholars
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SHOWCASE OF STUDENT RESEARCH
Wednesday, April 19, 2017 (1:30 – 2:30 pm) - ACT 301
Moderator:
Dr. Holly Hansen-Thomas, Interim Graduate Dean
Speakers:
Paramita Basu, Ph.D. Candidate in Molecular Biology
Jordan Joy, Ph.D. Candidate in Nutrition
Paramita is working under the mentorship of Dr. Camelia Maier to
investigate the effects of phytochemicals isolated from Euphorbia
bicolor (Snow-on-the-prairie), a plant native to Texas, on the
proliferation and mode of action in different breast carcinomas and
neurobiology of pain. She has authored a book chapter on the effects
of dietary soy phytoestrogens on biomarkers of osteoporosis and two
peer-reviewed articles focusing on the in vitro antioxidant activities
of commercially available fruits and estrogenic and antiestrogenic
properties of dietary supplements. Paramita has presented her
research at national and regional conferences and has received
several scholarships. She was recognized at the 14th Annual Sigma Xi
Student Research Conference for her research on the antioxidant
activities of Morus alba. In addition, she has been involved in
leadership activities and community service and is currently serving
as Student Vice-President in Phi Kappa Phi and as a mentor with
TWU’s International Mentoring Program.
Jordan Joy will complete his Ph.D. in Nutrition in December 2017.
His research focuses on optimizing athletic potential and physical
fitness achieved through diet, exercise, and supplementation.
Jordan has helped to contribute over 100 peer-reviewed
publications since beginning his research in 2012. Working with Dr.
Nancy DiMarco, his topics of investigation have included nutrient
timing, protein absorption and utilization, pre-workout
supplementation, and carbohydrate supplementation in addition
to his dissertation on low-carbohydrate diets. Jordan holds a 4.0
GPA, has presented posters at several national conferences, and
has lectured at conferences for the International Society of Sports
Nutrition and National Strength and Conditioning Association.
When not conducting research, Jordan is a consultant for various
companies in the food, supplement, and athletics industries, a
strength coach, and a record-holding power lifter.
Showcase of Student Research
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Abstracts and Artist Statements
for Presentations
ARTIST STATEMENTS FOR DANCE VIDEO PRESENTATION
Videodance is an art form in which the choreographer creates a dance for the two dimensions
of the video screen rather than the three dimensions of the stage space. These video dance
projects resulted from the course work of Master of Fine Arts students in Workshop in Dance
Making: Exploring Alternative Venues and Contexts taught by Associate Professor Jordan
Fuchs.
Yeajean Choi
Interface is a dance film sourced from a dance for the proscenium stage that uses camera and
editing techniques to create perspectives not possible from the stage, such as close-ups of
hands, feet, and faces and gravity defying dancers.
Nadia Dosal
Yet She Whispered to My Soul explores the numerous ways a dance, originally created for the
concert stage, can be transformed through changing its context, in this case from the stage to
the outdoors.
Melissa Johnson
In We All Have Secrets, elements of the video shoot location: a shed, morning fog, and trees,
were utilized to develop a sense of mystery through the use of repetition and through shifts
in camera location from near to far.
Lauren Miller
Adventure Alone explores camera-framing techniques and architectural vantage points to
both obscure and reveal the horizon in order to challenge the viewer’s sense of verticality.
Jessica Murphy
Look Closely, brings awareness to subtle, unnoticed movements and to the ways the video
camera can make small details, like the flicker of an eyelash or the flex of muscle under the
skin, significant in a way that dance for the stage cannot.
Artist Statements for Dance Presentations
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ABSTRACTS FOR PRESENTATIONS
Abstract is listed in the department of the faculty sponsor.
Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
PLATFORM SESSION I-A: ACT 301
Faculty Moderator: TBD
1.
COMPARING
GEOMETRIC
AND
ALGEBRAIC
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PROJECTIVE PLANE. E. Skousen.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Projective space is the basis for much of the field of
Algebraic Geometry. Understanding projective space and its
elements sets a good foundation for understanding
geometries of higher dimensions and non-Euclidean
properties. Modeling projective change, or transformations
in projective space, begins by modeling changes in two and
three dimensions. The principles of projective change can
then be extended to higher dimensions where modeling is
more difficult. This paper focuses on describing projective
change as a representation of both geometric and algebraic
transformations. In particular, this paper focuses on a
geometric representation of two-dimensional projective
change as a rotation of a double-napped cone and its
equivalent algebraic representation using linear algebra. An
extension of these topics into higher dimensions is also
included. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
2. CRYPTOGRAPHY AND ELLIPTIC CURVES. J. Anderson.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
It is human nature to keep secrets. Cryptography is the
study of how to encode information to keep it secret. While
the science of cryptography has existed as long as written
history, it is becoming more and more important as our
society uses online commerce. And recent developments in
cryptography have resulted in a mathematics-centered
approach to encoding information over a linguistic one. In
this research, I will provide a brief historical summary of the
field of cryptography and the role mathematics plays in it. I
will specifically consider the role that elliptic curves are
playing in recent cryptographic developments and the
benefits of using algebraic geometric approach via elliptic
curves over previous methods. Finally, I will share some
ways that cryptography can be used by teachers to
supplement and motivate secondary and undergraduate
teaching of mathematics. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
3. FERMAT’S LAST THEOREM AND ELLIPTIC CURVES. N.
Alshakhoury. Department of Mathematics & Computer
Science
Pierre de Fermat, a French mathematician, stated that
there does not exist positive integers x, y, z, n such that
x^n+y^n=z^n, for every n>2. This conjecture stated in 1637
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
is known as Fermat’s Last Theorem. It took a long period to
prove Fermat’s Last Theorem, and the complete proof was
shown by Andrew Wiles in 1994. In this project, I am going
to present the early historical proofs of Fermat’s Last
Theorem. Moreover, the proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem
was completed indirectly by using the concept of elliptic
curves. Therefore, I will discuss elliptic curves and how
mathematicians used elliptic curves to prove Fermat’s Last
Theorem. Finally, I will present how to prove the
irrationality of √2 by using Fermat’s Last Theorem, and how
to use Fermat’s Last Theorem to solve a special kind of
equation. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
PLATFORM SESSION I-B: ACT 501
Faculty Moderator: Dr. Nerissa Gillum
1. THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF IMMIGRATION. F.
Osuofa, N. Gillum. Department of Family Sciences
People migrate to different countries for different reasons.
Some people migrate for educational purposes, to give their
children the best form of education as much as possible, or
to flee from oppression, war, political instability, corruption.
Yet, others migrate because they may no longer feel any
sense of belonging and security in their home country
(Lersch, 2016). Migrating to a different country can be
stressful and include risk for families. Acculturation can be a
dimension of the immigration process and can also be a
challenging journey. This paper will focus on the benefits
and challenges of Immigration. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nerissa
Gillum)
2. INVITATION TO TEA: AN EXPLORATION OF KURDISH
FEMALE IDENTITY. J. Ellis. Department of Visual Arts
The arts-based, ethnographic research project, Invitation to
Tea: An Exploration of Kurdish Female Identity, portrays the
identities of three Kurdish women in Northern Iraq.
Information gathered about these women’s roles,
occupations, values, interests, and biographical details
illustrate how they express their individual identities.
Portraits, concealing the women’s faces for security
purposes, and documentation of interior spaces were
photographed during a ten-day trip to Northern Iraq in
January 2017. During this time, the three Kurdish women
were also given a Polaroid camera and invited to make
photographs themselves, documenting their lives. The
photographs served as a tool for oral photo elicitation
interviews. The resulting imagery, text, and recorded
interviews disclose a part of Iraqi Kurdish culture not often
revealed. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Susan kae Grant)
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3. THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. V. Armenta. Department of
Visual Arts
“What’s for lunch?” is a question commonly asked by most
Americans on any given day. The answer is immediate and
implies something quick and easy. However, it requires no
deeper thought. No thought is given over to what the meal,
or rather, the food entails: how it is prepared, the (nonmonetary) costs attached to it, its sociocultural qualities, its
inherent beauty. This presentation does not look to answer
the bigger questions regarding food, but rather, to create a
moment in which to pause long enough to consider the
beauty inherent in the food, to consider how food reflects
us as individuals, how by giving over power to invisible, yet
“friendly” forces, we are forced to become the end link of
an industrialized food chain, and ultimately, our inevitable
demise. Through photography, this presentation will
consider all those aspects of that oft asked question,
“What’s for lunch?” (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Susan kae
Grant)
PLATFORM SESSION I-C: ACT 601
Faculty Moderator: TBD
1. IODINE DEFICIENCY IN REPRODUCTIVE AGE WOMEN. P.
Panth, N. DiMarco, L. Petterborg. Department of Nutrition
& Food Sciences
6-month randomized placebo-controlled trial to investigate
efficacy of iodine supplementation in 18-45-yr nonpregnant, euthyroid women. Participants were randomized
into two groups: 12.5mg iodine (IG, n=65) or placebo (PG,
n=38); iodine status (24-hr urine iodine (UI), %-iodine
saturation (%IS), dietary iodine), body composition, resting
metabolic rate (RMR), and thyroid function (TSH, free
thyroxine (T4), free tri-iodithyronine (T3) were assessed.
Mean baseline data (N=108) showed UI of 35.52mg/24hr vs
>44 mg/24hr, %IS 70.93% vs >90% between study
population and expected mean, respectively, indicating
iodine deficiency. Between groups UI increased from 35.839.6 mg/24hr (IG) vs 34.0-36.6 mg/24hr (PG), %IS from
71.6-79.3% (IG) vs 67.9-73.2 (PG) and RMR from 1600-1650
Kcals (IG) vs 1572-1607 Kcals (PG). Serum free T3 increased
in the adequate iodine subset (M=3.47 vs. 1.81pg/mL,
p<0.001). Iodine supplementation may improve overall
iodine nutrition status in reproductive-age women with
decreased dietary iodine intakes, emphasizing the
importance of iodine nutrition in this population. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Nancy DiMarco)
Supported by the Department of Nutrition and Food
Sciences Human Nutrition Research Funds and the TWU
Research Enhancement Program.
2. MOUSE CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INCREASES MARKERS
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. P. Mody, D.
Hynds, L. Hanson. Department of Biology
Cytomegalovirus is a species-specific herpesvirus infecting
60-100% of people worldwide. Human CMV (HCMV) is a
major infectious cause for birth defects, especially mental
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
retardation and hearing loss and is implicated in
neurodegenerative diseases. Mouse CMV (MCMV) is an
important tool to study mechanisms; having similar
genetics and pathologies to HCMV. It has been reported
that HCMV increases beta-amyloid, a protein associated
with Alzheimer’s disease, in fibroblasts. Using immunoblotting and immunostaining, we have demonstrated that
MCMV infection increases levels of amyloid precursor and
tau protein in fibroblasts and neuronal cells by different
mechanisms. In addition, we found that MCMV infection
increases tau hyperphosphorylation. This pathology is
linked with numerous neurodegenerative diseases
manifesting with tauopathies that impede normal neuron
functioning. Elucidating mechanisms of virus interactions
could lead to development of tools for examining involved
factors which in turn could lead to discovery of novel
antivirals as well as preventives for neurodegeneration.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program.
3. PROTEIN ENERGY NETWORK MODELS TO CHARACTERIZE
FUNCTIONALLY LINKED INTERFACES OF PROTEINS (FLIPS).
I. Mehta, D. Hynds, B. Beck. Department of Biology
Proteins perform various cellular activities, often by
interacting with other proteins. The structural stability and
interaction specificity of such participating oligomers is
likely representative of the function they carry out. The goal
of our research is to characterize the organization of spatial
and energetic features of interacting amino acid residues
that occur during formation of Functionally Linked
Interfaces of Proteins (FLIPs) that are distinct from
Functionally uncorrelated Contacts (FunCs). Here, proteins
are represented as networks of interacting amino acid
residues, where residues are the network nodes and their
interacting energies define the edges. Residue Interaction
Networks (RINs, a network representation of protein
structure based on residue proximity) aided distinction of
known FLIPs from FunCs with ~70% accuracy and found
FLIPs were generally much more organized than FunCs. In
this work, we expand this concept to energetic organization
features that can aid in a FLIP vs FunCs classification.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. DiAnna Hynds)
Supported by the Texas Advanced Computing Center
(TACC), University of Texas at Austin.
POSTER SESSION I: ACT 2
1. A QEP CLASS PROJECT: SYNDROME AND COMMUNICATION/SWALLOWING. J. Carbajal, S. Ali, S. Cavazos, S. Chatman,
V. Cobos, D. Cruz, P. Cunningham, T. Degarmo, S. Eakerns, E.
Fuller, K. Ocasey, G. Shipman, S. Songer, Department of
Communication Sciences & Disorders
The COMS 4623 entitled "Brain and Language" is a required
course for the undergraduate students in the TWU
Communication Sciences & Disorders: Speech-Language
Pathology venue program. The Spring 2016 class of COMS
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4623 was a designated Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
course that incorporated learning activities based on the
concept of "Learn by Doing." As future Speech-Language
Pathologists, the students examined the challenges with six
of the rare syndromes that affect communications and
swallowing. These syndromes are Prader-Willi Syndrome,
Cri-Du-Chat Syndrome, Moebius Syndrome, CHARGE
syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and Pierre Robin Syndrome.
The present poster presentation provides the general
overview of each syndrome for the general public and the
families of the children with these syndromes. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. June Levitt)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program.
2. A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE: INCREASING
ENGAGEMENT IN WOMEN'S HEALTH PATIENT PORTAL
USE. M. Menendez-Bobseine, S. Chaney. College of Nursing
- Dallas
Patient engagement in patient portals will be a major
element in meeting the criteria for Meaningful Use 3.
Studies have proven that an EMR (Electronic Medical
Record) that is easy to manage and encouragement by the
provider at the time of the medical visit will result in a
greater number of patients engaged in the patient portal.
This project used these findings as the foundation of the
quality improvement initiative. This initiative was
comprised of an EMR pre- registration tool and
encouragement by the provider to facilitate participation
and engagement on the part of the patient. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Susan Chaney)
3. AN EQUAL TO HERSELF. M. DeSoto. Department of Visual
Arts
The transition throughout a woman’s life from child to
mother herself is an interesting and mysterious journey that
my work navigates. In the beginning my intention was to
investigate my own perceptions of the role of “Mother” as I
see it, to have a better understanding of myself. This was an
extension of previous work that helped to understand the
ability of a woman’s childhood memories to influence them
as adults and mother’s themselves. Particularly myself. As
the work has progressed, it has changed in direction. My
current investigation is one of extrospection. My interests
lie in the everyday mother mixed with historical references.
The intrigue of these historical references and
contemporary ones are particularly interesting in how
intertwined they have become with today’s society. The use
of artificial materials used for still life’s helps understand
the symbolism and beauty that lies in the word “Mother.”
(Faculty Sponsor: Professor Susan kae Grant)
4. BEING KNOWN. J. McClendon. Department of Visual Arts
My MFA project will explore the human compulsion to
categorize, label and sort each other based on social
programming and preemptive bias. Focusing on layers in
construction and concept- the work in this project will
examine the multifaceted and complex make up of humans.
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
This is realized through the creation of larger then life,
sculptural paintings of layered plexi glass, resin, paint, and
other mixed media illuminated by natural light, portraying
figures and faces of people I have come to know, love and
respect through intentional, cultivated relationships.
(Faculty Sponsor: Professor Gary Washmon)
5. CHANGES IN CARDIOVASCULAR AND PELVIC KINEMATIC
RESPONSES FOLLOWING AN ACUTE BOUT OF WHOLEBODY VIBRATION IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY. K.
Martinez, M. Avalos, B. Martinez, R. Davis, B. Rigby.
Department of Kinesiology
Cerebral palsy (CP) causes activity restriction or disability
that is attributable to disturbances in the fetal or infant
brain. Whole-body vibration (WBV) may be an effective
exercise modality to acutely improve gait in children with
CP. The purpose of this study is to characterize the changes
in cardiovascular and pelvic kinematic responses to walking
before and after an acute bout of WBV in children with CP.
Five participants, ages 5 to 18 years old, diagnosed with CP
will be asked to walk approximately 40 feet at a selfselected pace. Between walking trials, the participants will
stand on a WBV plate with approximately 40° of knee
flexion. Each participant will receive 5, 1-minute bouts of
WBV with 30 seconds of rest in between each bout.
Cardiovascular responses and pelvic kinematics will be
measured continuously throughout the walking trials.
Results will be analyzed and reported at the end of this
ongoing study. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Brandon Rigby)
6. COARSE AND FINE TUNING THE PHOTOPHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF COPPER IODIDE CYANOPYRIDINE
COMPLEXES THROUGH VARYING THE NITRILE GROUP
POSITION. L. Scoggins, D. Vargas Trujillo, R. Johnson, T. Vo,
V. Nesterov, M. Rawashdeh-Omary. Department of
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Copper(I) halide complexes, in particular those of copper(I)
iodide, have attracted attention over the past four decades
due to their luminescence properties and potential
applications toward various optoelectronic. This research
presentation explores reactions of copper iodide with
various cyanopyridine-based ligands leading to the
formation of coordination polymers. In the cyanopyridine
ligand, both the nitrile group and the pyridine group are
capable of coordinating to the Cu(I) center. The preferential
coordination of Cu(I) ions by one group over the other and
the ability of the different cyanopyridines to form
complexes with the metal ion depend upon polar,
resonance, and steric effects. The impact of the nitrile
group’s position in 4-cyanopyridine, 3-cyanopyridine, and 2cyanopyridine, on the photophysical properties of the CuI
complexes will be examined. This presentation will
overview the synthetic route and spectral properties of the
various new copper complexes. Photoluminescence,
UV/Vis, (NMR), and (IR) spectral results will be reported.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Manal Rawashdeh-Omary)
Supported by the Welch Foundation.
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7. DARWIN’S EVOLUTIONARY NARRATIVE IN MIDDLEMARCH. G. Joshi, R. Greer. Department of English, Speech,
& Foreign Languages
After years of keen observations, and after conducting
many scientific experiments, Charles Darwin was ready to
present his theory of the origin of species by natural
selection. In 1859, he published his theory in a 490-page
“abstract,” titled On the Origin of Species by Means of
Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in
the Struggle for Life. Darwin’s evolutionary theory have a
profound impact on the knowledge and the literature of his
era as well of subsequent generations. If we read George
Eliot’s Middlemarch through the lens of the Origin, we find
that the novel is a description of human society in scientific
terms, where the characters and their situations reflect the
evolutionary observations made by Darwin in the natural
world, such as growth, slow change, interdependence,
variety, struggle for existence. Such details make
Middlemarch an avant-garde novel and a representative
fiction of the nineteenth century. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Russell Greer)
8. DEVELOPMENT OF THE GENERAL LIE SCALE. J. Jones, C.
Hart. Department of Psychology & Philosophy
In deception research, scales have been developed to
measure lying over the internet, in relationships, and in
parental relationships, but there are currently no scales to
measure dishonesty in a general context. The goal of this
study was to develop a deception scale to be used across all
contexts by measuring nine different categories of lies. The
45-item General Lie Scale (GLS) was developed. The scale
was assessed for inter-item reliability and for concurrent
validity analysis. The hypothesis for this study was that the
GLS would be both reliable and valid. Participants for this
study were several convenience samples solicited from the
general population via email and social networking. They all
completed online questionnaires. The GLS has strong
concurrent validity and high reliability. The findings of this
study suggest that we now have a strong measurement tool
for assessing the general tendency to lie in various contexts.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Christian Hart)
9. EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE STUDY: IMPACT OF
TELEHEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT ON TYPE 2 DIABETES
MELLITUS CONTROL. J. Minchey, M. Tietze. College of
Nursing - Dallas
Individuals 65 years and older are one of the fastest
growing segments of the population with Type 2 Diabetes
Mellitus (T2DM) and are expected to exceed 1.5 billion by
2050. Geriatric telemedicine, acknowledged as a viable
option for this population, seeks to meet the goals of the
Institute of Medicine’s vision for patient-centered care as a
quality indicator. The specific aim of this project is to
compare the accuracy of the remote case manager’s
perception of the patients’ overall T2DM control with the
actual clinical presentation. This will be accomplished by
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
utilizing instruments measuring glucose control and patient
engagement. In conjunction with a telehealth remote
patient management organization in the Southern United
States, approximately 400 qualified participants will be
included in the retrospective chart review. Statistical
analysis will be conducted to determine relationships
among variables and trends in 30-day readmission rates
related to the level of T2DM control and engagement.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mari Tietze)
10. EXPRESSION AND PURIFICATION OF HUMAN
GLUTAMATE CYSTEINE LIGASE. E. Sandoval, A. Acevedo, M.
Anderson, H. Conrad-Webb. Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry
Glutathione (GSH), an important antioxidant found in all
mammalian cells, functions in decreasing oxidative stress.
GSH deficiencies have been associated with pathologies
such as anemia, diabetes, and neurological problems. GSH
is formed in two ATP dependent reactions. Our focus is on
the first enzymatic reaction catalyzed by γ-glutamatecysteine ligase (GCL), which is the rate- limiting enzyme in
the formation of GSH. GCL is a heterodimer composed of a
catalytic and regulatory subunit. Interestingly, the catalytic
subunit displays regular levels of activity however, in the
presence of the regulatory subunit, activity greatly
increases. Our goal is to purify and perform structural
studies through mutagenesis on human GCL in order to
study changes in activity and possibly gain a better
understanding of GSH synthesis. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mary
Anderson)
Supported by the National Institutes of Health and TWU
Research Enhancement Program.
11. FOOD AFFAIR: THE IMPACT OF PERCEPTUAL STRESS ON
FOOD CHOICES. H. Hogg. Department of Nutrition & Food
Sciences
Stress is one of the most powerful contributors to today’s
preventable health risks including obesity, heart disease,
and cancer. In order to investigate the connection between
stress and human health, a survey study was developed to
shed light on how to possibly prevent future chronic health
risks. This study will investigate the effect stress has on food
choices by surveying students at Texas Woman’s University.
The results may indicate what types of foods students eat
most during times of stress and the state of their mood
shortly after eating that food. Results of this study may
show a correlation between perceptual stress and
unhealthy food choices which could contribute information
towards the development of stress management skills to
share with TWU students on reducing health risks. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Cynthia Warren)
12. FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE
MUTATION IN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS VIRULENCE PROTEIN.
S. Pathak, L. Hanson. Department of Biology
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a common cause of
12
illness in immuno-compromised patients and a major
infectious cause of birth defects. Because cytomegalovirus
(CMV) is species specific, mouse CMV (MCMV) is used as a
model to study disease mechanisms of CMV. A mutation in
protein M139 (the homologue of HCMV protein US22) leads
to impaired virus replication at temperature above normal
body temperature, like during fever. Understanding the
reason behind inefficient replication at elevated
temperature may lead to the development of new ways to
control CMV. Our preliminary analysis showed that the level
of mutant M139 protein is reduced compared to wild type
M139 at 37°C suggesting that the truncated M139 protein
has reduced stability. Also, M139 forms a complex with viral
proteins M140 and M141. We found that the M140
deletion mutant is not temperature sensitive suggesting
that M139 may also have a function outside the complex.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
Supported by the TWU Department of Biology and Quality
Enhancement Program.
13. GENERALIZATION OF THE LOTKA-VOLTERRA MODEL. K.
Salvatierra, J. Morales. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
The Lotka-Volterra Model are known as the predator-prey
equations. They are a pair of first order, nonlinear,
differential
equations
which describes the
dynamics of biological
system in which two
species interact, one
predator and one prey.
Using the following
Bazikin Model, we will study these understand more of the
Lotka Volterra. We will assume that the predators cannot
eat without limit and they compete with each other for
their prey. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
14. IDENTIFYING PRESENT NEEDS TO GUIDE PROGRAM
DEVELOPMENT: A SURVEY OF EARLY INTERVENTIONISTS
SERVING INFANTS WHO ARE DEAF/HARD OF HEARING. S.
Owens, S. Wainscott. Department of Communication
Sciences & Disorders
Regardless of chosen method of communication or level of
hearing loss, research has consistently identified the age of
intervention as being the strongest predictor of language
and learning outcomes in deaf and hard of hearing children.
This project is part of an investigation of the state of early
intervention services for children ages birth to three with
hearing loss in Texas. It examines the accessibility and
efficacy of current programming, as well as the
competencies and capacities of current and potential TEHDI
service providers. A survey was distributed to early
intervention coordinators in Texas to explore how early
intervention services are currently being provided to young
children who are deaf/hard of hearing in Texas. This survey
investigated the current quality of services provided to
inform the planning of a track for Early Intervention for
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
D/HH at Texas Woman’s University. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Sarah Wainscott)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program.
15. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY DISCOVERY LABORATORY 2016
- BETTER CHEMISTRY, A BETTER TOMORROW: SYNTHESIS
AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TUNABLE N-HETEROCYCLIC
COPPER(I) HALIDE COMPLEXES. R. Alkhazalah, Z. Henry, A.
Kolek, N. Alshammari, M. Rawashdeh-Omary. Department of
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Dr. Rawashdeh-Omary follows a research discovery-style
while spearheading the instruction of the inorganic
chemistry laboratory, Chem 4511. The lab involves two
components, one based on the literature where students
emulate reproduce the synthesis and properties of reported
inorganic complexes whereas the second component
targets the discovery of novel complexes whose synthesis
and uses for interesting technological applications. One of
the fall 2016 discovery projects has targeted the reactions
of copper halide complexes with N-heterocyclic organic
aromatic ligands. Copper(I) complexes provide an effective,
inexpensive, and environment friendly alternative for
producing materials that can be used in applications ranging
from organic OLED, solar cells and anticancer medications.
A series of copper(I) halide complexes with N-heterocyclic
ligands were prepared using varies organic solvents and
techniques. This presentation will focus primarily on the
synthesis and characterization of copper(I) chloride with 4cyanopyridine. Such complexes were carefully prepared and
thoroughly characterized, leading to promising prospects
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Manal Rawashdeh-Omary)
Supported by the Robert A. Welch Foundation and the TWU
Research Enhancement Program.
16. LEECHED SANITY. S. Williams. Department of Visual Arts
The large-format camera as stated by Anne Tucker is, “a
highly unusual piece of of equipment with which to portray
people in their natural habitat.” Generally this bulky camera
is used only to photograph inanimate objects and
landscapes. Leeched Sanity is an ongoing photographic
research project that explores how to capture an individual
in their natural environment with a 4x5 large-format
camera. The viewfinder on a large-format camera
humanizes one’s perspective by allowing the natural eyes
function of viewing the world upside down to be reflected
when composing an image. While the camera is a barrier
between the photographer and subject, a steady
connection is translatable through the use of natural
lighting and communication between the individual and
photographer. The use of color film further allows
expression and mood of the individual and their
environment. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Susan kae Grant)
17. LIAT1: THE FUNCTIONALLY UNCHARACTERIZED LIGAND
OF ATE1. J. Duncan, C. Brower. Department of Biology
Liat1 is a protein that was discovered through its
association with Ate1 (arginyltransferase 1), a protein
involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation.
13
More recently, we found that Liat1 also associates with
Jmjd6 (jumonji-domain containing protein 6) and Larp7 (La
ribonucleoprotein domain family member 7). Jmjd6 is a
protein with functions in RNA splicing and DNA
transcription, and Larp7 is a component of an abundant
snRNP complex involved in regulating gene expression by
sequestering the positive transcription elongation factor PTEFb. In order to map the region important for its
interaction with Liat1, we are generating mutant forms of
Larp7 and testing their ability to bind Liat1. In addition, we
are carrying out transcription assays in human and mouse
cell lines to explore the functional significance of Liat1
interacting partners. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Christopher
Brower)
Ulrich & Angulo-Barroso, 2010). The purpose of this
investigation was to compare the motor performance level
of children with DS to peers of the same chronological age.
The participants were children between 3 and 6 years old
(N = 30) who attended Texas Christian University’s
Kinderfrog Program and participated in daily physical
education for 30 mins for 6 mos. Texas Woman's University
Master’s scholars enrolled in a Motor Development
graduate class assessed each student using the Louisiana
Motor Assessment for Preschooler (2015). Based on the
results of this investigation, data will be presented in a
visual format to compare the motor performance of
children with DS and typical developing peers. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Lisa Silliman-French)
18. LINKING PH, TEMPERATURE, IONIC STRENGTH AND
CONFORMATION
FOR
THE
DNA
I-MOTIF.
T. Nguyen, C. Fraire, K. Barker, M. Choi, R. Sheardy.
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
21. MULTI-SOLITON SOLUTIONS AND THEIR PROPERTIES. J.
Correa, C. Novoa Portugal. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
The conformation a particular DNA segment assumes
depends upon its sequence context and the environment
under which it is prepared. To complement our findings
with G-rich sequences related to the human telomere, we
have been investigating the pH induced transition from
single strand to i-motif for sequences related to the human
telomere C-rich strand. We have recently carried out
titrations of (CCCTAA)4 from pH 7.0 to pH 5.0 at different
temperatures at 115 mM K+ and at different K+
concentrations at 25 oC. Circular Dichroism (CD) spectra
were determined to monitor the transition. Analysis of the
data indicates that the transitions are less favorable at
higher temperatures but more favorable at higher K+
concentrations. Preliminary results from studies
investigating the activity of water on the pH induced
transition will also be presented. These results will be
discussed from a thermodynamic point of view. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Richard Sheardy)
Supported by the Robert A. Welch Foundation.
19. MODELING CLIMATE CHANGE VIA DETERMINISTIC
CHAOS. A. Aguinaga, A. Hailegiorgis, E. Grigorieva.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science.
In this paper, we will model regional climate change over a
period of time using a nonlinear system of three differential
equations. This system is known as the Lorenz system and
can be used to model deterministic chaos. The Lorenz
System will be investigated analytically and numerically.
Parameters for the model will be found using available
data. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
20. MOTOR PERFORMANCE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
WITH DOWN SYNDROME. J. McCullick, L. Silliman-French,
R. Caughlin, B. De La Cruz Aguilar, B. Fenumiai, N. Fulton, L.
Gallagher, C. Hochstein, V. Pokornowski, C. Stolzer, S.
Walker, Department of Kinesiology
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) typically reach motor
development milestones at a slower rate than their typically
developing peers. Previous researchers have suggested that
motor programs for children with DS can positively impact
the achievement of motor milestones (Lloyd, Burghardt,
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
The solutions of non-linear partial differential equations can
be utilized to describe the movement of waves, as seen in
the Kadomtsev-Petviashvilli II (KP II) equation, which
models surface waves. In this project, we utilize a solution
formula for the KP II equation to observe a matrix
quadruplet (A;M;B;C), which will be written in terms of
matrix exponentials. With this, we investigate the
relationship of the matrix exponentials and the physical
properties of multi-soliton solutions. Multi- soliton solutions
formulate particular soliton waves that retain their velocity
and direction while there is distance between them. By
determining specific restrictions on the parameters of the
solutions to the KP II equation, we can deduce the velocity
and direction of the solitary waves. Using Mathematica we
additionally simulate the movement of the soliton waves.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alicia Machuca)
22. PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY. T. Griffith, S. McCain.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
The purpose of this presentation is to share an activity book
that we created. The book can be used in a 6th grade
mathematics class to help students better understand
finances, money management and how to make wise
economic choices. Personal Financial Literacy is a new topic
that has recently been approved to be taught in K-12
schools. Students will be able to apply what they have
learned in class and be able to integrate it in real life
scenarios. Teaching students at a young age about finances
could help them succeed and have a better future. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Winifred Mallam)
23. PIONEER MUSICIANS: EARLY MUSIC EDUCATION AT
CIA. K. Blanton, K. Edwards. Department of History &
Government
In the year of 1915, the College of Industrial Arts became a
pioneer in college music education, becoming the first
institution in the state of Texas to establish a department of
music. Although this is an esteemed accomplishment, the
college actually took the lead long before this and
supported music education ever since its earliest years. So
14
how did music education at CIA develop before the music
department was officially established in 1915? What
progress was made in the years prior to the creation of an
official music department? We will be exploring these
questions using primary sources from the TWU library such
as CIA yearbooks, The Chaparral (1906 and 1907) and The
Daedalian (1914 and 1915), in addition to some secondary
sources. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lybeth Hodges)
24. PIONEERING ADVOCACY IN STUDENT CONDUCT. H.
Mowdy. Office of Civility and Community Standards
The National Student Conduct Association strongly
encourages student-led advocacy programs in the conduct
process to increase university retention rates and decrease
recidivism among student offenders. Such programs focus
on pairing students in the conduct process with a student
mentor who assists them throughout the conduct process
to ensure the best possible outcome for the student.
Currently, there is no such program at Texas Woman’s
University. During the conduct process, students face many
unfamiliar challenges they may be unequipped to navigate,
as well as the emotional stress and fear that is often
associated with the conduct process. By creating an
advocacy program that pairs trained student volunteers
with students going through the conduct process, Texas
Woman’s University can support students to ensure
retention and decreased recidivism. This project explores
best practices of conduct advocacy programs and works to
determine the possibilities for implementing such a
program at Texas Woman’s University. (Faculty Sponsor:
Professor Michelle Reeves)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program
Experiential Scholars Program, and the TWU Office of
Civility and Community Standards.
25. PRIMARY PRACTICE-MEDIATED WEIGHT LOSS USING
MYFITNESSPAL. A. Moss. College of Nursing - Dallas
The risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and other
serious diseases is drastically increased when a person’s
body mass index (BMI) reaches 30. Obesity is one of the
most common comorbid conditions seen in primary care,
and there are many interventions to assist patients in
achieving weight loss goals to decrease risk for disease.
Results from a literature review show that MyFitnessPal
may produce greater weight loss than other educational
tools, but there is a need for further study comparing
various approaches in primary care. This article compares
the use of the smart phone application (app) MyFitnessPal
to other interventions to determine efficacy (weight loss)
and patient satisfaction using mobile phone technology as a
means of education and adherence to a weight loss
program determined by a primary care practitioner.
(Faculty Sponsor: Professor Donna Howard)
26. PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION FOR THE TREATMENT
OF COLIC. M. Binns. College of Nursing - Dallas
Infantile colic, or excessive crying in a healthy infant, causes
considerable stress for parents. The purpose of this project
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
is to review evidence-based research that evaluates the
effectiveness of probiotic supplementation in decreasing
crying time in infants less than 6 months of age diagnosed
with colic. The literature revealed a reduced duration of
crying time and an increased response rate in
predominantly breastfed infants taking probiotics. Formula
fed infants did not respond in the same manner. The use of
probiotics can be beneficial for predominantly breastfed,
healthy, term infants diagnosed with colic. Future research
should investigate the effects of combining multiple
therapies and probiotic use with formula fed infants.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Barbara Gray)
27. PROTEIN-PROTEIN INTERACTIONS MAY IMPACT A
VIRULENCE FACTOR IN GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS. D.
Steffey, M. Neely, L. Hanson. Department of Biology
Streptococcus agalactiae, group B streptococcus (GBS), is an
important human pathogen, causing life-threatening sepsis
and meningitis in newborns. The virulence of GBS in part
can be attributed to its ability to produce a polysaccharide
capsule that helps with immune cell evasion. CpsA, a
member of the LytR-CpsA-Psr protein family, has been
recognized as an integral part of capsule synthesis. Previous
work has shown that mutations and deletions of CpsA lead
to a decrease in capsule production, change in cellular
shape and arrangement, and a decrease in virulence.
Protein-protein interactions play a role in many virulence
mechanisms and may be required for CpsA function. Using a
Bacterial Two-Hybrid system we have shown CpsA interacts
with the CpsC protein and weakly with the CpsY protein.
We also are investigating what region of the proteins are
required for interactions to occur. Understanding proteinprotein interactions of CpsA may provide new targets for
drug development. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program
Experiential Student Scholars Program.
28. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: ADDRESSING
STRESS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE
NURSING STUDENTS WITH A STRESS MANAGEMENT
MOBILE APPLICATION. I. Ilomuanya, K. Mathis. College of
Nursing - Dallas
Educational requirements for nursing students are rigorous.
School work overload and stress are the primary reasons for
nursing students’ high drop-out rates. Helping nursing
students cope with the stressors of nursing education may
contribute to successful completion of their programs.
Although stress management tools are abundant in the
form of mobile applications, none are specifically targeted
at nursing students. The purpose of this QI project is to
conduct focus groups of graduate and undergraduate
nursing students to get feedback on their perceptions of the
efficacy and feasibility of using a mobile application (app)
for stress management in the nursing student population.
The app, currently in development, is called NursCOPE and
will house a repository of ideas on how to manage and cope
with stressors related to academic and clinical experiences.
Results from the survey administered in the focus groups
15
will guide further development of this app. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Barbara Gray)
29. RECEPTOR MEDIATED ENDOCYTOSIS OF SURFACEFUNCTIONALIZED NANOCARRIERS: EFFECT OF SIZE AND
CHARGE IN NEURONAL UPTAKE. R. Ammassam Veettil, S.
Sebastian, D. Hynds, G. Santaneel, T. McAllister.
Department of Biology
Traumatic spinal cord injury causes acute neuronal death
and the inability of damaged neurons to regenerate their
axons leads to persistent loss of function. A nanodrug
delivery system that specifically targets neurons and offers
controlled release of therapeutic drugs is ideal for
enhancing regeneration of damaged axons. Our research
focuses on the mechanism of cellular uptake of surface
functionalized nanocarriers (SFNCs) that can be loaded with
drug molecules. In the present study, we analyze the uptake
of SFNCs in B35 and PC12 cells and primary rat (P0) cortical
neurons through clathrin mediated endocytosis (CME),
focusing on the effects of nanocarrier size and surface
charge on uptake. We found that a small portion of the –
NH2 and -COOH SFNCs were internalized through CME.
Together, these experiments test the feasibility of
functionalized nano- carriers for targeted drug delivery to
encourage axon regeneration following spinal cord injury.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. DiAnna Hynds)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program
and the East Missouri State University Department of
Physics and Engineering Physics.
30. SHOULD ‘OMICS’ EDUCATION BE A PART OF ALLIED
HEALTH PROFESSION CURRICULA? H. Brown, K. Boonme, V.
Imrhan, S. Juma, P. Vijayagopal, C. Prasad. Department of
Nutrition & Food Sciences
Our understanding of the role of Omics in healthcare is
increasing making personalized nutrition and lifestyle
modification a real possibility in the future. With this comes
an urgent need of educating healthcare providers to have a
meaningful conversation with consumers about ‘Omics
Sciences’. The hurdles that lie are reduced physician time
spent per patient and, some physicians may even lack
knowledge. Therefore, the burden of educating consumers
may be on allied health professionals. Towards this goal,
the “International Society for Nutrigenetics &
Nutrigenomics” plans to explore the possibility of
advocating ‘Omics’ education to students in allied health
professions. To support their advocacy, the society plans to
collect data on the basic ‘Omics’ knowledge, attitude about
‘Omics’ education, and students’ perception of need for
such an education. We plan to develop and validate a
survey to collect data of interest. The survey will include
healthcare trainees from across the globe. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Victorine Imrhan)
31. SPINA BIFIDA EVOLVING SIMULATION. M. Anderson, C.
Wilson. College of Nursing - Dallas
Current research indicates the efficacy of utilizing
simulation as an educational adjunct to clinical experience
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
in undergraduate nursing programs (Billings & Halstead,
2016). Simulation can decrease risk of patient harm by
scaffolding teaching experiences, repetition of skills, and
exposure to rare conditions (Weaver, 2011). The Child
Health Competencies Course has developed evolving
simulations wherein every group receives report and
progresses with the patient throughout the day, instead of
resetting and starting the simulation for each group. This
project describes an evolving simulation for a pediatric
patient with spina bifida. Students in groups of three to four
receive report, either from their faculty or the previous
group, and work through seven stages of simulation.
Students develop their nursing skills and move through
each stage by prioritizing their nursing interventions as they
would as the primary nurse in the hospital setting. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Cecilia Wilson)
32. TEACHERS' RESPONSES TO MALE AND FEMALE
BULLIES. C. Bolin, E. Henderson, L. Rosen. Department of
Psychology & Philosophy
There is a disparity regarding how educators approach
gender differences in bullying. Females are more likely to
engage in indirect bullying, whereas males are more likely
to engage in physical bullying. Teachers (N = 210) were
recruited from North Texas school districts. Participants
were presented a vignette depicting a bullying incident, and
were asked to imagine they observed a student push and
trip another student. Participants evaluated the seriousness
of the situation, if the victim was hurt, frequency in their
school, as well as how likely they would be to intervene in
this situation. Participants presented with a female victim
and bully rated the situation as more serious than
participants presented with a male dyad. Participants
indicated a female victim would be more hurt than would a
male. Participants presented with a male dyad indicated
that this type of event was more common than those with a
female dyad. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lisa Rosen)
33. THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING
FIELDS. J. De La Rosa, D. Griffin, D. Pham. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
The growth of number of women with engineering degrees
is significantly low compared to the increase in other
science fields. Many of the women who begin a bachelor’s
degree in engineering either do not finish or change it at
some point while earning their degree. One possible cause
is the fact that engineering has been a historically a male
dominated field that has only recently seen the addition of
women in the work force. Women in engineering have
experienced a wide range of marginalization as a result of
this history. One possible solution is to encourage girls at an
early age to pursue science and engineering fields. In order
to accomplish this, more programs have been introduced
than ever before to encourage young girls to pursue fields
of science and engineering. Another possible solution is to
educate the engineering workforce on these issues to
create a more inclusive working environment. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
16
34. THE EFFECTS OF EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY AND
BALANCE IN OLDER ADULTS. L. Goudy, L. Silliman-French,
B. Rigby. Department of Kinesiology
obtaining food and to discuss issues related to food
insecurities will also take place. (Faculty Sponsor: Ms.
Theresa Lindsay)
Older adults are at risk of increased falls that could be
caused by decreased balance (Homnick et al., 2013). It has
been reported that equine-assisted therapy (EAT) could be
used to increase balance in older adults (Rigby & Grandjean,
2016). Therefore the purpose of this investigation was to
examine the effects of EAT on balance in older adults. The
participants were 2 males, between the ages of 70 and 75
years who participated in an EAT intervention program; two
60 min sessions per week for 4 weeks. Data were collected
at the beginning of the investigation and at the end of each
of the 4-week sessions using the NeuroCom Balance Master
System©. Based on the findings, both participants clinically
improved their stability. It was concluded that there is a
need for further investigation to determine if EAT may
increase balance and in-turn reduce the number of
potential falls. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lisa Silliman-French)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program, the
Pioneer Center for Student Excellence, and the Union
Services.
Supported by a TWU internal grant.
35. THE ROLE OF ATE1 IN FAT AND ENERGY METABOLISM.
M. Alkhatatbeh, C. Brower. Department of Biology
Obesity has steadily risen in prevalence globally. Although
many determinants of obesity have been identified, a
comprehensive understanding of the genetic contribution is
lacking. Previously we found that systemic deletion of the
Ate1 gene encoding Arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase 1
(ATE1) in mice caused a dramatic loss of fat and resistance
to diet-induced obesity. Ate1 loss also caused expression of
the uncoupling protein, UCP1 in white adipose tissue
(WAT), a protein normally only expressed in brown adipose
tissue. While exciting, the exact role of ATE1 in fat
metabolism has not been established. In this project, we
will restrict Ate1 gene deletion to the hypothalamus, part of
the brain responsible for maintaining energy homeostasis.
In addition, we will explore the mechanism of ectopic UCP1
expression WAT of ATE1-deficient mice. These studies may
ultimately provide a new target for pharmacological
modulation of energy metabolism. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Christopher Brower)
36. THE STUDENT HUNGER LITERACY PROJECT: HUNGER
BANQUET. E. Johnson, T. Lindsay. Pioneer Center for
Student Excellence
Food insecurity and college student hunger are underresearched. Too little attention is paid to starving college
students. Only recently has attention been paid to such
issues. According to a 2016 article in Texas Monthly, “Food
insecurity…is a growing problem on university campuses
across the country as tuition and fees continue to mount.”
There are similar, recent articles in the Washington Post,
The New York Times, and Texas Tribune. To provide more
attention, research, and discussion, there will be a “The
Hunger Banquet” on Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 12 – 1:30
pm in the Student Union room 207. The banquet will
provide active visual representations of food disparities and
inequalities in Denton, in Texas, and even in the country. A
panel discussion on local and state resources to assist with
Abstracts – Session I: Tuesday, April 18 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
37. THE USE OF TELEHEALTH: USING TELECOMMUNICATION TO PROVIDE HEALTH SERVICES OVER A LONG DISTANCE, AND TELEMEDICINE: THE USE OF TELECOMMUNICATION TO PROVIDE DIAGNOSES AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT PRESCRIPTION FOR MEDICATION, IS STEADILY
INCREASING IN AMERICA. D. Ferguson. College of Nursing Dallas
The use of telehealth: using telecommunication to provide
health services over a long distance, and telemedicine: the
use of telecommunication to provide diagnoses and their
subsequent prescription for medication is steadily
increasing in America. The growth has coincided with an
increasing prevalence in real-time video conferencing
technology and telecommunication in daily living, as well as
a growing body of research which supports its costeffectiveness and clinical value. Accordingly, an increasing
number of states are responding to telehealth prevalence
with the passing of new state legislature. The
presentation will consist of a poster detailing how state law handles
interstate licensure and practice of telemedicine by
physicians. It will explain the significance of specific acts of
legislation, such as state laws which adopt the Interstate
Licensure Agreement, and what they mean for the future of
healthcare for both medical providers and patients. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Jennifer Wilson)
38. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT'S ACHIEVEMENT AND
PERCEPTION OF LEARNING BASED ON TWO TEACHING
STYLES. D. Adams, S. McNamara, D. Nichols, L. SillimanFrench. Department of Kinesiology
The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether
two teaching styles (i.e., command, guided discovery) had a
significant effect on student achievement and student
perception. Achievement for 5 participants was measured
by analyzing data from a total of 7 quizzes consisting of 5 to
10 fill in the blank and short answers. Quizzes were created
from materials covered in pre- assigned readings, group
activities, and class discussions. Student perceptions of both
teaching styles were analyzed by recording, coding, and
transcribing responses from a questionnaire delivered prior
to the study and a post study group discussion. Comparing
the two teaching styles neither command style (M = 4.0, SD
= 0.9) or guided discovery (M = 3.9, SD = 1.2) had a
significant effect on student achievement. Students
perceived command style as a more efficient use of time
and guided discovery as a team-based learning approach
that allowed for hands-on-learning. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
David Nichols)
17
Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
PLATFORM SESSION II-A: ACT 301
Faculty Moderator: AnaLouise Keating
1. TO CATCH A LYRIC: INTERACTING WITH WORDS AS
MATTER. F. Oluade. Department of Multicultural Women's
and Gender Studies
What does it mean to say that words matter, that words are
matter? Through an analysis of recently released African
American musical lyrics and recent developments in
speculative realisms, this paper explores these and related
questions. Drawing on poet shaman aesthetics--or “a
synergistic combination of artistry, healing, and
transformation grounded in relational, indigenous-inflected
worldviews” (Keating 51)--and related theories, this paper
investigates the causal ability of words as matter. Lyrics will
be observed in their effects on crowds and aspects of
culture, such as education. The overall goal is to encourage
individuals to comprehend the relevance to wellbeing of
viewing words as substance deserving a certain treatment.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. AnaLouise Keating)
2. DIY EMBODIMENT: IMPLICATIONS OF 3D-PRINTED
PROSTHETICS ON HUMAN/MATERIAL RELATIONSHIPS. P.
Hoffmann. Department of Multicultural Women's and
Gender Studies
Recently 3D printers have become more accessible due to
their cheaper cost and implementation in libraries across
the United States, affecting many kids with disabilities who
are beginning to 3D print their own prosthetic limbs. This
3D printing, which makes any abstract idea become a
manufactured material reality, transforms the relationship
among human embodiment, manufactured objects, and the
material world. This paper will explore Karen Barad’s “intraaction” between human embodiment and material objects
through the process that kids employ between the two to
create their own bodies. Further this paper will explore
questions such as: do these kids demonstrate the need to
rethink disability scholars David T. Mitchell and Sharon L.
Snyder’s theory of “tolerable deviance”? How does
combining feminist materialism, speculative realism, and
critical disability studies illuminate relationships between
material embodiment and objects? (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
AnaLouise Keating)
3. FUSING ECOFEMINISM AND MATERIAL FEMINISMS. C.
Cavener. Department of Multicultural Women's and Gender
Studies
By the late 1990s, most feminist scholars had deemed
ecofeminism essentialist and, on those grounds, rejected it
almost entirely. Several years later, feminists working on
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
intersections between feminism and nature engage schools
of thought such as speculative realisms and new
materialisms to develop theoretical perspectives called
feminist materialisms. Ecofeminism and feminist
materialisms stress the interconnectedness of the human
and more-than-human and deconstruct sexism, racism, and
speciesism. Though feminist materialisms draw these
similar connections, most feminist scholars will not
acknowledge ecofeminism to avoid its ostensible
essentialism. What has feminist scholarship lost in
dismissing ecofeminism’s perspectives? Are there features
of ecofeminism that can be embraced to enrich current
theory? By examining the convergences and divergences
between ecofeminism and material feminisms, I hope to
reintroduce ecofeminism’s contributions to the materialism
conversation in order to provide a feminist foundation that
incorporates aspects of each body of knowledge. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. AnaLouise Keating)
4. A VITAL MATERIALIST COTTON THREAD EXPERIENCE. K.
Bravo. Department of Multicultural Women's and Gender
Studies
We have an interdependence with cotton thread, wearing
T-shirts, jeans, and underwear made of this fiber, yet we
rarely consider its life and arduous journeys from cotton to
clothes. I will engage with Jane Bennett’s “vital materiality”
theory and Object Oriented Ontology, to inspire a new
understanding of cotton thread; rather than disregarding
objects as merely inanimate and unimportant, I emphasize
our hidden relationships with these nonhuman things.
What lessons can we learn by allowing cotton thread to
share its experience with us as we follow its life story? This
paper will analyze the lessons gained from cotton thread’s
journey, from cotton fields to closets, and the multiple
relationships experienced along the way with both human
and nonhuman objects. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. AnaLouise
Keating)
5. HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN POLITICAL EFFECTS BY CALLAND-RESPONSES BETWEEN PROPOSITIONS. P. Spencer.
Department of Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies
In a recent response against President Donald Trump’s
executive order suspending immigration from seven
Muslim-majority countries, tens of thousands of people
enabled mobile operating systems by responding on their
smartphones via social media to protest. This paper
explores what Bruno Latour describes as a polity which is
one of the collectives of an ecology of human and nonhuman elements that frames political action as a call-andresponse between propositions. How do humans and nonhumans effect political calls-and-responses between
18
propositions? Can they achieve the same results without
conjoint action? By examining the creation of relationships
between various propositions and the deliveries of ideas
and actions by humans and non-humans I will expand on
the vital materialistic direction of the weight and pressure
of action by both humans and non-humans. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. AnaLouise Keating)
6. DANCING TO THE TUNE OF CRUDE OIL IN THE NIGER
DELTA. E. Ajayi-Lowo. Department of Multicultural
Women's and Gender Studies
This paper examines the lessons that might be learned from
the inextricable interaction of crude oil with human and
nonhuman actants. Drawing on Jane Bennett’s theory of
“vibrant materiality,” this paper investigates how such
lessons might impact social justice in the Niger Delta,
Nigeria. Since the oil boom in Nigeria during the seventies,
crude oil became the backbone of Nigeria's economy as the
major export product, with scientists and policy experts
controlling its extraction, exportation, and attendant
financial gains. In addition to the financial gains, however,
the extraction of crude oil also spells disaster for both
human and environment. While several efforts are geared
towards managing the disasters resulting from oil
extraction, they all reify human agency and treat crude oil
as only a thing. What happens when we slow down enough
to perceive that we are engaged in what Andrew Pickering
calls the “dance of agency” with crude oil? (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. AnaLouise Keating)
2. MODELING DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOIMMUNE
DISORDER. J. Anderson, E. Grigorieva. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
We will build a mathematical model of a developed
autoimmune process considering cell autoimmunity that
plays the main role in any autoimmune disorder using a
system of three non- linear differential equations. As model
variables, we will use the concentration of target cells not
bearing damage, concentration of cytotoxic T- lymphocytes
against given cells, and the concentration of the tissuespecific antigen formed because of the destruction of the
target cells. All concentrations will be expressed in the
moles per liter. We will investigate the model over the time
interval [0, T] given either by months or days. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
3. MATH 2053 ABSTRACT FOR SYMPOSIUM. B. Thomson, S.
Lamas. Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
This study will compare and contrast the influence of two
women: Dorothea Dix and Florence Nightingale. This study
will primarily compare their achievements as women, each
achievement’s significance, both women’s continued
practice, and the influence these women have had
throughout history. Given their living in the same time
period, they can be compared more equally based on what
a woman could do then and what was expected and how
they exceeded expectations. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
PLATFORM SESSION II-B: ACT 501
Faculty Moderator: TBD
4. LOOP ANALYSIS OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS. A. Skinner.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
1. EXPLORATORY MODEL OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE
PATHWAYS IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. W. Jones.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
While electricity and electric circuits have been around
since the 1800s, the need to improve, increase and analyze
the circuits is still in research and development. This project
explores loop analysis of electric circuits using Ohm’s and
Kirchhoff’s Laws along with matrices, specifically, solving
the Loop and Node analysis using Gaussian elimination and
then adding the results to the circuit. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
This research project aims to promote better understanding
of the pathways of patients diagnosed with mental health
problems, specifically schizophrenia, in the healthcare
system. Using de- identified, public demographic and other
data on patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, this
research project builds an experimental exploratory system
dynamic simulation model to study how such patients move
through the healthcare system in the North Central Texas
area. This model considers parameters such as age, gender,
and economic status. It considers different points of entry
such as physician referral, brought in by family or law
enforcement, and includes several discharge options such
as mental care facility, family home, or law enforcement.
The researchers will explore the model to identify and
document the combination of parameters that appear to
exert the most influence on the exploratory model and
target those for further refinement in subsequent
simulation models. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Marie-Anne
Demuynck)
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
PLATFORM SESSION II-C: ACT 601
Faculty Moderator: Dr. Diane Myers
1. MFA THESIS EXHIBITION / CONTAMINATE: OIL. T. Milow.
Department of Visual Arts
Presentation introducing the inspiration and working
methodology behind the MFA Thesis Exhibition titled
"Contaminate: Oil". "Contaminate: Oil" will be an exhibition
that addresses the human footprint on the environment by
focusing on a specific environmental issue – oil spills. Using
abstract, close-up digital imagery of ink and water on paper,
the work will mimic a geological oil spill based on found
imagery from selected locations of oil spills around the
world. Chemical will acclimate with and corrupt the surface
19
of the paper to affect the oil spill – providing the viewer
with imagery of destruction that is aesthetically appealing
and aleatoric. The exhibition will include a contemporary
combination of digital and traditional darkroom
photographic processes to create unique, large-scale prints
investigating alternative presentation methods. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Susan kae Grant)
2. THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG KNOWLEDGE OF EFFECTIVE
BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES, PARENTAL SELF-EFFICACY, AND
CHILD BEHAVIOR: IMPLICATIONS FOR EARLY-INTERVENTION PARENT-TRAINING PROGRAMS. M. Kirk.
Department of Family Sciences
This study examined the relationship among parental
knowledge of effective behavioral strategies, parental selfefficacy, and parent-reported child externalizing behavior. A
nonclinical sample including 36 parents of preschool-age
children was included in the data analysis. Multiple
regression analyzing the relationship of the variables
revealed that when parental knowledge was held constant,
both task-specific self-efficacy (i.e., sense of self-efficacy in
responding to disruptive behaviors in various situations)
and self-efficacy in the parenting role were significant
predictors of child behavior. Self-efficacy in the parenting
role was found to be a better predictor of child behavior
than task-specific self-efficacy. Knowledge of behavioral
principles was not found to be a significant predictor of
child behavior; however, a significant relationship was
found between knowledge and self-efficacy in the parenting
role. This information could be useful in the development
and betterment of early-intervention parent-training
programs. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Joyce Armstrong)
3. THE FALL OF SECULARIZATION BEFORE RELIGION: A
THEOLOGICAL PLURALISTIC ANALYSIS. M. Mena.
Department of Sociology & Social Work
Throughout history religion has been utilized to build
civilizations, but as a well as a tool for destruction and the
justification for exploitation and domination. Up to present
times, there had not been a nation that had lived without
the influence of a religious belief. Thus the importance of
studying religion. However counterculture scholars did not
assess religion as a social phenomenon, but as an agency
soon to be displaced by modern secularization. The fact is
that religion was able to adopt to modernization. This social
adaptation caused for a new school scholars to consider on
religion. In this essay, I present two major sociological
classical statements on the study of religion—Weberian and
Durkheimian—but also contemporary approaches. Finally, I
provide an extended conclusion on insights and reflections
on religion. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Philip Yang)
4. USING SELF-MONITORING TO INCREASE ON-TASK
STUDENT BEHAVIOR IN A JUVENILE JUSTICE FACILITY. R.
Lively. Department of Teacher Education
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
Limited research exists on self-monitoring interventions
with incarcerated youth. This study employed a multiplebaseline design to investigate if there is a functional relation
between self- monitoring and an increase in the on-task
behavior of three adjudicated males in a secure juvenile
justice facility. Results indicated that the self-monitoring
intervention was associated with an increase in on-task
behavior across all participants. This study contributes to
the literature on (a) effective practices for educating
incarcerated youth; (b) the effectiveness of self-monitoring;
and (c) teachers’ implementation of an efficient, lowresource intervention that can increase appropriate
behavior for students with challenging behaviors and
disabilities. The results of this study also contribute to the
literature base on effective instructional practices when
working with students in a juvenile justice facility. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Diane Myers)
POSTER SESSION II: ACT 2
1. ADVERTISING THAT MATTERS: THE INTERACTION OF
PERSONALITY, EMOTION, AND COGNITION. D. Hyatt, J.
Jones, G. Larson, I. Robinson, J. Besser, A. Comiskey, S.
Scott. Department of Psychology & Philosophy
Research has demonstrated that advertisements have the
power to manipulate an individual’s thought process in
addition to consumer behavior. The current study examined
the impact of priming with pleasant and unpleasant
advertisements
as
well
as
one’s
level
of
introversion/extroversion personality characteristics on
memory for positive and negative visual images.
Approximately 100 undergraduate students enrolled in
lower-level psychology courses at a mid-sized university
completed this online study through Psych Data. Each
participant completed an affect measure and personality
test before viewing a collage of eighteen positive and
negative still images. After random assignment, participants
viewed either two negative advertisements or two positive
advertisements. Participants then completed a recognition
test for images in the collage. Results and implications for
emotion and cognition as well as advertising manipulations
will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
2. ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS TECHNIQUES. L.
Fiebert. Department of Visual Arts
I photograph and perform for the camera using the medium
of photography as a communicative tool. This method
extends the conversation about issues that are not easy to
verbalize. The combination of a specific narrative and its
symbolism essentially form a marriage with the alternative
photographic process. Subsequently, I have initiated a
process that ignites a conversation about struggles of
mental illness, substance abuse, loss and relationship
abuse. Film and alternative process is a hands on approach
to image making where patience is obtained during the
transformation process. The act of making images in this
20
manner parallels the healing process in a time of struggle
that can exist within all of us. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor
Susan kae Grant)
3. ANALYSIS OF RACIAL SELF HATRED: THE DOLL
EXPERIMENTS. T. Newsome-Garrard. Department of Visual
Arts
My upcoming photography project addresses how
significant moments in history and environment affect
one’s racial identity. While researching, I came across the
1940’s social experiment performed by Dr. Kenneth Clark
and his wife Mamie Clark. The experiment was first
performed in 1947 to analyze the psychological effects as
well as unconscious social biases of African American
children during the 1940’s. In the study, children were given
dolls; identical except varying in race, and instructed to
describe the dolls in regard to their appearance. The
majority of children reacted negatively towards the darker
skinned dolls, contributing positive traits to the lighter
skinned dolls. For this presentation, I will be including the
research and results of the study as it was performed in
1947 to modern day as well as the completed photographs I
have created regarding the subject. (Faculty Sponsor:
Professor Susan kae Grant)
4. CHLORHEXIDINE: ANTI-SEPTIC OR ANTI-HEALTH? J.
Rodriguez, J. Beatty. Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry
Chlorhexidine is used in various products throughout the
medical and dental field as a disinfectant, antiseptic, and
wound cleanser. Sodium hypochlorite is also used as a
cleanser and disinfectant itself, and in some instances, in
conjunction with chlorhexidine. In the reaction between
chlorhexidine and sodium hypochlorite, a number of toxic
materials are potentially formed. Previous studies have
attempted to identify the products of this reaction,
positively identifying parachloroaniline along with other
compounds, and suggesting that chlorhexidine and sodium
hypochlorite should not be used together until the reaction
products are further studied and identified [1,2]. This study
will separate and identify the potentially toxic products of
this reaction, using gas chromatography and mass
spectrometry (GC/MS). From the identification of these
compounds, the reaction between chlorhexidine and
sodium hypochlorite can be further understood and safely
utilized in medical settings. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John
Beatty)
Supported by the TWU Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry.
5. CONICS WITH A TWIST. J. Elliott, J. Bamford. Department
of Mathematics & Computer Science
Conic sections are curves created by intersecting a plane
and a cone. Conics have their own standard equation that
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
can be graphed on a coordinate plane in R2 as well as R3.
We will be demonstrating conics using a quadratic form.
Through the use of eigenvalues and eigenvectors we will
rewrite a new coordinate system for which the standard
form can be recognized. The matrix of rotation will be
found in relation to the primary coordinate system and
graphed at an indicated angle of rotation. By applying the
knowledge and methods aforementioned we can graph
elaborate conic sections, and figures, at a certain angle to
the coordinate plane. This can be useful for determining
how to represent curved figures in real life applications and
spaces (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
6. DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATION OF FOOD INSECURITY. A.
Stallmann. Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Food insecurity is the inability to have access to healthy
food and to be socially acceptable. Food insecurity can
affect anybody—children, young people, middle-aged
persons, the elderly, and students. I conducted a survey in
various public places, such as schools and parks. The
information was collected from students and non-students
around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, mostly in Tarrant
County. My goal was to obtain a sample of at least 30
persons. The purpose of this survey was to collect
demographic information—gender, age, employment
status, and family or marital status—and to investigate how
these factors might be related to food insecurity. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Cassandra Tiernan)
7. DETECTING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING FROM
COMPUTERIZED CONTENT WHEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA. J.
Isidro, J. Maxon, E. Valencia, A. Della Nebbia, J. Besser, S.
Scott. Department of Psychology & Philosophy
With the increased attention to positive psychology, the
concept of psychological well-being is the focus of
increasing research. As psychological well-being is
associated with many aspects of physical and mental
health, the current study examines how psychological wellbeing may be detected by linguistic analysis of reactions to
social media posts. Approximately 100 students enrolled in
lower level psychology classes at a mid-sized southern
university completed the study online. Participants read
news articles and Facebook posts that varied in valence,
wrote about what they had read, and completed a survey to
evaluate psychological well-being. The Linguistic Inquiry and
Word Count system was used to analyze the emotional tone
of students’ responses. Results and implications for social
media, emotional processing, linguistic analysis, and
positive psychology will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Shannon Scott)
8. DETERMINING HOW TGF-Β IS SECRETED AND CONTROLS
SURFACE BARRIER COMPOSITION IN C. ELEGANS. G.
Ravindranathan, T. Gumienny, L. Faure. Department of
Biology
21
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) comprises a
conserved family of secreted cell signaling proteins
responsible for regulating numerous cellular processes.
Disruption of TGF-β signaling results in developmental
defects and cancer in mammals. In the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans, reduced TGF-β pathway signaling
affects lipid composition of the nematode’s surface barrier,
making animals more permeable to drugs and less resistant
to infection. Because of this, this pathway may be a good
target for anthelmintic development. To identify potential
targets that reduce DBL-1 signaling, an RNAi screen was
performed. Candidates identified include genes encoding
small GTPases and caveolin, which are involved in protein
trafficking in other animals. Specific aims of this research
are to 1) determine if the candidate genes and dbl-1
interact genetically and if their proteins co-localize. 2)
Determine the role of DBL-1 pathway signaling in
production, secretion, and regulation of the lipids in the
surface barrier of C. elegans. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tina
Gumienny)
unintentional harm occurred. Participants completed this
task while sitting in either a hard or soft chair. Participants
then evaluated the morality of the act and write an essay
about the vignette. Results and implications for embodied
cognition and moral decision making will be discussed.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
11. ENCODING AND DECODING SECRET MESSAGES. E.
Ibrahim. Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Supported by the National Institutes of Health, the TWU
Department of Biology, and the Small Grants Program.
Cryptography is the science of coding/decoding. It is an
ancient mathematical science originally used for military
communication, and designed to secure the content of a
message between individuals. Today, the need for secure
messages is very crucial to everyone and the field of
cryptography employs different methods in encrypting
data. This paper focuses on the application of matrices to
cryptography. Matrices are utilized in cryptography using
encoding matrix and its inverse to encrypt and decrypt data
respectively. The proposed method is very simple and has
the potential to be applied to areas where exchange of
information is confidential. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
9. DETERMINISTIC MODELS OF INTERACTING POPULATIONS. P. Puente, B. Walker. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
12. FEEDING STATION FOR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES IN THE
TWU POLLINATOR GARDENS. C. Matewe, C. Maier.
Department of Biology
Interaction of two populations can be represented by the
following system:
Over the last decade there has been a sharp decline in the
Monarch butterfly populations due to five major reasons:
loss of breeding habitat, loss of wintering habitat, disease
and parasites, climate change and pesticide use. TWU
Denton campus is located on the migratory pathway of the
Monarch. With the creation of the Bettye Myers butterfly
gardens on Denton campus, TWU will actively participate in
sustaining Monarch butterfly populations. The pollinator
gardens will house a wide variety of Texas native plants, the
most important being milkweed, to serve as feeding
stations for Monarchs caterpillars. Milkweed plugs will be
planted in the Phase I gardens south of Anne Stuart Science
Complex. Yellow Cosmos, Red Yucca, and Rock Rose seeds
have been planted indoors to soon be transplanted into the
garden plots to provide feeding stations for the adult
Monarchs on their migration from Mexico to the Great
Lakes and back. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Camelia Maier)
In this work we will
consider the following
basic
types
of
interactions: 1. Volterra
competition inside the
same type for food, place of leaving etc. (intraspecific or
interspecific competition) 2. Predator- prey relations
(parasite-host: parasitism) 3. Symbiosis (help increasing
population of both types: Mutualism) All models will be
investigated analytically and numerically. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
10. EMBODIED COGNITION AND ITS EFFECTS ON AN
INDIVIDUAL’S MORALITY PERCEPTION. K. Carraby, S. LunaPittser, C. Padilla, A. Rook-Phenis, J. Besser, S. Scott.
Department of Psychology & Philosophy
Prior research has supported the theory of embodied
cognition, suggesting that bodily processes impact
subconscious thought (Schnall et al., 2008). Previous studies
also suggest that judgments of morality can be impacted by
intentionality and interpretation of consciousness. The
purpose of this study is to determine if the softness of a
chair would impact an individual’s moral decision making.
Approximately 100 students enrolled in lower level
Psychology classes at a mid-sized southern university
evaluated moral vignettes in which either intentional or
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program
Experiential Student Scholar Program.
13. GALLBLADDER: HOW TO PROTECT IT WITH DIET. B.
Sinclair, V. Imrhan. Department of Nutrition & Food
Sciences
The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile to be secreted
into the small intestines after meals to aid in fat digestion.
Gallbladder diseases have been an epidemic and is one of
the leading causes of hospitalizations related to
gastrointestinal disorders. A main gallbladder disorder is the
22
formation of gallstones. Gallstone formation is multifactorial, meaning both demographic and lifestyle choices
affect it. Additionally, in the western world gallstones tend
to be cholesterol rich, resulting in a yellow color, and if
many small stones are present it can create a sludge like
environment that effects the movement of bile. This poster
will provide information regarding the functionality of the
gallbladder, gallstone formation, and evidence-based
research regarding dietary prevention and post-operative
removal of the gallbladder. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Victorine
Imrhan)
14. GUIDELINES TO REDUCE HOSPITAL ACQUIRED ANEMIA:
AN EVIDENCE - BASED PROJECT. M. Varghese. College of
Nursing - Dallas
Hospital acquired Anemia is a condition where there is a
decrease in red blood cells (RBC) or a decrease in
hemoglobin due to blood loss, a decrease in RBC
production, or an increase RBC breakdown. HAA develops
as a result of hospitalization in patients who have a normal
hemoglobin level on admission and can be categorized as
mild (Hgb < 11.0 g/dL), moderate (Hgb 9.1 – 11.0 g/dL), or
severe (Hgb < 9.0 g/dL) (2) (Noguez, 2016). One of the
major contributing factors for HAA which is identified is
frequent and/or large blood draws for diagnostic testing.
The purpose of this Evidence Based study is to develop a
guideline reduce the rate of unwanted blood tests in
patients who were admitted in the hospital. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Charli Oquin)
15. HOW MUCH WILL YOU DONATE? LET’S TALK THIS OUT:
THE ROLE OF IMPACT OF DONATIONS AND LANGUAGE
ANALYSIS. M. Contreras, K. Edwards, C. Zuniga, A. RookPhenis, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of Psychology &
Philosophy)
There have been previous findings that suggest donation
amounts may differ in low-impact scenarios versus highimpact scenarios. The current study examined how the
impact of the donation not only affects the amount
donated, but also how it influences the decision making
process. Approximately 50 students enrolled in lower level
psychology courses at a mid-sized Southern university
completed this online survey. Participants read a scenario
that contained high and low impact worldwide donation
opportunities. Participants then assigned how much money
they would allocate to each need and then wrote about
their decision making process. LIWC analyses of drive
words, emotion words, quantifiers and pronouns will be
conducted to determine if the percentage of donation to
high impact scenarios is related to specific language choice
which reflects differences in underlying decision making
processes. Results and implications for moral decision
making and language will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Shannon Scott)
16. HOW OVERWEIGHT ARE YOU? DOES RESOURCE
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
SCARCITY IMPACT JUDGMENTS OF WEIGHT CLASSIFICATIONS? C. Flippin, Q. Washington, S. Bhakta, W. Castillo,
A. Comiskey, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of Psychology
& Philosophy
Previous research has shown what person perception is
impacted by conditions of resource scarcity. The current
study sought to expand the literature beyond person
perception as it relates to race/ethnicity to perceptions of
weight classifications. Approximately 100 students enrolled
in lower level psychology courses completed this online
study. Participants read scenarios in which they were a
manager with either limited or substantial resources to give
bonuses and then shown an image of a male whose weight
classification was ambiguous. Participants then classified
the individuals according to weight as well as how under- or
overweight they believed that person to be. Further,
written descriptions of the employee were analyzed to
determine how word choice may vary. Implications for
person perception, weight stigma, and language will be
discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
17. IMAGE SHEARING USING MATRICES. C. Novoa Portugal,
L. Mirsaleh Kohan. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
In 2-Dimensional plane geometry, the process of shear
mapping is a form of transformation which displaces points,
changes the angles between them, and amends the length
of particular line segments. A common known example of
shear mapping would be the style of italicized letters in
font. This project will specifically look into shear matrices,
the properties used, and their eigenvectors. Previously
known algorithms for the image shearing process will be
researched, but one particular algorithm will allude to a
unique visual representation of an image being sheared.
Not only will this project consist of an analytical viewpoint
but also a coded input via the MATLAB program. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
18. IMPACT OF HUMOR ON VOCABULARY LEARNING. M.
Wilson, A. Villarreal, N. Nguyen, T. Edwards, A. Comiskey, J.
Besser, S. Scott. Department of Psychology & Philosophy
Research indicates that students who use humorous study
techniques can increase their ability to recall information
(Davidson & Vanegas, 2015). This study examined student’s
test results on college-level vocabulary words, in order to
determine if humor does increase recall ability.
Approximately 90 participants enrolled in lower level
psychology classes in a mid-sized southern university
completed an online study. The test group was given
humorous study materials and the control group was given
non-humorous study materials. Participants were tested on
the meaning of vocabulary words before and after being
given the study materials. Participants rated the helpfulness
of the study materials, and completed a writing task. An
analysis of the writing task determined if exposure to the
humorous condition leads to increased positive language.
23
Results and implications for learning and educational
systems will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon
Scott)
19. INERTIA TENSORS: SYMMETRICAL ROTATION OF A
RIGID BODY. A. Aguinaga. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
In this paper, I will mathematically illustrate inertia tensors
of a symmetrical rigid body rotating about an axis. An
inertia tensor is a 3x3 matrix composed of 9 different
components where the diagonalization of this matrix is
considered the moment of inertia. In addition, I will discuss
how calculating inertia tensors has been useful in aerospace
engineering such as building and stabilizing the
International Space Station (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
20.
INSTRUMENT
TO
ENHANCE
DIAGNOSTIC
COLONOSCOPY RATES. S. George. College of Nursing Dallas
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is recognized as the third most
commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. Lack of
provider awareness of presenting symptoms and educating
patients are considered as barriers in evaluating the need
for ordering colonoscopies in symptomatic patients under
age 50. Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard
screening exam for CRC because it facilitates the removal of
precancerous polyps which may eventually turn into cancer.
This quality improvement project evaluated the
effectiveness of increasing colonoscopy order rates in all
symptomatic patients below age 50. Retrospective chart
reviews were conducted at the designated Academic Health
Center (AHC) among a cohort of symptomatic patients
below age 50 who presented to the chosen proctology clinic
from October 2016 to November 2016 and January 2017 to
February 2017. Analysis of the results revealed significant
increase in the colonoscopy order rates for all symptomatic
patients below age 50 after the practice change. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Charli Oquin)
21. INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION: USING THE LOTKAVOLTERRRA MODEL TO DEMONSTRATE THE PREDATORPREY INTERACTION BETWEEN SOYBEAN (GLYCINE MAX)
AND STENOLOPHUS LECONTEI (SEEDCORN BEETLE). E.
Rosas, L. Nguyen. Department of Mathematics & Computer
Science
Interspecific competition is a form of competition in which
individuals from different populations compete for a limited
resource, such as food or living spaces, in an ecosystem.
This interaction can be contrasted with interspecific
cooperation, a positive interaction in which all the
populations benefit. Competition is not always a
straightforward, direct interaction and is one of many
interspecific interactions that affect biological communities.
All of the possible competitions can be modelled by a
system of nonlinear differential equations: The purpose of
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
the project is to investigate analytically and numerically the
parameters of the model with real data to demonstrate the
relationship between soybean crops and Stenolophus
lecontei, the Seedcorn Beetle, which results in drastic
monetary losses to the Soybean industry. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
22. KINETIC AND KINEMATIC EFFECTS ON HIGH SCHOOL
ELITE SOCCER PLAYERS DURING PREDICTED AND
UNPREDICTED SIDE STEP MOTION. B. Martinez, M. Avalos,
Y. Kwon. Department of Kinesiology
In pediatrics, an ankle sprain is one of the most common
injuries especially in athletic sports. With high youth
involvement in soccer and prevalence of ankle injuries,
there is a clear concern in how the sport and its typical
movements affect children over time. The purpose of this
study is to determine the amount of stress placed on the
ankle joint during a predicted and unpredicted side step
motion as well as the dominant versus the non-dominant
leg, and how this influences injury risk factors at the joint.
Three high school female soccer players were recruited for
this study to complete the 20 side step trials. Trials
consisted of 10 anticipated and 10 unanticipated side steps.
Results revealed the non-dominant leg produced higher
ground reaction forces, larger peak inversion angles, and
greater peak torques than the dominant leg. There was no
significant difference between the anticipated and
unanticipated conditions. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Young-Hoo
Kwon)
23. MATHEMATICS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY ERA: FROM
CHEMICAL STRUCTURES AND CHEMICAL KINETICS TO
CHEMOINFORMATICS. T. Nguyen, A. Bing, E. Grigorieva.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Geometric, Algebraic, Matrix Methods demonstrate strong
connection of Mathematics with nanotechnology, chemical
reactions and chemoinformatics. According to Valence Shell
Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory, the mathematics
models are used to express three dimensional shape,
symmetry, rotation, point groups of chemical compounds as
well as use matrix methods in solving symmetry operations.
At nanotechnology level, Gold (Au) nanoparticles which play
major role in cancer treatment, so matrix methods can be
used to calculate the percentage and amount of Au atoms
on the surfaces of organometallic Gold complexes.
Nanoparticles could only be possible to obtain accurate
amount due to the use of compartments mathematics
models. Modern chemistry reactions such as the alcohol
fermentation, kinetics reaction are studied with matrix
methods in order to analyze new products numerically
Matrix methods and mathematics models will be used to
investigate modern chemical reactions, compounds and
their structure analytically and numerically. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
Supported by the TWU Department of Mathematics and
Computer Science.
24
24. MEDITATION’S EFFECTS UPON SELF-EFFICACY
MOTIVATION TO CHANGE UNHEALTHY HABITS
UNDERGRADUATES. J. Hitchcock, S. Janson, L. Verdin,
White, A. Rook-Phenis, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department
Psychology & Philosophy
&
IN
A.
of
A growing body of evidence suggests that, although, making
positive changes to behavior is difficult (Rothman, et al.,
2015; Steinberg, 2015), the practice of mindfulness can
increase a person’s ability to both handle stress and alter
patterns of thinking and behaviors (Mettler, Carley, Joly, &
Heath, 2017). This study sought to more closely examine
increased acceptance of healthy lifestyle changes through
participation in a short mindfulness meditation.
Approximately 100 students enrolled in lower level
Psychology classes at a mid-sized southern university
participated either in a short mindfulness meditation or in a
short relaxation activity. They then completed surveys
including: the current health behaviors questionnaire
(Hitchcock, 2017), the academic self- efficacy & efficacy for
self-regulatory learning scale (Zimmerman, Bandura, &
Martinez-Pons; 1992, Chemers, Hu, & Garcia, 2001) and the
Modified motivation for self-improvement & healthy
lifestyle scale (Zawadzka 2014; Hitchcock, 2017).Results and
implications for mindfulness and health behaviors will be
discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
25. PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION ON FALSE
MEMORIES. M. Hubble, S. Burroughs, I. O'Dell, B. Sears, A.
Rook-Phenis, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of Psychology
& Philosophy
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a form of
meditation that has been shown to reduce stress and
anxiety for individuals who practice it often (Rausch,
Gramling, & Auerbach, 2006). The purpose of this study is
to evaluate the impact PMR has on false-recall directly
related to emotional words and neutral words.
Approximately 80 undergraduate students enrolled in lower
level psychology courses at a mid-sized Southern university
completed this online study. Participants first watched
either a PMR activity or watched a relaxing video.
Participants were then asked to view 20 lists of 12 words
from the Deese/Roediger-Mcdermott paradigm. After
viewing each list, they were then asked to recall the words.
It is anticipated that participants who watch the Progressive
Muscle Relaxation video would be less likely to engage in
false-recall than participants that do not watch the
Progressive Muscle Relaxation video. The results and
implications for memory will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Shannon Scott)
26. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FUTURE ORIENTATION AND
WORD CHOICE. K. Weaver, B. Estrada, A. Robertson, A.
Sikorski, A. Della Nebbia, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of
Psychology & Philosophy
Research suggests that future orientation may play an
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
important role in a student’s educational development. The
purpose of this study was to determine if one’s future
orientation could contribute to their word choice when
writing about the future which may be helpful for those
who wish to alter their language in a way that may increase
their ability to accomplish goals. The language we use is a
direct reflection of our cognitions; therefore, a better
understanding of who uses specific types of language
provides a better understanding of how we can improve
ourselves. Approximately 80 students enrolled in lower
level psychology courses in a mid-sized university
completed the study online. Participants completed a
survey that determines their level of future orientation and
then answered open-ended questions about their
preparation for their future. Linguistic analyses were
conducted using LIWC software. Implications for
educational counseling and language analysis will be
discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
27. SIR AND SIER EPIDEMIC MODELS. N. Alshakhoury.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Mathematical models are important tools that are used to
assist epidemiologists in studying the progress of infectious
diseases. In this project, I am going to discuss the basic SIR
and SIER models and investigate their properties. In order
to understand the dynamics of epidemics, I will find the
system’s equilibrium points and their type. Methods of
theory of nonlinear systems of differential equation will be
used. Numerical investigation will be conducted using
MAPLE software. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
28. SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN SPORT MANAGEMENT
CURRICULUM . K. Griner, Y. Metende Mballa, G.
Weatherford. Department of Kinesiology
Sport Management, as a field of study, is growing
exponentially in the United States. In 1992 there were 567
degrees, which doubled in 1995 to 1,173 (Jones Brooks,
Mak, 2008). Athletes, fans, and others from diverse
backgrounds are increasingly becoming fascinated with
gaining expertise in an area that will give them knowledge
and experience to attain a career in the sporting industry.
Meanwhile, researchers and other projects managers
demonstrate that sport can be used as a tool to assist
deprived communities. Therefore, sport for development
has become an emerging area of study within sport
management. The purpose of this research is to determine
the interest and presence of sport development within
sport management curriculums. The evaluation of sport
development literature indicates an exponential increase of
college graduates available for the emerging field. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Gwendolyn Weatherford)
29.
TDP43
AGGREGATION
DYNAMICS
AND
NEURODEGENERATION. K. Vela, C. Brower. Department of
Biology
Neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral
25
sclerosis and frontotemporal degeneration have been
linked to insoluble protein aggregates consisting of
fragments of cleaved TDP43, a protein normally involved in
DNA transcription regulation. These protein fragments
contain segments that are “sticky” and, once exposed, form
aggregates. This project will determine if TDP43 aggregates
can be removed by the N-end rule pathway of protein
degradation and if their modification by Ate1 affects
aggregation dynamics. For this, we utilize four previously
made yeast strains, three of which have a deletion in either
the N-end rule pathway or Ate1 (or both) to study TDP43
aggregates. Using these strains, we are monitoring the fate
of TDP43 fragments in the presence and absence of the Nend rule pathway and in response to modification by Ate1.
Ultimately we would like to determine if preformed TDP43
aggregates can be disassembled by the N-end rule pathway.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Christopher Brower)
30. TEACHING MINDSET AND TECHNOLOGY: MASTERING
THE ART OF NOTETAKING B. Doilicho, C. Raye, R. GodoyDpoty, A. Della Nebbia, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of
Psychology & Philosophy
Previous research has shown that computer note-taking is
not as effective as handwritten notes due to less use of
memory processing which promotes learning (Mueller &
Oppenheimer, 2014). Studies have also shown that
expecting to lecture increases the likelihood of learning
(Nestojiko, Bui, Kornell & Bjork, 2014). The present study
sought to integrate these two lines of research to
investigate the possible interactions of three different
teaching mindsets and two different styles of note-taking
on learning. Approximately 90 students enrolled in lower
level psychology courses at a mid-sized Southern university
will view a video and take notes either by hand or on a
computer after being primed to believe that they will either
teach the material to another group, teach the materials to
another group using pre-made materials, or that they will
be tested. Results and implications for education and
learning will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon
Scott)
31. THE FACTS ABOUT DATA CHAT. H. Brann, C. Hanson.
Department of Teacher Education
Teachers are required to make academic decisions based on
collected data. Indeed, from the first day in the classroom,
even novice teachers are expected to gather classroom data
and use it to inform/enhance instruction. To be successful
in an environment where STAAR is the measure of both
student achievement and accountability; possession of such
skills is non-negotiable. Through the use of a Data Chat, preservice teachers collaboratively analyzed de-identified
district STAAR and end-of-course assessment data. After
desegregating the data, strengths/weaknesses of the class
set were identified, interventions/assessments to address
challenges were created, and a presentation to constituents
was produced. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karen Dunlap)
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
32. THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL IDEOLOGY AND
PRESENCE OF AUTHORITY ON BELIEFS AND VIEWS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. J. Kadjar, K. Juarez, E.
Thompson, B. Pointer, A. Della Nebbia, J. Besser, S. Scott.
Department of Psychology & Philosophy
The current study sought to investigate some of the factors
that impact the way individuals interact with scientific
research and claims. Approximately 150 students enrolled
in lower level psychology courses at a mid-sized southern
university completed this online study. As part of this online
study, participants completed an assessment of cultural
ideology (individualistic versus collectivistic) and responded
to scientific literature that either included a source line
from an entity of power (NASA), or not. Participants then
wrote an evaluation of the climate change article. A
linguistic analysis of emotional tone and clout was
conducted on participants’ response to the scientific
literature using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count
program. Results and implications for cultural ideology,
authority impact, and linguistic analyses will be discussed.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
33. THE LANGUAGE OF DISGUST SENSITIVITY: LINGUISTIC
ANALYSIS OF PERCEPTIONS OF SAME-SEX COUPLES. S.
Hamm, S. Scott, J. Besser, L. Colaluca, J. Kuriakose, C.
Garcia, A. Rook-Phenis. Department of Psychology &
Philosophy
Levels of disgust produced by smells, tastes, and moral
violations have been found in past research to be
associated with perceptions of individuals from the LGBT
community. The purpose of this study was to expand this
research by examining language choices that may be
predictive of this relationship. Approximately 100 students
enrolled in lower level classes at a mid-sized southern
university completed this online study. Participants saw an
image of either a heterosexual or same- sex couple who
were told were their neighbors. They were then asked to
describe their opinions of these individuals in an open
ended written response. Participants then completed the
disgust sensitivity survey. LIWC analyses were conducted to
examine language word choice such as disgust and types of
pronouns utilized. Results and implications for moral
decision making and embodied cognition will be discussed.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
34. THE POWER OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR IN A
PROFESSIONAL WORLD. R. Allen, S. Durant, E. Hayter, D.
Orozco, A. Comiskey, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of
Psychology & Philosophy
First impressions impact employers’ decision to interview
and hire employees. Language reflects underlying cognitive
processes; therefore, linguistic analysis provides insight into
underlying decision making. The current study examined
whether potential job candidates’ resumes and style of
dress would not only impact willingness to interview and
26
employ, but also impact how they were described.
Approximately 80 students enrolled in a lower level
psychology class, in a mid-sized university completed the
online survey. After viewing either a professionally written
resume or a resume with errors, participants were shown
either a casually attired image or a more professionally
attired image of a job candidate. Participants then
evaluated the potential job candidate as well as described
that candidate. The Linguistic Inquire and Word Count
(LIWC) (Pennebaker, Boyd, Jordan & Blackburn, 2015) was
utilized to examine clout & authenticity language patterns.
Results and implications for hiring decisions, person
perception and language analysis will be discussed. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Shannon Scott)
35. THE ROLE OF EMPATHY IN THE ACCURACY OF
PREDICTING THE VALUE OF AN APOLOGY. B. Flowers, A.
Amersdorfe, D. Kelly, M. Villano, A. Comiskey, J. Besser, S.
Scott. Department of Psychology & Philosophy
Apologies are used to reconcile transgressions. Previous
research indicates victims overestimate the value and
meaningfulness of apologies. The current study examines
how empathy relates to accurately predicting the impact of
an apology, as well as its relation to the language used to
describe a victim’s perception of the offender. Participants
consisted of 100 undergraduate students from a midsized
university in the South. Empathy was assessed with the
Basic Empathy Scale for Adults. Then, participants were
presented with a scenario in which they experienced a
minor transgression. Participants were asked to write about
their perception of the offender, and rate how an apology
would impact them. Participants either received an apology
or were asked to imagine receiving an apology. Participants
then wrote their new perception of the offender, and rated
how the received/imagined apology impacted them. Results
and implications regarding relationships, linguistic analysis,
and decision making will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Shannon Scott)
36. THE VALUE OF A SMILEY FACE: EXAMINING THE
IMPACT OF EMOJIS ON LANGUAGE, AND MEMORY. H.
Hagler, M. McFarland, S. Padgham, S. Sowers, A. RookPhenis, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of Psychology &
Philosophy
The rise of technology has transformed nonverbal
communication in recent years. This study investigated the
impact of nonverbal communication in the form of emojis
on individuals' language use and memory. Approximately 90
participants enrolled in lower level psychology classes at a
mid-sized southern university completed an online study.
After being randomly assigned to view text messages
without emojis, text messages with positive emojis, or text
messages with negative emojis, participants completed a
memory task for the information in the text message and
responded to a written prompt. Analyses of the memory
scores and the emotional tone in the written response were
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
conducted. Implications for modern communication,
emotion, and memory will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Shannon Scott)
37. TOWARD A COGNITIVE UNDERSTANDING OF
ACADEMIC MOTIVATION. G. Alexander, K. Collazo, Y. Sul, J.
Trinh, A. Comiskey, J. Besser, S. Scott. Department of
Psychology & Philosophy
Conscientiousness and motivation have long been two
significant factors in determining what makes a student
successful. However, the degree of positive or negative
language used by students in relation to their degree of
conscientiousness and motivation has not been observed.
The current study examined the relationship between
participants’ conscientiousness and motivation and their
use of positive or negative language. Approximately 100
students enrolled in lower level Psychology classes at a midsized southern university completed this online study.
Participants completed the Big Five Inventory for
personality, the Academic Motivation Scale, and openended questions regarding their future academic plans. The
Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program was utilized to
conduct linguistic analyses on the open-ended responses.
Results and implications for education and linguistic
analyses will be discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shannon
Scott)
38. UNMARRIED FEMALE FAMILY HOUSEHOLDER, FOOD
SECURITY STATUS, AND SNAP PARTICIPATION. A. Ray.
Department of Sociology & Social Work
The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is a
safety net program providing nutrition assistance to
approximately 22,522,261 low income households in 2015
(USDA 2016b). This study builds on previous research by
examining how gender of unmarried family householder
and food insecurity status impact participation in SNAP
among U.S. households (n=53,901), from the CPS Food
Security Supplement 2015 data. The results from this study
suggest participation in SNAP varies by gender of unmarried
family householder, level of education, and regional place
of household residence. The implications for policy and
practice are presented. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Philip Yang)
39. WHAT IS A WHOLE GRAIN? TWU STUDENTS
KNOWLEDGE AND DIETARY PRACTICES CONCERNING
WHOLE GRAIN FOODS. R. Dillman, C. Warren. Department
of Nutrition & Food Sciences
In order to develop effective interventions to increase
whole grain intake, a better understanding of the factors
that influence dietary behavior is needed. The purpose of
this project was to conduct focus groups with TWU students
to gain insight to their knowledge, misconceptions, and
consumption of whole grain foods. Students also provided
input on what information to include in a promotion tool to
market increased consumption of whole grains to TWU
27
students. Findings indicate participating students consume
whole grains, but have a limited ability to define, identify,
and understand what whole grains are and their health
benefits. Most of these students shop and prepare their
meals and their primary source of whole grains was bread.
A bookmark was developed as the educational tool and
included ways to identify a whole grain product, and a
recipe to help include whole grains into a college student’s
diet. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Cynthia Warren)
40. WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD OF TOXICOLOGY. P. Abu, B. Gaidar. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
The study of toxicology is a crucial element in how we
approach our day-to-day life. Toxicology is the study of how
substances affect the human body, and when we look at
that definition, we see the true importance of toxicology in
the advancement of civilization. Women in this field have
been critical in the advancement of toxicology. Women
have helped bring justice to victims of trauma through
forensic toxicology, medical examiners solving crime, or the
study of the effects of a certain drug in a body. The study of
toxicology provides a look into dosages and harmful effects
of dozens of drugs we encounter and will continue to
encounter, some that could save your life now or in the
future. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
Abstracts – Session II: Tuesday, April 18 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
VIRTUAL SESSION II: ACT 225
1. THE EXPERIENCES OF NEW GRADUATE NURSES HIRED
INTO ADULT INTENSIVE CARE UNITS. H. DeGrande. College
of Nursing - Denton
It is a common practice that new graduate Registered
Nurses (NGRNs) are hired into adult Intensive Care Units
(ICUs) on initial entry into practice. There exists a disparity
between NGRNs practice readiness and actual practice
expectations at adult ICU settings. This practice readiness
disparity can lead to negative consequences and
subsequent nurse turnover, which is a concern nationwide.
Nonetheless, the majority of NGRNs survived their initial
transition and continue to practice at adult ICU settings.
Thus, there is a need to understand how NGRNs navigate
the practice readiness gap and become competent in adult
ICU. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences
of NGRNs who have become competent in the adult ICU.
The study will use hermeneutic phenomenology as a
methodology. The findings can provide insight on how
NGRNs experience their transition from novice to
competent practitioners and how to develop nursecentered retention strategies. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Fuqin
Liu)
28
Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
PLATFORM SESSION III: ACT 501
Faculty Moderator: TBD
positive contributions. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
1. CREATIVITY IN RESEARCH. G. Alex. Department of Family
Sciences
POSTER SESSION III: ACT 2
As being part of the Touchstone Honors Program, I decided
to do my last research contract differently from how I have
done research projects in the past. With this research I
wanted to emphasize how it is possible to be creative with
research, and the approach I took in creating a website and
video. I hope to share the steps I took in revealing the
results of my research, on the effect of substance use
among adolescents, in a virtual format rather written.
Through sharing why I chose in creating a website and video
for my research will show students the importance of how
activities we enjoy as hobbies can also be used and
effective in our academic work. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Catherine Dutton)
2. HONDURAS CASE STUDY - WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE
FOR ECONOMIC BOOST? N. Miller. School of Management
Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America,
with 65% of its population in poverty. The country’s exports
mostly stem from agricultural products, but has begun to
include more industrial products like automobile wire
harnessing. Despite all of these potential areas of
employment, the Honduran culture is both predominately
Roman Catholic and masculine so women being in the
workforce is strongly discouraged. Coupled with low
education, domestic violence, and living in poverty, most
women don’t seek employment even though they are living
in poverty. Will empowering women to seek employment
help bring their families out of poverty? What barriers exist
that prevent women from seeking employment? Will
educating mothers encourage her to further her children’s
education? Does the Honduran government support gender
equality in the workforce? (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gilbert
Werema)
3. CLOSING THE GENDER GAP IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. K.
Kocis, L. Cifuentes. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
The goal of this paper is to provide a background for the
current situation of women in Computer Science (CS) and
its related fields by exploring the gender gap and explaining
the impact of current statistics. Besides discussing the
potential causes of the gap, this paper will propose
different methods that can be implemented to help young
girls excel in the various branches of CS. Additionally, we
will highlight the various fields outside of programming that
are less talked about and to which women can offer
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
1. "SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST" AN OBSOLETE THEORY? M.
Plummer. Department of Sociology & Social Work
For my research I studied modern medicine and the rate of
infants that survive premature births. I'm arguing that the
popular theory, "Survival of the fittest" is becoming
obsolete concerning births in first world countries where
medicine and technology have become so advanced. I
researched cesarean section infants specifically because
these are births that could not have been performed before
the 18th century when the first successful cesarean section
was performed here in the United States and both the
mother and infant survived. In my research I also study
common medications and technology used to keep
premature infants alive, and whether or not these infants
would die without these medicines and technologies. Thus,,
making the theory "survival of the fittest" possibly obsolete.
(Faculty Sponsor: Ms. Allison Ray)
2. ANALYSIS OF MURINE (MOUSE) CYTOMEGALOVIRUS
INTERACTIONS WITH NORMAL FLORA BACTERIA TO
PROMOTE INFECTIVITY. T. Doan, L. Hanson. Department of
Biology
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a double stranded DNA virus that
causes no to mild flu-like symptoms in normal individuals.
However,
it
can
cause
severe
disease
in
immunocompromised patients. Additionally, CMV is a
major cause for birth defects. Infants who develop
congenital CMV infection experience seizures, intellectual
disability, muscle weakness, and hearing loss. In previous
studies, researchers found gastrointestinal viruses bind to
intestinal bacteria, which enhances infectivity and
association with the host cell. Inspired by these findings,
our research aims to investigating if herpesviruses, such as
CMV, also can use normal flora bacteria to promote
infectivity. Since CMV is shed in saliva, vaginal secretions,
and semen, bacteria commonly found in those locations
were picked for testing of potential binding with CMV. Once
evaluations are made if the association of normal flora
bacteria and CMV is possible, further research will be
conducted to explore the impact on survival and infectivity
of CMV. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
Supported by the TWU Department of Biology.
3. ANTI-ANXIETY MEDICATIONS VERSUS BEHAVIORAL
MODIFICATIONS DURING DENTAL TREATMENT. V. Ruiz, C.
Smith, A. Messier. Program in Dental Hygiene
29
A majority of hygienists have come across an anxious
patient in their dental chair at some point during their
career. Therefore, the aim of the study was to answer the
following question, "In patients under 18 with dental
anxiety, is anxiety medication more effective compared to
behavioral modifications in the management of dental
anxiety?” Databases were used to collect systematic,
experimental,
quantitative
non-experimental,
and
qualitative research. The findings resulted in anti-anxiety
medications being more successful in the reduction of
dental anxiety and listening to music as a distraction
method has the most success as a behavioral modification
technique. Combining pharmaceutical and distraction
therapy methods together would be effective for people
with higher levels of dental anxiety, whereas lower levels of
anxiety may benefit from one method. In the future, the
research team would recommend more research to be
conducted on using anti- anxiety medication versus audiodistraction techniques during a dental appointment.
(Faculty Sponsor: Professor Schelli Stedke)
4. CAN A CUPCAKE A DAY KEEP THE DENTIST AWAY? THE
USE OF XYLITOL IN CARIES PREVENTION. A. Huff, P.
Dulberg, S. Hollinger. Program in Dental Hygiene
The growing interest in sugar substitutes and the
prevalence of habitual gum chewing, candy, and lozenge
consumption, lead to this research on whether consuming
xylitol in such products can affect an individual’s oral
health. Research findings indicate that the five-carbon
polyol known as xylitol has the ability to reduce the levels of
cariogenic bacteria, therefore decreasing caries risk. In
addition, the six-carbon polyol known as sorbitol also
presents with beneficial properties, however these may not
be attributed directly to a decrease in cariogenic bacteria.
The purpose of this project was to answer the question
“How do xylitol containing products help in the prevention
of dental caries in patients with caries risk?” (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Patricia Nunn)
5. CAN PREDIABETES BE REVERSED AFTER 12 WEEKS OF
LIFESTYLE CHANGES? R. Robles, T. Castleberry, B. Rigby.
Department of Kinesiology
Prediabetes, one of several risk factors for cardiovascular
disease, is characterized by blood glucose levels that are
higher than normal but not high enough to be classified
with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this
study was to determine if 12 weeks of regular exercise and
dietary modifications can reverse prediabetes in an older
adult. The participant underwent two testing sessions that
included measures of heart rate and blood pressure at rest,
body composition, and an assessment of blood lipids and
glucose. The sessions were separated by 12 weeks of
lifestyle changes that included exercise and dietary
modifications. A suggested exercise prescription for those
with type 2 diabetes as recommended by the American
College of Sports Medicine was followed. Dietary
recommendations were taken from the American Diabetes
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
Association. Results will be analyzed and reported at the
end of this ongoing study. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Brandon
Rigby)
6. CARBON CYCLE COMPARTMENT MODEL AND THE
EFFECTS OF FUNCTION CHOICE. S. Simpson, E. Grigorieva.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
A compartment model of the carbon exchange between the
atmosphere, upper ocean, and lower ocean is used to
investigate the effects of various choices for functions
describing the exchange between each reservoir. Linear
functions provide the simplest model and are investigated
analytically. More complex and realistic functions are
investigated through Maple. The effects of function choice
on short and long term predictions and on equilibrium
values are considered. Change in model behavior due to
volcanic activity, land biosphere, and human activities,
taken as a single external input, will also be considered.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
7. CHANGES IN LOWER-BODY KINEMATIC RESPONSES
FOLLOWING AN ACUTE BOUT OF WHOLE-BODY
VIBRATION IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY. B.
Martinez, M. Avalos, K. Martinez, R. Davis, B. Rigby.
Department of Kinesiology
Cerebral palsy (CP) causes activity restriction or disability
that is attributable to disturbances in the fetal or infant
brain. Whole-body vibration (WBV) may be an effective
exercise modality to acutely improve gait in children with
CP. The purpose of this study is to characterize the changes
in lower- body kinematic responses to walking before and
after an acute bout of WBV in children with CP. Five
participants diagnosed with CP will be asked to walk
approximately 40 feet at a self-selected pace. Between
walking trials, the participants will stand on a WBV plate
with approximately 40° of knee flexion. Each participant will
receive 5, 1-minute bouts of WBV with 30 seconds of rest in
between each bout. Orientation angles and range-ofmotion will be quantified at the hip, knee and ankle using
motion capture technology while walking. Results will be
analyzed and reported at the end of this ongoing study.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Brandon Rigby)
8. CONTRASTING AGGRESSIVE VS. PALLIATIVE CARE NEAR
END OF LIFE: NEW ZEALAND AND THE UNITED STATES. G.
Mazziotti, S. Murdock. School of Management
The United States’ health care system is plagued with the
inability to halt aggressive care, particularly at end of life.
Comparative research was conducted in July 2016 at the
University of Auckland, School of Population Health, Totara
Hospice (Auckland), Houston Hospice and Texas Woman’s
University. The results show that the timing of referral,
addressing psychosocial needs, and perspective on
aggressive care near the end of life, are opposite of that in
the United States. This is supported with findings in JAMA
and the CDC (2013, 2016). The outcome of this study has
30
significance because, with global perspective, one may
understand ways to improve local patient care. This paper
poses the argument that if there are no clear indications for
treatment for prolonged survival, we should utilize hospice
more effectively to improve dying well in the United States.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Murdock)
9.
DIGITAL
IMAGE
MANIPULATION:
MODERN
APPLICATIONS OF LINEAR ALGEBRA. H. Grant, O. Alvarez.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
A digital image processor's ability to construct and alter
images is related to the coding methods found in
computing with linear algebra. While using a modern math
engine with image processing capabilities, we applied these
methods with the MATLAB 2016 software. The primary
methods of linear algebra that we used involved the
manipulation of matrices. We completed a series of
applications of linear algebra that were compiled into
tutorials for classroom use. In one of our cases, we took a
black and white image and used the strategy of finding the
SVD (singular value decomposition) to perform image
compression. With this, we were able to minimize the
amount of distortion of an image while lessening the
memory required for storage. The tutorials that our team
developed were presented to an upper-level computer
science course here at our institution - providing feedback
on how these tutorials might be improved. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Alicia Machuca)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program
Experiential Student Scholar Program.
10. EFFECT OF ENDOCYTOSIS INHIBITORS ON INTERNALIZATION OF NANOCARRIERS IN B35 NEUROBLASTOMA
CELLS. l. Eyob, S. Sebastian, R. Ammassam Veettil, T.
McAllister, S. Ghosh, D. Hynds. Department of Biology
Development of novel nanocarriers to encourage axon
regeneration and guidance is promising for functional
recovery from spinal cord injury and damage. We have
developed a fluorescent, surface functionalized, polymeric
nanocarrier system that can be used as a drug delivery
system for spinal cord injury treatment. Previous studies in
our lab showed the role of clathrin, caveolae and dynamin
in the endocytosis of these polymeric nanocarriers.
Moreover, we tested small molecule inhibitors of clathrin
and dynamin to see their effect on nanocarrier endocytosis.
In the present study, we are treating B35 neuroblastoma
cells with inhibitors of caveolae mediated endocytosis and
macropinocytosis. We use immunocytochemistry and
confocal microscopy for fixed cell imaging and analysis. In
the future, we will test the same inhibitors in rat cortical
neurons. Together, these results will help us to assess the
mechanisms of endocytosis employed by these
nanocarriers. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. DiAnna Hynds)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program,
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
the TWU Department of Biology, and the Southeast
Missouri State University Department of Physics and
Engineering Physics.
11. EFFECTS OF RESINIFERATOXIN ON THE PROLIFERATION
OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BREAST
CARCINOMAS. P. Basu, A. Gekombe, M. Bergel, C. Maier.
Department of Biology
Resiniferatoxin (RTX), a vallinoid isolated from Euphorbia
resinifera (Euphorbiaceae), is an ultrapotent agonist of
transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor (TRPV1), a
non-selective calcium-permeable cation channel to
chemical and physical stimuli in sensory neurons. In this
study, the effects of RTX on the proliferation of estrogen
receptor (ER) positive MCF-7 and ER- negative MDA-MB231 cell lines were evaluated. Cells were cultured in phenolred medium and treated with RTX (0.2-500 µM) for 48h
(MDA-MB-231) and 72h (MCF-7). The cell viability was
determined with MTS assays. The growth inhibition 50
(GI50) for MDA-MB-231 cells was 246.7±4 µM and that for
MCF-7 cells was 139.01±10 µM. Both cell lines showed a
trend of not significant proliferation at lower RTX
concentrations (0.2-5 µM). Higher RTX concentrations (10500 µM) decreased proliferation in both cell lines in a dosedependent manner. Future studies will explore the
underlying mechanisms of action of RTX on the MCF-7 and
MDA-MB-231 breast carcinomas. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Camelia Maier)
12. EXAMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF UTILIZING
POPULAR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE AND TOYS TO TEACH
MATHEMATICS. H. Dybvig, A. Wheeler. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
For a QEP Experiential Student Scholar study, the
researcher created 6 elementary and middle school
mathematics lessons using popular children’s books and
toys. Two of the lessons were given to a class of preservice
teachers. The preservice teacher lesson reflections, sample
work, and all 6 lesson synopses will be shared. Through an
examination of the lesson reflections and work, the
researcher will detail ways in which teachers struggled with
the materials, as well as successful aspects of the tasks.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ann Wheeler)
Supported by the Experiential Undergraduate Student
Scholar Program.
13. EXPLORING CHROMATIN COMPACTION AS A POSSIBLE
DNA PROTECTION MECHANISM ACTIVATES BY TWO
RUTHENIUM BASED ANTICANCER COMPOUNDS. B. Basnet,
M. Abbas, R. Roy, R. Brekken, F. MacDonnell, M. Bergel.
Department of Biology
Chromatin, the complex of DNA-protein, and its
compactness affects gene expression, DNA replication and
DNA repair mechanisms like Nucleotide Excision Repair
31
(NER). The previous studies in our lab has shown that the
compaction of chromatin by genotoxic agent like UVirradiation protects DNA from further damage. Ruthenium
based compounds are also genotoxic agents but the exact
type of damage they cause is less studied, unclear and
seems vary between the various compounds. Using two
ruthenium compounds- RPC3 and RPC4 we are studying
whether they cause any bulky adducts which might activate
the nucleotide excision repair pathway and cause
chromatin compaction which impairs their genotoxicity. We
found out the toxicity levels of the RPC3 and RPC4 in HeLa
S3 cells at different concentrations of serum. Understanding
the mechanism of action of ruthenium compounds and
identifying their molecular targets are very important since
that will direct us to design better anticancer compounds.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Bergel)
Supported by the TWU Department of Biology.
14. FORMING EFFECTIVE DIABETES MANAGEMENT
CHAINS: A PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. C. Baltrun.
College of Nursing - Dallas
This quality improvement project outlines the development
of a diabetes self -management education protocol focusing
on shared decision making (SDM) processes to enhance
outcomes in the diabetic population at a large military
installation treatment facility. Initially, a peer-tested tool,
The Assessment of Primary Care Resources and Supports for
Chronic Disease Self- Management (PCRS) is used to identify
areas in need of improvement. Clinic team members
explore the need for effective collaborative processes.
Then, a teaching protocol enhancing diabetes selfmanagement support that incorporates the use of group
and shared medical appointments (SMA) is created.
Employment of the protocol and inter-professional
collaboration can contribute to a new clinic culture that will
aide in the promotion of congruent skill sets and
participation among team members, including the patient.
Group collaborative teaching sessions will be introduced to
form effective diabetes management chains within the
clinic with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Barbara Gray)
15.
HISPANIC
COLLEGE
STUDENTS:
LANGUAGE
DIFFERENCES AND QUALITY OF LIFE. D. Carbajal, J. Levitt.
Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
According to the TWU Counseling Center, 50 to 58% of
students are part of a minority group. The Hispanic
population makes up a large portion. This research project
investigated challenges that affect their Quality of Life
(QOL) primarily related to their verbal communications in
the English language. The study was designed (1) to identify
areas of difficulties, (2) to suggest solutions that address the
issues, and (3) to develop a brochure to inform the Hispanic
college community of ways to improve the identified areas
of communication. Forty-six Hispanic college students
completed a survey with ten questions. The common
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
perception across the participants includes the awareness
of being treated differently due to their Hispanic
background. The results also show the sex differences in
their perceptions. Namely, males believe that speech
remediation could improve their QOL. The final results of
this study will be presented in and out of the TWU
community. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. June Levitt)
16.
IDENTIFICATION
OF
BLUEBERRY
EXTRACT
COMPONENTS WHICH ENHANCE PRODUCTION OF LIPID
REGULATION FACTORS IN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTED
CELLS. M. Tayyar, L. Hanson. Department of Biology
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a herpesvirus, infects
around 60-100% of adults worldwide. In some studies
infection
with
CMV
showed
correlation
with
atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis a metabolic disorder results
from accumulation of fat, fatty acids and cholesterol in
blood vessels, In- vitro and in-vivo studies showed increased
levels of fatty acids and cholesterol synthesis in cells
infected with CMV. HCMV infects only humans, however
MCMV also promotes atherosclerosis in mice, it can be a
useful tool to see which processes are conserved and thus
may play a role. Blueberry extracts, normally inhibit lipid
synthesis in cells, so we hypothesized they would inhibit the
virally induced response and thus the virus. However, BB
treatment increased the MCMV induction of lipogenesis
regulation factors. To evaluate what components of the BB
extract are responsible, we are using thin layer
chromatography and mass spectroscopy to identify
components and test their effect in virally infected cells.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
17. IDENTIFYING SIGNALING CASCADES INVOLVED IN
GROWTH AND CELL CLUSTERING OF FUNCTIONAL, NONPRENYLATABLE RHOA AND RAC1. N. Raut, J. Reddy, D.
Hynds. Department of Biology
The Rho guanine triphosphatase (GTPase) act as molecular
switches operating between an active GTP-bound state and
an in­active GDP-bound state. RhoA promotes focal
adhesion complexes and organization of actin cytoskeleton.
Similarly, Rac1 stimulates the peripheral actin
accumulations, and formation of lamellipodia and filopodia.
Both require prenylation for membrane localization, though
active forms of both have been found in other cellular
compartments. We designed non- prenylatable Rac1 and
RhoA constructs to test how inhibiting prenylation affects
morphology, localization of active RhoA and Rac1 and cell
signaling pathways. Western blot analysis suggested less
cofilin associated with the cytosol than JNK and ERK. With
emerging evidence of differential activation of Rho
GTPases, elucidating the signaling cascades of the active
GTPases will identify the distinct functions of these GTPases
and can be used as novel targets to facilitate axon
regeneration in traumatic or degenerative neurological
conditions. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. DiAnna Hynds)
18.
IMPLICIT
THEORIES
OF
PERSONALITY
AS
A
32
MODERATOR OF THE RELATION BETWEEN VICTIMIZATION
AND ADJUSTMENT. M. Enters, M. Medina, L. Rosen, L.
Rubin. Department of Psychology & Philosophy
Peer victimization is associated with adjustment problems,
including depressive symptoms and low self-esteem (Rosen
& Rubin, 2016). This study examined implicit theories of
personality as a moderator of the relationship between
victimization with depression and self-esteem. Implicit
theories of personality refer to beliefs in the malleability of
personal traits. Individuals with an entity mindset believe
that personal characteristics are fixed and will not change
whereas those with an incremental mindset believe that
personal characteristics change over time. Middle school
students were recruited from a suburban school district in
Northern Texas to complete self-reports. The interaction
between victimization and implicit theories was significant
in the depression and the self-esteem regressions, and for
victimized adolescents an entity mindset served a
protective function while self-esteem did not vary as a
function of mindset. For non-victimized adolescents an
entity mindset was associated with greater depression and
was also associated with lower self- esteem. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Lisa Rosen)
19. IN VITRO ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITIES OF DIOECIOUS
WHITE MULBERRY (MORUS ALBA, MORACEAE). C.
Thallapareddy, P. Basu, C. Maier. Department of Biology
Diabetes mellitus, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia,
is an endocrine and metabolic disorder that results from
defects in regulation of insulin secretion. Inhibition of
intestinal α-glucosidase, which digests disaccharides and
starch in our diet, and α-amylase, which breaks down starch
and glycogen, is associated with preventing the
carbohydrate digestion and the increase of absorbable
glucose in the blood stream. In the present study, the
effects of extracts from leaves and stems of male and
female White mulberry (Morus alba, Moraceae) collected in
spring and fall 2015 on the α-amylase and α-glucosidase
inhibitory activities were evaluated. Spring extracts induced
significantly higher α-amylase inhibitory activity than fall
extracts. Fall extracts induced significantly higher inhibitory
α-glucosidase activity than spring extracts. Leaf extracts
were more potent inhibitors of both enzymes than stem
extracts. Growing season and gender of mulberry
specimens influenced their antidiabetic properties and
could help in formulating potent antidiabetic dietary
supplements. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Camelia Maier)
20. LIGHT PAINTING TECHNIQUE. G. Mejia Alatorre.
Department of Visual Arts
Not many people know about the Light Painting Technique
in photography. The objective of this research is to inform
the public of why and how a slow shutter speed on a
camera is responsible of creating the Light Painting
Technique on images. A shutter is the curtain in front of the
camera sensor to the light that passes through the lens, the
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
slower the shutter speed, the longer it will take for the
shutter to close. When a moving object that emits light is
photographed with a slow shutter speed, the camera will
capture a streak of light on the final image, this effect is
called the Light Painting Technique. A fast shutter speed
would not give us the same effect as a slow shutter speed
because a faster shutter speed makes a moving object to
appear frozen on an image. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor
Susan kae Grant)
21. LIGHT SABERS IN DENTISTRY. N. Harrer, E. Rodriguez, C.
Walker. Program in Dental Hygiene
Chronic periodontitis is a bacterial infection that has the
ability to cause destruction to the periodontium in the form
of irreversible loss of attachment and surrounding bone.
The conventional treatment of chronic periodontitis
includes scaling and root planning to remove bacterial
plaque biofilm and calculus (tartar) from the root surfaces.
In recent years, new treatment modalities have been
introduced to treat chronic periodontitis. Laser therapy
(LANAP) in dentistry is used as an adjunct procedure to
conventional non-surgical periodontal therapy. LANAP has
been shown to produce a reduced bacteremia, improved
patient comfort, reduced bleeding during the procedure,
and an increased rate of wound healing. Research regarding
the use of LANAP in dentistry is limited. However, the
results show it to be as effective as scaling and root
planning in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. More
research needs to be conducted to show the effective
outcomes of laser therapy for the treatment of chronic
periodontitis. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Lizabeth Spoonts)
22. MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF AUTOIMMUNE PROCESS
DYNAMICS UNDER CHRONIC IRRADIATION. L. Mirsaleh
Kohan, E. Grigorieva. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
Autoimmune diseases often make abnormal antibodies that
target their own body tissues. Autoimmune diseases can be
caused by exposure to the radiation and depend on the
dose rate and period of radiation time. This study will
employ mathematical modeling of autoimmune process
dynamics under chronic irradiation. The model developed in
this study will be based on differential equations theory and
will examine the dependency of the autoimmune processes
to the dose rate of chronicle irradiation. This study will
illustrate that autoimmune processes could be accelerated
by low dose rate in long chronic irradiation. This project
consists of an analytical viewpoint as well as a coded input
via the MAPLE program. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ellina
Grigorieva)
23. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES BASED CURRICULUMS. H.
Koehl. Pioneer Center for Student Excellence
As a means to better understand the peer reviewed
empirical literature available on Gardner’s theory of
multiple intelligences enabling students of varying
33
intelligences to develop positive academic self-efficacy, a
systematic literature review will be conducted. The findings
will be grouped into themes and discussed. Limitations and
research implications will be discussed. Finally, the principal
researcher will make recommendations for future
literature. (Faculty Sponsor: Ms. Theresa Lindsay)
24. NANO-BASED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: TARGETING
TO CORTICOSPINAL TRACT NEURONS FOR CONTROLLED
RELEASE OF THERAPEUTICS. M. Cao, R. Ammassam Veettil,
S. Sebastian, D. Hynds, S. Ghosh, T. McAllister. Department
of Biology
Damage to axons of the corticospinal tract neurons leads to
permanent loss of voluntary fine motor control. In recent
years, nanoparticle (NP) has becomes more widely used in
therapeutic fields and serve as a vehicle to deliver drugs to
the damaged neuron cells across the blood brain barrier
(BBB). In this study, we used nanomaterials with
polyethylene glycol-based coats derivatized with –COOH
and –NH2 functional groups on their surface to study the
mechanism of cell targeting in B35, PC12, and corticospinal
tract (CST) neurons. Therapeutic drugs that enhance axon
extension (e.g. Y27632, C3 exoenzyme) loaded into
nanoparticles are used to study the efficiency of drug
release and enhancement of neurite outgrowth. We
assumed that our nanoparticle drug delivery systems are
able to target specific neurons and provide on-demand
release of a specific drug. Therefore, these systems provide
potential therapies for encouraging axon regrowth after
spinal cord injury. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dianna Hynds)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program,
the TWU Department of Biology, and the Southeast
Missouri State University Department of Physics and
Engineering.
25. PERCEIVED HEALTH BENEFITS VS. RISKS OF BETEL NUT
CHEWING. E. Becerra, M. Ellis, S. Stoffel. Program in Dental
Hygiene
Betel nut is a seed from the areca palm tree fruit. Many
South Asian cultures chew the nut as part of their religious
beliefs, its addicting properties, and perceived health
benefits. Betel nut is considered to be the 4th most
commonly used psychoactive substance after coffee,
alcohol, and nicotine. The purpose of the study is to inform
dental professionals that the risks of betel nut chewing
outweigh the perceived health benefits. From our research
we identified that most betel nut users believe that the
substance has health benefits, but the substance can also
cause detrimental damage to the patient’s oral and physical
health. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Leslie Koberna)
26. PLAY AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY. R. Boyer. Department of Family Sciences
Past research has shown that play has an important role in
the life of a child, especially early in development. Other
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
research has shown how occupational therapists (OTs)
utilize play in therapy sessions with children. However, little
research has combined and expanded both ideas as they
relate to children. The purpose of the present study was to
examine the use of play by pediatric OTs, as well as its
importance in the life of a child outside of therapy. Firsthand accounts from four pediatric OTs were examined
using the constant comparative method in order to learn
about each therapist’s use of play in their daily work with
children. The data revealed that play can be a useful
therapy tool to promote children’s progress, motivation,
cooperation, encouragement, and independence. This
research corroborates and extends the importance of play
and presents new information regarding its use in pediatric
occupational therapy. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Melissa Brown)
27. SPERMATOGENESIS IS MAINTAINED BY TESTOSTERONE’S PREVENTION OF GERM CELL APOPTOSIS: ARE
THE MEMBRANE PROGESTERONE RECEPTOR(S) THE TESTOSTERONE RECEPTOR OF GERM CELLS? A. Talapatra, S.
Dasgupta, D. Dutta, N. Mills. Department of Biology
EDS ablates Leydig cells and depletes serum testosterone
resulting in apoptotic germ cell loss (TUNEL) in rat testicular
tissue harvested 5 and 7 days post-EDS. Significant changes
in Bcl2 genes were observed. Fas and FasL both increased
while changes of caspases were mixed. We observed germ
cell detachment from Sertoli cells that exhibited
cytoskeletal disorganization. Immunostaining indicated that
androgen receptors are found in Sertoli cell nuclei,
however, germ cells are reported not to have androgen
receptors. We have initiated studies to find and
characterize mRNAs for membrane progesterone
/adiponectin receptors (mPAQRs). We found at least 5
mPRs mRNAs expressed in testes but the cells of origin is
still unclear using total RNA from whole testes. We plan to
stain germ cell suspensions with fluorescently labeled
testosterone and progesterone to identify germ cells with
mPRs for testosterone and progesterone and identify germ
cells as direct targets of testosterone action. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Nathaniel Mills)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program.
28. SUBSTANCE ABUSE: DENTAL MANAGEMENT OF THE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PATIENT. A. Soto, K. Lee. Program in
Dental Hygiene
Substance abuse is a growing epidemic facing the world
today. Drugs are more easily accessible today than in the
past. Drug use can have long lasting, damaging effects on
the functionality of the body and has an emotional and
psychological impact as well. The United States spends
billions of dollars annually towards health, legal, and
criminal issues that are repercussions of substance abuse.
According to the CDC, drug overdose has been steadily on
the rise and is now the leading cause of injury death in the
U.S. As substance abuse continues to be a prevalent issue in
our communities, dental hygienists should be aware of drug
34
effects on the oral cavity, to include the periodontium, and
the appropriate patient education and treatment
modifications indicated to meet the needs of these
patients. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Risa Nettles)
29. THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT WILL TAKE SQUIRRELS TO
OUT-POPULATE TWU STUDENTS: 2008-2015. C. Noel, C.
Noel, K. Edwards, A. Smith. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
Our group noticed all the squirrels on campus and wanted
to calculate how long it would take TWU’s population of
squirrels to overtake the TWU Denton campus student
population in a perfect environment. The population of
squirrels at TWU is relatively significant but we calculated
that there would be two squirrels for every acre and since
TWU has 270 acres there are theoretically, 570 squirrels.
We halved the squirrel population and made that our
females who reproduced every fall and spring three babies
each. Our formula was to divide the population by two and
subtract half because half of the squirrel population dies
every year, to get the new squirrel population. To compare
the squirrel population with the student population, we
calculated the student population based on admission
rates. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
30. THE BENEFITS OF THE DEMENTIA LIVE PROGRAM TO
STUDENTS IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. A. Richardson, A.
Han, D. Brown. School of Occupational Therapy
The proposed study aimed to evaluate the experiences and
opinions of occupational therapy (OT) students who
participated in a simulated learning experience called
Dementia Live program. Dementia Live program involves an
experiential learning and reflection. Each participant is
asked to complete five tasks within 7 minutes in the
experience room that simulates sensory, perceptual, or
cognitive changes associated with dementia. A small group
of participants then discuss how they feel and explore their
reactions to understand and learn from their experience
during empowerment session. Twenty-seven OT students
participated in the program in November, 2016 at TWU
(Denton) and completed a questionnaire individually.
Descriptive statistics will be used to describe students’
responses on closed-ended questions and thematic analysis
will be used to analyze open-ended questions. Videorecorded empowerment sessions will be used to
supplement students’ experiences. Findings may identify
potential impacts of a simulated dementia experience
program on OT students. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Areum Han)
31. THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW ARENA TO KATHERINE
W. MAGEE. H. Parkin, H. Swoish. Department of History &
Government
Pioneer Hall's major arena was named after Texas State
College for Woman graduate and Texas Woman's University
faculty member, Katherine (Kitty) Winter Magee. The arena
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
is primarily used for TWU sports events and related
activities. Why does is carry her name and what significance
did she have to the TWU Pioneers? Was her unconditional
love and dedication for the school really that significant?
We will research these questions through the use of
primary sources such as the Denton Record-Chronicle, The
Lasso, and the TWU Athletics' website. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Lybeth Hodges)
32. THE FINISH LINE: THE HISTORY OF THE TEXAS
WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY TRACK AND FIELD TEAM. M.
Hutchinson, H. Puempel. Department of History &
Government
The TWU Track and Field team began in 1967, and brought
the campus and the Pioneer community pride before its
ending in 1981. The TWU track teams were home to
Olympic coach Bert Lyle and three-time Olympic high
jumper and gold medalist Louis Ritter. What made the
teams so successful? With that success, why is track no
longer offered? We will research through Texas Woman’s
yearbooks, online autobiographies, and the Association for
Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, we will discover the
great success and long lasting history the women of those
short- lived TWU track teams. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lybeth
Hodges)
33. THE MATHEMATICS BEHIND GOOGLE'S PAGERANK
ALGORITHM. B. Moor. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
Google has become the internet leader of search engines.
By using the PageRank algorithm, they have been able to
grow to be the default search engine for much of the users
online. The PageRank algorithm is how all users that search
with Google will find websites online. Basic understanding
of the PageRank algorithm is important for web developers
and online businesses so that they may use the system to
maximize their online visibility. With proper knowledge of
matrix methods we can trace the workings of the algorithm
and how it effectively works. As we study the algorithm and
the mathematics behind it, we hope to learn how to make it
work for us. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
34. THE ROLE OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE IN THE RISK AND
PROGRESSION OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. B. Ramirez, C.
Chandler, K. Kirkland. Program in Dental Hygiene
The purpose of this research is to assess how periodontal
disease impacts or relates to Alzheimer’s disease.
Inflammation involved in periodontal disease has been
shown to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease via the
effects of the inflammatory process in the brain. The review
of current research literature suggests that Alzheimer’s
disease risk and progression is exponentially related to the
extent of the overall inflammatory state in the body,
including periodontal disease. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor
Amy Teague)
35
35. THE USE OF THE AUTOFLUORESCENCE DEVICE
(VELSCOPE) IN THE DETECTION OF ORAL LESIONS AND
ORAL CANCER. B. Doty, K. Meinzer, D. Chote. Program in
Dental Hygiene
The conventional head, neck and oral examination includes
palpation of lymph nodes, assessment of the TMJ and
thyroid, and a visual inspection to detect oral lesions. The
VELscope is an autofluorescence device that aids in the
detection of oral lesions. The purpose of the study is to
determine if the VELscope is more effective in detecting
oral lesions versus clinical evaluation using conventional
visual inspection. Our findings confirmed that, compared to
visual inspection, VELscope was as effective detecting oral
lesions as visual inspection; however, it was more effective
in identifying lesions that were obscure. Other studies
determined the VELscope was not as effective due to false
positives. The data collected shows that the VELscope is an
effective tool in the detection of premalignant/malignant
oral lesions; however, it is recommended that the VELscope
should only be used in adjunct with a comprehensive head,
neck and oral examination to include palpation. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Charlene Dickinson)
36. USING THE YEAST TWO-HYBRID (Y2H) SYSTEM TO MAP
THE INTERACTION OF LIAT1 WITH LARP7. S. Alemu, C.
Brower. Department of Biology
Our lab found that Liat1, a previously uncharacterized
protein, interacts with the La-related protein 7 (LARP7), a
protein component of the 7SK snRNP complex involved in
transcriptional regulation. The purpose of this project is to
investigate the region of Liat1 that is necessary for binding
LARP7. Mutant strains with different segments of Liat1
fused to a Gal4-activation domain were cotransformed into
yeast along with full-length Larp7 fused to the Gal4 DNAbinding domain. The interaction between these two
proteins is determined by growth on minimal media lacking
Leu, Trp, His. The results indicate that the Liat1 domain
(Liat1135-165), a conserved 30-residue internal region was
required for Liat1-LARP7 interaction. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Christopher Brower)
37. WOMEN'S RIGHTS WAVES. C. Dawson. Department of
Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies
Abstracts – Session III: Tuesday, April 18 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
The Women’s Rights Movement has been active since the
1800’s and has had a major cultural impact in the years
since. Although the name, goals, and results change, the
emphasis and intentions of the movement continue on.
These changes throughout the movement are known as the
Four Feminine Waves. Each wave has its own leaders, its
own movements, and its own events, making each wave
unique. Research, papers, and speeches have been
combined to create a combined image of each wave and
determine how these waves have worked together to
create the idea of where the Women’s Rights Movement is
today, and where it will be going next. Information derives
from articles, pictures, reflections, and much more of those
pushing for the Women’s Rights Movement and of those
pushing against the Women’s Rights Movement. (Faculty
Sponsor: Ms. Kimberly Merenda)
VIRTUAL SESSION III: ACT 225
1. HOME-HEALTH NURSES’ VIEWS OF PROMOTING
MEDICATION
ADHERENCE
AMONG
COMMUNITYDWELLING ELDERLY PATIENTS. O. Adeniran. College of
Nursing - Denton
Home-Health Nurses (HHNs) are key healthcare providers in
the communities, and conceivably have valuable insights on
issues such as promoting medication-adherence among
community-dwelling elderly patients. Evidence shows that
non-adherence to prescribed medication regimen leads to
poorer health outcomes and increased financial
expenditures among community-dwelling elderly patients.
Although HHNs are recognized as stakeholders, their
perspectives on promoting medication adherence among
their elderly patients have not been clearly documented.
The purpose of this study is to describe the views of HHNs
on promoting medication adherence among communitydwelling elderly patients, and to explore the sociocultural
contexts for HHNs’ views formation. The study will use a
critical discourse analysis methodology. The knowledge
gained from this study will enhance the understanding of
promoting medication adherence among communitydwelling elderly patients, and steer collaborations among
healthcare providers who are involved in managing elderly
patients’ medication regimen. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Fuqin
Liu)
36
Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
PLATFORM SESSION IV: ACT 301
Faculty Moderator: Dr. Fuqin Liu
1. ROLE OF UAF IN REPRESSING RRNA SYNTHESIS BY POL II
IN SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE. K. Bhatt, H. ConradWebb. Department of Biology
Regulation of Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), the rate-limiting step
in ribosome biosynthesis, is crucial because over 70% of
total transcription is dedicated to ribosome production. In
yeast, chronic stress (mitochondrial dysfunction, nitrogen
deprivation and osmotic shock) causes rRNA synthesis to
switch from RNA polymerase I (Pol I) to RNA polymerase II
(Pol II), requiring alteration in the chromatin structure. The
Pol I transcription factor, Upstream Activating Factor (UAF),
with Sir2, a histone deacetylase, and HMG protein Hmo1,
form repressive chromatin preventing Pol II access during
non-stress conditions. Deletion of UAF subunits trigger the
switch suggesting that UAF is an important regulatory point.
To test the hypothesis that stress pathways target UAF
resulting in post- translational modifications (PTM), the UAF
complex from cells grown in normal and low nitrogen
conditions will be assayed for PTM by immunoprecipitation
assays. Understanding regulation of rRNA synthesis will help
decipher cell survival mechanisms during stress. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Heather Conrad-Webb)
2. DARK ROAST: POETRY AND PROSE WITH A SHOT OF
PESSIMISM. R. Green. Department of English, Speech, &
Foreign Languages
Zombies know about forgetting. They'll give you time,
coffee, and talking to, and eventually everything will come
back--whether you want it to or not. "Dark Roast: Poetry
and Prose with a Shot of Pessimism" is the brief tale of
Rowan, a young woman who has lost her past somewhere
in the haze of being dead. She seeks answers from a zombie
named Nigel who owns a coffee shop and never turns away
a spirit in need. He attempts to coax her memories back by
introducing her to a book of poetry that has a piece for
every ghost who graces the shop, but soon the chaos of
Rowan's past collides with his. Old wounds are quite
literally ripped open, and what was meant to be a journey
of remembrance and soul-searching rapidly devolves into a
miserable look at the nature of necessity of forgetting,
death, and everything in-between. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Phyllis Bridges)
science with the NASA Student Launch Initiative for
continued learning. Application of knowledge included the
center of gravity and pressure, total motor impulse, thrust
to weight ratios, rail exit velocities, recovery systems and
kinetic energy upon landing. The overall drift of the rocket
in descent is crucial to land within closest proximity to the
launch pad. The kinetic energy was important to calculate
for certain portions of the rockets such as the nose cone,
upper and lower body fuselages. Having such a large 7.5-7.8
foot long cylinder launched into the atmosphere to an
altitude of 5,280 feet (apogee), required a recovery system
to tell the system to descend. The dual deployment system
has two altimeters programmed to notify the ejection
charges when to activate the parachutes using the black
powder explosion. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Don Edwards)
Supported by the University of North Texas - Mechanical
and Energy Engineering Department NASA Student Launch
Initiative.
4. A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF
NURSING STUDENT EXPERIENCES OF CLINICAL DATA USE
IN CLINICAL ROTATIONS. M. Straughn. College of Nursing Denton
Clinical rotations are an integral part of undergraduate
nursing education. During clinical rotations, nursing
students are expected to engage in the clinical judgment
learning process by gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing
clinical data to provide quality patient care. Nursing
students are facing challenges in gathering clinical data due
to issues such as various electronic health record (EHR)
designs, various facility policies, and little experience with
EHRs in nursing classes or labs. These challenges may hinder
nursing students’ development of clinical judgment. The
purpose of this study is to describe the experiences of
undergraduate nursing students with using clinical data in
clinical rotations. This study will use descriptive
phenomenology as a methodology. The findings will provide
a deep understanding of student experiences with clinical
data use in clinical rotations. This understanding will
provide insight to develop strategies which can enhance
clinical nursing education. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Fuqin Liu)
POSTER SESSION IV: ACT 2
3. WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN. K. Smith.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
1. ALTERATIONS IN CYP26A1 EXPRESSION DURING THE
PROGRESSION OF ULTRAVIOLET B LIGHT INDUCED
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA. H. Derbew. Department of
Nutrition & Food Sciences
As a capstone Senior Design project it is natural for a
Mathematician and Mechanical Engineer to choose rocket
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is caused by chronic
ultraviolet B (UVB) light exposure. Synthetic retinoids
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
37
prevent the reoccurrence of SCC, but have significant side
effects. Retinoids include different forms of natural and
synthetic vitamin A- including the active retinoic acid. UVB
also negatively interferes with retinoid metabolism.
Cytochrome P450 member 26A1 (CYP26A1) degrades
retinoic acid. Female SKH-1 mice were exposed to UVB light
three times a week for 25 weeks and tumors were fixed,
paraffin embedded, and sectioned. Tumors were graded by
a
certified
pathologist.
In
this
experiment,
immunohistochemistry is being used to determine the
expression of CYP26A1 during the 7 stages of SCC
development. The samples will be scored on percent cells
(quantity) and intensity using a 0-8 scale in differentiated
and undifferentiated cells. Keratin 14 will also be used to
mark the undifferentiated basal cells in these tumors. These
results will impact the treatment and/or prevention of SCC.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Everts)
2. ANALGESIC EFFECTS OF EUPHORBIA BICOLOR LATEX
EXTRACT IN A RAT MODEL OF ACUTE PERIPHERAL PAIN. S.
Tongkhuya, P. Basu, C. Maier, D. Averitt. Department of
Biology
Pharmaceutical researchers are in search of pain relieving
medications, therefore directing attention towards
compounds that may have a stronger effect and longer
duration of desensitization of transient receptor potential
vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) expressing nociceptors. Capsaicin
(CAP) is widely used as an over-the-counter drug for minor
peripheral pains by activating TRPV1 desensitization
properties. The present study focuses on the analgesic
activity of Euphorbia bicolor (Euphorbiaceae) latex extract.
Our previous studies show that E. bicolor latex extract
possessed antinociceptive properties in cultured sensory
neurons and evoked pain behavior in rats. In this study,
preliminary data showed that E. bicolor latex extract
(300µg/ml) may increase paw withdrawal latencies
indicating development of analgesia at 6 hours following
injection. Future studies will explore if blocking TRPV1 with
capsazepine, an inhibitor of TRPV1, prior to injecting latex
extract will block thermal hyperalgesia and also whether or
not latex extract produces analgesia via TRPV1. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Dayna Averitt)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program
Experiential Student Scholar Program.
3. ANALYSIS OF MUTATION EFFECTS ON VIRAL PROTEIN
FUNCTIONS IN IMMUNE MACROPHAGES. K. Meacham, L.
Bolin, L. Hanson. Department of Biology
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) has a prevalence of 60-100%
worldwide. Infection in humans is typically asymptomatic
but can cause severe disease in the immune-compromised.
In the US, it is the most common infectious cause of birth
defects, which can include hearing loss or mental
retardation. Human CMV only infects humans, so mouse
cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is used as a model due to
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
similarities in the genetic structure of the viruses and in the
diseases caused. Protein m140 of MCMV (homologue of
HCMV US23) is required for the virus to grow efficiently in
macrophages. Deletion of this protein results in a virus that
does not cause disease, even in immune-compromised
animals. This protein normally forms a complex with two
other proteins, m139 and m141. We are making deletion
mutants of m140 to determine the regions required for
complex formation, cellular localization, and how these
affect the ability to efficiently grow in macrophages.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
Supported by the TWU Undergraduate Experiential Student
Scholar Program.
4. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF TART CHERRY
POLYPHENOLS IN RANKL- STIMULATED RAW264.7 MURINE
MACROPHAGES. A. Thomas, S. South, J. Lucero, C. Prasad,
V. Imrhan, P. Vijayagopal, S. Juma. Department of Nutrition
& Food Sciences
Tart cherries are a rich source of polyphenolic compounds.
Polyphenols found in plant-derived foods have
demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in various tissues.
Using mouse macrophages cells (RAW 264.7), we examined
whether tart cherry polyphenols (TCP) could inhibit the
proliferation and activity of RANKL-induced osteoclast
under inflammatory conditions. TRAP activity and staining
of TRAP positive multinucleated osteoclasts decreased in a
dose-dependent manner with TCP treatments. OPG was
decreased in a dose-dependent manner as well. TCP
treatment also caused a reduction in nitrite, COX-2, IL-1β,
and BMP-2, but only with the two highest doses. Western
blot analyses showed that protein expression of COX-2
followed a similar trend. On the other hand, TCP treatment
dose-dependently increased iNOS expression. Overall, these
findings suggest that the polyphenols associated with tart
cherries would inhibit the negative effects of osteoclasts on
bone health. Further investigation is warranted to elucidate
the molecular mechanism by which TCP affects
osteoclastogenesis. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shanil Juma)
5. BARRIERS AND ADVANTAGES TO STUDENT
PARTICIPATION IN THE SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM
BASED ON THE SOCIAL ECOLOGICAL MODEL: A REVIEW OF
THE LITERATURE. S. Lopez-Neyman, C. Warren. Department
of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Participation in school meals is a preventive measure
against childhood hunger. Participation in the School
Breakfast Program (SBP) continues to lag behind that of the
National School Lunch Program. The purpose of this
literature review was to investigate the barriers and
advantages to student participation in the SBP. Using the
adaptable framework of the Social Ecological Model (SEM),
barriers and advantages influencing participation in the SBP
were categorized into: intrapersonal, interpersonal,
institutional and public policy. Addressing the stigma of
38
participation by offering universal free breakfast, promoting
breakfast consumption as a way of maintaining weight
status and marketing to older students should be
considered by school nutrition professionals. Educating
parents and families on the low cost and variety of foods
offered at school versus home is key to increasing student
participation in the SBP. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Cynthia
Warren)
6. BINARY NUMBERS IN DISCRETE MATH. R. Hafsa, A.
Hajira, T. Lewis, A. Frempong. Department of Mathematics
& Computer Science
One of the most famous mathematicians of the 17th
century, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, invented a binary
numeral system and showed that it could be used in a
primitive calculating machine. The binary system represents
numeric values using two different symbols: typically 0
(zero) and 1 (one). Binary Numbers are used in many
different ways, particularly in computers, where the circuits
must be in two states where the 1 represents on and 0
represents off. The focus of our research is how binary
numbers are used in computer science. We will also
demonstrate how to convert between decimal, binary, and
hexadecimal number systems. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor
Paul Ingram)
7. DATA COMPRESSION VIA BINARY TREES. S. McClory, S.
Frame, A. Weed, H. Acosta. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
Data Compression is used in a multitude of different fields.
However, the most significant usage comes in Computer
Science. Data Compression is the ability to reduce the size
of information to the most basic size without losing the
data in the process. In the 1970’s Jacob Ziv and Abraham
Lempel presented LZ’77 and LZ’78, two schemes that still
pervade every aspect of modern data compression theory
and practice. After 30 years, these algorithms are still
popular and widely-used. We will demonstrate how one of
these algorithms has been able to be used so widely
without being replaced. This process can be shown using
Binary trees in which the individual parts can be placed into
the tree by hand. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
8. DRAMATIC EFFECTS OF REACTION CONDITIONS ON THE
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND SPECTRAL PROPERTIES OF
COPPER-PHENANTHROLINE COMPLEXES. M. Wilk, S. Scott,
R. Johnson, D. Vargas Trujillo, Y. Faheem, V. Nesterov, A.
Davis, M. Rawashdeh-Omary. Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry
Copper complexes have been widely studied for their ability
to be utilized in a variety of applications such as catalysis,
solar energy, medicinal therapies, and analytical
determination. Copper phenanthroline complexes are one
class of copper compounds that have been studied for
decades with much of the research focusing on the highly
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
substituted phenanthroline derivatives. This presentation
will overview the synthesis and characterization of new
copper(II) and copper (I) phenanthroline compounds.
Variation of the synthetic methods and conditions resulted
in the formation of new products with different geometry
and different oxidation state. This presentation will give an
overview of the synthesis, crystal structures, and spectral
properties of these complexes. Infrared spectroscopy,
nuclear
magnetic
resonance
spectroscopy,
thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray crystallography, and
UV/Vis electronic absorption and luminescence data will be
presented for the products of the different reactions
attempted vs. the starting materials. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Manal Rawashdeh-Omary)
Supported by the Robert A. Welch Foundation and the TWU
Research Enhancement Program.
9. EFFECT OF MAGNETIC NANOCARRIERS ON NEURITE
OUTGROWTH AND CYTOSKELETON OF CORTICAL AND
DORSAL ROOT GANGLION NEURONS. S. Sebastian, R.
Ammassam Veettil, T. McAllister, S. Ghosh, D. Hynds.
Department of Biology
Biocompatible magnetic nanocarriers that can be targeted
to damaged corticospinal tract neurons (CST) and dorsal
root ganglion (DRG) neurons using an external magnetic
field to deliver therapeutics is promising for functional
recovery from neurotrauma. In our work, biocompatible,
thermo-responsive polymer encapsulated iron oxide
nanocarriers were used to study the time and dose
dependent effects on neurons and neuron like cells. In the
present study, P0 rat cortical neurons and chick DRG
neurons were treated with different concentrations of iron
oxide nanocarriers for different time intervals up to 96 h
and 72 h respectively. Effects of iron oxide nanocarriers on
neurite outgrowth were analyzed using Nikon A1 confocal
microscope system. Actin and tubulin were labeled and
quantified using confocal microscopy to check the effect of
magnetic nanocarriers on cytoskeleton. In future, drug
loaded magnetic nanocarriers will be used to assess
targeting and controlled drug release in rat corticospinal
neurons. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. DiAnna Hynds)
Supported by the TWU Department of Biology, the TWU
Research Enhancement Program, and the Southeast
Missouri State University Department of Physics and
Engineering Physics.
10. EUROPEAN AND AFRICAN INFLUENCES ON THE
CULTURE AND SOCIETY OF SAINT KITTS & NEVIS AND
SAINT LUCIA. D. Garza. Department of History &
Government
For centuries European nations traveled and touched the
globe in colonization attempts. Vying for expansion, giant
empires such as France’s and Britain’s, competed for lands
that often exchanged hands. Once areas were colonized,
39
African slaves were often brought in for labor and
missionaries sent in for their religious conversion. How did
colonial rule of the British and French influence the island
nations of St. Kitts & Nevis and Saint Lucia to create the
culture seen there in modern times? I will explore this
question by utilizing various sources, such as Jean Marc
Bertrand’s Saint Lucia History: Government Population, and
Economy, focusing on the islands’ history, government, and
people. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lybeth Hodges)
11. FUZZY LOGIC IN AIR CONDITIONING. J. Thompson, C.
Noel,, G. Chavez, C. Deiling, K. Imoj. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
Fuzzy logic is math based off of extreme terms of true and
false but also all the in-betweens. Fuzzy logic, unlike a
computer, does not use Boolean logic which uses 1s and 0s
to determine truth values. Fuzzy logic is used when things
can’t be explained in absolute terms. For example, air
conditioning units use fuzzy logic to determine the
temperature of a room and keep the medium between too
hot or too cold. We will describe the mathematical process
system involved in our example above. (Faculty Sponsor:
Professor Paul Ingram)
12. IMPACT OF MULTITASKING ON REACTION TIME. S.
Tate, D. Steffey, K. Barker, E. Cho, R. Moreno, K. Stephens,
S. Westmoreland. Department of Biology
Texting and driving has become a prevalent behavior that
has been increasingly associated with road accidents. The
use of a mobile phone while driving is considered a
dangerous distraction as it diverts the driver’s attention
away from the driving task. This act of multitasking
potentially reduces the reaction time among drivers,
increasing the risk of an accident. The aim of this study was
to establish how multitasking with a mobile phone
influences reaction time. Students were subjected to a
reaction time ruler test. Students were tested first with
their focus only on the one task of catching the ruler to
establish normal reaction time. To test the influence of
multitasking on a cell phone, students held the phone in
one hand and used it to text and then attempted to catch
the ruler with the added distraction. The reaction times
were then compared to determine the effects of
multitasking. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Westmoreland)
13. IMPROVING PREVNAR IMMUNIZATION RATES AMONG
VETERANS: A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. J.
Mathew, C. Oquin. College of Nursing - Dallas
Immunosuppressed (IS) individuals are at high risk for
pneumococcal disease, which is a vaccine- preventable
disease. CDC recommends one dose of Prevnar for all IS
individuals, but the vaccination rate remains low. Standing
order programs (SOPs) are one of the most effective
strategies to improve vaccination rate. This quality
improvement project evaluated the effectiveness of
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
computerized standing orders for Prevnar on the
vaccination rate. Measured outcomes were vaccination
rate, missed opportunity rate and decline rate for the
vaccination. Retrospective chart reviews were conducted at
the designated medical center on a cohort of patients from
May 2014 to July 2014. The quality enhancement research
initiative (QUERI) model was used as a theoretical frame
work for this study. The results of this study can be used to
modify the existing immunosuppressive drug list to include
all available drugs and could be translated into future
quality improvement processes. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Charli
Oquin)
14. INFANT MORTALITY RELATIVE RISK INDEX. A. Adams, J.
Elliott, A. Pike. Department of Mathematics & Computer
Science
Despite supposedly being one of the most economically
developed countries in the world, the U.S. has a higher
infant mortality rate (IMR) than several other developed
countries. This might indicate that there is a lack of
information regarding infant mortality. In order for families
to take preventative measures, we constructed an index
that allows expectant families to calculate their relative risk.
We built a decision tree comparing the IMRs associated
with potential risk factors (e.g., maternal age, health
insurance, etc.) to that of the average Texas IMR (5.8). From
the inputs (i.e., risk factors), the output will be a relative
score which can be compared and ranked against other
relative scores. These scores will be categorized within an
index as high, average, and low in comparison to that of the
average score, which will be calculated based on the
median demographics of Texas. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor
Paul Ingram)
15. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY DISCOVERY LABORATORY
2016: THE CHEMISTRY OF COPPER AND SILVER
COMPLEXES
FROM
DESIGN
TO
SYNTHESIS,
CHARACTERIZATION, AND POTENTIAL MULTI-FACETED
APPLICATIONS. R. Johnson, Y. Faheem, D. Vargas Trujillo, S.
Scott, M. Rawashdeh-Omary. Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry
Dr. Omary follows a research discovery-style while
spearheading the instruction of the inorganic chemistry
laboratory, Chem 4511. The lab involves two components,
one based on the literature where students emulate
reproduce the synthesis and properties of reported
inorganic complexes whereas the second component
targets the discovery of novel complexes. One of the fall
2016 discovery projects has pertained to the reaction of
either mononuclear copper iodide with either various mono
and “back-to-back” bridged-bidentate N-heterocyclic
ligands systems or cyclotrimeric Cu(I) and Ag(I) complexes.
Several Cu(I) or mixed Cu(I)-Ag(I) complexes were
synthesized followed by characterization of by multiple
techniques -- solubility, melting point, (FTIR), (TGA), and
luminescence spectroscopy. The purpose of the
40
experiments is to be able to classify specific properties that
have been modulated by the pertinent reaction in hopes to
deduce luminescence- structure correlations so that they
might be used in further research expansion to fine-tune
the properties of new materials. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Manal Rawashdeh-Omary)
Supported by the Robert A. Welch Foundation and the TWU
Research Enhancement Program.
16. INTENSIVE LANGUAGE TREATMENT IN ONE
INDIVIDUAL WITH MULTIPLE LINGUISTIC DEFICITS. L.
Jackson, K. Esser, A. Woods, D. Walker-Batson, R. Abellera.
Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
The discipline of Speech Language Pathology continues to
evolve as clinicians and researchers are working together to
develop efficient evidence based therapies to incorporate in
the clinical setting. As the field has evolved there have been
significant changes in therapeutic treatment specifically
when working with individuals who have aphasia (loss of
language often as a consequence of stroke). While shifts in
delivery services cause fewer and fewer clients to receive
adequate treatment, scientific studies have produced clear
evidence that for good recovery from aphasia individuals
need up to eight hours per week over a minimum three
month period (Bhogal,2003). This intensity of treatment is
rarely available for most people. We report here an
intensive treatment of a young woman who developed a
serious language disorder as a result of a stroke at age 29
and was treated intensively over a six month period.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Delaina Walker-Batson)
17. INVESTIGATING INTERACTIONS OF DNA AND PLATINUM-BASED DRUGS (CARBOPLATIN AND HEPTAPLATIN)
UTILIZING THE SPECTROSCOPY TECHNIQUES OF SURFACEENHANCED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY (SERS) AND CIRCULAR
DICHROISM (CD). P. Hall, T. Nguyen, C. Fraire, S. Khan, R.
Sheardy, N. Mirsaleh-Kohan. Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry
Cancer treatments, although life-saving, have extremely
negative side effects that deter some patients from going
through treatment or change the quality of their lives after
the treatments. To better understand the drug-DNA
interactions that occur with the therapeutic agents used,
we studied how carboplatin and heptaplatin modify DNA
(COTAR2). We observed these interactions under various
experimental conditions, such as various salts, buffers, and
concentrations, employing surface-enhanced Raman
spectroscopy (SERS). Additionally, inter-departmental
collaboration between the Kohan lab and the Sheardy lab
occurred to further investigate drug-DNA interactions using
circular dichroism (CD). Our results indicated the
interactions between the drug and DNA is very sensitive to
the ratios between carboplatin and the drug modifies the
DNA as soon as the drug is introduced to the DNA sample.
Further results of our studies will be discussed in this
presentation. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nasrin Mirsaleh-Kohan)
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
Supported by the Robert A. Welch Foundation, the TWU
Research Enhancement Program and the Chancellor's
Research Fellows Program.
18. IS A MATHEMATICS DEGREE WORTH IT? A. Dailey, P.
Abu, P. Byrne, M. Mancilla, W. Munson. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
Through the use of discrete mathematics, we will show that
one can make just as much or more money with a
bachelor's degree in mathematics as compared to a
master's degree in the same field. By using an established
hypothesis, we can prove the statement to be true or false
using discrete principles. Based on our findings, we will
compare that to real world statistics of individuals with
mathematics degrees in the top five related fields. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
19. IVY, MUMMY, BIZANGO, AND CRISMON - EXPLORING
AND EXPANDING THE DESIGN EXPERIMENTATION
PROCESS THROUGH EXTREME FIBER AND FABRIC
MANIPULATION. M. Briley. Program in Fashion & Textiles
The artistic work of Ivy, Mummy, Bizango, and Crismon
blend inspiration from the rigid stiffness of mummies or
metal armor, and the soft human sculptures of Rosa
Verloop’s batting-filled nylon stocking depictions. Art forms
play off of ancient and contemporary influences such as
Alexander McQueen’s leather body molding. Each piece is a
dynamic sculptural interpretation of the human frame
embodying torso and chest plates, faces molded from clay,
stuffed bodies, or skeletal structures. Fabric, ribbons, or
trimmings are draped or manipulated on the sculptures,
eased at odd places utilizing hand topstitching, stiffening
compounds, or various construction techniques until the
fabric either fits taut against the form, or extends
dimensionally outside the body frame. Snake- like pleating,
embossed floral embellishments, BB filled mesh pouches, or
boned corset panels are all featured in experimental
applications. Echo dying, rust and botanical dye
applications, or paint and shellac finish each presentation
piece with meticulous detail. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sheri
Dragoo)
20. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AS AN
EXPLORATORY OUTCOME MEASURE IN CLINICAL TRIALS
FOR RYR-1 RELATED MYOPATHIES. M. Cortes, S. Razaqyar,
M. Shelton, J. Witherspoon, I. Arveson, C. Liu, K. Meilleur.
College of Nursing - Dallas
In the United States, one in ninety thousand people have a
congenital myopathy. Mutations in the ryanodine receptor
1 (RYR1) gene are the most common causes of congenital
myopathy. At the National Institute of Nursing Research,
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently being used
as an exploratory measure in the first randomized, doubleblind, placebo controlled drug trial in RYR1-related
myopathies (RYR1-RM). The purpose is to identify the
41
genotype/phenotype
correlation
between
muscle
involvement and genetic mutations in a larger cohort of
RYR1-RM patients. It will also determine if MRI can be used
as a biomarker for RYR1-RM in clinical trials. A single 3-Tesla
whole-body MRI system, T1-weighted fast spin-echo, and
short tau inversion recovery was utilized to image the thigh
and calf muscle of each participant. Initial analysis
determines that MRI may be used as a diagnostic tool and
biomarker for RYR1-RM to determine inheritance pattern in
correlation with genetic reports. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor
Jennifer Wilson)
21. MEDIA PLAYS A ROLE IN ANTIMICROBIAL SILVER
NANOPARTICLE EFFICACY. B. Castro, S. Marpu, M.
Omary, L. Hanson. Department of Biology
In light of rising antibiotic resistance, the use of silver
nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents is gaining interest.
However, they vary widely in activity, and information is still
needed to understand how silver nanoparticles react to
different conditions. Six bacterial culture media were used
to test the antimicrobial efficacy of silver nanoparticles for
the same bacterium, E. coli. Analysis of the results indicated
that the inhibitory efficacy of these negatively charged
silver nanoparticles was dependent upon the media, with
little activity seen in most conditions. The media where
there was the greatest activity of the nanoparticles had
relatively high salt concentration. Varying the salt
concentration in this media confirmed that higher salt
concentrations promoted the inhibitory activity. Our
findings, contrast with previous work in which other
nanoparticles had reduced activity with increasing salt. This
underlines the lack of basic understanding of how silver
nanoparticles function and the need for further study.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
22. MINORITY VS. MAJORITY POPULATIONS: DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE PATTERNS. A. Turner. Department of Sociology &
Social Work
Domestic violence is a widespread issue that affects people
every day regardless of their age, gender, sexual
orientation, race, or educational background. There are
common stigmas that men are highly unlikely to be victims
of domestic violence and women can easily leave an
abusive relationship/marriage. This study will examine
secondary data of 78 individuals who have received services
from a domestic violence agency in Texas within the past
two years to examine differences in the patterns of
domestic violence of minority and majority populations.
The variables that will be used in this study are the type of
domestic violence, age, gender, race, and educational
background. The goal of this study is to increase public
awareness of the different patterns of domestic violence
experienced by minority and majority populations, and to
encourage the improvement of services delivered to
minority victims of domestic violence. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Nila Ricks)
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
23. MODERN APPLICATIONS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS
INVOLVING VOTING THEORY. O. Alvarez, J. John, C.
Rodriguez, J. Lukose, M. Gonzales. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
Voting theory encompasses methods that can be shown
and proven by discrete mathematics. There are many
methods involved in voting theory but we will only look at
some of the simpler methods that can be used to visually
show how voting theory functions work and look into the
flaws of each one. Using previous election numbers, we will
learn about the rational election procedure and the election
procedure function and some other techniques on modern
and current voters. We will conduct and hold a hypothetical
election and gather preference information from the
students here at TWU and apply the techniques and
methods from discrete mathematics involving voting theory
to find the pros and cons of a particular method. This way,
in the future, we can compare it to large- scale elections
and how we could find a possible and accurate outcome.
(Faculty Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
24. MUSIC THERAPY & CANCER: A PRESENTATION OF
LITERATURE AND RESEARCH. M. Goetsch. Department of
Music and Drama
This poster board presentation displays a review of research
on the effects of music therapy when practiced on oncology
patients. This research was conducted by certified music
therapists and originally published in several editions of The
Journal of Music Therapy. The purpose of this presentation
is to inform the audience of the benefits of music therapy in
the mental, physical, and spiritual health of patients
diagnosed with cancer. It is believed that music therapy has
achieved much success in the treatment of cancer and
science-based experimental research has proven this to be
true. The facts will be presented with the results of said
research; including graphs, charts, measurement
techniques, and concluding thoughts on supporting
evidence. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nancy Hadsell)
25. PERCEPTIONS OF TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS IN CONSUMING WHOLE GRAIN FOODS MADE
WITH BREWERS' SPENT GRAIN. S. Combest, C. Warren.
Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
One-third of all food produced for human consumption is
wasted producing landfill accumulation and greenhouse gas
emissions. Brewers’ spent grains (BSG) are the leftover
grains from beer production, and each year approximately
30 million tons of BSG is generated globally by the brewing
industry. Reclaiming BSG as a potential human food source
is an opportunity for reducing food waste in the food supply
chain. Focus groups were conducted using Texas Woman’s
University students to determine their consumption of
whole grains, perceptions of whole grains versus refined
grains, and interest i n or barriers related to consuming and
purchasing foods made with BSG. Focus groups were
42
transcribed verbatim and analyzed using constant
comparative analysis to identify themes and discover
relationships among the study aims. Findings indicate
participants who currently consume whole grains are
acculturated to whole grain sensory attributes and
nutritional benefits and would be more receptive to
consuming BSG foods. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Cynthia
Warren)
26. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE FIBONACCI
SEQUENCE. A. Nop, J. Whitney, A. Dyer, T. Clark.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
There will be a brief synopsis given on the Fibonacci
sequence and its’ relevance in the realm of mathematics
and computer science. Applications of Fibonacci numbers
include computer algorithms, proofs, and even the
flowering of an artichoke. There will be a section dedicated
to the practical applications and happenings of Fibonacci
sequences. To prove its’ relevance in the realm of computer
science, there will be an emphasis on pseudocode and how
the given sequence is useful for computation and proficient
programming. The goal with this project is to give an
abridged history of the Fibonacci sequence, explore
recursive formulas, discuss theorems, and provide proofs.
(Faculty Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
27. PRESENCE OF ADAPTED PHYSICAL ACTVITY AND
DISABILITY SPORT IN SPORT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
WITHIN UNITED STATES. S. Chennapragada, K. Griner, G.
Weatherford. Department of Kinesiology
Technology advancements in today’s world are changing
how sport fans are accessing sport events. These
advancements are also creating a high need for sport
management professionals who are trained in multiple skills
sets to manage sport events at all levels. An overall growth
of sport management programs over the last 20 years has
been reported (Helyar, 2006). With growing popularity for
Paralympic sport, it necessitates the presence of Adapted
Physical Activity or Disability Sport content within sport
management curricula. The purpose of this survey-based
research involving sport management higher education
programs in the United States is to determine the interest
and presence of Adapted Physical Activity (APA) or disability
sport (DS) within these programs. Shapiro and Pitts (2014)
concluded that there is reduced identification of DS, leisure
or APA among sport management professionals. Interdisciplinary research while considering DS has been
recommended previously which has become a rationale for
this investigation. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gwendolyn
Weatherford)
28. PROVIDER’S INFLUENCE ON HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS
VACCINE SERIES RATES. A. Duncan. College of Nursing Dallas
Rates of vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
remain low since the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s (CDC) initial recommendations in 2008. HPV
has been attributed to cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis,
anus, rectum, and oropharynx. Given this community health
issue, the following research question was developed: Does
the provider’s direct recommendation of the HPV
vaccination series increase the rates of HPV vaccination and
series completion among adolescents age 13-17 years old,
compared to no HPV vaccination specific counseling? A
literature review was conducted using EBSCO host CINAHL,
MEDLINE, and the Cochran database to search for keywords
HPV vaccination and primary care. Evidence in the literature
showed improved HPV vaccination rates with direct
recommendations from providers. By addressing fears and
concerns and utilizing sick visits as an opportunity to
complete HPV series, providers have contributed to
increased HPV vaccination rates. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ann
Johnson)
29. PROXY SERVERS AND THEIR POTENTIAL OF PROVIDING
CULTURALLY SENSITIVE INFORMATION TO PATIENTS. K.
Alvarado, D. Olson, J. Wilson, S. Stutzman. College of
Nursing - Dallas
As immigration numbers have continued to rise over the
years, cultural sensitivity has become a prominent topic in
United States’ healthcare field. While the more popular
languages have material more readily produced, it is still
uncertain if the information translated is culturally
appropriate for the population in question. In addition,
although hospitals have tried to provide patient information
and education in their native language, with more than 350
languages spoken in U.S. households today, it would be
impossible to translate medical information into all these
different languages. This poster explores how the use of
proxy servers can help supply immigrant patients with
culturally sensitive material, material in which they cannot
only understand the language, but also understand the
different approaches in which they can implement hospital
instructions that fit their cultural lifestyle. (Faculty Sponsor:
Professor Jennifer Wilson)
30. QUALITY OF LIFE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADAPTIVE
SPORT, SEDENTARY AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG
COMBAT VETERANS WITH AN ACQUIRED DISABILITY. A.
Carreno. Department of Kinesiology
It is common that quality of life decreases after acquiring a
physical disability. The purpose of this project is to analyze
what type of activity combat veterans with a physical
disability can participate in to achieve the highest quality of
life. The activities analyzed include veterans with a
sedentary lifestyle, veterans who participate in physical
activity and those who participate in adaptive sports.
Through the use of surveys, the quality of life is determined
and the results analyzed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kevin
Becker)
43
31. SEROTONIN EVOKES SPONTANEOUS OROFACIAL PAIN
BEHAVIORS THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON HORMONE
STATUS. H. McDonald, S. Tongkhuya, C. Lopez, S. Lulla, D.
Averitt. Department of Biology
Trigeminal pain, such as migraine, disproportionately
affects women, but the underlying biological mechanisms
remain unclear. Serotonin (5HT) is a pro-inflammatory
mediator in the periphery whose function may be altered
by hormones. Our previous studies suggest 5HT lowers
sensory thresholds in female rats during proestrus and
estrus, stages of the estrous cycle (analogous to the human
menstrual cycle) with hormonal fluctuation. As trigeminal
pain is more prevalent in women, we hypothesized that
peripheral 5HT evokes greater spontaneous orofacial pain
behaviors in female rats during the stages of proestrus and
estrus. Rats were injected with 5HT or saline into the
whisker pad and orofacial pain behaviors were scored over
time. Rats in proestrus and estrus exhibited significant
spontaneous pain behaviors, as compared to males or
diestrus females. These data implicate a modulatory role of
hormones on 5HT-evoked trigeminal pain processing, which
may account for the prevalence of trigeminal pain disorders
in women. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dayna Averitt)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program.
32. SHORTEST-PATH ALGORITHM. E. Smith, M. Gladys, C.
Hopkins, M. Bautista, L. Vega. Department of Mathematics
& Computer Science
We are going to explore the discrete mathematics behind
Dijkstra’s Shortest Path algorithm. The algorithm uses graph
theory to determine the shortest distance between two
vertices. We will further investigate the practical
applications of this algorithm. Mathematical induction can
be used to prove the accuracy of the results. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
33. SOLVING “TAKE AWAY”. K. White, S. Arnett, T.
Williamson, S. Aryal, K. Engeldinger. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
“Take Away” is a game that involves two teams removing a
game piece or pieces away from the group of pieces. The
game pieces can be tokens or virtually any objects of the
player’s choosing. The objective is to be the team that takes
away the last piece or pieces from the pile. This game
requires a strategy from the players in order to ensure that
they win. The purpose of the project is to solve the different
strategies that can be used for the game including a
different number of total pieces with different rule
applications. We will use proofs explaining how either the
first or second player can always win depending on whether
there is an even or odd number of game pieces. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
Abstracts – Session IV: Wednesday, April 19 (9:00 – 10:20 am)
34. THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON THE WELLBEING OF AN INJURED WAR VETERAN: A CASE STUDY. C.
Carr. Department of Kinesiology
Mowatt and Bennett (2011) reported that veterans who
participated in their two-day fly fishing trip stated that
“their pervasive sense of regret (surrounding their post-war
‘failings’ in life) had been replaced by fun, enjoyment, and
relaxation,” leading to a greater well-being. The purpose of
this study is to analyze the impact of exercise on the
physical wellbeing and overall quality of life of an injured
war veteran following the protocol developed by the
Adaptive Training Foundation (ATF). A Case Study was
conducted through a nine-week training class at ATF using
personal interviews and the World Health Quality of LifeBREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. The participant will
also be expected to keep a journal to track sleep, pain scale,
eating habits, and any medications taken. In addition, the
participant will journal how he was feeling before, during,
and after each workout. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ronald Davis)
35. THE ROLE OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN RNA POLYMERASE
II SYNTHESIS OF RIBOSOMAL RNA IN SACCHAROMYCES
CEREVISIAE. C. Hill, H. Conrad-Webb. Department of
Biology
Under normal conditions, ribosomal RNA is synthesized
predominantly by RNA pol I, but under stress conditions
such as nutrient deprivation, there is an increase in RNA
synthesized by pol II through the activation of a cryptic pol
II rDNA promoter during stress. To determine if oxidative
stress triggers Pol II rRNA synthesis, strains that are unable
to synthesis the antioxidant, glutathione, (ΔGSH1 and
ΔGSH2) will be examined for pol II rRNA synthesis. To
evaluate which type of oxidative stress will trigger a pol II
switch, wildtype strains will be exposed to cadmium,
hydrogen peroxide and t-butyl peroxide. A reporter plasmid
with the pol II rDNA promoter fused to E.coli LacZ gene.
These studies will shed light on how oxidative stress will
trigger the polymerase switch in the synthesis of rRNA.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Heather Conrad-Webb)
36. UTILIZING SPHERO TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE
MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION. P. Hancock, A. Wheeler.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
As part of a QEP Experiential Student Scholar project, the
researcher created a set of 4 mathematics lessons for
elementary and middle school students that utilized the
Ollie robot. The researcher examined the successes and
struggles that middle school students had when using Ollies
with one of the lessons during a week-long STEM camp.
Lesson summaries, as well as student work samples, will be
discussed. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ann Wheeler)
44
Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
PLATFORM SESSION V: ACT 501
Faculty Moderator: Dr. David Gardner
1. COLOR HARMONY. A. Morrow, A. Mapua, H. Acosta.
Department of Visual Arts
Fruit Frenzy is a game that educates the theory of color
harmony to children ages k-3. Color harmony refers to the
property that certain aesthetically pleasing color
combinations have. The game visually explains
complementary colors, analogous colors, tertiary colors,
primary colors, & secondary colors, in a fun and interactive
way that engages children in a learning environment. The
game incorporates programing computer science and
digital art into one body of work to produce a functional yet
artistically attention-grabbing computer game. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Colby Parsons)
2. COLOR CONTEXT - INTERACTIVE ART LEARNING GAME.
W. Harwart, J. Jackson, D. Rogers. Department of Visual Arts
An Interdisciplinary team of students from visual arts and
computer sciences have created a research project that
explores interactive interfaces. The goal of the project was
to create a video game that teaches a color theory concept
to a user and then provides them with a game to see if the
concept was properly learned. By using Adobe Illustrator as
well as Processing and Arduino coding programs, the team
has created a game that can be played on a laptop that has
a custom built physical interface resembling an arcade
cabinet. The game illustrates the color theory concept of
color context. Introductory slides explain the concept to the
user. A time attack challenge game follows. The game
provides the user with a series of paintings with
superimposed squares of colors that the user must
determine as all the same color or if there is a square that is
a different color. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Colby Parsons)
3. AN ADDITIVE AND SUBTRACTIVE COLOR SYSTEMS
INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY. L. Leisy, S. McClory , J. Medina.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
"An Additive and Subtractive Color Systems Interactive
Activity" is, essentially, a simple video game designed to
teach children about the differences and workings of the
RGB and CMYK Color Systems. The game itself is coded in a
Processing Program and a controller made from cardboard,
arcade controls and various Arduino based hardware will be
the user's Interface. The goal for this game is to be a tool to
reinforce the child's knowledge of color systems by
providing a way for them to apply their knowledge in a fun,
educational way. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Gardner)
Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
4. INTERACTIVE GAME: THE HUNGRY GECKO. C. Easton, C.
Cassell, M. Mancilla. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
We will be presenting an interactive game. Through this
game elementary level children should be able to learn
about color and contrast. Our game begins by teaching
color contrast and then moves to an interactive game
where the children can test what they’ve learned. In the
learning component of the game the children are shown
examples of color contrast in nature and high and low
contrasts. In the interactive part the children are introduced
to a narrative about a gecko that needs to either be seen or
be hidden. The children will use an interface to move the
gecko around and find the best color contrast for the
gecko’s color. If the question is answered correctly the
gecko gets rewarded with a food bowl at end of the game.
Through this game we want the children to learn about
color contrast while having fun. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David
Gardner)
POSTER SESSION V: ACT 2
1. A BIOMEHCANICAL COMPARISON OF TRIPLE-TURN
PIROUETTE EN DEHORS TRIALS BETWEEN SUCCESSFUL
AND UNSUCCESSFUL DANCERS IN BALLET. J. Kim, C. Suh, S.
Lee, K. Han, J. Kim, Y. Kwon. Department of Kinesiology
Triple-turn pirouette in which dancer's body completes
three full revolutions on one foot is considered a difficult
maneuver to master in classical ballet. The purpose of this
study was to identify key biomechanical factors that
differentiate dancers who successfully performed the
maneuver (Group S) from the unsuccessful (Group U). Forty
skilled collegiate ballet dancers (11 males and 29 females)
were recruited and assigned to two groups (n = 20 each)
based on their ability to perform the maneuver. Select
kinematic (center-of-mass motion ranges, stance width, and
peak angular velocity of the body) and kinetic (peak angular
momentums of the body parts) variables were computed
through three-dimensional motion capture and analysis.
One-way MANOVA revealed a significant (p < .001) intergroup difference and Group S was characterized by smaller
horizontal center-of-mass motion ranges and larger angular
velocity and angular momentum, meaning superiority in
control of linear motion and generation of angular motion.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Young-Hoo Kwon)
2. ALTERNATING ANTIPYRETICS FOR PEDIATRIC FEVER. K.
Boychuk. College of Nursing - Dallas
Parents of pediatric patients often fear fever, leading to
45
overmedicating with antipyretics. A literature review was
done to determine if fever is better controlled in pediatric
patients when alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen or
if monotherapy is preferred due to potential side effects
and toxicity associated with alternating treatments.
Research did show that fever was more easily controlled
when alternating antipyretics. The research also revealed
that overdosing and potential toxicity are possible adverse
effects when giving large amounts of antipyretics.
Alternating antipyretics can be an effective way to lower a
patient’s temperature quickly if needed. The risk comes
when parents are unaware of the correct dosing and when
to administer antipyretics. Providers need to ensure that
parents are aware of the correct dose for their child’s
weight and when to administer the medication. They must
also help define fever for parents so that there is less fear
regarding its consequences. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Barbara
Gray)
3. CHANGE IN SENIOR GOLFERS’ GOLF BALL STRIKING
AFTER A GOLF SWING INTERVENTION. K. Kanwar, M.
Mann. Department of Kinesiology
The purpose of this study was to test a golf swing
intervention hypothesized to improve ball-striking – ball
speed, trajectory and spray - on senior golfers. Twenty two
senior golfers, 16 male and 6 female, with ages ranging
from 54 to 81 years, participated. Each participant attended
11 sessions - six for training of the interventional golf swing;
and five to measure ball parameters (one before, two
during and two after). Each participant used a 6-iron and
driver club and hit 20 balls per session per golf club. A
mixed effects model showed significant variance in
intercepts across all participants (p< .01). Significant
improvement was seen over the five sessions, in speed,
launch and direction for 6-iron; and speed and direction for
driver (p< .5); all of which when controlling for gender, age,
years playing, and pre-intervention motivation. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Mark Mann)
Supported by Foresight Sports.
4. CHANGE IN SENIOR GOLFERS’ MOTIVATION TO PLAY
GOLF AFTER A GOLF SWING INTERVENTION.. K. Kanwar, M.
Mann. Department of Kinesiology
Declining ball-striking performance is expected among
senior golfers, who, however, still wish to be competitive.
Unsuccessful performance can result in a negative mood
state. The purpose of this study was to assess the
motivation of senior golfers to play golf before and after a
swing intervention purported to improve ball-striking.
Twenty one participants (15 male, 6 female) completed the
study. The valid and reliable Sports Motivation Scale II was
used to assess overall motivation, intrinsic motivation and
amotivation before and after the golf swing intervention
which took place over 11 sessions. Mean overall motivation
increased from 48.48 to 51.9, intrinsic motivation from
Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
52.86 to 55, and amotivation reduced from -20.71 to 19.43. No changes were significant. However, 17/21
participants showed the same (6) or greater (11) intrinsic
motivation to play golf after the intervention. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Mark Mann)
Supported by Foresight Sports.
5. EFFECT OF TASK AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
ON THE ABILITY TO SCORE BIRDIE AMONG PGA TOUR
GOLF PROFESSIONALS. K. Kanwar, M. Mann. Department of
Kinesiology
All motor activity is said to be governed by a combination of
organismic (individual), task and environmental constraints.
The purpose of this study was to assess to what extent the
task and environmental aspects of putting of golf balls
which reach a golf green in “regulation” (two shots less
than the par of a hole) contribute to the acquisition of
“birdies” (one under par) among professional golfers of the
USA’s PGA TOUR. The PGA TOUR collects data for every
stroke played during each event, and the data extracted for
the purpose of this study included the independent
variables distance to pin, direction from hole, green
firmness, green height, green speed (stimp) and green grass
type. The dependent variable was “putt made.” Statistical
analysis will be used to understand which factors affect a
golfer’s likelihood of making a birdie or bogey putt. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Mark Mann)
Supported by the PGA TOUR Shotlink Intelligence.
6. CAN WOMEN DO MATH? P. Byrne, A. Dailey.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
In this research paper we will explore the (1966-2016) halfcentury correlational and statistical changes between
women graduating with a bachelors, masters, or doctorate
degrees in Mathematics. The objectives are to see the
changes, if any, in the number of women who graduated
and how they used their degree; or if it was any use to them
at all. The hypotheses for this project are: (1) there should
be an increase in the number of graduates in mathematics
because there are more opportunities available and there
has been a huge advance in technology since 1966; (2)
there should also be a direct correlation regarding the
graduated classes actually using their degree and still in the
field that they graduated in. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
7. CLUSTER COMPUTING: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE. K.
Doucet. Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
The study of cluster computing and its applications are vital
to the future of computer science. A cluster computer is a
group of computers which are linked (networked) together
to provide more processing power than one computer can
alone. This is the principle upon which modern
46
from the Balance Master system. Pearson’s correlation coefficients will be computed between the COP tracing area and directional control in each direction. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Young‐Hoo Kwon) Supercomputers are built. Using cluster computers can exponentially increase processing speed and power. With the use of specially designed software, all the nodes in the cluster act as a single computer. This project allows me to effectively connect the theory of cluster computing to real‐ world problem solving through a practical application of my knowledge on cluster computing, networking, programming, and problem solving. It is important for me to create a cluster computer from scratch and practice testing programs and techniques unique to clustered computers. Having created a small scale cluster computer to experiment with was a fundamental and important research experience for me. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jian Zhang) 10. CSI: "THE LEAF DILEMMA." K. Carranza, S. West‐
moreland. Department of Biology Plants are susceptible to a multitude of different pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Therefore, they have developed highly complex and effective immune systems to protect them against infections caused by pathogens. In addition, biotic and abiotic environmental factors create stress for plants, thereby, affecting a plant’s growth rate, root to shoot ratio, reproductive production, and increase susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infection (Boyer 1982). Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the cause of damaged tissue on a Primula vulgaris plant was due to a pathogen infection or result of environmental stress. In this study, a scanning electron microscope was used to investigate how P. vulgaris damaged leaf tissue compared to healthy leaf tissue. Digital images were taken of leaf samples from three healthy leaves and three leaves exhibiting damaged tissue. Digital images of damaged and healthy tissue were taken at same magnification and cross‐sectional plane. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Westmoreland) Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program. 8. COMPASSION FATIGUE AFFECTING NURSING GRADUATES. A. Mathew. College of Nursing ‐ Denton Nurses working in higher acuity areas, especially oncology, experience the physical and psychological debilitating effects of compassion fatigue, which negatively affects nurse turnover rates. Preparation for nursing students to work in environments that may lead to compassion fatigue is an essential component of a quality bachelor nursing program education. The qualitative descriptive study conducted included interviews with oncology nurses who shared their wisdom to acknowledge and address compassion fatigue. The interviews revealed that compassion fatigue is not preventable, nursing students need to be educated about compassion fatigue and recognize its signs and symptoms, and nursing students need more exposure to the reality of nursing earlier in college. The findings encourage a modification in the nursing curriculum that incorporates the tools necessary to provide a better understanding of compassion fatigue and, therefore, impact the future generations of nurses to be better equipped to combat compassion fatigue. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Becky Spencer) 11. DEFINITION AND OVERVIEW OF VOCAL HEALTH FOR SECONDARY MUSIC EDUCATORS. T. Carpenter. Department of Music and Drama The Texas Music Educators Association requires that Texas public school music instructors teach grades 6 and up on proper vocal health practices as laid out by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for music. At this time, very few resources exist for educators on this topic. This research was conducted with these educators in mind to potentially act as or contribute to a resource for educators on the subject of vocal health. It attempts to define the phrase “vocal health,” as well as outline the important components of maintaining vocal health such as: vocal hygiene, utilizing a healthy speaking voice, warming up the singing voice, and finally psycho‐emotional care and how it affects the health of the voice. Although, there are many important aspects of vocal care, these four stand out as important, foundational knowledge, especially when considering young, beginning singers. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Jennifer Youngs) 9. CORRELATION OF THE AREA OF CENTER OF PRESSURE TRACING AND BALANCE MASTER PARAMETERS. C. Hung, M. Avalos, Y. Kwon. Department of Kinesiology The understanding of balance is essential for performing daily and sport activities. The area of center of pressure (COP) tracing reflects the ability to maintain balance while performing daily activities. Balance Master is a validated instrument for balance assessment. However, none of the variable obtained is the total area of COP tracing. Our group proposed a method of calculation of COP tracing area. To our knowledge, there is no research applying this method. The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation of COP tracing area and Balance Master parameters. Pre‐ existing data of 30 males and 30 females, aged from 18 to 35, will be randomly selected from a pool of files in the Balance Master in our lab. The raw data will be pull out 12. DISNEY ON A DIME. V. Ortiz, K. Lander, M. Rogers, V. Kantaphone. Department of Mathematics & Computer Students often forget to take a minute to enjoy themselves. Vacations are an important time to relax, recuperate, and reward themselves for working so hard in school. The purpose of this project is to find out how long it would take for four college students to save enough money for a trip to Disney World. The trip would be 4 days and 3 nights for 4 Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm) 47 adults. The total cost will include the park tickets,
transportation, lodging, food and miscellaneous expenditures. We will use the internet to find the best deals and
come up with the total cost. We will be using a savings plan
formula with regular monthly payments in order to find the
length of time the group would have to save. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Paul Ingram)
13. DRUG RESISTANCE AND CORE HISTONE ACETYLATION
STUDIES OF NOVEL AMIDOXIMES IN CANCER CELLS.. N.
Uke, L. Herd, A. Gekombe, D. Dolliver, M. Bergel.
Department of Biology
Drug resistance is a major concern in cancer therapy which
often leads to cancer recurrence and death. One of the
mechanisms responsible for resistance is the upregulation
of efflux pumps found in the plasma membrane of cancer
cells. We have novel amidoximes that inhibit proliferation
of human malignant cell lines in culture by inhibiting core
histone acetylation and inducing apoptosis. One of these
compounds, JJMB9, and cisplatin were used to induce
resistance in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. The cells
were treated with increasing concentrations of the drugs to
acquire resistance. The magnitude of drug resistance was
analyzed by MTS assays. A molecular profile of colon cancer
cells HCT 116 is the hyperacetylation of the core histone
H3K27. HCT 116 cells were treated with four amidoximes at
various concentrations, and three of the four amidoximes,
JJMB5, JJMB6, and JJMB9 induced significant inhibition of
acetylation of H3K27. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Bergel)
14. ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY: A NEW DEGREE
OPPORTUNITY FOR TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY. S.
Wappes, A. McGhee, R. Hernandez, S. Tittle, N. MirsalehKohan, R. Sheardy. Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry
Environmental Chemistry is a new and growing field of
study that focuses on the movement and impact of
chemicals in the environment. In remaining true to our
pioneer spirit, Texas Woman’s University should develop an
Environmental Chemistry program at both the
undergraduate and graduate level. In order to effectively
implement this new program, we will conduct site visits of
surrounding universities that currently offer the program
(e.g., Colorado School of Mines, University of Illinois, and
Texas A&M). A department wide survey will take place to
document student interest. Potential degree plans and
requirements will be established based on information
gained during research. The major benefit of adding
Environmental Chemistry at TWU is providing career
opportunities to future students. Graduates of the new
program have endless job opportunities in both the public
and private sector. Possible avenues include working as an
environmental consult, laboratory technician, university
professor, and field technician. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Richard Sheardy)
Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
15. EVALUATING ANTI-VIRAL PROPERTIES AND CELL
TOXICITY OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES. C. Grizer, A. Joseph,
D. Korir, S. Marpu, M. Omary, L. Hanson.
Department of Biology
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have become an
increasing problem in recent years. Our goal is to discover
whether silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) could be used as an
effective anti-viral against STIs. The AgNPs we use are from
the Omary lab at the University of North Texas, and have
varied surface properties. We have been testing negatively
and positively charged AgNPs. We use mouse
cytomegalovirus (MCMV) to determine the anti-viral
properties of these AgNPs. In toxicity tests, we have found
the negatively-charged particles kill mouse cells at
concentrations as low as 0.01mM, but the positively
charged have no apparent toxicity as high as 0.25 mM.
Therefore, we are testing these nanoparticles by mixing
them with the cells and virus at varying times, this would
resemble possible use in condoms or vaginal creams. With
the negatively-charged toxicity, we are testing it for viral
binding, this could be useful for pretreatments. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Laura Hanson)
Supported by the Undergraduate Experiential Student
Scholar Program and the TWU Department of Biology.
16. EVALUATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN
IDENTIFICATION
PROTOCOL
FOR
PSEUDOMONAS
ISOLATES OBTAINED FROM THE DENTON TWU CAMPUS BY
GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY LAB STUDENTS. D. Steffey, A.
Hammett. Department of Biology
Students enrolled in the General Microbiology Lab, Bact.
3111, at Texas Woman’s University for the fall 2016
semester isolated and classified Pseudomonas isolates from
soil samples obtained around the Denton campus. The
students were able to apply advanced microbiology
laboratory techniques to identify an unknown bacterial
isolate within 10 lab periods. This project represented a
shift from traditional identification methods based solely on
biochemical and physiological characteristics that were
previously employed in the course to one that also included
the organism’s phylogenetic classification based on DNA
sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The students then used
their collected data to write a report to defend the
identification of their isolated Pseudomonas species.
Assessment data showed an increase in the understanding
of the laboratory techniques employed to identify unknown
microorganisms at the end of the semester. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Amy Jo Hammett)
17. EXPLORING THE VARIABILITY AND RELIABILITY OF ICP
REPORTING IN LITERATURE. S. Park, N. Samudra, S. Gray, S.
Stutzman, M. Sebai, J. Wilson, D. Olson. College of Nursing Dallas
Background: Understanding intracranial pressure (ICP) is
48
crucial treating and monitoring of neurologically impaired
patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
consistency of published literature involving ICP
measurement. Methods: A literature search (Medline,
CINAHL, Cochrane) of manuscripts published in 2006 - 2016
discussing “intracranial pressure” was completed. The initial
search found 1280 articles; 923 were excluded, resulting in
357 articles. Results: ICP device type was reported in
293/357 (82.1%) but 121/140 (86.4%) articles stating
external ventricular drain (EVD) use failed to include
anatomical reference. Discussion: 15.4% of all studies
included adequate information describing ICP to provide
future researchers with enough data to replicate the
experiment. Conclusion: There is a need for an international
standard of how ICP, as a variable, is reported in research.
At a minimum, the device type, anatomical reference, unit
of measure, and time frame should be stated. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Jennifer Wilson)
18. EXPRESSION OF CELLULAR RETINOIC ACID BINDING
PROTEIN TYPE 2 DURING THE PROGRESSION TO
CUTANEOUS SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA. A. Guardado.
Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is an ongoing
public concern and one of the most common types of skin
cancer developed by exposure to Ultraviolet B (UVB) light
rays. Exposure to UVB light reduced retinoids in the skin.
Oral retinoids and sunscreen can be used to prevent cSCC
from recurring once treated. To further study the
expression of retinoid metabolism proteins during cSCC,
female SKH-1 mice were exposed to UVB light three times a
week for 25 weeks. Dr. Oberyszyn’s laboratory collected
and processed tumors from these mice. These tumors were
graded by a certified pathologist into 7 stages. The
expression of cellular retinoic acid binding protein 2
(CRABP) during progression to cSCC is being analyzed by
immunohistochemistry. Loricrin is also being examined as a
marker of differentiated cells. Expression will be scored
involving a scale of 0-8 based on amount of cells (0-4) and
measurable amount of intensity (0-4). (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Helen Everts)
19.
IMPLEMENTING
PRACTICE
GUIDELINE
RECOMMENDATIONS: A PRACTICE CHANGE IN MENTAL
HEALTH. T. Morris. College of Nursing - Dallas
The purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) project was
to initiate a change in process between the Nurse
Practitioners and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) in
the psychiatric clinic of study. The project used an
established tool, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).
Adults diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and
taking antidepressants were all referred for counseling. The
objectives met were (1) developing a clinical practice
guideline recommendation to improve counseling referrals
to LPCs , (2) educating providers on the PHQ-9 Depression
scale, and (3) improved outcomes evidenced by improved
Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
PHQ-9 scores post counseling. Paired-samples t-tests were
performed to test the change in PHQ-9 scores from
beginning to end of the study. The intervention group
showed a decrease in mean PHQ-9 scores from 15.22 at
pretest to 9.38 at posttest. This difference was significant (t
= 11.70, p < .001), indicating that depression was decreased
by the intervention medication and counseling treatment.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Charli Oquin)
20. INTERACTIONS OF DNA WITH THE SECOND
GENERATION ANTICANCER DRUGS: CARBOPLATIN,
OXALIPLATIN AND NEDAPLATIN. M. Garrett, S. Khan, S.
Ariyibi, T. Rasheed, N. Mirsaleh-Kohan. Department of
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Platinum-based anticancer drugs, while effective, are highly
toxic. There is a need to develop new drugs with similar
efficacy but lower toxicity. The specific interactions
between the drugs and DNA is not well understood. By
better understanding the functionalities of these existing
drugs, new drugs may be created. An augmented Raman
spectroscopy technique called Surface-Enhanced Raman
Scattering (SERS) was used to obtain information on the
changes DNA structure when bound to the drugs. A simple,
shortened strand of DNA containing only GG was used. This
strand was selected because it is the active site at which
these drugs bind. Three drugs were selected for study:
carboplatin, oxaliplatin, and nedaplatin. An initial spectrum
of the DNA by itself was used as a comparison to the
spectra of the DNA with the drugs. The spectra collected
will provide insight into the interactions between DNA and
the anticancer drugs. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nasrin MirsalehKohan)
Supported by the Robert H. Welch Foundation, the TWU
Research Enhancement Program, the Quality Enhancement
Program, and the Chancellor’s Research Fellows Program.
21. INVESTIGATING THE FORMATION OF THE DNA I-MOTIF
USING ISOTHERMAL TITRATION CALORIMETRY. T. Sutorius,
R. Sheardy. Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
We have been investigating the thermodynamics of unusual
DNA conformations that form from the human telomere
sequence; in particular, the C-rich strand (CCCTAA)x, which
forms the so called i- motif under slightly acidic conditions.
These conformations are stabilized by unusual hydrogen
bonding schemes and possess stacked C:CH+ base pairs
adjoined by TTA loops. By exploring the heat of protonation
of the i-motif for the human telomere sequence (CCCTAA)4,
we hope to better understand both the formation and
stability of the i-motif. Using Isothermal Titration
Calorimetry (ITC), we can determine the enthalpy ( H) and
the change in heat capacity (∆ Cp) of i-motif formation as
we titrate (CCCTAA)4 from pH 7.0 to pH 5.0 with HCl at
different temperatures. Here, we report the progress on
these studies. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Richard Sheardy)
49
Supported by the Robert. A Welch Foundation and National
Science Foundation Grant.
22. KINETICS AND KINEMATICS COMPARISON OF THE
POSTURE OF YOUNG ADULTS WHILE USING THE CLASSIC
FOUR-WHEELED ROLLATOR VS. AN THE ALL-TERRAIN
ROLLATOR. M. Avalos, M. Hasan, C. Hung, M. Nunez, Y.
Kwon. Department of Kinesiology
While walking it is important to maintain a correct posture
of the spine. The distribution of forces through the
vertebrae and the proper alignment of the discs, allow the
spine to absorb and properly distribute the forces through
the body. Walking aids, have concentrated on the posture
but only of the lumbar (L4/L5) joint. Most walking aids
cannot adjust for the proper height which then improperly
aligns the spine. The purpose of this study is to compare the
thoracic and lumbar curvatures of the spine while walking
with a traditional wheeled walker, an all-terrain wheeled
walker, and without a walker. The use of a wheeled walker
has shown a decrease on both curvatures of the spine.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Young-Hoo Kwon)
23. MATRICES AND THE PIZZA SHOP. R. Jones, L. Stover.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
This project develops a learning module that demonstrates
a “real-life” application for matrices. High school students
will hypothetically set up a pizza shop in their school’s
cafeteria. The pizza will be made and sold with the profits
benefitting their particular school organization. Through
preliminary research, the students will identify the
materials needed to make the pizza as well as quantify the
number of pizzas needed on a daily, weekly or monthly
basis. Through matrix manipulation, students will predict
inventory, consumption rate and calculate the optimal
charge needed for profit. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
24. MULTI-TAP. V. Kantaphone. Department of Visual Arts
The goal of this project is to create a series of artworks that
focus on the figure and portraiture while incorporating and
abstracting pop culture and video game references. This
exploration will last for at least a year. The subjects of these
paintings will mainly be video game collectors and gamers
and what draws them towards the virtual world and
collecting. Works will focus on painting and explore
sculpture. Different materials will be used as painting
surfaces such as, Masonite, plywood, and pegboard. These
works will employ traditional and modern painting
techniques such as impasto and painterly approach while
also utilizing the texture of the wood and transparent layers
of color. Overall, these paintings will showcase the
application of paint and merging of the figure with cultural
elements. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Gary Washmon)
Supported by the TWU Honors Research Scholars Grant.
Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
25. ORAL HYGEINE: WHAT'S LURKING? BRISTLES AND
BACTERIA. C. McKoy, S. Westmoreland. Department of
Biology
The oral cavity is one of the most densely populated
habitats of the human body; our mouths are filled with over
6 billion bacteria. Having good dental oral hygiene is
essential to help remove bacteria that may be harmful to
oral health. Bacteria from the oral cavity can be transferred
to the toothbrush when a person brushes their teeth and, if
not properly cleaned and stored, the toothbrush may
harbor bacterial cultures. The purpose of this experiment
was to compare the total accumulation of bacterial growth
on the bristles of toothbrushes after five days of use, that
were stored with a cap on them versus toothbrushes stored
in open air. Bacterial growth was evaluated by examining
toothbrush bristles from the two conditions with a scanning
electron microscope and a microbial test kit. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Sandra Westmoreland)
26. PREDATOR-PREY INTERACTIONS. K. Lander, J. Maxon, E.
Grigorieva. Department of Mathematics & Computer
Science
Predator–prey interactions will be considered using data
available for the number of snakes vs mice during the last
10 years in Canada. The model is investigated analytically
and numerically. The first integral of the system is obtained
and it is presented by a function of both variables N1 and
N2 and that does not depend on time. Conclusions are
made. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ellina Grigorieva)
27. PROTECTIVE ROLE OF PROGESTERONE AGAINST ALLODYNIA IN RATS WITH PERSISTENT TEMPOROMANDIBULAR
JOINT INFLAMMATION. R. Hornung, W. Benton, S.
Tongkhuya, L. Uphouse, D. Averitt. Department of Biology
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), caused by injury,
stress, or systemic disorders, is associated with pain and
inflammation in the joint (TMJ) and muscles involved in
mastication. TMD affects men and women, but is more
prevalent in woman from the onset of puberty until postmenopause when symptoms diminish. After menopause,
some women undergo hormone replacement therapy
(HRT), which has been linked to TMD pain reemergence.
Progesterone has anti-inflammatory properties and
attenuates allodynia in rodent pain models. HRT protocols
that utilize continuous levels of progesterone may be
beneficial against the recurrence of TMD pain. We
hypothesized that TMJ inflammation-evoked allodynia in
female rats would reemerge following ovariectomy and
then be attenuated by a continuous progesterone
component in an HRT treatment paradigm. CFA evoked
significant allodynia that was reversed by ovariectomy and
continuous progesterone-treated rats were protected
against allodynia. We are currently elucidating the
intracellular progesterone receptor’s role in this
mechanism. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dayna Averitt)
50
28. QR DECOMPOSITION AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS. A.
Hailegiorgis. Department of Mathematics & Computer
Science
This mathematical research analyzes the generalized QR
decomposition and some of its applications. It also talks
about the similarity and the difference between QR and LQ
decomposition and why most mathematician prefer to use
QR decomposition. This project will go in detail on how QR
decomposition can be used in real life. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
29. THE ORDER OF MEMORY. C. Flores, G. Washmon.
Department of Visual Arts
Memory is the record of our thoughts; it follows an elusive
road map through the foggy haze of space and time. It is
the unconscious expression of daydreams, imagination and
vapors of past conversations. Yet, the conscious mind needs
formal disposition: memory needs relevance, order and
wants to belong in the present. Ultimately, recollection of
memory is selective. I see through an obscure lens which
captures a glimpse of my life on canvas. This lens reveals
fields of color that dance with abstract images and shapes
of a nostalgic past now breaking into existence. The present
looks for an imitation of the past, and it is the relationship
between what was then and what is now that determines
the expression. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Gary Washmon)
30. THE POWER OF KINDNESS THROUGH EVERYDAY
LEADERSHIP. J. Armijo, M. Reeves. Office of Civility and
Community Standards
This project is intended to relate the theory of everyday
leadership with the power of kindness. We will focus on
everyday leadership as an act of kindness and how much
power kindness has. By organizing a week’s worth of
activities, with contributions from student organizations,
Student Life, and academic departments, our applied
creative activities will focus on paying it forward, thanking
others, appreciation, motivation, and kindness. The “Week
of Kindness” could potentially look like this: Monday, April
24 - Campus with a Heart - Promotional video promoting
what campus with a heart means. Tuesday, April 25 Department Appreciation - Departments will be appreciated through student organizations. Wednesday, April 26 Pay It Forward Day - Variety of events to pay it forward.
Thursday, April 27- Lollipop Moment - Hand out lollipops
with encouraging notes to others. Friday, April 28- Notes of
Impact - Notes of encouragement will be placed over
campus to impact others. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor
Michelle Reeves)
31. TOXICITY AND EFFICACY STUDIES OF NOVEL
AMIDOXIMES IN A MURINE MAMMARY MODEL IN BALB/C
MICE. A. Gekombe, S. Hoang, P. Moradi, S. Oloya, D.
Dolliver, M. Bergel. Department of Biology
Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
Some of the major challenges in using chemotherapeutic
compounds for cancer therapy are their specificity, efficacy,
and undesirable side effects. Therefore, the search for new
chemotherapeutic agents with higher efficacy is of high
significance. In our lab, three amidoximes, JJMB5, JJMB7
and JJMB9, induced apoptosis of breast cancer, colon
cancer and lung cancer cells in culture and inhibited core
histone acetylation. Their toxicity in BALB/C mice was also
tested and maximal tolerated doses (MTD) were
established as follows; 0.26 mg/kg for JJMB5, 1.56 mg/kg
for JJMB7 and 0.78 mg/kg for JJMB9. Completion of these
studies paved the way for anti-cancer studies in vivo. Breast
tumors were induced in mice using the syngeneic 4T1 cell
line, followed by treatment with the amidoximes. These
three compounds are being tested for their ability to slow
down the progression of breast tumors and the formation
of metastasis in lungs. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Bergel)
32. USE OF ISOTHERMAL CALORIMETRY TO INVESTIGATE
DICATIONIC ALKYLAMMONIUM BROMIDE GEMINI
SURFACTANTS. B. Rich, P. Okoroji Ohabor, M. McKim, S.
Bachofer, R. Sheardy. Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry
Surfactants (detergents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and
wetting agents) reduce the surface tension of water. They
appear in many places throughout our lives, such as metals,
plastics, appliances, and cars. They are in clothes,
detergents, soaps, gels, creams and cosmetics, as well as in
food, and in many prescription and over-the-counter
medications. Thus, for our well-being, it is important to
understand the chemical, physical, and thermodynamic
properties of these molecules by utilizing various
instrumentation methods. In this study we investigate a
series of Dicationic Alkylammonium Bromide Gemini
Surfactants, on the order of 12-m-12 (where m = 2, 3, or 4).
These Gemini surfactants contain two quaternary
ammonium head groups and a dodecyl chain bonded to
each head group. The linkage denoted as ‘m’ has been
varied by 2, 3, or 4 methylene units. Using Isothermal
Calorimetry the critical micelle concentration was
determined by titrating the surfactant into water. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Richard Sheardy)
33. USE OF PROBIOTICS TO PREVENT ANTIBIOTICASSOCIATED DIARRHEA (AAD) IN CHILDREN. D. Quach.
College of Nursing - Dallas
Diarrhea is a common side effect experienced by children
taking antibiotics. The clinical manifestations of AAD vary
from mild diarrhea to life threatening complications.
Studies have shown that the addition of probiotics while on
antibiotic therapy is effective in reducing or preventing AAD
children. The purpose of this project is to investigate the
following question: In children, does the use of probiotic
supplementation, compared to no supplementation,
prevent AAD? Texas Woman’s University online library
services were used to conduct a comprehensive search of
51
the literature. Databases used included CINAHL, Cochrane
Library, Medline, Pubmed, and ScienceDirect from 2011 to
2016. With the number of probiotics and different strains
available, current meta-analysis have been helpful in
resolving uncertainties. However, further research is
necessary in order to develop guidelines about the
appropriate strain of probiotic, dose strength, and duration
and frequency of treatment. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ann
Johnson)
34. USING MATRIX METHODS TO PREDICT A
CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER. L. Maloku, R. Johannesen.
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
We live in a society dominated by sports, though watching a
game is often more than enough, many of us are
magnetized to the idea of predicting a winner of one of
these tournaments. People, other than the players, who
make a living from sports, such as the casinos in Las
Vegasand the television networks, say, ESPN® and Fox,®
predict using a large arrays of data the probable winner of a
competition. Through the use of websites such as NFL.com,
ESPN.com, etc. we intend to use data gathered for
individual teams, throughout the regular season and the
2016-2017 playoffs, to show how matrices can help predict
the outcome of a game, specifically Super Bowl LI. We do
realize that by the end of our research the result of the
game will have been determined, but depending on how
successful we are, it will be a sort of validation to our
results. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
35. WOMEN IN MATHEMATICS: PAST, PRESENT, AND
FUTURE. M. Mancilla, J. Correa. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
Women are a minority in STEM related fields and various
factors have contributed to this, including a lack of role
models. Although women are a minority in STEM, there
have been women in history who have significantly
contributed to the science, technology, engineering, and
mathematic fields. Women like Ada Lovelace and Sofia
Vasilyevna contributed to the field of mathematics and
Abstracts – Session V: Wednesday, April 19 (2:40 – 4:00 pm)
helped pave the way for other women. Both Lovelace and
Vasilyeyna overcame many obstacles in order to learn;
similar obstacles that they faced are still seen today.
Whether it be stereotypes, religion, or even geographical
obstacles, women are still struggling to get into STEM
related careers. With all of these challenges, what does the
future look like for women in STEM fields? The future of
women in STEM related fields seems to be promising. More
women are graduating with STEM degrees and are entering
STEM related jobs. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn NavarraMadsen)
VIRTUAL SESSION V: ACT 225
1. EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTATION WITH PUMPKIN SEED
OIL VERSUS PUMPKIN SEEDS ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND
MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS IN NON-HYPERTENSIVE
POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. M. Maiya, C. Moore.
Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Pumpkin seed provides a good source of phytoestrogens
that may exert weak estrogenic or anti- estrogenic effects
and improve cardiovascular health in postmenopausal
women. This randomized control trial compared the effect
of consumption of 2g/day pumpkin seed oil (PSO) with
4.1g/day of pumpkin seeds (PS) for 12 weeks on blood
pressure (BP), endothelial function, and menopausal
symptoms in non-hypertensive postmenopausal women
(n=16). Measurements were performed at baseline and
after 12 weeks. The PSO group (n=9) significantly increased
body weight (+2.13lbs±2.87; P = 0.018) versus the PS group
(n=7) which significantly decreased body weight (1.57lbs±1.51; P = 0.042) and BMI (-0.3kg/m2±0.35; P =
0.043). There were no significant changes observed in
endothelial function and menopausal symptoms in either
group. A trend towards decreased diastolic BP (3.89mmHg±5.06, P=0.057) was observed in PSO group.
Additional participants are being recruited to discern if this
change in BP will become significant with an increased
sample size. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Moore)
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Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
PLATFORM SESSION VI: ACT 501
Faculty Moderator: Dr. Tina Gumienny
1. GENETICS AND THE LOCH NESS MONSTER. L. Herd, T.
Gumienny. Department of Biology
The legend surrounding the Loch Ness Monster has
perpetuated over the centuries, yet the seemingly
nonsensical myth encircling it may be supported by
evidence. This project will approach the legend by focusing
on the genetic components that may lend themselves to
sustaining its phenotypes, including longevity, substantial
size, and perceived reptilian appearance. Other animals
have been found that thrive in covert environments without
being discovered for centuries. Similarly, the long life of the
Loch Ness Monster can be attributed to its efficiency in
telomere
enhancement
via
telomerase
reverse
transcriptase (TERT) and genes that delay senescence by
coding for proteins that repair DNA or offer protection from
proteasome- ubiquitin pathways. There are also ecological
implications in size: Cope’s and Bergmann’s Rules state that
size is formed by innate selection through evolutionary
generations and the inclination of animals to grow during
cooling periods. Together, these natural explanations give
insight into a mythological creature. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Tina Gumienny)
2. THE RED CROSS. J. Duffy, E. Nielsen. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
In this presentation we will expound on the formation,
growth, and impact of the Red Cross. We will briefly
describe the events that led to the creation of the Red Cross
by founder, Clara Barton. Then go on to discuss its origins in
America and its expansion across the globe. Throughout the
paper we will take a brief glance at each major region that
the Red Cross works to support. This will provide a
foundation to compare the impact of the Red Cross.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
3. OPTIMIZATION OF UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
MAIL ROUTES. E. Elizondo. Department of Mathematics &
Computer Science
Every day the United States Postal Service (USPS) delivers to
155 million U.S. addresses and employs over 600,000
Americans. This important institution, however, faces many
internal challenges. With financial uncertainty forcing major
resource consolidations, some mail routes are becoming
grossly overburdened causing high turnover rates and
general dissatisfaction among employees. This project seeks
to apply matrix algebra to help resolve this issue. For one
mail route in Denton, Texas we will measure the amount of
incoming mail received and the times required to process
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
and deliver it. Using the Simplex Method (Linear
Programming), we will find the maximum amount of
incoming mail that this route can sustain. Such a method for
determining maximum route workload could help the USPS
prudently allocate its resources while simultaneously
relieving pressure from overworked mail carriers. This
method could be integrated into the USPS’s yearly mail
count to help distribute workload evenly and efficiently
nationwide. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen)
4. EXPRESSION OF RETINOIC ACID SYNTHESIS ENZYMES
CHANGE DURING THE PROGRESSION OF ULTRAVIOLET
LIGHT B INDUCED SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA. H. Perry,
H. Everts. Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Synthetic retinoid acid prevents the reoccurrence of
cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). ALDH1A2 and
ALDH1A3 are retinal dehydrogenases used in the synthesis
of retinoic acid. This study examines how the expression of
these enzymes change during the progression of ultraviolet
light B (UVB) induced cSCC. Female SKH-1 mice were
exposed to one minimal eurythmic dose of UVB light (2240
J/m2) three times a week for 25 weeks and then sacrificed.
Tumors greater than 1mm in size were collected, paraffin
embedded, sectioned, and staged by a certified pathologist.
Expression of ALDH1A2 and ALDH1A3 in tumor samples are
being analyzed by immunohistochemistry and scored semiquantitatively based on percent cells (0-4) and intensity (04). One sample was tested so far, and the expression of
ALDH1A2 decreased while ALDH1A3 increased as tumors
progressed to cSCC. Additional samples will be run and
quantitated. This study has implications in the treatment
and prevention of cSCC. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Everts)
POSTER SESSION VI: ACT 2
1. "NOTHING SHORT OF HELL-INSPIRED MURDER": A
SURVEY OF RACIAL VIOLENCE IN NORTH TEXAS, 18801930. H. Teague. Department of Sociology & Social Work
Studies of racial violence from 1880 to 1930 have long
neglected North Texas. Did the region experience racial
patterns seen across the South, namely small- and largescale violence against men, women, and children; the
intertwining of racial and economic domination; and the
support of a complicit media and criminal justice system? A
survey of local and national newspapers, supported by
interviews and secondary sources, proves the answer is yes.
It also reveals that black Texans resisted racial oppression in
ways large and small throughout the period. This history of
domination and resistance can, and must, inform our
understanding of the region today. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Philip Yang)
53
2. BEING WHIRLY-GIRLS: HOW THE WOMEN PIONEERS IN
THE WORLD OF HELICOPTER AVIATION CAME TOGETHER.
K. Webb. Department of History & Government
In 1955 the Whirly-Girls Organization was founded to give
women in the field of helicopter aviation a group to share
information and ideas, and start scholarship funds to draw
more women into helicoptering. The small group of the
original 13 women from around the world has now grow
into 1,900 members in 47 countries. I will be looking in the
Jean Ross Howard Phelan Papers in the TWU Woman’s
Collection vault to find firsthand accounts from the founder
of the organization, and to also discover who these original
13 women were, and what drew them to the world of
helicopter aviation. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. LyBeth Hodges)
3. BILINGUAL APHASIA AND ITS RECOVERY PATTERNS. E.
Garza, J. Levitt. Department of Communication Sciences &
Disorders
Aphasia is the inability to comprehend and/or express
language due to a brain injury. Aphasia cases presented in
bilingual individuals provide unique opportunities to
understand how we process languages. According to the
U.S. Census data (retrieved: 2/13/2017), the bilinguals in
the U.S.A. are approximately 20% of the U.S. population. It
is important for Speech-Language Pathologists to
understand different recovery patterns and treatment
options. The proficiency, frequency of use, and other
factors affect different degrees of recovery in each
language. One’s native language may not be the ultimate
communication method after the stroke. The present study
(1) reviewed literature of the past bilingual aphasia cases,
(2) summarized available options to remediate
communications in these individuals, (3) and developed a
brochure for students in Speech- language Pathology
program to gain basic idea to address challenges with
bilingual aphasia. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. June Levitt)
4. BLOOD FLOW THROUGH THE BRACHIAL AND FEMORAL
ARTERIES FOLLOWING AN ACUTE BOUT OF CYCLING IN AN
OLDER ADULT WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES. A. Carreno, B. Rigby.
Department of Kinesiology
Longstanding type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a risk for
macrovascular disease, thereby potentially affecting
endothelial function and blood flow. The purpose of this
study was to quantify changes in brachial and femoral
artery blood flow before and after acute bouts of arm and
leg cycling exercise in an older adult with T1D. Two
participants, one with T1D and one without T1D exercised
for 30 minutes on an arm ergometer. Before and after the
bout, peak systolic velocity (PSV) in the brachial artery was
assessed using an ultrasound with the participant in a
supine position. On a separate day, the same participant
exercised on a leg ergometer and femoral blood flow was
measured in the similar manner. Both participants
increased in brachial and femoral PSV following exercise,
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
but the participant with T1D had lower PSV values in both
sessions. Acute cycling exercise increases peripheral blood
flow in an individual with T1D. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Brandon Rigby)
5. COMPARISON OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE
UNITED STATES AND MEXICO: 2011-2015. K. Patel, C. Sun,
C. Thallapareddy. Department of Mathematics & Computer
Science
The purpose of our research project is to observe a trend
line of the unemployment rates in the United States of
America and Mexico and discern their correlation over 2011
to 2015. We graphed the best-fit line and calculated an
equation based on it to predict the unemployment rates for
the next couple of years. We hypothesized that as
unemployment rates in Mexico decrease due to
outsourcing from U.S.A, the unemployment rates in
America would increase. However both showed a negative
slope over the last 5 years contradicting our hypothesis. The
equations for U.S.A and Mexico are y =-0.17x + 5.34 and y =
-.0.86x + 9.78 respectively. (Faculty Sponsor: Professor Paul
Ingram)
6. DENTON DAMES SPARK CHANGE: HOW THE TEXAS
FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S CLUBS PETITIONED FOR THE
FORMATION OF TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY. J. Burditt,
B. Dove. Department of History & Government
The Texas Federation of Women’s clubs was formed under
the direction of Kate Rotan in 1897, and in its early stages
the club focused primarily on the formation of public
libraries and furthering education for women. In 1899, the
TFWC ushered a petition to the Legislature for a woman’s
university to be formed and it worked! Girls Industrial
College was established in 1901, eventually becoming the
Texas Woman’s University we know today. Throughout its
history, TFWC has sparked change in many issues, not only
women’s education. The focal points of our project will be
the formation of TWU in connection to the TFWC, along
with the many roles both past and present the TFWC plays
in its community of Denton. We will analyze primary
sources from the TFWC’s collection at the TWU library and
interviews from members of the club to gain further insight
into their work. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lybeth Hodges)
7. EARLY PEANUT INTRODUCTION TO PREVENT PEANUT
ALLERGY IN CHILDREN. K. Mayrath. College of Nursing Dallas
Food allergies have become a prevalent problem in
developed countries, particularly in the United States. Many
clinical trials are focusing on the process of desensitization
in older children to specific allergens, but several have
discontinued the trials due to serious adverse effects.
Recent studies have reviewed different approaches in the
effort to lower the incidence of peanut allergies. This
purpose of this project is to conduct a literature review to
54
investigate the existing evidence on whether early peanut
consumption in infants versus withholding peanuts until 3
years of age reduces the chance of developing a peanut
allergy. The evidence reviewed in this project reinforces the
practice of early introduction of allergens can decrease the
risk of developing food allergies. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Barbara Gray)
8. EFFECTS OF HORMONAL FLUCTUATIONS ON
SEROTONERGIC NEUROMODULATION OF THE TRPV1
EXPRESSING SUBPOPULATION OF SENSORY NEURONS. S.
Lulla, S. Ananth, R. Besher, D. Averitt. Department of
Biology
The nociceptive transient receptor potential vanilloid-1
(TRPV1) ion channel expressed by trigeminal neurons
results in calcium influx and release of calcitonin-gene
related peptide (CGRP) on activation. Serotonin (5hydroxytryptamine, 5HT), a proinflammatory and
pronociceptive mediator in the periphery may act through
excitatory 5HT receptors to sensitize TRPV1. Studies in male
rats reported that 5HT receptors co-localize with TRPV1 and
can potentiate TRPV1 activity. Since females show higher
prevalence of trigeminal pain conditions, we hypothesized
that hormonal fluctuations enhance 5HT potentiation of
CGRP release from TRPV1 expressing trigeminal neurons.
Primary neuronal cultures from ovariectomized adult
female rats were pre- treated with 17-β-estradiol(E2), 5HT,
or a combination prior to capsaicin stimulation. CGRP
release was quantitated by ELISA. Our data shows that pretreatment with 5HT and E2 significantly increased capsaicinevoked CGRP release as compared to vehicle. We are
currently analyzing the expression of 5HT2A and TRPV1
receptors across the estrous cycle to detect potential
plasticity. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dayna Averitt)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program
and Quality Enhancement Program.
9. EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF PROTON PUMP INHIBITOR
USE IN INFANTS. C. Griffin. College of Nursing - Dallas
Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are commonly prescribed to
treat nonspecific symptoms of infant gastroesophageal
reflux (GER) such as excessive crying, spitting up, and back
arching. Concerns about infant PPI use is rising due to lack
of efficacy and side effects. Potential side effects of PPI use
include: an increased risk of GI and respiratory infections,
food allergies, bacterial overgrowth and malabsorption of
certain nutrients. The PICO question being evaluated is:
Among neonates and infants < 1-year-old with symptoms
attributed to GER, how effective and safe are proton pump
inhibitors compared to placebo? A comprehensive
literature search using Pubmed and ScienceDirect
databases yielded 30 articles, 8 met inclusion criteria for
analysis. The literature review was inconclusive and lacked
enough evidence to provide recommendation on safety and
efficacy of PPI use in infants. Larger long-term, placebo
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
controlled trials are recommended in order to provide best
practice guidelines for PPI use in infants. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Ann Johnson)
10. EVALUATION OF THE ANTIBACTERIAL MECHANISMS OF
NOVEL SILVER NANOPARTICLES (AGNPS). M. Dhanani, A.
Joseph, D. Korir, S. Marpu, M. Omary, L.
Hanson. Department of Biology
Recently, the use and production of silver nanoparticles
(AgNPs) for a variety of industrial and therapeutic
objectives has increased. However, little is known about
how different characteristics of the AgNPs influence their
antibacterial activity. The goal of this project is to examine
how the surface characteristics of a panel of novel AgNPs,
photochemically-synthesized by the Omary group at UNT,
play a role in the inhibition of bacterial growth. Escherichia
coli along with Bacillus megaterium were tested initially as
well characterized models of human pathogens to both
deduce the minimum inhibitory concentration of AgNPs and
evaluate their mechanism of action. Using this data, we can
now conduct disc diffusion to understand the cooperative
property of the AgNPs with antibiotics such as ampicillin
and chloramphenicol. We expect to eventually determine
how chemical variations of the nanoparticles contribute to
their antibacterial activity when used to either combat
wound infections or reduce biohazards. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Laura Hanson)
Supported by the TWU Department of Biology.
11. FOOD LABEL READING PROFICIENCY AMONGST
COLLEGE STUDENTS. G. Puche Faria. Department of
Nutrition & Food Sciences
The Federal Drug Administration [FDA] has released a new
design for the Nutrition Facts Panel. A KAB (Knowledge,
Attitudes, and Behavior) survey was conducted through
sixty-six freshmen at Texas Woman’s University. Although
most students are knowledgeable on nutrition and have
positive attitudes towards the new design, an outstanding
majority cannot differentiate caloric values between natural
and added sugars or the effect of sugar in diabetics. (Faculty
Sponsor: Professor Keri Stoner-Davis)
12. GENETIC BASES FOR WITCHES. S. Alemu. Department of
Biology
Witch tales populate historical texts and include witch
executions. This project studies two possible genetic
contributions to historical witches. Individuals labeled as
witches had traits including wart- like dark flat skin patches
and hallucinations. We propose these traits may have a
genetic basis in neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and
schizophrenia, which usually develop in adolescence or
early adulthood. NF1 is linked to an autosomal dominant
mutation in the NF1 gene that encodes neurofibromin, a
tumor suppressor protein. NF1 patients (~1/3500) exhibit
55
wart-like neurofibromas along nerves throughout the body
or under the skin. Schizophrenia patients (with a 2-3%
lifetime rate for schizophrenia and related categories)
experience psychotic conditions including hallucination and
delusions, which could explain the witches’ altered
sensations. Schizophrenia is caused by mutations affecting
synaptic protein genes, including C4A and C4B. Together,
these two genetic disorders may provide a natural
explanation for the reports of supernatural witches in
history. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tina Gumienny)
13. GOING BOLDLY WHERE NO WOMAN HAD GONE
BEFORE: PAULINE BEERY MACK AND HER NASA BONE
DENSITY RESEARCH. S. Stinson, J. Lee. Department of
History & Government
Pauline Beery Mack, an American chemist, economist, and
the director of TWU’s Research Institute, was an early NASA
principal investigator. What were some noteworthy
contributions Mack made to NASA? She was hired by NASA
to study the effects of space flight on the human body. We
are researching the variety of studies Dr. Mack did at TWU
while she was working with NASA, how she filled a different
role of what a woman in society could be, and any gender
inequality she had to undergo in the male-dominated
research environment of the 1960s. Our primary sources
are newspapers, journals, photographs, and x-rays that
were provided by Blagg-Huey Library (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Lybeth Hodges)
14. IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL
PROTEINS INTERACTING WITH A TGF-Β IN C. ELEGANS. M.
Lakdawala, L. Faure, T. Gumienny. Department of Biology
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) are cytokines that
play important roles in development in all animals, and
their misregulation can lead to various diseases. The highly
complex TGF-β pathway is tightly regulated from the
secreting cell to the receiving cell but is not completely
understood. To identify novel regulators of TGF-β, we will
co-immunoprecipitate (co-IP) proteins that bind a GFPtagged TGF-β, DBL-1, in the established nematode model
organism Caenorhabditis elegans. We will confirm the in
vivo interaction of these identified DBL-1 interacting
proteins using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complimentation
(BiFC). BiFC is a powerful tool that allows visualization and
validation of these protein interactions in living C. elegans.
This study will help us better understand how the TGF-β
pathway is controlled and has the potential to identify new
therapeutic targets for treating diseases caused by TGF-β
abnormalities. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tina Gumienny)
Supported by the National Institutes of Health grant
R01GM097591; the TWU TARGET Program, and the TWU
Department of Biology.
15. IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY PERFORMED USING
ANTIBODIES AGAINST LRAT AND CRBP. D. Chaparro, H.
Everts. Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
The tumor samples used for the research where obtained
by Dr. Oberyszyn from a female SKH-1 mice, the samples
were exposed to one minimal erythemic dose of Ultraviolet
B light for three times a week for a total of 25 weeks. Then
they were harvested and staged by a certified pathologist as
papilloma. Immunohistochemistry is performed using
antibodies against LRAT and CRBP. The antibody CRBP uses
LRAT as a form storage of Retinyl esters. After a single dose
of UVB light there is a decrease of LRAT presence on the
tumors. The method used throughout the experiment is
that two different antibodies are applied to a variety of
tissues once the entire Immunohistochemistry method had
been applied, the slides are viewed under the microscope.
The significance of the study is very important but that way
we are able to figure out the effects of UVB exposure and
the connection it has to the development of skin cancer.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Helen Everts)
16. IMPLICIT THEORIES OF PERSONALITY AND RATINGS OF
HEALTH IN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. E. Henderson.
Department of Psychology & Philosophy
The way individuals react and respond to adversity could be
explained by the framework of Implicit Theory. In the
current study, middle school students in the North Texas
area were recruited to discover whether they have either
an entity mindset, which is a fixed mindset, or an
incremental mindset, which is a malleable mindset, that
effects their health outcome. These students completed
measures in which the higher scores indicated higher entity
mindset, while lower score indicated better health. It was
found that the relation between entity mindset and poorer
health was significant. Yeager et al.’s (2011) conducted a
similar study and obtained similar results as the current
study. The past and current findings are important in
implementing and designing measures to teach an
incremental mindset and why it is effective for children in
elementary school and middle school to learn this malleable
mindset. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lisa Rosen)
17. IMPROVING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM
SPECTRUM DISORDER. C. Ramirez, J. Levitt. Department of
Communication Sciences & Disorders
This research project intended to improve communication
between law enforcement officers and individuals with
communication disorders, specifically about those with
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Survey studies were
conducted to examine the perceptions of two groups of
participants, including the Law Enforcement Officers (LEO)
and the parents of children with ASD. Specifically, the study
investigated the present level of awareness among law
enforcement officers regarding individuals with ASD and the
degree of knowledge that the families of children with ASD
expect the law enforcement officers to have. The results
found the discrepancies of the perceptions of two groups
and suggestions were made to fill the gap between these
56
two groups. The information derived from the present
study was compiled in a tri-fold brochure and distributed to
the participants and the related communities of ASD.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. June Levitt)
Supported by the Quality Enhancement Program.
18. INCRETIN AND GLYCEMIC RESPONSES TO DIETARY
WHEY PROTEIN PRELOAD IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC
OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS). M. Rao, S. Broughton, M.
LaMieux. Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
BACKGROUND: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is
associated with hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and
hyperinsulinemia, menstrual disturbance, hirsutism, and
polycystic ovaries attributable to altered sex-hormone
binding globulin (SHBG) and free androgen levels. Whey
protein preloads reduce postprandial glycemia through
increased incretin release prior to carbohydrate
load.PURPOSE: The metabolic and reproductive response to
single and 7d 50g whey protein isolate (WPI) in women with
and without PCOS will be examined. HYPOTHESIS: After 7d
WPI, PCOS women will have reduced fasting insulin and
increased incretins and SHBG. STUDY DESIGN: Following an
overnight fast, on day 1, subjects will consume 50g WPI.
After 30 min, 75g oral glucose will be administered. Venous
blood will be drawn at -30, 0 (pre-glucose), and 15 minute
intervals to 150 min post-glucose. Participants will consume
50g pre-lunch WPI for five days with day 1 procedures
repeated on day 7. Plasma will analyzed for incretins,
glucose, insulin, and SHBG. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Shane
Broughton)
19. LEARNING HOW TO MAKE NEW MATERIALS THAT CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIFE: SYNTHESIS AND
CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW COPPER DIIMINE
COMPLEX. K. Reyes, M. Rawashdeh-Omary. Department of
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Dr. Omary’s research focuses on developing novel metalcontaining organic materials that have the potential to be
utilized in energy-efficient (LED) lighting, video displays,
smart phones and diagnostic tools for cancer and other
diseases. These applications are possible because of the
chemical makeup of our products. For example, certain
synthesized molecules have luminescence properties and
further understanding of these properties aids us in
designing and synthesizing molecules with specifically
sought-out properties. I learned and acquired the needed
skills to synthesize copper compounds that are considered
as starting materials, including [Cu(MeCN)4]BF4 based on a
published literature procedure via the Schlenk techniques.
Then the product was reacted with a diimine ligand,
quinoxaline in particular, using different synthetic routs to
vary the reaction conditions (e.g., solvent-mediated vs.
solvent-less synthesis). The newly-synthesized complex was
characterized by different techniques that I started
acquiring the skills for such as (FTIR), (TGA), and
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
luminescence spectroscopy. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Manal
Rawashdeh-Omary)
Supported by the Robert A. Welch Foundation and the TWU
Research Enhancement Program.
20. MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE ASTHMA EXACERBATIONS
IN CHILDHOOD ASTHMA. D. Gunn. College of Nursing Dallas
The management of acute asthma exacerbations in
childhood asthma has been widely discussed and studied
regarding the most effective treatments. Current
recommendations include systemic steroids for patients
who fail to respond promptly or completely with a shortacting beta agonist. The first-line systemic steroid of choice
is a corticosteroid, prednisone. This five day oral treatment
regimen often tends to have reduced compliance
attributable to a prolonged course of therapy that triggers
unpleasant side effects. The purpose of this project is to
review the literature for evidence of the efficacy and
improved adherence to treatment therapies when a singledose injectable dexamethasone is administered for asthma
exacerbation as compared to a five day regimen of oral
prednisone. Improved compliance to treatment therapies is
important in preventing asthma exacerbation relapses,
emergency department visits, and hospital admissions.
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Barbara Gray)
21. MOM, DAD… I’M A THESPIAN: HOW THE DENTON
CAMPUS THEATER BECAME A HOME FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS. V. Wayman, M. Hoffman. Department
of History & Government
This project focuses on the development of The Campus
Theatre in Denton. Since it’s opening in 1949, the theatre
has often catered to college students at the University of
North Texas and Texas Woman's University. Once known as
“The Finest [Movie] Theatre in North Texas,” it has now
become home to performance artists. How did this change
occur? Our project will contain images from the theater as
it is now as well as some from when it was first opened.
News articles from the Denton Record Chronicle and a
personal interview with theatre management will also aid
our study. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lybeth Hodges)
22. MUSIC IN THERAPY AND MUSIC AS THERAPY: AN
ANALYSIS OF MUSIC THERAPY PHILOSOPHY AT TWU. M.
Lane. Department of Music and Drama
Relative to many professions, music therapy is fairly new
and the research, theory, and practice are still developing.
During my junior year of music therapy training, I became
aware of two different philosophical views: music in
therapy and music as therapy. As the class discussed the
topic, I wondered how they would describe music therapy
based on their training at TWU. I also wondered about how
the professors’ influence shapes the students’ personal
57
definitions of music therapy. The purpose of this study was
to gain an understanding of the underlying philosophy of
music therapy at Texas Woman’s University (TWU) based
on the students’ education and training. Two main
questions emerged: 1) What is the inherent philosophy on
TWU Music Therapy based on talking to students and
professors? 2) Are there similarities between the
philosophies between the students and professors at TWU?
(Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Zanders)
23. PAINTINGS IN THREAD. R. Shewmaker. Department of
Visual Arts
Paintings in Thread explores rural landscapes within 50
miles of my hometown in Northeast Texas. The research
begins by photographing fields along rural gravel roads.
Watercolor sketches are made to plan the composition of
the painting. Based on the sketches, I dye cotton muslin
cloth for the sky and ground. In order to stabilize and
prevent stretching, the fabric is glued to a stiff backing
material. Grasses and trees are formed through free motion
machine embroidery and through hand stitching. Within
Paintings in Thread, cloth and thread symbolize the comfort
and safety of home. The use of thread and needle forces
the work to progress more slowly than if the landscapes
were rendered in paint. The more deliberate process
echoes the quietness I associate with area near my home.
(Faculty Sponsor: Professor Gary Washmon)
24. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY AND BULLYING INTERVENTION
STRATEGIES. S. Bhakta, C. Bolin, L. Rosen, K. DeOrnellas.
Department of Psychology & Philosophy
The purpose of the project is to evaluate what training, if
any, school psychology students have received with regards
to bullying intervention. This research is important as
school psychologists are often involved in bullying
interventions; however, little is known about the type of
training on bullying offered in school psychology graduate
programs and the depth of student understanding of
bullying related issues. Data for this project will be collected
via survey participation. The survey will include vignettes
depicting bullying scenarios, in which participants would
indicate how they would respond as the school psychologist
involved. In addition, the survey will include questions
about attitudes toward bullying taken from the Student
Social Behavior Questionnaire. We are in the process of
interpreting data, but expect that school psychology
student's knowledge will vary depending on their past
exposure to bullying and the information they have
obtained from their specific programs. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Lisa Rosen)
Supported by the TWU Quality Enhancement Program
Experiential Student Scholar Program.
25. START OF THE BUZZ. Z. Davis, J. Armenta. Department
of History & Government
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
How did the Women Airforce Service Pilots program begin?
As World War II progressed, more male pilots were needed
to fly on the front lines, increasing the American air force’s
demand for other people to fill support positions. To fill this
demand, Nancy Love started the Women’s Auxiliary
Ferrying Squadron and Jacqueline Cochran started the
Women’s Flying Training Detachment. These programs
merged to create the WASP. Sources such a letter from
General Arnold to Congress, newspaper articles from The
Avenger (a WASP newspaper), and secondary sources
collected from the Texas Woman’s University databases will
be used to gain information about the merging process of
the WFTD and the WAFS into the WASP. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Lybeth Hodges)
26. STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF AN
HDAC3-H1.3 COMPLEX AND ITS ROLE IN MITOTIC
PROGRESSION AND MICROTUBULE DYNAMICS. C. Wilks, T.
Doan, H. Patil, M. Bergel. Department of Biology
Microtubules are an important structural component of
human cells. During mitosis their coordinated growth and
collapse is responsible for the successful separation of
chromosomes into new daughter cells. Proper control of
this mitotic event is important for normal development and
growth, as well as for maintaining the genetic stability of
cells from one generation to the next. In addition, a deeper
understanding of the mechanisms that regulate rates of
microtubule formation can open the doors to the discovery
of new anti-cancer drugs. Recently, our lab has found a
novel association between the HDAC3 and H1.3 proteins.
This HDAC3-H1.3 complex was found to be highly abundant
in mitosis, HDAC3 was specifically activated in mitosis by
CK2, and the complex exhibited microtubule localization.
Here we examine the role of the HDAC3-H1.3 complex on
mitotic progression and microtubule dynamics. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Michael Bergel)
Supported by the TWU Research Enhancement Program
and the Quality Enhancement Program.
27. TGF-Β SIGNALING IS REQUIRED FOR A VARIETY OF
IMMUNE CHALLENGES BY THE MODEL ORGANISM C.
ELEGANS. B. Madhu, T. Gumienny, L. Hanson. Department
of Biology
The innate immune response coordinates several molecular
activities, including a cell-cell signaling pathway called TGFβ (Transforming Growth Factor-β), conserved in species
from simple animals to humans. In C. elegans, a TGF-β
signaling pathway is required for an innate immune
response to fight fungal and bacterial infection. While the
response to fungus is mediated by a non- canonical TGF-β
pathway, the specific pathway that responds to bacterial
infection is unknown. To determine this, we have
challenged normal and TGF-β mutant nematodes with Gram
positive and negative bacteria. We have quantitated and
compared nematode survival, avoidance behavior, and
58
intestinal pathogen colonization. We will look for cross-talk
between TGF-β and other pathways upon exposure to
pathogens. This will establish the specific TGF-β pathway
nematodes use upon immune challenges. This work may aid
in sensitizing parasitic nematodes, which are becoming
resistant to current anthelmintics, causing major crop
losses. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tina Gumienny)
Supported by the National Institutes of Health grant
R01GM097591; the TWU TARGET Program, the Department
of Biology, the Experiential Graduate Student Scholar
Program; and the Dorothy Meyer Kincaid Scholarship.
28. THE PRACTICE OF GREEN CHEMISTRY AT TEXAS
WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY. D. Hernandez, D. Cannon, B.
Sparks, T. Tran, N. Mirsaleh-Kohan, R. Sheardy. Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Green chemistry is an area of chemistry that focuses on
reducing waste and conserving our environment. The green
chemistry approach is essential for promoting a healthy
world for healthy lives. Nowadays, green chemistry is
challenging chemists and engineers to design chemicals,
processes, and commercial products that reduce or
eliminate harm from toxins, conserve energy, reduce waste,
and promote more sustainable or renewable feedstocks
and designing for the disposal of products. In this work, we
will discuss the principles of green chemistry and the
literature supporting the green chemistry concepts.
Furthermore, we will show examples of green chemistry
practices in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
at Texas Woman’s University. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Nasrin
Mirsaleh-Kohan)
Supported by the TWU Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry.
29. TRADITIONS AND TIARAS: THE PROGRESSION OF THE
REDBUD PAGEANT AT TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY. C.
Laky, K. Simpson. Department of History & Government
How have college pageants been shaped by evolving social
norms, and how has this progression been a time capsule
for feminism? We want to examine what the purpose for
pageants was in the past and how they have been affected
by changing social attitudes. We are especially interested in
TWU’s Redbud Pageant and discovering its impact on both
the community of Texas Woman’s University and Denton as
a whole. We are using sources such as articles in the Lasso,
Redbud ceremony notes and scripts, and other primary
sources held in the University’s Women’s Collection. These
documents act as a window into the past, exposing the
image of what physical and character traits were possessed
by a successful woman at the time. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr.
Lybeth Hodges)
30. UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF TDP43 C-TERMINAL
FRAGMENTS. Y. Kasu, K. Warren, K. Vela, C. Brower.
Department of Biology
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
Despite the uncertainty regarding the exact molecular
cause of neurodegeneration, a defining feature is the
accumulation and aggregation of neuronal protein
fragments. Previously, we found that the N-end rule
pathway of the ubiquitin-proteasome system is able to
degrade specific protein fragments associated with
different neurodegenerative diseases. This discovery
suggests that defects in the N-end rule pathway may
contribute to neurodegeneration. To test this, we are
examining the ectopic expression of specific aggregationprone fragments of the human TDP43 protein that were
shown to be a major components of intracellular plaques
found in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). TDP43
fragment accumulation is achieved in mice and in Neuro2a
(N2a) cells whereby the N-end rule pathway is attenuated.
Ultimately, these studies will determine if TDP43 fragments
play a causative role in disease, and if the loss of their
removal by the N-end rule pathway causes
neurodegeneration. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Christopher
Brower)
Supported by the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health
under Award Number R15NS095317 and TWU Research
Enhancement Program.
31. UTILIZATION OF ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY TO CONDUCT
DEAF EDUCATION OBSERVATION. K. Muschweck.
Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
The purpose of this research project is to utilize a “Double
Robotics” robot to complete requirements of a Deaf
Education observation course at a local middle school. The
objectives of the research include investigating the ability of
the robot to complete observation (using a two-way camera
system for communication), evaluate the quality of the
technology during the experience, and assess the
qualitative/quantitative information acquired to determine
future deaf education observation abilities. By assessing the
robot’s ability to physically navigate the classroom, interact
with students and educators, as well as deliver content, one
can determine how future usage of similar technology
should be conducted in the educational system. (Faculty
Sponsor: Dr. Chad Smith)
32. VALIDITY IN A SELF-REPORT VISUAL IMAGERY
QUESTIONNAIRE: A PILOT STUDY. J. Enriquez, K. Becker.
Department of Kinesiology
Imagery is the creation of pictures or scenes in the mind
without environmental influence (Lequerica, Rapport,
Axelrod, Telmet, & Whitman, 2002). It is used in a variety of
settings to improve motor skills and functional movement.
In order to fully reap the benefits of imagery, a self- report
imagery questionnaire like the Movement Imagery
Questionnaire-3 (MIQ-3) can be used to assess one’s
imagery ability. A weakness of the aforementioned
59
measurement tool is it is a subjective measure. The purpose
of this pilot study is to provide objective validity in the
visual aspect of the MIQ-3 by testing the correlation
between MIQ-3 internal and external visual subscale scores
and scores from a mental object rotation test (MOR). Data
collection is currently in progress, but after administering
the assessments to twenty-four participants, expected
outcomes include a stronger correlation between the
external perspective subscores and MOR scores in
comparison to the internal perspective. (Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Kevin Becker)
33. VESICULAR PROTEINS ASSOCIATION WITH HDAC8-H1.3
COMPLEX AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN CELL
TRAFFICKING. T. Doan, R. Gonzalez, C. Wilks, M. Bergel.
Department of Biology
Histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) and linker histone subtype
H1.3 are two chromatin binding proteins that were shown
to be associated in a complex by previous research done in
our lab. The HDAC8- H1.3 complex was detected in an
unexpected cellular location—cycling vesicles in the
cytoplasm of MCF7-cells, which prompted further
investigation. Mass spectrometry analysis suggested that
the complex is associated with the vesicular proteins COPA,
Sec23A, Sec23B, Sec22B, and clathrin heavy chain. The
purpose of this project is to corroborate whether these
proteins (specifically COPA, clathrin heavy chain, and Sec23)
interact with HDAC8-H1.3 complex in the endoplasmic
reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus trafficking system. Our
research will help give more details about the HDAC8-H1.3
complex and demonstrate how this complex is involved in
cell trafficking, which is an important component of many
biological processes such as, endocrine secretion and
neurotransmission. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Bergel)
34. WEDDING BANDS AND MORE: THE USES OF THE LITTLE
CHAPEL IN THE WOODS. E. Munro, M. Bee. Department of
History & Government
Since 1939, the university’s Little Chapel in the Woods has
been the location of thousands of weddings. However, it
has also been a part of other events hosted through the
years. So, what else has the Little Chapel been used for?
What was its original purpose? Does that original intention
still show through today? We will answer all of these
questions and more during our project. We will gather
information and quotes about the Little Chapel’s usage over
the years from newspaper articles, a variety of speakers,
and university yearbooks. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lybeth
Hodges)
35. WOMEN IN SPACE. P. Hall, B. Lanham. Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science
Women face all kinds of difficulties in the workforce when
compared to their male counterparts, especially in STEM
fields. Due to this, it has become important for women to
try to combat gender stereotypes and obstacles, so that
they can have the same opportunities in these male
dominated fields. Women whose careers specialize in space
science, especially those who strive to become astronauts,
face many of these difficulties. This project aims to address
questions associated with traveling to space as a woman,
including what kind of education is needed and what
physical requirements must be met in order to become an
astronaut. Additionally, it will examine the important and
astronomical contributions that women have made and
continue to make here on planet Earth when they are not
eligible to travel to space. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn
Navarra-Madsen)
Supported by the TWU Department of Biology.
Abstracts – Session VI: Wednesday, April 19 (6:00 – 7:20 pm)
60
INDEX
A
Abbas ............................................................................................. 31
Abellera ......................................................................................... 41
Abu .......................................................................................... 28, 41
Acevedo ......................................................................................... 12
Acosta ...................................................................................... 39, 45
Adams, A ....................................................................................... 40
Adams, D ....................................................................................... 17
Adeniran ........................................................................................ 36
Aguinaga .................................................................................. 14, 24
Ajayi-Lowo ..................................................................................... 19
Alemu ...................................................................................... 36, 55
Alex ................................................................................................ 29
Alexander ...................................................................................... 27
Ali ................................................................................................. 10
Alkhatatbeh ................................................................................... 17
Alkhazalah ...................................................................................... 13
Allen .............................................................................................. 26
Alshakhoury ............................................................................... 9, 25
Alshammari .................................................................................... 13
Alvarado ........................................................................................ 43
Alvarez ..................................................................................... 31, 42
Amersdorfe.................................................................................... 27
Ammassam Veettil .................................................. 5, 16, 31, 34, 39
Ananth ........................................................................................... 55
Anderson, J ................................................................................ 9, 19
Anderson, Mary A .......................................................................... 16
Anderson, Mary E .................................................................... 12, 67
Ariyibi ............................................................................................ 49
Armenta, J ..................................................................................... 58
Armenta, V .................................................................................... 10
Armijo ............................................................................................ 51
Armstrong................................................................................ 20, 67
Arnett ............................................................................................ 44
Arveson ......................................................................................... 41
Aryal .............................................................................................. 44
Avalos .................................................................... 11, 24, 30, 47, 50
Averitt ............................................................ 1, 5, 38, 44, 50, 55, 67
B
Bachofer ........................................................................................ 51
Baltrun ........................................................................................... 32
Bamford......................................................................................... 21
Barker ...................................................................................... 14, 40
Basnet ............................................................................................ 31
Basu ....................................................................... 3, 5, 6, 31, 33, 38
Bautista ......................................................................................... 44
Beatty ...................................................................................... 21, 67
Becerra .......................................................................................... 34
Beck ............................................................................................... 10
Becker .......................................................................... 43, 59, 60, 67
Bee................................................................................................. 60
Benton ........................................................................................... 50
Bergel .................................................... 5, 31, 32, 48, 51, 58, 60, 67
Besher............................................................................................ 55
Index
Besser .........................................................20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27
Bhakta ..................................................................................... 23, 58
Bhatt .............................................................................................. 37
Bing ............................................................................................... 24
Binns .............................................................................................. 15
Blanton .......................................................................................... 14
Bolin, C .................................................................................... 16, 58
Bolin, L ........................................................................................... 38
Boonme ......................................................................................... 16
Boychuk ......................................................................................... 45
Boyer ............................................................................................. 34
Brann ............................................................................................. 26
Bravo ............................................................................................. 18
Brekken ......................................................................................... 31
Bridges..................................................................................... 37, 67
Briley ......................................................................................... 5, 41
Broughton ............................................................................... 57, 67
Brower.................................................. 13, 14, 17, 25, 26, 36, 59, 67
Brown, D........................................................................................ 35
Brown, H.................................................................................... 5, 16
Brown, M................................................................................. 34, 67
Burditt ........................................................................................... 54
Burroughs ...................................................................................... 25
Byrne ....................................................................................... 41, 46
C
Caldwell ........................................................................................... 1
Cannon .......................................................................................... 59
Cao ................................................................................................ 34
Carbajal, D ..................................................................................... 32
Carbajal, J ....................................................................................... 10
Carpenter ...................................................................................... 47
Carr ................................................................................................ 44
Carraby .......................................................................................... 22
Carranza ........................................................................................ 47
Carreno.................................................................................... 43, 54
Cassell............................................................................................ 45
Castillo ........................................................................................... 23
Castleberry .................................................................................... 30
Castro ............................................................................................ 42
Caughlin......................................................................................... 14
Cavazos .......................................................................................... 10
Cavener ......................................................................................... 18
Chandler ........................................................................................ 35
Chaney..................................................................................... 11, 67
Chaparro........................................................................................ 56
Chatman ........................................................................................ 10
Chavez ........................................................................................... 40
Chennapragada ............................................................................. 43
Cho ................................................................................................ 40
Choi, M .......................................................................................... 14
Choi, Y ............................................................................................. 8
Chote ............................................................................................. 36
Cifuentes ....................................................................................... 29
Clark ........................................................................................ 21, 43
Cobos ............................................................................................. 10
61
Colaluca ......................................................................................... 26
Collazo ........................................................................................... 27
Combest ........................................................................................ 42
Comiskey ..................................................................... 20, 23, 26, 27
Conrad-Webb .............................................................. 12, 37, 44, 67
Contreras ....................................................................................... 23
Correa ...................................................................................... 14, 52
Cortes ........................................................................................ 5, 41
Cruz ................................................................................................ 10
Cunningham ................................................................................... 10
D
Dailey ....................................................................................... 41, 46
Dasgupta ....................................................................................... 34
Davis, A .......................................................................................... 39
Davis, R ........................................................................ 11, 30, 44, 67
Davis, Z .......................................................................................... 58
Dawson .......................................................................................... 36
De La Cruz Aguilar.......................................................................... 14
De La Rosa ..................................................................................... 16
Degarmo ........................................................................................ 10
DeGrande ...................................................................................... 28
Deiling............................................................................................ 40
Della Nebbia ...................................................................... 21, 25, 26
Demuynck ................................................................................ 19, 67
DeOrnellas ..................................................................................... 58
Derbew .......................................................................................... 37
DeSoto ........................................................................................... 11
Dhanani ......................................................................................... 55
Dickinson ................................................................................. 36, 67
Dillman .......................................................................................... 27
DiMarco ........................................................................... 5, 6, 10, 67
Doan .................................................................................. 29, 58, 60
Doilicho.......................................................................................... 26
Dolliver .................................................................................... 48, 51
Dosal ................................................................................................ 8
Doty ............................................................................................... 36
Doucet ........................................................................................... 46
Dove .............................................................................................. 54
Dragoo ................................................................................. 5, 41, 67
Duffy .............................................................................................. 53
Dulberg .......................................................................................... 30
Duncan, A ...................................................................................... 43
Duncan, J ....................................................................................... 13
Dunlap ..................................................................................... 26, 67
Durant ........................................................................................... 26
Dutta.............................................................................................. 34
Dutton...................................................................................... 29, 67
Dybvig ............................................................................................ 31
Dyer, A ........................................................................................... 43
Dyer, B ............................................................................................. 4
E
Eakerns .......................................................................................... 10
Easton ............................................................................................ 45
Edwards, D........................................................................... 1, 37, 67
Edwards, Kahlan ...................................................................... 14, 35
Edwards, Kate ................................................................................ 23
Edwards, T ..................................................................................... 23
Index
Elizondo ......................................................................................... 53
Elliott ....................................................................................... 21, 40
Ellis, J ............................................................................................... 9
Ellis, M ........................................................................................... 34
Engeldinger ................................................................................... 44
Enriquez ........................................................................................ 59
Enters ............................................................................................ 33
Esser .............................................................................................. 41
Estrada .......................................................................................... 25
Everts..................................................................... 38, 49, 53, 56, 67
Eyob............................................................................................... 31
F
Faheem.................................................................................... 39, 40
Faria............................................................................................... 55
Faure ....................................................................................... 21, 56
Fenumiai ........................................................................................ 14
Ferguson ........................................................................................ 17
Feyten ............................................................................................. 2
Fiebert ........................................................................................... 20
Flippin ............................................................................................ 23
Flores ............................................................................................. 51
Flowers .......................................................................................... 27
Fraire ....................................................................................... 14, 41
Frame ............................................................................................ 39
Frempong ...................................................................................... 39
Fuller.............................................................................................. 10
Fulton ............................................................................................ 14
G
Gaidar ............................................................................................ 28
Gallagher ....................................................................................... 14
Garcia ............................................................................................ 26
Gardner ................................................................................... 45, 67
Garrett ........................................................................................... 49
Garza, D ......................................................................................... 39
Garza, E ......................................................................................... 54
Gekombe ........................................................................... 31, 48, 51
George ........................................................................................... 24
Ghosh ................................................................................ 31, 34, 39
Gillum ........................................................................................ 9, 67
Gladys ............................................................................................ 44
Godoy-Dpoty ................................................................................. 26
Goetsch ......................................................................................... 42
Gonzales ........................................................................................ 42
Gonzalez ........................................................................................ 60
Goudy ............................................................................................ 17
Grant, H ..................................................................................... 5, 31
Grant, S................................................... 9, 10, 11, 13, 20, 21, 33, 67
Gray, B ........................................................15, 16, 32, 46, 55, 57, 67
Gray, S ........................................................................................... 48
Green............................................................................................. 37
Greer ....................................................................................... 12, 67
Griffin, C ........................................................................................ 55
Griffin, D ........................................................................................ 16
Griffith ........................................................................................... 14
Grigorieva ........................... 13, 14, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 30, 33, 50, 67
Griner ...................................................................................... 25, 43
Grizer ............................................................................................. 48
62
Guardado ....................................................................................... 49
Gumienny .................................................. 21, 22, 53, 56, 58, 59, 67
Gunn .............................................................................................. 57
H
Hadsell ..................................................................................... 42, 67
Hafsa.............................................................................................. 39
Hagler ............................................................................................ 27
Hailegiorgis .............................................................................. 14, 51
Hajira ............................................................................................. 39
Hall ...................................................................................... 5, 41, 60
Hamm ............................................................................................ 26
Hammett ................................................................................. 48, 67
Hamner ............................................................................................ 1
Han, A ...................................................................................... 35, 67
Han, K ............................................................................................ 45
Hancock ......................................................................................... 44
Hansen-Thomas ........................................................................... 4, 6
Hanson, C ...................................................................................... 26
Hanson, L ...................... 10, 12, 13, 15, 29, 32, 38, 42, 48, 55, 58, 67
Harrer ............................................................................................ 33
Hart.......................................................................................... 12, 67
Harwart ......................................................................................... 45
Hasan ............................................................................................. 50
Hayter ............................................................................................ 26
Henderson ............................................................................... 16, 56
Henry ............................................................................................. 13
Herd ......................................................................................... 48, 53
Hernandez, D ................................................................................. 59
Hernandez, R ................................................................................. 48
Hill ................................................................................................. 44
Hitchcock ....................................................................................... 25
Hoang ............................................................................................ 51
Hochstein ...................................................................................... 14
Hodges...................................... 15, 35, 40, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 67
Hoffman......................................................................................... 57
Hoffmann ...................................................................................... 18
Hogg .............................................................................................. 12
Hollinger ........................................................................................ 30
Hopkins .......................................................................................... 44
Hornung......................................................................................... 50
Howard .................................................................................... 15, 67
Hubble ........................................................................................... 25
Huff................................................................................................ 30
Hung ........................................................................................ 47, 50
Hutchinson .................................................................................... 35
Hyatt .............................................................................................. 20
Hynds ..................................................... 5, 10, 16, 31, 32, 34, 39, 67
I
Ibrahim .......................................................................................... 22
Ilomuanya ...................................................................................... 15
Imoj ............................................................................................... 40
Imrhan ............................................................... 5, 16, 22, 23, 38, 67
Ingram ...................................... 35, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 48, 54, 67
Isidro .............................................................................................. 21
Index
J
Jackson, J ....................................................................................... 45
Jackson, L....................................................................................... 41
Janson ........................................................................................... 25
Johannesen ................................................................................... 52
John ............................................................................................... 42
Johnson, A ................................................................... 43, 52, 55, 67
Johnson, E ..................................................................................... 17
Johnson, M ...................................................................................... 8
Johnson, R ......................................................................... 11, 39, 40
Jones, J .................................................................................... 12, 20
Jones, R ......................................................................................... 50
Jones, W ........................................................................................ 19
Joseph ..................................................................................... 48, 55
Joshi............................................................................................... 12
Joy ............................................................................................... 3, 6
Juarez ............................................................................................ 26
Juma .............................................................................. 5, 16, 38, 67
K
Kadjar ............................................................................................ 26
Kantaphone ............................................................................. 47, 50
Kanwar .......................................................................................... 46
Kasu ............................................................................................... 59
Keating .............................................................................. 18, 19, 67
Kelly ............................................................................................... 27
Khan ........................................................................................ 41, 49
Kim, Jaewoong .............................................................................. 45
Kim, Jemin ................................................................................. 5, 45
Kirk ................................................................................................ 20
Kirkland ......................................................................................... 35
Knurr ............................................................................................... 1
Koberna ................................................................................... 34, 67
Kocis .............................................................................................. 29
Koehl ............................................................................................. 33
Kolek .............................................................................................. 13
Korir......................................................................................... 48, 55
Kuriakose ....................................................................................... 26
Kwon ................................................................. 5, 24, 45, 47, 50, 67
L
Lakdawala...................................................................................... 56
Laky ............................................................................................... 59
Lamas ............................................................................................ 19
LaMieux ......................................................................................... 57
Lander ..................................................................................... 47, 50
Lane ............................................................................................... 57
Lanham .......................................................................................... 60
Larson ............................................................................................ 20
Lawrence ......................................................................................... 4
Lee, J .............................................................................................. 56
Lee, K ............................................................................................. 34
Lee, S ............................................................................................. 45
Leisy............................................................................................... 45
Levitt ............................................................... 11, 32, 54, 56, 57, 67
Lewis.............................................................................................. 39
Lindsay, Theresa ................................................................ 17, 34, 67
Lindsay, Tracy .................................................................................. 1
63
Liu, C .............................................................................................. 41
Liu, F ............................................................................ 28, 36, 37, 67
Lively.............................................................................................. 20
Lopez ............................................................................................. 44
Lopez-Neyman............................................................................... 38
Lucero ............................................................................................ 38
Lukose ........................................................................................... 42
Lulla ......................................................................................... 44, 55
Luna-Pittser ................................................................................... 22
M
MacDonnell ................................................................................... 31
Machuca ........................................................................ 5, 14, 31, 67
Madhu ........................................................................................... 58
Maier ............................................................. 5, 6, 22, 31, 33, 38, 67
Maiya ............................................................................................. 52
Malina ......................................................................................... 3, 4
Mallam .................................................................................... 14, 67
Maloku .......................................................................................... 52
Mancilla ............................................................................. 41, 45, 52
Mann ....................................................................................... 46, 67
Mapua ........................................................................................... 45
Marpu ................................................................................ 42, 48, 55
Martin .............................................................................................. 1
Martinez, B ........................................................................ 11, 24, 30
Martinez, K .............................................................................. 11, 30
Matewe ......................................................................................... 22
Mathew, A ..................................................................................... 47
Mathew, J ...................................................................................... 40
Mathis ........................................................................................... 15
Maxon, Jennifer ............................................................................. 21
Maxon, Joshua ............................................................................... 50
Mayrath ......................................................................................... 54
Mazziotti........................................................................................ 30
McAllister .................................................................... 16, 31, 34, 39
McCain........................................................................................... 14
McClendon .................................................................................... 11
McClory ................................................................................... 39, 45
McCullick ....................................................................................... 14
McDonald ...................................................................................... 44
McFarland...................................................................................... 27
McGhee ......................................................................................... 48
McKim ........................................................................................... 51
McKoy............................................................................................ 50
McMahan ........................................................................................ 1
McNamara ..................................................................................... 17
Meacham....................................................................................... 38
Medina, J ....................................................................................... 45
Medina, M ..................................................................................... 33
Mehta ........................................................................................ 5, 10
Meilleur ......................................................................................... 41
Meinzer ......................................................................................... 36
Mejia Alatorre ............................................................................... 33
Mena ............................................................................................. 20
Menendez-Bobseine...................................................................... 11
Merenda .................................................................................. 36, 67
Messier .......................................................................................... 29
Metende Mballa ............................................................................ 25
Miller, L ............................................................................................ 8
Miller, N ......................................................................................... 29
Index
Mills ......................................................................................... 34, 67
Milow ........................................................................................ 2, 19
Minchey......................................................................................... 12
Mirsaleh Kohan, L .................................................................... 23, 33
Mirsaleh-Kohan, N............................................. 5, 41, 48, 49, 59, 67
Mody ............................................................................................. 10
Moor.............................................................................................. 35
Moore...................................................................................... 52, 67
Moradi ........................................................................................... 51
Morales ......................................................................................... 13
Moreno ......................................................................................... 40
Morris ............................................................................................ 49
Morrow ......................................................................................... 45
Moss .............................................................................................. 15
Mowdy .......................................................................................... 15
Munro ........................................................................................... 60
Munson ......................................................................................... 41
Murdock ............................................................................ 30, 31, 67
Murphy ............................................................................................ 8
Muschweck ................................................................................... 59
Myers ................................................................................ 19, 20, 67
N
Navarra-Madsen....................................9, 16, 19, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29,
35, 46, 50, 51, 52, 53, 60, 67
Neely ............................................................................................. 15
Nesterov .................................................................................. 11, 39
Nettles ..................................................................................... 35, 67
Newsome-Garrard ......................................................................... 21
Nguyen, L....................................................................................... 24
Nguyen, N ...................................................................................... 23
Nguyen, Tra ............................................................................. 14, 24
Nguyen, Trang ............................................................................... 41
Nichols ..................................................................................... 17, 67
Nielsen........................................................................................... 53
Noel, Caroline ................................................................................ 35
Noel, Courtney ........................................................................ 35, 40
Nop ................................................................................................ 43
Novoa Portugal........................................................................ 14, 23
Nunez ............................................................................................ 50
Nunn ........................................................................................ 30, 67
O
Ocasey ........................................................................................... 10
O'Dell ............................................................................................. 25
Okoroji Ohabor.............................................................................. 51
Oloya ............................................................................................. 51
Olson ....................................................................................... 43, 48
Oluade ........................................................................................... 18
Omary .................................................................................42, 48, 55
Oquin ..................................................................... 23, 24, 40, 49, 67
Orozco ........................................................................................... 26
Ortiz ............................................................................................... 47
Osuofa ............................................................................................. 9
Owens ........................................................................................... 13
P
Padgham ....................................................................................... 27
Padilla ............................................................................................ 22
64
Panth ......................................................................................... 5, 10
Park ............................................................................................... 48
Parkin ............................................................................................ 35
Parsons .................................................................................... 45, 67
Patel .............................................................................................. 54
Pathak............................................................................................ 12
Patil................................................................................................ 58
Patterson ......................................................................................... 1
Perry .............................................................................................. 53
Petterborg ..................................................................................... 10
Pham ............................................................................................. 16
Pike ................................................................................................ 40
Plummer ........................................................................................ 29
Pointer ........................................................................................... 26
Pokornowski .................................................................................. 14
Prasad ...................................................................................... 16, 38
Puche ............................................................................................. 55
Puempel ........................................................................................ 35
Puente ........................................................................................... 22
Q
Quach ............................................................................................ 51
R
Ramirez, B...................................................................................... 35
Ramirez, C...................................................................................... 56
Rao ................................................................................................ 57
Rasheed ......................................................................................... 49
Raut ............................................................................................... 32
Ravindranathan ............................................................................. 21
Rawashdeh-Omary ................... .................11, 13, 39, 40, 41, 57, 67
Ray ..................................................................................... 27, 29, 67
Raye ............................................................................................... 26
Razaqyar ........................................................................................ 41
Reddy............................................................................................. 32
Reeves ............................................................................... 15, 51, 67
Restrepo .......................................................................................... 1
Reyes ............................................................................................. 57
Rich ................................................................................................ 51
Richardson ..................................................................................... 35
Ricks......................................................................................... 42, 67
Rigby ...................................................................... 11, 17, 30, 54, 67
Robertson ...................................................................................... 25
Robinson........................................................................................ 20
Robles ............................................................................................ 30
Rodriguez, C................................................................................... 42
Rodriguez, E ................................................................................... 33
Rodriguez, J ................................................................................... 21
Rogers, D ....................................................................................... 45
Rogers, M ...................................................................................... 47
Rook-Phenis ........................................................... 22, 23, 25, 26, 27
Rosas ............................................................................................. 24
Rosen ..................................................................... 16, 33, 56, 58, 67
Roy................................................................................................. 31
Rubin ............................................................................................. 33
Ruiz ................................................................................................ 29
Index
S
Salvatierra ..................................................................................... 13
Samudra ........................................................................................ 48
Sandoval ........................................................................................ 12
Sandra ........................................................................................... 40
Santaneel....................................................................................... 16
Scoggins ......................................................................................... 11
Scott Tilley ....................................................................................... 1
Scott, Shannon ........................... 1, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 67
Scott, Shaquisha ...................................................................... 39, 40
Sears .............................................................................................. 25
Sebai .............................................................................................. 48
Sebastian ................................................................. 5, 16, 31, 34, 39
Sheardy ......................................................14, 41, 48, 49, 51, 59, 67
Shelton .......................................................................................... 41
Shewmaker.................................................................................... 58
Shipman ......................................................................................... 10
Sikorski .......................................................................................... 25
Silliman-French .................................................................. 14, 17, 67
Simpson, K ..................................................................................... 59
Simpson, S ..................................................................................... 30
Sinclair ........................................................................................... 22
Skinner .......................................................................................... 19
Skousen ........................................................................................... 9
Smith, Armoni ............................................................................... 35
Smith, Cara .................................................................................... 29
Smith, Chad ............................................................................. 59, 67
Smith, E ......................................................................................... 44
Smith, K ......................................................................................... 37
Songer............................................................................................ 10
Soto ............................................................................................... 34
South ............................................................................................. 38
Sowers ........................................................................................... 27
Sparks ............................................................................................ 59
Spencer, B ............................................................................... 47, 67
Spencer, P...................................................................................... 18
Spoonts ................................................................................... 33, 67
Stallmann ...................................................................................... 21
Stedke ..................................................................................... 30, 67
Steffey ............................................................................... 15, 40, 48
Stephens........................................................................................ 40
Stinson........................................................................................... 56
Stoffel ............................................................................................ 34
Stolzer ........................................................................................... 14
Stoner-Davis ............................................................................ 55, 67
Stover ............................................................................................ 50
Straughn ........................................................................................ 37
Stutzman ................................................................................. 43, 48
Suh ................................................................................................ 45
Sul ................................................................................................. 27
Sun ................................................................................................ 54
Sutorius ......................................................................................... 49
Swoish ........................................................................................... 35
T
Talapatra ....................................................................................... 34
Tate ............................................................................................... 40
Tayyar ............................................................................................ 32
Teague, A................................................................................. 35, 67
65
Teague, H....................................................................................... 53
Thallapareddy .......................................................................... 33, 54
Thomas ...................................................................................... 5, 38
Thompson, E .................................................................................. 26
Thompson, J .................................................................................. 40
Thomson........................................................................................ 19
Tiernan .................................................................................... 21, 67
Tietze ....................................................................................... 12, 67
Tittle .............................................................................................. 48
Tongkhuya ..................................................................... 5, 38, 44, 50
Tran ............................................................................................... 59
Trinh .............................................................................................. 27
Turner ............................................................................................ 42
U
Uke ............................................................................................ 5, 48
Uphouse .................................................................................... 1, 50
V
Valencia ......................................................................................... 21
Vargas Trujillo .................................................................... 11, 39, 40
Varghese ........................................................................................ 23
Vega............................................................................................... 44
Vela.......................................................................................... 25, 59
Verdin ............................................................................................ 25
Vijayagopal .............................................................................. 16, 38
Villano............................................................................................ 27
Villarreal ........................................................................................ 23
Vo ................................................................................................. 11
Walker-Batson ......................................................................... 41, 67
Wappes ......................................................................................... 48
Warren, C ............................................. 12, 27, 28, 38, 39, 42, 43, 67
Warren, K ...................................................................................... 59
Washington ................................................................................... 23
Washmon .......................................................... 1, 11, 50, 51, 58, 67
Wayman ........................................................................................ 57
Weatherford...................................................................... 25, 43, 67
Weaver .......................................................................................... 25
Webb ............................................................................................. 54
Weed ............................................................................................. 39
Werema................................................................................... 29, 67
Westmoreland............................................................. 40, 47, 50, 67
Wheeler ......................................................................... 1, 31, 44, 67
White, A ........................................................................................ 25
White, K ......................................................................................... 44
Whitney ......................................................................................... 43
Wilk ............................................................................................... 39
Wilks .................................................................................... 5, 58, 60
Williams ......................................................................................... 13
Williamson..................................................................................... 44
Wilson, C ................................................................................. 16, 67
Wilson, J .......................................................5, 17, 42, 43, 48, 49, 67
Wilson, M ...................................................................................... 23
Witherspoon ................................................................................. 41
Woods ..................................................................................... 41, 60
Y
Yang ............................................................................. 20, 27, 53, 67
Youngs ..................................................................................... 47, 67
W
Z
Wainscott ................................................................................ 13, 67
Walker, B ....................................................................................... 22
Walker, C ....................................................................................... 33
Walker, S ....................................................................................... 14
Zanders .................................................................................... 58, 67
Zhang ....................................................................................... 47, 67
Zuniga ............................................................................................ 23
Index
66
LIST OF FACULTY SPONSORS
Dr. Mary Anderson (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Dr. Joyce Armstrong (Family Sciences)
Dr. Dayna Averitt (Biology)
Dr. John Beatty (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Dr. Kevin Becker (Kinesiology)
Dr. Michael Bergel (Biology)
Dr. Phyllis Bridges (English, Speech, & Foreign Languages)
Dr. Shane Broughton (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Dr. Christopher Brower (Biology)
Dr. Melissa Brown (Family Sciences)
Dr. Susan Chaney (Nursing – Dallas)
Dr. Heather Conrad-Webb (Biology)
Dr. Ronald Davis (Kinesiology)
Dr. Marie-Anne Demuynck (Mathematics & Computer
Science)
Professor Charlene Dickinson (Dental Hygiene)
Dr. Nancy DiMarco (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Dr. Sheri Dragoo (Fashion & Textiles)
Dr. Karen Dunlap (Teacher Education)
Dr. Catherine Dutton (Family Sciences)
Dr. Don Edwards (Mathematics & Computer Science)
Dr. Helen Everts (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Dr. David Gardner (Mathematics & Computer Science)
Dr. Nerissa Gillum (Family Sciences)
Professor Susan kae Grant (Visual Arts)
Dr. Barbara Gray (Nursing – Dallas)
Dr. Russell Greer (English, Speech, & Foreign Languages)
Dr. Ellina Grigorieva (Mathematics & Computer Science)
Dr. Tina Gumienny (Biology)
Dr. Nancy Hadsell (Music)
Dr. Amy Jo Hammett (Biology)
Dr. Areum Han (Occupational Therapy)
Dr. Laura Hanson (Biology)
Dr. Christian Hart (Psychology & Philosophy)
Dr. Lybeth Hodges (History & Government)
Professor Donna Howard (Nursing – Dallas)
Dr. DiAnna Hynds (Biology)
Dr. Victorine Imrhan (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Professor Paul Ingram (Mathematics & Computer Science)
Dr. Ann Johnson (Nursing – Dallas)
Dr. Shanil Juma (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Dr. AnaLouise Keating (Multicultural Women's and Gender
Studies)
Dr. Leslie Koberna (Dental Hygiene)
Dr. Young-Hoo Kwon) (Kinesiology)
Dr. June Levitt (Communication Sciences & Disorders)
Ms. Theresa Lindsay (Pioneer Center for Student Excellence)
Dr. Fuqin Liu (Nursing – Denton)
Dr. Alicia Machuca (Mathematics & Computer Science)
Dr. Camelia Maier (Biology)
List of Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Winifred Mallam (Mathematics & Computer Science)
Dr. Mark Mann (Kinesiology)
Ms. Kimberly Merenda (Multicultural Women's and Gender
Studies)
Dr. Nathaniel Mills (Biology)
Dr. Nasrin Mirsaleh-Kohan (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Dr. Carolyn Moore (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Dr. Sandra Murdock (Management)
Dr. Diane Myers (Teacher Education)
Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen (Mathematics & Computer
Science)
Professor Risa Nettles (Dental Hygiene)
Dr. David Nichols (Kinesiology)
Professor Patricia Nunn (Dental Hygiene)
Dr. Charli Oquin (Nursing - Dallas)
Professor Colby Parsons (Visual Arts)
Dr. Manal Rawashdeh-Omary (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Ms. Allison Ray (Sociology & Social Work)
Ms. Michelle Reeves (Office of Civility and Community
Standards)
Dr. Nila Ricks (Sociology & Social Work)
Dr. Brandon Rigby (Kinesiology)
Dr. Lisa Rosen (Psychology & Philosophy)
Dr. Shannon Scott (Psychology & Philosophy)
Dr. Richard Sheardy (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Dr. Lisa Silliman-French (Kinesiology)
Dr. Chad Smith (Communication Sciences & Disorders)
Dr. Becky Spencer (Nursing - Denton)
Professor Lizabeth Spoonts (Dental Hygiene)
Professor Schelli Stedke (Dental Hygiene)
Professor Keri Stoner-Davis (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Professor Amy Teague (Dental Hygiene)
Dr. Cassandra Tiernan (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Dr. Mari Tietze (Nursing - Dallas)
Dr. Sarah Wainscott (Communication Sciences & Disorders)
Dr. Delaina Walker-Batson (Communication Sciences &
Disorders)
Dr. Cynthia Warren (Nutrition & Food Sciences)
Professor Gary Washmon (Visual Arts)
Dr. Gwendolyn Weatherford (Kinesiology)
Dr. Gilbert Werema (Management)
Dr. Sandra Westmoreland (Biology)
Dr. Ann Wheeler (Mathematics & Computer Science)
Dr. Cecilia Wilson (Nursing - Dallas)
Professor Jennifer Wilson (Nursing - Dallas)
Dr. Philip Yang (Sociology & Social Work)
Professor Jennifer Youngs (Music)
Dr. Michael Zanders (Music)
Dr. Jian Zhang (Mathematics & Computer Science)
67
LIST OF TWU COMPONENTS WITH STUDENTS PRESENTING
Biology
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Communication Sciences & Disorders
Dance
Dental Hygiene
English, Speech, & Foreign Languages
Family Sciences
Fashion & Textiles
History & Government
Kinesiology
Management
Mathematics & Computer Science
Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies
Music
Nursing - Dallas
Nursing - Denton
Nutrition & Food Sciences
Occupational Therapy
Office of Civility and Community Standards
Physical Therapy - Dallas
Pioneer Center for Student Excellence
Psychology & Philosophy
Sociology & Social Work
Teacher Education
Visual Arts
OTHER PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS
Alfaisal University, Saudi Arabia
Saint Mary's College of California
Southeast Missouri State University
University of North Texas
University of Texas at Arlington
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Valencia College
List of Participating Components and Other Institutions
68
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
ACT 2nd Floor Lobby
Information / Registration Tables
9:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
ACT 2
ACT 301, 501, and 601
Poster Presentations: Session I
Platform Presentations: Session I
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
ACT 301
“Celebration of Research” – Chancellor’s Student
Research Scholars
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Hubbard Hall
Chancellor's Luncheon to Honor Student Research
Scholars (invitation only)
1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
ACT 301
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Roger Malina
2:40 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
ACT 2
ACT 301, 501, and 601
ACT 225
Poster Presentations: Session II
Platform Presentations: Session II
Virtual Session
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
ACT 2nd Floor Lobby
Information / Registration Tables
6:00 p.m. – 7:20 p.m.
ACT 2
ACT 501
ACT 225
Poster Presentations: Session III
Platform Presentations: Session III
Virtual Session
Evening Events:
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
ACT 2nd Floor Lobby
Information / Registration Tables
9:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
ACT 2
ACT 301
ACT 225
Poster Presentations: Session IV
Platform Presentations: Session IV
Virtual Session
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Patio Building
Visual Arts Graduate Students' Open Studios (a light lunch
provided)
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
ACT 301
Showcase of Student Research
2:40 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
ACT 2
ACT 501
Poster Presentations: Session V
Platform Presentations: Session V
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
ACT 301
A Panel Discussion: Why Should I Attend Graduate
School? and What Do I Do When I Get Out of
Graduate School?
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
ACT 2nd Floor Lobby
Information / Registration Tables
6:00 p.m. – 7:20 p.m.
ACT 2
ACT 501
Poster Presentations: Session VI
Platform Presentations: Session VI
Evening Events:
* Refreshments are provided in the ACT 2nd floor lobby during all presentation sessions.