THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
DREXEL UNIVERSITY’S 14TH ANNUAL RESEARCH DAY
11:00 AM - 2:30 PM
DASKALAKIS ATHLETIC CENTER
www.drexel.edu/researchday
Sponsored by the Office of Research
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
Schedule
3
Judges
4
Categories
5
138
172
220
241
285
310
394
425
Bio & Biomedical
Business Research
Translational & Clinical
Computation & Bio Modeling
Computation & Modeling (Non-Bio)
Creative Arts & Design
Humanities & Social Sciences
Education & Outreach
Physical Science & Engineering
SCHEDULE
9:00 AM
Doors Open for Hanging Posters and Other Exhibits
11:00 AM
to 2:30 PM
Poster Presentations and Other Exhibits
Presenters are required to be at their location from:
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM or
12:00 - 1:30 PM or
1:00 - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM
Closing Reception
Registration Area
performances
12:00 to
12:10 PM
“Love & Willpower - A Study of the Psychological Affects on Women
in Unhealthy Sexual Relationships” Grace Gamble [CA04]
12:10 to
12:20 PM
Translating Art to Music: A New “Pictures at an Exhibition”
Steve Davit [CA01]
12:20 to
12:30 PM
The Sounds of Science: Using Twelve Tone Serialism to
Hear the Invisible Andrew Zwarych [CA19]
12:30 to
12:40 PM
Ancient: A Creative Improvisation Structure Inspired by Dinosaurs
Dawn Mazolla [CA14]
12:40 to
12:50 PM
3 1/2 (Working Title)
Kristia Morabito [CA10]
12:50 to
1:00 PM
2
“Stereo of the Mind” A View of the Relationship between Sound
and Individuals through Movement Catherine Natter [CA05]
JUDGES
Mohammed Abedin
Eileen Abels
Mian Ahmad
Marco Airaudo
Guillermo Alexander
Larry Alexander
Ulrike Altenmueller-Lewis
Yuan An
Murugan Anandarajan
Alexey Aprelev
Theo Artz
Amy Auchincloss
Benjamin Barnett
Radian Belu
Hande Benson
Joan Bloch
Paul Block
Shyamalendu Bose
Almut Branner
Jean Brody
Ari Brooks
Rebecca Castellanos
Lisa Chiarello
Richard Chiou
Jack Cliggett
Alisa Clyne
David Cohen
Rosalie Coppola
Fran Cornelius
Joseph Costic
Luis Cruz
Brian Daly
Kapil Dandekar
Diane DePew
Neil Desnoyers
Paul Diefenbach
Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili
John Domzalski
James Donnelly
Anda Dubinskis
Michael Duley
David Ebaugh
Gena Ellis
Lawrence Epstein
Bernard Eskin
Daniel Filler
Troy Finamore
Len Finegold
Linda Forristal
Andrea Forte
3
Sandy Frieldlander
Wen-Jun Gao
Mathieu Gendreau
Vladimir Genis
Ellen Giarelli
Amy Giddings
Miriam Giguere
Deborah Gordon
Ed Gracely
Allen Grant
Allessandro Graziano
Irene Grias
Peter Grillo
Patrick Gurian
Travis Harman
Betty Hartzell
Julie Hawkins
Gail Hearn
Kirk Heilbrun
Tim Himes
Tobie Hoffman
Irina Ciobanescu Husanu
Joshua Jacobs
Jeffrey Jacobson
Srinivasarao Jampani
Frank Ji
Ying Jin
Suresh Joshi
Monika Jost
Donna Kaiser
Sofia Kalantzi
Vibha Kalra
Goran Karapetrov
Santosh Katiyar
Weimao Ke
Dana Kemery
Michelle Kensey
Marlin Killen
Youngmoo Kim
Ann Klassen
Lars Knutsen
Antonios Kontsos
Sandhya Kortagere
Karin Kuenstler
Michele Kutzler
Jeehyun Lee
Hwan Yong Lee
Beth Leonberg
Frank Lexa
Hualou Liang
Merrill Liechty
Frank Linnehan
Longjian Liu
Frederick Loomis
Anna Caterina Madden
Asher Madjar
Daniel Marenda
Kathi Martin
Steven May
Bob McGrath
Susan McLeer
Yvonne Micheal
Michel Miller
Jonson Miller
Andrea Modica
Yvonne Mueller
Glen Muschio
V.K. Narayanan
Zhorro Nikolov
Danuta Nitecki
Dennis Novack
Karen Nulton
Ana Nunez
Sean O’Donnell
Maggie O’Neil
Maria Pia Olivero
Santiago Ontanon
Margo Orlin
Kevin Owens
Robert Palisano
Karen Pelzer
Juanita Phillips
Sheila Pirooznia
Joyce Pittman
Ashley Podhradsky
Juan Poggio
Olive Prince
Lydia Pyne
Jennifer Quinlan
Lise Raven
Judith Reishtein
Adam Rickert
Noreen Robertson
Jennifer Rode
Anna Caterina RodriguezMerzagora
Michelle Rogers
Gail Rosen
Warren Rosen
Susan Rutkowski
Nianli Sang
Aleksandra Sarcevic
Aleister Saunders
Caroline Schauer
Ludo Scheffer
Irv Schlanger
Eric Schmutz
John Seay
Jonathan Seitz
Trish Shewokis
Adrian Shieh
Sheri Silfies
Justin Smith
Paulina Sockolow
Ann Solan
Sally Solomon
Elias Spiliotis
Jeffrey Stanley
Kathryn Steen
Judith Storniolo
Charles Stream
Kenneth Swartz
Cyrille Taillandier
Tein-Min Tan
Albert Tedesco
Jervis Thompson
Eva Thury
James Tom
Mark Trombetta
Brigita Urbanc
Carmen Vicente
Michael Vogeley
Stella Volpe
Roberta Waite
Loretta Walker
Olivia Ward
Scott Warnock
Barry Waterhouse
Michael White
Charles Williams
Jun Xi
Feng Yan
Dennis Yang
Jian-Min Yuan
Vincent Zarro
Jichen Zhu
Emily Zimmerman
BIO & BIOMEDICAL
BUSINESS RESEARCH
TRANSLATIONAL & CLINICAL
COMPUTATION & BIO MODELING
COMPUTATION & MODELING (NON-BIO)
CREATIVE ARTS & DESIGN
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
PHYSICAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
BIO & BIOMEDICAL
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Analysis of neural stem cells derived from human embryonic stem cells:
Differentiation protocols and transplants in a model of spinal cord injury
BB01
Sonia Shah
Co-Author(s): Joseph Bonner, Maryla Obrocka, Itzhak Fischer
Advisor(s): Itzhak Fischer
College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe condition that affects many young adults due to car accidents, falls, or
violence. The complex sequence of primary and secondary injury leads to death of neural cells and loss
of neuronal connectivity. Treatments are ineffective, but ongoing research on cell replacement therapy
has demonstrated that transplantation of neural stem cells (NSC), which can be differentiated into
lineage-restricted progenitors, is an attractive therapeutic strategy for SCI. Transplants, of neuronal- and
glial-restricted progenitors (NRP/GRP), derived from rodent fetal tissue, differentiate into neurons and
glial cells after transplantation into rats with SCI; however, it remains important to determine whether
similar cell replacement therapy can be effective with human cells for clinical trials. Human cells can be
derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or fetal tissue. Despite the need for predifferentiation
protocols to derive NSC from hESC, these cells offer a practical advantage over fetal tissue. For example,
hESC are more widely accessible, have decreased cellular heterogeneity, and are easier to store. The
purpose of this study is 1)to determine whether multipotent NSC derived from hESC can be directed
towards restricted progenitors, NRP/GRP, 2)to examine the phenotypic composition of NRP/GRP in vitro,
and 3)to evaluate the survival, differentiation, and migration after transplantation into the injured
spinal cord. Using GFP-labeled NSC obtained from the H9 (WA09) hESC line (Life Technologies), our
studies show that the predifferentiation protocols used to derive NRP/GRP from hESC-derived NSC
generate a heterogeneous population of cells while maintaining GFP expression throughout multiple
passages.
6
A Critical Review of Coffee Consumption and Gallstone Disease
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BB02
Arush Singh
Co-Author(s): Dr. C.S. Pitchumoni
Advisor(s): Dr. C.S. Pitchumoni
College of Medicine
Coffee drinking is almost universal. Caffeine, a major component of coffee and to some extent tea,
is known to have a transient stimulatory effect. While unpleasant side effects such as nervousness,
palpitations, sleeplessness, and cardiac arrhythmias are better known, coffee is also gaining a
reputation as a functional food. In particular coffee consumption is noted to reduce gallstone disease.
In this paper the authors review the data on coffee consumption and the prevalence of gallstone
disease.
Teaching Points:
- Coffee is widely consumed for its property to improve quality of life, physical and metal performance.
- Caffeine, the major component of coffee, is also naturally present in tea as well as chocolate.
- Excessive use of coffee as well as withdrawal from the habit of coffee drinking is known to promote
nervousness, irritability, anxiety, and cardiac arrhythmias.
- The less known information is that coffee has many beneficial roles making it a function food.
- A major benefit that is debated in the literature is the role of coffee drinking in preventing gallstone
disease.
- Epidemiological studies meant to identify an association have come out with controversial results.
7
BB03
Noga Neeman
Co-Author(s): Michael P. O’Connor, James R. Spotila
Advisor(s): Dr. Michael P. O’Connor
College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences
Since modern species of sea turtles arose 180-150 million years ago, it is clear that they have survived
past shifts in climate, presumably by altering migratory routes, redistributing breeding and foraging
sites, and adjusting physiological parameters. However, current rates of increase in atmospheric
greenhouse gases and associated temperature changes are very rapid and it remains unclear whether
or not sea turtles, compromised by their long generation times, will be able to adapt to new conditions.
If they do so, it may be through modification of their nesting; either by moving to new beaches or by
shifting their nesting season. The aim of this study is to determine whether the leatherback population
nesting at Tortuguero (Costa Rica) is shifting its nesting season in response to changing sea surface
temperatures. Correlations were made between sea surface temperatures both at nesting and foraging
sites (Eastern and Western North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico) and Julian date percentiles (10th,
25th and 50th) of nesting. The temperature at the nesting site did not have an effect on nesting
dates. However, higher January temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico (when migrations would start) and
lower annual minimum temperatures in the Western North Atlantic both led to earlier nesting. It is
thought that these contradictory effects of temperature reflect underlying responses of productivity
to temperature, with warmer years leading to increased productivity in Gulf of Mexico and colder
years doing so in the Western North Atlantic. More productive years would mean that leatherbacks
can accumulate enough energy stores to start their nesting migrations earlier in the year. Future work
includes looking at primary productivity data in both areas to confirm temperature effects, as well as
studying the future effects of the changing nesting season on hatching success.
8
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Do leatherback turtles shift their nesting seasons as a response to changes
in sea surface temperature?
BB04
Jessica Sarthi
Advisor(s): Felice Elefant
College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences
Age-associated cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer¹s disease (AD) are
associated with misregulation of synaptic plasticity linked genes; however the mechanisms underlying
decline of such gene control during aging are unknown. Aberrant changes to histone acetylation
patterns in the aging brain epigenome are linked to memory loss. It is therefore critical to identify
and study the histone acetyltransferases (HAT) that create such marks. One promising candidate
is Tip60, a HAT implicated in AD and shown by our laboratory to be critical in regulating neuronal
processes linked to cognition (Genetics, 2007; PLoS ONE, 2010; PLoS ONE, 2011). Here we explore the
consequences of misregulating Tip60 HAT activity in the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ). We
show that the HAT dTip60 is concentrated both pre and post-synaptically within the NMJ. Presynaptic
targeted reduction of dTip60 HAT activity significantly increases type Is synaptic bouton number while
postsynaptic reduction results in significant loss of these boutons. The excess boutons show defects
in neurotransmission function and rearrangement of microtubule loop architecture that is required
for bouton division. Moreover, postsynaptic reduction of Tip60 HAT activity leads to misregulated
organization of the postsynaptic marker disc large (DLG). Our results are the first to demonstrate a
causative role for the HAT dTip60 in synaptic plasticity that is achieved by Tip60 mediated regulation
of target genes such as Futsch that affect MT organization, GluRIIC and GluRIIB that affect synaptic
transmission thus affecting bouton growth and function. These findings have implications for dTip60
HAT dependant epigenetic mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity and cognitive function.
9
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Tip60 HAT activity regulates synaptic plasticity: Implications for epigenetics
in learning and memory
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Metabolic Sensor O-GlcNAc Transferase is a Novel Regulator of Prostate
Cancer Invasion and Angiogenesis via Regulation of FoxM1
BB05
Thomas Lynch
Co-Author(s): S. RaElle Jackson, Kristina Shahriari, Christina Ferrer, Michael Lazarus, Suzanne
Walker, Keith Vosseller, Mauricio Reginato
Advisor(s): Mauricio Reginato, PhD
College of Medicine
Molecular & Cell Biology & Genetics
Cancer cells universally increase glucose and glutamine consumption, leading to the altered metabolic
state known as the Warburg effect. One metabolic pathway highly dependent on glucose and
glutamine is the Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway (HBP). Increased flux through the HBP leads to
increases in the post-translational addition of O-linked-B-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) on a diverse
population of nuclear and cytosolic proteins. Here, we show that OGT is overexpressed in prostate
cancer tissue compared to normal prostate epithelium and, that OGT protein and O-GlcNAc levels
are elevated in prostate carcinoma cell lines compared to non-transformed prostate cells. Decreasing
O-GlcNAc levels using OGT-targeted RNAi in the metastatic prostate cancer cell line PC3-ML inhibited
growth and was also associated with cell cycle arrest at G1 and increased expression of the CDK
inhibitors p27KIP and p21. In addition to growth inhibition, reducing O-GlcNAcylation was associated
with reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and vascular endothelial
growth factor (VEGF), resulting in the inhibition of invasion and angiogenesis. OGT regulation of
invasion and angiogenesis was dependent upon regulation of the oncogenic transcription factor
FoxM1, as reducing OGT expression led to increased FoxM1 proteasomal degradation. Moreover,
overexpression of a FoxM1 degradation-resistant mutant abrogated OGT RNAi inhibition of invasion,
MMP levels, as well as angiogenesis and VEGF expression. Finally, targeting OGT blocks prostate cancer
metastasis to bone in a mouse model. Altogether, these data suggest that OGT is positioned as a novel
target for therapeutic intervention for the treatment of human prostate cancer.
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Is the Amino Acid Dipeptide a Suitable Model System for Investigating
Structural Preferences in the Unfolded State?
BB06
Daniel Verbaro
Advisor(s): Reinhard Schweitzer-Stenner
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
The term random-coil has been used to define the unfolded state of proteins and peptides as
structurally unbiased polymers. Support for this definition was derived from the classical Ramachandran
plot of alanine dipeptide, which illustrated uniform sampling of different conformers within steric
restraints. This term has been challenged by many experimental and computational studies on
unfolded proteins and peptides, which have elicited local structure resembling that of polyproline. The
short peptide has become a prominent model system for investigating the intrinsic conformational
propensities of amino acids in the unfolded state; however, conformational ensembles for individual
amino acids have varied significantly between model dipeptides and tripeptides. Therefore, a consistent
experimental and computational analysis of alanine dipeptide and alanine tripeptide was carried out
in order to elucidate the effect of terminal groups on the conformational propensities of alanine. The
raman, infrared, and vibrational circular dichroism Amide I’ profiles of both systems were measured in
water. Then a conformational distribution program was used to generate conformational ensembles
for alanine after simultaneously reproducing all experimental data. The fits were further constrained
by 3J(HNHa) amide proton coupling constants. The conformational ensemble of alanine tripeptide
was found to be pH-independent and different from the conformation ensemble of alanine dipeptide.
These results were supported with Molecular Dynamics simulations on the same systems using an OPLS
force field and a SPCE water model.
11
The nesting and neonate ecology of Pituophis melanoleucus.
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BB07
Kevin Smith
Co-Author(s): Walter F. Bien
Advisor(s): Walter F. Bien
College of Arts and Sciences
Environmental Science
The northern pine snake, Pituophis melanoleucus, is a state threatened species native to the New
Jersey Pine Barrens. Development and habitat loss have caused the population to decline in recent
years. Management of nests in jeopardy may involve translocation to artificial nests, though much of
the ecology involving nesting and early life stages of the northern pine snake is unknown. In order
to develop mitigation procedures, this research will investigate biophysical nesting requirements,
neonate emergence behavior, and neonate microhabitat usage. We will characterize pine snake nest
structure, analyze nest substrate texture, and measure substrate shear strength. Abiotic variables, such
as temperature, soil water content, and gas concentrations (O2/CO2) will be measured throughout
the incubation period until hatching. After emergence, neonate movement patterns will be recorded
using a camera monitoring system to elucidate dispersal pathways and potential use of scent trailing.
Neonates will be radio-tracked until fall ingress to determine the distanced traveled from nests, habitat
use, and hibernacula site selection. These data will be important for understanding the biophysical
requirements of hatchlings and assessing physical constraints on survivorship. We monitored two
successful nests sites producing a total of 28 hatchlings, emerging in September 2011. Preliminary video
data shows emerging neonates (n=3) dispersing in the same initial direction, potentially displaying scent
trailing behaviors, though pathways later diverged. A better understanding of nesting and neonate
ecology will be important for the conservation of the species and developing mitigation protocols that
require translocating pine snake eggs to artificial nest sites.
12
An epigenetic role for Tip60 in learning and memory
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BB08
Kellie Chiu
Co-Author(s): Sravanthi Koduri, Sheila K. Pirooznia
Advisor(s): Felice Elefant
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Age-associated cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are
an increasing biomedical concern as age expectancy increases. Such memory deficits are associated with
gene misregulation; however the mechanisms underlying decline of gene control are unknown. Recent
studies bolster the concept that aberrant changes to the epigenetic modification code within the
genome of the brain as we age, specifically histone acetylation, cause gene misregulation that drives
cognitive decline. Given the strong link between aberrant acetylation marks and cognitive decline, it
is critical to study the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enzymes that create such marks. One promising
candidate is Tip60, a HAT implicated in AD and shown by our laboratory to be critical in regulating
neuronal processes linked to cognition. To explore a direct role for Tip60 in memory formation, here we
assess the consequences of misregulating Tip60 HAT activity in the Drosophila mushroom body (MB),
a hippocampus like region of the fly brain associated with learning and memory. We are generating
transgenic fly lines producing either additional Tip60 or a Tip60 mutant protein that lacks HAT activity
linked to a GFP MB marker. Morphological effects on the MB due to Tip60 misregulation will be
assessed using GFP staining and confocal imaging. We also use the well-established Drosophila courtship
assay to functionally assess learning and memory. Importantly, our preliminary data shows a reduction
of memory processing in response to Tip60 HAT loss. These studies should provide new biological insight
into epigenetic gene control mechanisms underlying cognitive decline during aging.
13
Novel Functions of Class I bHLH protein Daughterless in Post-Mitotic Cells
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BB09
Mitchell D’Rozario
Co-Author(s): Tina Hu, Mohammad Nayal, Daniel R. Marenda
Advisor(s): Daniel R. Marenda
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Proper neurodevelopment in all animals depends on basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proneural
transcription factors that regulate how an undifferentiated cell develops into a neural precursor cell.
TCF4, a vertebrate type I bHLH proneural protein has been linked to several neuropsychiatric diseases
such as Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (a disease characterized by severe mental and motor retardation) and
schizophrenia. Daughterless (da), the only type I bHLH in flies, is a ubiquitously expressed protein with
an established function in sex determination, differentiation of mesoderm, and as a proneural gene for
establishing the central and peripheral nervous system. Consistent with its role as a nuclear transcription
factor, Da has been previously localized in the nucleus of multiple cells in the CNS; however, we
have preliminary data that suggests that Da is also localized outside of the nucleus within the axons
of multiple neurons. We also have evidence that Da functions to regulate axonal development in
post-mitotic cells, a novel function for this proneural bHLH factor. We suggest that the analysis of
Da and TCF4 in neurons can expand upon the existing studies for these diseases, allowing a better
understanding of the novel role of daughterless in post-neurogenesis, neural development, and TCF4 in
Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome pathogenesis.
14
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Exploring the Mechanism of CHARGE Syndrome through the MARCM
Technique and Methylated Histone Tags
BB10
Sylvia Shoukri
Co-Author(s): Victoria Baccini
Advisor(s): Dr. Daniel R. Marenda
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
One in 10,000 infants a year are burdened with the autosomal dominant disorder CHARGE syndrome.
Although this disease is rare, studies have shown that 2/3 of all reported cases of CHARGE patients have
a mutation on the Chd7 gene, which is crucial for proper development. An excellent model organism
used to study the pathogenesis of this and other developmental disorders is Drosophila melanogaster,
more commonly known as the fruit fly. In this model, the homologue of Chd7 is the transcription factor,
kismet. Through larvae, pupae, and adult fly brain dissections, immunohistochemistry and the MARCM
technique, we are working to examine the etiology of this disorder and explore possible factors that
regulate the expression of kismet (including TGF-B, FTZ-1, and Cohesion). Additionally, we examine the
effect kismet has on histone markers and the methylation tags, histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) and histone 3
lysine 27 (H3K27), which are key factors in gene activation and silencing, respectively. The ultimate goal
for our research is to unravel the mechanism behind this disorder and possibly find therapeutic targets
in the near future.
15
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Evidence that HCC-derived DNA is enriched in the LMW DNA fraction of
urine DNA isolated from patients with HCC
BB11
Selena Lin
Co-Author(s): Veerpal Dhillon, Surbhi Jain, Lixin Yu, Timothy Block
Advisor(s): Ying Hsiu Su
College of Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the 5th most frequent cancer worldwide, has a 5-year survival rate
of 14% because it is difficult to diagnose early. The goal of this project is to construct a panel of
circulation-derived DNA markers to use in a urine test for the early detection of HCC to improve its
prognosis. The HCC-specific p53 codon 249T mutation was the first candidate DNA marker used to
explore the criteria needed to detect HCC-derived DNA markers in urine of patients with HCC in a
sensitive, noninvasive manner. We showed previously that urine contains circulation-derived DNA
fragments that are mostly fewer than 300 bp, designated as low-molecular-weight (LMW) urine DNA.
The LMW urine DNA contains DNA from tumor tissues when tumors are present. The tumor-derived
DNA fragments offer the potential to develop absolutely noninvasive urine tests for the detection of
any cancer with known DNA biomarkers. A locked nucleic acid clamp-mediated PCR assay for the p53
249T mutation, targeting only 41 nucleotides of the template, followed by melting curve analysis, was
developed and tested using patient urine samples. Total urine DNA samples from 17 patients with
HCC were fractionated into high-molecular-weight (HMW) (>1 kb, mostly cell-associated) DNA from
the urinary tract and LMW (< 1 kb, mostly circulation derived) DNA and subjected to the p53 249T
mutation assay. Encouragingly, samples from 9 of 17 patients with HCC contained detectable p53 249T
mutation in the LMW urine DNA fraction and only 1 of 17 matching HMW urine DNA fraction samples
was found to contain p53 249T mutated DNA. These findings suggest that the assay target template
size of 41bp is suitable to detect HCC-derived DNA markers in urine and that the p53 249T mutation
detected in LMW urine DNA is derived from the circulation. Next, we tested a larger number of samples
of LMW urine DNA from patients with HCC. Overall, we detected the p53 249T mutation in 50.8% of
the LMW urine DNA samples from patients with HCC (60/118). Of the 49 subjects whose urine was
positive for the p53 mutation before surgery, the p53 mutation was no longer detectable in the urine
of 29 of those patients after surgical removal of the tumor. This result suggested that the p53 249T
mutations detected in the urine before surgery were derived from the surgically removed HCC. For
controls, we tested LMW urine DNA from patients with hepatitis and cirrhosis and from normal subjects
or patients with colorectal cancer and found that 0 of 32 normal (0%), 0 of 31 colorectal cancer (0%),
7 of 69 hepatitis (10.1%), and 6 of 47cirrhosis (12.8%) samples contained detectable amounts of p53
249T mutated DNA. A urine test that includes multiple DNA markers for HCC screening and recurrence
monitoring is currently being explored.
16
BB12
Lori Lester
Co-Author(s): Wendy E. Dow Piniak, Craig A. Harms, Harold W. Avery
Advisor(s): Harold W. Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Environmental Science
Anthropogenic sounds are increasing in many estuarine environments where recreational boats
produce much of this noise. Sound detection is essential for many aquatic organisms as it allows them
to communicate, find mates, locate prey, navigate, or avoid predators. As anthropogenic sounds
increase in many habitats, a clearer understanding of how animals are affected by human-generated
sounds is necessary. In this study, we aimed to determine if the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys
terrapin) hearing range overlaps with anthropogenic sounds produced by recreational motor boats.
We recorded auditory evoked potential (AEP) responses in terrapins (n=5) to determine underwater
hearing capability. AEPs are produced when neurons in the auditory pathway are discharged
simultaneously in response to an acoustic stimulus. We also measured anthropogenic sound pressure
levels (SPLs) in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, USA at various locations and times of year. Female terrapins
responded to underwater sounds from 50 to 800 Hz, with the range of best hearing from 200 to 300 Hz.
Anthropogenic sound recordings contained low-frequency sounds at SPLs that are within the terrapin
hearing range. Future research should focus on whether terrapins and other estuarine organisms
behaviorally and physiologically respond to anthropogenic sounds.
17
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Underwater Anthropogenic Sounds in an Estuarine Diamondback Terrapin
Habitat
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Characterization of the Gut Microbial Communities of the Invasive
Argentine Ant Across Geographic Ranges
BB13
Linh Chau
Co-Author(s): Yi Hu, Dr. David Holway, Dr. Jacob Russell, Piotr Lukasik
Advisor(s): Dr. Jacob Russell
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
The invasive Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile), which is native to South America, has established
supercolonies throughout the world. The introduction of these highly aggressive ants has led to
problems for native animals. In introduced regions, L. humile feeds extensively on “honeydew”, a
nutrient poor excrement produced by sap feeding insects. Previously, it has been hypothesized that
a reliance on such nutritionally poor diet may create a need for nutritional supplementation by
symbiotic gut bacteria. To initiate a test of this hypothesis, we have begun to characterize the gut
bacteria of Argentine Ants (L.humile) from different supercolonies collected at four sites in California.
To characterize the bacterial communities within guts and whole ants, we “genotyped” the 16S rRNA
gene using T-RFLP and 454 pyrosequencing. Preliminary results with both methods show that ants
from different locations harbor similar gut microbial communities. In particular, T-RFLP analyses show
a sharing of particular fragment sizes, suggesting that there are similar bacterial species present in the
guts of L.humile workers from different geographic locations. And in addition, 454 pyrosequencing
of the 16S rRNA gene shows that four major bacterial families are present in guts of Argentine ants.
Future studies on this system will aim to illuminate the evolutionary histories and functional significance
of the associations between the identified bacteria and their destructive ant hosts.
18
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Human Seizure Detection Using A Multi-Measurement Support Vector
Machine Algorithm
BB14
Xianda Long
Co-Author(s): Amrit Misra
Advisor(s): Karen Moxon
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent and spontaneous seizures, affects
nearly 3 million people in the United States alone. While pharmaceutical treatments work well for
approximately 70% of patients, 30% of epilepsy patients are refractory to such therapies. For a portion
of these patients, surgical resection of the epileptic focus may be curative. Epilepsy monitoring units
use trained technicians to analyze electroencephalographic records (EEG) in an attempt to locate the
epileptic brain tissue. However since seizures occur unpredictably and are generally infrequent, patients
must be recorded continuously for several weeks for sufficient seizure events to be captured. The
burden of sifting though this data, and finding these seizure events, falls largely on human observers
(physicians/technicians). Automating the seizure detection process via computer algorithm should
reduce overhead and labor costs, and ensure that no seizures are missed. Seizure detection algorithms
have been studied previously in the literature, however there exists no widely accepted algorithm
due to the high false positive rates and low positive predictive values (PPV) of current methods. To
improve PPV, we implemented a support vector machine (SVM) to simultaneously use several traditional
metrics both from established models, and from those developed in animal studies from this lab.
Human intracranial EEG recordings from the Thomas Jefferson University and scalp EEG recordings
from Hahnemann University Hospital were used to train and validate our model and preliminary results
indicate that the multi-modal approach shows increased sensitivity and positive predictive value over
commercially available algorithms currently in use.
19
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Establishing a Relationship between Bacteria in the Human Gut and
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
BB15
Erin Reichenberger
Co-Author(s): Guillermo Alexander, Jacob Russell, Uri Hershberg, Gail Rosen
Advisor(s): Gail Rosen, Uri Hershberg
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
The importance of bacteria and their ability to influence human health has been the focus of many
human microbiome studies -particularly the gastrointestinal (GI) microbial community. To date,
many of these studies have attempted to ascertain the constituents of a healthy core GI microbial
community or to describe differences in GI communities between groups of people. These comparative
studies may involve various diets, obesity, antibiotic usage, colon cancer, or inflammatory bowel
diseases (IBD). However, there is another population of researchers who have been investigating GI
bacteria and their effect on behavior, depression, and even pain perception. This study compares the
fecal microbial communities of 16 participants with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) (5 of
whom have intestinal discomforts) and 16 healthy controls. Bacterial sequences were procured with
454 sequencing technology that targeted the V2 region of the 16s rRNA gene. Phylogenetic and
statistical analysis revealed stark differences between healthy controls and both CRPS groups. Diversity
measurements showed some significant differences between CRPS subjects and controls, and spatial
clustering displayed more cohesive spatial clustering by the Control group than the CRPS subjects. These
results support the hypothesis that the GI microbial community of CRPS participants differ from their
healthy counterparts. While it is likely that a person’s genetics play a role in the development of this
malady, decreased microbial diversity and/or levels of beneficial intestinal bacteria may bias a person’s
susceptibility to developing CRPS. These variations may hold the key to understanding how CRPS
develops and provide information that could yield a potential treatment.
20
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The Role Kismet Protein on Posture, Behavior, and Morphology in the
Drosophila model of CHARGE Syndrome
BB16
Guovanna Shoukri
Advisor(s): Dr. Daniel Marenda
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
CHARGE Syndrome, an autosomal dominant birth defect characterized by a number of developmental
anomalies, is caused by mutations in the Chd7 gene. The Drosophila homolog of CHD7 is kismet (kis).
Decreased levels of Kismet protein in flies has shown to result in motor co-ordination defects and
hypotonia-like phenotypes that mimic symptoms typically found in CHARGE patients, which suggests
that kismet may have an effect on the mechanisms that regulate motor function. The defect in motor
co-ordination was assessed at different stages of development by larval crawling and adult climbing
assays. We also investigated the glutamatergic neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of Drosophila. Glutamate,
a neurotransmitter released from the motor neuron, binds to ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs)
on the post-synaptic muscle. We used immunohistochemistry on larval body wall sections of flies to
test the effect of Kismet protein knockdown in post-synaptic and pre-synaptic regions of the NMJ. We
quantified active zones, the sites of glutamate release, in flies with 90% ubiquitous knockdown of kis.
We observed that with a decrease in Kismet protein, there is an increase in the number of pre-synaptic
active zones. Additionally, we tested the effects of decreased Kismet protein on the number of boutons
(terminal structures of motor neurons). We observed that in flies with 90% ubiquitous kis knockdown
there was an increase in the total number of 1s boutons, a subset of terminal structures at the NMJ.
The postural and behavioral defects taken together with morphological changes at the NMJ in the
CHARGE model flies suggests that there is a similar importance of the Kismet protein in flies that may
be extended to CHARGE patients. Our study will contribute to better understanding the etiology of
CHARGE Syndrome.
21
BB17
Jessica Bauer
Advisor(s): Craig Newschaffer
School of Public Health
Epidemiology
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by language delays and difficulties
with social and emotional functioning. Currently 1 in 110 children in the United States have an autism
spectrum disorder and little is known about the cause. The Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation
(EARLI) is a prospective study examining genetic susceptibility and environmental risk factors for
autism. The study follows pregnant women who have a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
throughout their pregnancy and the new babies up to age three through the collection of biological
samples and surveys regarding diet, health behaviors, medical history, and various environmental
exposures. Several EARLI instruments, including the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), health behaviors
preconception, health behaviors pregnancy, maternal interview and maternal interview update were
used to determine if there was an association between the maternal broad autism phenotype and
lifestyle-related variables during pregnancy. This provides insight on the potential role ASD-related
genetic liability might have in confounding associations between prenatal maternal lifestyle variables
and autism risk in subsequent EARLI study analyses. ASD genetic liability is difficult to measure and
epidemiologic studies of autism risk factors have used measures such as parental history of psychiatric
disorders as a broad proxy for genetic predisposition to autism. This study aims to determine whether
direct, quantitative measurement of broad autism phenotype through tools like the SRS may provide
a better approach for controlling for genetic liability. In addition to examining parental broad
autism phenotype as a confounder of risk factor associations, the questions of whether and how the
broad autism phenotype influences behaviors related to healthy lifestyle is of interest and has been
underexplored in the literature.
22
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The Effect of the Broad Autism Phenotype on Physical Activity and Weight
Gain in Pregnancy
BB
Characterization of Drosophila behavioral defects associated with
lilliputian mutants and its relevance to FRAXE Fragile X Syndrome.
BB18
Varun Padmanaban
Co-Author(s): Ginnene DIStefano
Advisor(s): Daniel Maranda
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology BS/MD
FRAXE is rare heritable form of mental retardation. Patients display symptoms such as motor
incoordination, postural defects and reduced abilities in learning and memory with varying severity.
FRAXE has been linked to mutations in the FMR2 gene on the X chromosome. To gain a deeper
understanding of FRAXE, it is important to understand the influence of the gene on neuroanatomy and
behavioral processes it regulates.
Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, we created a model for FRAXE by targeting the
Drosophila homolog of FMR2, a gene names lilliputian. Analysis of our model shows phenotypes similar
to human symptoms. Initial evaluation of our model has shown defects in posture, motor coordination,
reflex behavior sand learning and memory. Neuroanatomical analysis of our model has shown defects
in the axon morphology of the mushroom body, a structure is required for learning and memory. Little
research has been done to date regarding FRAXE and the pleiotropic nature of this disease. In order to
properly treat these patients we need to identify the cellular defects inherent to these symptoms.
23
Potential Tip60-RNA interaction in synaptic plasticity
BB
BB19
Jared McCaskie
Advisor(s): Felice Elefant
College of Medicine
Neuroscience
Tat-interactive protein-60 kDa (Tip60) is a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enzyme that belongs to
the Royal family of proteins which include heterochromatin protein 1/ chromobox (HP1/CBX) and
chromodomain helicase-DNA-binding (CHD) subfamilies. Like HP1/CBX and CHD proteins, Tip60 contains
a conserved chromodomain (CD). The Tip60 CD binds specific methylated lysine residues on the histone
tails in chromatin to epigenetically regulate gene transcription. Intriguigly, the CD of HP1a was shown
to associate with RNA transcripts, supporting a role for the CD in binding RNA to regulate its function.
Work from our laboratory demonstrates that in addition to its nuclear compartmentalization, Tip60 is
also localized both pre- and postsynaptically in the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) where
it regulates synaptic bouton growth and function at least in part, via regulation of the synaptic
microtubule cytoplasmic cytoskeleton. However, a direct cyptoplasmic role for Tip60 in neuronal
function remains unclear. Given the influence of cytoplasmic RNA localization and translation on
synaptic plasticity, here we ask whether the Tip60 CD associates with subcellular RNA to influence
bouton function. To address this question, we are carrying out immunohistochemistry analysis to assess
whether Tip60 colocalizes with translational machinery at the NMJ. Additionally, we are creating novel
transgenic flies to specifically disrupt Tip60 CD function at the NMJ to assess whether RNA localization
and/or regulation is affected. Finally, we will carry out Tip60 RNA immunoprecipitations to identify
potential synaptic target RNAs. These studies will guide our future exploration of the functional
significance of such potential Tip60-RNA interactions in synaptic plasticity.
24
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Identifying Microbial Gut Symbionts of Cephalotes varians via Culture
Dependent and Independent Methods
BB20
Riddhi Amin
Advisor(s): Dr. Jacob Russell
College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences
Symbiotic relationships have been documented across numerous animal species, and these intimate
links affect the reproduction, diet, and the evolution of many organisms. Studies of bacteria inhabiting
the guts of the ant Cephalotes varians have revealed multi-species communities with potential roles
in host nutrition. This project sought to isolate microbes of C. varians through optimizing growth
conditions and identifying gut microbes with cloning and sequencing. Cultivation of bacteria on
various types of growth media will allow for investigation into their exact function in the symbiotic
relationship. Furthermore, screening for Fungi and Archaea provides the first attempts to survey for
microbes outside of the Eubacteria via culture-independent methods. Sequences from nine different
cultured bacterial species isolated from C.varians suggested that the gut contains rare and previously
undiscovered bacteria, such as ones belonging to the genera, Enterobacter and Acinetobacter. However,
further research is required to successfully grow the dominant symbiotic microbes identified by cultureindependent means. In addition to these Eubacteria, PCR screening suggested the presence of Archaea
and Fungi in C. varians guts through preliminary analysis of gel images. Future research will investigate
growth conditions geared toward providing the symbionts with the proper environment needed to
be cultured such as adjusting the pH of the media. Also, the presence of archaeal and fungal species
will be verified by cloning experiments and sequencing, to establish species’ identity. In conclusion, this
study has provided insights into microbial communities that colonize the digestive systems of C. varians,
hinting at a greater diversity than originally appreciated.
25
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Carbon Based Multifunctional Nanoprobes for Cellular Injection and
Electrophysiology
BB21
Yang Gao
Co-Author(s): Riju Singhal, Gary Friedman, Yury Gogosti, Adam Fontecchio
Advisor(s): Adam Fontecchio
College of Engineering
ECE
Single cell investigation is of interest to researchers because it would lead to greater understanding of
cell functioning, leading to discovery of new drugs for curing diseases. Therefore probes that minimally
interfere with the cell functioning are required to operate for long periods of time on individual cells.
However, only few reports exist on prolonged tracking of a cell’s reaction to stimulations because
conventional single cell probes are highly intrusive and lead to cell death during investigation. In this
work, a convenient carbon based nano-scale electrode is presented for single cell analysis. The probe
was fabricated by CVD of carbon on quartz nano-pipettes which have an open tip of 100-200 nm at
one end. After hydrofluoric acid etching, the carbon tip was exposed at the end of the pipette. We
showed that such tips can be used for injecting fluids and particulate into individual living cells while
causing negligible harm to the cells. Furthermore, we could integrate the anode and cathode into a
single probe, so that they could be concurrently inserted into cells. The carbon tips were connected
to a potentiostat using metal wires. Cyclic voltammetry measurements on the well established redox
system of aqueous potassium ferricyanide were performed using these probes. In addition, we present
a unique diffusion experiment, demonstrating that the probes were highly sensitive and capable of
recording changing concentration of the electro-active species. Finally, we demonstrate that the probes
were capable of performing voltammetry measurements in small volumes of solution, comparable to
cell volume. Thus, the carbon based nanoprobes are an ideal candidate for cellular electrophysiology,
potentially leading to breakthrough studies at the single-cell level.
26
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The effects of land management practices on survivorship, fecundity,
and the pollination system of Gentiana autumnalis in the New Jersey
Pinelands.
BB22
Ryan Rebozo
Co-Author(s): Dr. Walter Bien
Advisor(s): Dr. Walter Bien
College of Arts and Sciences
Environmental Science
Gentiana autumnalis is a rare disturbance-dependent plant that is endemic to early successional pine
barrens habitats in New Jersey. Several early-successional habitats are maintained by a fire return
interval of 15 years or less. However, fire suppression now limits many early successional plants to
roadsides that remain unburned and instead are mowed to reduce encroachment of vegetation onto
roadways. The focus of this research is to examine the impact of land management practices on the
ecology of G. autumnalis. We will classify populations of G. autumnalis by their density and areal
size, density of co-flowering plants, and land management practice (burn, mow, hand shear, or disk).
Demographic data will be recorded including survivorship, fecundity, and recruitment. These data will
elucidate whether a given patch is increasing, decreasing, or is remaining stable in size over successive
seasons. In addition, pollinator visitation rate, pollinator plant fidelity, and pollination success rate (seed
set) will be measured to compare differences among patch densities and management land practices.
Preliminary data suggests that G. autumnalis exists in a Diptera dominated pollination system where
percentage of plants to set seed is highest in disturbed sites. Identifying which management practice
facilitates maximum, survivorship and fecundity will be important for the conservation of Gentiana
autumnalis.
27
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The LGL registry: An analysis of 83 patients enrolled in the LGL leukemia
and rheumatoid arthritis registry
BB23
Kirsten Boughan
Co-Author(s): Thomas P Loughran
College of Medicine
Internal medicine Residency program
Large granular lymphocytic leukemia is a clonal disorder of terminally differentiated cytotoxic T cells
and natural killer cells often associated with rheumatoid arthritis and Felty’s syndrome. The purpose of
this study is to investigate the association of LGL leukemia with rheumatoid arthritis by demographic
data as well as the presence or absence of mutations in STAT 3 and B21a HTLV envelope protein. A
retrospective case control analysis of patients enrolled in the LGL registry at Penn State Hershey Cancer
Institute was performed. A total of 83 patients were enrolled and were analyzed based on diagnosis
of RA only versus RA and LGL leukemia. Comparison was made demographically based on age, sex,
RF positivity, presence of other autoimmune disorders and family history. Patients were compared as
having a positive or negative STAT3 mutation status; a signal transduction protein mutation that has
recently been identified in the LGL population. Patients were also tested for seroreactivity to BA21; an
HTLV envelope protein identified in both the RA and LGL population and thought to be responsible
for immunogenic stimulation. As compared with RA controls, patients with both RA and LGL had a
higher incidence of RF positivity ( 30% vs 68% respectively), higher family history ( 10% vs 30%) and
association with other autoimmune diseases (20% vs 32%). Patients with both RA and LGL had higher
incidence of STAT3 mutations (12% vs 50% preliminary results). Patients with both RA alone and RA
with LGL had a similar incidence of reactivity to B21A HTLV envelope protein (53% vs 47%).
LGL leukemia and rheumatoid arthritis have long been thought to be related by immunogenetic
mechanisms however, the driver for proliferation has never been fully understood. The presence of
signal transduction mutations as well as a chronic antigenic stimuli from viral proteins may be the link
between evolution of a reactive to a malignant proliferation.
28
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Adenocarcinoma of the lung presenting with nonbacterial thrombotic
endocarditis with multi-organ embolic phenomenon and cardiac
tamponade
BB24
Jyotsana Sinha
Co-Author(s): Lauren Jodi Van Scoy, Robert Promisloff
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Introduction:
The relationship between nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), hypercoagulability and
malignancy is well established. This case report details the simultaneous occurrence of malignant
cardiac tamponade and multi-system embolic manifestations of the brain, lung, heart, kidney as the
presenting symptom of lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed by pleural fluid cytology.
Case report:
A 57 year old female was transferred to our intensive care unit (ICU) after presenting to an outside
hospital with respiratory failure. Her past medical history included hypertension, cough, atrial
fibrillation and stroke. On initial presentation she was intubated secondary to hypoxia and respiratory
distress from rapid atrial fibrillation. After intubation, the patient was afebrile, hemodynamically
stabilized and sedated. Physical exam was unremarkable; however laboratory studies on transfer were
significant for a white blood cell count of 30 x109/L.
Imaging revealed multi-organ embolic phenomenon. MRI of the brain identified multiple sub-acute
and chronic infarcts (Fig A). CXR revealed an alveolar consolidation and pleural effusions (Fig B).
Computerized tomography (CT) scan of the chest revealed pleural effusions, multiple small pulmonary
nodules and pulmonary embolism (Fig. C). CT of the abdomen revealed irregularities of the right
kidney consistent with chronic infarct (Fig D). Thrombus of the right common femoral vein and bilateral
popliteal veins was identified on ultrasound.
Workup also revealed bilateral lower extremity arterial emboli for which she underwent bilateral
embolectomy. Transesophageal echocardiogram revealed vegetation on the mitral valve and a large
pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology. A pericardial window was performed. Broad-spectrum
antibiotics were initiated and all cultures returned negative.
At this time, the patient was failing efforts made to wean her from the ventilator. Malignancy was
highly suspected although the primary tumor source was not obvious. Bronchoscopy and endobronchial
washings were negative for malignancy. Finally, thoracocentesis demonstrated malignant cells with
immunostaining consistent with lung adenocarcinoma (Table 1). Foregoing aggressive measures, she
passed away utilizing inpatient hospice resources.
Discussion:
NBTE consists of aseptic valvular vegetations with negative blood cultures (2). Autopsy series have
reported that 59% of patients with NBTE have malignancy, most commonly of the pancreas, lung,
ovaries, biliary tract or stomach (3), (4). NBTE is associated with systemic embolism in 41% of cases, with
most frequent sites being spleen, kidney, extremities, cerebral or coronaries (3), (4). Our case is unique
because it describes an atypical presentation of lung adenocarcinoma causing multiple simultaneous
embolic phenomenon from NBTE and cardiac tamponade in a patient without prior history of
malignancy or obvious primary.
29
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Quantitative Levels of Neutrocytic Ascites and Outcomes Following An
Episode of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
BB25
Ajish Pillai
Co-Author(s): Elliot Z. Smith, David A. Sass, Kenneth D. Rothstein
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Introduction:
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a complication encountered in patients with cirrhosis and liver
failure. We aimed to determine if the quantitative level of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in
ascitic fluid of patients with documented SBP impacts outcomes.
Methodology:
We conducted a retrospective chart review evaluating patients in a tertiary care, inner-city hospital over
a 5 year period (January 2005-December 2009) with presentations suggesting SBP: i.e., cirrhosis, ascites,
abdominal pain/tenderness, with or without fever. Subjects underwent a diagnostic paracentesis,
where ascitic fluid PMN ≥ 250 cells/mm^3 with or without a positive culture was diagnostic of SBP
(based on well-established criteria). These subjects were stratified into 3 groups based on quantitative
PMN counts. Those with ascitic fluid analyses negative for SBP were the control group. The groups
were statistically analyzed for several variables over a 1-year period. Outcome was established where
available, through our outpatient clinic charts and electronic medical record system.
Results:
105 subjects were admitted during the 5-years. Following paracentesis, 43 had SBP (PMN>250 cells/
mm^3), and 62 were negative (control group). Males= 65, females= 40. Subjects were stratified into 4
groups: Group I PMN <250 (control, no SBP, n=62), Group II PMN 250-499 (n=15), Group III PMN 500-999
(n=15) and Group IV PMN ≥ 1000 (n=13). Through groups I-IV, as PMNs increase, a positive correlation
exists with length of hospital stay in days (n= 105, P<.001). Group I: median 8, group II: median 10,
group III: median 10 and group IV: median 17. The age of first diagnosis was notable, where group 1:
median 53, group IV: median 59 (n=105, P< .002). Mortality within each group was adjusted for 13 SBP
patients lost to follow up in a 1 year period. Here, group I (45.2% n=28/62), group II (75% n=9/12; 3 lost
to follow-up) group III (77.8% n= 7/9, 6 lost to follow-up) and group 4 (44.4% n=4/9, 4 lost to followup). Kaplan-Meier survival distributions showed significance in each category (chi-square (Log Rank,
Mantel-Cox), P<.023).
Conclusion:
In cirrhotic patients with SBP, a higher pre-treatment ascites PMN count seems to correlate with a more
complex course (shown by a longer median length of stay). Older patients are likely to present with
higher PMN counts and there is a trend to higher 1-year mortality with higher PMN cohorts. Larger
prospective studies should be conducted to investigate whether the subgroup with PMNs > 1000 ought
to follow a different treatment algorithm (i.e. longer antibiotic course, combination drug regimen or
follow-up paracenteses for surveillance).
30
BB26
Nisha Patel
Advisor(s): Alisa Morss Clyne
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
MS Biomedical Engineering
Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is an angiogenic growth factor that binds to cell surface receptors
(FGFR) and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), as well as HSPG in the basement membrane (BM).
FGF2 plays a critical role in angiogenesis, yet clinical FGF2 trials demonstrated limited success perhaps
due to inadequate understanding of FGF2 binding in physiological conditions. We used binding kinetics
experiments and a computational model to understand FGF2 binding under fluid flow conditions.
Confluent porcine aortic endothelial cells were exposed to 20 dyne/cm2 shear stress in a parallel plate
flow chamber, and FGF2 binding in static and flow conditions was assessed. At equilibrium, FGF2 bound
to cell surface sites did not vary between flow and static conditions. However, more FGF2 was in the
BM when FGF2 was delivered in flow. When endothelial cells were flow treated for 24 hours before
static FGF2 delivery, FGF2 binding to the cell surface was 7 fold greater than to untreated cells. These
results suggest that fluid flow affects FGF2 transport and cell surface binding and demonstrate the
importance of performing biochemical assays under relevant mechanical conditions. We also developed
a computational model of FGF2 binding to isolated (HSPG or FGFR) or triad (HSPG and FGFR) sites
under fluid flow. The isolated binding site model predicted increased binding with FGF2 and binding
site concentration. However, in the triad model, increasing FGF2 concentration decreased signaling
complexes (FGF2-HSPG-FGFR) and increased storage complexes (FGF2-HSPG). Fluid flow decreased time
to equilibrium and dissociation in isolated receptor models, yet had minimal effect in the triad model.
Continuous FGF2 delivery enabled FGF2 binding at varied vascular levels, whereas bolus delivery can
be targeted for capillary binding. This model enhances our understanding of FGF2 complex formation
under physiological conditions and can improve growth factor angiogenic therapy design.
31
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Physiological flow conditions significantly alter spatiotemporal distributions
of FGF2 bound complexes in endothelial cells
Implantable Wireless Devices for Monitoring of Intracranial Pressure
BB
BB27
Xu Meng
Co-Author(s): Usmah Kawoos, Shi-Min Huang
Advisor(s): Arye Rosen, Mohammad-Reza Tofighi
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
The use of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is supported and recommended in the neurosurgical
and neurological assessment. Acute and long-term ICP measurement is desirable for providing an
insight into the mechanism of the head injury and aiding post neurological disorders treatment. Two
different embedded wireless microwave devices for
monitoring of ICP have been designed, investigated and tested for research and clinical diagnoses.
In-vitro and In-vivo evaluations under different circumstances are conducted to demonstrate the
repeatability, stability, and reliability of the devices. A comparative study of these devices is presented
and described.
32
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Development and Validation of an Aged Alzheimer’s Disease Model in
Drosophila melanogaster
BB28
Sarah Michelson
Co-Author(s): Siddhita Mhatre
Advisor(s): Daniel Marenda
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Biology
Late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) is a highly prevalent and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder
that involves the accumulation of B-amyloid (AB) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brains
of elderly patients. Sequential cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by B-site APP cleaving
enzyme (BACE) and γ-secretase produces AB40 and AB42 peptides, the latter of which is toxic and
forms aggregates. In an attempt to analyze this debilitating disorder, we are developing a novel Aged
AD model using Drosophila melanogaster. Through the Gal4-UAS system, we are able to express low
levels of human APP and BACE specifically in the fly’s nervous system. Benefits of our model include the
development of behavioral and neuropathological symptoms later in the fly’s lifespan due to gradual
accumulation of AB within the central nervous system. Our model provides us with a comparable
timeline for the disease pathology of LOAD in humans, and it will be an excellent tool for the rapid
testing of small molecules for therapeutic intervention in vivo.
33
GC/MS analysis of coffee for the presence of the pesticide endosulfan
BB
BB29
Will Bringgold
Advisor(s): Kishore Bagga, Kevin Owens
College of Medicine
Forensic Science
Endosulfan has been shown to cause problems in neurological development and its propensity to
bioacculmulate has raised concerns over its use in coffee production and its effect on the farmers.
Before this project, there had been no studies on the presence of endosulfan, or any other pesticides, in
the actual cup of coffee that individuals drink everyday. Several of the most popular coffee brands, and
their organic counterparts, were studied for the presence of the organochlorine pesticide endosulfan
to determine if this compound persisted from the farms to a morning cup of coffee and if organic
coffees are completely free from pesticide residues. The coffees were ground into a fine powder, mixed
with water and filtered, thus making a cup of coffee. A liquid-liquid extraction was performed on the
resulting solution using ethyl acetate. The recovered ethyl acetate extract was analyzed using a GC/MS
looking for the presence of endosulfan. The analysis did not detect any endosulfan above a sensitivity
of one part per billion, which is below the accepted daily intake value for endosulfan. Further analysis is
needed to determine if any other pesticides persist from the farm to a morning cup of coffee.
34
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Thixotropic processing of magnesium composites with a nanoparticleshaloed grain structure for biomedical implant applications
BB30
Haibo Gong
Co-Author(s): Yoontae Kim
Advisor(s): Jack G. Zhou
College of Engineering
MEM
Current materials used in implanted medical devices are either non-degradable or too weak.
Magnesium (Mg) holds a new promise because it degrades in body fluids and has mechanical properties
that match those of natural skeletal structures of the human body. However, existing Mg based
materials are either too fast in degradation or toxic to human body. The objective of this project is to
investigate and process a novel biocompatible Mg composite material with a nanoparticles-haloed
grain structure to achieve enhanced corrosion resistance suitable for implanted medical devices.
The feasibility of the proposed idea is supported by promising preliminary results, and the proposed
research will focus on developing a scalable processing technique and conduct fundamental studies on
the new material and new process with strong industry participation, leading to potential applications
for biomedical implanted devices.
35
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Advanced Practice Nurses Knowledge, Barriers and Facilitators to
Screening For Bipolar Disorder In the Primary Care Setting
BB31
Ann Kriebel-Gasparro
Co-Author(s): Thomas Hardie, EdD
Advisor(s): Thomas Hardie, EdD, PMH-APRN
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Doctor of Nursing Practice
The World Health Organization ranks bipolar disorder (BPD) as one of the top ten causes of disability
in the world with an incidence as high as 5% in the U.S. The 2000 National Depressive and ManicDepressive Association Survey of individuals with BPD reported that 69% of patients received an initial
misdiagnosis, and 33% had a delay in receiving a correct diagnosis of 10 years. BPD is fatal when
untreated in a high proportion of patients; this marks BPD as a major unsolved public health problem.
The long lag time to diagnosis and treatment could be reduced if Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
(APRNs) in primary care settings screen patients who have a diagnosis of depression by using validated
screening tools. The goal of this mixed methods descriptive study is to explore APRN’s knowledge of
BPD and their perceptions of facilitators and barriers to screening patients with known depression
for BPD. A mixed methods research approach will be utilized to determine the effectiveness of an
educational intervention to address APRN knowledge of BPD; and focus groups will be used to explore
APRN perceptions of screening.
36
Mechanics of Aortic Valve Leaflet Mesostructures
BB
BB32
Christopher Rock
Advisor(s): Todd Doehring
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Current bioprosthetic and mechanical designs of heart valve replacements do not fully consider the
underlying native fibre structure of the valve, nor their fibre-scale properties. However, the aortic valve
leaflets are a complex of fibre bundles and membranes between them. This organization between
the macroscopic and the microscopic is referred to as the mesostructure. How these fibre bundles slide
along the membrane may be key to how the human heart valve fulfils its role in being both flexible
to quickly open and rigid enough to oppose backflow and yet remain durable to last a lifetime. To
date, there has been no study to comprehensively document the mechanical properties of these
substructures. The overall goal of this work is to perform experimental and analytical analyses of the
individual fiber and membrane mesostructures of the aortic heart valve. We have developed a novel
experimental/analytical system to investigate the properties of these structures in detail. Our tests show
that the membrane structures are significantly less stiff than the fibre bundles of the aortic valve.
37
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Engineering a Bioactive Degradable Interference Screw for ACL
Reconstruction
BB33
Jephte Augustin
Advisor(s): Jack Zhou, David Wootton
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
A bioactive interference screw was developed to accelerate the healing time, and reduce the need for
revision surgeries in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. 3,000-10,000 revision surgeries
occur yearly because of poor attachment of the graft to the surrounding bone tissue after implantation.
This novel device features a cannulated screw, which serves as an anchor for the graft, and a gelatin
hydrogel, which delivers growth factors at the location of insertion in a sustained manner. The release
of the growth factors occurs through perforations located on the body of the interference screw. A
diffusion study was performed in COMSOL to determine the size, and the number of perforations
needed to release 5μg of the growth factor over 21 days. It was observed that twelve 0.3-mm diameter
holes, distributed on the body of the screw were more than enough to ensure the sustained release
of the growth factors for a period of 21 days. Subsequently, the impact of the presence of these
perforations on the strength of the screw was studied in ABAQUS. The distribution of the holes on the
screw was optimized through FEA to ensure maximum strength. The screw’s strength was reduced by
30% for the perforations with the metrics mentioned above; however the interference screw was found
to still be strong enough for implantation. Currently, experiments are being run to validate the results
obtained through simulation.
38
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Development of an ice-templated, linearly aligned chitosan-alginate
scaffold for neural tissue engineering
BB34
Nicola Francis
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Several strategies have been investigated to enhance axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury,
however, this axonal growth can be disorganized and lack the linear alignment present in the intact
spinal cord. Tissue loss and cavity formation at the injury site also results in the absence of a physical
substrate for axon regeneration and guidance. Bioengineered scaffolds can provide a physical substrate
for the guidance of regenerating axons towards their targets, and can act as a local delivery vehicle
for growth factors. These scaffolds can be fabricated through a freeze casting method, which is the
controlled directional solidification of an aqueous solution or suspension followed by lyophilization.
This technique produces scaffolds with a highly aligned, porous structure, while allowing for control of
the pore size and geometry.
In the current study, freeze casting was used to fabricate porous chitosan-alginate (C/A) scaffolds
with longitudinally oriented channels. These scaffolds, with and without surface modifications, were
evaluated for their ability to support axonal attachment and growth in vitro, in order to determine
their suitability as a potential neural tissue engineering scaffold. Chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG)
explants adhered to and extended axons through the scaffold in parallel alignment with the channel
direction. Surface adsorption of a polycation and laminin promoted significantly longer axon growth
than the uncoated scaffold (PLO + Laminin = 793.2 ± 187.2 µm; PLL + Laminin = 768.7 ± 241.2 µm;
uncoated scaffold = 22.52 ± 50.14 µm).
39
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Tip60 HAT activity modulates APP mediated effects on Drosophila small
ventrolateral neurons and affects sleep-wake cycle
BB35
Sheila Pirooznia
Co-Author(s): Kellie Chiu
Advisor(s): Felice Elefant
College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences
Aberrant changes to the epigenetic modification code within the genome of the brain, specifically
histone acetylation, cause gene misregulation that may contribute to the pathogenesis of memory
related disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Tip60 is a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enzyme
that forms a transcriptionally active complex with the AD associated amyloid precursor protein (APP)
intracellular domain (AICD) that has been shown to epigenetically regulate certain genes relevant for
the disease process via histone acetylation. However, whether misregulation of Tip60 HAT activity
directly disrupts selective early neuronal processes affected by APP in vivo that contribute or lead to
AD remains to be elucidated. Here, we investigate whether Tip60 HAT activity is required for APP
mediated effects on axonal growth of the Drosophila small ventrolateral neurons (sLNvs), a group of
circadian pacemaker cells analogous to the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus master clock. The sLNvs
have been shown to regulate sleep, a process disrupted early in AD patients. We show that Tip60 and
APP functionally interact to selectively mediate both sLNv axonal arborization during neurogenesis
and its production of the neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor (PDF) that functions as a modulator
of sleep and wake in the fly. Loss of Tip60 HAT activity decreases PDF levels selectively in the sLNvs
post developmentally, resulting in disruption of the sleep-wake cycle in the fly and these defects are
exacerbated under APP expressing conditions. Remarkably, overexpression of Tip60 in conjunction with
APP rescues the APP mediated defects in reducing PDF levels and disrupting sleep cycle. Importantly,
all of these effects are dependent upon the C-terminal domain of APP that is required for forming a
transcriptional regulatory complex with Tip60. Our results reveal a novel mechanism for PDF control
via Tip60 and APP that regulates sleep-wake cycle and may provide insight into the utility of specific
HAT activators as therapeutic strategies for early sleep disturbances observed in AD.
40
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Prediction of Wound Healing via Diffuse Near Infrared Spectroscopy in
Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Human Study
BB36
David Diaz
Co-Author(s): Joshua A. Samuels, Michael Neidrauer, Xiang Mao
Advisor(s): Dr. Peter A. Lewin, Dr. Michael S. Weingarten, Leonid Zubkov
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
With diabetes rates on the rise in the United States, diabetic foot ulcers have become increasingly
prevalent, resulting in nearly 75,000 annual cases. Wound size reduction has been the standard
benchmark for determination of efficacy for these treatments, but due to inter-clinician error and
difficulty measuring irregular wound shapes, this method is unreliable with a positive predictive value
of less than 60%. Diffuse Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (DNIRS) uses 70-MHz modulated light in the
diagnostic window (650-900nm) to non-invasively quantify levels of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin in the
wound bed, which when measured over time, can show a trend towards or away from healing based on
the changes in oxy-hemoglobin concentration from week to week. In this study, forty-six patients were
enrolled and DNIRS was used to monitor their diabetic foot ulcers longitudinally over the course of 20
weekly/bi-weekly measurement sessions. Of these, twenty-four patients had at least 3 measurements in
the first 4-5 weeks to make an early prediction of healing. The DNIRS system had an 82% positive and
92% negative predictive value (sensitivity of 0.9 and specificity of 0.86; p<0.002) for the 10 healing and
14 non-healing ulcers. These data indicate that it could be possible to objectively predict healing in just
4 weeks using DNIRS with greater accuracy than traditional sizing methods. The information obtained
with this device can provide objective guidance towards the continuation of costly treatments, saving
both money and time.
41
BB37
John Falcone
Co-Author(s): Thomas Lynch
Advisor(s): Mauricio Reginato, Ph. D.
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Compared to normal cells, cancer cells consume high levels of glucose and glutamine, leading to
an altered metabolic state known as the Warburg effect. The Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway
(HBP) is one metabolic pathway that relies on availability of glucose and glutamine. Enhanced HBP
flux augments post-translational addition of O-linked-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) onto
proteins. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)
both contribute to altered metabolism in cancer cells. Here, our results demonstrate that O-GlcNAc
transferase (OGT), the enzyme responsible for addition of O-GlcNAc onto proteins, regulates glycolysis
in breast cancer and is associated with alterations in mTOR/HIF-1α signaling. Modulation of OGT
results in corresponding direct effects in levels of lactate and ATP, indicating altered glycolytic activity.
Consistent with these metabolic changes, when total O-GlcNAc is elevated, we observe decreases in
phosphorylation of LKB1 and AMP kinase, signifying enhanced intracellular energy status. Decreasing
activation of LKB1 and AMP kinase is known to activate mTOR and we, indeed, detect increases in
mTOR effectors S6 Kinase and 4EBP. Furthermore, OGT inhibition has no effect on ATP or lactate
levels in LKB1-deficient cancer cells, suggesting that OGT regulates cancer metabolism through LKB1mediated regulation of the mTOR/HIF pathway. Consistent with increased mTOR signaling, elevating
O-GlcNAc results in augmented HIF-1α expression. Taken together, our data indicate that HBP, via
OGT, connects to other nutrient sensing pathways in breast cancer cells to regulate HIF-1α levels and
cancer metabolism. Thus, OGT may represent a novel therapeutic target for inhibiting the mTOR/HIF-1
pathway in breast cancer cells.
42
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The Role of O-GlcNAc transferase in regulating breast cancer metabolism
via modulation of the mTOR/HIF-1 pathway
Pneumonia induced sweets syndrome
BB
BB38
Nirav Patel
Co-Author(s): Ajish Pillai
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Sweet’s syndrome (acute neutrophilic dermatosis) is a rare disorder characterized by a compilation a
clinical symptoms which include fever and arthralgia in association with cutaneous lesion along with
laboratory findings such as leukocytosis and elevated inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein.
Sweet’s syndrome was first described in 1964 by Dr. Douglas sweet who presented a female patient with
an acute onset of fever, leukocytosis, and erythematous plaques infiltrated by neutrophils. Only several
hundreds of cases of sweets syndrome have been reported since then. The etiology of sweets syndrome
remains to be unknown. However, it is thought to be a reactive process related to T1 helper cells and
tumor necrosis factor. The skin is the primary organ that is affected but other organs such as lungs and
kidney can also be involved. We present a case in a patient with a presumptive diagnosis of sweet’s
syndrome with pulmonary findings.
43
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Efficacy of DL-methionine in the Prevention of Crystalluria in the Adult
Spinalized Rat
BB39
Kavon Noorbehesht
Co-Author(s): Dr. Simon F. Giszter, PhD, Dr. Richard Huneke, DVM, Christina M. Stinger, BS,
CVT
Advisor(s): Dr. Richard Huneke, DVM, Dr. Simon F. Giszter, PhD
College of Medicine
Office of Professional Studies in the Health Sciences/Master of Laboratory Animal Science
The adult spinalized rat is a valuable model of spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition which afflicts millions
of people worldwide. Due to the debilitating nature of SCI, rigorous care of adult spinalized rats must
be observed. Following spinalization, rats immediately show signs of impaired urinary bladder function
including crystalluria. Urinary crystals may further develop into bladder stones if left untreated. In cats
and dogs, DL-methionine is commonly administered as a nutritional supplement to combat bladder
stone formation by acidifying the urine. This study examines the effectiveness of DL-methionine in the
prevention of crystalluria in adult spinalized rats. Three female adult spinalized rats were treated daily
with 0.4mL of an oral DL-methionine supplement approved for use in dogs and cats to control the
formation of urinary calculi. Rats were observed daily for accumulation of crystals around the urethral
opening. Urine samples were also collected and tested for pH daily over a period of 31 days using urine
dipsticks. The rats demonstrated no significant crystal accumulation and also demonstrated a consistent
decrease in urine pH throughout the study. These results suggest that DL-methionine treatment may
offer a promising method of preventing crystalluria and bladder stone formation in the adult spinalized
rat. This study was supported by funding from NIH grants NS54894 and NS72651.
44
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Insights from a new specimen of the gavialoid Thoracosaurus
neocesariensis from the Maastrichtian-Danian Hornerstown Formation,
Sewell, NJ
BB40
Kristyn Voegele
Co-Author(s): Athena K. Patel, Paul V. Ullmann, Kenneth J. Lacovara
Advisor(s): Dr. Lacovara
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
A recently discovered specimen of the gavialoid crocodylian Thoracosaurus neocesariensis from the
Inversand Company glauconite pit in Sewell, NJ, yields new phylogenetic and ontogenetic information
about this rare taxon. Collected from the end-Cretaceous Main Fossiliferous Layer thanatocoenosis
(death assemblage) of the Hornerstown Formation, these fossils represent a disarticulated but
associated subadult individual roughly half the size of those previously published. This new specimen
includes a nearly complete lower jaw and the first well preserved articular, tibia, and ischium for T.
neocesariensis. Novel taxonomic insights from the lower jaw include 1) the angular-surangular suture
passes broadly along the ventral margin of the external mandibular fenestra; 2) uniform size of teeth
alveoli in the dentary posterior to the 4th alveolus; 3) anterior processes of the surangular are unequal
in length; 4) surangular does not extend posteriorly to the tip of the retroarticular process of the
articular; and 5) presence of a dorsoventrally oriented sulcus between the articular and surangular
anteriorly. Unlike previously described larger T. neocesariensis specimens, this smaller individual
demonstrates two unique features: a linear frontoparietal suture between the supratemporal fenestra
instead of a concavoconvex suture, and the 3rd and 4th dentary alveoli are not confluent and are equal
in size, instead of separated with the 4th alveolis larger than the 3rd. In addition, the lingual foramen
for the articular artery and alveolar nerve is solely on the articular on this individual, while for close
phylogenetic relatives the lingual foramen is on the surangular entirely. These differences may reflect
ontogenetic variation within T. neocesariensis and possibly independent evolution among gavialoids in
the case of the location of the lingual foramen.
45
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Competition between IUCN, near-threatened, red-bellied turtles
(Pseudemys rubriventris) and invasive red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys
scripta elegan
BB41
Steven Pearson
Co-Author(s): Harold Avery
Advisor(s): Harold Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Environmental Science
Invasive species affect populations and communities of wildlife worldwide through predation and
competition for limited resources. Globally, the invasive red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta
elegans) may compete with native turtles for limited food, basking and other wetland resources. In
the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, the red-eared slider turtle is ecologically similar to the
red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris). Red-bellied turtles have undergone population declines in
wetlands where red-eared slider turtles have been introduced. In anthropogenically degraded wetlands
the potential for competition may be greater between red-eared slider turtles and red-bellied turtles
due to extensive overlap for dietary resources and habitat use. We performed manipulative experiments
with juvenile turtles of both species to determine the underlying mechanisms of how red-eared slider
turtles may compete with red-bellied turtles for limited resources. Using mesocosms, we housed single
and mixed species groups at low and high densities to determine the mechanisms of competition for
limited dietary and thermoregulatory resources. We determined ingestion rates, growth rates and
behavioral interactions of turtles to determine whether red-eared slider turtles outcompete red-bellied
turtles for limited dietary and thermoregulatory resources. Preliminary results indicate that the growth
rate and ingestion rates of red-bellied turtles can be suppressed when housed with red-eared slider
turtles under limited resource conditions. Understanding the mechanisms of competition between redeared slider turtles and red-bellied turtles will allow us to understand the long term impacts of the redeared slider turtle invasions on ecologically similar native species.
46
BB42
Tyler Maruca
Advisor(s): Jacob Russell
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Pea Aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum, have been shown to harbor seven different facultative bacterial
endosymbionts. These secondary symbionts play many roles ranging from defense against parasitic
wasps and fungal pathogens, thermotolerance, and host plant utilization. The current method for
the detection of these symbionts requires a separate diagnostic Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to
be run for each symbiont. Roughly 2000 pea aphids were collected from clover and alfalfa fields in
Pennsylvania and New York in 2012 and need to be screened for all pea aphid secondary symbionts,
a costly and time-consuming task. The objective of this study was to create a cost-effective PCR that
would enable the accurate detection of multiple secondary endosymbionts that requires less time
and fewer resources. The primary method was to utilize PCR to amplify the intergenic spacer region
between the 16S and 23S rRNA, a segment of variable length, genes using universal forward and
reverse primers. The primers used were 1513F and 35R. These primers amplify the DNA of most of the
desired secondary endosymbionts, thus allowing for the positive detection of up to five symbionts
using a single PCR reaction and a single run of gel electrophoresis. Both the 1513F-35R and the seven
diagnostic primer sets required optimization by varying reaction temperatures, gel-loading volumes,
gel running time, and method used for staining gels. After optimization was finished the use of this
method has proven to be both efficient and accurate, and appears to be a promising technique for
detection of multiple bacterial endosymbionts in pea aphids.
47
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Amplification of the 16s rRNA intergenic spacer region for rapid detection
of pea aphid, Acrythosipon pisum, bacterial endosymbionts.
BB
Effects of claw length and proportion to body size on inter- and
intraspecific competition for limited resources in T.s. elegans and P.
rubriventris
BB43
Johnathan Guest
Co-Author(s): Dr. Harold Avery, Steven Pearson
Advisor(s): Dr. Harold Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Environmental Science
Competition between species can result in extirpation of the weaker competitor. Invasive generalist
species may be ecologically similar to some native species and competition between these species
can be detrimental to native species populations. A physical mechanism in aquatic reptiles that may
give an individual or species a competitive edge could be claw size relative to body size. In this study
we examined how the ratio of plastron length to claw length (PL:CL) of an invasive turtle species,
Trachemys scripta elegans, and a native species, Pseudemys rubriventris, impacted the ability to utilize
limited feeding and basking resources. If T.s. elegans has a lower PL:CL ratio while feeding and basking
more frequently than P. rubriventris, then claw length-body proportions might play a role in the ability
of T. s elegans to outcompete P. rubriventris for limited resources. Six T.s. elegans and six P. rubriventris
were housed in 6’ diameter mesocosms, each with a stationary, steep-edged platform used for basking
and feeding. The experiment was run in triplicate simultaneously and monitored using digital recording
devices. The middle claw length on the right forefoot of each turtle was measured to the nearest 0.1
mm using digital calipers. The PL:CL ratio for T.s. elegans was lower than for P. rubriventris while the
feeding and basking success of T. s. elegans was greater. These results suggest that T.s. elegans can
affect the competitive success of native species if they have a distinct physical advantage such as a lower
PL:CL ratio.
48
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Differences in Instrumented Scapular Motion in Individuals with and
without
Ideal Visual Resting Scapular Alignment and Motion
BB44
Marisa Pontillo
Co-Author(s): Bryan Spinelli, Sheri Silfies, David Ebaugh
Advisor(s): D. David Ebaugh
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
Mal-alignment of scapular resting position may lead to aberrant patterns of scapular motion, which
are believed to contribute to shoulder pain and dysfunction. The purpose of this study is to compare
instrumented measures of scapular motion between individuals with and without ideal visual resting
scapular alignment and scapular motion. 20 subjects (mean age 25±4 years; 7 males) without current
shoulder pain were included. Three physical therapists rated each subject’s resting scapular alignment
and scapular motion while performing repeated arm elevation. Subjects’ resting alignment and
motion was visually assessed and classified as ideal or abnormal. Instrumented motion measures were
collected with an electromagnetic tracking device while subjects repeated arm elevation. Averaged
scapulothoracic and humerothoracic angle-angle graphs for arm elevation (with 95% minimal
detectable change bands, MDCB) were created for subjects who had ideal visual resting alignment
and motion. Kinematic patterns from subjects with obvious visual resting scapular mal-alignment
and aberrant scapular motion were compared to the averaged angle-angle graphs of the ideal
subjects. Five subjects were rated as having ideal visual resting scapular alignment and motion, and
2 subjects were rated as having obvious visual resting scapular mal-alignment and aberrant motion.
Instrumented measures of subjects with resting scapular mal-alignment and aberrant scapular motion
demonstrated altered patterns of scapular internal rotation, and clavicular protraction and elevation
during arm elevation. No differences in instrumented measures of scapular upward rotation and
anterior tilt were noted. This demonstrates the feasibility of using angle-angle graphs and MDCBs to
develop comparative profiles of scapular motion which will further our understanding of aberrant
scapulothoracic motion. This information is helpful for clinical decision making relative to interventions
for shoulder pain and dysfunction.
49
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Analysis of incense smoke using GCMS to detect for the presence of
Benzo[a]pyrene
BB45
Jocelyn Figueroa
Co-Author(s): Kishore K Bagga, Kevin Owens
Advisor(s): Kishore K Bagga
College of Medicine
Office of Professional Studies in the Health Sciences/ Master of Forensic Science Program
Incense is a crucial paraphernalia component of various religious ceremonies around the world; and
has shown a niche as an element in aromatherapy and other yoga related practices such as meditation.
Previous studies have demonstrated that various compounds in the incense smoke could potentially
affect the health when inhaled. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS), in selected ion
monitoring mode, was used for the qualitative and comparative quantitative characterization of
benzo[a]pyrene from the smoke generated from ten different types of incense stick. Benzo[a]pyrene
is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that readily transforms upon oxidation into a diol epoxide. The
diol epoxide, however, can potentially react with and bind to DNA resulting in mutations, which can
potentially lead to cancer. Incense smoke was trapped by utilizing a practical method of glass funneling
into a GCMS vile and injected directly into the instrument. The sample was injected in splitless mode in
order to maximize the detection of benzo[a]pyrene if present. The investigation indicated the absence
of benzo[a]pyrene in all incense types tested. The top five compounds found to be present in the smoke
of each incense stick were identified using at least a 50% match using the NIST library. It was noted that
hexadecanoic acid was prevalent through out all ten incense samples.
50
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Illuminated Near Card Predictability of Potential Visual Acuity in Patients
with Cataracts
BB46
Walid Mangal
Co-Author(s): Polly Henderson, MD
College of Medicine
Ophthalmology
Visual disability from cataracts reduces overall quality of life. Cataract surgery improves patient
safety and activities of daily living. As US population ages, cataract burden is increasing as is patient
expectation of post-operative visual potential. The illuminated near card (INC) test is a simple,
inexpensive and portable test to predict post-operative visual acuity. No study to date has compared
INC predictability in myopes versus hyperopes. The current study is a prospective case series comparing
INC predictability in myopes versus hyperopes undergoing cataract surgery at Hanhemann University
Hospital.
51
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A Randomized Controlled Trial of Vaginal Diazepam Suppository Use in
the Treatment of High Tone Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
BB47
Peter O’Hare
Co-Author(s): Jennifer Fariello, Salim Wehbe, Dominique El-Khawand, Susan Kellogg-Spadt
College of Medicine
Ob/Gyn
Purpose of the study: To evaluate the effectiveness of vaginal diazepam suppositories as a treatment
for high-tone pelvic floor dysfunction. It is predicted that use of vaginal diazepam nightly for 6 weeks
versus placebo will demonstrate a decrease in palpable pelvic floor hypertonicity on exam, decrease
in resting perineometry, a decrease in daily pelvic and sexual pain as measured by visual analog scale
(VAS). As well we expect a decreased negative impact of pelvic floor symptoms measured by decreased
scores on the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, a decrease in sexual
distress as measured by the Female Sexual Distress Scale, and overall improvement in symptoms as
measured by global response of improvement of symptoms (GRA). For patients experiencing lower
urinary tract symptoms we predict improvement of symptoms using the Interstitial Cystitis Problem
Index (ICPI) and the Interstitial Cysitis Symptom Index as validated questionnaires.
Background: High tone pelvic floor dysfunction is characterized by hypertonus of the levator ani
complex. The diagnosis is based on common symptoms, such as urinary frequency and urgency, voiding
dysfunction, defecatory dysfunction, or dyspareunia; or signs like the absence of voluntary pelvic floor
muscle relaxation on request or tenderness with palpation of the pelvic floor musculature.
Diazepam, a benzodiazepine, increases the central effect of GABA- binding receptors located at GABAergic synapses and increases inhibition of alpha motor neuron activity in the spinal cord. It also exerts a
supraspinal sedative effect, and is clinically preferred over other benzodiazepines for these conditions
due to its longer half-life. Oral doses successful in relaxing skeletal muscles may also produce sedation
and psychomotor slowing, among other side effects. Our rectrospective study demonstrated that
intravaginal use of diazepam was well tolerated by patients without increase in adverse events.
52
Detection of attention shift for asynchronous P300-based BCI
BB
BB48
Yichuan Liu
Co-Author(s): Hasan Ayaz, Adrian Curtin, Patricia A. Shewokis, Banu Onaral
Advisor(s): Hasan Ayaz
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Brain-computer interface (BCI) provides patients suffering from severe neuromuscular isorders an
alternative way of interacting with the outside world. The P300-based BCI is among the most popular
paradigms in the field and most current versions operate in synchronous mode and assume participant
engagement throughout operation. In this study, we demonstrate a new approach for assessment
of user engagement through a hybrid classification of ERP and band power features of EEG signals
that could allow building asynchronous BCIs. EEG signals from nine electrode locations were recorded
from nine participants during controlled engagement conditions when subjects were either engaged
with the P3speller task or not attending. Statistical analysis of band power showed that there were
significant contrasts of attending only for the delta and beta bands as indicators of features for user
attendance classification. A hybrid classifier using ERP scores and band power features yielded the best
overall performance of 0.98 in terms of the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results indicate that band
powers can provide additional discriminant information to the ERP for user attention detection and this
combined approach can be used to assess user engagement for each stimulus sequence during BCI use.
53
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Shear Stress Increases Dextran Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Cellular
Uptake
BB49
Miao Yu
Advisor(s): Alisa Morss Clyne
College of Engineering
MEM
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are widely used in biomedical applications such as drug
delivery, magnetic resonance imaging and cell labeling. Our previous studies showed that dextran
coating reduces iron oxide nanoparticle cell toxicity in static culture. However, in vivo endothelial
cell nanoparticle uptake occurs under shear stress caused by blood flow. We synthesized dextrancoated iron oxide nanoparticles (DION) by coprecipitation of ferrous and ferric chloride in the
presence of dextran to get dispersed coated nanoparticles. Average nanoparticle size was around 20
nm, and toxicity tests demonstrated that dextran coated nanoparticles did not increase cell death,
reactive oxygen species formation, or cell elongation. We next determined the effect of fluid flow on
nanoparticle uptake. Endothelial cells were exposed to nanoparticles (0.5 mg/ml) at the same time as 20
dynes/cm2 shear stress (flow, cells adapting to flow), in static conditions after 3 hours of cell exposure
to 20 dynes/cm2 shear stress (static, cells adapting to flow), or in static conditions after 24 hours of cell
exposure to 20 dynes/cm2 shear stress (static, cells adapted to flow). We showed that cells cultured in
static conditions only and then exposed to nanoparticles in static conditions did not have significant cell
nanoparticle uptake. In contrast, cells adapting to flow that were exposed to nanoparticles during flow
showed the highest nanoparticle uptake (177 pg/cell). Cells adapting to flow and cells adapted to flow
that were exposed to nanoparticles under static conditions showed lower nanoparticle uptake of 87
and 44 pg/cell, respectively. These results suggest that both flow-induced transport and cell adaptation
to shear stress can increase nanoparticle cellular internalization.
54
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Effects of isometric elastic force fields in organization of wipe reflex in
adult spinalized bull-frogs
BB50
Arun Ramakrishnan
Co-Author(s): Tanuj Gulati
Advisor(s): Simon F Giszter
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Adult spinalized bull frogs (Rana catesbeiana) are capable of organizing targeted reflex responses to
noxious stimuli (Giszter, McIntyre et al. 1989; Schotland and Rymer 1993). Also there is evidence to
show that in the absence of supraspinal brain control, the spinal cord is capable of organizing in-wipe
corrections to obstacles and other cutaneous stimulus(Kargo and Giszter 2000) and to loading and
unloading of the limb(Cheung, d’Avella et al. 2009). Although some studies have shown that force
perturbations tend to get ignored by the reflex (Richardson, Slotine et al. 2005), there is evidence to
believe that the spinal cord has the ability to integrate cutaneous and proprioceptive information in
organizing reflex and reflex corrections. Also organization of such multi-jointed, multi-muscle reflexes
with complex motor patterns has been found to have modular basis in the form of muscle synergies and
patterns (Bizzi, Giszter et al. 1995; Kargo and Giszter 2000) that have neural underpinnings(Hart and
Giszter 2010).
In this study, we explore the effects of applying (using a robot) an isometric elastic force field to the
hind limb of an adult bullfrog during a targeted hind-limb to hind-limb wiping reflex. We study the
interaction of the wipe under varying levels of stiffness (low, moderate and high). We also examine the
modularity in these motor patterns and try to find neural representations in the spinal cord. Preliminary
results from Independent Components Analysis of the EMG signals show evidence of amplitude
modulation at high stiffness and phase modulation at moderate stiffness of the component activations.
Despite partial compensations, elastic fields prevent successful wipes, unlike simple inertial loading.
55
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Environmental effects on pea aphids and their defensive bacterial
symbionts
BB51
Andrew Smith
Co-Author(s): Nick Tuttle, Rachael Disciullio, Mickey Drott, Tyler Maruca, Ioannis Anastopoulos
Advisor(s): Jacob Russell
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology/Environmental Science
Symbioses range from antagonistic to mutualistic and are influenced by environmental factors such as
temperature and parasites. Pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum, host two facultative defensive bacterial
endosymbionts that defend against natural enemies. Hamiltonella defensa, when in association with
a bacteriophage, defends pea aphids against the parasitoid wasp, Aphidius ervi, and the efficacy of
this protection is reduced under heat stress. Regiella insecticola reduces mortality and sporulation in
pea aphids inoculated with the fungal pathogen Pandora neoaphidis. Temperature is an important
factor in P. neoaphidis infection but how temperature affects R. insecticola mediated defense against
P. neoaphidis has not been investigated. To date, studies confirming these relationships have been
laboratory based and there is a need to understand how temperature and natural enemies influence
symbiont frequency and aphid density in the field. The objective of this study was to correlate
parasitism and infection rates with symbiont frequency, natural enemy density, host plant and within
canopy temperature. Pea aphids, predators, parasitoids and temperature data were collected in alfalfa
and clover fields periodically in southeastern Pennsylvania and the Finger Lakes Region of New York.
Pea aphids collected in the field were screened for symbionts or reared in the laboratory to determine
symbiont frequency and rates of parasitism and infection. Symbiont frequency, parasitism and infection
rates varied seasonally, between locations and between host crops. To date, we have discovered
a positive correlation between H. defensa frequency, alfalfa and parasitism rate and between R.
insecticola and clover.
56
BB52
James Peters
Co-Author(s): Lucy Robinson, Richard Kent, Sriram Balasubramanian
Advisor(s): Sriram Balasubramanian
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Animal models have been extensively used in scoliosis research, however, none of the current models
accurately mimic the upright biomechanical spinal loading of the human (Janssen et al. 2011).
Recent comparative analyses of the human spine with that of other large animal models have shown
significant differences in morphology (Sheng et al. 2009). We propose a novel ‘pseudo-biped’
kangaroo model as an alternative to current quadruped surrogates, and as a first step conducted a
morphological comparison of the thoracic spine between the kangaroo, human, and other large animal
models.
For this analysis, chest CT scans from 10 juvenile kangaroos, ages 11-14 months, were digitally
reconstructed using medical image processing software (Mimics, Materialise Inc Belgium). Using these
3D reconstructions, twenty thoracic vertebral body parameters such as, height, width and depths of the
vertebral body, intervertebral disc, endplate, spinal canal, and facets were computed and compared to
data available in the literature on the sheep, pig, deer, and human.
Based on the multi-parameter comparison across species, the kangaroo showed the least percent
difference in measured values for bilateral pedicle height, spinous process length, inferior inter-facet
width, and right inter-facet height when compared to the human. Data trends showed the smallest
average deviation from the human data for 13 parameters when compared with the kangaroo;
anterior vertebral body height, inferior endplate width, superior and inferior endplate depth, left
pedicle height, right and left pedicle width, spinal canal depth, spinous process length, superior and
inferior inter-facet widths, right inter-facet height, and intervertebral disc height. Our preliminary
findings show that the kangaroo may be a better morphological analogue to the human, and being a
‘pseudo-biped’ the spinal biomechanics of the kangaroo may also be more similar to that of human.
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A Novel Animal Model In Scoliosis Research - Comparison Of The Thoracic
Spine Geometry
Plasma treatment of water and its effects on plant development
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Dayonna Park
Co-Author(s): Danil Dobrynin, Greg Fridman, Alexander Fridman
Advisor(s): Greg Fridman
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
It is well known that for better and faster growth of plants water quality and composition is one of
the crucial factors. Treatment of water with plasma results in change of its properties and chemical
composition, which in turn may affect plant growth process and subsequently agriculture produce
quality.
Both non-thermal and thermal plasmas generated in air or in water produce a cocktail of reactive
species, charges, electric fields, and ultraviolet radiation. Plasma treatment of water results in significant
change of its properties like pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), conductivity, and concentration of
reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species (ROS and RNS).
Here we report the results of an experimental study of the effect of water treated with different
atmospheric plasmas on germination, growth rates, and sugar content of plants (via Brix measurement).
In the study we have used 3 types of plasmas: spark discharge ignited in water, gliding arc discharge,
and dielectric barrier discharge. It is shown that effects of these plasmas on chemical composition of
various types of water are qualitatively different. Non-thermal DBD plasma results in lower (acidic) pH,
and production of significant amount of oxidizing species (e.g. H2O2 and O2-). Gliding arc discharge
also causes significant acidification of water, but accompanied by production of reactive nitrogen
species (NO, NO2 and NO3). Spark discharge treatment results in neutral or higher (basic) pH depending
on initial water composition, and production of RNS. The effects of plasma treated water on plant
germination and growth will be presented and discussed.
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Using nano mechanical approach to study enzyme catalysis
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BB54
Wenjian Du
Co-Author(s): Liming Zhao, Chi Nguyen, Kevin Zhao
Advisor(s): Jun Xi
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
Cellulose is the skeleton structure of almost all plants, which makes it an unlimited source as nature
polymers. Cellulose hydrolysis is of great importance in the conversion of plant biomass to fuel,
and has already attracted great interest from scientists in chemistry, biology and some other fields.
Cellulase is a kind of enzyme which can break down the cellulose into simple sugars. Sugars can then
be fermented into ethanol and many other products. Before hydrolytic cleavage, a process called
enzymatic decrystallization will take place to break the aggregate of cellulose molecule and expose the
cellulose molecule chains to active sites of cellulase enzyme. Although it has been speculated to be the
rate-limiting step, the mechanism for decrystallization has not been elucidated. Using nano mechanical
approach, such as micro-cantilever and AFM, we will study this process by examining the bending of
cantilever or morphology change of cellulose bilayer produced by the cellulose decrystallization.
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The effect of substrate stiffness on endothelial cell response to fibroblast
growth factor-2.
BB55
Adam Canver
Advisor(s): Alisa Morss Clyne
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Endothelial cells are dysfunctional in pathologies such as diabetes, heart failure, and cancer. In each of
these disease states, the extracellular matrix on which endothelial cells grow stiffens. Previous research
has shown that endothelial cell spread area changes with substrate stiffness, however few studies
address how endothelial cell function is affected. In this study, we determined how endothelial cell
response to fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), an angiogenic growth factor that signals for cell survival,
proliferation, and migration, varies on substrates of different stiffness. Porcine aortic endothelial cells
were cultured on collagen coated polyacrylamide gels of varying physiological stiffness (2-84 kPa). After
2 days of culture, cells were stimulated with 10 ng/ml exogenous FGF2. Endothelial cell proliferation
and two-dimensional migration were measured by cell counts and a cage assay, respectively. In addition,
Erk and Akt phosphorylation were determined via Western blot to assess FGF2 proliferative and survival
signaling, respectively. Preliminary results suggest that exogenous FGF2 leads to increased proliferation
in endothelial cells on stiffer substrates. This study will help us understand endothelial cell dysfunction
in disease, as well as guide the design of vascularized tissue engineering scaffold.
60
Once lucky, twice confident and thrice..........?
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BB56
Deepu Sasikumaran Ushakumari
Co-Author(s): Dr M Green, Dr P Green
College of Medicine
Anesthesiology
How often do we miss something significant in our preoperative evaluation and get away with it? Is
this more common in emergency cases?
37 yr ASA2E female having class I airway and stable vital signs was brought to the OR for an emergency
laparoscopic right oophorectomy and partial salpingectomy. Airway was easily secured using a cuffed
7.0 ETT after rapid sequence induction. 90 minutes after arrival in PACU, patient had sinus tachycardia
in 140s but denied pain & was afebrile. On further examination, patient had a history of weight loss,
heat intolerance, palpitation, brittle hair, nausea and diarrhea and clinically small thyroid nodule,
tremor, positive lid lag and brisk reflexes. Her lab results came back with Hb 11.3, TSH<0.03uIU/mL, free
T4- 4.61ng/dL, T3 - 244 ng/dL. Antithyroid treatment was initiated. Surprisingly, her chest CT showed a
7.3×7×6.7cm homogenous soft tissue mass (lymphoma) in the anterior mediastinum- which was totally
asymptomatic for the patient and during induction of anesthesia.
Discussion: Preanesthesia evaluation is defined as the process of clinical assessment that precedes the
delivery of anesthesia care for surgery and for non surgical procedures. However, no controlled trials of
the clinical impact of performing a preanesthesia evaluation is documented.
Since preoperative interview is the anesthetist’s first introduction to a patient and is the most efficient
and productive of the three basic techniques used in preoperative assessment, we had no reason to
search for a thyroid nodule or tremors on a patient who declined symptoms.
Despite a thorough evaluation we missed not one, but two conditions which could have resulted in a
disastrous outcome. In this era of cost containment with people thinking of web based questionnairepreoperative evaluation, what are the chances of missed/ asymptomatic problems affecting the
outcome.
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Headache with neurological deficits after spinal anesthesia for C-section
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BB57
Deepu Sasikumaran Ushakumari
Co-Author(s): N Malayaman, P Kalikiri
College of Medicine
Anesthesiology
Postpartum Cerebral Angiopathy (PPCA) presents clinically as headache, nausea, vomiting with or
without focal neurological deficits (FND) and seizures. This clinical picture closely resembles Post Dural
Puncture Headache (PDPH) and anesthesiologists can be swayed into doing an epidural blood patch.
Case Report
A 25 yr old , G3P1011 at 38 weeks gestation was admitted for urgent Cesarean section for nonreassuring fetal status. Her past medical history was significant for ovarian vein thrombosis- on LMWH,
last dose one week prior. Obstetric history was positive for lower segment cesarean section under spinal
anesthesia with no complications. The risks and benefits of general and neuraxial anesthesia were
discussed and the patient agreed to spinal anesthesia. She had an uneventful C-section under spinal and
was discharged home on POD2.On POD8, the patient came to the ER with sudden onset severe bifrontal
headache, radiating to the occipital area and neck, photophobia, nausea and vomiting. Emergency CT
scan revealed ICH, SAH and a 5mm midline shift. MRI done on the same day showed acute infarcts in
the left cerebellum and right temporal lobe in addition. She was managed conservatively. Neurological
status and midline shift started improving on POD11 with full functional recovery by POD15.
Discussion
PPCA is a relatively rare condition characterized by thunderclap headaches, nausea, vomiting, focal
neurological deficits and seizures within 30 days of an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery. Points
which lead to a diagnosis of PPCA include described clinical picture, multi-segmental cerebral blood
vessel involvement, and complete resolution of clinical symptoms in two weeks. Anesthetic challenges
in this case include the use of a regional anesthesia technique in a patient on long term LMWH, intraoperative use of an indirect acting sympathomimetic agent such as ephedrine, and a good outcome
from a seemingly disastrous scenario.
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Identification and Distribution of Projections from Monoaminergic and
Cholinergic Nuclei to Functionally Differentiated Subregions of Prefrontal
Corte
BB58
Daniel Chandler
Co-Author(s): Carolyn Lamperski, Barry Waterhouse
Advisor(s): Barry Waterhouse
College of Medicine
Neurobiology and Anatomy/Neuroscience
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is implicated in a variety of cognitive and executive functions and is
composed of several distinct networks, including anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), medial prefrontal
cortex (mPFC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). These regions serve dissociable functions within the
cognitive realm, and are unique with respect to their afferent and efferent connections. Each of these
subregions is heavily innervated by acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine systems;
yet the distribution and projection patterns of cells in the source nuclei for these pathways have not
been characterized. In this study, fluorescently labeled retrograde tracers were injected into the ACC,
mPFC, and OFC, and labeled cells were identified in the cholinergic nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM),
dopaminergic ventral tegmental area (VTA), serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and noradrenergic
locus coeruleus (LC). DRN and LC showed similar distributions of retrogradely labeled neurons such
that most were single labeled and the largest population projected to mPFC. VTA showed a slightly
greater proportion of double and triple labeled neurons, with the largest population projecting to
OFC. NBM, on the other hand, showed mostly double and triple labeled neurons projecting to multiple
or all prefrontal subregions. This suggests that subsets of VTA, DRN and LC neurons may be capable
of modulating individual prefrontal subregions independently, whereas assemblies of NBM cells may
exert a more unified influence on the three areas simultaneously. These findings emphasize the unique
aspects of the cholinergic and monoaminergic projections to functionally and anatomically distinct
subregions of the prefrontal cortex.
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BB59
Aniel Padrino
Advisor(s): Alisa Morss Clyne, Ph.D.
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Endothelial cells attach to the extracellular matrix (ECM) via integrins clustered at focal adhesions.
Cells transmit forces to the ECM through the cytoskeleton, which deform substrates that are within a
physiological stiffness range but not rigid substrates. As a consequence, cell morphology and function
depend on substrate stiffness. Hyperglycemia in diabetes leads to ECM protein glycation, which stiffens
the ECM and alters cell-matrix interactions.
We hypothesized that ECM protein glycation affects endothelial response to substrates of different
stiffness by altering cell-matrix interactions. To investigate this hypothesis, we seeded porcine aortic
endothelial cells for 24 hours on native and glycated collagen-coated polyacrylamide gels with varying
shear moduli (0.3kPa - 30kPa), as well as coated glass cover slips as a rigid control. Cells were labeled
with rhodamine phalloidin and a vinculin antibody to visualize the actin cytoskeleton and focal
adhesions, respectively. Cell morphology, including area, aspect ratio, and focal adhesion size and
number were measured.
Cell area and focal adhesion size and area increased with substrate stiffness on both glycated and
native collagen. However, cell area on native collagen increased 663% as gel stiffness increased from
0.3kPa to 30kPa, while cell area on glycated collagen coated gels increased only 226%. In contrast, cells
on gels coated with glycated collagen increasing focal adhesion number by more than 1000% and size
by nearly 200%, whereas cells on native collagen increased focal adhesion number by 223% and size
by 126% as gel stiffness increased from 5kPa to 30kPa. Cells on glass had the largest cell area, with no
difference in area or focal adhesion size and number between native and glycated collagen coatings.
These data suggest that glycated collagen alters endothelial cell response to substrate stiffness even
before glycation stiffens the ECM, which may contribute to diabetic vascular disease.
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Endothelial cell structure changes on native compared to glycated collagen
in response to substrates of different stiffness
An unusual cause of delayed awakening from anesthesia
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Nkam Mongwa
Co-Author(s): Mian Ahmad
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nurse Anesthesia
There are individual variations in emergence from general anesthesia. Delayed emergence is most
commonly due to residual effects of anesthetic drugs and medications administered perioperatively but
may be due to hypothermia, hypothyroidism, metabolic disorders and neurological insult.
A 68 year old man presented for right shoulder rotator cuff repair. His medical history included
smoking, asthma, hypothyroidism, hypertension, arthritis and prostate cancer. The patient received an
interscalene block with ropivacaine for postop pain relief prior to induction with fentanyl, propofol
and rocuronium. A reinforced ETT was chosen to intubate the trachea because patient was going to
be in a beach chair position. Anesthesia was maintained with desflurane in oxygen and air mixture.
The patient was reversed with glycopyrrolate and neostigmine. Spontaneous Vt >300ml and RR 18-20
with ET desflurane < 0.1% were noted. However, the patient did not follow verbal commands and was
restless. The patient was taken to PACU on T-Piece. Air entry on auscultation was markedly decreased
in all lung fields. Albuterol inhaler and IV epinephrine (8 MCG) were given for what was thought to
be bronchospasm. ABG result showed CO2 of 124. The patient was placed on the ventilator to assist in
tidal volumes and blow off the CO2. Peak airway pressures were then noted to be 70s. Inspection of ETT
showed an almost total obstruction from patient biting on the tube.
Identification of the cause of delayed emergence can be challenging. Here ETT obstruction presented
in a very unusual way and instead of causing ventilatory problem, it caused delayed emergence from
anesthesia. Manual breathing would have helped to diagnose the problem earlier, had ventilatory
difficulty been appreciated in the operating room.
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Root-associated microbes from Biowall plants and their roles in VOC
degradation
BB61
Ioannis Anastopoulos
Advisor(s): Rita Berson
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology/Biological Sciences
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are airborne contaminants, which degrade the quality of indoor
air. VOCs such as benzene and acetone are emitted from a diversity of products, such as paint, vanishes,
or wax, and are consistently found at higher concentrations indoors. These chemicals are of special
concern due to their potential effects on health - while effects may include skin and eye irritations,
VOCs are also associated with elevated risks of cancer and immunological disorders. Current methods
of reducing the concentration of indoor VOCs involve ventilating indoor space with outdoor air. Yet a
novel approach for the improvement of indoor air quality involves the use of Biowalls, vertical arrays
of plants, which act as natural air filters, placed vertically on a wall. As air flows through them, rootassociated microbes use VOCs as “food”, resulting in purification of the air. In this study we investigated
benzene degrading root-associated microbes from plants grown in the Papadakis Integrated Sciences
Building. Through cultivation and molecular-based techniques, we identified several fungi and a
smaller number of bacteria with a capacity to break down this VOC. Our molecular studies of microbial
communities also suggest that there is a wide diversity of microbes, which may aid in VOC degradation
and the improvement of indoor air quality.
66
Glycated collagen alters endothelial cell response to substrate stiffness
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BB62
Claudia Gutierrez
Co-Author(s): Aniel Padrino, Yasha Kresh, Anant Chopra
Advisor(s): Alisa Morss Clyne
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Endothelial cells (EC) comprise the single cell barrier that lines all blood vessels. These cells are
responsible for controlling permeability, inflammation , and wound healing. EC adhesion to the
substrate depends on cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions as well as substrate stiffness. As
substrate stiffness increases, EC develop a more spread morphology. In diabetic patients, hyperglycemia
induces ECM glycation which stiffens the matrix and affects cell-ECM adhesion. We hypothesized that
ECM glycation would alter cell response to substrates of different stiffness. Endothelial cells were
seeded onto polyacrylamide (PA) gels with varying shear modulus (0.3kPa, 5 kPa, 10 kPa, 30kPa). The
gels were coated with either native (NC) or glycated (GC) Type 1 collagen. After 24 hours, cells were
labeled for actin and nuclei and imaged using fluorescent microscopy. Cell area and aspect ratio were
then quantified using ImageJ. Cell area on both GC and NC increased substrate stiffness. However, from
0.3kPa to 30kPa gels, cells on gels coated with NC increased in area by 336%, while on GC cell area only
increased by 220%. Cell aspect ratio on NC also increased with gel stiffness, however cells on GC did
not follow this trend. This study provides further understanding of how diabetic conditions alter cell
response to substrate mechanics.
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Rebecca Urbano
Co-Author(s): Dr. Alisa Morss Clyne
Advisor(s): Dr. Alisa Morss Clyne
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Endothelial cell mechanics affect their structure and function in both healthy and diseased states.
Existing tools to measure cell mechanics, including atomic force microscopy and optical tweezers, obtain
measurements through physical contact with the cell. Physically probing a cell may cause damage or
activate cell surface receptors, both of which could confound results.
Dielectrophoresis (DEP), a phenomenon which occurs when a non-uniform electric field is applied to a
polarizable body, can generate a net force on cells without physical contact by reorienting cell charges
to form a dipole. Our laboratory previously developed a planar quadrupole electrode DEP device, which
successfully deformed single attached cells. However, the planar design suffered from large DEP force
variations over the cell height, and cell attachment location and spreading were not controlled.
The goal of this project is to fabricate and validate an improved DEP device capable of generating
forces on a single cell and measure changes in endothelial cell mechanical properties in diabetic
conditions. In the new design, the DEP force will be generated using an extruded quadrupole
electrode, which will be lowered over an attached single cell. Precise cell placement will be
accomplished through microcontact printing. In this technique, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp
is first created using photolithography and then used to deposit microscale extracellular matrix protein
patterns onto which the cell adheres. Cell deformation in response to the DEP force will be quantified
by embedding fluorescent polystyrene beads in the cells. The calculated applied force and measured cell
deformation will be used to calculate cell stiffness. DEP cell stiffness measurements will be compared
to values obtained from an atomic force microscope. This new device will enable single cell mechanics
measurements in dynamic conditions, including cell response to fluid flow or biochemical stimulation.
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A Second Generation Dielectrophoretic Device to Quantify Endothelial Cell
Mechanical Properties under Normal and Diabetic Conditions
BB
Differential immunomodulatory effects of cocaine on cytokine profiles
within patients in the DREXELMED HIV/AIDS Genetic Analysis Cohort
BB64
Nirzari Parikh
Co-Author(s): Jean Williams, Vanessa Pirrone, Michael R. Nonnemacher, Benjamas
Aiamkitsumrit, Shendra Passic, Brian Moldover, Rui Feng, David Downie, Jeffrey M. Jacobson,
Brian Wigdahl
Advisor(s): Brian Wigdahl
College of Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology/Molecular & Cell Biology & Genetics
HIV infection is prevalent among substance abusers. We evaluated the relationship between illicit
drug use and HIV-1 disease progression in HIV-1-infected patients enrolled in the DREXELMED HIV/
AIDS Genetic Analysis Cohort in Philadelphia, PA. History of illicit drug, alcohol, and medication use,
CD4+ and CD8+ T cell count, and viral load were performed approximately every 6 months. Drug abuse
is common in the cohort, with 87.6% of patients admitting past use; 29.7%, currently abusing drugs;
and 36.2% testing positive for drug use at the time of visit. While, most patients use multiple drugs
simultaneously, use of cocaine is heavily favored, with 80.5% of drug-using patients admitting to past
or current cocaine use. The cohort can be categorized into non-users (PN), cocaine only (preferential,
PC) users, cannabinoid only (preferential, PM) users, and multidrug users. Nonusers are more likely to
remain on HAART (94.4%), whereas PC are less likely (83.4%). The overall health of the PN subcohort is
better than that of those in the PC subcohort. Patients in PN are less likely to suffer from opportunistic
infections and have higher current and nadir CD4 counts. Additionally, the peak and the current
viral loads in PN are substantially lower than those in PC patients. Since, cocaine is known to have
immunomodulatory effects, the cytokine profiles of PN and PC individuals were analyzed to understand
the effects of cocaine on cytokine modulation and HIV-1 disease progression. Among the 30 cytokines
investigated, interestingly, differential levels of the HIV-1 suppressive factors, MIP-1α, MIP-1B, and
RANTES, were established within the PC subcohort. The cytokine profiles have also been analyzed with
respect to clinical parameters such as age, viral load, CD4+ T cell count, and neurocognitive impairment
status. In conclusion, illicit drug use appears to facilitate HIV-1 disease progression based on these
assessments.
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HIV-1 Vpr decreases astrocytic glutathione and ATP levels impacting
neuronal survival
BB65
Adriano Ferrucci
Co-Author(s): Michael Nonnemacher, Brian Wigdahl
Advisor(s): Brian Wigdahl
College of Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology/Microbiology and Immunology
Studies demonstrated accumulation of extracellular human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpr
in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of HIV-1-infected patients in direct correlation with viral loads
and disease progression. Late stage HIV-1-infected patients also suffer from different inflammatory
conditions and manifest excessive intracellular oxidation, a condition that may lead to irreversible fatal
effects. While several other HIV-1 proteins (gp120, Tat and Nef) are found in different bodily fluids, very
little is known about the downstream effects of Vpr. As an approach to study the role of extracellular
Vpr in HIV-1 disease progression, we demonstrated that recombinant Vpr decreased the levels of
glutathione (GSH) and ATP pools in cultured astrocytes, causing oxidative stress. Based on these results
and the aforementioned clinical manifestations, we hypothesized a correlation between enhanced
extracellular Vpr in the CNS and a decline in astrocytic levels of GSH and ATP with disease progression.
Results demonstrated declines in the levels of ATP and GSH were unrelated and due to a Vpr-induced
decrease in GAPDH activity, which affected the glycolytic pathway. In addition, exposure to extracellular
Vpr promoted caspase-dependent apoptosis in astrocytes along with secretion of pro-inflammatory
cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8) and chemoattractants (MCP-1 and MIF). Furthermore, excessive astrocytic
GSH oxidation lowered extracellular levels of GSH and the supply of cysteine for neurons, which
affected GSH synthesis within the neuronal compartment. This cascade of events within the astrocytic
compartment led to oxidative stress within the neuronal population, impairing survival. Partial rescue
was obtained upon supplementation with the anti-oxidant compound NAC. These results support a role
for HIV-1 extracellular Vpr in deregulating the neuronal-astrocytic network, which possibly accelerates
disease progression, offering a therapeutic approach for end stage disease.
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Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human immunodeficiency virus
type 1 viral promoter precede the onset of neurocognitive impairment
BB66
Benjamas Aiamkitsumrit
Co-Author(s): Luna Li, Michael R. Nonnemacher, Vanessa Pirrone, Shendra Passic, Nirzari
Parikh, Julio Martin-Garcia, Brian Moldover, Jeffrey M. Jacobson, Dennis Kolson, Brian Wigdahl
Advisor(s): Brian Wigdahl
College of Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology/Microbiology and Immunology
The long terminal repeat (LTR) regulates gene expression of HIV-1 by interacting with multiple host
and viral factors. Previously, cross-sectional studies in the pre-HAART era demonstrated that single
nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in peripheral blood-derived LTRs [a C-to-T change at position
3 of C/EBP site I (3T) and/or at position 5 of Sp site III (5T)] were identified SNPs and were often
encountered together in the LTR core enhancer region of the integrated provirus in late stage HIV
disease. Additionally, the 3T variant correlated with HIV-1-associated dementia. LTR sequences derived
from longitudinal sampling of peripheral blood from a single patient in the DREXELMED HIV/AIDS
Genetic Analysis Cohort resulted in the detection of the 3T and 5T co-selected SNPs before the onset
of neurologic impairment, suggesting that these SNPs may be useful in predicting HIV-associated
neurological complications. The relative fitness of the LTRs containing the 3T and/or 5T co-selected
SNPs as they evolved in their native patient-derived LTR backbone structure demonstrated a spectrum
of basal, activated, and Tat-mediated transcriptional activities. Utilizing multiple in silico prediction
methods for HIV-1 coreceptor usage, collinear patient-derived envelope sequences were analyzed and
suggested that the patient’s peripheral blood virus evolved from an X4 to an R5 swarm prior to the
development of neurological complications and more advanced HIV disease. These results suggest that
the viral swarm evolves during the course of disease in response to selective pressures that lead to
changes in prevalence of specific polymorphisms in the LTR and/or the envelope gene that could predict
the onset of neurological disease and result in alterations in viral function.
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The Addition of Sugars to the Alzheimer’s Ab Peptide Significantly Affects
the Oligomeric Distribution of the Peptide and Permeation of Biomimetic
Lipid Vesicles
BB67
Tom Williams
Co-Author(s): Brigita Urbanc
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the aggregation and deposition of the AB peptide. This 40 or 42
residue peptide is the product of the proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein membrane protein
and is able to assemble to form ordered, stable amyloid fibrils as well as small, soluble, and potentially
cytotoxic oligomers. It is hypothesized that the cytotoxicity may result from the formation of transient
soluble oligomers. This observed toxicity might be associated with the ability of oligomers to associate
with and cause permeation of lipid membranes. Here, we show the ability of oligomeric and fibrillar
AB42 to affect the integrity of biomimetic membranes in vitro. Oligomeric Ab40 and Ab42 binds with
the lipid bilayer, and causes disruption of the membrane resulting in leakage from vesicles to different
extents. We suggest that this is because Ab40 and Ab42 assembly though different pathways, that lead
to differing abilities to cause membrane permeation. We reveal that the potency of the assemblies
reduces with incubation time of the peptide and that maximal effect occurs when a particular species
is apparent by electron microscopy. The addition of sugar molecules to the assembling peptide
significantly affects the oligomeric distribution of the peptides and causes an inhibition in the ability to
cause membrane permeability.
72
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The impact of chronic morphine exposure on an in vitro model of the
blood-brain barrier
BB68
Marianne Strazza
Co-Author(s): Vanessa Pirrone, Wei Lin, Rui Feng, Brian Wigdahl, Michael R. Nonnemacher
Advisor(s): Brian Wigdahl
College of Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology/Molecular & Cell Biology & Genetics
About one-third of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) cases leading to acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States have been attributed to injection drug use,
frequently involving the abuse of opioids. Opioid abuse by HIV-1-infected individuals leads to more
rapid disease progression, increased viral replication and peripheral viral load, and increased incidence
and severity of neurocognitive abnormalities compared to non-drug abusers. The blood-brain barrier
(BBB) is an obstacle that must be overcome during neuroinvasion and HIV-associated neurocognitive
disorders (HAND) development. HIV-1 proteins can directly impact BBB permeability, and drugs of abuse
including cocaine and methamphetamine have been shown to increase BBB leakiness and cellular
transmigration. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies addressing the role of mu-opioids in altering BBB
suggest that exposure increases cellular transmigration and overall barrier leakiness. In this study, a
human brain microvascular endothelial cell (hBMEC) line, hCMEC/D3, was used to establish an in vitro
transwell model of the BBB to investigate the effects of chronic (24, 48, or 72 h) morphine treatment
on barrier structure and function. We observed that hCMEC/D3 cells form a confluent monolayer
with a basal rate of passage of a 70 kDa tracer molecule comparable to primary hBMECs. While
chronic morphine treatment does not induce overall barrier leakiness, mRNA levels of tight junction
proteins were observed to change throughout the course of chronic treatment. Future experiments
will investigate the impact of chronic morphine treatment on transcellular migration of mononuclear
cells, tight junction protein expression, adhesion molecule surface expression, and cytokine/chemokine
secretion.
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C/EBP and NFAT act via a novel downstream element to regulate HIV-1
transcription in cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage
BB69
Satinder Dahiya
Co-Author(s): Michael R. Nonnemacher, Brian Wigdahl
Advisor(s): Brian Wigdahl
College of Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology/Microbiology and Immunology
HIV-1 gene expression is regulated by cellular and viral factors that interact with sites present both
upstream and downstream of the transcriptional start site in the viral promoter or long terminal repeat
(LTR). Three potential downstream binding sites for CCAAT enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) were
identified using TRANSFAC analysis (DS1-3). DS3 was shown to have an important physical location in
the LTR as it occupies a region immediately downstream of nucleosome-1, remodeling of which is a
critical event in productive transcription of the HIV-1 genome. Moreover, analysis across subtypes of
HIV-1 indicated that the DS3 element has a high degree of conservation both in terms of nucleotide
sequence and physical location in the LTR. Interestingly, DS3 overlaps with the AP3-like element that
has been shown to bind members of the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) family of proteins.
Results indicated that NFAT has a higher relative affinity for this element as compared to members of
the C/EBP family. It was also observed that this element competed strongly with a low affinity upstream
C/EBP binding site I (US1) with respect to C/EBP binding, suggesting utilization of both NFAT and C/
EBP. In addition, an LTR containing a single point mutation (T to C change at position 9) in the DS3
element that compromises binding of its cognate factors showed 60 percent reduction in transcriptional
activation in a luciferase reporter assay, indicating that DS3 serves as a positive regulator of LTR-directed
transcription. The relative importance of NFAT and C/EBP with respect to DS3-mediated transcription
and identification of relevant isoforms of C/EBP and NFAT is currently under investigation. Preliminary
results show preferential binding by c2 isoforms of NFAT. Moreover, extracellular signals like cytokines
(for example, IL-6) regulate this process by modulating the expression of regulatory transcription factors
including C/EBP.
74
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Glycated collagen decreases urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)
activity in endothelial cells.
BB70
Justin Mathew
Advisor(s): Alisa Morss-Clyne
College of Engineering
MEM
Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. Reduced angiogenesis is
a serious cause of morbidity in diabetic patients. Extracellular matrix degradation is an initial step in
angiogenesis, and the plasminogen activating system (PAs) is a driving force for matrix degradation.
In the PAs, urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) converts plasminogen into plasmin, which degrades
extracellular matrix proteins. Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) inhibits uPA activity by binding to
uPA while it is bound to its receptor uPAR. uPAR also links with transmembrane proteins or a vitronectin
(VTN)-integrin complex to transmit signals that promote angiogenesis.
We previously showed a 50% decrease in uPA activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)
cultured on glycated (GC) compared to native collagen (NC). The goal of this study was to determine
the effect of decreased uPA activity on EC migration and tube formation, as well as the mechanism
underlying the decreased uPA activity as related to PAs proteins uPA, PAI-1, uPAR and VTN. HUVEC 3D
migration through a coated Boyden chamber and tube formation in 3D collagen gels were used to
determine EC functional changes. RT-PCR and Western Blot were used to quantify mRNA and protein
levels, respectively.
HUVEC 3D migration through NC was 10% higher than through GC, however cell migration on GC was
rescued by either uPA and VTN and decreased further by PAI-1. HUVEC tube length on NC was 51%
higher than in cells on GC. uPA and VTN increased tube length on both NC and GC. RT-PCR showed no
difference in uPA and PAI-1 mRNA levels in cells on either NC or GC. WB confirmed that uPA, uPAR, and
VTN protein levels remained unchanged in cells on NC and GC. In contrast, PAI-1 protein levels increased
by 33% in cells on GC.
These data suggest that the increase in PAI-1 protein levels without a change in mRNA expression may
be explained by PAI-1 interactions with uPA, uPAR, VTN or other ECM proteins.
75
BB
Ecmo Support Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Sepsis: A Report Of Two Cases
BB71
Dominick Carella
Co-Author(s): Daniel H. Conway MD
College of Medicine
ECMO
Deep tissue infections and shock with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sepsis are
often fatal and require extensive intensive care support. Timely interventions including ECMO improve
both survival and limit disability, however mortality remains high. Major surgery for children while
on ECMO has traditionally been thought to be associated with significant bleeding complications.
Amputations while on ECMO have not been previously reported. We describe two patients with
catecholamine-resistant shock requiring ECMO due to deep tissue infection with MRSA.
The first patient, a 14-year-old male required ECMO support for fluid and catecholamine resistant shock
from an invasive deep tissue infection of the left foot with ascending fasciitis that grew MRSA from
wound and blood cultures. A fasciotomy was performed followed later by tourniquet placement above
the knee in an attempt to limit ongoing bacterial contamination. Despite a course of plasmapheresis,
the patient remained refractory to all supportive measures and succumbed 2 days later. Review of this
case via a multidisciplinary team questioned if a more aggressive approach to source control would
have been beneficial.
The second patient, a 12-year-old male presented to our institution requiring ECMO support for fluid
and catecholamine resistant shock from invasive MRSA that grew from a left knee effusion with
extension to the fascial plains of the left leg. The patient initially had a fasciotomy of the lower tibial
compartment, but had ongoing SIRS and remained resistant to all supportive therapy. Two days later,
in an effort to provide source control, a left knee disarticulation and amputation was performed. This
resulted in a rapid improvement of all physiologic parameters including procalcitonin, white blood cell
count, platelet count, and pressor requirements. The patient was weaned from ECMO post amputation
day 10 and recovered with normal CNS function and was transferred to a rehab facility on hospital day
44.
This experience suggests timely, aggressive “source control” including amputation should be considered
in addition to drainage of infected fluids and debridement of necrotic tissue. Prompt reduction of the
bacterial inoculum may improve survival in this subset of critically ill children and, despite the use of
ECMO, amputation for sepsis due to deep tissue infections may be life-saving.
76
Sexual Selection and Visual Ecology of the Diamondback Terrapin
BB
BB72
Abigail Dominy
Co-Author(s): James R. Spotila, Walter F. Bien, Harold W. Avery
Advisor(s): Harold Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) are a colorful estuarine turtle. Terrapins express
conspicuous coloration and patterns on their skin and carapace. The goal of my research is to evaluate
the visual ecology of the diamondback terrapin, which is potentially important in mate selection. To
determine whether terrapins select mates based on coloration, I will genetically determine hatchling
paternity and compare the phenotypes of males that were identified as fathers. Phenotypes will be
measured using reflectance spectrophotometry and digital photography. The visual ability of the
terrapin will also be evaluated in this study to account for the visual perception of the terrapin.
77
BB
Ultrasound triggered gene delivery in vitro augmented by polymer
microbubbles
BB73
Michael Cochran
Advisor(s): Dr. Wheatley
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomed
Gene therapy approaches have been investigated for a number of difficult clinical problems including
the treatment of cancer. The success of viral vectors has been limited by safety concerns due to the
possibility of a severe immunological response, especially in the case of repeated administration.
Recently, ultrasound has gained attention as a non viral method to enhance gene delivery. It has
been shown that microbubbles triggered with ultrasound can temporarily enhance the permeability
of cells allowing genes to enter the cell in a process known as sonoporation. In this study, polymer
microbubbles developed in this lab were triggered with ultrasound to transfect human breast
cancer cells in vitro. We examined the effects of insonation parameters (acoustic pressure amplitude,
insonation frequency, pulse repetition frequency, pulse length, intensity, both spatial peak pulse
average and spatial peak time average and insonation time) on the transfection efficiency and
cell viability. We also examined the effects of the microbubble’s encapsulated gas, microbubble
concentration and the presence of various components in cell culture media during insonation (calcium,
magnesium, added EDTA and added P188). The most efficient gene delivery was achieved with an
insonation frequency of 1 MHz, acoustic pressure amplitude of 1 MPa, pulse repetition frequency of
5 Hz and pulse length of 12 milliseconds. It was observed that insonation with a 5 MHz transducer
resulted in significantly (p<0.05) lower levels of transfection compared to 1 and 2.25 MHz. The additives
P188, a compound known to aid in membrane repair, and magnesium had no significant effect on
transfection, however calcium ion concentrations and the addition of EDTA had a significant effect on
transfection. In future work we hope to examine the efficacy of microbubbles loaded with plasmid and
the efficacy of ultrasound triggered gene delivery with polymer microbubbles in vivo.
78
BB
Diets and Growth Rates of Pseudemys rubriventris and Trachemys scripta
elegans in South-Eastern Pennsylvania.
BB74
Kristian Ingraham
Co-Author(s): Sabrina Douglas
Advisor(s): Steven Pearson, Harold Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Diets of animals are affected by the dietary resources available within their habitat. Anthropogenic
disturbances can lead to decreases in food availability. We studied the diets and growth rates of the
native red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) and the introduced red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys
scripta elegans) in southeastern Pennsylvania at the Silver Lake Nature Center, an interconnected large
wetland complex, and at Fort Mifflin, a small and fragmented wetland complex. These wetlands differ
in species richness and food availability. Dietary components from fecal samples were identified to their
lowest possible taxon. Growth rates of turtles were determined using annuli on the shell. Dietary items
were measured by volume to determine the relative abundance in the diet. Both species are omnivores
with plant material composing greater than 88% of their diet. At Silver Lake Nature Center, the diet
of red-bellied turtles differed from that of red-eared slider turtles. Both species fed on different plants
and animals. Animal material composed 12% of red-eared slider turtle diets versus 1% in red-bellied
turtles. At Fort Mifflin, both species had similar diets consisting of approximately 95% plant material. At
Silver Lake Nature Center, both species grew faster than those at Fort Mifflin. These results suggest that
smaller wetland size and habit fragmentation may lead to population declines due to inhibited growth
rates and narrowing dietary niche breadth.
79
Life threatening cases of aripriprazole induced dysphagia
BB
BB75
Muhammad Zafar
Co-Author(s): Braden Youngman, Muhammad Majeed
College of Medicine
Psychiatry
Dysphagia is a rare manifestation of extrapyramidal symptoms seen in patients taking antipsychotic
medication. The mechanism involves spastic paralysis of voluntary muscles used in swallowing. Early
recognition and treatment of this condition is important as it could be a potentially life threatening
situation.
80
Multiple Sclerosis and headache
BB
BB76
Muhammad Zafar
Co-Author(s): Braden Youngman
College of Medicine
Psychiatry
There has long been shown an increased incidence of migraine headaches in patients with MS (multiple
sclerosis) (Villani et al.). The association of migraine headaches and MS has been shown in multiple
studies and has been studied for multiple reasons. MS patients with migraines have been shown to have
a more symptomatic clinical course of the disease and a higher incidence of depression than patients
with MS but without migraines (Kister et al). Furthermore, there are treatment implications in screening
patients with MS for migraine headaches as some of the drugs used to treat MS have been shown to
exacerbate migraine headaches leading to a decrease in quality of life and treatment non-adherence
(Kister et al).
81
BB
Split belt treadmill for measuring ground-reaction forces in spinal and
intact felines
BB77
Marko Dimiskovski
Co-Author(s): David Kowalski
Advisor(s): Michel Lemay Ph.D.
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
A split belt treadmill was designed and constructed to measure the ground-reaction forces of the
hindlimbs during stepping in felines. The treadmill consists of two independent treadmill assemblies,
each mounted on a Kistler Type 9257BA force plate. The design allows measurements of vertical,
horizontal and lateral (Fx, Fy, Fz) ground-reaction forces for both hindlimbs, and independent setting of
the speed at which each hindlimbs step while the forelimbs are standing on a platform sitting over the
belts. Measuring oscillations in the force response were dampened by mounting on MDF tabletop and
post data-collection filter. The split belt force treadmill enables the simultaneous recording of groundreaction forces for both hindlimbs in cats prior to spinalization, post-spinalization and body-weightsupported treadmill training. These recordings are combined with motion capture kinematics and EMG
data for the quantitative analysis of spinal cord injury recovery in spinal cats. Testing the treadmill was
done with objects of known weight.
82
BB
HIV-1 LTR single nucleotide polymorphisms correlate with use of drugs in
the DREXELMED HIV/AIDS Genetic Analysis Cohort
BB78
Jean Williams
Co-Author(s): Vanessa Pirrone, Michael R. Nonnemacher, Benjamas Aiamkitsumrit, Shendra
Passic, Nirzari Parikh, Brian Moldover, Rui Feng, David Downie, Jeffrey M. Jacobson, Brian
Wigdahl
College of Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology
Substance abuse is prevalent among HIV-1-infected patients. However, the effects of illicit drugs on HIV1 disease progression are not fully understood. To examine this, we evaluated the relationship between
illicit drug use and HIV-1 disease progression in patients enrolled in the DREXELMED HIV/AIDS Genetic
Analysis Cohort in Philadelphia, PA. History of illicit drug, alcohol, and medication use, CD4+ and CD8+
T cell count, and viral load were collected approximately every 6 months. Drug abuse is common in the
cohort, with 87.6% of patients admitting past use; 29.7% currently abusing drugs; and 36.2% testing
positive for drug use at the time of visit. Cocaine and marijuana use are heavily favored, with 80.5%
of drug-using patients admitting to past or current cocaine use and 72% admitting to marijuana use.
Most patients use multiple drugs simultaneously. For our analysis, the cohort was categorized into
non-users (PN), cocaine only (preferential, PC) users, cannabinoid only (preferential, PM) users, and
multidrug users. Nonusers are more likely to remain on HAART (94.4%), whereas PC and PM are less
likely (83.4% and 78%, respectively). Drug users exhibited lower current CD4+ T cell count, lower nadir
CD4+ T cell, higher current viral loads, and higher peak viral loads than non-users. In addition, single
nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are unique to cocaine, marijuana, or non-users were identified.
In conclusion, illicit drug use appears to facilitate HIV-1 disease progression and selects for genetic
variations unique to mono- and multi-using HIV/AIDS patient cohorts.
83
Development of Stealth Polymeric Ultrasound Contrast Agents
BB
BB79
James Andorko
Advisor(s): Margaret Wheatley
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Previous research has shown that when injected intravenously, drug-loaded polymeric ultrasound
contrast agents (UCA) accumulate within the liver and spleen due to recognition by the complement
proteins within the blood and uptake by the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). The MPS and
complement systems are part of the body’s natural immune system and should be avoided to allow
for proper delivery of drug to the desired site. This study investigates two means of incorporating
polyethylene glycol (PEG), into the shell of UCAs to facilitate the avoidance mechanisms. PEG is a wellresearched molecule used for immune system avoidance. The first route used a PEG-polylactic acid
copolymer to create the UCAs via a water-oil-water emulsion technique. A second approach employed
TPGS (d-a tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate or vitamin E) was used as a surfactant during
the creation of the UCAs from pure polylactic acid. The resulting formulations of pegylated UCAs were
compared to regular polylactic acid UCAs to determine the impact on size, surface charge, surface
morphology, acoustic enhancement, and UCA stability under simulated body conditions.
84
The Importance of Color Contrast to Turtles in Aquatic Environments
BB
BB80
Allison Tipton
Co-Author(s): Stefanie Farrell, Abigail Dominy, Harold Avery
Advisor(s): Harold Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Measures of color contrast are important for animals engaged in the detection of targets. The purpose
of this study is to determine whether contrasting hues are exhibited at certain wavelengths of the
light spectrum in a population of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin). Specific anatomical
sampling points on each terrapin containing greatest contrast were taken to determine if a pattern
existed within and among individuals in the population. Past studies suggest that differences in radiant
intensity between different portions of the visual spectrum may increase contrast of a visual target
(Lythgoe, 1979). Preliminary data analyses suggest that peak contrasts were generally located in the
ultraviolet and orange-red color range across individuals in the population. The existence of peaks in
these regions of the light spectrum could directly correspond to the dominance of those wavelengths
within the terrapin’s aquatic environment. Being able to recognize contrasting hues could influence
how terrapins select their mates. Understanding the interplay of the ambient light environment
and animal behavior will enable us to properly protect and conserve this species that faces many
anthropogenic impacts.
85
BB
Maternal Plasma, as a Source for fetal DNA, is better than Fetal Cells for
Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis of Single Gene Disorders
BB81
Laura Hart
Co-Author(s): Ossie Geifman-Holtzman, MD, Janet Ober, MS,CGC, Anand Bhattacharya, MHS,
Yali Xiong, PhD, Owen Montgomery, MD, Laird Jackson, MD
College of Medicine
ob-gyn
Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) using fetal material in maternal blood would provide a safe
and accurate alternative to prenatal diagnosis by amniocentesis or CVS. Our aim was to determine the
source of fetal material that was reported to achieve higher accuracy of NIPD of single gene disorder.
Pubmed search of the articles describing prenatal diagnosis of single gene disorders from maternal
blood published to date were reviewed. We tabulated the disorders and the source of the sample
which was obtained from maternal blood, DNA from maternal plasma or from fetal cells isolated from
maternal blood. The accuracy of the diagnosis was calculated and the combined sensitivity, specificity,
false positive rate, and false negative rate were calculated for all studies.
We identified 43 articles describing 15 single gene disorders. The source of fetal material was maternal
plasma and fetal cells in 28 and 15 of the studies, respectively. The noninvasive prenatal diagnosis
from maternal blood of the following conditions was described: Achondroplasia, sickle cell disease,
hemoglobinopathies (thalassemia, hemoglobin Lepore, hemoglobin E, Hb Bart’s), myotonic dystrophy,
congenital adrenal hyperplasia, cystic fibrosis, Huntington disease, spinal muscular atrophy and
metabolic diseases. Accurate diagnosis of single gene disorder was achieved in 187/218 (86%) of the
samples using fetal cells and in 258/265 (97%) of the samples using fetal DNA.
NIPD of single gene disorders using fetal DNA obtained from maternal plasma achieved higher accuracy
compared with fetal DNA obtained from fetal cells isolated from maternal peripheral blood. This
higher accuracy demonstrates the potential of NIPD using fetal DNA to be clinically applicable and
possibly replace the traditional methods of prenatal diagnosis through chorionic villus sampling and
amniocentesis. A large multi-center study is required to demonstrate the clinical applicability of NIPD.
86
Engineered “Trophospheres” for Determining Blastocyst Binding Mechanics
BB
BB82
Robert Yucha
Co-Author(s): Monika Jost, Ph.D., Noreen Robertson, DMD
Advisor(s): Michele Marcolongo, Ph.D.
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Infertility is a large problem affecting an estimated 7 million women in the United States. The major
treatment, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) exhibits a success rate of only 18-40% at a cost of nearly $60,000
for a successful outcome. Improper attachment of the blastocyst is the major cause for this low success
rate. However, due to legal and ethical considerations little is known about this system. A clear need
exists for a model system to study blastocyst implantation. In this work we describe the development
of a 3-dimensional cellular model system for studying implantation mechanics. We engineered
‘trophospheres’ to mimic the size and shape of a native blastocyst, and which express the critical
binding protein L-selectin. Preliminary data shows that L-selectin on trophospheres binds to its ligand,
sialyl Lewis X, with approximately 0.002 dynes of force. This work is the first cellular model of its kind
used to quantify blastocyst implantation mechanics.
87
BB83
Yi Hu
Co-Author(s): Piotr Lukasik, Yemin Lan, Corrie Moreau, Gail Rosen, Jacob Russell
Advisor(s): Jacob Russell
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology Department
Ants are ecologically dominant insects which have a variety of diets ranging from relatively balanced
to extremely unbalanced in nutrient content. It has been hypothesized that herbivorous ants harbor
stable, indigenous and coevolved gut bacterial communities and receive greater contributions from gut
bacteria than those found at higher trophic levels with more complete diets. In this study, we aimed
to explore the diversity and stability of gut associates in Cephalotes varians, an herbivorous ant from
the Florida Keys. To accomplish this, we used a culture-independent approach to study bacterial gut
communities through analyses of the 16S rRNA gene, including 454 pyrosequencing and T-RFLP analysis.
Our 454 pyrosequencing data showed that the predominant bacterial taxa from workers of C. varians
were found across all field-collected colonies, although there was a weak trend of greater similarity
of microbial gut communities within (versus between) ant colonies. In lab-based dietary experiments,
we examined one of the possible causes of this variation, diet. T-RFLP analyses revealed high similarity
between gut microbes in different ants, even those fed on different diets. However, gut bacteria of C.
varians shifted in response to feeding on pollen due to the higher relative abundance of Rhizobiales
bacteria. And gut microbial communities showed a slight shift in response to sugar-only diets in one
of the studied colonies. Combined, these results indicated that C. varians harbored qualitatively stable
bacterial gut communities that may supplement nutritional deficiencies for their hosts. Differences in
the relative abundance of ubiquitous bacteria among ant colonies might be due to their consumption
of different diets at varied geographic locations or during different seasons.
88
BB
Variation of symbiotic gut communities among Cephalotes varians colonies
across diets
BB
Color Variation in Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in
Relation to the Anthropogenically Impacted Visual Environment
BB84
Donaghy Lauren
Co-Author(s): Kevin Biallas, Abigail Dominy
Advisor(s): Harold Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Conspecific recognition is an important component in intraspecific communication. Changing visual
environments may affect the ability of wildlife to find and identify potential mating partners.
Barnegat Bay, NJ is increasingly threatened by anthropogenic degradation. Native aquatic species
face steadily changing water conditions, such as increased eutrophy and turbidity from high levels
of watercraft activity. These alterations in water conditions directly impact the visual capabilities and
behaviors of the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), a Species of Special Concern in the
state of New Jersey. Reflectance spectra were measured on captured terrapins during the summer of
2011. Spectrophotometric data were processed through the MATLAB program TETRACOLORSPACE,
as modified from Stoddard and Prum (2008), to calculate chromatic values. Chromatic values of seven
distinct anatomical sampling points on the skin, carapace and plastron were calculated and compared
in different ambient light environments to model light attenuation that results from decreased ambient
light quality. Our results indicate that increasing light attenuation causes a decrease in the perceived
chromatic values expressed on the terrapin. Understanding the visual environment of the diamondback
terrapin provides insight into the behavior of the species, which is imperative in developing
conservation and management programs for threatened wildlife.
89
Lithium toxicity in a patient with gastric bypass surgery
BB
BB85
Muhammad Zafar
Co-Author(s): Braden Youngman
College of Medicine
Psychiatry
A significant number of obese patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery have co-morbid psychiatric
illness, as many as 45% of patients can have a lifetime prevalence of Axis I psychiatric diagnosis and
29% can have depressive disorders. Many psychiatric patients are on medications, some of which may
be affected by the anatomic and physiologic changes related to gastric bypass surgery.
90
BB
Characterization of Daughterless in post-neurogenesis through larval
locomotion assays of Drosophila
BB86
Tina Hu
Advisor(s): Dr. Daniel Marenda
College of Arts and Sciences
Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors are key players of many developmental processes
including neurogenesis. TCF4 is a broadly expressed proneural bHLH transcription factor. Mutations in
TCF4 have been implicated in Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, an autosomal-dominant condition and associated
with schizophrenia. Daughterless is the only homologue to TCF4 in flies and also has the same basic
helix-loop-helix structural motif. We hypothesize that Daughterless has a role in post-neurogenesis in
post-mitotic neurons. Two tissue-specific post-mitotic drivers were used with the GAL4-UAS system,
specifically a presynaptic and postsynaptic driver. The effect of knockdown and over-expression of
Daughterless were observed in Drosophila melanogaster in larval crawling and contraction assays.
Preliminary results show defects in the larvae in both crawling and contraction assays.
91
BB
The environmental factors controlling diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys
terrapin) nesting in Barnegat Bay, NJ
BB87
Anna Gourlay
Co-Author(s): Julianne M. Winters
Advisor(s): Harold W. Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology Department
Human coastal development directly interferes with available nesting habitats for estuarine wildlife.
In Barnegat Bay, NJ, coastal development has depleted the natural shoreline faster than any other
Mid-Atlantic estuary in the past thirty years. This upland coastal development significantly reduces
diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) nesting habitat. With a high rate of coastal habitat loss,
it is important to determine what environmental factors predict terrapin nesting so we can better
understand how human use affects nesting terrapins. Previous studies suggest spatial patterns of
emergence sites, but it remains unknown if a pattern persists in regards to when emergence occurs.
Thus, it is important to determine what environmental factors affect the timing of terrapin nesting
behavior. We observed the diamondback terrapin nesting and emerging that occurred at a fidelic
nesting beach, Conklin Island, from June 1 to July 17, 2011. Records of water salinity and temperature,
air temperature, tidal cycle, and wind speed were collected one to three times a day during the survey
period. With this environmental data and determining the number and location of emergent females
per hour, we will determine how temperature, cloud coverage, wind speed, tidal patterns and salinity
control nesting activity. We propose that terrapins will nest more frequently during times of low wind
speeds, higher air and water temperatures, high tidal cycles, and low salinity levels. These patterns
in temperatures, tidal cycle, salinity, and wind speeds will be used to determine optimal conditions
for nesting. With increased anthropogenic disturbances in terrapin habitat, our data will provide the
framework for making more informed decisions by wildlife management agencies, which will hopefully
lead to more effective protection of terrapin populations in Barnegat Bay and elsewhere.
92
BB
Investigating Changes in Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Impact Mechanics
during a Diurnal Cycle
BB88
David Jamison
Co-Author(s): Marcus Henderson, Mande Keita
Advisor(s): Michele Marcolongo
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
The rate of low back pain (LBP) among special boat operators in the United States Navy has been
reported at nearly 34%, many of these specific to the lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD). This is
significantly high when compared to the 15-20% of the general adult U.S. population that also suffers
from low back pain annually. Chronic low back and disc related pain in the Naval population are
attributed to the high impact loads experienced frequently during boat travel as it pitches and crashes
back down to the water surface. In an effort to mitigate the rate of LBP, we seek to better understand
the mechanics of the IVD under impact loading conditions.
A cadaveric, experimental model has been developed previously in the laboratory. We have shown
that impacts in the range of those experienced on high speed boats result in adverse IVD mechanics,
particularly higher stiffness and lower energy dissipation, compared to a more physiologic loading
range. In this study, we investigate the effect of daily loading and creep effects on disc mechanics
during impact loading.
Lumbar discs from calf specimen were harvested and dissected for this study. Each sample was loaded
for 16 h to simulate normal loading during the daytime; this load was then reduced for 8 h to simulate
recovery during sleep, for a total 24 h diurnal cycle. Each disc was subjected to an impact sequence
(80, 160, 320, 400, 600, 800 ms), along with a 1-sec impulse used as a baseline value, at different time
points throughout the diurnal cycle (3, 6, 9, 12, 15 h). We hypothesize that disc mechanics during impact
loading will be altered as a result of the daily loading cycle and that as time progresses, the stiffness will
increase and energy dissipation will decrease across the various impact durations.
93
BB
Ultrasound Contrast Agents for Tumor Perfusion Imaging and as Drug
Carriers
BB89
Boriphat Methachan
Advisor(s): Margaret A. Wheatley
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Dynamic data on tumor vasculature are important for efficiency of diagnosis and cancer therapy. In
this study, gas bubbles stabilized by surfactants were used as contrast agents in ultrasound imaging.
Two agents were developed in our laboratory: 1) a perfluorocarbon gas bubble contrast agent, ST68,
stabilized with Span60 and Tween 80 with a bubble population ranging from 1-4 micrometer diameter,
and 2) SE61, with a Span60, d-alpha tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, or TPGS shell and
comprised of population of gas bubbles with a substantial number of nano-sized bubbles, has bubble
sizes ranging from 100 nanometers to 3 micrometers. SE61 was developed to see if the smaller sized
bubbles would yield better ultrasound imaging for tumor perfusion deeper into the tumor bed. Invitro study showed both agents provide good echogenicity (return of ultrasound back to the collector).
Power-Doppler ultrasound imaging was used in vivo to analyze the tumor perfusion for both agents in
an animal (rat) study. Tumor coverage and time were plotted and analyzed by comparing parameters
in wash-in and wash-out phases. The results showed that both agents gave good tumor coverage.
However, SE61 provided better perfusion imaging than ST68. Subsequent experiments showed that
Paclitaxel, a promising anti-tumor agent with poor water solubility, could intercalate into the bubble
shell, resulting in the change in echogenicity and stability of the agents in the ultrasound beam. This
study portends the better perfusion of the nanobubbles when used for tumor vasculature imaging and
can be useful in our long-term goal as drug carriers for cancer therapy.
94
3D Endometrium Model for Studying Blastocyst Implantation Mechanics
BB
BB90
Kritika Katiiyar
Co-Author(s): Weili Ma, Joseph Mathew, Helly Shah, Paige Bailey, Rob Yucha
Advisor(s): Michele Marcolongo
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomaterials
Infertility is a prevalent medical condition affecting 1 in 6 couples. The most common treatment is in
vitro fertilization (IVF). However, the success rate of IVF is quite low. Women under the age of 35 have a
43% chance of a successful pregnancy, and this rate drops to about 18% for women over the age of 40.
Pregnancy is determined by successful implantation of the blastocyst to the endometrium. Implantation
consists of four stages: apposition, primary adhesion, secondary adhesion, and invasion. Apposition
occurs when the blastocyst is stationary to the endometrium. Primary adhesion is mediated by ligands,
such as L-selectin ligand on the endometrium which attaches to the protein on the blastocyst. This weak
bond between the blastocyst and the endometrium can be broken with a shear stress of approximately
10 dynes/cm2. Secondary adhesion involves much stronger attachment with integrins and other
adhesion molecules, and can withstand a shear force of up to 300 dynes/cm2. Due to the weak bonds
in the primary adhesion phase, we believe that this stage is crucial for successful implantation. To date,
no model has been created which studies L-selectin binding in primary adhesion. Therefore, we propose
a 3D model of the endometrium which exhibits adhesion mechanics of the natural tissue, specifically
L-selectin, to allow for testing and analysis of blastocyst attachment to the uterine wall for improved
study of implantation, and successive improvement in IVF success rate.
95
Temperature effects on turtle ingestion rates in Southeastern Pennsylvania
BB
BB91
Abigail Harris
Co-Author(s): William Wilhelm, Elizabeth Kwong, Steven Pearson, Harold Avery
Advisor(s): Steven Pearson
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Reptile metabolism is affected by environmental factors such as temperature, wind speed and solar
radiation. Shifting environmental conditions can affect the daily ingestion rates of reptiles. This
study examined how environmental temperature affects the ingestion rates of juvenile red-eared
slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans), an invasive species to Pennsylvania and juvenile red-bellied
turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris), a threatened species native to Pennsylvania. Competition with redeared slider turtles may be a cause of red-bellied turtle population declines. Turtles were housed in
both single species and mixed species groups of six turtles and fed ad libitum four times a week for
forty-five minute, digitally recorded feeding periods. Average daily temperatures were determined
with data collected by a HOBO weather station. The daily average ingestion rates per group were
used to determine how temperature affects ingestion rates of turtles and to determine if one species
ingestion rates differed from the other. Preliminary results suggest that turtle ingestion rates increase
with environmental temperature and that there is no significant difference between ingestion rates
of red-bellied turtles and red-eared slider turtles when housed in single species and mixed species
groups and fed ad libitum. The study provides insight on how the environment affects ingestion
rates of ectothermic organisms and provides details on ingestion rates of two different species in a
resource abundant habitat. These results are important in determining how temperature and species
composition affects non-competitive feeding behavior of red-eared slider turtles and red-bellied turtles.
96
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Between the Bay and a Hard Place: The Stress Response of Nesting
Diamondback Terrapins due to Bulkheading in Barnegat Bay, NJ.
BB92
Julianne Winters
Co-Author(s): Walter F. Bien, James R. Spotila, Edward A. Standora, David C. Rostal
Advisor(s): Harold Avery
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Barnegat Bay Estuary exhibits the highest development rate of any Mid-Atlantic estuary. In fact,
bulkheading has increased 30% over the past thirty years along these shorelines, severely limiting the
aquatic-terrestrial interface for wildlife. The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) requires
the upland habitat that is blocked by bulkheading for annual nesting. To determine the effect
of bulkheading on this threatened species’ nesting behavior we measured terrapin movements,
stress levels, and site fidelity in relation to artificial bulkheading over two seasons. In particular,
adrenocortical responsiveness (i.e., stress) was quantified through measures of corticosterone and
testosterone levels in relation to bulkheading exposure. Blood samples were drawn immediately
upon capture from 91 nesting terrapins at both experimentally bulkheaded and adjacent reference
beaches. In addition, 19 individuals were subjected to handling stress and bled again at 30 and 60 min
following capture to create plasma profiles of acute corticosterone secretion. These data represent the
first documentation of acute stress in nesting diamondback terrapins, exhibiting levels comparable to
those of other Chelonians. Preliminary corticosterone and testosterone analyses show no significant
difference between treatment, suggesting that bulkheading does not elicit a stress response in nesting
terrapins. Thus, more robust analysis considering barrier exposure at an individual level are needed. We
propose that our endocrinological records can be applied towards better understanding how human
development can physiologically affect wildlife. With the increasing rate of bulkheading construction
in Barnegat Bay, this study acts as a novel approach to guiding shoreline development within America’s
estuaries.
97
BB93
Elizabeth Crowe
Co-Author(s): Rekha Bhat, Alessandro Bitto, Michelle Moh, Christos D. Katsetos, Fernando U.
Garcia, Brad Johnson, John Q. Trojanowski, Christian Sell, Claudio Torres
Advisor(s): Claudio Torres
College of Medicine
Pathology/Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Astrocytes are a highly abundant population of glial cells that perform a myriad of complex functions
in order to support neuronal homeostasis. Astrocytes regulate the contents of the synaptic cleft,
contribute to CNS metabolism, and maintain blood brain barrier (BBB) integrity. An alteration in these
activities may contribute to age and disease-related neuropathology and our laboratory is exploring
the hypothesis that cellular senescence in astrocytes is a causative event in age-related neuropathology.
We have shown that astrocytes are capable of triggering a senescent growth arrest in vitro and these
cells are highly sensitive to oxidative stress. We examined astrocytes for biomarkers of senescence in
postmortem tissues from patients of differing ages and those with Alzheimer’s disease. We found an
increase the percentage of astrocytes that are glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)/p16INK4a -positive by
immunofluorescence in the frontal cortices of aged and AD patients without a concomitant increase in
the cerebellum, which is an area of the brain typically unaffected by AD pathology. We also profiled the
secretion pattern of senescent astrocytes in vitro and found an increase in a sub-set of proinflammatory
cytokines indicating that astrocytes produce a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The
recognition of the SASP in senescent astrocytes represents a novel area for potential interventions in
the treatment of age- and disease-related neuroinflammation that will either ameliorate the effect of
the SASP in the microenvironment or enhance the clearance of the senescent astrocytes via the immune
system.
98
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Astrocyte Senescence as a Component of Alzheimer’s Disease
BB
New Biomimetic Aggrecan for Treatment of Intervertebral Disc
Degeneration
BB94
Denis Madende
Co-Author(s): Sarah Lightfoot, Katsiaryna Prudnikova, Edward Vresilovic, Michele Marcolongo
Advisor(s): Michele Marcolongo
College of Engineering
MSE
Lower back pain resulting from intervertebral disc degeneration is one of the leading musculoskeletal
disorders confronting our health system. Disc degeneration is accompanied by a decrease in aggrecan
content in the nucleus pulposus. A possible approach to mechanically stabilizing the disc early in the
degenerative cascade is by increasing the concentration of aggrecan in the nucleus to normal level
thereby increasing hydration and intradiscal pressure. Treatment with natural aggrecan, however, is
cost prohibitive. Here we report synthesis and characterization of an enzymatically-resistant, biomimetic
aggrecan consisting of a synthetic polymer core with covalently attached chondroitin sulfate bristles.
“Grafting to” strategy was used to create a hybrid biomimetic aggrecan with chondroitin sulfate (CS)
bristles conjugated to two different polymer backbones, long Poly(acrylic acid) (MW 250kDa) and short
Poly(acryloyl chloride) (MW 10 kDa). Successful conjugation of CS bristles to enzymatically resistant
polymer backbones was confirmed with the fluorescamine assay and 1H-NMR. Our biomimetic analogue
was shown to have comparable osmotic pressure of natural aggrecan with an eight fold increase
in osmotic pressure from CS alone. Biomimetic aggrecan was found to be cytocompatible (L9292
fibroblasts) and can be potentially used to mechanically stabilize the degenerated disc by increasing
nucleus hydration and intradiscal pressure.
99
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A juvenile Hyposaurus rogersii skull from the Hornerstown Formation of
New Jersey
BB95
Aja Carter
Co-Author(s): Zachary Boles, Elena Schroeter
Advisor(s): Kenneth Lacovara
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Recent excavation in the Hornerstown Formation of Mantua Township, Gloucester County, New
Jersey, has yielded a plethora of marine vertebrates, including a partial skull consisting of a complete
braincase, associated fragments, and two teeth. We assigned the material to Hyposaurus rogersii based
on the following characteristics: 1) braincase exhibits a flat ventral margin of the magnum foramen,
resulting in a shunted occipital condyle that is very short; 2) the jugal curves ventrally relative to the
dorsal margin of the brain case; 3) tuberosities are present on both sides of the dorsal-most lateral
line on the supraoccipital, and; 4) a flattened parietal-frontal complex. The combination of these
characteristics are diagnostic of Hyposaurus. The lack of fused skull joints, indicates this specimen to
be a juvenile H. rogersii. This material represents an individual of intermediate size, relative to three
previously reported specimens, and provides insight into osteological changes in the skull of H. rogersii
through ontogeny.
100
BB96
Shabnum Haleem
Co-Author(s): Sandeep Aggarwal, Irfan Ahmed, Nauman Shahid
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Hypercalcemia is a rare complication of Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in
association with granulomatous disease following Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The
proposed mechanism is increased activity of α-1-hydroxylase in the granulomas.Herein we present
a case of a 28 year-old African American HIV infected male patient who developed cryptococcal skin
infection and fungemia 9 days and severe hypercalcemia 57 days after initiation of HAART.
At presentation patient’s serum creatinine was 2.8 mg/dl (baseline 0.95 mg/dl) and serum calcium 15.4
mg/dl, on recent blood work. On physical exam he was found to have multiple crusted healing lesions
on the face, and upper extremities. Further labs studies showed: iPTH 3 pg/ml, 25(OH)D2 28.6 nmol/L,
1,25(OH)D3 19 nmol/L, and ACEI 96. CT of chest showed nodules consistent with fungal granulomas.
The patient was treated with IV fluids and pamidronate and antifungal agent with improvement in
serum calcium and renal function. The patient was diagnosed with hypercalcemia from granulomatous
disease.
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Cryptococcal Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome Complicated
By Hypercalcemia in an HIV-infected Patient
BB97
Samir Patel
Co-Author(s): Aliki Panagopoulou
Advisor(s): James Spotila
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
During the late spring of 2011, we acquired a small male loggerhead off the coast of Rethymno
through collaboration with a local fisherman. We attached a satellite transmitter to this individual and
tracked it to determine its post-reproductive migratory and foraging behaviors. This turtle embarked
on its post-reproductive migration well in advance of the end of the nesting season. It first travelled
approximately 1200 km to the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia, residing there for over a month before continuing
through the Strait of Sicily approximately 1000 km into the western Mediterranean Sea. Unlike female
post-nesting migrations, this male seemed to forage throughout its journey. While in the Gulf of
Gabes, this individual foraged within a localized area similar to its female counterparts; however, while
travelling through the Mediterranean, a more nomadic foraging behavior was exhibited. Regardless
of location, foraging seemed to occur within the benthic zone. The male was able to take much longer
dives (>90 minutes) more regularly than what has been exhibited in the past by female loggerheads
from Crete. This is also the furthest travelling satellite tracked turtle from Greece and the movement
into the western Mediterranean is the first of its kind from a satellite tracked loggerhead originating in
the eastern Mediterranean. This particular male behaved with far more individual variation than is seen
during female post-nesting and is indication that more research is required into the behavior of adult
male loggerheads to truly understand how this species uses the entire Mediterranean Sea.
102
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Post-Reproductive Migration of an Adult Male Loggerhead from Rethymno,
Crete Revealed by Satellite Telemetry
BB
A Role for miR-155 Modulation in the Anti-HIV-1 Effects of TLR3
Stimulation in Macrophages
BB98
Gokul Swaminathan
Co-Author(s): Fiorella Rossi, Luz-Jeanette Sierra, Archana Gupta, Dr. Sonia Navas-Martin, Dr.
Julio Martin-Garcia
Advisor(s): Dr. Julio Martin-Garcia
College of Medicine
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation modulates the microRNA (miRNA) profiles in immune cells, and some
miRNAs are known to play a role in HIV-1 infection by targeting viral or cellular mRNAs. We aimed to
define whether miRNA modulation contributes to the differential effect in susceptibility to infection
observed in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) upon stimulation with several TLR ligands. We
found that stimulation of MDM with poly(I:C) or LPS (TLR3 and 4 ligands, respectively), but not with
Imiquimod or CpG (TLR7 and 9), abrogated infection by both BaL-and VSV-G-pseudotyped viruses. miR155 was significantly up-regulated in both TLR3 and 4-stimulated MDM, but not in TLR7-stimulated
cells, and poly(I:C) induced significantly higher miR-155 levels in MDM than LPS. A miR-155 antagomir
prevented miR-155 induction by poly(I:C) and led to significantly higher infection, while miR-155
over-expression in MDM significantly reduced susceptibility to infection. Both poly(I:C) stimulation
and miR-155 over-expression resulted in unaltered relative amount of early RT product, but increased
relative levels of late RT product, and greatly reduced or suppressed detection of integrated pro-virus,
and these changes were abrogated by the miR-155 antagomir. Finally, reduced mRNA levels of ADAM
10, TNPO3, NUP153 and LEDGF have been observed in miR-155-expressing MDM. Increased miR-155
levels induced by poly(I:C) or ectopic expression in MDM suppresses/reduces their susceptibility to HIV1 infection by inducing a post-entry, pre-nuclear import restriction mechanism. Interestingly, miR-155
over-expression leads to reduction in mRNA levels of several host proteins known or suggested to play
a role in trafficking and/or nuclear import of the viral pre-integration complex, which warrants further
investigation.
103
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Fabrication Of Micro Organs using a Digital Micro-mirroring
Microfabrication System
BB99
Qudus Hamid
Co-Author(s): Chengyang Wang, Jessica Snyder
Advisor(s): Wei Sun
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technologies have been very attractive and demonstrate
the potential for many applications in the field of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and
life sciences. These fields bring together the multidisciplinary field of engineering and integrated
sciences to fabricate three-dimensional models that aides the exploration, generation or regeneration
of organic tissues and organs. Presently, monolayer cell cultures are frequently used to investigate
potential anti-cancer agents. The issues at hand are that these models give very little in terms of
feedback on the effects of the microenvironment on chemotherapeutic and the heterogeneity of the
tumor. Three-dimensional tumor and cancer models that mimic the actual disease are developed for in
vitro investigations. These models create an environment that enables diseases to have an enhanced
evaluation (compared to two dimensional) and eliminate the limitations of the traditional mainstays of
cancer research. Three-dimensional Cancer models are economic, allow for biological characterizations.
Cancer models are developed from investigations of the actual disease; computer tomography (CT) and
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allow for biomodeling of the disease’s environmental conditions.
Unlike many traditional microfabrication techniques, the Digitial Micro-mirror Microfabrication (DMM)
System eliminates the need for mask by incorporating a dynamic mask-less fabrication technique.
The DMM is specifically designed for the developments of biologically inspired devices, whether it’s a
multicellular spheroid, hollow fiber, or multicellular layer (MCL) models; the DMM has the potential
to utilize its dynamic micro mirrors to build the tissue model according to its desired design and
characteristics. Each model is specifically designed to mimic the in vivo conditions of the tissue of
interest.
104
Vibrational Entropy in the Nucleation of Polymers and Crystals
BB
BB100
Helenka Casler
Co-Author(s): Dr. Frank Ferrrone
Advisor(s): Dr. Frank Ferrrone
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
We have adapted vibrational entropy, a highly successful theory for protein nucleation, to the
nucleation of lysozyme crystals. In solution, proteins have high entropy, due to their freedom to
undergo translations and rotations. This entropy is largely lost when the proteins form ordered
aggregates - however, aggregation would not occur if it were not thermodynamically favorable. For
hemoglobin, this seeming paradox is resolved by taking the entropy due to vibrations within the
aggregate into account. Each vibrational mode gives an additional degree of freedom, and it becomes
possible to calculate the energies of vibrations and intermolecular contacts within the aggregate. There
is nothing in this theory specific to hemoglobin, and it ought to apply to protein crystals as well. Here,
it is explored in the context of tetragonal hen egg-white lysozyme. The concentration dependence of
the nucleation rate is well described. The resulting values for the contact and vibrational energies of
lysozyme are within the expected range and, interestingly, are similar to the values for hemoglobin. The
implications of this will be discussed.
105
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Reflex Modulation by the Innate Lumbar Spinal Locomotor Circuitry
following Complete Spinal Transection
BB101
David Kowalski
Advisor(s): Michel Lemay
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Neuroengineering
Following spinal cord injury, reactivation of the lumbar locomotor circuitry is one possible pathway
toward the restoration of locomotion. The lumbar circuits control locomotor movements in the
hindlimbs and also modulate the effects of afferent input on the locomotor output. It has been shown
that the locomotor centers can be potentiated following complete transection by training and/or
pharmocological means. We investigated the modulation of the reflex circuitry of the locomotor center
in animals with complete transection at the thoracic level. Afferent input modifies muscle activity and
is one method of exploring connectivity in the spinal cord. We therefore studied the soleus H-reflex,
the electrical equivalent of the monosynaptic stretch reflex, and the tibial nerve reflex, a polysynaptic
cutaneous reflex. Two groups were studied: one chronic, aimed at observing the changes in reflex
modulation with locomotor training, and a second group of untrained animals, used to measure
modulation in activity of both lumbar interneurons and muscles with afferent stimulation applied
during pharmacologically potentiated air-stepping in a terminal experiment.
In the first group, we found that both reflexes are present and modulate with gait phase at the
earliest time point at which an animal was capable of locomoting on a treadmill. We also found that
the reflexes strengthen with additional training. In acute experiments, both reflexes were present and
modulated similarly with gait phase. Extracellularly-recorded single- and multi-unit activity confirmed
that modulation was present at the neuronal level with phase-dependent excitation and inhibition
of interneuronal firing during afferent stimulation. Our evidence suggests that gait-dependent
modulation of muscle activity in response to afferent stimulation is hard-wired into the lumbar circuitry
and can be strengthened by step training.
106
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Dual-antagonism property of non-natural amino acid peptide-triazole
targeting HIV envelope gp120
BB102
Kantharaju K
Co-Author(s): Diogo. R. M, Duffy, C, Pamela, K, McFadden, K, Bailey, L, Aneja, R, Holmes, A,
Tuzer, F, Contarino, M. R
Advisor(s): Irwin Chaiken
College of Medicine
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Interfering with the viral envelope glycoproteins which are necessary for HIV-1 entry is an ideal target
for inhibiting viral interactions with target cells. Molecules that can simultaneously inhibit both
gp120–CD4 and gp120-co-receptor interactions have improved potential for developing entry inhibitor
drugs. We have recently shown that a truncated version of the peptide triazole, HNG-156, denoted
here UM-24 {CitNNIXWS-CONH2, where X is ferrocenyltriazole-proline (FtP)}, is equally able to bind
gp120 with nanomolar affinity and inhibit protein-ligand interactions of gp120 to its receptor and
co-receptor sites. Like HNG-156, UM-24 also neutralizes the cell infection activity of a broad range
of HIV-1 subtypes and shows synergism with other therapeutics. Nonetheless, using peptides as lead
drug candidates can be difficult due to their rapid degradation in vivo, however peptidomimetics
derived from peptides may have improved bioavailability. To investigate the structural determinants
needed to synthesize a peptidomimetic version of the peptide triazole UM-24, a set of mutations and
molecular modifications were performed. These changes were made in hopes that replacing natural
amino acids would result in increased proteolytic stability of the peptide triazole. Our previous work
showed that critical residues and stereochemistry is required for this peptide triazole to retain dual
antagonism. Therefore, we focused on replacing the “hot spot” residue, Tryptophan6, with its nonnatural analog, L-3-Benzothienylalanine (Bta) and the residues around its mirror image, displayed in
KR-41 and KR-42. Finally, we also demonstrated that this variation on the peptide-triazole retained dual
antagonism towards HIV-1 entry in biophysical and viral assays in a comparable affinity. We believe
that the D-amino acids variation of the peptide triazole can lead to improved proteolytic resistance and
bioavailability in comparison to its L-amino acids counterpart for the treatment of HIV-1 entry process.
107
Notch Ligand Functionalization of polyHEMA for Artificial Thymopoiesis
BB
BB103
Daniel Conway
Co-Author(s): Peter I. Lelkes, Jessica M. Falcon
College of Medicine
Pediatrics
Interested in developing biomaterials that have immune functionality, we are developing a biomaterialbased model that supports thymopoiesis. We hypothesize that by binding the Notch ligand onto a
biomaterial based scaffold, we can maintain the Notch ligand in its active form, and differentiate
mouse embryonic stem cells into T-lymphocytes. Notch ligand’s expression on thymic epithelial cells is
crucial to the development of naïve T lymphocytes and therefore characterized as one of the primary
signaling pathways. We are currently using Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, polyHEMA) which is
both biocompatible and has a similar Young’s modulus of the lymph nodes, which also expresses Notch.
Notch (DLL1) was conjugated to the polymer surface by using anti-Fc antibodies. We used a carbamate
linker as the intermediate between the polymer and the anti-Fc antibody. The carbamate linkage
replaces the hydroxyl group on the surface of the polyHEMA, and attaches to an amine group on the
anti-Fc antibody. The anti-Fc antibody then covalently bonds to the N-terminus of the DLL1 ligand.
We have confirmed activation of the ligand through ELISA and are in the process of differentiating
the embryonic stem cells. This project holds significant implications for the field on immunology. If
successful, this early prototype can become the basis of the first artificial thymus.
108
BB104
Zhou Meng
Co-Author(s): Joe Bentz
Advisor(s): Joe Bentz
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) has been extensively studied as a human multidrug resistance transporter. Using
the mass action kinetic model without imposing the steady-state assumptions, previous studies have
identified the kinetic parameters for a series of P-gp substrates in MDCKII-hMDR1 confluent cell
monolayer. However, little is known whether this model can be extended to other cell lines to study
P-gp. In our experiments, transport of a range of concentrations of amprenavir across Caco-2 confluent
monolayer were measured apical to basolateral and basolateral to apical. Using a global optimization
program with the mass action kinetic model, we have successfully fitted the elementary rate constants,
i.e., efflux active surface densities of P-gp, drug association of P-gp from the apical membrane inner
monolayer (k1) and drug dissociation back into the apical membrane inner monolayer (kr), as well as
drug efflux from P-gp into the apical chamber (k2). Furthermore, the efflux active surface densities
of P-gp on Caco-2s can be obtained which is about 14% of MDCKII-hMDR1’s. In addition, quinidine
transport across Caco-2 confluent cell monolayer was measured in the absence and presence of a range
of concentrations of inhibitors including digoxin, loperamide and amprenavir. Our results showed that
digoxin and loperamide require a basolateral uptaker transporter to explain their transporters kinetics
while amprenavir is not, which is consistent with the result we obtained in MDCKII-hMDR1 cells. In
conclusion, our results suggest the reproductivity of the mass action kinetic model in human cell line,
Caco-2 cells and the probability of using this model to predict and characterize P-gp pharmacokinetics
in vivo.
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Identification of Amprenavir Kinetic Parameters of P-gp Transporter in the
Caco-2 Confluent Cell Monolayer
BB105
Salman Majeed
Co-Author(s): Sunil Verma, MD, Rabia Salman, M. Hassan Majeed, Muhammad Khalid Zafar
College of Medicine
Psychiatry
Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic commonly prescribed in patients with refractory schizophrenia.
Although agranulocytosis is the most serious side effect, clozapine is also associated with relatively less
common paralytic ileus. Clozapine induced gastrointestinal hypomotility (CIGH) is a potentially fatal
complication. Clinical Challenge arises when treatment resistant patients who are stable on clozapine
present with CIGH - Should the clinician stop the clozapine resulting in rebound psychosis or contnue it
risking worsening paralytic ileus. Here we present two clinical cases of CIGH and the impact of different
clinical choices.
110
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Managing clozapine induced paralytic ileus
BB106
Giang Au
Co-Author(s): Linette Mejias, Vanlila K. Swami, Ari D. Brooks, Wei-Heng Shih, Wan Shih
Advisor(s): Wan Shih, Wei-Heng Shih
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women in the United States and Western countries.
An estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,000 ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS)
are expected to occur among women in the US during 2011. Breast cancer is increasingly diagnosed at
an early stage, allowing treatment with breast conserving surgery (BCS) in which only the tumor and
a small amount of surrounding normal tissue are removed. Current BCS procedures have no rapid and
reliable methods to assess surgical margin to ensure complete cancer removal. As a result, patients with
a positive margin must undergo re-excision. The current breast cancer re-excision rate is estimated to
be 15% to 60%. It would be desirable if there is a rapid and reliable breast cancer margin assessment
tool in the operating room so that further surgery can be continued if necessary to reduce re-excision
rate. In this study, we seek to develop a sensitive and specific molecular probe to help surgeons assess if
the surgical margin is clean. The molecular probe consists of the unique aqueous quantum dots (AQDs)
developed in our laboratory conjugated with antibodies specific to breast cancer markers such as Tnantigen and vascular growth factor receptor (VEGF) to image cancer cells on the excised tissues. The
advantage of the AQDs-enabled molecular probe as compared to other margin assessment techniques
is its ability to image less than 1 mm spots. We tested the AQDs-enabled molecular probe on breast
cancer tissue micro-arrays consisting 480 blocks from 126 patients. The results indicated that antiTn antigen-linked AQDs exhibited 94% sensitivity and 92% specificity while Anti-VEGF-linked AQDs
exhibited 90% sensitivity and 87% specificity, indicating that anti-Tn-linked AQDs were indeed an
excellent molecular probe for imaging breast cancer. Furthermore, tests of human tumors in nude mice
indicate that the AQDs imaging procedure did not interfere with the normal pathological procedure, a
necessary condition for any margin assessment tool.
111
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Assessing breast cancer margin using an aqueous-quantum-dots-enabled
molecular probe
P300 based EEG-BCI for Spatial Navigation
BB
BB107
Adrian Curtin
Co-Author(s): Hasan Ayaz, Yichuan Liu, Patricia A . Shewokis, Banu Onaral
Advisor(s): Hasan Ayaz
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Neuroengineering
Brain Computer Interface (BCI) systems allow the translation of signals originating from the brain
into commands that can be used to control computers. BCI research have been explored including
restoration of communication for individuals with neuromuscular degenerative diseases but
applications have also extend to entertainment, gaming and virtual environment control. An EEG-based
BCI has been developed for spatial navigation control in virtual environments using the MazeSuite
virtual environment and the P300 oddball paradigm. This paradigm involves the recognition of the P300
component of the Event Related Potential (ERP) which occurs when a user recognizes a rare stimulus. A
custom P300 montage consisting of different symbolic navigational icons has been developed for this
purpose. Functionality of the system has been assessed for 9 participants who demonstrated an average
online performance of 84%. Results from the study suggest that this P300 system allows successful
spatial navigation in 3D virtual environments.
112
Neural Network Model of Memory Encoding and Retrieval
BB
BB108
Shady El Damaty
Co-Author(s): James Peters
Advisor(s): Joshua Jacobs
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Science
The understanding of cortical neural network dynamics during memory encoding and retrieval is a
major goal in Cognitive Neuroscience. We propose an Artificial Neural Network Model of network
dynamics and performance during memory encoding and retrieval in the Sternberg Working Memory
(SWM). Our model explores the effect of stimuli repetition, serial position and noise on network recall
accuracy and latency. Following training of the artificial neural network on noisy three-letter word
lists, we present a stimulus that may (target) or may not have been (lure) in the training batch and
measure the false/positive rate, time to recall and error propagation during training. We compare the
artificial neural network’s false/positive rate for increasing values of stimulus decoherence to human
subject performance during the same task to provide insight into how cortical networks cope with
computational load during memory encoding and retrieval.
113
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Rapid, Direct Hepatitis B Viral Count Quantification with 30 copies/ml
Sensitivity using Piezoelectric Plate Sensor (PEPS)
BB109
Mehmet Soylu
Co-Author(s): Ran Yan, Haitao Guo, Wei-Heng Shih, Wan Y. Shih
Advisor(s): Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Hepatitis B is a viral infection caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) that attacks the liver and can cause both
acute and chronic disease in humans. Two billion people worldwide are infected with the virus and
about 350 million people suffer from chronic infection. 600,000 people are estimated to die each year
from acute or chronic HBV infection. HBV carriers may be asymptomatic and are unaware that they
are infected with HBV. In addition, once a patient is diagnosed with HB, he/she needs to be monitored
throughout the course of the antiviral treatment to assess if the treatment is effective. Accurate
chronic HB diagnosis requires serum viral count, i.e., viral DNA quantification. Current DNA detection
requires polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which needs multiple steps of DNA isolation, concentration,
and amplification. Most of the HB patients live in developing countries where PCR HB viral count
is not an option. A simple, low-cost HB quantification tool would be desirable to help identify
patients and save lives. In this study, we seek to develop a rapid and direct HB viral count assay using
((PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3)0.63-(PbTiO3)0.37 (PMN-PT)) piezoelectric plate sensor (PEPS) as a rapid and direct
HB serum viral count quantifier without DNA isolation, concentration, and amplification steps that
are needed in PCR. Preliminary result indicates that PEPS coated with a 16-nucleotide probe targeting
the small surface antigen (HBsAg) gene can detect double stranded HB viral DNA spiked in serum at a
concentration of 30 copies/ml in less than 30 min at room temperature after the initial dehybridization
at 95°C and cooling in a flow setting.
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BB110
Song Han
Co-Author(s): Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih
Advisor(s): Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Near-infrared (NIR) quantum dots (QDs) have attracted much attention for bioimaging due to the lack
of absorption by hemoglobin and water in the NIR range, As a result, NIR QDs can potentially image
tissues deeper underneath the surface. In addition, tissue autofluorescence occurs in the green range.
QDs with NIR emission also have the advantage of minimal interference from tissue autofluorescence.
In this study, we examine a novel aqueous approach to synthesize SnS QDs with 2-aminoethanethiol
(cysteamine) as capping molecule using water, as well as infinitely-water-miscible ethylene glycol and
glycerol as solvent. The SnS QDs were first prepared at 70oC on a hotplate with cysteamine:Sn:S ratio
of 16:7:1 followed by hydrothermal treatment at 200oC. The obtained SnS QDs showed an NIR emission
peak at 820-835 nm with an excitation wavelength at 690 nm. X-ray indicated that the SnS QDs are
mixtures of the orthorhombic and the zinc blend structures. The longer treatment time at 200oC in
water improved the crystallinity but reduced the colloidal stability of the QDs. Changing the solvent
from water to ethylene glycol and glycerol improves colloidal stability while retaining the crystallinity.
The crystallite sizes of the SnS QDs made in ethylene glycol and glycerol as estimated from the XRD
peak widths using the Scherrer formula were 8.5 nm to 3.6 nm, respectively. In addition, due to the
higher viscosity of glycerol, colloidal stability of SnS QDs made in glycerol was also enhanced.
115
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Synthesis of SnS quantum dots with near-infrared emission for bioimaging
applications
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Rapid, Direct Urine DNA Mutation Markers Detection with 30 copies/ml
sensitivity using Piezoelectric Plate Sensor
BB111
Ceyhun Kirimli
Co-Author(s): Selena Lin, Ying-Hsiu Su, Wei-Heng Shih, Wan Y Shih
Advisor(s): Wan Y Shih
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Many cancers occur in deep organs such as the liver or the pancreas and are difficult to detect. When
such cancers are found they are typically found in the late stage. As a result, the mortality rates for
deep-organ cancers are high. For example, the 5-year survival rate for liver cancer is 5%. On the
other hand, cancer is a genetic disease. It is well documented that cancer genetic markers are found
in the circulation. It is also known that small fragments of these genetic markers can pass the kidney
barrier and exist in the urine. Therefore, if there is a method that can easily detect transrenal DNA
cancer markers a urine cancer test would be possible. Since cancer has many pathways it is necessary
for such a test to target a panel of DNA markers in order for it to be useful. Current gold standard
of DNA detection utilizes polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which requires multiple steps of isolation,
concentration, and amplification before the final detection can be made. In addition, each PCR can
only handle one marker. A panel of markers would multiply the cost. In this study, we seek to develop
Piezoelectric Plate Sensor (PEPS) assays that can detect gene mutation in urine with PCR sensitivity
without the need of isolation, concentration, and amplification. The model mutation markers are HBV
1762T/1764A double mutation (HBVDM) found in 50-85% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and K-ras
mutation found in more than 50% of colorectal cancer. We will show that using a PEPS coated with
16-nucleotide (nt) probes specific to HBVDM, we can detect HBVDM in urine at a concentration of 30
copies/ml and a 1:200 specificity to the wild type. With a PEPS coated with 16-nt locked nucleic acid
(LNA) probe , we could detect K-ras mutation at a concentration of 60 copies/ml and 1:1000 specificity
to the wild type. These results indicate that PEPS assays are promising urine assays that can detect DNA
markers easily and inexpensively for a potential urine cancer test.
116
A Case of Silicone Granulomas in a Transgender Female
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BB112
Deanna Corey
Co-Author(s): Annette Gedegbeku
Advisor(s): Annette Gadegbeku
College of Medicine
Family Medicine
Silicone has long been used for soft-tissue augmentation. It has been a filler of choice because it
is bacterostatic and permanent, while being noncarcinogenic and minimally antigenic. However,
augmentation results vary depending on the quality of silicone used, as well as the technique and
experience of the performing physician. Presented here is the case of a 40 year old transgender female
who developed a granulomatous reaction, and secondary infection, to silicon injections received 10
years earlier.
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BB113
Timothy Purwin
Co-Author(s): Yemin Lan, Ceylan Tanes, Chunyu Zhao, Avni Choksi, BK Trehan, Bailu Xu, Bo
Song, Neenu Baby, Jim Havrilla
Advisor(s): Dr. Aydin Tozeren
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Autoimmune diseases are complex disorders resulting in the immune system attacking healthy cells.
The cause for the immune system to suddenly respond against healthy cells is still unknown. Nearly 100
different types of autoimmune diseases exist, including the 11 from this study (lupus, multiple sclerosis,
Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,
ulcerative interstitial cystitis, endometriosis, and atopic dermatitis). Large-scale data, bioinformatics
tools, and multiple statistical computations produced significant up and down regulated gene lists
for all the diseases. Enriched biological pathways were determined significant by further statistical
computations of the gene lists. Comparing the significant pathways for each disease proved common
causes, which indicates possible reposition of old drugs to deal with them.
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Integrative Analysis of Autoimmune Diseases and Possible Common Drug
Targets
BB
Encapsulation Systems with Tunable Permeability for Improved Stability
and Release Profile of Encapsulated Materials of Biomedical Importance
BB114
Yuan Zhao
Advisor(s): Rohan Tikekar
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Food Science
Encapsulation systems are widely used in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Reducing
oxidation is a central problem in the field of encapsulation systems. Oxidation within encapsulation
systems is initiated by free radicals generated at the interface that subsequently cross the interfacial
barrier and react with encapsulated materials. Thus, it is expected that the oxidative stability of
encapsulated materials can be enhanced by reducing the permeability of the interfacial layer. The
objective of this study was to develop encapsulation systems with tunable permeability of the
interfacial layer to limit the transport of oxidants such as free radicals and improve the oxidative
stability of encapsulated materials. In order to accomplish this we selected two distinct approaches
that can tune the permeability of interfacial layer using layer-by-layer assembly of- (a) positively and
negatively charged silica particles stabilized oil-in- water emulsion and (b) negatively charged silica
and positively charged biopolymer (polylysine). The effect of decreased permeability on free radical
transport was quantified by measuring the change in fluorescence of peroxyl radical sensitive dye
encapsulated in oil phase upon interaction with peroxyl radicals generated in the aqueous phase.
Peroxyl radical transport rates between oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by a monolayer of silica
particles and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were compared. The peroxyl transport rate in silica stabilized
emulsion was significantly lower than in SDS emulsion (p<0.05) suggesting that silica nanoparticles
were effective in reducing the radical transport rate as compared to SDS. Therefore, it is expected that
addition of multiple layers of silica nanoparticles or combination of nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes
will further reduce the free radical transport, thus enhancing the oxidative stability of encapsulated
material.
119
BB115
Dannielle Figueroa
Advisor(s): Alisa Clyne
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Endothelial cells remodel the basement membrane, a specialized extracellular matrix underneath the
cells, in response to cyclic strain through a balance of protein synthesis and degradation. However,
endothelial cells become dysfunctional when cultured in high glucose such as might be experienced in
diabetes. We previously showed that endothelial cells do not align perpendicular to the strain direction
when cultured on glycated collagen. In this study, we hypothesized that collagen glycation prevents
endothelial cell basement membrane remodeling in response to cyclic strain by disrupting the balance
between protein production and degradation.
A mechanical stretching device was used to apply 0-24 hours of cyclic strain (10%, 0.5 Hz) to porcine
aortic endothelial cells seeded on polydimethylsiloxane membranes were coated with native or glycated
collagen. After strain, basement membrane was isolated, fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, labeled for
fibronectin, and imaged by confocal microscopy. Fiber alignment was quantified by edge detection.
Basement membrane protein synthesis and degradation were also assessed by Western blot and matrix
metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) zymograms, respectively.
Aligned basement membrane fibers increased significantly to 22% in cells on native collagen after
12 hours strain, whereas cells on glycated collagen had an aligned fiber percentage comparable to
static control (8%). No change in collagen I, collagen IV, vitronectin, or fibronectin protein levels were
observed between cells on native and glycated collagen. MMP-2 activity decreased nearly 16% in cells
cultured on glycated compared to native collagen in static culture. With 24 hours strain, MMP-2 activity
increased in cells on both native and glycated collagen; however the increase was greater in cells on
native collagen.
These data suggest that collagen glycation impairs basement membrane remodeling through altered
protein degradation rather than production.
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Glycated collagen alters basement membrane remodeling in response to
strain via decreased MMP activity
BB116
Walter Hinds
Co-Author(s): Honghui Zhang, Ashwin Sharan, Michael Sperling, Joshua Jacobs
Advisor(s): Joshua Jacobs
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Theoretical research has suggested that human memory is supported by rhythmic interactions between
the hippocampus and the neocortex, but there is scarce empirical support for this model. We examined
hippocampal-neocortical brain oscillations during human memory performance using intracranial brain
recordings from epilepsy patients with surgically implanted electrodes. Patients performed a working
memory task and we measured electrophysiological activity while they judged whether a probe
stimulus matched the remembered items. During this probe interval, we observed fluctuations in brain
rhythms from both the hippocampus and the lateral temporal lobe, in the low theta band (~3-6 Hz)
as well as the gamma band (~30 - 128 Hz). When a probe matched the contents of working memory,
both regions exhibited increased gamma power at ~300 ms, as well as an increase in the amplitude of
Hippocampal and neocortical theta oscillations. Subsequently at ~400 ms, there was a decrease in lowfrequency band power, with the decrease being significantly greater on the left hemisphere for items
that matched the contents of working memory. Of particular significance was the finding of bilateral
differences and a large effect in the right Hippocampus, which had been thought to play only a minor
role in working memory. These findings support the view that hippocampal and neocortical oscillations
underlie human working memory and show that distinctive patterns of gamma and low-theta
oscillations contribute to distinguishing whether a particular item is present in memory.
121
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Hippocampal and neocortical brain oscillations underlying human working
memory
BB
West African Amphibian Hotspot: Discovery and Conservation of New
Species on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea
BB117
Patrick McLaughlin
Advisor(s): Dr. Gail W. Hearn
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
In comparison to species in North and South America and Southeast Asia, African amphibian species are
poorly studied. Biodiversity hotspots that are believed to harbor high anuran diversity include regions
of West Africa in the Guinean Forests and Cameroon Volcanic Line. Bioko Island lies 32 km off the coast
of Cameroon, separated from these regions of intense biodiversity for the past 12,000 years. In addition
to receiving annual rainfall totals among the highest in the world, Bioko’s pristine tropical forests
provide ideal amphibian habitat. Speciation from mainland amphibians may be further facilitated on
Bioko due to its unique geography characterized by massive volcanic caldera walls and extensive river
systems. Past estimates of high amphibian diversity on Bioko have proven to hold true, as suggested
by the results of this comprehensive 3-year inventory. The goals of this ongoing study are fourfold: to
collect and catalogue species across the entirety of the island, identify landscape features that may
contribute to gradients in species richness, sample for the deadly amphibian disease chytridiomycosis,
and identify potential threats to vital habitat and populations. Results thus far have revealed 4+
new species, the presence of two endangered species thought to be restricted to the mainland,
and an overall diversity that includes over 35 species across 8 different families. Results also confirm
chytridiomycosis is present on the island despite no apparent mass die-offs, suggesting amphibians here
have developed resistance. Future analysis of genetic diversity for at-risk populations, combined with
known threats to vital habitat, will enable a full assessment of Bioko’s most threatened species and
development of specific conservation action plans for each. This study has revealed that Bioko harbors
many rare and endangered species from the mainland, along with a host of its own endemics, making it
something of an amphibian ark for conservation in West Africa.
122
Dietary plasticity of the Bioko Island drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus poensis)
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BB118
Jacob Owens
Co-Author(s): Shaya Honarvar
Advisor(s): Gail Hearn
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Despite once ranging across Equatorial Guinea’s Bioko Island, drill monkeys (Mandrillus leucophaeus
poensis) are now limited by intense bushmeat market hunting to the Gran Caldera and Southern
Highlands Scientific Reserve, a nominally protected area that comprises the southern third of the island
(550 km2). Even within this limited area, drills can be found at elevations ranging from sea level to
more than 2200m asl and in corresponding habitats ranging from the monsoon forests of the coast
to the montane forests of the Gran Caldera. Utilizing the inherent resource variations between these
different habitats, we investigated the diets of un-habituated drill groups at higher (montane forest,
900-1100m asl) and lower (monsoon forest, 0-300m asl) altitudes to determine the impact of spatial
variations in resource availability on drill feeding strategies. During three consecutive dry seasons
(January-March, 2010-2012) we obtained dietary data through opportunistic feeding observations
and the collection and analysis of fecal samples. The principal dietary component differed significantly
with altitude: Low altitude drills ate significantly more fruit (95% mean dry weight of fecal remains)
while high altitude drills ate significantly more non-fruit fiber (66.7% mean dry weight). These diverse
feeding strategies have implications for group size, social behavior and future conservation efforts for
this endangered species.
123
Crosslinking of Hyaluronic Acid Fibers for Wound Healing Applications
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BB119
Laura Toth
Advisor(s): Caroline Schauer
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Materials Science and Engineering BS/MS
Burn trauma is one of the most common forms of injury treated in hospitals world-wide. Mortality nears
75% in cases where burns cover more than 40% of the body surface. Proper maintenance of the burn
wound area, which includes the ability of the burned tissue to heal without getting infected, is crucial
to patient survival. In order to find improved coverings for burn wound treatment we investigated
electrospinning with the extracellular matrix component hyaluronic acid (HA). We developed methods
to spin robust HA fibers within a neutral solvent system and crosslink them, in order to prevent
degradation within aqueous solutions, which has been a problem with this technology. These HA
fibrous assemblies were analyzed using SEM, FTIR, and solubility tests. Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs)
were grown on the HA fiber mats and results were analyzed with fluorescent confocal microscopy and
cell viability assays. The HDFs displayed normal, healthy morphology when grown on the HA mats and
proved to be viable. These new methods of electrospinning will develop a covering that should enhance
wound healing and prevent bacterial infection for the burn victim.
124
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Disruption of Chtf18 Results in Defects in Male Meiosis and Embryonic
Lethality
BB120
Aislinn Sowash
Co-Author(s): Dawnette M. Urcuyo, Fahmida Kahn
Advisor(s): Dr. Karen Berkowitz, M.D.
College of Medicine
Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Defects in chromosome segregation during meiosis can result in aneuploidy, and the mechanisms
underlying chromosome mis-segregation are poorly understood. Chtf18 (chromosome transmission
fidelity factor 18) encodes an evolutionarily conserved subunit of the Replication Factor C-like complex
that has been shown to be necessary for accurate chromosome segregation in yeast, and is crucial for
germline development in the fruit fly. Previously, we demonstrated that Chtf18 is expressed throughout
the germline of the mouse, suggesting a role for CHTF18 in mammalian gametogenesis (Berkowitz et
al., 2008). Our goal is to elucidate the role of Chtf18/CHTF18 in mammalian germ cell development.
We employed gene targeting to derive mice that lack a functional CHTF18 protein. The phenotypic
consequences of Chtf18 deletion were assessed by gross, histological, chromosomal, and
immunofluorescence examination of Chtf18-null and wild-type gonads.
Morphological abnormalities were observed in adult Chtf18-null testes, which were significantly smaller
and contained decreased numbers and aberrant spermatogenic cells compared to those of wild-type
males. Chromosomal analysis of Chtf18-null spermatocyte nuclei during meiosis revealed that while
synapsis occurred normally, homologous chromosomes separated prematurely during meiosis I. In
addition, evaluation of meiotic recombination revealed defects in double strand break repair. Loss of
Chtf18 also resulted in death in almost 50% of Chtf18-null conceptuses. Thus, CHTF18 plays critical roles
in mammalian meiosis and embryonic development.
125
An epigenetic role for Tip60 in locomotion and axonal vesicle transport
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BB121
Ashley Zervos
Co-Author(s): William Reube
Advisor(s): Felice Elefant
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are a key class of enzymes that control chromatin accessibility to
regulate gene expression profiles critical for diverse cellular processes. Tip60 is one such HAT that
has been shown by our laboratory to play a critical role in regulating neuronal genes linked to
neurodevelopment and cognition (Genetics, 2007; PLoS ONE, 2010; PLoS ONE, 2011). Consistent with
our findings, Tip60 has been implicated in the age-related neurodegenerative disorder Alzheimer’s
disease (AD) via its interaction with the AD linked amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain
(AICD). This complex is essential for the epigenetic regulation of certain genes critical for neuronal
function. Inappropriate complex formation may contribute to pre-clinical AD-related pathology by
misregulation of target genes involved in neurogenesis; however a direct epigenetic based role for
Tip60 in this process remains unclear. Here, we investigate a causative role for Tip60 in axonal vesicle
transport, a process affected in the pre-clinical stages of AD, by modulating dTip60 HAT activity levels in
the Drosophila nervous system. We show that reduction of Tip60 HAT activity specifically in the nervous
system of the fly leads to locomotor defects and a distinctive tail flipping phenotype. These phenotypes
are reminiscent of nervous system defects linked to mutations in genes required for axonal vesicle
transport machinery. Confocal imaging of third-instar larval motor axons reveals abnormal vesicle
aggregation and clogging in response to Tip60 HAT reduction. These defects are exacerbated by APP
overexpression and dependent upon AICD, the region of APP that interacts with Tip60. Importantly,
treatment of larvae with ms-275, a nervous system specific class 1 HDAC inhibitor, rescues both vesicle
clogging in motor axons as well as locomotion defects. In addition to providing new biological insight
into epigenetic gene control mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in AD, these studies will be
fundamental in exploring the utility of novel epigenetic-based therapeutics to improve healthcare and
quality of life in the elderly. Funding for this work was provided by National Institutes of Health grant
HD045292-01 to F.E.
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Smitha Ballyamanda
Co-Author(s): Brent B. Simmons
College of Medicine
Family Medicine
Pseudocyst’s associated with pseudoaneurysms that presents with a massive gastrointestinal bleed are
highly fatal. This case report is an example of a pediatric patient with a history of acute pancreatitis
that likely resulted in the formation of a pancreatic pseudocyst, presenting with hematemesis.
Computed tomography (CT) identified the pseudoaneurysm and the patient had successful
interventional radiology embolization of the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) aneurysm. This case reminds
clinicians that GDA aneurysms can occur in the pediatric population. Early diagnosis and aggressive
treatment is imperative.
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A Case Report: Gastroduodenal Artery Pseudoaneurysm associated with a
pseudocyst presenting with Hematemesis
BB123
Kristina Nikolova
Co-Author(s): Valerie Sapp, Melissa Frank, Jahan Ara
Advisor(s): Dr. Jahan Ara
College of Arts and Sciences
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury is a common cause of long-term neurological disability in
children. Despite advances in supportive care, no treatments for hypoxic-ischemic brain injury are
available at present. Neural stem /progenitor cells (NSPs) provide the greater potential to regenerate
neurons required to reconstitute the brain function. One of the strategies to activate endogenous
repair systems is neuronal hypoxic-preconditioning (PC), which represents an adaptive response to
prime the brain for protection against future injury. To determine whether hypoxic-preconditioning of
neonatal brain increases the proliferation of NSPs in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of newborn piglets,
one-day-old piglets were divided into normoxic and hypoxic-preconditioning groups. Normoxic piglets
were subjected to 21% O2 for three hours and PC piglets were subjected to 8% O2 /92% N2 for three
hours. NSP proliferation was estimated by pulsing single 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) injections (50
mg/kg body weight) interperitoneally at one, three, or seven days recovery, two hours prior to sacrifice.
Tissue sections were stained for BrdU. Injections with BrdU after PC revealed a robust proliferative
response within the SVZ. BrdU immunostaining was also evident in the striatum and white matter of
PC piglets. The number of BrdU labeled cells in SVZ, striatum, and white matter significantly increased
after PC compared to normoxic controls (P<0.05). Furthermore, these numbers also increased in PC
piglet tissue as the recovery time prior to sacrifice increased. These studies demonstrate that hypoxicpreconditioning enhances proliferation in the SVZ of the newborn piglet brain.
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Hypoxic-preconditioning Increases Proliferation in the Subventricular Zone
of Newborn Piglets
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Physiologically Derived In Vitro Model of Liver Sinusoid for High Fidelity
Drug Discovery
BB124
Jessica Snyder
Advisor(s): Wei Sun
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
The objective of this work is to produce a physiologically relevant in vitro model of liver sinusoid for
high fidelity pharmacokinetic study by co-culture using solid freeform fabrication (SFF) and multinozzle
deposition (MND). Liver is structurally and functionally heterocellular. Cell-laden microenvironments
include 3-dimensional contact of parenchymal and non-parenchymal phenotypes as well as dynamic
flow to regulate residence time of biomolecules and soluble cues. Biomimetic pattern design and
SFF processes produce a physiologically relevant sealed microfluidic system. Pattern design of
the microfluidic system for drug study is based on native liver tissue physiology, biophysics and
hydrodynamics. Hepatocytes are embedded in ø250-350µm hydrogel filament with an endothelial cell
shell fabricated by MND. A Collagel membrane barrier separates cell types and prevents transient ingrowth. Cell-laden hydrogel co-culture lays in sinusoid microfluidic channels; ø400-500µm channel and
1cm radius of sinusoid pattern. Sealed microfluidic system is perfused with nutrients and drug at liver
sinusoid flow rate of 6µL/s using a programmable syringe pump. Immunofluorescence characterization
of surface antigens demonstrates the capability of MND to produce heterogeneous co-culture and
the formation of lumen-like ring structure by endothelial-hepatocyte contact. Pharmacokinetics of
sealed microfluidic co-culture is characterized for heterogeneous and homogenous microenvironments.
Applications of this work include drug discovery and in vitro micron-scale angiogenesis.
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Wavelet transform method to characterize dendrites in digital images of
brain tissue
BB125
Frank Jones
Advisor(s): Luis Cruz
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
The effects of normal aging in the brain can be characterized by mild impairments in memory and
executive function. These impairments usually start developing in healthy people in their early twenties
and progress linearly until old age. This is usually labeled as the “normal” effects of age. The precise
nature of these effects in the brain, however, is not known. Extensive studies have shown that neurons
are not lost in normal age, in contrast with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. In
a previous joint computational and anatomical study, it was found that the arrangement of neurons
in aged brains was less organized compared to that of young brains. This meant that neurons that
are typically organized in anatomical structures known as microcolumns, became less columnar due to
random small displacements of their positions. Previous work has shown that dendritic arbors undergo
age-related changes in area 46. The current hypothesis is that these spatial changes in dendritic arbors
contribute to small random displacements of the surrounding cortical tissue, and therefore lead to small
disruptions in neuron position and microcolumn arrangement. In this work we present a method to
assess this atrophy from digital immunostained photomicrographs of brain tissue samples. By applying
a wavelet transform to digital images of brain tissue we characterize the widths and separation of
bundles of dendrites. By correlating these quantities with age, we determine if they contribute to the
anatomical changes found in neuron arrangement and cognitive impairment.
130
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Functional Composition of Metagenomic Samples in Identifying
Environmental Characteristics
BB126
Yemin Lan
Co-Author(s): Gail Rosen
Advisor(s): Gail Rosen
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Metagenomic compositions have long been studied for better understanding of microbial functions
in all kinds of metabolic activities that shape or are affected by the environments harboring these
microbes. Given the largest microbiome study to-date consisting of 124 individuals as well as some other
human microbiome studies, we aim to select functional features such as Pfams or the KEGG pathways
that can combine with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to discriminate between healthy individuals
and those that suffer from IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), and to discriminate different age and
weight groups.
A supervised classification approach is used for predicting the physiologies of novel microbiomes.
For IBD prediction, our results show that while most feature selection methods+LDA result in poor
performance with an area-under-ROC-curve (AUC) on test data around 50% (the chance line), a textmining technique called TF-iDF is able to achieve 69% AUC to discriminate healthy from IBD patients.
Also, TF-iDF is able to discriminate obese individuals with an AUC of ~60%. We determined that
discriminating people’s age is a more difficult task, yet TF-iDF achieves its peak performance at age
cutoffs around 40 years old, with AUCs 15-20% higher than chance (70% for Pfam and 65% AUC for
KEGG pathways) to classify novel microbiomes into young or old groups.
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BB127
Steven Kemeny
Co-Author(s): Dannielle Solomon Figueroa
Advisor(s): Alisa Morss Clyne
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Patients with diabetes mellitus have large blood glucose fluctuations compared to their healthy
counterparts. Altered glucose is known to cause endothelial cell dysfunction in static conditions,
however its effect on endothelial cells under physiologic fluid flow is unknown. We examined
the impact of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic conditions on endothelial cell shear stress
mechanotransduction. Porcine aortic endothelial cells were cultured in three glucose conditions: 1 mM,
5.55 mM, and 33 mM D-glucose medium (low, normal, and high glucose, respectively). Cells were then
exposed to 20 dynes/cm2 shear stress in a parallel plate apparatus, and assessed for actin alignment
and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation by immunofluorescence. Endothelial
cell exposure to both low and high glucose prevented actin fiber alignment and focal adhesion kinase
(FAK) phosphorylation in response to shear stress. eNOS phosphorylation was decreased for cells in high
glucose and prevented for cells in low glucose. While both reactive oxygen species and protein kinase
C (PKC) were increased for cells in both low and high glucose culture, blocking PKC only restored actin
alignment in response to shear stress for cells in high glucose. For cells in low glucose, blocking vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF) activity restored actin alignment in response to shear stress. These
data show that both low and high glucose conditions impair endothelial cell mechanotransduction
through different mechanisms. These data clarify why people with diabetes experience accelerated
atherosclerosis, which is correlated with poor glucose control.
132
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Both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia impair endothelial cell shear stress
response via elevated protein kinase C and vascular endothelial growth
factor
Local translation of Ribosomal Protein L37 mRNA in Distal Sensory Axons
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BB128
Stephanie Zimmer
Co-Author(s): Linh Chau, Cynthia Gomes, Jeffrey Twiss
Advisor(s): Jeffrey Twiss
College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences
Neurons are large cells that extend axonal processes for centimeters in rodents and over a meter
in humans. They have evolved mechanisms for communicating over these long distances - localized
protein synthesis is one of these mechanisms. A diverse complement of mRNAs is transported into
axonal processes. Surprisingly, this includes some mRNAs encoding components of the ribosome. Since
ribosome biogenesis is thought to occur in the nucleus, the rationale for transporting ribosomal protein
mRNAs into axons is unclear. Ribosomal protein L37 (rpL37) mRNA is abundant in rodent sensory
axons. Thus, we have asked whether axonal rpL37 mRNA is translated and what function its protein
might serve. The 3’UTR of rpL37 drives transport of rpL37 mRNA into axons. A fusion protein construct
encoding rpL37-FLAG-AcGFP + 3’UTR of rpL37 displayed nucleolar localization in non-neuronal cells
and axonal localization in neurons. By FRAP analyses, the axonal rpL37-FLAG-AcGFP fluorescence was
clearly generated by localized translation of axonal rpL37-FLAG-AcGFP mRNA. Moreover, axonal rpL37
fusion protein seems to be associated with subcellular structures, possibly ribosomes, since it is relatively
non-mobile. Although theories on ribosome function predict that loss of a ribosomal protein would
disrupt ribosome function, DRG neurons depleted of rpL37 mRNA by siRNA are surprisingly viable and
extend axons with normal morphology. Future studies will be needed to determine the exact function
of axonal rpL37 and whether the axonally generated rpL37 is added to the axonal ribosome locally.
133
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Interstitial flow drives CXCR4-dependent hepatocellular carcinoma cell
invasion
BB129
Arpit Shah
Advisor(s): Dr. Adrian Shieh
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
MS Biomedical Engineering
The mechanism of flow-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell invasion is examined in this study.
The concept of autologous chemotaxis drives the focus on utilizing 3-D microenvironments to mimic
and better understand the mechanism behind invasion in cancer cells. Autologous chemotaxis is when
a chemotactic gradient is established by the fluid flow around the cell which redistributes autologously
secreted chemokines.
Invasion assays utilizing Boyden chambers containing a Matrigel/Type I rat tail collagen matrix simulates
a 3-D microenvironment. Hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines Huh7 and MHCC97H displayed significant
invasion due to interstitial flow. The increased presence of chemokine receptor CXCR4 is examined in
two HCC cell lines: HepG2 and Huh7. These results support the claim that CXCR4 plays a role in cancer
cell invasion and could potentially serve to better understand the mechanism of how interstitial flow
increases hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion.
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BB130
Drew Cronin
Co-Author(s): Stephen Woloszynek, Michael O’Connor, Gail Hearn
Advisor(s): Gail Hearn
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Bushmeat hunting represents the only significant threat to vertebrate biodiversity on Bioko Island,
Equatorial Guinea. From 1997-2010, over 197,000 bushmeat carcasses were recorded for sale in the
Malabo bushmeat market by the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program. An analysis of market dynamics
was conducted in which carcasses were classified by taxa, capture method, and geographic origin. Three
distinct time periods, termed “epochs”, were identified in which rates of appearance of carcasses in the
market (carcass rates) for multiple taxa demonstrated changes in average carcass rates, temporal trends,
and seasonal variation. Results suggest a trend towards commerciality: total carcass rates have increased
dramatically, shotgun hunting has become the predominant capture method, and carcass rates of
primates, Bioko’s most threatened fauna, have more than quadrupled since the project’s inception.
The market exhibits seasonal variation in offtake, but shotgun hunting and taxa commonly taken
by shotgun do not follow this pattern. While these trends represent a threat to a number of species,
Bioko’s seven monkey species are at particular risk. A 2007 primate hunting ban lacked enforcement
and failed to provide any protection. Additionally, construction is ongoing on a new road bisecting the
Gran Caldera/Southern Highlands Scientific Reserve. Previously offering protection via isolation, the
Reserve remains the only refuge for wildlife on the island. Given the observed bushmeat market trends,
concurrent with continuing development on Bioko, immediate conservation action and meaningful
enforcement are needed to preserve what remains of Bioko’s primates and other wildlife.
135
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Bushmeat Hunting on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea Suggests a Network
of Organized Crime
BB131
Alimatou Tchafa
Co-Author(s): Adrian Shieh
Advisor(s): Adrian Shieh
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Science
The expression of the proto-oncogene ErbB2 (also known as HER2/neu) in pre-invasive cells is a risk
factor for invasion and cancer progression. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive stage of
breast cancer, and ErbB2 is overexpressed in more than 50% of these cells. Furthermore, the risk of
developing invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) from DCIS is 6 times higher in cells overexpressing ErbB2.
At the same time, interstitial fluid flow, the movement of fluid through tissues, is elevated in the
microenvironment of solid tumors and can modulate tumor cell invasion. The combined role ErbB2
expression and interstitial fluid flow play on invasion has never been studied, especially in the context
of how they influence the transition from DCIS to IDC.
Using an approach to apply interstitial fluid flow to cells embedded in a matrix and then measure its
effects on cell invasion, we found fluid flow increases the invasion of cells overexpressing ErbB2. This
increased invasion is due to the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and occurs independent
of the canonical ErbB2 pathway. Furthermore, when DCIS-like cells were grown as three-dimensional
spheroids, we observed basement membrane degradation and invasion under flow conditions,
mimicking what may potentially take place in vivo.
Identifying the mechanisms involved in the progression from DCIS to IDC will provide potential targets
for determining appropriate therapies for DCIS patients. This will help improve the current clinical
management, decrease patient over-treatment, and prevent cancer-associated deaths.
136
BB
Interstitial fluid flow increases invasion of ductal carcinoma in situ-like cells
through PI3K-dependent mechanisms
An uncommon case of cat scratch lymphadenitis
BB
BB132
Barbara Cirignano
Co-Author(s): Gadegbeku Annette, MD
College of Medicine
Family Medicine
Necrotizing Lymphadenitis caused by Bartonella Henselae is a disease that commonly affects children
and young adults.
It is the source of Cat Scratch Disease (CSD) transmitted by young cats bites, scratches or licks. It often
causes fever and unilateral lymphadenopathy with abscesses of the lymph node area.
Although self limiting in many cases, in more complicated ones it needs treatment with TrimethoprimSulphamethoxazole, Ciprofloxacin, Azithromycin or Rifampin.
137
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Active Eats
BR01
Donovan Powell
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
The prevalence of obesity around the world is a growing health concern. The World Health
Organization ranks it as the fifth leading risk for death with at least 2.8 million adults dying each
year from obesity associated health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer (2011).
Specifically in the United States, the prevalence of obesity has increased over the last several decades
with about 33.8% of adults and 17% of children (ages 2-19) considered to be obese (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011). Dietary intake is a major factor affecting this epidemic.
Active Eats, a healthy vending machine company, has been created to combat this epidemic by
offering nutritious and convenient alternatives to the high-fat, high-calorie snacks found in current
vending machines. This commitment to a nutritious lifestyle will make a healthier environment in our
communities. With the increased accessibility and the new opportunity to substitute traditional vending
machine items for more nutritious alternatives Active Eats can significantly impact today’s obesity and
diabetes epidemic.
World Health Organization. (2011). Obesity and overweight. Retrieved January 27, 2012, from http://
www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Overweight and obesity. Retrieved January 27, 2012,
from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html.
139
BR
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
Social Media Usage by the Ticket Sales Professional
BR02
Jerre Lieberman
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
The purpose of this study was to examine how sport organizations are using the tool of social media
with regards to ticket sales and the ticket sales staff and to find out if there is any belief to the
correlation between the ticket sales revenue generated by ticket sales staffs and their use of social
media by ticket sales staff members. Ticket sales professionals were offered the chance to give their
opinions on the future use of this emerging communication technology in the hope of increasing
customer relationships between ticket buying consumers and ticket sales professionals.
In order to get a sample of opinions about the use of social media in the ticket sales profession, an
electronic survey was sent out using the social media website LinkedIn. Participants ranged from
aspiring ticket sales professionals, entry level ticket sales professionals, and ticket sales managers.
Survey questions were proposed to find out the current strategies of social media usage, and what
future strategies would help increase ticket sales in the future. Two of the questions were demographic,
multiple choice questions. Four of the questions were qualitative questions in which users were able
to choose as many of the possible answers as possible. Seven of the questions were qualitative, open
ended questions. In depth, open-ended interviews were also given to select ticket sales professionals to
allow for more in-depth perspectives on the use of social media with ticket sales. Each interviewee was
given the same set of questions, but the interviews allowed for follow up and more in-depth analysis of
the questions.
140
BR
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
The Influential Factors Regarding Young Alumni Former Student Athletes’
Athletic Giving
BR03
Charlie Carroll
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
BR
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
This study examines the influences and constraints of young alumni former student athletes relating to
their willingness to give to their alma maters’ athletic department. The class of 2012 graduating senior
student athletes from small to mid size institutions around the Philadelphia, area were surveyed on
their experience as a student athlete, their connection to the athletic department, and their knowledge
about athletic giving. Certain variables established themselves as predictors for potential donors. In
order to study these predictors more in depth, a review of current strategies to engage young alumni
athletic donors at these institutions was conducted as well. An interview was set up with an athletic
development official at each one of the participating institutions to thoroughly understand the
measures the athletic department is taking to increase young alumni participation in their development
programs.
141
Tweeting with a Purpose: How Major League Baseball Players Can
Enhance the Fan Experience Through Twitter
BR04
Karen Auerbach
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
BR
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
With the rise in usage of the social networking site Twitter by Major League Baseball (MLB) players and
fans comes a new avenue for connectivity on a level never seen before. This valuable tool for improving
the fan experience has grown so quickly that studies of Twitter are scarce, despite more than 33 percent
of active MLB players having verified Twitter accounts. The purpose of this study was to determine
what type of Twitter usage by MLB players has the greatest positive impact on the fan experience,
ultimately leading to an improvement in the practices of players with regard to their use of Twitter in
such a way that fans feel a greater sense of connection. Along with observing the current habits of MLB
players using Twitter, an online survey was administered to Twitter users who follow MLB players. Using
content analysis and logical analysis of the results, fans’ preferences were revealed.
142
B L I N K Retail Store & Promotional Concept
BR05
Sarah Steen
Advisor(s): Sarah Steen
B L I N K was created with a visionary mind and a focal purpose: to combine quality eyewear and style.
Our assortment of optical and sun wear glasses for men and women, are carefully selected to provide
our customers with a distinct product, complimenting a variety of styles. At B L I N K, eyewear serves
both form and function, and we believe our products allow the two to see clearly. Our retail store, in
the Fashion Walk area of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, is a strategic location for a high-end eyewear
retailer. Through our inventive advertising campaigns, we hope to build strong relationships with our
customers in the B L I N K of an eye!
The B L I N K retail store and promotional concept was created in the Fashion Product Promotion
course. Aspects of product advertising and promotion were examined, as well as the impact of
forecasting and trend reporting. Emphasis was placed on the comprehensive nature of promotion in the
merchandising environment based on trends in a global marketplace. This term project provided the
opportunity to develop a store concept on an assigned shopping zone in Hong Kong. U.S. students were
also assigned a group in Hong Kong, which created a retail concept for a Philadelphia shopping zone.
The respective groups acted as ‘agents’ for their partners, providing local knowledge to determine a
viable store concept, product assortment, brand image, and price points. Groups corresponded utilizing
email, a Tumblr blog, and a WimbaLive chat room. The outcome was a media kit describing the steps to
promoting the final retail concept.
143
BR
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Design & Merchandising
Do Managers Seek Substitutes When It Is Difficult for Them to Manage
GAAP Earnings?
BR06
Xiaojie Sun
Advisor(s): Barbara Grein
BR
LeBow College of Business
Accounting
In June 2011, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) issued a concept release on
possible changes to the auditor’s reports. One proposal is to expand the assurance provided in the
report to include information outside the financial statements, such as non-GAAP (Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles) earnings. This study investigates the incidence and characteristics of non-GAAP
earnings disclosure. Specifically, I propose that firms facing higher quality audits are more likely to
disclose and manipulate non-GAAP earnings than firms facing lower quality audits. That is managers
seek substitutes when it is difficult to manage GAAP earnings, due to the high quality of their auditors.
The comparison illustrates a negative aspect of higher audit quality. In addition, the result provides
evidence to support the PCAOB’s recent proposal of assurance on non-GAAP information.
144
Cyber Security Management in the Healthcare Sector Data Breach
Statistics, Consequences and Possible Solutions
BR07
April Hall
Advisor(s): Murugan Anandarajan
BR
LeBow College of Business
Management Information Systems
In an ever changing, technological world, cyber security management has become increasingly
important for companies in all sectors and of all sizes. Cyber Security management is best defined as,
“protecting information which is transmitted and/or stored over the internet, or any other computer
network… cyber security management seeks to protect the accuracy, confidentiality, reliability and
accessibility of information by authorized users. (cybercrime.gov). Upon researching cyber security
management it is plain to see that many of the data breaches which companies have encountered are
more easily avoidable than they may seem. The first part of understanding cyber security management
is knowing what the main sources of risk in a company are. Some of the most obvious sources of risk
include people, procedures and policies. To begin in 2011, human error and carelessness accounted
for 311 of 580 total records breached, or 54% of all records. This statistic demonstrates that there is
insufficient company training in data management, as well as a lack of awareness amongst employees.
Despite these facts, a study conducted by Carnegie Mellon CyLab found that, “65 percent of its Fortune
1,000 respondents were not reviewing their companies’ cyber security policies”(cybercrime.com).
145
TagAssist- (Business Proposition) service for visually impaired that
manufactures and attaches Braille garment care tags to clothing
BR08
BR
Kristen Chleboski
Co-Author(s): Jessica Powell
Advisor(s): Kristen Chleboski
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Design & Merchandising
TagAssist is a service for the visually impaired that manufactures and attaches Braille garment care tags
to our customers’ existing clothing with directions for laundry care, and identification of garments’
color and style. This allows our customers to self-sufficiently take care of laundry within the comfortable
environment of their own home. TagAssist also wants to penetrate a market for individuals that are
not suffering from complete loss of vision, but still experience some vision loss, and are unable to read
fine print garment tags that are almost impossible to read with imperfect vision. At $1.50 per garment,
customers will be able to send their clothing out with free shipping to and from our offices, where
we will create and attach the garment care tag. The customer has the option of choosing either a tag
which will include the Braille translation, or a much larger printed version of the color of the garment,
the care instructions for washing and drying, as well as the type of fabric, which will be attached right
next to the original garment tag. The tags will be made out of a malleable polyester fabric, which will
be strong enough to hold the Braille impression or ink for many washes, yet soft enough to ensure it
does not irritate the skin.
146
Opportunity Costs in JIT Supply Chain Coordination
BR09
Kurt Masten
Advisor(s): Seung-Lae Kim, Ph.D.
In a Just-In-Time (JIT) lot-splitting uncoordinated supply chain, the buyer and supplier have competing
goals to minimize costs. This has been shown to be sub-optimal to a coordinated supply chain where
the buyer and supplier work together to minimize total costs for the entire supply chain. Kelle et al.
(2003) introduces an opportunity cost into the buyer-supplier joint optimal ordering and setup policies
for a JIT supply. This opportunity cost plays a logical role in the model and is required to prevent an
infinite contract quantity as the optimal result. There are a handful of models in the literature using
this important concept with respect to Supply Chain Coordination (SCC). However, the latest models
assume this expected opportunity cost (OC) is a given with little to no guidance on appropriate values.
Demand disruptions are cited as a major justification for the inclusion of opportunity costs in the model.
The research provides practitioners with an easy-to-understand interpretation and application of this
recent addition to the joint optimal buyer-supplier JIT model. One result shown here provides direct
guidance for determining the OC for a common situation where the probability of obsolecense of the
contracted part is available (e.g. history or industry) and can be provided prior to joint optimization of
policy parameters.
147
BR
LeBow College of Business
Decision Sciences
Are they still “talking at “ each other?
BR10
Irina Stoyneva
Advisor(s): Murugan Anandarajan
We examine a fundamental issue which had plagued IT-business literature in the last few decades,
namely, what are the underlying issues which contribute to the disconnect between the IT executives
and non-IT executives. The classic generalization is that IT executives often run IT organizations without
a clear vision of the business; and non-IT managers lack a general understanding of IT and focus sharply
on the bottom line. We utilize a qualitative discourse approach to examine how executives view the
IT-Business disconnects through the lens of their experiences. The results indicate that the disconnect
between the IT and non IT executives is greater for the operational level executives rather than the
strategic level executives.
148
BR
LeBow College of Business
Management
The Gravitational Pull of Language Choice: Learning How to Speak Trade
BR11
Tom Zylkin
Advisor(s): Yoto Yotov
It is well known from elementary physics that two large objects placed close together attract each
other through a force called “gravity”. It is less known, however, that this same dynamic is also a useful
way to describe trade between two countries: trade increases with the size of production in the two
countries and decreases with bilateral distance. Indeed, the “Gravity” model of international trade
is one of the most successful and celebrated models in all of empirical economics. It has been used to
explain the effects of tariffs, Free Trade Agreements, and monetary unions on trade, as well as unravel
some of the most famous puzzles in all of International Economics. But, even though this history of the
Gravity model extends back almost fifty years, there is still an active ongoing literature devoted to finetuning and expanding the scope of its explanatory power.
One application of the gravity model currently of active interest to both trade economists and to
policymakers is measuring the effect of cultural ties--in particular language ties--on trade between two
countries. Various gravity papers have shown that sharing a common language directly increases trade
between two countries, but crucially these results are not generalizable to policy prescriptions because
they consider native language communication only. Our paper explores these policy implications by
introducing new data on foreign language knowledge in 27 European countries and controlling for
concerns about reverse causality. Our main finding is that the importance of the ability to communicate
- not just in second languages, but in first languages as well - may be badly underestimated in the trade
literature. At the same time, the fact that foreign languages are bilateral links that are unilaterally
chosen grants us a unique opportunity to make country-level inferences about the effect of education
policies on trade.
149
BR
LeBow College of Business
Economics
Why Cute But Weird Spokescharacters Increase Ad Effectiveness
BR12
Brooke Reavey
Advisor(s): Hyokjin Kwak
Spokescharacters like the Pillsbury Dough Boy, the Jolly Green Giant and the M&M’s are icons of
American marketing campaigns and are praised by many consumers. While previous research has
discovered that animated spokescharacters help increase brand attitude, little attention has focused
on why these characters help brands. Drawing on anthropomorphism, cuteness theory and benignviolation hypothesis literature, we explore the underlying reasons why brands that use humanized
spokescharacters tend to have more memorable ads, have a brand that is liked more as well as ads
that are rated more favorably . We propose that the varying level of cuteness in combination with the
varying level of a harmless social norm violation influence attitute towards ad, ad recall and attitude
towards brand due to the comprehension and the humor that is evoked in the ad. For example, an
inanimate object (i.e.red M&M) that seduces another inanimate object (i.e. yellow M&M) is a harmless
social norm violation - because inanimate objects do not engage in sexual advances- and evokes humor
due to the combination of cuteness and the shock of the violation.
150
BR
LeBow College of Business
Marketing
Transformational Leadership and Customer Satisfaction: The Mediating
Role of Market Responsive Capability and Innovativeness
BR13
Hua Chang
Advisor(s): Hyokjin Kwak
BR
LeBow College of Business
Marketing
Transformational leadership has received considerable attention in the understanding of the impact of
leadership on performance at individual, team, and organizational levels. However, little research has
been done to examine the influence of transformational marketing leadership on outcome variables in
services marketing field, such as service quality and customer satisfaction. We propose a process model
in which transformational leadership is associated with employees’ service responsive capability and
innovativeness, which in turns lead to high level of service quality, service performance, and customer
satisfaction. Service responsive capability and service innovativeness mediate the relationship between
transformational leadership and service quality, service performance, and customer satisfaction.
151
Beyond Good and Bad Behavior: Examining the Empowering Influence of
Ethical Leadership
BR14
BR
Scott Dust
Co-Author(s): Christian Resick
Advisor(s): Christian Resick
LeBow College of Business
Management
The current study looks beyond the relationships between ethical leadership and employee ethicsrelated decision-making and behavior to examine the linkages with employee psychological
empowerment and motivated behavior. Drawing on social learning, social exchange, selfdetermination, and sense-making theories, a model linking supervisor ethical leadership with employee
promotability through psychological empowerment and motivated behavior (task performance and
organizational citizenship) is proposed. Results from 209 subordinate-supervisor dyads from a crossorganizational sample provide support for the hypothesized model. Supervisor ethical leadership was
positively related to employee psychological empowerment which fully mediated the relationship
between ethical leadership and task performance and partially mediated the relationship with
organizational citizenship. In turn, the psychological empowerment, task performance, and citizenship
fully mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and employee promotability. Theoretical
and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
152
Analyzing Valuation Measures: A Performance Horse-Race over the past
40 Years.
BR15
BR
Jack Vogel
Co-Author(s): Wes Gray
Advisor(s): Wes Gray
LeBow College of Business
Finance
We compare the investment performance of portfolios sorted on different valuation measures. EBITDA/
TEV has historically been the best performing metric and outperforms many investor favorites such as
price-to-earnings, free-cash-flow to total enterprise value, and book-to-market. We also explore the
investment potential of long-term valuation ratios, which replaces one-year earnings with an average
of long-term earnings. In contrast to prior empirical work, we find that long-term ratios add little
investment value over standard one-year valuation metrics.
153
The Effects of Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility on Employee
Honesty in Reporting Situations
BR16
Michael Paz
Advisor(s): Bernhard Reichert
BR
LeBow College of Business
Accounting
This study examines the effect of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee honesty in
managerial reporting situations. This paper builds on the research of Evans et al (2001) which identifies
trade-offs people make between economic wealth and preferences for honesty under various contract
types. We propose an extension which focuses on the effects of firm characteristics and employee affect
in determining preferences for honesty. Specifically, we examine whether positive, negative, or mixed
CSR behavior has an effect on employee affect and reporting behavior. Additionally, we examine the
extent to which an individual’s Social Values Orientation (SVO) impacts the response of the employee
to mixed CSR behavior. Our predictions suggest a positive relationship between CSR behavior and
employee preferences for honesty, with positive behaviors associated with an increased preference for
honesty and negative behaviors associated with a decreased preference for honesty. We also predict
that responses to mixed CSR behavior will depend on SVO, with prosocial individuals focusing on
positive behaviors and competitive individuals focusing on negative behaviors. This research contributes
to the accounting literature by demonstrating the importance of firm characteristics in the ethical
decision making of employees. Additionally, we show that conflicting CSR signals do not offset each
other, but instead lead to differential weighting of company characteristics dependent on employee
characteristics. These insights are critical to the design of control systems, especially for firms which rely
on the honesty of their employees.
154
Motivated Reasoning or Blind Trust? Investor Perceptions of the Form and
Content of Audit Report Disclosure
BR17
Matthew Reidenbach
Advisor(s): Dr. Barbara Grein
BR
LeBow College of Business
Department of Accounting
As part of Concept Release 2011-003 issued by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(“PCAOB”), several proposals have been debated to modify the auditors’ reporting model. One
proposal is that auditors provide to investors subjective information such as the quality of clients’ key
accounting standards. While there has been some debate regarding the appropriateness of auditors
providing subjective information to outside stakeholders, this study considers the potential effects of
the form and content of auditor disclosure on several perception variables of investors. Prior research
in both psychology and accounting suggests that persuasion attempts lead individuals to either reinterpret information as consistent with their prior belief or merely accept the new knowledge as fact.
Viewing the audit report as a persuasion attempt, this study considers the effect of auditor disclosure
on investors’ perception of audit quality, their perception of the credibility of the audit report, and
their perception of management’s financial reporting accuracy. Based upon prior research and theory,
it is expected that subjective information disclosed by the auditor will have a detrimental effect
upon investors’ perceptions of audit report credibility and audit quality but lead investors to perceive
improvements in financial reporting accuracy.
155
Thinking Outside the Building: An Exploration into Organizational Values
and their Marketing Outcomes
BR18
BR
Monique Bell
Co-Author(s): Dr. Pravin Nath
Advisor(s): Dr. Pravin Nath, Dr. Hyokjin Kwak
LeBow College of Business
Marketing
In an exploratory investigation, the authors propose that an expanded organizational values framework
is needed to address the diversity of the modern marketplace’s multiple stakeholders. Further, the
authors empirically investigate which values within the adapted framework most contribute to the
marketing strategy and firm performance outcomes of customer satisfaction and corporate reputation.
The inquiries are guided by stakeholder theory and the human values, organizational culture and
customer satisfaction literature streams. Traditionally, organizational values, defined as a group’s
preference for one mode of behavior, or one end-state, over another, has been explored within
the context of organizational effectiveness or person-organization fit. Both of these perspectives
take a predominantly internal view by focusing on the organization as an entity, its employees or
shareholders. In light of several factors, including globalization, growing customer advocacy via
social media and increased popular focus on corporate social responsibility, we recommend that firms
also consider more external-oriented values; namely, those which reflect the needs of customers,
local communities, environmentalists, and the world at-large. The authors utilize firm corporate
communications, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), and Fortune’s America’s Most
Admired Companies to assess the impact of values which, according to many researchers, are on par
with strategy and structure in their significance.
156
IRS Oversight, Client Risk, and Tax Professionals: Does Increased Control
Deter Aggressive Decision Making?
BR19
BR
Beth Vermeer
Co-Author(s): Anthony P. Curatola
Advisor(s): Anthony Curatola
LeBow College of Business
Accounting/PHD Program
The Internal Revenue Service has recently increased the scrutiny of tax professionals by implementing
a new direct oversight program, which includes visits to tax preparer offices for the first time in 2010.
Although deterrence theory suggests that these recent provisions will increase compliance, extant
literature on control theory suggests that increasing controls often has the unintended effect of
causing an increase in the aggressive behaviors the controls aim to constrain. Using an experiment
with tax professionals at an AICPA national tax conference, we find evidence that tax professionals
increase the aggressiveness of their recommendations and report higher advocacy intentions when
presented with high direct IRS oversight. Additionally, our results suggest that practice risk does impact
the recommendations of tax professionals and may only be an effective deterrent against aggressive
decision making for a small portion of the taxpayer population. We also find that the perceived risk
tolerance of a taxpayer may have a significant impact on tax preparer recommendations. Our results
should be useful for regulators as they consider the optimal type and level of tax preparer oversight
and our more inclusive definitions of practice risk should be beneficial to future research in this area.
157
The Effect of Leadership and Framing on Unethical Pro-Organizational
Behavior
BR20
BR
Katrina Graham
Co-Author(s): Johnna Capitano
Advisor(s): Jonathan C. Ziegert
LeBow College of Business
Management
The goal of this paper is to examine how leadership impacts employees’ willingness to engage in
unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). We draw on the full range model of leadership and
examine the impact of transformational and transactional leadership on UPB. Additionally, we integrate
prospect theory in terms of the effect of leaders’ framing of choices on UPB. Finally, we test the
moderating role of followers’ promotion regulatory focus. Using an experimental design, we found
that transformational leaders inspired higher levels of UPB when loss language was used but not when
gain language was used. Further, followers’ promotion regulatory focus moderated this relationship
such that the effect was more pronounced for followers with low promotion focus. Taken together,
our findings extend the understanding of UPB in terms of the how leadership interacts with framing
and regulatory focus to impact employees’ willingness to engage in unethical behavior to protect the
organization.
158
The Effects of Increased Tax Transparency on Tax Aggressiveness
BR21
Robert Lee
Co-Author(s): Dr. Anthony Curatola
Advisor(s): Dr. Anthony Curatola
BR
LeBow College of Business
Accounting
This study examines how an increase in transparency affects management’s tax avoidance behavior as
it relates to uncertain tax positions. Recently the reporting environment for uncertain tax positions has
changed significantly, resulting in an increase in the potential costs for engaging in tax aggressiveness.
In 2007, FASB required firms to disclose their aggregate tax reserves relating to uncertain tax positions
in their annual financial statements, and in 2010, Treasury required firms to individually disclose their
uncertain tax positions in their annual tax return. When disclosing information to the IRS, firms want
to strategically disclose items that will not raise any red flags for a potential audit. However, due to the
ambiguity of the tax code and varied interpretations by Treasury, Courts, and the academic community,
management are at times uncertain on whether their firm qualifies for the uncertain tax position. As
such, managers are faced with the decision on whether to elect an uncertain tax position that will
provide potential tax savings but may also warrant further scrutiny by the IRS. This paper examines
the new trade-off management face between tax savings and costs by entering into tax avoidance
activities.
159
Do NAS Fees Impair audit quality? Evidence from Type I Audit Errors
BR22
Zenghui Liu
Co-Author(s): Michael Paz, Joost Impink
Advisor(s): Dr.Hsihui Chang
BR
LeBow College of Business
Accounting
Prior studies used various measures to proxy for audit quality. While Type I audit errors are direct
measures for the audit quality, only limited research has been employed them in archival settings.
Towards that, we propose to study the correlation between these audit errors with the NAS fee ratio
(NAS fee/Total audit fee). The NAS fee has been long time debated for its effect on the audit quality.
With a better measurement of audit quality, this work seeks to provide additional evidence on whether
NAS fees impair audit quality especially in terms of Type I audit errors.
160
Leveraging Team Human Capital: Examining Role Composition and
Functional Leadership
BR23
Quinn Cunningham
Advisor(s): Christian Resick
BR
LeBow College of Business
Management
Organizations are increasingly implementing teams to address large, complex problems that require
the skills and expertise of a diverse set of individuals performing different roles. Drawing on theories
of team composition and functional leadership, this paper examines the relationship between leader
leveraging of team human capital and team success. Specifically, does the success of leaders’ leveraging
of team human capital depend on the quality of human capital. Using archival data from Major League
Baseball teams, the moderating roles of strategic core human capital (operationalized as pitching roles)
and non-strategic core human capital (operationalized as batting and fielding roles) on the functional
leadership (operationalized as manager in-game pitching and line-up changes) to team performance
relationships were tested. Data were analyzed using a two -level random coefficient model with
teams by season (level 1) nested within teams (level 2). Results indicate that strategic core human
capital moderated the relationship between functional leadership of the strategic core and team
performance such that when the quality of the strategic core was one standard deviation above the
mean, leader leveraging had a significant, positive influence on performance while when the quality
of the strategic core was one standard deviation below the mean, leader leveraging had a significant
negative influence on performance. Practically speaking, leaders who intervened and made changes in
teams with high quality strategic core human capital won an extra 1.3 games per season while leaders
who intervened and made changes in teams with low quality strategic core human capital lost an extra
1.3 games per season. These effects were not found for non-strategic core human capital. This study
provides evidence that leveraging team human capital is a function through which leaders can satisfy
team needs and, in turn, improve team effectiveness.
161
Impact of Expectation Disconfirmation on B2C E-Commerce: The
Moderating Role of National Culture
BR24
BR
Lei Song
Co-Author(s): Srinivasan Swaminathan
Advisor(s): Rolph Anderson
LeBow College of Business
Marketing
Within ever-increasing globalization of markets, the expansion of business-to-consumer (B2C)
e-commerce is inexorable. Moreover, the goal of fully satisfying consumers to encourage them
to become loyal repeat consumers is just as important in multicultural markets as it is in domestic
markets. Expectation disconfirmation has been shown to be closely related to consumer e-satisfaction,
thereby influencing their e-word-of-mouth and e-loyalty. However, there is limited research on
expectation disconfirmation and its impact on e-word-of-mouth, e-satisfaction, and e-loyalty across
cultures. Our study attempts to answer this question by investigating these factors among consumers
in China vs. the U.S. To approach this topic from a cross-cultural perspective, we adopt Hofstede’s
(2001) cultural dimensions: collectivistic vs. individualistic, weak vs. strong uncertainty avoidance,
indulgence vs. restraint, and short vs. long term orientation. The study also uses national cultural values
(Inglehart and Baker 2000) including self-expression vs. survival, and traditional vs. secular-rational
to further explain cultural differences. Expected results from this study are that culture significantly
impacts the relationship between expectation disconfirmation, e-satisfaction, e-WOM, and e-loyalty.
Recommendations are provided for marketing decision makers planning to enter or expand in global
markets.
162
Corrupting Innovation
BR25
Ted (Taek-yul) Kim
Co-Author(s): Jacqueline L. Garner, Adam S. Yore
Advisor(s): Jacqueline Garner
BR
LeBow College of Business
Finance
How do firms respond when operating within a corrupt environment? To answer this question, this
paper analyzes the interaction between federal corruption, corporate lobbying, the cost of capital and
firm value. Using a sample of almost 3,000 firms over a 13 year time period, we provide evidence that
firms operating in corrupt political environments spend greater dollars on lobbying which helps secure
safer cash flows from government customers. Consistent with a securing safer returns argument, these
lobbying-intensive firms have less variable cash flows and stock returns as well as lower costs of equity
and lower weighted average costs of capital. However, these benefits come at a cost: lobbying firms are
associated with less spending on traditional investment such as research and development and capital
expenditures. Overall, our evidence suggests that the misallocation of resources by firms operating in
corrupt environments results in lower firm value, as measured by Tobin’s q.
163
An Economic Order Quantity Model for Items with Probabilistic Failure
Rate
BR26
Mikhail Sher
Advisor(s): Dr. Seung-Lae Kim
BR
LeBow College of Business
Decision Sciences
In this paper, an Economic Order Quantity model for items which experience failure according to a
probabilistic rate during the storage period is developed. Prior research on item failure has primarily
focused on items which can be repaired or sold at a discount. Scenarios that assume repair and
discounted sales, however, are impractical for systems where repair costs exceed or are equivalent to
item costs and imperfect items are unacceptable. Such cases are prevalent in the medical and national
security industries where defective items are largely unusable. The model presented in this paper is
applicable to systems with large fixed order costs and lengthy inventory holding periods. The paper
first develops an Economic Order Quantity model for the presented framework. Illustrative numerical
examples which demonstrate the effects of certain model parameter changes on optimal order quantity
and firm profitability are then provided.
164
The impact of framing and feedback on decision making
BR27
Johnna Capitano
Co-Author(s): Katrina Graham
Advisor(s): Jonathan Ziegert
BR
LeBow College of Business
Management
This paper integrates feedback intervention theory and prospect theory to better explain risk-based
decision making following performance feedback. We test the interaction of performance feedback
sign, i.e. positive versus negative feedback, and gain/loss framing on a risk-based decision using a
vignette study of 101 participants. Furthermore, we examine the moderation of an individual trait,
propensity for risk, on the relationships between feedback, framing, and decision-making. Our findings
suggest that negative feedback magnifies the framing effect of risk seeking in a loss domain and risk
avoiding in a gain domain. The results also support the hypothesis that negative feedback triggers
a change in risk-taking tendencies, such that individuals both low and high in propensity for risk are
more likely to make the choice opposite of their normal tendencies following negative performance
feedback. Individuals low in propensity for risk were more likely to choose the high risk option
following negative feedback. Likewise, individuals high in propensity for risk were more likely to choose
the low risk option following negative feedback.
165
NOMnivore LLC. is a convenience vending service that provides healthy,
vegan and allergen free snacking foods to an under served market.
BR28
BR
Ashley Santee
Co-Author(s): Raina Passalacqua
Advisor(s): Beth Phillips
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Design and Merchandising
NOMnivore provides healthy, vegan and allergen-free snacking foods to individuals who lead a
healthy, vegetarian, vegan and/or allergen-free hectic lifestyle. By eating vegan and gluten free foods
the consumer automatically avoids other allergenic ingredients including dairy, soy, and genetically
modified organisms. According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, dairy, soy, egg and wheat
are among the ingredients that make up 90% of all food-allergenic reactions.
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness approximates that “3 million Americans across all races,
ages, and genders suffer from celiac disease.” A person who suffers from celiac disease is unable to
digest the protein gluten found in wheat, barley, rye and some soy products. Celiac is an autoimmune
disease that can lead to multiple conditions including autism, depression, liver disease, Down Syndrome,
infertility, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, neurological disorders and some cancers.” A 100% gluten free
diet is the only existing treatment for celiac disease today.
Conceived in January 2012 by the team of Raina Passalacqua and Ashley Santee, NOMnivore identifies
an untapped market that was not being served by current low quality, unhealthy vending machines.
NOMnivore has explored numerous locations that utilize vending machines as a food option and
decided that the following positions within Drexel University’s campus would be ideal: Nesbitt Hall,
Constantine Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building (PISB), Bookmark Café and University Crossings.
These locations consistently attract many vegan, vegetarian and health conscious people on a daily
basis.
NOMnivore plans to install and launch its first vending machines in July 2012, and have a highly
sustained traffic flow 18 hours a day. NOMnivore, LLC is a Limited Liability Corporation under the laws
and regulations of the state of Pennsylvania.
166
Does Country Branding Affect International Trade?
BR29
Boryana Dimitrova
Co-Author(s): Daniel Korschun, Yoto V. Yotov
The gravity theory of international trade predicts bilateral trade flows by accounting both for the
distance (i.e., geographic, cultural, psychological) between two countries and the size (in gross domestic
product) of the trading partners (Anderson 1979; Anderson and van Wincoop 2003; Anderson and
Yotov 2010). In order to evaluate the degree to which the gravity theory of international trade can be
successfully applied to international marketing, we examine the impact of country branding on bilateral
trade flows. In particular, we test whether when a country promotes itself in another country, bilateral
trade flows increase.
Country branding is “the strategic self-representation of a country with the aim of creating reputational
capital through economic, political, and social interest promotion at home and abroad” (Szondi 2008,
p.5). The purpose of country branding is generally (1) to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), (2) to
stimulate exports and imports, and (3) to attract tourists. Essentially, when a country promotes itself in
other countries, it communicates value to potential investors by enhancing the country’s brand image as
a viable trading partner. Applying the tenets of the gravity model of international trade, we argue that
country branding reduces the perceived cultural and psychic distance with the targeted country, which
in turn stimulates bilateral trade flows (Anderson and Van Wincoop 2004).
167
BR
LeBow College of Business
Marketing/PhD
Branding Strategy In Firm Acquisition: To Keep Or Drop The Acquired
Brand Name
BR30
Saejoon Kim
Advisor(s): Pravin Nath
BR
LeBow College of Business
Marketing
Mergers are essential to corporate growth strategies but at the same time they may be disruptive
activities that cause customers, employees, and investors to reevaluate their relationship with the
merged firm. Based on literature review on a variety of concepts such as merger and acquisition,
brand equity, branding strategy, internet channel, resource based view, institutionalization, structural
inertia, and etc, this study proposes three determinants of the acquired company’s brand survival
when and after M&A happens; 1) addition of internet channel 2) acquisition premium 3) firm size. As
a methodological tool, a survival analysis technique is suggested and introduced. The study plans to
analyze 150 U.S. retail firms in 10 years of time frame (1995-2005).
168
How Software Tool Selection Affects Open Source Team Participation
BR31
Jacob Miller
Advisor(s): Mazhar Islam
The Open Source Software (OSS) community has been developing high-quality, free software for
decades. In recent years, it has been identified as a context to study Open Innovation. Many factors
that determine the success of the project, such as leadership, software license, software language,
team organization, volunteer skill and commitment, and project hosting decisions. In this line of work,
I examine the project’s ability to attract volunteer developers and its relationship with the project
leaders’ choice of version control system (VCS). A VCS tracks software code changes, which facilitates
collaboration between developers, and provides features to manage the complexity of development
activities. There are many Open Source VCS tools, which can be broadly categorized into those having
centralized or decentralized architectures. Centralized systems have a single master copy, and make
hierarchical assumptions about the processes of software development. Decentralized systems make
no such assumptions and are more scalable. I hypothesize that decentralized version control systems
will lower the risks and costs of volunteer participation on a project. Therefore, projects that adopt a
decentralized VCS will see greater participation than those that adopt centralized systems, by lowering
the risks and costs of contributing effort to the project. I will test these hypotheses on a dataset drawn
from 100,000 open source projects. These results will give us better insight on the motivations and
incentives for contributors in Open Innovation contexts, and may help define new “best practices” for
establishing Open Innovation projects.
169
BR
LeBow College of Business
Management
Does the market respond to auditor supply chain specialization?
BR32
Kateryna Polozkova
Advisor(s): Rong Zhao
The paper examines whether the market values auditor supply chain specialization as measured by
the earnings response coefficient. Prior research has found that firms that share an auditor with at
least one of its major customers have higher earnings quality and higher audit fees, suggesting that
auditor supply chain specialization allows auditors to conduct more effective and efficient audits. The
study in the paper documents whether the market recognizes and responds to auditor supply chain
specialization. In addition, the paper documents whether the market responds to firm-level or officelevel auditor supply chain expertise.
170
BR
LeBow College of Business
Accounting
Do security analysts follow aggressive managers?
BR33
Sharon Hua
Co-Author(s): Edward Werner
Advisor(s): Edward Werner
BR
LeBow College of Business
Accounting
I hypothesize and find that the extent to which analysts respond to management’s guidance is strongest
around an SEO, and the distance between analysts’ forecasts and management’s guidance expands
one year after the SEO issuance. I find that manager’s previously aggressive guidance significantly
determines how closely analysts agree with management’s current guidance in generating their postguidance forecasts. Such a reactionary pattern is present not only in scenarios where underwriting
incentives are high (SEO) but also in scenarios between SEOs where trading incentives alone are
present. I further discover that despite the fact that both buy and sell recommendations stimulate
trades, only the combination of a buy recommendation along with a deviating analyst forecast is
significantly associated with increased trading volume.
171
TRANSLATIONAL & CLINICAL
Triple Site Screening for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in Youth in an Urban
HIV Clinic
TR01
Roberta Laguerre
Co-Author(s): Daniel Conway MD
Sexually transmitted infections (STI) increase the likelihood of both acquiring and transmitting HIV
infection. The CDC currently recommends at least annual screening for STIs in asymptomatic HIV
infected MSM. Gonoccocal (GC) and chlamydial (CT) disease localized to the rectum or pharynx
occurs frequently; however, most providers screen only the urine as a proxy for rectal and pharyngeal
infection. In the U.S., STI clinics are the only medical care site that routinely offers STI screening and
treatment for non-genital as well as genital sites of infection. Data from these STI clinics consistently
demonstrate that STI screening on urine alone, may lead to missed opportunities for diagnosis and
treatment of STIs. Given the dire patient specific and public health ramifications of STIs among HIVinfected patients, routine screening for STIs in non-genital sites at HIV clinics may be necessary. We
retrospectively examined whether including rectal and pharyngeal specimens in an STI screening
algorithm among HIV positive youth identified additional infections missed by urine screening alone.
A retrospective chart review of all GC and CT screening results in HIV infected youth in an urban,
adolescent HIV clinic. STI screening algorithms were modified, one year prior to review, from only
urine specimens for GC/CT to include offering opt in pharyngeal and rectal screening at 1) initial
medical encounter, 2) when symptomatic, and 3) annual visits. Specimens were analyzed by nucleic acid
amplification test (NAAT) using a single tube APTIMA Combo 2© Assay (Gen-Probe©).
159 HIV positive youth, ages 13 - 25 years, submitted 1610 specimens for testing. Overall, 2.4% of all
specimens were positive for CG or CT. Urine, pharyngeal and rectal specimens were positive 3.1%, 4.3%
and 12.8% of the time respectively. Non-genital infections constituted 64% of all positive tests.
Urine screening alone is not a reliable proxy for all sites of GC and CT infections in this population.
173
TR
College of Medicine
Pediatrics
Assessment of Fatigue During Use of a P300 BCI in an ALS Population
TR02
Vince Petaccio
Co-Author(s): Hasan Ayaz, Terry Heiman-Patterson
Advisor(s): Sara Feldman
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide a form of communication that uses neurological signals and
that does not depend on neuromuscular activity. Several studies have demonstrated that those with
advanced Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can use noninvasive BCIs for communication. In this P300based BCI, stimuli, such as letters and numbers that the user can select from, are presented in nonrepeating order using the BCI2000 software package. The P300 event-related potential is identified
in the electroencephalography, enabling the user to make a selection among the stimuli by simply
concentrating on it. There have been anecdotal reports of visual and cognitive fatigue associated with
use of this system, but little work has been performed to identify markers of this fatigue. The present
work aims to identify objective measures of fatigue within the EEG data already collected during
BCI use. These measures could be used to create a BCI that is adaptive to the user’s cognitive state of
fatigue, making the technology more accessible to a larger patient population. The subjects consisted of
ten ALS patients of varying degrees of progression and ten healthy individuals not age-matched to the
ALS users. P300 topographies from the beginning of the BCI session will be compared with those from
the end of the session using multivariate statistical analysis. The P300 amplitude and latency features
will be extracted for comparison. Preliminary analysis yielded significant main effect of trial number
(use time of BCI). Biomarkers identified from this study could help to build a new generation of userfriendly BCIs that can track user’s fatigue status in parallel to BCI operation.
174
TR
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering- Neuroengineering
Evaluation of the clinical utility of routine daily chest radiography in
intensive care unit patients with tracheostomy tubes.
TR03
Jeffrey Cruz
Co-Author(s): Lorie Stumpo, MIchael Ferra, Aditya Kasarabada, M.D., Shirish Amrutia, M.D.,
James Gasparino, M.D., Beth Zigmund
Advisor(s): Beth Zigmund, M.D.
The rising cost of health care has led to an audit of current medical practices in an attempt to help
contain medical costs. The utilization of imaging procedures is under particular scrutiny due to the high
cost of radiologic studies and due to ionizing radiation exposure of patients and staff with certain types
of radiologic examinations. Although chest radiography (CR) is very low in radiation dose compared
with computed tomography and nuclear medicine scans and inexpensive compared with most imaging
procedures, it remains the most commonly ordered radiologic examination. Within our institution’s
intensive care unit, it is common practice to order CR not only immediately following tracheostomy
tube placement but also on a daily basis, irrespective of the patient’s clinical status. We hypothesize
that the clinical utility of performing routine, daily CR on patients with tracheostomy tubes is low and
leads to unnecessary financial cost and radiation exposure, and that CR in this population should be
performed selectively based on a change in the patient’s clinical status.
We conducted a retrospective review of the medical record consisting of 761 CR’s performed on 79
patients who were admitted to Hahnemann University Hospital’s intensive care unit from April 2010
to July 2011. We searched the radiology reports for various complications including pneumothorax,
pulmonary edema, pneumonia, pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, fracture,
tracheostomy tube dislodgement, lobar atelectasis, and pleural effusion. Of the total, 18 radiographs
(0.02%) revealed new complications, and 100% of these complications were clinically suspected prior
to imaging based on clinical parameters. A change in management occurred in 6 of these cases. These
results demonstrate a very low diagnostic yield of routine, daily CR in patients with tracheostomy tubes
and suggest that a more judicious use of imaging is warranted in this patient population.
175
TR
College of Medicine
Radiology
A Model Study of Using Piezoelectric Finger (PEF) to Determine the 3D
Profile of Breast Tumors
TR04
Xin Xu
Co-Author(s): Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih
Advisor(s): Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
TR
1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her life time. Concise
preoperative assessment of breast tumor locations and sizes in 3D are important for biopsy and
surgeries. Underestimating pre-surgical tumor size may lead to incomplete margins and hence, reexcision. Tumor size is also a valuable prognostic indicator. Mammography is the only FDA approved
screening tool for breast cancer, but it has limitations in measuring tumor size.
Breast cancers are known to be stiffer than surrounding tissues. Previous study has shown that
piezoelectric finger (PEF) - which is a piezoelectric cantilever with both an actuator and a sensor in one
device that electrically measures tissue stiffness much like a finger - has the potential to be a radiationfree, low-cost breast cancer detector. The depth sensitivity of PEF depends on the size of the probe.
In this study, we used PEFs of various probe sizes to obtain the Young’s modulus of a tumor model at
different depths, and then deduced the sizes and locations of the tumor using two-spring model theory.
We also developed an iterative inversion method that uses the experimental results and Finite element
analysis (FEA) to obtain the sizes and locations of tumor. The predicted tumor sizes with both methods
show good agreement with real values. We can conclude that PEFs have a great potential to locate
breast tumors in three dimensions.
176
Osteoprotegerin Predicts the Severity, Prognosis and Mortality in Patients
with Coronary Artery Disease
TR05
Shailendra Singh
Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a secretory glycoprotein which is a member of the tumor necrosis factor
receptor superfamily. Recently, serum OPG levels have been found to be associated with progression of
carotid atherosclerosis and onset of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
evidence supporting OPG as a predictor of prognosis and mortality in patients with coronary artery
disease (CAD). A search of MEDLINE database supplemented by manual searches of bibliographies
of relevant articles. We selected all cohort studies in which OPG was measured and coronary/arterial
calcification or mortality was reported in patients with CAD or at risk for CAD. We calculated the
pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) between OPG levels in patients with CAD and controls. We
also calculated the relative risk (RR) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for all cause
mortality and prevalence of calcification by quartiles of OPG. Our search strategy yielded 366 studies, of
which only 9 met our eligibility criteria (please refer to Table). The studies comprised of 8,399 evaluable
patients with a median age 59.9 (range 46-70) years. The pooled SMD of OPG comparing patients with
documented CAD and controls was 1.3 pg/ml; 95% CI (1.10 - 1.55).
177
TR
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Physiologic, Clinical, and Functional Outcomes Following Acute Coronary
Event In Patients over 90 years old
TR06
Shailendra Singh
Co-Author(s): Ronald Chamberlain
The number of individuals living over 85 years of age is projected to double and reach 9.6 million
by 2030, and 20.9 million by 2050. Nearly 55,000 individuals over 85 years old suffer acute coronary
events (ACE) annually with little published. This study sought to characterize physiological, biochemical
and functional outcomes following acute coronary events in individuals of advanced age (>90). 7,687
patients over 90 years old were admitted to Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ between
2000 and 2010. Age, gender, comorbidities, imaging results, diagnosis, type of procedure, length of stay,
admission to ICU, discharge status and outcome were abstracted. 235 (3.1%) patients over 90 years of
age (82 male and 153 female patients) were admitted for ACE. The mean age among those patients was
93.4 (91-103) years with a M:F ratio of 1:1.9. Mean pre-event and post-event ejection fraction among
males was 55.2% and 44.2% versus 57.8% and 51.5% in females, respectively. Forty seven (57.3%) males
and 99 (64.7%) females had at least one diseased heart valve. Mitral regurgitation (55%) was the most
common valvular pathology followed by tricuspid regurgitation (46.4%). Subendocardial infarction was
the most common diagnosis in both males and females, (N=214, 91%), followed by acute myocardial
infarction (N= 16, 6.8%) and angina (N=5, 2.1%). Single vessel PTCA was performed in 7 (8.5%) males
and 4 (2.6%) females.
178
TR
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Lung Cancer Screening in HIV Infected Patients
TR07
Manpreet Sidhu
Case scenario:60 year old caucasian male with history of HIV (CD4 count >500) on HAART, HCV,
oligosmoker presented to our ER with cough of 3 weeks duration. He had failed one week of
outpatient antibiotic therapy. CXR revealed a small right sided pleural effusion without any evidence
of a mass of a nodule. Pleural fluid cytology revealed adenocarcinoma. CT scan revealed a 1.5 cm
right upper lobe lung nodule. Biopsy of the primary RUL nodule revealed primary bronchogenic
adenocarcinoma. Remainder of the metastatic work up was negative- including an MRI head, CT
abdomen and pelvis and a nuclear bone scan. Our patient was diagnosed as a stage IVa lung cancer,
based on AJCC 7th edition Lung Cancer staging. EGFR and EML ALK4 mutation status was sent and
chemotherapy with Carboplatin and Alimta was initiated.
Discussion: The incidence of lung cancer is 2-4 folds in individuals infected with HIV when compared to
age- and gender-matched populations in spite of widespread use anti retroviral therapy. This perhaps,
may be attributed to higher incidence of smoking in this population. Clinical presentation and clinical
stage at presentation are similar to non HIV infected population. The mean age at presentation,
however, is significantly younger for HIV infected population. No correlation with CD4 count or viral
load has been identified.
Diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in HIV infected and uninfected population remains the same.
Clinical outcomes and overall survival is very poor in HIV infected population. The result of recent
National Lung Screening Trial and I-ELCAP show benefits of screening using LDCT as evidenced by
decreased mortality in high risk population. The question , however, remains if HIV infected patients
can be placed in the high risk category. This clinical question is currently being looked at by the FrenchEarly Lung Cancer Diagnosis in HIV Infected Population With an Important Smoking History With LDCT
Pilot Study (EP48 HIV CHEST)
179
TR
College of Medicine
Hematology Oncology
Increasing the follow-up rate after Hysteroscopic Sterilization
TR08
Semhar Mahmud
Co-Author(s): Lamar Ekbladh
College of Medicine
Obstetrics and Gynecology
We performed a retrospective chart review comparing HSG follow-up rates before and after
implementation of a computer generated reminder system, in a University teaching hospital. Group 1
consisted of patients who underwent Essure sterilization before July 2009 and Group 2 from July 2009
to December 2011. Data were collected using our hospital and outpatient electronic medical records.
A total of 197 women underwent an Essure procedure between January 2005 and December 2011, in
both the office setting and outpatient same day surgical unit. 137 were performed before July 2009
(Group 1) and 60 after July 2009 (Group 2). 94 patients (68.6%) were compliant with their HSG followup in Group 1 compared to 45 (75%) in Group 2 (p=0.4621). There was not a statistically significant
difference between the two groups follow-up rate. When comparing only the clinic population, Group
1 had a follow-up rate of 47% compared to 65% in Group 2 (p-value 0.1083). Although these results
were not statistically significant there was a large percentage increase in the follow-up rate after the
intervention.
Risk of pregnancy after Essure placement, with confirmation of tubal occlusion, has been estimated to
be about 0.1%. Failure to follow-up in 3 months to evaluate tubal patency has been associated with
the majority of unintended pregnancies after Essure. Steps have been made to promote compliance to
reduce the failure rate associated with departure from the recommended follow-up protocol. Our data
suggests, that upon implementation of a computer generated reminder system an increase in the HSG
follow-up rate was noted. The largest percentage increase was seen within the clinic population.
180
TR
The objective of this study was to evaluate if a computer generated scheduling reminder increases the
hysterosalpingogram (HSG) follow-up rate after Essure placement. Our goal was to compare follow-up
rates before and after the reminder system was put into practice.
Economic impact of psychiatric comorbidities in spine surgery: a case
control study
TR09
Amirali Sayadipour
Co-Author(s): Christopher K Kepler, MD, Brian R Chambliss, MD, Mohammadreza Rasouli, MD,
Alexander R Vaccaro, MD, Todd J Albert, MD, David G Anderson, MD
Advisor(s): David G. Anderon, MD
Introduction:
Costs of health care in the US have been exceeding $2.5 trillion in 2009. The most common psychiatric
disorders are depression and anxiety in the USA with a lifetime risk of 15.7% and 11.3% for depression
and anxiety respectively. Antidepressants are the most common prescribed psychiatric medications in
the USA. It is estimated 10% of the population takes antidepressants, which is more among women.
There are insufficient international studies which focus on the effects of psychiatric comorbidity on
the costs of inpatient treatment, in spite of higher expenses for patients with psychiatric disorders and
somatic disorders.
Methods:
Institutional database was used to identify patients with documented psychiatric disorder undergoing
spine surgery between 2006 and 2010. Spine surgery performed under general anesthesia. Variables
including demographics, length of stay (LOS), age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index scores and
cost were obtained for all patients. Cost was compared between case and control groups and effect of
presence of a concomitant psychiatric disorder on hospitalization cost was assessed using multivariate
analysis.
Results:
Patients with psychiatric comorbidity (study group) and control groups were equal in terms of
the percentage of male patients, age and Charlson Index score, the number of operative levels.
LOS demonstrated a trend toward longer stays in the study group which did not reach statistical
significance. Total charges, payment, variable cost and fixed cost were higher in the antidepressant
group in the primary financial variables analysis but none of the differences reached statistical
significance. Using Total Charges as the dependent variable, gender and having psychiatric
comorbidities were retained independent variables. Male gender was predictive of a 30% increase in
Total Charges (p=0.008) and use of an antidepressant was independently predictive of a 36% increase
in Total Charges (p=0.003). Using Payment as the dependent variable, antidepressant usage and
variables representing the different surgical procedures were retained in the model but no variables
were significant predictors of Payment (p>0.08). Holding Variable Cost as the dependent variable, the
only retained independent variable was antidepressant usage which conferred a 22% increase in cost
(p=0.04). Finally, using Fixed Cost as the dependent variable, the only retained independent variable
was antidepressant usage which was predictive of a 19% increase in Fixed Cost (p=0.037).
Conclusion:
Although this study did not investigate reasons for the higher cost in the male patients with psychiatric
disorder, poor compliance of patients for performing rehabilitation exercises, coexisting depression
and anxiety may contribute to the higher cost in these patients. Clinicians should be aware of the high
prevalence rates of psychiatric comorbidity in patients who undergo spine surgery. Psychiatric distress
should be assessed by the support of mental health professionals, if pertinent. These multimodal
diagnostic and therapy approaches might improve the outcomes of spine surgery and cut the extra costs
connected to psychiatric comorbidity.
181
TR
College of Medicine
Psychiatry
Harada Disease: An Unusual Presentation of Acute Bilateral Visual Loss
TR10
Arjun Dirghangi
Co-Author(s): Weiye Li, MD, PhD
Harada Disease is an uncommon cause of acute vision loss usually found in persons of East Asian
descent. More usually a component of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome (VKH), Harada Disease is
posited as an autoimmune-mediated systemic disease with isolated ophthalmic manifestations of
acute vision loss, metamorphopsias, photophobia, and typical findings on fundoscopic examination,
optical coherence tomography, and fundoscopic fluorescein angiography, without the neurologic and
dermatologic manifestations of VKH. Thought to be closely related to Sympathetic Ophthalmia (which
leads to bilateral vision loss following penetrating trauma to one eye), Harada Disease represents an
unusual cause of sudden loss of vision that may be confused with several other conditions, particularly
in the absence of the more classic features of typical VKH. We present a case of Harada Disease in which
the patient’s bilateral sequential severe loss of vision was able to be reversed with the use of high-dose
intravenous methylprednisolone and an extended tapering course of oral prednisone.
182
TR
College of Medicine
Department of Ophthalmology
Correlates of mothers’ infant feeding practices
TR11
Maryellen Canouse
Advisor(s): Alison
Background: Obesity is on the rise in America and children make up a significant part of the obese
population. Unfortunately, treatment interventions for childhood obesity have low success rates,
suggesting that evidence-based interventions to prevent obesity early in life are needed. Many factors
have been highlighted as contributing to the development of obesity in children, but one of the
primary postnatal influences on children’s obesity risk is feeding interactions between mothers and
infants, and the influence of these interactions on infant weight gain patterns. Thus, more research is
needed to understand correlates of mothers’ infant feeding practices, and how these feeding practices
may influence children’s obesity risk.
Objective: To examine correlations between mothers’ feeding practices and infant, mother, and family
characteristics.
Methods: We conducted an internet survey of mothers over the age of 18 with infants 0-6 months of
age. Mothers were asked to complete ten questionnaires: Wellness Questionnaire, Baby’s Basic Needs
Questionnaire, Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Infant Behavior Questionnaire, Infant Feeding
Style Questionnaire, Parenting Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, Weight
Concerns Scale, Multi-Factor Emotional Intelligence Scale, and Family Demographics Questionnaire.
Results: The majority of mothers (64%) had male infants. Eighty-two percent of mothers had infants
who were born full term, and 11% of the mothers reported their infants had feeding problems. Sixtyfour percent of mothers reported that they exclusively breastfed their infant, 14% reported exclusive
formula-feeding and 21% reported both breast- and formula-feeding. Slight differences by feeding
mode were seen for mothers’ parenting self-efficacy scores. Specifically, the average total feeding
confidence score for women who breast fed, women who formula fed, and women who breast and
formula fed was 3.8, 3.8, and 3.6, respectively. The average confidence in promoting child development
score for women who breast fed, women who formula fed, women who breast and formula fed was
3.97, 3.88, and 3.83, respectively.
Conclusions: Mothers who practice healthy eating habits often pass these habits to their children. There
are correlations that exist between the way a mother feeds her child in infancy and the eating habits
that will continue with the child after infancy.
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College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nutrition Sciences
Developing a User-Friendly Interface for a Health Data Warehouse System
TR12
Jia Huang
Co-Author(s): Hamad Sindhi
Advisor(s): Xiaohua Hu, Lisa Ulmer
College of Information Science and Technology
Data are collected from education sessions on a Department server (the ‘Data Warehouse’) housed
at Drexel. It also serves as a repository for documents and materials pertinent to the management of
presentation activities and informational material for educators. Health educators, data-entry staff,
regional health district managers and Department staff constantly access the Data Warehouse. Their
activities range from data entry and management to viewing data reports to make timely decisions
on performance and funding. Due to this multi-faceted use of the Data Warehouse, the Department
identified a need to develop a user-friendly home navigation interface for efficiently guiding end-users
to their desired sections.
This project: (1) creates a home-page designed to guide users efficiently to the correct section, (2)
utilizes a tree-structured menu (implemented with javascript) within an overall “left-right” structure of
the page, (3) allows for efficient maintenance of the page by locating the root-menu into one file, (4)
connects the navigational interface with the various functions of the Data Warehouse.
The schema of the developed homepage can be applied to similar applications, especially those with
deep and complex function hierarchies. As well, its user-centered design and seamless structure can be
replicated for other large public health databases with multiple-user functionalities.
184
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Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Pennsylvania, and while many cancers can be detected
early through screening and then treated, cancer screening rates in Pennsylvania are lower than
the national average. The Pennsylvania Cancer Education Network (PCEN) was established by the
Pennsylvania Department of Health (Department) in 2005 to disseminate high quality, accurate
and current information about cancer prevention and screening. Cancer health educators conduct
presentations ranging from 20-minute lectures to expanded seminars addressing various cancer topics.
Improving Quality of Discharge Communication between Hospitalists and
Primary Care Providers
TR13
Tess Woehrlen
Advisor(s): David Cooperberg, MD, Mary Duden
School of Public Health
Health Mangement and Policy
A survey of physician preferences regarding discharge communication from pediatric hospital
medicine services was distributed by e-mail to a total of 320 PCPs, twenty PCPs who refer to each of
the participating sixteen sites. A parallel survey was distributed to 147 pediatric hospitalist program
directors (PDs). Locally, surveys were distributed to twenty randomly selected PCPs who referred
patients to St. Christopher’s in May 2011. In addition, the PD filled out a parallel survey. A chi-square
analysis was done to test for statistical significance.
A total of 200 PCP responses and 71 PD responses were received, representing response rates of
62.5% and 48% respectively. The results of the survey showed significant differences between PCPs
and Program Directors (PDs) regarding which discharge elements were essential. However, seven
elements were reported as essential by >75% of PCPs and PDs. These include: (i) dates of admission
and discharge, (ii) discharge diagnoses, (iii) discharge medications, (iv) brief hospital course, (v)
immunizations given, (vi) pending test results, and (vii) follow-up appointments.
The results of this multi-site study suggest that, even though there are significant differences between
PCPs and PDs regarding discharge communication priorities, several elements are perceived as essential
by both physician groups. These results will be used to create the essential content bundle to measure
the quality of timely communication between hospitalists and PCPs. Annual post-intervention surveys
will be used measure the impact of the content bundle on PCP satisfaction.
185
TR
Effective communication by hospitalists to primary care providers (PCPs) following hospital discharge
may improve patient safety and satisfaction. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is part of the
Pediatric Hospital Value in Inpatient Pediatrics Transitions of Care Collaborative is working to define
and standardize the essential content of discharge communication.
Improving the Timeliness of Discharge Communication between Pediatric
Hospitalists and Primary Care Providers
TR14
Tess Woehrlen
Advisor(s): David Cooperberg, MD, Mary Duden
School of Public Health
Health Mangement and Policy
Four randomly selected charts from patients discharged from hospitalist service on Sundays, Mondays
and Thursdays are reviewed weekly to verify that the Discharge Progress Note (DPN) was faxed to the
PCPs within two days of discharge. Three “Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle” (PDSA) cycles were completed
between March 2011 and March 2012 and interventions with Medical Records, unit clerks and front-line
staff were implemented.
During this twelve month period, the faxing rate increased from zero to 89%. In PDSA cycle one, the
center line shifted from zero to 75% after reassigning the faxing responsibility. PDSA cycle two broke
down the data into rational subgroups, determining that Unit C’s fax rate was 41% compared to 85%
for Units A, B and D from March through November 2011. This led to PDSA cycle three’s interventions:
expanding data collection, sharing it with all nursing directors and front-line staff, standardizing the
faxing process and increasing accurate identification of the PCP. This last cycle increased the faxing rate
to 89% in February 2012.
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children has improved the timeliness of communication between
hospitalists and PCPs at the time of discharge. Limitations include: verifying receipt of the discharge
information by the correct PCP and linking improved communication to patient outcomes. Next steps
include: confirming receipt of the faxed information, improving accurate PCP identification, examining
the content of the current discharge communication and linking this to PCP satisfaction.
186
TR
Timely communication between hospitalists and primary care providers (PCPs) following hospital
discharge may improve patient safety and satisfaction. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is
participating in the Value in Inpatient Pediatrics Transitions of Care Collaborative to increase the faxing
rate of the discharge communication within two days of discharge to 90% by June of 2012.
Retrospective Analysis of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)
Feeding Tube Effect on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Patient Survival
TR15
Andrew Trontis
Co-Author(s): Divisha Raheja, M.D.
Advisor(s): Terry Heiman-Patterson, M.D.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive
weakness and loss of bulbar function with dysphagia, dysarthria, and respiratory difficulties. As a result
it is recommended a feeding tube (PEG) be placed when there is more then 10% weight loss or drop
in the vital capacity to 50% expected in order to maintain nutrition and hydration, minimize the risk
of aspiration, and reduce perioperative morbidity and mortality. This recommendation is based on
anecdotal experience of clinicians and there is a need to examine whether PEG placement influences
survival and whether early acceptance has an enhanced effect .
We performed a retrospective chart review of 70 ALS subjects and collected data regarding site of
onset, survival, rate of progression based on functional rating scores and pulmonary function tests, and
date of PEG recommendation and acceptance.
Seventy charts were reviewed and 25 subjects underwent PEG placement. While there was a trend
to improved survival in both bulbar or limb onset subjects who accepted PEG, the numbers were too
small to date to reach statistical significance (survival 1452.2 v1155.2 days in bulbar onset and 1819.6 vs
1462.4 days in limb onset). Furthermore, patients with bulbar onset ALS showed the shortest survival
times compared to the extremity onset patients. There was also a trend towards improved survival
when PEG was accepted early in the bulbar onset group (1655.5 vs. 928.7 days).
While statistically significant differences were not found, there were clear trends in our data to suggest
improved survival in subjects who accept PEG with an increased benefit if the intervention is accepted
earlier and especially in bulbar subjects. Similar to others, we find reduced survival in bulbar onset. It is
necessary to continue the retrospective review in order to extend sample size and increase our power to
detect significant differences.
187
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College of Medicine
Dyskinesia-Induced by Stimulant Medications
TR16
Karim Sedky
Co-Author(s): Ayesha Waheed, Racha Nazir
College of Medicine
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
TR
Stimulant agents are approved for treatment of individuals diagnosed with attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Movement disorders including dyskinesias have been occasionally
reported secondary to the use of this medication group. We present two cases in which dyskinesia
developed several weeks after initiation of amphetamine based stimulants.
188
Assessment of Anemia as a Public Health Concern in Rural Cameroun
TR17
Natalie Beaty
Co-Author(s): Danielle Fine, Cecilia Sorensen, Dennis Richardson
Advisor(s): Georges Bwelle
Anemia is a worldwide public health concern which disproportionately affects the poor. It has
social, economic, and health consequences that can result in lost productivity, impaired cognitive
development, cardiac problems, premature births, and maternal and child death. It has a multi-factorial
etiology and is commonly caused by malnutrition, malaria, HIV, helminthiasis and protozoan infections
in the developing world. Anemia prevalence is considered an appropriate marker for measuring general
community health. It is used to evaluate the need for public health interventions in a community,
and can track community health over time. Here, prevalence data is used to classify the public health
significance of anemia in three communities in Cameroun. Anemia was measured using hemoglobin
measurements from subjects chosen at random from Minkang 2 (71), Lomie (63), and N’ditam (81).
Prevalence data was analyzed using a confidence interval set to 0.05.
Anemia is a severe public health concern (prevalence ≥ 40.0%) in child populations in Minkang 2 and
N’ditam, and in adult populations in Minkang 2 and Lomie. It is a moderate public health concern
(prevalence = 20.0-39.9%) for adults in N’ditam. Clinical experience indicates that the common causes
of anemia, such as malnutrition, malaria and helminth infections, are present in this region. Targeted
public health interventions such as hygiene and sanitation education, installation of long lasting
insecticidal nets, water improvement, and preventative chemotherapy programs are recommended to
reduce the disease burden and improve community health. Anemia measurements should then be used
to evaluate effectiveness of such interventions over time.
189
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College of Medicine
Association des Compétences pour une Vie Meilleure
Prevalence and Knowledge of Common Infectious Diseases and Perceived
Health Needs Among Inhabitants of N’ditam, Cameroon
TR18
Danielle Fine
Co-Author(s): Natalie Beaty, Georges Bwelle, Cecilia Sorensen, Ngambe Magloire
Advisor(s): Dr. Georges Bwelle
The burden of disease in Cameroon falls heavily on populations living in rural villages due to isolation
and inadequate access to health resources. Community based participatory research (CBPR) is a
research method that explores the local health knowledge and community health needs in order to
design and implement sustainable public health interventions. In this study, our goals were to describe
prevalence and knowledge about common infectious and diarrheal diseases and to determine the
perceived health needs among the inhabitants of a central Cameroonian bush village with a longterm goal of developing sustainable public health interventions. We developed a 43-item structured
survey with closed and open-ended questions. A trained interviewer identified a convenience sample
of respondents at diverse geographic locations throughout the village and conducted face-to-face
interviews. Of the 50 respondents, 36 (72%) were female and mean age was 32 years (+ SD=11).
Overall, 25 (50%) respondents reported a personal history of malaria and 31 (62%) reported malaria
in their children in the past 2 weeks; 18 (36%) respondents reported a personal history of diarrhea
and 21 (42%) reported a diarrheal illness in their children within the past 2 weeks. Thirty-four (68%)
respondents attributed diarrhea to poor hygiene and 29 (58%) respondents attributed malaria to
mosquitoes. Overall, 42 (84%) respondents did not have bed nets in their home; 38 (90%) stated that
if they had bed nets then they would use them. The three most frequent perceived health needs were
availability of potable water (66%), inadequate access to health care (46%), and mosquito-borne illness
(20%). Diarrheal illness and malaria were both highly prevalent and commonly reported as community
health needs. To improve community health in N’ditam, Cameroon, collaborative public health efforts
should focus on improving the availability of potable water and preventing mosquito born illnesses.
190
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College of Medicine
Department of Medicine
Prognostic factors of long-term survival in patients with acute myeloid
leukemia after allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation
TR19
Le Wang
Co-Author(s): Claudia Corona
Advisor(s): Michael Styler, MD
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine/Hematology Oncology
Methods: The patients under study were 210 AML patients treated at Hahnemann University Hospital
from 1980 through 2004. End points were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)
calculated by Kaplan-Meier method.
Results: There was a statistically significant long-term survival advantage when transplantation was
performed in the first complete remission (CR1) as opposed to subsequent remissions or relapse (median
OS: 97 months vs 17 months vs 3 months, for allogeneic SCT, and 38 months vs 13 months vs 4 months
for autologous SCT, p<0.001). Compared to autologous SCT, a 60% improvement in median OS was
obtained in patients treated with allogeneic SCT in CR1 (p=0.025). Among AML subtypes, there was
a trend toward improved survival in M2 subtype following allogeneic, but not autologous, SCT. The
median OS was not reached for M2 after 20 years follow-up (P<0.08). Whereas severe graft versus host
disease (GVHD) was associated with early transplant-related mortality, grade I and II GVHD predicted
favorable long-term survival. Other factors such as veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver had little
impact on long-term survival. Finally, we compared overall survival among patients treated with
different pre-transplant conditioning regimens before stem cell transplantation. Compared to BU/CY4
(busulfan 16mg/kg plus cyclophosphamide 200mg/kg given over 4 days) and BU/CY/VP (busulfan 16mg/
kg, cyclophosphamide 120mg/kg, VP16 40mg/kg), BU/CY2 (busulfan 16mg/kg plus cyclophosphamide
120mg/kg given over 2 days) appeared to have a significant impact on improved long-term survival
(59.6% vs 27.3% vs 15.5% at 10 years, P< 0.001).
Conclusions: Our long-term follow-up demonstrated a superior overall survival in AML patients
undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation as compared to autologous SCT. AML subclasses, pretransplant conditioning regimens, and grade I/II GVHD are additional factors influencing long-term
survival after stem cell transplantation.
191
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Background: The purpose of this study is to study long-term survival and prognostic factors in acute
myeloid leukemia (AML) patients after allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT).
Examining how behavioral, social, medical, and structural factors influence
linkage to care among newly diagnosed HIV positive adults
TR20
Tyler Alvare
Co-Author(s): Cymara Tolbert
Advisor(s): Erika Aaron
College of Medicine
Infectious Disease
In this study, we explore socioeconomic, biomedical, and structural factors that may affect patient
linkage to treatment with the aim of identifying interventions that successfully link the most vulnerable
patients to care; improving individual health outcomes, and reducing HIV transmission rates. A
cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted using medical records for 94 patients diagnosed
between May 2007 and November 2011. All subjects were identified in a major urban Emergency
Department or medical clinics located in areas of high HIV prevalence. Bivariate analysis was used to
examine the relationship between patient linkage to specialized HIV treatment and 20 biomedical and
socioeconomic indicators. Medical records for 89 patients were determined to be eligible. We found
that mental illness (p < 0.04), past behavior in health care environments (p < 0.001), drug abuse (p
< 0.001), unemployment (p < 0.01), and homelessness predicted patient failure to link to care.These
findings bring into question the utility of the prevailing biomedical approach to HIV programming,
suggesting instead that only broad-based interventions which aim to address poverty and structural
violence among people living with HIV will be successful in routing the pandemic.
192
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In spite of major advancements in antiretroviral therapy and its associated benefits, approximately 33%
of people infected with HIV do not enter into HIV treatment.
A Novel Subject Synchronization Clinical Trial Design for Alzheimer’s
Disease
TR21
Timothy Schultz
Co-Author(s): Eric Yang, Michael Farnum, Victor Lobanov, Rudi Verbeeck, Nandini Raghavan,
Mahesh Samtani, Gerald Novak, Yingqi Shi, Vaibhav Narayan, Allitia DiBernardo
Advisor(s): Michelle Rogers
One of the challenges in developing a viable therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has been
demonstrating efficacy within a clinical trial. Using this as motivation, we sought to re-examine
conventional clinical trial practices in order to determine whether efficacy can be better shown through
alternative trial designs and novel analysis methods. In this work, we hypothesize that the confounding
factors which hamper the ability to discern a treatment signal are the variability in observations as
well as the insidious nature of the disease. We demonstrate that a two-phase trial design in which
drug dosing is administered after a certain level of disease severity has been reached, coupled with a
method to account more accurately for the progression of the disease may allow us to compensate for
these factors, and thus enable us to make treatment effects more apparent. Utilizing data from two
previously failed trials which involved the evaluation of galantamine for an MCI indication, we were
able to demonstrate that a clear treatment effect can be realized through both visual and statistical
means, and propose that future trials may be more likely to show success if similar methods are utilized.
193
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College of Information Science and Technology
Botulinum toxin A injections into pelvic floor muscles under
electromyographic guidance for women with refractory high tone pelvic
floor dysfunction
TR22
Dominique El-Khawand
Co-Author(s): Salim Wehbe, Peter O’Hare III, Jennifer Fariello, Amy Hoffmann, Jennifer Iorio,
Susan Kellogg-Spadt, Kristene Whitmore
The objective is to determine the efficacy of electromyography (EMG) guided botulinum toxin A
(BoNT) injections in treating pelvic pain and improving QoL. This is an interim analysis of an ongoing
prospective pilot study of women with chronic pelvic pain and HTPFD who have failed conventional
therapy. Enrollment started in January 2011. BoNT injections were done using needle EMG guidance
to localize spastic pelvic floor muscles (PFM). All patients who have completed 12 weeks follow-up
(n=14) were analyzed. Data were collected at baseline, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks after injections. This
included demographics, visual analog scores (VAS) for pain and dyspareunia, validated questionnaires
for symptoms, QoL, and sexual function , Global Response Assessment (GRA) scale for pelvic pain, digital
exam of PFM for tone and tenderness, and vaginal manometry.
Overall, 71 % of subjects reported improvement on GRA at 4 weeks, and 79% at 8 and 12 weeks
post injection, compared to baseline. Of the 10 subjects who were sexually active at baseline, 80%,
70%, and 60% reported less dyspareunia at 4, 8, and 12 weeks respectively. Two out of the 3 patients
who avoided sexual activity at baseline secondary to dyspareunia resumed intercourse after BoNT.
Sexual dysfunction as measured by the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS) significantly improved at
8 weeks (25.36, p=0.025) and 12 weeks (25.93, p=0.028) compared to baseline (33.14). Short Form 12
(SF-12) showed improved QoL in the physical composite score both at 4 (43 vs 37.2, p=0.014) and 12
weeks(43.5 vs 37.2, p=0.041), and in the mental composite score at 12 weeks (45.69 vs 38.24, p=0.03).
Digital assessment of PFM (on a scale from 0 to 4) showed decreased tenderness on all visits (mean of
1.79, p=0.01; 1.35, p=0.001; 1.46, p=0.004) compared to baseline (2.49). Reported side effects included
constipation (50%), worsening of pre-existing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and fecal incontinence
(7%), and new onset SUI (14%).
194
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College of Medicine
Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Gender Differences in Serum Biomarkers and Systolic Function among
African Americans with Heart Failure
TR23
Feng Feng Liu
Co-Author(s): Raghunandan Dudda Subramanya, Brian Hall, Shelly Hankins, Min Li
Advisor(s): Howard J Eisen, Long Jian Liu
School of Public Health
Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Background: African Americans (AAs) suffer from high burdens of heart failure. However, evidence on
how heart failure disproportionately affects AAs is not clear.
TR
Objectives: Evaluate the biomarkers’ differences in African American. Explore the risk factors to the
decreased Left Ventricular Eject Fraction (LVEF) and the end-stage heart failure.
Methods: This study examined a random sample of 150 patients aged 26 to 90 years older (M=67,
F=83) African American with heart failure from the Cardiology Division of Hahnemann Hospital. The
differences of biomarkers (serum lipids, glucose, creatinine, hemoglobin, white blood cell), and systolic
function (LVEF) were measured between male and female. Logistic regression model was used to
explore the relationship between biomarkers and LVEF. The association between biomarkers and heart
failure stages in AAs was also explored in this study.
Results: There are no significance relationship between biomarkers and LVEF. But, significant differences
in serum total cholesterol (167.58vs. 189.97, p<0.01), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (88.17 vs.
107.13, p<0.01), creatinine (2.21mg/L vs. 1.54 mg/L, p<0.01), and LVEF (33.38% vs. 49.54%, p<0.01)
between male and females patients with heart failure are existed. After adjusting high-density
lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, triglyceride, WBC, blood pressure, age, and BMI,
male have a high risk to have end-stage heart failure (OR: 3.21, 95% CI: 1.129, 8.863). In the combined
data analysis, adjustment for low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, triglyceride, White Blood Cell
(WBC), and albumin and hemoglobin, high glucose level is associated with end-stage heart failure (OR:
5.176, 95% CI: 1.179, 22.732). Body Mass Index (BMI) had no significant association with decreased LVEF
(OR: 0.971, 95% CI: 0.932, 1.013). Comparing to patient with normal BMI, patient with BMI greater
than 25 kg/m2 appeared having lower risk of decreased LVEF (<50%) (OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.012, 1.078).
Patients with BMI great than 30 kg/m2 also appeared having lower risk of decreased LEVF (OR: 0.87,
95% CI 0.36, 2.1). The similar results were obtained between BMI and heart failure stages (OR: 0.84,
95% CI 0.28-1.8).
Conclusions: Significant differences in lipids and systolic function may exist between male and female
patients with heart failure among Africa Americans. Compared to female, male are the high-risk group
to have end-stage heart failure. BMI may be inversely associated with decreased systolic function and
having end-stage of heart failure among Africa Americans.
195
Extramedullary BCR-ABL positive T-lymphoblastic Leukemia in a patient
with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: a case report and management
discussion in the era of novel Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor
TR24
Mylene Go
Co-Author(s): Dr. Le Wang, Dr. JinMing Song, Dr. Steve Hou, Dr. Rene Rubin, Dr. Michael Styler
The introduction of Imatinib dramatically improved the landscape of chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Prior to Imatinib, progression to CML blast crisis was virtually inevitable in the absence of a suitable
allogeneic bone marrow donor. Based on the recent update of the IRIS trial, 93% of patients who
received Imatinib therapy defied the natural history of the disease that normally follows progression
from a relatively protracted benign course of chronic phase, accelerated phase and onto the terminal
blast phase. While 50% of cases develop a myeloid blast phenotype, 25% are lymphoid within which
the vast majority are of B cell lineage. T cell blast crisis is rare and associated with poor prognosis.
There are a few case reports of precursor T blast crisis reported to date but none as interesting as
the demonstration of predominantly nodal extramedullary sudden T cell blastic transformation with
a bone marrow still in its infancy state of chronic phase CML. A previously healthy 59 year old male
presented with a month history of fatigue, weight loss, enlarging adenopathy, and drenching night
sweats. He was found to have profound leukocytosis with a total white blood cell count of 255,000 and
hepatomegaly with a markedly enlarged spleen. He underwent induction chemotherapy and achieved
complete cytogenetic response with plans for non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplant with
a haploidentical donor in process. Chemotherapy in combination with Imatinib or Dasatinib must be
considered in patients presenting with de novo Philadelphia positive blast phase CML followed by
allogeneic stem cell transplant if feasible.As the ultimate salvage therapy for blast crisis continues to
evolve, we believe that with the advent of the second generation ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors and
non-myeloablative approach, reduced intensity allogeneic stem cell transplant and novel tyrosine kinase
agents may provide better therapy for the treatment of blast crisis in CML.
196
TR
College of Medicine
Hematology-Oncology
Dualism: An Alternate Approach to Acute Care Pediatric Pain Management
TR25
Lauren Schoppet
Advisor(s): Roberta Waite
Achieving adequate pain management is an essential component of nursing care for patients within
the acute care setting. Pain is experienced in patients of all age ranges, from the premature infant to
the older adult. All ages face barriers towards receiving sufficient pain management; however, none
of these barriers are more pronounced than those barriers faced by the pediatric patient population.
Implementing a standardized pediatric pain assessment to appraise the presence and intensity of pain
in the pediatric patient is difficult given the range in developmental and cognitive abilities found in
pediatric patients. Assessing pain in the infant, toddler, preschool, nonverbal, and developmentally
delayed population especially presents numerous obstacles towards acquiring an adequate pain level.
Additionally, there are numerous myths surrounding the assessment and management of pediatric pain,
including the circulating belief that children who are able to self-report pain levels tend to overestimate
the amount of pain they experience. These barriers affect the successful formation of a treatment plan
to adequately control pain. Nurses play a pivotal role in addressing this especially important concern.
The purpose of this poster is to illustrate how the use of Lewin’s Force Field Model for change can be
used in the pediatric acute care setting to unfreeze the current obstacles to pain management. The
standard of assessing, interpreting, and managing pain will then be moved from a mutually exclusive
to a mutually inclusive relationship between patients and nurses, and myths regarding pain and the
pediatric patient dispelled through the promotion of both nursing and patient education regarding
pain assessment and management. Refreezing enables maintenance and evaluation of the effectiveness
of these new methods and supports this dualistic approach towards pediatric pain management a
standard of nursing care.
197
TR
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nursing
Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy Effectively Distinguishes Optimal
Levels of Anesthesia During Colonoscopy
TR26
Radha Menon
Co-Author(s): Adrian Curtin, Kurtulus Izzetoglu, Ph.D., Sabeen Abid, M.D., George Mychaskiw,
II, D.O., Meltem Izzetoglu, Ph.D., James C. Reynolds, M.D.
Advisor(s): James C. Reynolds, M.D.
BACKGROUND: Safe colonoscopy is limited by the risk of over- and under-sedation. Current
technologies monitor complications of sedation. We developed a functional near-infrared spectroscopy
(fNIR) technology that is a safe, non-invasive device which detects the brain’s hemodynamic response
to cognitive activation. It uses specific wavelengths of light to detect changes in mean deoxygenated
hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) in the frontal cortex.
OBJECTIVE: We propose that fNIR can predict over-sedation and under-sedation sooner than standard
clinical signs in patients undergoing colonoscopy.
METHODS: We obtained consent from 30 patients undergoing colonoscopy. PAO2, expired CO2, BP,
HR, and ECG tracing were recorded in addition to mean changes in deoxy-Hb by our fNIR device during
sedation. Signs of wakefulness were recorded using the Ramsay Sedation Scale.
RESULTS: fNIR ratios during wakefulness were easily distinguished from deep sleep (Ramsay 6). Twenty
one events of unintended wakefulness were identified in 30 patients by a change in the Ramsay score
to ¬< 5, movement, or speaking. For each event, the five minutes prior to wakefulness were compared
in one-minute segments. There were no significant differences in the deoxy-Hb levels in the 4-minute,
3-minute, and 2-minute prior to wakefulness periods when compared to the baseline of 5-minutes
prior to wakefulness (p=ns). In the one minute prior to wakefulness, however, there was a statistically
significant difference in mean deoxy-Hb levels when compared to 2, 3, 4, and 5 minute mean deoxy-Hb
levels prior to wakefulness (p=0.01,0.01, 0.02, 0.01 respectively). fNIR also appeared to identify patients
who became over sedated leading to hypoxemia, but we did not have enough of these adverse events
to report at this time.
CONCLUSION: fNIR is an exciting new technology that can safely and non-invasively detect level of
consciousness during colonoscopy as indicated by the change in mean deoxy-Hb levels in the frontal
cortex.
198
TR
College of Medicine
Gastroenterology
Autonomic Dysfunction in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A possible
relationship with the GI tract?
TR27
Rosemarie Arena
Co-Author(s): Ronak Modi, Rosemarie Arena, Scott E. Myers, Robert Schwartzman, Kirsten
Erwin, Asyia S. Ahmad
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), formerly known as Reflex sympathetic disorder (RSD) is
a neuropathic disorder following up to 5% of all minor trauma that is characterized by chronic
pain, skin changes, and swelling. It is a multiorgan disease with autonomic dysfunction but to our
knowledge, no study to date has examined its influence on the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of
this study is to determine the prevalence of GI symptoms in CRPS patients without thyroid disease
who are also not on narcotics. Other factors such as age, gender and duration of disease were also
studied. We conducted a single center, retrospective chart review of CRPS patients seen at the Drexel
University College of Medicine CRPS clinic from January 2001 to September 2011. Each chart contained
a questionnaire including a detailed review of GI symptoms. Of 1053 CRPS patients that completed
the questionnaire, 849 (81%) had either thyroid disease or were on narcotics and were excluded
from the study. The remaining 204 (19%) patients were included in the study. One hundred eighteen
patients (58%) reported at least one gastrointestinal symptom. The most common symptoms were
nausea, constipation, indigestion, lack of appetite, and dysphagia. Nausea was the only symptom
that was significantly more common in women than men (33% vs. 12%, p=0.02). Only constipation
significantly increased with increasing age (p=0.01). Location of injury did not statistically predict if
CRPS patients developed upper vs. lower GI tract symptoms. CRPS duration of greater than three years
was significantly associated with dysphagia (p=0.04) but no other GI symptoms. CRPS patients without
thyroid disease that are not on narcotics still have a wide range of GI symptoms. The connection
between the autonomic dysfunction seen in CRPS patients and gastrointestinal motility is an area that
needs further exploration. This is the first study to evaluate GI symptoms exclusively in CRPS patients.
199
TR
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Radiologic Appearances of the Life-Threatening Complications of Marfan
Syndrome, and Case Presentation
TR28
Andrew Keibel
Advisor(s): Dr. Rajeev Shah
Marfan syndrome is an inherited genetic disorder of connective tissue resulting in a wide range
of phenotypic features affecting multiple organ systems. In addition to the characteristic skeletal
deformities exists a number of life threatening sequelae. Spontaneous pneumothorax and aortic
dissection are two of the most severe, and must be considered in all patients with Marfan syndrome
presenting with chest pain. Prompt diagnosis and intervention of these complications is essential in
minimizing mortality, and relies on radiologic studies. This poster presents the case of an adolescent
with suspected Marfan syndrome who presented to the ED with chest pain, and reviews the radiologic
appearance of the multi-system manifestations of Marfan Syndrome.
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College of Medicine
Clinical response of a large recurrent rectal adenocarcinoma to combined
modality radiation (RT) and chemotherapy - A case report.
TR29
Sandeep Sen
Co-Author(s): Filip Troicki, Andrew Schiff, Jaganmohan Poli, Jean Marie Kane, Michael Styler
College of Medicine
Heme/Onc
A 34-year-old African-American male was diagnosed with a T3N0M0 (Stage IIA) rectal adenocarcinoma
in 2008 for which he underwent surgical resection with negative margins. The patient did not
complete his chemotherapy regimen and did not receive RT at that time. In 2010, he developed a
perirectal abscess and was discovered to have a large tumor recurrence (19 x 22 x 22 cm) involving the
right gluteal region and entire lower pelvis with obliteration of the right sacral plexus. In 2012, he
underwent partial resection of his tumor at an outside facility, which was aborted due to significant
operative bleeding. The patient was transferred to our institution and palliative chemoradiation was
started emergently to achieve hemostasis.
On our initial exam, the patient had complete lower extremity paralysis with inability to lay flat. He
had a large exophytic, ulcerating mass occupying the entire right gluteal region with profuse bleeding,
necessitating daily blood transfusions. After 2 weeks of palliative RT and concurrent fluorouracil, the
mass shrank significantly with no further bleeding. His lower extremity motor strength improved to 3/5,
and he could lie on his back with better pain control.
The treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer has evolved over time and most patients with locally
advanced but non-metastatic rectal cancer are treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy, surgery
and postoperative chemotherapy. Combination chemoradiation enhances local control and cure rates in
patients with transmural invasion or positive perirectal lymph nodes. Management of locally recurrent
disease is challenging and depends on prior therapy and the extent of recurrence.
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Each year, about 40,290 Americans are diagnosed with rectal cancer. Surgical resection is the treatment
of choice for early stage, resectable disease. For locally advanced or recurrent non-metastatic disease,
trimodality programs with RT, chemotherapy, and surgery offer the best outcomes.
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the massetor muscle in an adult - A case
report and review of literature.
TR30
Filip Troicki
Co-Author(s): Sandeep Sen, Matthew Straesser, Jaganmohan Poli, Rene Rubin, Michael Styler
College of Medicine
Radiation Oncology
Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) originate from immature cells that are destined to form striated skeletal
muscle. RMS is a rare tumor that affects mostly children (< 350 U.S. cases annually) and is exceedingly
rare in adults. The presenting signs and symptoms of RMS can be diverse, based upon the site of origin,
the patient’s age, and the presence or absence of distant metastases. The most common primary
sites are the head and neck region (35 to 40 percent), the genitourinary tract (25 percent), and the
extremities (20 percent).
We present a 27-year-old white male, who presented with a small mass anterior to his right ear in
November 2011 along with right facial pressure, right periorbital pain with some visual blurring,
ear pain with swallowing and headaches. As the mass grew, the patient noticed increasing difficulty
opening up his mouth, which was relieved when he underwent de-bulking surgery on February 16,
2012.
He has recovered well after surgery and maintains an excellent performance status. Final pathology
results from the surgical specimen confirmed the mass to be a spindle cell variant of RMS.
Multimodality therapeutic protocols for treating RMS have been developed by large international
cooperative groups, such as the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (IRSG). Complete surgical
excision remains the mainstay of therapy for localized disease as long as functional and cosmetic results
are acceptable. For unresectable patients, initial induction (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy followed by
definitive local therapy in the form of surgery, or radiation therapy or trimodality therapy offer the best
clinical outcomes.
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Sarcomas are rare, malignant tumors that arise from mesenchymal tissue. They have a wide spectrum
of histopathologic presentation since embryonic mesenchymal cells have the capacity to mature into
striated, skeletal and smooth muscle, adipose and fibrous tissue, bone, and cartilage.
Alcohol Consumption, Depression and Other Chronic Disease in Low- and
Middle-Income Countries: A Global Health Challenge
TR31
Siu Yue Ng
Co-Author(s): Longjian Liu, Carol Lippa
Advisor(s): Longjian Liu, Carol Lippa
Alcohol consumption is the third largest risk factor for disease and disability worldwide, and depression
is expected to become the world’s second leading cause of disease burden by 2020. Lower economic
development and socioeconomic status are generally associated with greater alcohol-related health
problems, and countries with less primary care available are expected to suffer more from the burden
of mental illness. This research project aims to investigate the association between depression and
alcohol consumption, as well as other risk factors, in low-and middle-income countries. We used data
from the WHO - World Health Survey (2002-2003), in which fifty countries were classified as low-income
or middle-income using the World Bank definition. The results indicate that low-income countries had
lower alcohol consumption rate (22.6% vs. 45.5%, p<0.001) and higher depression rate (6.3% vs.5.8%,
p<0.001) when compared with middle-income countries. Although the depression rate was higher,
treatment rate in low-income countries for depression was 1.5% compared with 5.6% in middle-income
countries. Those diagnosed with depression had significantly higher alcohol consumption rate than
those who had no clinically diagnosed depression (40.6% vs. 36.2%, p<0.001). This project can help to
better understand the patterns of alcohol consumption and depression, and suggest potential public
health focus in the low- and middle-income countries.
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School of Public Health
MPH
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Sleep Disordered Breathing in
Children
TR32
Karim Sedky
Co-Author(s): Racha Nazir, Karen S. Carvalho, Steven Lippmann
Objectives: Children and/or adolescents suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
and/or sleep disordered breathing (SDB) may present with similar symptoms such as inattention,
irritability and hyperactivity. SDB is under diagnosed in children and not often recognized in patients
with ADHD. Treating sleep disordered breathing should diminish symptoms and might reduce the
pharmacologic treatment required for ADHD.
Methods: A Medline search was performed using the combined criteria of ADHD and SDB. Only those
written in the English language were included.
Results: The literature examining the correlation between the two disorders is confounded due to
methodological research errors. Small sample sizes, the dearth of diagnostic polysomnography (PSG)
to detect SDB, varying definitions for the apnea/hypopnea index in children, and few DSM-IV-R based
evaluations of children to diagnose ADHD limits consistency among studies. Despite methodological
inconsistencies, the literature suggests that treating SDB may have a positive impact on treatment of
children with mild ADHD.
Conclusion: Patients with ADHD may benefit from screening for SDB. Treatment for SDB coexisting with
ADHD may decrease symptoms in some cases. Adenotonsillectomy may improve outcomes in children
with ADHD.
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College of Medicine
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Cardiovascular Disease and Associated Risk Factors in Sub-Saharan Africa
TR33
Catherine Ntabadde
Co-Author(s): Longjian Liu
Advisor(s): Longjian Liu
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in sub-Saharan Africa has become a major public health
concern due the epidemiologic transitions of diseases. Communicable disease such as malaria, HIV/AIDS
and TB, remain the predominant health problems in sub-Saharan Africa. However, non-communicable
diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and the associated risk factors have been neglected and this
has resulted into an increasing burden. CVD is the new epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. Because of this
serious public health problem, we conducted an in-depth qualitative and quantitative review to provide
up-to-date epidemiological information by compiling data that measure the extent of the chronic
disease epidemic, focusing on CVD prevalence and mortality, and its associated risk factors. We then
discuss the implications of CVD in reshaping the health care delivery systems. The results of our in-depth
literature review indicate that (1) CVD is the second leading cause of death after infectious diseases. It
accounts for 9.2% of total deaths in most sub-Saharan countries. (2) The prevalence of hypertension
(SBP/DBP: ≥140 / 90 mmHg) varies between 15% and 55%. (3) The prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus is
around 3%. (4) Prevalence of Hyperlipidemia ranges between 23% (Nigeria) and 67% (black Kenyans).
We are conducting further analysis by using data from the WHO-World Health Survey. Our final findings
will be presented and discussed in our poster.
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School of Public Health
Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Race and Ethnicity Disparity in Heart Failure Progression: The Impact of
Poverty, Malnutrition and Comorbidity.
TR34
Namrata Chandrashekar
Co-Author(s): Longjian Liu, Howard J Eisen, Edgar Chou, Shelley Hankins, Brian Hall
Advisor(s): Longjian Liu
About 5.7 million people in the US have heart failure. Heart failure has poor prognosis, thus shortens
the individual’s survival. Nearly 300,000 deaths are due to heart failure every year. Recent studies
suggest that there is a reverse epidemiology associated with prognosis of heart failure. According
to the studies, among individuals with chronic cardiovascular disease, increased BMI, SBP and total
cholesterol increases the patient’s chances of survival. We aimed (1) To examine whether protein
energy malnutrition (PEM) is an independent predictor of HF progression. Also examine if PEM
has an independent effect on HF progression in patients with or without renal dysfunction. (2) To
examine whether there are synergetic effects of PEM and renal dysfunction on HF progression. (3) To
test whether the effects of PEM and its synergetic effects with renal dysfunction on HF progression
are related to inflammation pathways. We hypothesize that the associations between PEM, renal
dysfunction and HF progression will be significantly attenuated after adjustment for inflammatory
biomarkers.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted comprising of nearly 1000 HF patients who were diagnosed
and received medical care at Hahnemann hospital between Jan 31, 2000 and Jan 31, 2010. HF patients
who had at least one-year of clinical observations since the day of their first clinic visit or deceased
within one-year observation at the hospital will be included.
We have collected data from 878 (F: 473, M: 395) patients with HF stages A to C. Our preliminary data
analysis suggests that patients with malnutrition and worsening renal function are significant predictors
of the severity of HF development.
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School of Public Health
Epidemiology
Chart Review of Ziprasidone Safety in Individuals with Autism
TR35
Beeta Verma
Co-Author(s): Vishal Verma, Basant K. Singh, M.D., Syed Sikander Shah, M.D.
Antipsychotic drugs are the best-studied agents shown to reduce symptoms in autism, including
hyperactivity, aggression, self-injurious behavior, temper tantrums, irritability, and liability of mood.
Behavioral symptoms reduction is associated with increased learning, including gains in speech and
language skills. However, second generation antipsychotics negatively impact metabolic parameters and
lipid profiles. This study reviewed BMI, glucose and lipid parameters among children previously treated
with second generation antipsychotics, and who were shifted to ziprasidone treatment. Ziprasidone has
been weight neutral in adult populations, but data from adolescents and patients with ASD is sparse.
METHODS: This study is a retrospective chart review of children who were treated with ziprasidone.
The sample included 8 patients (2 females, 6 males). Their mean age was 8.4 ± 3.95 years. The mean
daily dose of ziprasidone ranged from 20 to 160 mg/day (mean, 98.3 +/- 40.4 mg/day). Measures for
height, weight, BMI, serum glucose and lipid parameters (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) were
extracted from the chart for three time frames: baseline, measurements during prior drug exposure
(not ziprasidone), and following ziprasidone treatment. Missing data points were extrapolated using
SPSS programing.
RESULTS: Ziprasidone may have its most potent effects in lowering LDL and total cholesterol; little
benefit in modifying triglycerides; and, only modest effects on HDL and BMI.
CONCLUSIONS: This chart review did suggest possible benefits of ziprasidone treatment on minimizing
some metabolic excesses induced by other atypical antipsychotic. Because of the significant data
adjustments necessary to account for missing data, these results must be viewed very cautiously as
preliminary findings. Clearly more properly designed studies are warranted to identify the potential
safety benefits of ziprasidone use in children and adolescents.
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College of Medicine
Psychiatry
Trunk Neuromuscular Control is Impaired in Patients with Mechanical Low
Back Pain and Improves Following a Lumbar Stabilization Program
TR36
Won Sung
Co-Author(s): Peemongkon Wattananon, Mathew Abraham, Christopher Plastaras
Advisor(s): Sheri Silfies
The objectives of this study were 1) To determine extent of difference in trunk neuromuscular control
between patients with mechanical low back pain (MLBP) and healthy controls (CON), and 2) to assess
the efficacy of a lumbar stabilization program in improving self-report outcomes and trunk control
in patients with acute/sub-acute MLBP. A cohort; single subgroup pre, post test design was used in
university outpatient physical therapy clinics and biomechanics laboratory. MLBP patients (n = 21; 15
female; age 35 +/- 14) who met clinical criteria for the dynamic instability subgroup were matched to 21
CON (15 female, age 32 +/- 13). MLBP patients participated in a lumbar stabilization exercise program
emphasizing a motor learning approach (1-2 sessions/week; 8-weeks). Numeric Pain Rating Scale
(NPRS; 0-10) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI; 0-100%) were used to determine the outcomes
of intervention. Center of pressure movement was measured while subjects sat on an unstable chair
situated on an elevated force platform requiring volitional trunk control to maintain an upright seated
posture. Tests were performed with eyes open and closed. MLBP patients demonstrated significantly
reduced trunk control (p = .002) compared to CON. Response to 8-weeks of stabilization exercise
resulted in significant and clinically important reductions in pain (p < .001; NPRS Pre 6.7 +/- 2, Post 3.6/10
+/- 2.4) and disability (p< .001; ODI Pre 24 +/- 6%, Post10.4 +/- 8.3%), and significant improvements in
trunk control (p =.041) These changes exceeded instrument and protocol measurement error. MLBP
patients demonstrated decreased trunk control suggesting impairments in proprioception, motor
output and/or central processing. Following 8-weeks of trunk stabilization exercises, trunk control
improved which correlated with clinically significant improvements in self-reported pain and function.
These data provide preliminary support for the efficacy of lumbar stabilization exercises.
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College of Nursing and Health Professions
Rehabilitation Sciences
Stage of Change and Other Predictors of Participant Retention in a
Behavioral Weight Management Program
TR37
Katie Capelli
Co-Author(s): Constantine Daskalakis, Jim Plumb, Ricky Brawer
Advisor(s): Constantine Daskalakis
High attrition rate often limits the efficacy of weight management programs. We investigated stage
of change and other predictors of retention in a behavioral intervention program in primary care.
Adult obese patients at 3 primary care sites were enrolled in a program that included individual
lifestyle counseling and educational group classes. We analyzed predictors of return counseling visits
and class attendance via logistic regression. The 461 participants were mainly women (84%) and
minorities (87%). A total of 134 (29%) returned for at least one follow-up visit with their counselor,
and 85 (18%) attended at least one class. Baseline stage of change was not significantly associated
with return visits or class attendance (p = 0.875 and 0.182, respectively). Men and participants with
children in the household were less likely to return for subsequent counseling sessions (p = 0.012 and
0.027, respectively). Age and employment were associated with class attendance (p = 0.099 and 0.034,
respectively). In conclusion, Weight management programs in primary care should prescreen patients
for readiness to participate and address personal barriers related to family and work.
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School of Public Health
Health Management and Policy
Wounded Heart: Anesthestic management of patient with penetrating
cardiac trauma.
TR38
Vyachislav Abayev
Co-Author(s): Kesavan Sadacharam, Mian Ahmad
Penetrating cardiac injuries are lethal as most of the patient die before reaching the hospital. Only 6%
of the patients with these injuries reach the hospital (1). Most common cause of penetrating cardiac
injury is secondary to gun shot or penetration with sharp objects. Gun shot injuries are associated with
higher mortality rate compared to stab injuries due to the larger cardiac wound and multiple wounds
in the heart (2). The common cause of death from this injury is due to exsanguinating hemorrhage and
cardiac tamponade.
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College of Medicine
Anesthesiology
A time and charge analysis of the management of incomplete abortion
with a manual vacuum aspirator in the emergency department versus
electric suction in the operating room
TR39
Allison Bloom
Co-Author(s): Lamar Ekbladh
Advisor(s): Lamar Ekbladh
Incomplete abortion is a common presenting diagnosis in the emergency department (ED). The aim of
our study is to evaluate hospital time and charges associated with management of incomplete abortions
using manual vacuum aspirator (MVA) in the ED versus electric suction curettage (ESC) in the operating
room (OR). A protocol was implemented at our institution for the treatment of incomplete abortions
with an MVA in the ED. Data pre and post implementation were collected to determine if there is a
difference in time and charges between the use of the MVA in the ED and ESC in the OR.
Twenty-five patient charts were reviewed: 15 patients underwent an ESC in the OR (group 1) and 10
patients underwent an MVA in the ED (group 2). Average time to procedure was 7:46 (h:min) in group 1
and 7:03 in group 2 (p=0.683). Average time to discharge in group 1 was 10:51 and 10:46 in group 2 (p
= 0.461). The average total charges were $29,529.00 in group 1 and $9,296.00 in group 2 (p <0.001).
The findings of the study suggest that the use of an MVA in the ED is significantly more cost-effective
than ESC in the OR for the surgical management of incomplete abortions. However, the time to
procedure and total hospital time in this setting were similar for a variety of reasons. Also of interest is
that after our protocol for manual vacuum aspiration was established it became the preferred method
for surgical management of incomplete abortion at our institution.
211
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College of Medicine
OB/GYN
Geriatric Syndromes and Incident Disability in Older Women
TR40
Andrea Rosso
Co-Author(s): Charles Eaton, Robert Wallace, Rachel Gold, David Curb, Marcia Stefanick, Judith
Ockene, Yvonne Michael
Advisor(s): Yvonne Michael
Comorbid conditions are important risk factors for incident disability in older women; however, often
chronic diseases and not geriatric syndromes (GS) are considered in assessment of comorbid conditions.
Data from the Women’s Health Initiative observational study were used to determine burden of
geriatric syndromes and risk of incident disability over three years. 29,291 women age 65 and older
who were cancer free and had no baseline disability were included in the analyses. Geriatric syndromes
(syncope, sleep problems, depression, falls, osteoporosis, dizziness, urinary incontinence, visual or
hearing impairment, and polypharmacy), number of chronic diseases based on a modified Charlson
index, and disability measured as any limitation in activities of daily living (ADLs) were assessed at
baseline. ADLs were assessed again at 3 years and relative risk (RR) of incident disability was estimated
by log binomial regression after adjustment for age, smoking and income. At baseline, 21,759 (76%)
women had at least one geriatric syndrome. After three years, 742 (2.5%) women developed disability.
Geriatric syndromes increased risk of disability compared to women with no geriatric syndromes (1-2
GS: RR (95% confidence interval (CI)) = 1.4 (0.9, 2.0); 3-4 GS: RR(CI) = 3.9 (2.7, 5.8); 5+ GS: RR(CI) = 6.6
(4.1, 10.6); test for trend, p<0.0001). Associations were only somewhat attenuated after adjustment for
chronic diseases. Burden of geriatric syndromes are predictive of incident disability over 3 years in older
women, independent of chronic disease burden.
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School of Public Health
Epidemiology
Cyclical Maternal Tachycardia Unrelated to Pain during Labor
TR41
Lisa Wong
Co-Author(s): Mary Im, MD
A 27 year-old female, G3P2002, admitted for early labor attributable to polyhydraminos and unstable
lie. She was noted to have cyclical heart rhythm; sinus tachycardia (HR=160’s) during uterine relaxation
which normalized during contractions (HR=70’s). Patient denied dizziness, shortness of breath,
diaphoresis or nausea. Serial EKGs confirmed alternating rhythm of sinus tachycardia and normal sinus
rhythm. No ST segment changes or J-waves were observed. Since the patient was asymptomatic and
fetal heart tracing were favorable, patient was observed clinically. Patient delivered healthy male infant
via c-section for malpresentation and the cyclical tachycardia resolved.
213
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College of Medicine
Anesthesiology
Case of Preeclampsia, Hypertension, Hypokalemia, Chloride-Resistant
Metabolic Alkalosis, and Nephrotic Proteinuria
TR42
Veeraish Chauhan
Co-Author(s): Ami Patel, Ellie Kelepouris
A 30 year-old white female with poor prenatal care presented in labor at 35 weeks gestation with
severe hypertension (BP 220/130 mmHg) and hypokalemia (potassium 1.8 mmol/L). Initial treatment
consisted of labetalol, magnesium, and potassium. A few hours later, the patient delivered a healthy
baby via spontaneous delivery. She was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia complicated by HELLP
syndrome, proteinuria (19.9 grams), and resistant hypertension. She denied any similar issues during
her first pregnancy. Family history was unremarkable. She denied any medication/licorice use. Her BP
remained difficult to control with persistent hypokalemia and chloride-resistant metabolic alkalosis.
Work-up for secondary hypertension was unremarkable for primary aldosteronism, pheochromocytoma,
hypercortisolism, and renal artery stenosis. Her renin and aldosterone levels were suppressed.
Echocardiogram showed moderate concentric LVH. She underwent a renal biopsy which showed
capillary endotheliosis (consistent with preeclampsia) with mild arteriosclerosis and interstitial
fibrosis. Eight weeks later , the patient’s BP remained elevated on labetalol, nifedipine, lisinopril,
spironolactone, hydrochlorothiazide, and potassium chloride. Her urine dipstick continued to show
heavy proteinuria. Due to social issues, the patient was unfortunately lost during follow-up.
This case illustrates a complex presentation of severe preeclampsia and resistant hypertension. The
history suggests an underlying preexisting hypertensive disorder as evidenced by the presence of LVH
and hypertensive changes seen on the renal biopsy. Her previous history of normal pregnancy likely
excludes Geller’s syndrome. Her laboratory work-up suggest an underlying syndrome of apparent
mineralocorticoid excess or Liddle syndrome. The latter diagnosis is favored since her hypertension
remained poorly controlled with spironolactone. In the meantime, the case remains elusive in terms of
diagnosis.
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College of Medicine
Mediciine/Nephrology
Is There a Relationship Between Cognitive Function and Weight
Maintenance in HF Patients?
TR43
Janet Riggs
Co-Author(s): RoseAnn DiMaria-Ghalili PhD, RN, CNSC
Advisor(s): RoseAnn DiMaria-Ghalili PhD, RN, CNSC, Elizabeth Gonzales PhD, RN, Barbara
Riegel DNSc, RN, FAAN, FAHA
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nursing Dept/DrNP program
TR
Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) are expected to adhere to many therapies in the
management of their weight, including, but not limited to medications, low sodium diet, fluid
restriction, and daily weights. Adherence requires intact cognitive function. There is a paucity of
research to measure the relationship of cognitive function with weight maintenance.
Objectives: The objectives of this study are to examine the relationship between cognitive function,
depression, functional status, number of nursing interventions, number of diuretic dose adjustments,
and weight in patients with HF.
Design: This is an observational, longitudinal, correlational study of patients, age 40-89, with Class IIIV HF who will be evaluated at time of discharge (T1) from a hospitalization for acute exacerbation
of HF and at a clinic visit (T2) 4-8 weeks after discharge. They will be asked to respond to a 30-point
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Inventory tool, the Beck Depression Inventory II, the Katz Index
of Activities of Daily Living and the Lawton and Brody’s Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale.
They will also be asked to describe how they keep track of daily fluid consumption. Number of nursing
interventions and number of diuretic dose adjustments will be tracked between T1 and T2.
Setting: The study will take place at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and associated clinics in a large
metropolitan area.
Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics will be done, including frequency distributions and measures
of central tendencies. Validity and reliability will be calculated for the MoCA. Correlation matrices will
be constructed for all variables. Regression analysis will be calculated for the relationship between
cognitive impairment, depression, functional status, number of nursing interventions, and number of
diuretic dose adjustments with weight between T1 and T2.
215
Bridges and Barriers to Successful Transitioning as Perceived by
Adolescents and Young Adults with Asperger Syndrome
TR44
Ellen Giarelli
Co-Author(s): Jean Ruttenberg, Andrea Segal
Transitioning out of secondary school into college/ vocational training or finding paid employment, is
a turning point in the life of an adolescent with AS who may have significant difficulties with social
interaction, communication, and imagination. Our purpose was to examine the barriers and facilitators
of transitioning to community as perceived by the adolescents with AS. For this qualitative study, we
examined narrative data from in-depth interviews using thematic content analysis and three levels of
coding. Participants were 14 adolescents/young adults, ages 18-23 years, from a metropolitan area on
the East coast of the US. Seventy percent of adolescents hoped for employment and 30% (n=4) hoped
to attend college. Thirty percent desired to find a partner, marry, and raise a family. Perceived barriers
related to behavioral characteristics, associated features and institutional characteristics. Of 31 barriers,
25 were intrinsic in nature and within their control. Only 6 (19%) were situational and extrinsic, or
out of their control. Perceived bridges related to accommodations at work/college, personal abilities
and talents, and the mentor’s characteristics. Of the 23 specific bridges, 14 (61%) were extrinsic in
nature. The preponderance of perceived barriers suggests that adolescents approach transitioning
with trepidation and pessimism. Participants in our sample placed more power on the role of extrinsic
factors in facilitating their success at transitioning. Simply said, for the adolescent in this group, success
depended more on what others did, while failure was the primarily the fault of the adolescent. Bestpractice transition programs can be developed by nurses. They take into account the, surprisingly
intuitive, perspectives of the adolescents, the anticipated barriers and bridges, and the receptivity of
the community.
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College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nursing
Outcome and Long-Term Survival in the Octogenarian Undergoing Isolated
Aortic Valve Replacement
TR45
Carla Zeballos
Co-Author(s): Robert Moraca, Jared Murdock, Stephen Bailey, Walter McGregor, Daniel
Benckart, Thomas Maher, George Magovern
Advisor(s): Robert Moraca
Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common disease that typically occurs with aging and is the most common valve
condition for which aortic valve replacement (AVR) is performed in the United States. Once symptoms
such as chest pain, syncope, and dyspnea develop, the average survival is between 2-5 years. Patients
aged 80 years and older have an even worse prognosis, with average life expectancy of about 1 year.
The decision between continued medical management and surgical intervention for aortic stenosis in
elderly patients is becoming increasingly frequent as the population ages. We assessed the outcomes
and long-term survival of octogenarians undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement.
All patients > 80 years who referred for an isolated AVR at a single institution from 2000 through 2009
were identified through a review of our Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Outcomes Database
(Society of Thoracic Surgery, STS). A retrospective analysis of demographic data, peri-operative
management and clinical outcomes were examined. Late survival was determined using the Social
Security Death.
100 octogenarians with severe AS underwent an isolated AVR, 46 patients were men and the mean
age was 83.8 (±2.8). Medical co-morbidities included diabetes mellitus (15%), congestive heart failure
(49%), atrial fibrillation (20%), hypertension (73%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17%).
21% of patient’s had previous cardiac surgery. There were no postoperative strokes. There were no
intraoperative deaths and the 30-day mortality was 6%. 60% of patients were discharged to home and
40% were transferred to rehabilitation facilities. Long-term survival was determined to 88% at 1 year,
75% at 3 years and 58% at 5 years.
In conclusion, AVR can be performed with acceptable risk in octogenarians with low stroke risk and
mortality. Most patients can be discharged to home.
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College of Medicine
Nurse Practitioners, High Quality and Cost Containing in the Hospital
Setting
TR46
Theresa Eiser-Brown
In both the outpatient and in-patient environment time is money, the more a work product has faster
turnaround time; the more work can be accomplished thus lowering costs and increasing revenue.
When the work product is human lives in the hospital settings, quality must be maintained. Then the
question becomes how can costs be streamlined while preserving the integrity of the work product?
Nurse Practitioners have a long, rich history of providing quality, comparable healthcare while lowering
the costs as well as increasing volume. In a 2005 study Barnett noted that the use of Nurse Practitioners
in a pre-operative setting lowered costs by 79% for same day surgeries and by 44% for admitted
patients. In the pre-procedure arena, preparing the patients for invasive cardiac procedures, state,
regional and local standards of care must be met, all the while moving the patients through the process
in an expedited fashion. Through the use of Nurse Practitioners to perform histories and physicals, the
collaborative Attending physician is able to accommodate more patients, thus increasing volume and
revenue. Cardiac outpatient office (attending notes) history and physicals from a variety of situations
including private practices and a university setting practice, where compared to the history and
physicals performed by the Nurse Practitioners by means of evaluating the comprehensiveness of the
past medical and surgical histories, medication lists, and review of systems. It was revealed that not only
were the Nurse Practitioner history and physicals more inclusive, the costs of this care were controlled.
218
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College of Nursing and Health Professions
DrNP
Misperceptions Regarding Hepatitis B Vaccination Status Among High-Risk
Asian and Pacific Islander Immigrants in Philadelphia
TR47
John Kim
Co-Author(s): Kuan-Lung Daniel Chen, MPH, CPH, Karen Ariola, MPH, Chari Cohen, MPH,
DrPH(c), Yvonne L. Michael, ScD, SM, Alison A. Evans, ScD
Advisor(s): Alison A. Evans, ScD
Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus is a leading cause of primary liver cancer and cirrhosis, especially
among Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants. Vaccination of high-risk groups is critical for controlling
HBV.
Objective: This study assessed the vaccination status and vaccine perceptions of high-risk APIs in
Philadelphia.
Methods: 935 participants were screened at 17 locations throughout Philadelphia. Participants
completed a questionnaire regarding their country of birth, ethnicity, education, and perception of
vaccination status. Participants were screened for infection and protection status. Infected individuals
were referred to appropriate health care; vulnerable individuals were referred for vaccination. Fisher’s
exact test was performed to assess the difference between APIs and non-APIs with respect to their
vaccine perception.
Results: Overall, 6.4% (n = 60) were infected with HBV and 52.1% (n = 487) had protective antibodies.
6.5% (n = 56) of participants believed they were vaccinated, but had no protective antibodies. Of these
participants, 87.5% (n = 49) were immigrants from high-risk countries; 67.9% (n = 38) were female;
39.3% (n = 22) had less than a college degree. There was no significant difference between APIs and
non-APIs with respect to their vaccine perception (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: It is critical that those at highest risk for HBV infection be protected via vaccination. This
study indicates that some individuals have misperceptions regarding their vaccination status and selfreport of HBV vaccine may be unreliable. This suggests the need for HBV education and screening,
particularly among the immigrant population
219
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School of Public Health
Epidemiology & Biostatistics
COMPUTATION & BIO MODELING
Influence of ionic Salts in Aqueous Environments on the Folding Dynamics
of the 21-30 Amyloid Beta Fragement
CB01
Micholas Smith
Advisor(s): Luis Cruz Cruz
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
CB
The central amyloid-B protein fragment 21-30 (AB 21-30) has been proposed as the folding nucleus of
the full-length AB widely implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. Our work explores the effects of dissolved
ionic salts (NaCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, and KCl), common in the cellular environment, on the folding dynamics
of this AB 21-30. Using long-time all-atom molecular dynamics, we measure the secondary structure
flucuations and lifetimes in the coil to beta secondary structure folding pathway and in the beta to
turn/coil pathway. We find that while the beta to turn/coil pathway is largely uninterrupted, the overall
stability of the coil to beta pathway is destablized. This destabilization follows the trend Ca2+ > Mg2+
> Na+ > K+, where Ca2+ is the most destablizing. Measurements of salt-peptide direct interactions
and solvent-peptide interactions were also performed. Our results re-iterate the stability of the beta
secondary structure motif of this peptide fragment, and indicate that the folding landscape is rich in
local minima.
221
Structure Based Design of ERa Specific Antagonists Devoid of PXR Agonism
CB02
Steffne Kunnirickal
Co-Author(s): Madhukumar Venkatesh, Sridhar Mani, Sandhya Kortagere
Advisor(s): Dr. Sandhya Kortagere
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in the US. Seventy percent (~135,000
cases) of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer are estrogen receptor alpha-positive (ER+). In these
patients, despite optimal endocrine therapy, the overall mortality approaches 21% due to estrogenindependent tumor growth and resistance to endocrine therapy. One mechanism for such resistance
and tumor aggressiveness is due to non-specific activation of other nuclear receptors such as Pregnane
xenobiotic receptor (PXR) by ERa directed therapeutics. Therefore, the objective of this study is to
identify compounds that show high specificity to ERa compared to PXR. The compounds were designed
using the co-crystal structure of ERa with 4-hydroxy tamoxifen as template to the hybrid structure based
screening method. In addition, information derived from the simulation of helix-12 that influences
the antagonist binding site of ERa was added to the pharmacophore design to screen for ERa selective
compounds. Three hundred and seventy compounds that fit the ERa pharmacophore were docked to
the binding pockets of ERa, ERa and PXR and ranked based on binding energetics. The top nineteen
compounds for binding energetic profiles to ERa in comparison to PXR were chosen for in-vitro study.
KMA428117, the best ranking compound was tested for agonist and antagonist mode using HEK293T
cells transfected with either Gal4-ER or PXR LBD fusion and its cognate luciferase reporter, MH100(Tkl)Luc. KMA428117 inhibited ERa with an IC50 value of ~1.2 μM with no agonist activity at ERa. Most
significantly it had null PXR activity in both agonist and antagonist mode in in vitro assays. Further tests
are underway to test the other compounds against ERa and PXR in in-vitro assays. Our lead compound
has a clear ERa antagonist profile and could be promising for the treatment of ER+ breast cancers.
222
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College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Science
Lattice-Boltzmann Method for Studying the Dynamics of Polymer Solutions
under Flow in Confining Geometries
CB03
Elizabeth Segelken
Advisor(s): Luis Cruz Cruz
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
CB
The nature of the dynamics of polymers in a flow has important implications to problems ranging
from flow of biomolecules to polymer processing. A direct understanding of this problem, however, is
complicated by external factors such as flow under uneven surfaces and confining geometries. Here, we
examine polymers in a solvent using a simple computer model. The model consists of a solvent, using
the Lattice-Boltzmann method, with the addition of thermal fluctuations coupled to a bead-spring
model for a polymer chain, with dynamics modeled by molecular dynamics, and coupled with a simple
frictional force to the fluid. As such, the system will be driven by flow with stochastic forces. We are
looking to explore the behavior of polymer chains when they are flowing through rough conduits and
constrained by different geometries. More specifically, we will be looking at the diffusion coefficient
and radius of gyration of the polymer in isolation and in a population of chains. Our results will be
quantitatively compared to existing experiments and theory to check the accuracy of the model.
223
Understanding Codon Bias influence on the B cell repertoire diversity and
functionality
CB04
Jasmine Saini
Advisor(s): Uri Hershberg
The B cell repertoire has evolved to function under high levels of mutation balancing the need to
diversify with stability in the face of mutation. In general, the codon usage of the complimentdetermining region (CDR) makes it more prone to change upon mutation while the framework (FW)
has a more stable codon bias. I have developed a model that allows single germline analysis of codon
usage and incorporates three identified factors of codon bias and stability in the face of mutation- 1)
tendency to be mutated by somatic hypermutation mechanisms (microsequence mutation bias), 2)
tendency to change amino acid upon mutation (replacement changeability bias) and 3) tendency to
change amino acid non-conservatively upon mutation (trait changeability bias). The model was used
to identify each germline sequence’s specific codon bias (in mice and humans). We found CDR to be
unstable and FW stable with respect to mutation, except for FW3 that is also mostly unstable. We then
used it to determine to what extent these biases are maintained in the repertoires lifetime, following
somatic hyper-mutation and affinity maturation. Specifically this method was used to study codon
biases in individual germlines and IgG VH data sets from Papua New Guinean (PNG) and Australian
(AUZ) population. The average number of mutations was 23 (PNG) and 18 (AUZ). We found that that
PNG sequences become unstable in FW region with increase in the number of mutations. The CDR
regions gain stability with increase in mutations for both the populations.
224
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School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Predicting lymph node metastasis status via image analysis of primary
breast tumor histology
CB05
Bian Hu
Co-Author(s): David E. Breen, Alimoor Reza, Aladin Milutinovic, Robi Polikar, Fernando U.
Garcia
College of Medicine
A complete computational pipeline that includes image processing, shape/color analysis and machine
learning algorithms has been developed to perform automated metastasis status prediction. The
stages in the pipeline include: 1) automated segmentation of tumor cells and structures, 2) computing
geometric measures that transform cancer cell/tumor shapes into shape distributions, 3) creating
intensity distributions from the texture variation / nuclear hyperchromasia levels within cancer cells, 4)
mapping the high-D distributions into a lower dimensional feature vector, and 5) stacked, Relevance
Vector Machines that classify test samples.
Pathologist-selected subsections of 100 primary breast carcinoma H&E microscopic slides, stained with
a complete prognostic panel, were scanned at a resolution of 6000x6000 pixels. We processed the
scanned specimens, producing a predicted metastasis status for each specimen (N0 - no metastasis, N1
- metastasis to axillary lymph nodes). Computational results were generated from the specimens with
known metastasis status. Using Leave-One-Out validation the stacked RVM classifiers were correctly
classified the metastasis status of 90 specimens. The classification results have a specificity of 100% (all
53 N0 samples correctly classified) and a sensitivity of 79% (37 of 47 N1 samples correctly classified).
Thus producing a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 84%. The area
under the associated ROC curve is 0.8418.
225
CB
Axillary lymph node metastasis status remains a critical prognostic variable for breast cancer
management decision-making process. Surgical methods for determining metastasis status need
improvement because they lead to unnecessary surgeries and its known complications. The purpose of
our study is to demonstrate that presence of lymph node metastasis can be predicted via computerized
image analysis of primary breast tumor histology.
Kinetic identification of membrane transporters that assist transcellular
transport of P-gp substrates across confluent cell monolayers
CB06
Andrew Taylor
Co-Author(s): Soumya Kandi, Joe Bentz
Advisor(s): Joe Bentz
P-gp is a 170kDa transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in the apical membrane of epithelial and
endothelial cells that effluxes a wide variety of xenobiotics in an energy dependent manner. It is
expressed in normal tissues including liver, kidney, colon, placenta and the blood brain barrier. It is overexpressed in cancer cells showing multi drug resistance, which can lead to chemotherapeutic failure.
Understanding the functional aspects of P-gp is important to assess the risk of potential drug-drug
interactions. Experimentally, confluent cell monolayers that over-express P-gp are used to study such
interactions by conducting bidirectional transport and inhibition assays. Computationally, transport
kinetics are analyzed using a mass action kinetic model we constructed to fit for each elementary rate
constant. In this study, we have developed a new algorithm to fit the essential kinetic parameters that
underlie the classic IC50 curve used by the pharmaceutical industry to rank order inhibitors of enzyme
and transporter activity. Using data provided by the International Transport Consortium IC50 Initiative,
we have fitted the inhibition of digoxin transport through several different polarized confluent
cell lines by eight different P-gp inhibitors. We found that these inhibitors not only inhibited P-gp
mediated digoxin transport through the apical membrane, but also digoxin uptake by a transporter in
the basolateral membrane. Thus, digoxin transport through the cells was independently inhibited at
two kinetically consecutive transporters. This kinetic analysis of commonly derived IC50 data curves is
a powerful tool expand our knowledge of the network of transporters associated with P-gp mediated
transport.
226
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School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Computational analysis of microcolumnar neural networks
CB07
Maxwell Henderson
Advisor(s): Dr. Luis Cruz Cruz
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
CB
The brain is broken up into several layers, characterized by different neural densities. Inside each of
these layers, neurons tend to form small, vertical columns called microcolumns. These microcolumns
have been biologically indentified and observed, but never functionally explained. Using computer
simulations of small, highly detailed neural networks, it will be possible to verify or refute that there
is a functional advantage for neural networks with a microcolumnar geometry compared to other
geometrically distributed networks using several methods such as information maintenance and scaling
effects of network growth.
227
Critical Review of Quantification Methods Assessing Thoracic Deformity
Due to Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
CB08
Jonathan Harris
Advisor(s): Dr. Sriram Balasubramanian
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the spinal deformity associated with lateral curvature in the
coronal plane often accompanied by vertebral rotation in otherwise healthy children between the ages
of 10 years and skeletal maturity. The severity of lateral curvature dictates the diagnosis of scoliosis.
Beyond this, scoliosis becomes a complex 3D deformity affecting both the spine and the thoracic cage
due to secondary interconnecting parameters. If thoracic deformity progresses so that the thorax can
no longer support normal respiration or lung growth, the condition is clinically diagnosed as Thoracic
Insufficiency Syndrome (TIS). Clinical intervention in scoliotic patients now must address the diminished
thoracic volume, lack of chest respiratory compliance, and abnormal biomechanical motion in addition
to correcting lateral curvature. CT imaging allows unprecedented perspective of the transverse plane,
enabling access to all three anatomical planes necessary; most accurately describing the spinal and
thoracic deformity. The Scoliosis Research Society has published a terminology glossary as it pertains
to quantifying spinal deformity in both the coronal and sagittal plane, however there currently lacks
a robust collection of thoracic deformity parameters in the transverse plane. Transverse plane thoracic
deformity quantification is largely confined to the research setting developed in biomechanical,
pulmonary or skeletal correlation studies. Additionally, due to the lack of a thoracic glossary of terms,
deformity parameters are lab specific and lack coordination within the scoliosis research and clinical
community. The purpose of this study is to develop a glossary of thoracic quantification methods in the
transverse plane and categorize parameters based on their role assessing similar structural features.
In addition, this study will assess the parameter methods and the feasibility of transitioning the
radiographic measurements into the clinical setting.
228
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School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Reconstruction of Gene Regulatory Networks by Stepwise Multiple Linear
Regression from Time-Series Microarray Data
CB09
Yiqian Zhou
Co-Author(s): Jacqueline Gerhart
Advisor(s): Dr. Ahmet Sacan
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
CB
Gene regulatory networks provide a powerful abstraction of the complex interactions among genes
involved in functional pathways. Experimental determination of these interactions using a classical
experimental method, although of extreme value, is laborious and prohibitive at large scales. Over the
last decade, a number of computational approaches have been developed to infer gene regulatory
networks from high-throughput experimental data. In this study, we introduce a new algorithm for
regulatory network inference, based on stepwise multiple regression of time-series microarray data.
Compared to other existing methods, our regression-based method provides a clear interpretation of
the inferred interactions. The statistical significance associated with each prediction can be utilized
to rank the interactions, which is important in prioritization of predictions for further experimental
verification. We demonstrate the performance of our approach on a well-known yeast cell cycle
pathway and show that it makes more accurate predictions than existing methods.
229
An ARB Toolkit for Custom Databases and Massive Phylogenies
CB10
Steve Essinger
Co-Author(s): Erin Reichenberger
Advisor(s): Gail Rosen
College of Engineering
Electrical & Computer Engineering
To accomplish this, we have created a pipeline that includes both ARB and outside resources for analysis
of protein families that contain over 10,000 sequences, which require the construction of de novo trees.
We have developed custom python scripts and ARB import filter to extract metadata from Genbank
records and import this info with an externally-built alignment and phylogenetic tree. Using our
scripts, a custom database, which includes all of the sequences and associated meta-data in the study,
is imported into an ARB Database using uniqueIDs. The user can then use the ARB suite of tools to
manipulate the phylogenetic tree and display the associated metadata. We demonstrate the use of our
tool by examining a protein family of interest to the “Tracking down the cheaters” project.
230
CB
In order to investigate gene evolution, gene sequences from various organisms are commonly aligned
to form a phylogenetic tree. Besides viewing the taxonomic information on the tree, a user may want
to visually inspect how the gene product and KEGG pathway that it is associated with evolved, giving
greater power to evolutionary hypothesis testing. A software package, such as ARB, has the power
to pool this information from Genbank files, but ARB uses the local computer resources to perform
the alignment. Therefore, a user may want to use external resources (such as the CIPRES portal on
Terragrid), to perform the alignment and then import and link particular information back into ARB to
maintain this visualization power.
The Development and Implementation of An Android App for Clinical Use
by Emergency Medicine Residents in the ICU
CB11
Jason Miller
College of Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Using the Eclipse integrated development environment, the author of this study developed in Java for
use on mobile devices running the Android operating system, version 1.6 or higher. This application
contained calculators, dosing information, and protocols that are frequently used during patient care
in the MHOP ICU. This application was developed by a single developer, requiring approximately 120
hours of research and development time to complete. This application was distributed on a voluntary
basis to the emergeny medicine residents for their use in the MHOP ICU. Many residents who had
mobile devices capable of running this software found that they used the application during their daily
clinical duties, and often found it more useful in performing their clinical activities than other currently
available medical software.
This case shows that it is feasible for a hospital or department to successfully develop unique,
specialized mobile software for use by practitioners if needs are not met by available software.
231
CB
Medical software on mobile devices is becoming a standard tool for medical providers in the care of
their patients. Though abundant, most of the software available does not effeciently adress the needs
of the emergency medicine residents working in the ICU of Mercy Philadelphia Hospital (MHOP). An
application was developed for use on mobile devices running the Android operating system to more
affectively meet the clinical needs of the emergency medicine residents in the MHOP ICU.
HIV Epidemic Modeling Reveals Long Time Scales, Opportunities to Prevent
Transmission, and Consequences of Sexual Network Heterogeneity
CB12
Daniel Conway
Co-Author(s): Dmitry Dymarksy, Lauren Scull, Sneha Narasimhan
The HIV epidemic has changed dramatically over twenty years. With changes in therapy increasing
lifespan, as well as persistent techniques to identify infected individuals, the dynamics of this epidemic
have changed over the past 10 years. We have used a susceptible-infected-recovered model of disease
transmission modified for the biology of HIV to explore current epidemic dynamics. Matlab simulations
evaluated the epidemic dynamics. Transmission rates and mortality rates were presumed to be
constants to evaluate the main features of the epidemic. Infectivity was modeled based on a function
of transmission rate (4 infections/100 infected individuals) times the infected population density. The
basic model, assuming homogeneous transmission risks in the entire population, revealed extremely
long time scales, and, at current transmission rates, an ultimate, if very slow, decline in transmission.
With application of the recent PREVENT study, using a universal anti-retroviral treatment approach to
all infected individuals, epidemic incidence, even with 50% adherence, drops dramatically and persists
over the decade. Models of sexual network heterogeneity were accomplished by adjusting infectivity
(but not transmission rates) for both an MSM-modeled sexual network and an African American
sexual network, exploring the role of population density and prevalence on the propagation of the
infection. MSM models demonstrate epidemic propagation, revealing an important sub-population
driving the future epidemic. These models demonstrate the long time scales of the current epidemic,
the imperative necessity to embrace the conclusions of the PREVENT study, and the need for special
attention to disrupting infectivity in MSM populations in particular.
232
CB
College of Medicine
Pediatrics
Visualizing the Trails of a Lead Candidate Selection Process in a Compound
Space
CB13
Timothy Schultz
Co-Author(s): Jared Milbank
Advisor(s): Chaomei Chen
Decision-making processes, especially those of considerable complexity and time duration, are often
hindered by an abundance of tactical actions. Such activities frequently do not significantly contribute
to the project’s progression and merely serve as sources of noise. Whether retrospectively seeking
lessons-learned from a particular project or prospectively foreshadowing the direction a project may
be headed, vital shifts in approaches to problem solving may not be readily apparent. In order to
maintain a global view of a particular problem, and consequently the dynamic landscape of its possible
solution sets, a novel real-time visualization has been devised to concisely describe through visual
means a dynamically-changing decision space. In particular, this framework was developed to support
a compound lead optimization project conducted by a multi-national pharmaceutical company. The
goal is to allow scientists to better understand how decisions were made throughout the course of
the compound’s development, and which of these decisions served as pivotal points that influenced
the compound’s structure. Since striking a delicate balance between optimizing a drug’s efficacy while
minimizing its toxicity is a key design consideration, allowing researchers to better understand which
molecular substituents played essential roles in making the compound a more viable candidate is a vital
capability. We define the output of the decision-making process as one which leads to the identification
of a novel development candidate for clinical trial evaluation. We conceptualized a “decision”, the
most atomic unit of artifact which is produced within the project, as a set of distinct fragments which
comprise the compound. Through the utilization of the visualization tool Gephi, and exploiting its
built-in Graph Streaming server, we are able to model the evolution of a fragment space to detect novel
changes within the development of a compound across time.
233
CB
College of Information Science and Technology
The True Patho-Anatomy of the Rib Hump in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
CB14
Silpa Reddy
Co-Author(s): Dr. Robert M. Campbell, Jr., Dr. Sriram Balasubramanian
Advisor(s): Dr. Sriram Balasubramanian
The rib hump in scoliosis is assumed to be an acute posterior angulation rib deformity secondary
to spine rotation, commonly treated with thoracoplasty. Thus rib curvature and possibly rib length
should differ at each thoracic level. It can be hypothesized that the rib hump in scoliosis is the result of
downward translocation of relatively normal ribs at costovertebral articulations, potentially reversible
by thoracic enlargement. Study objectives are to quantify and characterize thoracoanatomy and to
assess trends in bilateral rib symmetry for normal and scoliotic pediatric thoraces using chest CT scans.
Normal chest CT scans of 5 adolescent males (ages 18 yrs) were controls and 3 scans of AIS patients
(females ages 12, 14 yrs, and a male age 14 yrs, curves apex T8-T9, avg curve 83° (range 71-97°)) were
analyzed. Scans were reconstructed using Mimics image analysis software (Materialise Inc., Belgium).
Geometry data for all rib pairs were input to custom MATLAB (The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA) code to
compute geometric parameters of interest, namely rib length, rib curvature at 20%, 50% and 80% of
rib length and enclosed area. SPSS software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) was used to perform non-parametric
matched pair t-tests to interpret bilateral rib symmetry trends. For all rib pairs – the rib length, rib
curvature at 20%, 50%, and 80% of rib length, and enclosed area for the normal and AIS groups
were analyzed. Within each group, no significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in rib length, rib
curvature at 20%, 50%, and 80% of rib length, and enclosed area between right and left ribs at all
levels. Results support the hypothesis that the rib hump in AIS is mostly a positional deformity of the
ribs, not a posterior angular deformity of individual ribs. While further study is needed, results suggest
that alternatives to thoracoplasty should be considered that address the true patho-anatomy of the rib
hump, improving thoracic appearance, volume, and function.
234
CB
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Content Based Searching Of Gene Expression Databases Using Binary
Fingerprints Of Differential Expression Profiles
CB15
Francis Bell
Advisor(s): Ahmet Sacan
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
CB
Microarray technologies are commonly used for large scale measurement of gene expression.
Microarray studies reveal information between different biological processes and produce hypotheses
for further investigation. Availability and rapid growth of microarray databases has made integrated
analysis of these databases computationally challenging. We present a new approach to content
based searching in microarray databases, using a binary fingerprint approach that is inspired from
the chemoinformatics field. Differential expression profiles are represented in concise bit vectors to
allow rapid comparison of microarray experiments using bit-wise operations. We demonstrate that the
fingerprint representation provides fast search times, while preserving accuracy when compared to the
more commonly used correlation-based metrics.
235
A weighted hypergeometric test for gene set enrichment analysis
CB16
Rehman Qureshi
Advisor(s): Ahmet Sacan
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
CB
Microarrays enable high throughput mRNA expression evaluation. Gene set enrichment analysis is
commonly used for the functional characterization of microarray experiments. Microarray data are
typically filtered into a list of statistically significant differentially expressed genes. This list of genes
is then evaluated against previously established gene sets that arise either from gene ontology
classifications or from pathways. The determination whether a particular gene set is enriched is
ascertained by calculating whether the number of significant genes from the microarray data in that
set is statistically significant. We present here a novel method for the calculation of the enrichment of a
gene set by weighting the significant genes by their fold change.
236
Protein Structure Visualization by Dimension Reduction and Texture
Mapping
CB17
Heng Yang
Co-Author(s): Rehman Qureshi, Ahmet Sacan
Advisor(s): Ahmet Sacan
Among the biological macromolecules, proteins have attracted special attention from the scientific
community due to their rich functional roles. The ability to visualize and manipulate macromolecular
structures on graphical display devices has facilitated the identification and analysis of these
macromolecules. Structural analyses of the proteins often provide important insights into their
biochemical functions. However, such analysis is often limited by the representation of protein
structures and the corresponding computational resource requirements.In this study, we focus on the
molecular surface of the proteins and investigate computationally and visually effective representations
to serve a number of visualization and analysis purposes. Specifically, we “unfold” the protein
surface onto a planar space, while preserving the local surface features as much as possible. Several
biochemical and geometrical properties associated with each surface point are mapped to generate
a two dimensional map of these features. The correlation between proteins is determined through
image registration. The 3D-2D mapping of the surface vertices has also been utilized to texture-map
an arbitrary image back onto the protein structure to facilitate the visualization of the 3D structure.In
contrast to classical cartographic projections, our approach is able to preserve local shape features and
predict a relatively more accurate correlation score between two proteins.
237
CB
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Bioinformatics
3D Reconstruction and Visualization of the Developing Drosophila Wing
Imaginal Disc at Cellular Resolution
CB18
Linge Bai
Co-Author(s): Thomas Widmann, Frank Jülicher, David E. Breen, Christian Dahmann
Advisor(s): David Breen
College of Engineering
Computer Science
CB
The goal of our research is to create a detailed 3D model of the individual cells in the epithelium of
the wing imaginal disc of a larval Drosophila. 3D models of the wing disc have been created, and the
apicolateral cell boundaries have been identified, allowing for the calculation and visualization of cell
parameters, e.g. apical cross-sectional area. The color-shaded 3D cell mesh produced by our method
demonstrates that cells at the center of the wing imaginal disc are apically more constricted. Together
with functional experiments, this highlights the direct influence of morphogen signals on the shape of
the cells.
238
Measuring immune repertoire diversity by genetic sequence fragment
quantification
CB19
Schwartz Gregory
Co-Author(s): Uri Hershberg
Advisor(s): Uri Hershberg
Adaptive immunity of vertebrates is known to be dependent on the diversity of B cells and T cell
receptor repertoires. However, the exact level of diversity needed is not clear as well as how the level of
diversity is functionally characterized in the different parts of the genes encoding the B cell and T cell
receptors. We present here a novel method to quantify the diversity of V genes at different levels of
precision in terms of gene segment size. We created a nucleotide fragment dictionary that characterizes
all Ig and T cell receptor genes by all possible sequence fragments, for their position and frequency.
Using this dictionary we have developed a novel diversity metric that we use here to analyze germline
diversity in V genes of B cell and T cell receptors. We found several common themes but also differences
in diversity of the V genes of the T cell and B cell receptor repertoires and between mice and humans.
In general we have observed greater diversity in CDR vs. FW and greater diversity in light chains. Also
we see that by and large V genes in B cells are less diverse than in T cells. Surprisingly this observation is
not the case for murine kappa light chains that are more diverse at some sequence fragment sizes than
alpha chains, possibly due to the lesser use of lambda light chains in murine immunity.
239
CB
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Biomedical Engineering
F4G: Identifying Structural Elements Involved in Mediating Amyloid
B-protein Toxicity in Alzheimer’s Disease
CB20
Peter Massey
Co-Author(s): Bogdan Barz
Advisor(s): Brigita Urbanc
Alzheimers disease (AD) is the prevalent form of a dementia, affecting over 5 million people in the
U.S. alone. Its impact on health care expenses is estimated to be greater than $100 billion per year.
Substantial evidence implicates low molecular weight amyloid B-protein (AB) assemblies, and oligomers,
in the AD pathology. Two predominant forms of AB are 40 and 42 amino acids long, AB1-40 and
AB1-42. Of the two, AB1-42 is more strongly associated with AD and forms more toxic oligomers.
Experimentally, the structural differences between AB1-40 and AB1-42 oligomers are difficult to
quantify due to their transient and non-homogeneous nature. Recent studies using an efficient discrete
molecular dynamics (DMD) approach have suggested that a higher solvent exposure of the N-terminal
region D1-R5 in AB1-42 oligomers, relative to AB1-40, is associated with its increased toxicity. Here, we
identified a hydrophobic amino acid in this region (F4) that could potentially mediate an interaction of
AB1-42 oligomers with a membrane. We used the DMD approach to study oligomer formation of the
F4G mutants, [F4G] AB1-40 and [F4G] AB1-42, and characterized the resulting structures. We calculated
the oligomer size distributions of the two mutants, showing increased occurrences of pentamers and
hexamers relative to the corresponding wild-type peptides. No oligomers of orders 10 or in the range
of 12 to 14 (characteristic of AB1-42) were observed in the mutant peptides. Instead, [F4G] AB1-42
formed an elongated protofibril (with an oligomer order of 17). Intriguingly, our structural analysis
demonstrates that the N-terminal region D1-R5 of the resulting mutant oligomers structurally resembles
more AB1-40 than AB1-42. Based on these data, we hypothesize that [F4G] AB1-42 will exhibit reduced
toxicity, as compared to AB1-42. If this hypothesis is correct, then designing small molecules that bind
and block the residue F4 of AB-42 oligomers might represent an efficient therapeutic strategy.
240
CB
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Physics
COMPUTATION & MODELING (NON-BIO)
Predicting and Measuring the Motion of Atoms in Select Ternary Mn+1AXn
phases
CN01
Nina Lane
Co-Author(s): Sven C. Vogel, Giles Hug, Atsushi Togo, Laurent Chaput, Lars Hultman
Advisor(s): Prof. Michel Barsoum
It is an interesting fact of physics that matter can never be completely motionless. Although objects that
surround us may appear to be standing still, everything is made of atoms that are constantly deviating
from their equilibrium positions. Thus, all atoms that make up materials are consistently vibrating.
Atomic vibrations tend to manifest differently in different types of materials. In this study, their role is
investigated for the layered ternary Mn+1AXn ceramics (where n = 1, 2, or 3, M is an early transition
metal, A is an A-group element, and X is C or N). These materials, known as MAX phases, exhibit a
unique set of properties that combine some of the best attributes of ceramics and metals. As a class
of materials with unprecedented property combinations, atomic motion is central to many different
aspects and is especially important in considering their high-temperature damping and their thermal
conductivity. Experimental and theoretical studies have suggested that certain MAX phases exhibit
correlated atomic motion, which may be due to the strongly localized low-frequency modes where
the atoms move in a synchronized way to avoid collision. In this work, we model the temperature
dependence of atomic displacements in select MAX phases. Using the phonon spectrum determined
by first principles calculations based on density functional theory, we calculate the mean-squared
displacements of .atoms in different directions within the crystal structure Excellent agreement is found
between the predicted values and those measured through high-temperature neutron diffraction. Both
the predicted and measured results show that the “A” element vibrates with the highest amplitude
within the basal plane, acting as “rattlers” within the material. This phenomenon may be responsible
for the low phonon conductivities of certain MAX phases and the anomalous high-temperature
damping behavior of .Ti3GeC2.
242
CN
College of Engineering
Materials Engineering/PhD
Development of a data science approach for design of polycrystalline
metals
CN02
Hamad Al-Harbi
Co-Author(s): Surya Kalidindi, Yuksel C. Yabansu
Advisor(s): Surya Kalidindi
In recent work, we have demonstrated the viability and computational advantages of using a compact
database of discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) for facilitating crystal plasticity solutions in cubic
polycrystalline materials subjected to arbitrary deformation paths. This new DFT approach allows
for compact representation and fast retrieval of crystal plasticity solutions which is found to be able
to speed up the calculations by about two orders of magnitude. In this paper, we present the first
successful implementation of this spectral approach to perform crystal plasticity computations in a
commercial finite element code. More specifically, the spectral approach to crystal plasticity solutions
was successfully integrated with the commercial finite element package ABAQUS through a user
materials subroutine, UMAT. Details of this new crystal plasticity FE approach are demonstrated and
validated through a few example case studies involving the simulation of bulk deformation processing
operations on face centered and body centered cubic metals. The evolution of the underlying
crystallographic texture in the work-piece and its associated macroscale anisotropic properties predicted
from this new approach are compared against the corresponding results from the conventional
crystal plasticity finite element method. In this paper, we also describe our efforts for extending
our new computationally efficient localization relationships, formulated in the recently developed
mathematical framework called materials knowledge systems (MKS), to enable multiscale simulations
of crystal plasticity. This new approach aims to capture both the microscale grain interactions as well
as the macroscale heterogeneity of deformation in the workpiece. This is expected to be particularly
important for hcp and/or multi-phase polycrystalline metals subjected to large heterogeneous
deformations.
243
CN
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Intelligent Feedback Robotic Gripper for Industrial Work Cell Automation
CN03
Yogesh Prasad Balajee
Advisor(s): Dr.Richard.Y.Chiou
College of Engineering
Electricl Engineering
CN
Current automation setup lacks a cost effective intelligent feedback control. The new technology we
are woking on integrates the application of the feedback gripper with the YAMAHA YK-250 SCARA
robot. We are also working on developing SCADA / HMI to automate batch manufacturing.
244
Fitting the Future of Fashion
CN04
Abby Renninger
Advisor(s): Genevieve Dion
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Fashion Design
CN
The Shima Seiki program is an innovative fashion technology that allows users to realize their original
designs with a click of a button. The program has the ability to transform flat patterns into fully
constructed garments. The goal of this project was to create an original print that could be mapped
onto a properly constructed garment. If done by hand this process would have taken multiple days. Yet
through the use of the Shima Seiki program the garments were simulated onto 3D models in a matter
of minutes. This technology not only saves time, but reduces waste by producing indistinct replicas of
actual fabrics. This technology has the power to change the way clothing is designed, produced, and
communicated throughout the fashion industry.
245
Evaluation of Bridge Load Ratings through Finite Element Modeling
CN05
Lauren Reiter
Advisor(s): Franklin Moon, Jeff Weidner
College of Engineering
CAEE
An overpass in New Jersey has recently received an unacceptable rating according to the Allowable
Stress Ratings (ASR) and the Load and Resistance Factor Ratings (LRFR), meaning that the bridge is
unable to sustain its own dead load. The engineers who performed the assessment recommended of a
full superstructure replacement within the next five years at a cost of $6 million although the bridge is
still in use and carries loaded trucks. The bridge owner was interested in obtaining more accurate load
ratings based on advanced modeling and quantitative data. Thus, a model was created using Strand7,
a finite element modeling software. Using the output from the model, preliminary load rating factors
were calculated which indicate that the bridge does not need to be replaced. To verify the validity
of the model, experimental data was gathered by installing displacement sensors, strain sensors, and
accelerometers on the bridge. The bridge was monitored under ambient load, static truck loading, and
forced vibration from impact loading. Updated ratings were calculated which show that the bridge is
adequate and is not in need of replacement.
246
CN
In December of 2008, the US Department of Transportation rated 72,868 bridges in the United States
as structurally deficient. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) estimated that it will cost $48 billion to repair these bridges. Allocating money effectively
presents a major challenge to bridge owners, as these decisions are made based on qualitative
inspection data. As the legal load of trucks increases causing more deterioration, the need to more
accurately rate bridge load capacity becomes more significant. The most common method of bridge
condition assessment includes visual inspection, which has been shown to be highly subjective . This
report investigates an alternative method of bridge condition assessment: finite element modeling.
New Data Analyses Protocols for Estimating Crystal Level Properties from
Poly-crystals Using Nanoindentation, Orientation Imaging, and Finite
Element
CN06
Dipen Patel
Advisor(s): Dr. Surya Klidindi
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
CN
Crystal level elastic and plastic properties, including descriptions of slip hardening, are central to
the successful development of multi-scale, physics-based, material models with excellent predictive
capabilities. Experimental methods for reliably characterizing these local mechanical (anisotropic)
properties at the crystal length scales from polycrystalline samples do not yet exist. Our goal is
to employ three-dimensional nano-indentation simulations using Finite Element (FE) analysis in
conjunction with nanoindentation measurements on individual crystals (or grains) of known lattice
orientation in a polycrystalline sample to extract the single crystal elastic and plastic properties
of interest. In this poster, we validate these newly developed data protocols nanoindentation
measurements obtained on polycrystalline Fe-3%Si sample.
247
Exploratory Search Interface for the Internet Public Library
CN07
Haozhen Zhao
Advisor(s): Xia Lin
College of Information Science and Technology
CN
The Internet Public Library (IPL)’s role as a digital library learning and teaching laboratory is
substantiated with its hosting a range of digital collections consisting of more than 40,000 web links,
selected, evaluated, annotated and maintained by thousands of students and volunteer library and
information science professionals. To leverage these valuable resources for exploratory searches,
which are searches emphasize learning, investigating, knowledge discovery and building, this poster
demonstrates a new searching and browsing interface, powered with cutting edge frontend and
backend technologies, implementing faceted browsing/searching and visual analytical techniques in
supporting different kinds of exploratory search strategies.
248
The non-negative Matrix factorization method in topical model
CN08
Xiaoli Song
Advisor(s): Xiaohua, Tony, Hu
College of Information Science and Technology
Ischool/Information science
CN
In the field of information retrieval, there is a widely accepted assumption that the documents are
generated by a set of topics, and each document has the distribution over the topics. Also, it is assumed
that the topics have the distribution over a set of words. However, the topics are the hidden variables
that are hard to manipulate. Thus, it is very hard to say how many topics are appropriate and what
the canonical topics are for a specific set of documents. In “A non-negative matrix factorization
framework for identifying modular patterns in metagenomic profile data”, Xinpeng Jiang uses a nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) based framework to find the optimal number of pathways and
the actual canonical pathways through the gene-sample matrix. The NMF is a numerical technique for
approximating high-dimensional data points as positive linear combinations of positive components.
Thus, I want to find the optimal number of topics through the word-document matrix in the same
manner. After the development of the NMF-based framework for the topical model, the performance
of the model would be evaluated by the comparison to the other topical models.
249
Crashworthiness Studies of Aircraft Structures
CN09
Deepak Siromani
Co-Author(s): Tein-Min Tan, Jonathan Awerbuch
Advisor(s): Tein-Min Tan, Jonathan Awerbuch
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Crashworthiness of aircraft has been identified as a key area of focus to improve occupant survivability
in the event of a crash. The subfloor structure is a critical component in protecting the occupants
against sudden deceleration by dissipating energy during the impact event. Studies have shown that
there is a need for energy absorbing devices, integrated with the subfloor structure, to mitigate the
impact energy. Composite materials were found to be good candidates for such devices due to their
high strength-to-weight ratio and their high specific energy absorption (SEA) under crushing scenarios.
The maximum crush load and SEA depend greatly on the selected cross-section, constituents, laminate
configuration, end constraints, cross-section configuration, and the failure trigger mechanisms
employed.
Numerical simulations of the crushing process were performed using two different modeling
approaches; a single-layer approach and a multi-layer approach. It was shown that, by adjusting various
parameters, it was possible to accurately predict the load-displacement curves for the chamfered
specimens using the single-layer approach. The multi-layer approach provided a good depiction of the
failure process and was capable of simulating the sustained crush load, but could not accurately predict
the initial peak load. These results will be used to further investigate the feasibility of integrating these
energy absorbing members into the subfloor structure of an aircraft.
250
CN
This study focuses on investigating structural members with various cross-sections, including circular
tubes, C-channels, right angles, and hat-stiffeners. In the experimental study, different failure trigger
mechanisms, namely, edge chamfers, crush-caps and steeple triggers, were used to initiate progressive
failure. Results showed that the steeple trigger was most effective at reducing the initial crush load. The
tubes yielded the highest SEA values, with the C-channels being the lowest.
Optical Parameter Extraction Techniques for functional Brain Imaging
Systems
CN10
Ebraheem Sultan
Advisor(s): Prof. Afshin Daryoush
The proposed research focuses on modeling, experimental measurements, and optical parameter
extraction of multi-layer head phantoms using broadband free space near infra-red (NIR) spectroscopy.
Spherical photons density wave propagates outward from the source in brain matter and individual
photons undergo a random walk within this multilayer turbid medium and modulated photons
experience both insertion loss and phase. Analytical and numerical frequency modulated photon
migration methods have been reported where the Boltzmann transport theory and the standard
diffusion equation for homogenous media are employed in a very limited number of homogenous
layers. However, head is composed of multiple layers of skin, skull, CSF, and both optical grey and white
matters (cortex). To properly account for these multiple layers and accurately extract head optical
characteristics, this work focuses on using broadband (30-1000MHz) modulation to improve extraction
accuracy and gather information from different path length regions of head as opposed to single
frequency operation of I/Q measurement systems. The benefits are demonstrated in terms of blind
optical extraction accuracy of commercial heterogeneous brain phantom. Numerical modeling using
standard diffusion equation in a finite element method based meshing using COMSOL multi-physics
solvers and properly accounting for the multilayer problem of head with their associated initial optical
parameters μa and μs’, layer thickness. The numerical modeling accuracy are to be demonstrated
in various scenarios of single, and double layer systems, as the broadband modeling and parameter
extraction are demonstrated for phantom layers. In this work novel concept of differential optical
detection technique is introduced to remove measurement errors associated with optical source
(optical Tx) and optical detector (Optical Rx) skin interfaces. The advantages of this technique are to be
analytically and experimentally validated.
251
CN
College of Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Real-time Visualization of Moment Diagrams and Deformed Shapes of a
Statically Loaded Structural Steel Grid
CN11
Charles Young
Advisor(s): Franklin Moon
College of Engineering
CAEE/Civil & Architectural Engineering
CN
In the classroom, structural engineering is taught by analyzing idealized structures such as simply
supported beams, cantilevered beams and portal frames. Idealized loads and boundary conditions are
applied and structural responses such as moment and displacements are then calculated and sketched
as moment diagrams and deflected shapes. This provides the foundation upon structural engineers
acquire the intuition necessary to understand structural responses. However, these idealized structures
sometimes do not fully convey the reality of certain structural responses. The complexity of the hand
calculations necessary to draw these diagrams also increases with the complexity of the structure being
analyzed, thereby making it increasingly difficult to fully grasp the responses of structural systems
as they increase in complexity. The purpose of this research is to provide a tool for visualizing the
responses of a relatively complex structure, in this case a 20’ by 10’ grid constructed of hollow tube
structural steel, under an applied static load. This is being done by instrumenting the grid with string
potentiometer sensors and strain gauges to detect displacement and bending moment, and then
streaming live data from these sensors to an interface developed in LabVIEW. This interface displays
a 3-dimensional model of the structure’s geometry, overlain with the structure’s deformed shape
or moment diagrams as a result of an applied load. Data is streamed from the sensors in real-time,
allowing for immediate regeneration of these moment diagrams and deformed shapes under changing
loading conditions. By providing an interactive tool to visualize these responses in real time, this project
aims to bridge the gap between the ideality and reality of structural behavior.
252
Data-driven Modeling of Damage Induced Acoustic Wave Propagation
CN12
Daniel Servansky
Co-Author(s): Prashanth Abraham, Ivan Bartoli, Antonios Kontsos
Advisor(s): Antonios Kontsos
The “forward problem” of simulating acoustic emission (AE) is addressed herein by a combination of
experimental, analytical and computational information to form a Finite Element (FE) damage induced
wave propagation model. Technology advances related to the sensing part in Nondestructive Testing
(NDT) for structural health monitoring of civil, mechanical and aerospace structures, allow better
understanding of the mechanics and physics related to damage initiation and development in materials.
Conversely, damage quantification in continua could contribute significantly in the design of the next
generation of sensing systems for reliable inspection of infrastructure subject to external loading.
In this context AE, being a part of the transient process towards a new equilibrium state following
the sudden energy release caused by crack initiation, is simulated following a data-driven approach.
Specifically, data obtained by in situ monitoring crack growth in a compact tension Aluminum alloy
specimen subject to Mode I loading comprising full-field strain measurements from a Digital Image
Correlation (DIC) system are used in a fracture mechanics context and compared to predictions of the
crack-tip strain fields. The experimentally determined displacement/strain fields from DIC are then
used to define parameters of a traction-separation law suitable to account for the equilibrium state
following crack initiation. This law is subsequently used in a cohesive-zone model in FE simulations. To
create a validated AE source model, a link is formed between static and dynamic FE analyses, such that
the displacement fields induced by cracking in the static model become an input to the dynamic wave
propagation model. Simulated AE signals at different locations of the specimen geometry are compared
to AE waveforms experimentally recorded by using piezoelectric sensors. The results are evaluated in
the context of the “inverse problem” of source identification given recorded NDT data.
253
CN
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Monte Carlo Simulation of Planar Heterostructure Metal-SemiconductorMetal Photodetectors
CN13
Robert Devlin
Co-Author(s): Bahram Nabet
Advisor(s): Bahram Nabet
College of Engineering
Electrical
CN
Planar heterostructure metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors have been shown to
have faster response time, higher quantum efficiency, and lower dark current than traditional
photodetectors utilizing p-n photodiodes. The main reason for this improved performance lies in the
carrier transport characteristics within the device. However, the description of this transport via the
Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) presents a problem that is not solvable through direct techniques.
As such, the Monte Carlo simulation that uses random number generation and statistical convergence
to solve the BTE is often employed. Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulation provides physical insight
into the system, allows for the identification of critical device parameters and can confirm theorized
mechanisms thought to instill devices with their performance. Here, Monte Carlo simulation of a planar
MSM photodetectors is shown beginning with the electric field landscape within the device, proceeding
through the injection of carriers from a normally distributed optical excitation source, and continuing
through the period of time that it takes for the device to collect all of the photogenerated carriers.
254
Gender Deception and Detection in Computer-Mediated Communications
CN14
Roberto Salome
Co-Author(s): Dhanesh Neela Mana, Nora McDonald
Advisor(s): Dr. Shuyuan Mary Ho
College of Information Science and Technology
iSensor Lab @ Computing & Security Technology Program and Electrical & Computer Engineering
Since the creation of web communication, people interact with each other frequently through the use
of computer-mediated communications. Our assessment of a consistent identity becomes an ongoing
process and whose decisions are always to some extent ad hoc. In such virtual environments where
face-to-face interaction is absent, we must constantly assess, through limited information channels,
the identity of our communication partners. As gender is part of the human identity, we initiate our
inquiries by asking the following questions: Can people attribute correct gender in a CMC imitation
game environment? How successfully do people imitate the opposite gender in CMC? How does
successful gender detection correlate with successful gender imitation?
This poster presents a human computational study conducted during Winter 2012. In our study, we
adopt the analogy of humans, as “sensors” on the social network, detecting gender in the imitation
game based on subtle cues in asynchronous, text-based language. In the game, we asked participants to
play both roles: deceiver and detector. Players were asked to conceal their real gender with submitted
questions and answered others’ questions randomly displayed by the database in an effort to detect
the deceiver’s true gender. In the latest testing phase, 54 users participated 762 times in evaluating 350
questions. Our findings indicate that successful deceivers are, on average, less successful at detecting
deception. By contrast, those more successful at detecting deception are, on average, not as successful
at deceiving.
CN
NOTE: Data will be presented at the poster session.
255
The Use of Energy Simulation Modeling to Inform a Policy, Markets, and
Behavior Macro Model for the Greater Philadelphia Region
CN17
Liam Hendricken
Co-Author(s): Kevin Otto
Advisor(s): Patrick Gurian, Jin Wen
College of Engineering
Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
CN
The Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) is a federally-funded consortium of researchers
tasked with stimulating private investment in energy-efficient measures in new and existing buildings
in the greater Philadelphia region. Drexel’s involvement with GPIC encompasses three primary areas of
research: 1) How building occupant behavior affects energy use, 2) How decisions are made to invest
in ECMs, and 3) Simulation of energy use by different types of buildings. As part of the third research
effort, a stock of 198 energy models were created in EnergyPlus to understand regional (as well as
building-level) energy consumption and energy end-use. The energy models developed represent
typical commercial, medium office buildings in the GPIC region and are based on characterization
data from national databases. The results of these energy use simulations are considered in light of
parallel GPIC efforts on building occupant behavior and decision-making processes. Results of the
energy modeling are summarized in graphs that identify preferred options as a function of available
investment funds.
256
Polar Orbiting Passive Atmospheric Calibration Spheres [POPACS] - Sphere
and Container Development
CN18
Kelly Collett
Co-Author(s): Frank Arute, Timothy Wilwert
Advisor(s): Dr. Jin Kang
The Polar Orbiting Passive Atmospheric Calibration Spheres (POPACS) project is set to launch at the end
of 2012 to coincide with Solar Maximum 24. This project is spearheaded by small-satellite enthusiast
and Starshine manager Gil Moore, who is the science lead and launch funder. The project will use
the 3U Canisterized Satellite Dispenser (CSD) developed by Planetary Systems Corporation to launch
three 10 cm diameter spheres of different masses (1, 1.5, and 2 kg) that will be tracked to measure
changes in the density of the upper auroral atmosphere in response to solar stimuli. However, there
are several design concerns. For one, machining spheres is not easy, and is usually accomplished using
two hemispheres. The proposed sphere set consists of one 6061-T6 aluminum (1 kg) and two stainless
steel (1.5 and 2 kg) shells with a reflective finish for tracking. Due to mass, tolerance, and center of
gravity requirements, designing a way to attach the hemispheres is a challenge. Also, because the
CSD is designed for CubeSats, a suspension mechanism must be designed so the spheres do not come
in contact with each other or the CSD. Contact could cause dents or damages to surface finish and
compromise the mission. As such, there will be minimal points of contact, and at these points a rubber
O-ring would be used as an interface. The spacers must not interfere in the orbit path of the spheres,
and preferably remain with the CSD rather than become orbital debris. The design is treated as a
dynamic envelope in the CSD, and must fit tight tolerances set by PSC when subjected to vibration. For
structural stability, 6061 aluminum or higher would be best, but mass restrictions must be considered.
The total mass of the spacer-sphere assembly must be less than 6 kg. This paper presents designs to
mitigate the concerns and enable the mission to succeed. First, the threaded halves sphere concept,
then the “simple” spring plunger suspension system, and spring hinged “banana peel” system.
257
CN
College of Engineering
MEM
Piezoelectric valveless micropump: development of a structural/fluid
dynamic predictive model
CN19
Ersin Sayar
Advisor(s): Bakhtier Farouk
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
CN
Coupled multifield analysis of a piezoelectrically actuated valveless micropump device is carried out
for liquid transport applications. The valveless micropump consists of two diffuser/nozzle elements;
the pump chamber, a thin structural layer (silicon) and a piezoelectric layer, PZT-5A as the actuator. We
consider two-way coupling of forces between solid and liquid domains in the systems where actuator
deflection causes fluid flow and vice-versa. Flow contraction and expansion (through the nozzle and the
diffuser respectively) generates net fluid flow. Both structural and flow field analysis of the microfluidic
device are considered. The effect of the excitation potential and actuation frequency on silicon-PZT-5A
bi-layer membrane deflection and flow rate is investigated. For the compressible flow formulation, an
isothermal equation of state for the working fluid is employed. The governing equations for the flow
fields and the silicon-PZT-5A bi-layer membrane motions are solved numerically using two (simplified
model) or three dimensional models. The velocity profile in the pump chamber becomes relatively flat
or plug-like, if the frequency of pulsations is sufficiently large (high Womersley number). The pressure,
flow rate and stress prediction models developed in the present study can be utilized to optimize the
design of MEMS based micropumps.
258
General Purpose Image and Video Processing, Object Detection and
Tracking Utility.
CN20
Thomas Coffey
Advisor(s): Dr Oleh Tretiak
College of Engineering
ECES
CN
The current methods for commercially available object recognition and tracking in real time videos
depend on the use of high contrast markers to define objects to be tracked. Thought the use of
morphological operations in combination with various image processing techniques, an methodology
was created to provide this function without the use of marker placements. The solution is based upon
a set of atomic capabilities that can be mixed and matched to provide a general image and video
analysis tool that is not limited to object tracking. The atomic functions; Within,Join,Link,Constrain,Gro
up,Find as created provide great flexibility in structuring video scenes without an A priori knowledge of
the video content. This utility provides a framework for quick turnaround testing of analysis of image
processing algorithms as well as the direct ability to extract positional data from multiple real time
object movements.
259
Thermal Transport in Supercritical Fluids: CFD Simulations and Experiments
CN21
Nusair Hasan
Advisor(s): Bakhtier Farouk
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
CN
Supercritical fluids are increasingly being used in fluids extraction, energetics, astronautics and various
other industrial and laboratory processes. Near the critical point, supercritical fluids exhibit complex
property variations that are not found in liquids, vapors or even in supercritical fluids that are far from
the critical point. The thermal transport mechanisms in near-critical supercritical fluids at different
time scales are investigated numerically. The combination of very high thermal compressibility and
vanishingly small thermal diffusivity affect the thermal energy transport, leading to the formation of
acoustic waves at the early time as carriers of thermal energy (the so called piston effect). While at
the longer time scale, in the presence of gravity, thermal transport is mainly governed by convection.
Thermoacoustic wave induced transport as well as buoyancy driven thermal transport in a pure fluid
near its critical point is simulated with a real fluid computational fluid dynamics model. The generation
and propagation of thermally induced acoustic waves due to the rapid heating of a solid wall in a
confined supercritical carbon dioxide layer are also experimentally investigated. The predicted results
from the present study will help in tailoring and optimizing the operating conditions for industrial and
laboratory processes for near-critical supercritical fluids.
260
Un-shocked high amplitude standing waves in wave-shaped resonators:
application in cryogenic refrigerators
CN22
Dion Antao
Co-Author(s): Nusair Hasan
Advisor(s): Bakhtier Farouk
Thermoacoustic cryocoolers for superconductivity applications in outer space require high frequencies
due to the advantages it offers i.e., small geometries and rapid cool-down times. At high frequencies,
the largest pressure amplitude is generated in a standing wave resonator. However, cylindrical standing
wave resonators can generate maximum pressure ratios (Pmax/Pmin) of 1.3 - 1.5. By using standing
wave resonators with non-cylindrical shapes, it is possible to achieve pressure ratios of the order of
6 - 27. Experimental and numerical studies of un-shocked high amplitude standing waves in “waveshaped” acoustic resonators are reported here. The standing wave acoustic resonators studied have
geometries of a cylinder and a cone. In the experiments, the resonators are driven by a high power
loudspeaker housed in a high pressure box. The geometries are studied experimentally for three
different operating fluids (Air, Nitrogen and Carbon dioxide) at high operating pressures and for
different driver amplitudes. The temperature (thermocouples) and pressure (pressure transducer)
are experimentally obtained at various axial locations of the resonators. A high fidelity compressible
axisymmetric computational fluid dynamic model is used to simulate the phenomena in noncylindrical resonators. The model is validated using the experimental results obtained (temperature
and pressure measurements). The harmonic response and the flow fields in the cone resonator system
are investigated computationally for two different working fluids (Carbon dioxide and Nitrogen). The
validated computational model can be used to design and predict the performance of wave-shaped
resonators.
261
CN
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
A Study on How to Measure User Influence in Online Social Media
CN23
Haodong Yang
Co-Author(s): Chirstopher C. Yang
Advisor(s): Christopher C. Yang
College of Information Science and Technology
CN
Nowadays, online social media has become a hot research spot in information science. Individual
users have become major contributors of web content in online social media. In light of the growing
activities, how to measure a user’s influence to other users in online social media becomes increasingly
important. In many previous studies, user influence is usually measured by features - either based
on content analysis or centrality or both - which are extracted without interaction with social media
users who have every right to talk about the real influencers. This paper first conducted a survey
among online social media users in order to identify useful features for them. Then these features
are combined in some way to calculate user influence base on a Twitter data set collected. In order to
evaluate the proposed algorithm, two annotators were recruited to generate the Gold Standard based
on which performances of different algorithms were compared.
262
Automatically Classify Social Support Content in Online Health Community
CN24
Ling Jiang
Co-Author(s): Christopher C. Yang
Advisor(s): Christopher C. Yang
College of Information Science and Technology
CN
People are able to express support for each other through online support groups by communicating
their feelings and exchanging personalized information. Especially in the domain of health information,
this ability enables patients to connect with each other to build their own sense of community filled
with healthy, supportive relationships. So online health community is an important place for many
people where they can obtain social support from other peers. There are three different types of social
support in online health community: informational, emotional, and instrumental support. Each type
provides particular support and information for different people’s needs. So automatically classify
social support content in online health community can help to satisfy different potential individual
information seeking needs. The purpose of this study is to automatically classify the social support
content in online health community. Firstly, a dictionary was established to annotate the semantic
orientation of the words that frequently appear in online health forums. Then an algorithm was
proposed to calculate the semantic orientation of each post in the forum to distinguish informational
posts from emotional ones by matching the words in the post with the dictionary. Then the algorithm
was evaluated by comparing the classification results produced the algorithm and two human
annotators’ results.
263
Piecing Things Together: Summarization via Textual Information Integration
Using Semantic Relationships and Graphs
CN25
Quinsulon Israel
Advisor(s): Il-Yeol Song
College of Information Science and Technology
Ph.D.
CN
How can the use of linguistic structure and grammar improve semantic integration of information
toward automatic summarization? The state-of-the-art in automatic multi-document summarization
has previuosly relied on various human vocabulary modeling techniques due to the limited methods
of automatic evaluation; however, the limits of these techniques have been reached and a move
toward more abstractive, difficult and hard to evaluate techniques is necessary to get automatic
summaries that are closer to human summaries. Presented here are techniques that create summaries
by operating on unstructured text to integrate information from sentences selected for their worthiness
towards a summary. Sentences are represented as semantic relations and combined using light-weight
computational semantics and graphs. Work in progress will provide analysis of the efficacy of these
techniques toward improving automatic summaries.
264
Effect of Nanopatterns on Kapitza Resistance at Water-Gold Interface: A
Molecular Dynamics Study
CN26
Han Hu
Advisor(s): Ying Sun
Nowadays, it is possible to build patterns on a solid surface in nanoscale using ultra-fine manufacturing
technologies and the effect of the nanopatterns on heat transfer has drawn considerable attention.
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a useful tool to investigate the characteristics of heat transfer
in nanoscale, e.g. the resistance to thermal transfer of an interface, known as Kapitza resistance.
The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of nanopatterns on the Kapitza resistance at
water-gold interface and therefore obtain an optimal design of nanopatterns for heat transfer. Nonequilibrium Molecular dynamics simulations (NEMD) with a temperature gradient applied have been
carried out to determine the Kapitza resistance at water-gold interface with and without nanopatterns.
Our results show good agreement with previous studies that nanopatterns will result in a reduction
of Kapitza resistance at liquid-solid interfaces. In this work, the effects of two disparate parameters
of the nanopatterns, i.e. the height and the width-to-spacing ratio, on the Kapitza resistance at
water-gold interface have been studied. Our simulations reveal that an increase in the height of the
nanopatterns could reduce the Kapitza resistance. By enlarging the contact area between water and
gold, nanopatterns with a larger height will increase the bonding energy between water molecules and
gold atoms and therefore decrease the Kapitza resistance. On the other hand, an increase in the widthto-spacing ratio of nanopatterns could reduce the Kapitza resistance as well. A larger width-to-spacing
ratio introduces stronger confinement to the water molecules near the interface, which we believe will
reduce the mismatch in the vibrational states of gold and water near the interface and thus decrease
Kapitza resistance. Vibrational properties of gold and water near the interface will then be probed to
support this conjecture.
265
CN
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Loading Effects on Nonlinear Observability Measurement for Shipboard
Power Systems
CN27
Juan Jimenez
Co-Author(s): Chika Nwankpa
Advisor(s): Chika Nwankpa
College of Engineering
ECE
CN
Existing observability formulations for power systems either evaluate the topology of the system and
its embedded sensors or focus on the determination of the state-estimation problem using nonlinear
algebraic equations of the system. In either case, the underlying assumption is that the system is
at an equilibrium point, and the observability determination relates to the particular equilibrium
point in question. Therefore, the observability condition of the system cannot be monitored during
perturbations around the system equilibrium points, and existing formulations do not account for the
nonlinear dynamics of the system. A simplified model of a shipboard power system that incorporates
machines and power electronics converter dynamics is developed and the observability formulation as
applied to this system model investigated. A measure of observability is presented through different
case studies were loading condition effects are analyzed. This ultimately will lead to the development
of system observers for dynamic state estimation and nonlinear control techniques, giving the power
system designer/operator the ability to acquire knowledge related to the state of the system during
transitions from the desired operating points.
266
Mathematical Models of Antioxidant Depletion Profiles in Polyethylene and
its Nanocomposites
CN28
Iftekhar Ahmad
Co-Author(s): Shan Cheng, Grace Hsuan, Christopher Li
Advisor(s): Richard Cairncross
College of Engineering
Chemical & Biological Engineering
CN
Antioxidants are known to increase durability of polyethylene. Also, adding clay (layered-silicates)
to produce polyethylene composites can improve the mechanical properties when the silicate layers
are well dispersed as nanocomposites. This poster describes mathematical models that predict oxygen
and antioxidant diffusion within a thick polyethylene nanocomposite layer, and chemical reactions
including multiple free radical species that lead to depletion of antioxidants. Predicted antioxidant
degradation is compared to experimental antioxidant profiles measured by oxidative induction time.
To achieve qualitative agreement between the models and experimental results, the initial free radical
concentration in nanocomposite has to be higher than in neat polyethylene, and the rate of antioxidant
loss by evaporation in nanocomposites has to be higher than in neat polyethylene.
267
Leader’s Dilemma Game: Game design for a human computational study
CN29
Dhanesh NeealMana
Co-Author(s): Shyuan Mary Ho, Nora McDonald,, Roberto Salome,, Shyuan Mary Ho
Advisor(s): Shyuan Mary Ho
College of Engineering
MSSE,Computer Science
This poster presents a human computational study, the Leader’s Dilemma Game, which is a sociotechnical research design that seeks to simulate cyber insider threats scenarios for trusted humancomputer interactions. In this study, we develop a multiplayer game that takes into account of
outsourcing certain steps to humans in an entertaining way. This approach has been categorized by
von Ahn (1996) as human-based computation game. The concept of Game with a Purpose has been
traditionally used for perform computationally hard problem with the help of “crowd sourcing” in
disguise of games (von Ahn, 1996). The games were organized around “tasks” which players need
to perform (like tagging an image) and mechanism to verify the correctness of the task (like input
agreement/output agreement) etc. However, in our study, we introduce a new application that helps
us to further understand human’s cyber anomalous behavior through human’s attribution and tagging.
We propose to engage human players to perform attribution tasks in an entertaining way during
various subtle hidden threatening situations. In this Leader’s Dilemma Game, we design a platform
using Google+ to encourage the interactions online. We use the Google+ hangout as the gaming
environment and we have used newly released Google+ hangouts API for developing the application.
This game will engage players in the experiment so that players function as human “sensors” in
social network to attribute a higher construct, in the case of this study, the trustworthiness, based on
collectable behavior in a virtual collaborative environment.
CN
This game idea is based on Ho’s research (2009), and currently designed and studied at the Drexel
iSensor Lab. Please visit http://iSensorLab.com/ for further information.
268
Aiding Historic Preservation through Structural Identification
CN30
Aliya Turner
Advisor(s): Dr. Franklin Moon
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering
CN
The ever-increasing challenge of preserving culturally significant historic structures provides an
opportunity to explore the use of finite-element modeling (FEM) in understanding the built
environment. Ageing structures can be subjected to damaging forces caused by material degradation,
change of use, and even restorations and repairs. Temple Beth Sholom, a grand mountain of glass and
steel located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, is the penultimate building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Like so many of Wright’s buildings, Beth Sholom has a history of problems. Persistent leaks in the roof
- an issue since the building’s opening in 1959 - were not ameliorated by the installation of an in-roof
gutter system in 1960. The exterior glazing panels are networked with cracks. It is unclear if the issues at
Beth Sholom are a result of structural degradation or simply a matter of poor design. Creating a finiteelement model and exploring the sensitivities of that model to various parameter changes is the first
step in structural identification and will provide valuable information for understanding the behavior
of Temple Beth Sholom.
269
Energy Cross Sections of Three Body Interactions
CN31
Amanda Benson
Co-Author(s): Dr. Steve McMillan
Advisor(s): Dr. Steve McMillan
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics/Astronomy
CN
Three-body encounters between binaries and single massive objects are important for the evolution
and other dynamical processes in large scale environments. Therefore accurate simulations of these
encounters are necessary for proper cluster and galactic simulations. The Astrophysical Multipurpose
Software Environment (AMUSE) project is a new software environment designed to simulate largescale, dense stellar systems. Using AMUSE, we have developed a code to perform a series of three-body
scattering experiments and to determine the statistics on changes in the binding energy following these
encounters. We compare our results to the accepted statistics for energy changes following three-body
scattering. This is the first comprehensive test of the three-body scattering portion of AMUSE.
270
3D Pore-scale Model of Transport Phenomena in Vanadium Redox Flow
Batteries.
CN32
Gang Qiu
Co-Author(s): Abhijit Joshi, Christopher R. Dennison, Kevin Knehr, E. C. Kumbur
Advisor(s): Ying Sun
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
CN
The development of the Vanadium Redox Battery (VRB) has attracted much attention from the scientific
and industrial community as an efficient, scalable and environmentally conscious method of storing and
delivering electricity at grid-level capacity. However, still a burgeoning technology, accurate computer
models and simulations of the battery have demonstrated to be invaluable in improving and advancing
cell design and system optimization. In this work, a methodology is proposed to model, at the pore
scale, the transport mechanism in the VRB including the flow dynamics of the electrolyte, species
transport through the electrolyte, and electrochemical reactions that take place on the active surface.
In this study, a detailed computerized reconstruction of the electrode carbon felt is obtained from
X-ray computed tomography (XCT), from which we can readily ascertain pore-scale properties such as
porosity, pore size distribution, connectivity and active surface area. This geometry is also utilized in our
model as a geometric input and is fully incorporated into the electrochemisty of the system. The Lattice
Boltzmann Method (LBM) is used to model the flow of the electrolyte around the electrode, while a
finite volume method (FVM) is used to discretize and solve for the coupled partial differential equations
that govern the electrochemical transport across our domain. Model predictions for the steady-state
discharge of the VRB are compared with results reported in the literature.
271
Neuron Density Map Analysis to Quantify Aging Effects
CN33
Daniel McGovern
Advisor(s): Dr. Luis Cruz
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
CN
In order to better understand the effects of neuron displacement and its role in the aging process, a
new study has been proposed to observe the brain of the fruit fly. This is an attractive project because
the brain can be divided into much more continuous slices considering the size. Also, the fruit flies
themselves present a much more controlled specimen that can be made to exhibit desired aging effects.
The project will be to review neuron density maps, optimize the automated mapping process, and
assist in research regarding neuron displacement. A custom designed protocol written for the existing
program called PN (plaque-neuron) will be used to filter brain scan images and automatically find
neurons.
272
Application of Ensemble Methods for LIDAR Data Classification
CN34
Seyed Hossein Hosseini Nourzad
Co-Author(s): Anu Pradhan
Advisor(s): Dr Anu Pradhan
College of Engineering
CAEE
CN
Airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data is one of the fastest growing technologies to
support multiple applications, such as emergency response, urban planning, flood control, and city
3D reconstruction. The LIDAR data in its raw form requires to be classified for the above applications.
Two types of classification have been studied: (1) binary classification, in which a given LIDAR data
is classified into two classes: terrain or non-terrain; and (2) multi-class classification, in which a given
LIDAR data is classified into multiple classes, such as ground, vegetation (low, medium, and high), and
buildings. Although different domain-specific algorithms have been developed to perform binary and
multi-class classifications in the last two decades, no single algorithm has been able to achieve better
classification results on different terrain types. In this research, the authors used two ensemble methods
namely AdaBoost and Bagging on the ISPRS standard datasets and a new dataset related to Fargo City
in North Dakota. The authors were able to achieve better results compared to other methods on the
ISPRS standard datasets. The benefits of the proposed ensemble methods are that they are generic, and
at the same time, they can perform both binary and multi-class classification.
273
Inverse Born Series for Diffuse and Propagating Waves
CN35
Kimberly Kilgore
Advisor(s): Shari Moskow
College of Arts and Sciences
Mathematics
CN
In mathematics, an inverse problem generally refers to a problem formulation in which observed data is
used to solve for unknown parameters within a system or object. This poster is concerned with the study
of the inverse scattering problems for both diffuse and propagating waves. These problems consist
of using boundary measurements to recover the values of the absorption coefficient and refractive
index, respectively, within the domain. Recovery of the absorption coefficient can be used to discover
an object, such as a cancerous mass surrounded by normal tissue, in the field of biomedical imaging.
In turn, the recovery of the refractive index might be used in applications like nondestructive testing,
where an image of the internal condition of an object can be obtained when normal testing might
prove too invasive. These values can be found through inversion of the Born series. We will present
results on the convergence of the inverse Born series, and considering a radially symmetric medium, we
will then summarize and compare numerical simulations for both the diffuse and propagating cases in
two and three dimensions.
274
Analyzing the Impact that Idle Garbage Collection has on Solid State
Drives in Windows and UNIX Platforms
CN36
Rory Kelley
Advisor(s): Dr. Ashley Podhradsky
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Computing and Security Technology
For many years, computers have integrated traditional hard disk drives (HDD) that implement magnetic
technology for data storage. Digital forensic investigators have time-tested investigative approaches
based on traditional HDD’s, approaches that research has shown to be ineffective with newer solid state
drives (SSD). SSD’s have introduced a fundamental shift in the way hard drives store, retrieve, and delete
data. With this change, new digital forensic practices are required to develop approaches to forensically
analyze SSD’s. There is respectable, documented research that claims the retrieval of digital evidence is
nearly impossible from SSD’s, while other research suggests there is still evidence that can be acquired.
Given the contradictory nature of respected reports, this research aims to test the validity of existing
research while analyzing the different digital forensic techniques need for SSD’s and HDD’s.
CN
The research will go a step further to analyze the impact the implemented OS has on data retrieval. The
research will look at both Windows and Linux based platforms. The researchers believe analyzing both
NTFS and EXT based solid state drives is essential to producing a solid and holistic recommendation for
practitioners.
275
Forensic Identification with Environmental Samples
CN37
Gregory Ditzler
Co-Author(s): Robi Polikar
Advisor(s): Gail Rosen
College of Engineering
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
CN
The field of forensics aims to understand the physical biomarkers that make each person unique.
Recently, it has been discovered that one of the traits that makes us unique from one another are the
composition of the microbial communities found throughout our bodies. It was recently discovered
that microbial communities can be exploited for forensic identification by clustering samples from
individual’s skin and objects that they may have previously touched. The traditional methods examining
for metagenomics goes through phylogenetic classification or alignment, distance calculations & multidimensional scaling analysis. We show that we can: (i) remove the phylogenetic distance calculations
and still maintain differences in groups, and (ii) improve classification accuracy using feature selection.
276
Computing Time-Periodic Solutions of a Simple Model for the Vortex Sheet
with Surface Tension
CN38
Michael Valle
Co-Author(s): Mark Kondrla
Advisor(s): Dr. David Ambrose
College of Arts and Sciences
Mathematics
We compute time-periodic solutions of a simple model for the vortex sheet with surface tension. A
vortex sheet is the interface between two different fluids, across which there is a jump in the tangential
components of the fluids’ velocities.
The numerical method used is a simplified version of the method used for the full vortex sheet problem.
The essential steps of the method are to first define a functional which measures whether a solution
of the initial value problem is in fact a time-periodic solution, for a given period. Then, the variational
derivative of the functional with respect to the inital data and the presumed period is computed
analytically. We then minimize this functional numerically, using a gradient descent algorithm (the BFGS
algorithm).
The computational study of the full system found a continuum of symmetric solutions bifurcating from
the zero equilibrium. We find the same for the simplified model. This helps to validate the model, and
also provides evidence to support future analytical research directions.
277
CN
A simple model was introduced [Ambrose, D.M.; Math. Comput. Simulation 80(2009), 102-111] for
the study of singularity formation in the vortex sheet with surface tension. We use this model to
study another open question for the vortex sheet with surface tension: the existence of time-periodic
solutions, or standing waves. For the vortex sheet with surface tension, while there is not yet a
proof of existence of time-periodic solutions, there has been a computational study [Ambrose, D.M.;
Wilkening, J.; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 107(2010), 3361-3366]. A proof of existence of such waves for
the full system of equations of motion would be quite difficult, and it seems prudent to first attempt a
proof using the simple model. However, it is helpful to first repeat the computations of time-periodic
solutions for the model system to gather evidence of the existence of such waves for the model. This is
the subject of the present work.
Quantum Physics and the Finite Element Method
CN39
Allyson O’Brien
Advisor(s): Dr. Robert Gilmore
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
The finite element method (FEM) is used to compute approximate numerical solutions to partial
differential equations. Although it is widely used in other fields, FEM is not utilized in the field of
quantum mechanics.
CN
The Schrödinger equation describes quantum states of physical systems. Using the FEM, we can
numerically approximate solutions to the Schrödinger equation for systems that are difficult to describe
in conventional coordinates.
278
Steganography and the Xbox 360: Mapping Criminal and Terrorist
Activities
CN40
Cindy Casey
Co-Author(s): Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, Dr. Rob D’Ovidio
Advisor(s): Dr. Podhradsky
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
CST
CN
The use of nontraditional computing devices as a means to access the internet and communicate has
become increasingly popular. People are not just going online through traditional means, but are
now using their cell phones, smart phones, and gaming consoles as well. Criminals and terrorists also
rely on these technologies to communicate while maintaining confidentiality and anonymity. When
information-masking techniques are combined with nontraditional communication devices, the chances
of interception or discovery are significantly reduced. Steganography, the discipline of concealing the
fact that some form of communication exists, poses a major threat to our national security, particularly
when being transmitted over exploitable communication channels using nontraditional devices. It
is extremely problematic to identify structural abnormalities or signs of manipulation in a digital
environment which is still fundamentally undefined. Researchers will examine the potential use of
steganography by criminals and terrorists in gaming consoles while conducting a forensic analysis of the
Xbox 360 in order to construct a model for discovery.
279
I Can Hear You Now - The Bluetooth Honeypot Project
CN41
Cindy Casey
Co-Author(s): Peter Ceretti, Dr. Ashley L. Podhradsky
Advisor(s): Dr. Podhradsky
Goodwin School of Education
CST
CN
Bluetooth technology and the inherent security risks it introduces into the workplace can no longer
be disregarded. A failure to understand or adequately safeguard organizations from Bluetooth
threats increases the likelihood that unauthorized access to sensitive data will occur. While it may
seem sufficient to prohibit Bluetooth technology on company owned equipment, the reality is that
Bluetooth enabled devices will still be employed on employees’ personal devices and vehicles. It is
therefore imperative that organizations find effective methodologies to thwart and detect Bluetooth
vulnerabilities in the corporate environment. After a brief history of Bluetooth technology, researchers
will examine how Bluetooth works, its vulnerabilities, and how these vulnerabilities can be exploited.
As a practical approach to monitor Bluetooth threats, the employment of a Bluetooth honeypot will be
introduced, including honeypot structure and the legalities of deploying them.
280
Theoretical investigations of a possible new class of materials: a
Superatom Ionic Solid
CN42
Violeta Nasto
Co-Author(s): Karl Sohlberg
Advisor(s): Karl Sohlberg
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
CN
A new material is proposed that is based on periodic arrangement of superatom ions. The solid is
constructed with ions formed from cationic (Ce@C60+) and anionic (Al@Cu54-) “superatom” spherical
species that have shown exceptional stability, instead of the typical atomic or polyatomic ions of a
conventional ionic solid. According to radius-ration rules, the solid will form a CsCl (8:8 coordination)
crystal structure with body-centered (bcc) type of unit cell. A single unit cell with periodic boundary
conditions is modeled and properties of the material are calculated using MOPAC, a semi-empirical
quantum chemistry program. By calculating the cohesive energy curve, the material density and stability
of the proposed new material are revealed. Furthermore, an estimate of the band gap of the system
will show whether the material is an insulator or a semiconductor and how it can be tested further.
281
Portfolio Optimization in MISOCP framework
CN44
Umit Saglam
Co-Author(s): Hande Y. Benson
Advisor(s): Hande Y. Benson
LeBow College of Business
Decision Sciences
In this study, we focus on the case where the investor’s objective function is to choose the trading
strategy to maximize expected return subject to constraints on the maximum risk that the investor
may be willing to take on. We add specific portfolio constraints such as diversification by sectors, buyin thresholds, and round-lot constraints that provide a decrease in the risk level and total transaction
cost that the investor faces. Although these constraints provide meaningful financial interpretations to
the portfolio, they also increase the difficulty level of the model. The overall model is a mixed-integer
nonlinear programming problem with second-order cone constraints, a relatively new area of research.
We consider this model in both single and multi-period frameworks. Our numerical experiments are
conducted on portfolios drawn from 20 to 400 different stocks available from the S&P 500. We solve
our model with a MATLAB based Mixed Integer Linear and Nonlinear Optimizer (MILANO) solver that
implements a variety of methods for handling integer variables, cone constraints, linear and nonlinear
subproblems. We have devised and implemented the first solution method for such problems and
demonstrate its efficiency on large-scale portfolio optimization models. Furthermore, we provide
substantial improvement in runtimes using warmstarts.
282
CN
Portfolio optimization problems have remained a popular area of research after the seminal work of
Markowitz (1952). Although there have been substantial advances in portfolio selection models in the
last six decades, there are still more complicated and realistic models to investigate. Much of the future
development of such models depends on the availability of efficient solvers that can handle a variety of
problem variables and constraints.
An Architectural Framework for Mobile Device Interaction with Consumer
Home Network Appliances
CN45
Constantine Katsinis
Co-Author(s): Brijesh Kumar
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
CST
CN
With the proliferation of digital contents and the expanding variety of connected and IP-enabled
consumer electronics (CE) devices, consumers are increasingly seeking ways to efficiently integrate
their mobile devices with home networked devices. Expanding wireless coverage is enabling exciting
new set of consumer-focused applications between CE devices, mobile handsets, home appliances
and personal computers. We discuss an architectural framework for mobile device interaction with
consumer home network appliances and devices. A number of technological elements such as service
discovery, addressing and numbering, control and data transport protocols and security requirements
are presented and discussed. A realization of this framework will allow mobile devices to interact with
home appliances and other consumer electronic devices in a heterogeneous network from remote
locations.
283
Computing an Approximation to the Helmholtz Equation With a High
Contrast Thin Scatterer Present
CN46
Scott Rome
Advisor(s): Shari Moskow
College of Arts and Sciences
Mathematics
CN
Computing solutions to partial differential equations numerically is computationally expensive. In
particular, it is difficult to model large scale instances of scattering waves in three dimensions. Utilizing
a method developed by Moskow et. al., we compute an approximation to the two dimensional
Helmholtz equation using a one dimensional integral equation. This greatly reduces the required time
to run a simulation, and can be generalized to higher dimensions.
284
CREATIVE ARTS & DESIGN
Translating Art to Music: A New “Pictures at an Exhibition”
CA01
Steve Davit
Co-Author(s): Steve Davit, Eric Sanderson, Clark Conner, Bryce Walburn, Tyler Mack, Justin
Petronglo
Advisor(s): Dr. Myron Moss
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Music Industry
Moussorgsky famously composed music inspired by the art of his friend Viktor Hartmann. In our
exploration, we improvise on both the pictoral and abstract elements of different paintings. We draw
upon different elements of each painting to translate into music. Depending on the elements we
focus on, the music of the same painting can take many forms, sometimes evoking the painting’s story,
sometimes depicting a small section of the painting, and sometimes accenting the painting’s sense of
line, color, or space.
This process presumes a musical group whose members can already improvise alone and collectively. As
a group project, then, the ensemble selects works of art that seem appropriate to stimulate a musical
response. Discussions analyze the content and style of the art, and ways to evoke these through music.
Each improvisation is recorded and discussed as to its success, both as an evocation of the art and as a
successful musical piece.
The Research Day performance will present at least one of these musical responses to art, and will then
engage the audience as well as the players in the “debriefing” of what they heard. They will analyze
what aspects of the improvisation succeeded and failed at conveying the essence of the painting. The
players will take this feedback into account and perform once more.
CA
This process creates a complete aesthetic loop. We start with a painting to stimulated musical imagery,
create the music, discuss how the music portrayed the painting, and revise our second performance of
the music to better depict the painting.
286
Real-Time Song Manipulation for iOS: The Old Atlantic
CA02
Justin Chapman
Advisor(s): Ryan Schwabe
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Music Industry
CA
The music industry today is evolving faster than ever. The allocation of various income streams for an
artist is constantly shifting, and the importance of a creative business model to weather the storm of
piracy, declining record sales, and a ruthlessly competitive market is now more relevant than it has
ever been in the past. Together with the Music and Entertainment Technology Lab (MET), we sought
to create a product that would revolutionize the experience of the music listener. Through the app the
user is given the ability to manipulate songs in real time, creating an environment akin to a live concert,
in which the band is unlikely to perform exactly the same two nights in a row. In order to achieve this,
we produced four different versions of a song, and imported all elements from each song discreetly
into the app. The screen serves as an interface to trigger each element, allowing the user to manipulate
the texture of the overall song as it is being played. The first instantiation of this app features a song
entitled “Ghost Party,” written by singer-songwriter James Larson, and his musical project “The Old
Atlantic.” Together we have broken down the song to its most basic form, lyrics and melody, and
creatively incorporated the use of different musical instruments, sounds, and textures to create the
different elements found in the app.
287
A Server-Based Modular Interactive Museum Experience
CA03
Glenn Winters
Co-Author(s): Sonia Havens, Bobby Speck, Nate Lapinski, Girish Balakrishnan, Ian Woskey,
Kevin Gross, Yujie Zhu, Yiqun Shao, Ali Hassanzadeh, Tom Burdak
Advisor(s): Jichen Zhu, Paul Diefenbach
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Digital Media
The introduction of technology into the museum experience has opened new possibilities that have
yet to be fully explored. Whereas historically museums were primarily concerned with research and
collection, the modern focus is on education and crafting a memorable experience.
In our project, Operation Dino, we have worked with the Academy of Natural Sciences to create an
interactive educational experience about their dinosaur exhibition. Based on the museum’s educational
goals and the needs of their visitors, we developed a new interactive museum exhibit that takes
place in the Dinosaur Hall. Utilizing touch screen tablets and QR tags, the exhibit is designed to be an
educational experience targeted for children ages 8-12 which extend the information learned in the
museum into a fun and interactive game. Unlike most museum games that are localized, Operation
Dino utilizes server technology to install multiple game stations all around Dinosaur Hall. Each game
station contains a unique multiple-choice question that encourages players to explore the museum to
answer it correctly and collect that station’s explorer badge. There are many badges to collect, each
with the ability to unlock unique in-game animations and collectibles. The game itself features colorful,
animated dinosaurs that guide you on your quest as an paleontologist to collect all the badges in
order to become the Master Paleontologist! In future installations of the game, a live score board at
the museum will exist to encourage competition among players. It also has potential to extend outside
the museum through an online portal that allow players access to their educational content relating to
what they learned at the museum.
CA
In conclusion, Operation Dino hopes to mix a virtual interactive gaming experience with the museums
existing educational exhibits. The goal is to not only educate children but also get them excited about
paleontology and extend that experience from the museum to their own home.
288
“Love & Willpower - A Study of the Psychological Affects on Women in
Unhealthy Sexual Relationships”
CA04
Grace Gamble
Advisor(s): Dr. Miriam Giguere
LeBow College of Business
Dance
“Love & Willpower” is a contemporary jazz work created for the Drexel Dance Ensemble 2012 Winter
Concert “Snapshots”, which includes music by Pretty Lights, a monologue, and voiceovers. It explores
how women are affected psychologically after being used in a relationship through movement
developed from psychological research, an observational study of four female confidants, and personal
experiences. The piece opens with a soloist, the “Voice of Reason”, giving a monologue introducing
her dress as a “barrier” that she has raised to protect herself emotionally in relationships. All dancers
dressed in black slips then experience hesitation towards following their physiological instincts for sex,
emphasized by the sensual music and movement. The movement becomes euphoric signaling that they
have given themselves up, and then becomes confused and depressed after realizing they have been
used, emphasized by ringtones and voicemails. The soloist puts on her dress to “raise her barrier”, and
the others follow suit. As heavy dubstep plays, the focus shifts to 3 duets conflicted between raising and
lowering their “barriers”, shown by dress manipulation of the sleeve, length, or high collar. Whenever a
dancer manipulates her dress, the others work through movement to convince them to stay strong, but
model their behavior and do it themselves. The soloist then convinces the dancers to keep their barriers
raised, until one is successful in removing part of her dress, causing a chaotic domino effect resulting in
all dancers besides the soloist removing their
CA
dresses. The dancers move forward drained with emotion and pull each-other off of the stage, oblivious
to the attempts of the soloist to save them, and is ultimately left alone with the dresses. In conclusion,
having negative relational and sexual experiences can affect women psychologically in a number of
ways, and their actions thereafter are influenced by past experiences and actions of confidants in similar
situations.
289
“Stereo of the Mind” A View of the Relationship between Sound and
Individuals through Movement
CA05
Catherine Natter
Advisor(s): Olive Prince
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Dance
CA
“Stereo of the Mind” is a dance composition project that was created over the course of two terms.
It explores the relationship between sound and individuals through movement, offering a look at a
person’s typical day in the context of sound, the chaotic nature of the sounds and thoughts that make
up someone’s mind and what happens when the personalized soundtracks of several individuals come
together. One term was spent gathering sounds through the recording of various people, places and
things throughout Philadelphia, and composing 20 separate audio collages. Another term was spent
researching choreographer and artist Bill T. Jones and his choreographic process, particularly his use of
the experiences and movements of everyday people and non-dancers. This second term was also spent
choreographing, and developing a personal creative process, inspired by Bill T. Jones. The final result of
this project was a solo dance piece accompanied by original music developed from the audio collages,
and performed for an audience in the Mandell Theater.
290
Presentation of Advanced Unity Gaming Project
CA06
Brian Gitlin
Co-Author(s): Bren King
Advisor(s): Paul J. Diefenbach
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Digital Meida
CA
For the past six months myself and a team of eleven other students have been working to create a
video game that matches up with the quality of published triple-A gaming titles such as Half-Life 2.
Our team consists of five digital media students (3 juniors 1 senior and 1 graduate), 7 Computer Science
students (All seniors), as well as help from numerous freshman and sophomores. During the class,
Gaming Workshop I&II, Our team was responsible for creating the weekly schedules, overseeing the
production, and creating all assets for this game. We created a full back story for this game, including
the years that lead up the games current crisis as well as what would happen if this game were to be
become a full production game, with the help from a screenwriting major. We developed two full
websites, one to show off the game, and another for development purposes, as well as a full wiki.
We exhibit advanced techniques used by the industry to complete this game which we found from
extensive research and help from current employees at major gaming companies. You can view all of
our content at projectislandia.com. Thank you for considering us.
291
Women’s Revitalization Center in the City
CA07
Ore Alaka
Advisor(s): Amy Walter-Godshall, Karin Kuenstler
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Interior Design + Architecture
CA
This research aims at designing a revitalization center for middle-aged working women in order to
provide a serene environment in bustling center city Philadelphia. The center will support the needs
of the women of the community by creating beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces where women can
recuperate, be empowered, live healthier and more joyful lives. Attracting in working women by its
peaceful atmosphere, soothing qualities, and the luxurious feeling upon entry, this reasonably priced
center will aid in the general improvement of potential and function of women in the community. The
business is supported by the services provided in the center and optional membership fees, as well as
initial investment by owners and shareholders. Services include spa and therapeutic treatments, gym
facilities, day care services, restaurant and lounge, hair and nail salon, as well as therapy, nap and
conference rooms.The percentage of working women in the work force has steadily risen since 1940
when only 29% of women above 16 years old worked. In1940 only 15% of married women worked
this number rose to 37% in 1967 and is continuously rising and is significantly higher today. Though
the amount of women in the workforce is on the rise, women’s valuation in the work place is not very
high as compared to that of men.The segregation experience in the workplace concerning men and
women contributes to many of the stressors that workingwomen experience. They increase the stress
experience by women as compared to men.Women, according to the research conducted, handle stress
of the job better than men, but despite this fact their jobs have been proven to be most often harder
than a man’s job despite the fact that most men hold higher titles.Women are made to believe that
they must wear more than one hat in life. They are automatically assigned different roles according to
cultural norms. They are also expected to succeed at all these roles. This establishment aims to provide
an escape.
292
Inside the Studio of Jen Blazina
CA08
Liam Holleran
Co-Author(s): Ziyao Li
Advisor(s): Lise Raven
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Film & Video
CA
A 10-minute documentary on Jen Blazina, a Fine Arts professor at Drexel University, who is a working
artist showing in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. The documentary shows her
work on display in the Westward Ho exhibition in Nesbitt Hall’s Leonard Pearlstein Gallery from earlier
in the year and her working in the gallery, molding and casting everyday items into the art she outputs.
293
“Taut” - An Examination of the Slacklining Subculture at Drexel University
CA09
Patrick Brodie
Co-Author(s): Matt Mamie
Advisor(s): Lise Raven
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Film and Video
CA
The film, a short documentary subject, examines and comments on the subculture of slacklining at
Drexel University. Slacklining, a sport that involves rigging a piece of webbing between two stationary
objects and balancing on it, is an activity that has been growing in popularity in the past few years,
culminating in an appearance during the half-time show of the Super Bowl. By focusing on a tightknit group of students, a diverse group of friends spanning different majors but sharing the same
enthusiasm for slacklining, the film examines the strange allure behind the sport and the community
behind it. Featuring both interviews with the slackliners and footage of various set-ups, the film
explains the sport of slacklining while also developing a fascinating cast of characters, told in a visually
exciting and tonally compelling manner. The film concludes that, while the sport may not make much
sense to outsiders, it is a richly rewarding hobby with a fascinating and novel culture behind it.
294
3 1/2 (Working Title)
CA10
Kristia Moraito
Advisor(s): Miriam Giguere
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Design and Merchandising
This piece of work is based off of the film entitled 8 ½ by Italian director Federico Fellini. Throughout
the film, the main character Guido, is found constantly fantasizing; they are these fantasies that reveal
the deepest desires, fears and insecurities and provide total invasion into who Guido actually is. Fellini’s
work portraying the life of the subconscious is relative to the creation of the choreography in my piece.
The process involves the physical body of work as well as the intangible thought put into its conception.
CA
Like a daydream, my goal is to place the audience outside all that they know to be true or real and
give them a perspective much like my own while creating such piece of art. It is in this new and abstract
perspective that I strive to demonstrate not only my own desires, fears and insecurities, but also those
of the dancers involved. People are much more complex than what we see on the surface, and it is
this complexity that drives the subconscious to manifest. The difference between the real and the
inconceivable is simply in the space in which they reside. Such space is the object of which I draw focus
towards and is where I strive to exploit the life of the subconscious through movement and other
sensory. My piece gives the audience a new perspective on not only the creation of dance, but also in
the way that they view themselves.
295
The Smart Home: Liberator or Imprisoner?
CA11
Noureen Chohan
Advisor(s): Carol Chew
College of Arts and Sciences
Interior Architecture + Design
CA
Changing demographics and social structure, medical advancements and longevity have improved the
ability for seniors to live independently but also raise the concern of creating a of sense in isolation.
The aging population’s desire to lead an independent active lifestyle and to remain in their homes
could be answered through Smart-Home technology and universal design. Smart-Home Technology
sounds promising for the aging population, because through electronically integrated design, smart
technology can manage all devices, efficiently control the interior environment and provide safety
for the aging population. This research will focus on whether dependency on smart technology could
jeopardize the fulfillment of human emotional needs by reducing the need of human contact. Hence,
what consideration and condition need to be addressed in the use of these technologies?
296
Electric Move Dance Center, Interior Design and the Dancer
CA12
Kaitlin Chow
Advisor(s): Robin Blair
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Interior Design
CA
Electric Move Dance Center is focused on providing performance, rehearsal and meeting spaces 7
days a week for the client, Electric Move, a modern dance company as well as for the community of
Philadelphia in Center City. Users health and fitness will benefit from dancing at the center. The design
utilizes new materials that benefit the dancers body and performance. The therapy aspect of the
center will rehabilitate and rejuvenate the body to prolong mobility. The company and its supporters
will provide majority of the funds with other funds being raised through class fees, therapy session
fees, donations, performances and other special events hosted at the center. The design repurposes
and relocates the Electric Factory currently at 421 North 7th Street to a more prominent location at
Callowhill and Broad Streets. It takes advantage of the large windows for natural daylight as well as the
large expanse of unobstructed space.
297
Digital Prosthesis for VFX
CA13
Nate Lapinski
Co-Author(s): Paul Stokes, James Spadafora, Devin Hassan, Jeff Wilkins
Advisor(s): Theo A. Artz
College of Arts and Sciences
Digital Media
DP (Digital Prosthesis for VFX) aimed to leverage 3D scanning, and traditional media techniques for
digital visual effects development.
Utilization of traditional methods of actor duplication (plaster casting) combined with 3D scanning
techniques for integration into a VFX pipeline.
CA
The plaster casting process was better suited to specific body parts. The static plaster casts generally
improved scan fidelity when compared to direct actor scanning.
298
Ancient: A Creative Improvisation Structure Inspired by Dinosaurs
CA14
Dawn Mazzola
Advisor(s): Olive Prince
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Dance
This creative investigation began with a quest to explore “unusual movement”, dance improvisation
skills and also original, authentic movement. The intention of my creative movement investigation,
entitled Ancient, is to create an environment in which to explore power, strength and aggression
through movement. Images of dinosaurs, along with a dubstep song titled Dinosaurs by 16bit, helped
to create an atmosphere that feels contorted, territorial and makes the audience uncomfortable. My
unusual movement came from the image of various dinosaurs- namely the Tyrannosaurus, which has a
gigantic body with very tiny arms, the Apatosaurus, which has an incredibly long neck, and Pterodactyl,
which has extremely long wings to fly. The movement consists of contorted shapes and a direct focus in
which the audience may feel uncomfortable. The structure includes fast movement phrases followed by
silences. The dancer moves strong, powerful, and unflinching. The movements travels on the diagonal
towards the audience. The dancers can also use stomping or other body percussion to enhance the
dynamics of the improvisation. The dancer/dancers get close to the audience and get into their space.
Direct focus towards the audience also emphasizes the environment. The dancer/dancers are aggressive
and relentless, as if they are watching their prey before they attack or as if the audience has invaded
their space.
CA
What I discovered through the course executing this structure involves the idea of limitations. When
working with dance improvisation structures, creating limitations or rules for the work may seem like
dealing with a smaller movement vocabulary. However, setting these limits allows the dancer or dancers
to find new types of movements with varied intentions, in addition to new ways of working and
processing movement.
299
Outside the Block: An After-school Center for Philadelphia Adolescents
CA15
Cassidy Beyer
Advisor(s): Amy Walter-Goodshall
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Interior Design
CA
Because there are not enough afterschool centers for underprivileged adolescent students who have
working parents, they end up at home unsupervised and get into trouble on the streets. A non-profit
organization will provide a Philadelphia based afterschool center for these students and address these
problems. It will provide a safe place for children while offering a place where they can get help with
schoolwork, pursue their own interests, and participate in non-sedentary indoor and outdoor activities.
300
“Spirit of the Virginia: Prologue,” An Interactive Animated Storytelling
Experience for iPad
CA16
Jacob Nichols
Co-Author(s): Bob Speck, Girish Balakrishnan, Will Murdoch, Kevin Howarth
Advisor(s): Ted Artz, Jervis Thompson
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Digital Media
CA
“Spirit of the Virginia, Prologue” is an iPad application that ties together a rich original story, animated
visuals, and user-driven interactivity to create a compelling new reading experience for young adults.
This application makes use of high-definition video and beautiful computer-generated animation,
combined with text-based narration, to create a hybrid multimedia story. “Spirit of the Virginia” makes
full use of the vibrant iPad display to deliver rich visuals hardware-accelerated by the mobile graphics
processor (GPU). The text-based narration incorporates a touchable keyword feature that allows
users to add terms to a library dubbed the “codex.” The codex allows the reader to access a wealth of
additional text-based backstory designed to help construct the story world in the reader’s mind. The
end result is a beautifully-realized and fresh new storytelling method for mobile devices.
301
Monsters and Maidens: An Animated Commentary on the Evolution of
Video Games
CA17
Melissa Cell
Co-Author(s): Mike Cossentino, Geena Sundaram, Sonia Havens, Glenn Bender
Advisor(s): Ted Artz, Jervis Thompson, Dave Mauriello
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Digital Media
Video games have evolved greatly since their inception in terms of graphics and audio but also
gameplay and interactivity. Our senior project team, “Angry Pixel”, is creating a four-minute animation
about the evolution of video games as experienced by a character in a game. Our protagonist, an
unassuming knight out to save his princess, begins in two-dimensional 8-bit form and evolves through
various stages of 2D and 3D gameplay. He becomes self-realizing and must adapt as new technologies
change the gameplay and give both him and his enemies new abilities. Ultimately, his fate lies with
the many video game characters whose storyline did not transition well into modern game generation
styles.
CA
This piece is being developed as a Digital Media senior project and a piece for the Advanced Animation
course by a team of five 2D and 3D artists. It includes pixel art and animation, 3D modeling, texturing,
rigging, and animation, and visual effects. The visuals reflect the limitations of the graphics of each era
of gameplay, often in tongue-in-cheek fashion. The technical specifications of each era are the basis for
the changes that our character experiences, and therefore, the evolution of video games is the driving
force of the story.
302
The Sounds of Science: Using Twelve Tone Serialism to Hear the Invisible
CA19
Andrew Zwarych
Advisor(s): Luke Abruzzo
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Music
CA
Within this research, an atonal method of music composition known as twelve tone serialism is used as
a technique to create a musical composition based on Boltzmann’s constant. The listener experiences
how electrons would sound if a tone was placed with each one. With twelve tone serialism, a matrix is
used as a foundation for the piece rather than the traditional key and meter.
303
Reintroducing natural forms in interior spaces using digital fabrication
CA20
Mamdouh Sajer
Advisor(s): Karen Pelzer
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Interior Design
From sculptural canyons to layered textures, the natural gestures of our landscape have become absent
in today’s built environment. Moving away from conventional rectilinear forms, this design was inspired
by the grand canyon. Attempting to rebuild the connection between man and nature, this design is an
exploration of the canyons rhythmic forms and its interaction with humanity.
Upon creation, nature was humanities nat`ural habitat. However, throughout history our connection
with nature has been distanced by the progression of society. Disconnected from the innate qualities of
the natural world, natural forms and materials have been replaced by man-made, controlled forms.
This research is focusing on reshaping an interior space from the conventional rectilinear forms to
organic and natural forms. With the use of CAD and new digital fabrications techniques, such organic
designs became possible and achievable.
CA
The design is based on the idea of sculpturing organic forms inspired by the Grand Canyon using 3d
modelings software then brake it down into layers. The next step was to leaser cut those layers out of
cardboard sheets then build the form by stacking up the cardboard sheets.
304
Art Education in America: The Disappearance of Right Brained Curriculum
and its Detriment to Student Development
CA21
Colleen Hoplamazian
Advisor(s): Diana Nicholas
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Interior Architecture + Design
ABSTRACT
This thesis will investigate the state of art education in the elementary and secondary public school
classroom. As many schools are removing their art classes from their curriculum, this thesis will look
at what social, political and economical events have caused this removal. Posing the hypothesis that
the deletion of art from the curriculum causes detriment to the growth of a child both personally and
academically, this thesis will also explore credible texts, publications, art curriculum’ and models that
previously and currently exist to investigate the basis for this argument. Also examined will be the ways
in which a child’s mind works and develops during such formative years, and what role art education
plays within this development.
RESEARCH SUMMARY
It is no mystery that the arts have taken a backseat throughout American history. Since colonization,
Americans have considered the arts, and art making, a frivolous past time with little to no major
impact on the U.S. culture. The same attitude has been taken within America’s education system,
leading the arts to hold a loose place within school’s curriculums. The first American schools in the late
1700’s, early 1800’s did offer drawing classes, but the 1900’s brought educators and theorists to begin
experimenting with different classroom approaches which left art classes more focused on holiday crafts
and decoration. The later part of the 20th century had education systems focusing on standardization.
This focus became even stronger after President Bush’s implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act
in 2001; Leaving us today with an education system that has little to no focus on arts curriculum.
CA
The downgrading and disappearance of arts education has become a heated debate throughout
America. Many creditable advocates have emerged with hard research and facts that show the removal
of the arts from the education system is stilting the development of today’s young students. These
advocates are
305
Efficacy of creative clay work for reducing negative mood: A randomized,
controlled trial
CA22
Elizabeth Kimport
Co-Author(s): Steve Robbins
Advisor(s): Steven Robbins
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Creative Arts Therapies
CA
Art therapists have long made use of clay work to accomplish a variety of therapeutic goals. However,
little empirical evidence exists to document the efficacy of such work. The present study employed a
randomized, factorial design in which 102 adult participants were randomly assigned to one of four
conditions: handling of clay + instructions to create a pinch pot, handling of clay + instructions to work
freely, handling of a soft stress ball + instructions to toss the ball in a structured manner, or handling
of a soft stress ball + instructions to play freely. Handling of the clay or ball took place after laboratory
induction of a negative mood state. Self-reports of negative mood using the Profile of Mood States
(POMS) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) revealed greater mood enhancement following clay
handling compared to ball handling. There was a non-significant trend towards greater clay effect in
the structured handling conditions. These results provide direct evidence from a randomized, controlled
trial (RCT) that clay work has specific efficacy for reducing negative mood states.
306
Mantua: A Study In Urban Development
CA23
Philip June
Co-Author(s): Samantha Holmes, Zoe Spencer, Jeffrey Pond, Patrick Barendt
Advisor(s): Frank de Santis
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Architecture
CA
Mantua is a historical neighborhood in West Philadelphia, bordered by Spring Garden Street to the
south, Mantua Avenue to the northeast, and N. 40th Street, to the west. In their research, students
sought to understand the physical qualities of the neighborhood through quantitative and qualitative
analysis. Research areas included architectural styles, historical development, two-dimensional graphical
analysis, and the development of a detailed three-dimensional digital model available for general use.
Furthermore, the students’ research has laid the groundwork for future inquiry into the neighborhood.
307
Financial Analysis of Broadcast TV Programming
CA24
Alejandra Zannier
Advisor(s): Lawrence Epstein
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Paul F. Harron Masters in Television Management
CA
With a landscape of vertically integrated media conglomerates and new distribution windows
constantly emerging, a TV show can generate multiple revenue streams. For a long time networks
measured the success of a TV show as a simple reflection of the advertising revenue, however other
revenue sources can be of equal or superior importance. Among these revenue sources are syndication,
home video sales and digital distribution. As part of larger media companies programmers need to
take into consideration many more factors when determining which shows are ‘successful’, redefining
success as the aggregation of all the revenue they can generate across windows during their entire
lifespan. This presentation will summarize the most significant revenue sources of a TV show and their
determinants from a financial point of view.
308
You Gotta Get A Gimmick: Non-Profit Theatre Strategies to Attract and
Retain Audiences in the Wake of the Recession
CA25
Eric Colton
Advisor(s): Cecelia Fitzgibbon
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Arts Administration
CA
The recession of 2008 created one of the most economically turbulent times in recent American history,
especially for the arts in which many museums and theatres faced hardship. Many institutions that
once provided high quality entertainment, family excursions, and artistic freedom, became casualties
of the economic crisis. As existing arts organizations assessed the damage, most knew it would be
harder than ever to attract patrons who once had the disposable income and leisure time to spend on
arts programming. This paper examines the innovative and creative ideas that six non-profit theatre
companies across the United States are using to attract and retain new and old patrons in the wake
of the recession. As famed composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim wrote in the musical Gypsy, “You
gotta gimmick… if you wanna get ahead.” While these companies have provided more than a single
gimmick, it shows that theatres are being forced to deduce and employ original ideas, such as pay your
age programs, wedding registry-like ticketing systems, and Netflix-style subscription packages. The
paper concludes with a discussion of how original ideas such as those used by the six companies will
continue to allow curtains to rise across the country.
309
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
A descriptive study concerning occupational health of factory workers in
Delhi
HM01
Amrita Chawla
Advisor(s): Dr. Arthur Frank
School of Public Health
Environmental and Occupational Health
Background: Promoting a safe and healthy environment is important to the health of an individual.
Occupational health is an important aspect of public health. Workers should not to worry about adverse
health effects because of their working conditions. In India, the field of occupational health has not
been given a great amount of attention. There is very limited amount of data that has been collected
regarding occupational health.
Methods: An interview using the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Questionnaire was carried out to
patients at a government run hospital in Delhi. Additionally, a health camp was created at a local
footwear factory in Delhi in which medical specialists noted any occupational health aggravated
symptoms of the employees. If any symptoms were noted, the employees were referred to the
Occupational Disease clinic at a government run hospital. Furthermore, a tour of the factory was given
and notes were made of possible risks and hazards.
Results: Twenty-three patients were interviewed using the ATS Questionnaire. The patients all worked
in different factories throughout Delhi. Three of the factory workers claimed to use proper personal
protective equipment. Eighty-six employees of the footwear factory attended the health camp.
Seventeen employees were referred to the Occupational Disease clinic for further check-up.
HM
Conclusion: Occupational health is in an important topic and further attention should be given.
Additional studies should be carried out regarding the occupational health of factory workers in Delhi.
The analysis suggests biological monitoring that can be carried out to determine further occupational
health aggravated symptoms.
311
Relational Aggression in University Women: Comparing sorority members
and their peers
HM02
Sadia Rharbite
Advisor(s): Naomi Goldstein
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Recent research suggests that university women, in particular, seek out intimacy through social
connections and place importance on interdependence (Lee & Robbins, 2000). In order to create these
social connections when placed in the unfamiliar environment of college, some women choose to join
sororities. Relational aggression refers to any behavior that is intended to harm someone by damaging
or manipulating relationships with others (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). Relational aggression occurs among
both genders, but it has been found to be much more prevalent in female than in male relationships
(Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). Focused investigation into the relationship between social sororities and
relational aggression is lacking. Until now, there has been no study exclusively comparing levels of
relational aggression in sorority members and non-sorority members. Given the intrinsic nature of
social exclusivity within sororities, members may be particularly prone to relationships characterized
by higher than normal rates of relational aggression. This study examined whether members of
sororities reported experiencing as a victim and/or perpetrating as an aggressor higher frequencies
of relational aggression than do non-members in a variety of social settings. 236 female participants
completed the online survey consisting of the following measures: 1) a demographics questionnaire,
2) the relational aggression survey, 3) Psychosocial Maturity Inventory (PSMI), 3) the Consideration of
Future Consequences (CFC), and 4) the Weinberg Adjustment Inventory (WAI), and 5) Cognitive Emotion
Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Preliminary analyses show a sorority members reporting significantly
increased frequencies of relational aggression of both experiencing as a victim and perpetrating as an
aggressor across social contexts as compared to non-members.
312
Pesticide usage and pesticide dust concentrations in the residences of
asthmatic children living in subsidized housing in Philadelphia
HM03
Miranda Engberg
Co-Author(s): Dr. Hernando Perez
Advisor(s): Dr. Hernando Perez
School of Public Health
Environmental & Occupational Health
HM
Pesticide dust concentrations were measured in a subset of 30 residences recruited to participate in a
federally funded asthma intervention in subsidized housing in Philadelphia. Dust was collected with
an HSV3 vacuum for approximately three minutes in three different areas in the homes. Pesticides
measured were cis and trans-permetrin, piperonyl butoxide, cypermetrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin,
fenvalerate, DDT, chlorpyifos, and diazinon. Self reported pesticide use levels, cockroach counts, and
measures of asthma related quality of life were compared with the quantified samples. Results will be
presented.
313
Twitter Zombie: Architecture for Capturing, Socially Transforming and
Analyzing the Twittersphere
HM04
Alan Black
Advisor(s): Dr. Sean Goggins
College of Information Science and Technology
IST
HM
Social computational systems emerge in the wild on popular social networking sites like Facebook
and Twitter, but there remains confusion about the relationship between social interactions and the
technical traces of interaction left behind through use. Twitter interactions and social experience are
particularly challenging to make sense of because of the wide range of tools used to access Twitter (text
message, website, iPhone, TweetDeck and others), and the emergent set of practices for annotating
message context (hashtags, reply to’s and direct messaging). Further, Twitter is used as a back channel
of communication in a wide range of contexts, ranging from disaster relief to watching television.
Our study examines Twitter as a transport protocol that is used differently in different socio-technical
contexts, and presents an analysis of how researchers might begin to approach studies of Twitter
interactions with a more reflexive stance toward the application programming interfaces (APIs) Twitter
provides. We conduct a careful review of existing literature examining socio-technical phenomena on
Twitter, revealing a collective inconsistency in the description of data gathering and analysis methods.
In this paper, we present a candidate architecture and methodological approach for examining specific
parts of the Twittersphere. Our contribution begins a discussion among social media researchers on
the topic of how to systematically and consistently make sense of the social phenomena that emerge
through Twitter. This work supports the comparative analysis of Twitter studies and the development of
social media theories.
314
Comparative Outcomes of Sling Revision Types in Patients with Obstructive
Suburethral Slings
HM05
Salim Wehbe
Co-Author(s): Dominique El Khawand, Divya Arunachalam, Howard Goldstein, Kristene
Whitmore, Babak Vakili
College of Medicine
Obstetrics and Gynecology/ Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Hypothesis
To compare outcomes of 2 sling revision types (division versus partial excision) in patients with prior
sub-urethral sling placement for stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
Design:
This is retrospective cohort study of women who underwent sling revision secondary to bladder outlet
obstruction. We defined division as cutting the middle of the sling right under the urethra (Group I).
We defined partial excision as removal of 1 cm of the central portion of the sling (Group II). Primary
outcome was recurrence of SUI. Secondary outcomes were resolution of voiding and storage urinary
symptoms and post void residuals (PVR).
Results:
Analysis included 26 patients (10 in Group I and 16 in Group II). There were no differences in
demographics. The type of original sling was similar. The surgical interval between the sling placement
and sling revision date was similar between groups (248 days for group I versus 329 days for group II .
Mean follow up was after sling release was longer in Group I than Group II (35 weeks versus 12 weeks;
p=0.02).
Recurrence of pure SUI was 20 % (2/10) in Group I compared to 33 % (5/16) in Group 2 (p=0.16).
Development of MUI occurred in 0 %( 0/10) of Group I and 13 %( 2/16; 1 De novo, 1 unknown status
before sling) of Group II ; Urge urinary incontinence occurred in 40 % (4/10; 2 De novo, 2 persistent) and
7 % (1/16; persistent) of Group II (p=0.16). Storage symptoms improved in 50 % of group I compared to
33 % in group II, and resolved in 40 % of Group I compared to 47% in Group II (p=0.65). Dysfunctional
voiding symptoms improved in 60 % of Group I compared to 40 % in Group II, and resolved in 40 %
of Group I compared to 60% in Group II (p=0.43). The mean PVR before sling placement was lower in
Group I compared to Group II (49 ml vs. 94 ml; p=0.49).
HM
Conclusion:
This study suggests that both sling revision methods are comparable regarding the recurrence of SUI,
and both resulted in significant decrease of the PVR and symptoms.
315
Modeling and analyzing users’ privacy management on online social
networks
HM06
Kijung Lee
Co-Author(s): Il-Yeol Song
Advisor(s): Il-Yeol Song
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
HM
The exponential growth of online social networks in recent years, while offering a greater range
of opportunities for communication and information sharing, raises issues in privacy. Research has
emerged in the field of privacy modeling in pursuit of understanding human decision making about
privacy on online social networks. However, the problem with existing literature on privacy modeling
is that it concentrates on the discussion of subjective factors influencing simple service adoption
while defining privacy in terms of what information object to protect. The contribution of our
project is, therefore, establishing clearly outlined quantitative models of how human communication
functions in the process of human decision making about privacy on online social networks. Based on
communication privacy management theory and theory of planned behavior, our models show the
influence of culture, gender, motivation, context, and risk / benefit ratio on how people coordinate
privacy boundaries with communication partners on online social networks. The models are then
validated using Structural Equation Modeling approach to ensure validity of quantitative measures as
well as causality among the identified research constructs.
316
Combating Domestic Terrorism: A Study on Law and Anti-Choice
Harassment
HM07
Krysten Connon
Co-Author(s): David S. Cohen
Advisor(s): David S. Cohen
School of Law
Law
HM
Academics studying women’s access to abortion have focused extensively on barriers to access such as
the decreasing number of abortion facilities, the increasing number of state restrictions on abortion,
and the unwelcoming atmosphere created by clinic protest. This interview-based qualitative empirical
research project focuses on a different barrier to access: the personalized harassment and violence
that individual abortion providers encounter in their daily lives. To study this problem, we interviewed
over 80 individuals associated with abortion provision in over 30 states. The interview subjects range
from clinic administrators to doctors and are of various ages and years of experience in abortion
provision. The semi-structured interviews explored the providers’ experiences and reactions to targeted
harassment and violence, what legal avenues they have pursued to address the problem and with what
success, and why they have continued providing abortion despite their experiences. By studying the
providers’ experiences as objects of harassment, violence, protest, and threats, we seek to add to the
literature about abortion access in two important ways: first, we hope to tell the stories of the providers
and their encounters with harassment; and second, we hope to evaluate how law and law enforcement
respond to this targeted harassment.
317
Community level physical activity and social interaction in two high-risk
inner-city communities
HM08
Julia Kuder
Co-Author(s): Sachin Walawalkar
Advisor(s): Amy Auchincloss
School of Public Health
Doctoral Program in Epidemiology
HM
Insufficient physical activity has been associated with obesity, currently one of the most pressing
public health concerns in the US, as well as other adverse health outcomes. Neighborhood context
has been identified as an important predictor of physical activity. Observational methods can be used
to assess community physical activity levels however very few tools exist for this purpose. A tool for
observing community physical activity was designed and was used to collect data in two disadvantaged
neighborhoods in West Philadelphia. Trained observers collected data for 18 one-hour intervals at
each site in the fall of 2011. The inter-rater reliability of the new tool will be quantified as well as
the prevalence of walking, jogging, and biking in these neighborhoods stratified by age group and
sex. Census data will be used to characterize neighborhood level demographic and socio-economic
status. Novel measures of social interactions will also be recorded in the new tool and reliability and
prevalence assessed for these new measures. Ultimately, results will be used to guide interventions
to improve the neighborhood environment and promote community level physical activity in
disadvantaged areas.
318
More Monitors? Supporting Situation Awareness in the Emergency Room
HM09
Diana Kusunoki
Co-Author(s): Zhan Zhang, Aleksandra Sarcevic
Advisor(s): Aleksandra
College of Information Science and Technology
HM
Trauma resuscitation is a highly complex, dynamic, and safety-critical process. Multidisciplinary trauma
teams treat patients according to Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) guidelines, systematically
addressing the patient’s Airway, Breathing, Circulation, and Disability (ABCD). Although seeing and
examining the patient provides crucial information, monitoring patient vital signs is essential for
determining indications for and responses to life-saving treatments. However, vital sign monitors
provide limited contextual information about the interventions performed and their associated
outcomes. In an environment where providers’ attention is limited, it is important to assess the
feasibility of supplementing existing information sources to improve team situation awareness
and decision-making. The purpose of this research is to characterize the role that current vital sign
monitors play in supporting tasks and information seeking performed by trauma teams. Six videos
of simulated trauma resuscitations where teams responded to a patient involved in a motor vehicle
crash were analyzed in depth. The analysis of information flow and sources used showed that the vital
sign monitor was referenced frequently in all events, especially by team leaders and anesthesiologists.
Team leaders spent more time looking at the monitor, but looked less often, whereas anesthesiologists
looked often, but only briefly. Moreover, the monitor was typically referenced before and after major
interventions such as endotracheal intubation for airway management and fluid administration. A
process model was developed based on the information seeking, diagnosis, intervention, and outcome
confirmation behaviors observed. This research has implications for how a supplemental monitor
with information such as the status of pending, in-progress, and completed interventions may further
support team situation awareness and enhance the work processes.
319
Mindfulness in waking and dreaming: A test of the continuity theory of
dreams
HM10
Robert Rider
Advisor(s): Mary V. Spiers
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
Introduction: According to the continuity theory of dreams, waking and dreaming rely on a shared set
of underlying brain-mind processes. This study aimed to determine whether mindfulness and related
neuropsychological functions are reflected in dream content.
Method: N = 44 participants completed surveys of mindfulness skills and neuropsychological tests of
sustained attention, visual attention span, behavioral self-monitoring, change detection, and cognitive
set shifting. Ratings of dream lucidity, attention, reflection, self-awareness, volition, and control
were then collected from participants for a period of one week. Dream mindfulness was derived by
taking the sum of ratings of dream attention, reflection, self-awareness, volition, and control ratings.
Linear regression was used to determine whether waking mindfulness predicted either dream lucidity
or dream mindfulness. Pearson correlations were used to test for relationships between waking
mindfulness, neuropsychological functions and dream mindfulness.
Results: Waking mindfulness did not significantly predict dream lucidity, but did account for a
significant amount of variance in dream mindfulness, R2=.20, F(3,41)=3.1, p<.05. Specifically, recent
mindful awareness significantly predicted dream mindfulness, B=.40, t(41)=.39, p=.01. Higher levels
of dream mindfulness were related to better sustained attention, r(41)=-.40, and behavioral selfmonitoring, r(41)=-.28 (both p<.05). The relationship between dream mindfulness and lucidity was
marginally significant r(41)=.22,p=.08.
HM
Discussion: Consistent with continuity theory, self-reported levels of mindfulness in the week preceding
the study predicted levels of dream mindfulness during the study. Correspondence between waking
neuropsychological ability and ratings of dream cognitive functions is suggestive of a shared brain basis
supporting these functions across the two states.
320
A Hodgepodge of Answering Styles: Reference Behaviors on Ancestry.com
Message Boards
HM11
Heather Willever-Farr
Co-Author(s): Andrea Forte, Lisl Zach
Advisor(s): Andrea Forte
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
HM
Fifty-four million Americans belong to a family in which a family member has used the Web to research
their family history. Scholars have further found that amateur family history researchers (FHRs) prize
information sharing with other FHRs to advance their research interests, and that the Web is playing a
key role in facilitating this information sharing. The online information behaviors of FHRs are of interest
to many memory institutions, such as archives and historical societies, because FHRs are a large patron
group and are avid users of digital and paper-based historical collections. Memory institutions are
also exploring new ways to dynamically engage with and support patron groups, such as FHRs, using
Web 2.0 tools. Understanding the online information behaviors of FHRs may help inform the design of
patron engagement tools, as well as, access tools for historical collections. To build an understanding
of one aspect of FHRs’ online information behaviors, information sharing, this poster examines the
information sharing behaviors of answerers on a popular Q&A message board on Ancestry.com. The
researchers examined all messages posted by answerers in response to asker inquiries for the year
2010 (n=597). Initial examination of the messages revealed that many of the answerers were engaging
in reference behaviors that were similar to those found in Abels’ 1996 study of the online reference
approaches of library science graduate students. Due to this similarity, answerer messages were coded
based on Abel’s five online reference approaches: piecemeal, feedback, bombardment, assumption,
and systematic. Analysis reveals that a similar range of reference behaviors from the least optimal
(assumption) to the most optimal reference approach (systematic) was evident in answerer posts. Study
findings also suggest that additional reference types are needed to explain two emergent assumptive
reference approaches on the message board: simplistic and data deluge approaches.
321
Eye Glances as a Measure of Attention in Baseline Drive vs Dual-Task
Performance in TBI vs Healthy Controls
HM12
Danielle Martin
Advisor(s): Maria Schultheis
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) often have long-term cognitive impairment in several
domains, including attention. Eye glances are considered a measure of visual attention and have been
used to measure attention while driving. The current study compared attentional allocation of TBI
and healthy control subjects on a baseline drive vs. a dual-task. Participants included 36 adults who
were part of a larger study. There were 18 healthy controls (HC) and 18 participants with chronic TBI
(TBI). Groups were matched on age and gender. Participants’ eye glances were recorded by video
cameras in an instrumented vehicle as they drove through a research-defined route. During the drive,
eye glance data, including duration and location, was recorded during two conditions: baseline and
dual task. During the baseline condition, participants were simply instructed to drive. During the
dual-task condition, participants were required to make change with coins and tune the radio station
while driving. Total duration of drive segment and time spent looking forward in that segment were
calculated for each condition. Percentage of total time spent looking forward was calculated from
those measures. Difference between percent of total time spent looking forward in each dual task and
its respective baseline was calculated. A 2x2 ANOVA revealed no significant differences between groups
in performance change (baseline-task performance) during the dual-task coin condition. However, there
was a significant difference between HC and TBI groups in how performance changed from baseline to
dual-task performance during the radio tuning condition, F (1,34) = 11.79, p < .01. These results suggest
that performing a dual task like radio tuning may cause significant deviations in attention allocation
compared to basic driving. Further research should investigate if and how attention allocation
differences during baseline and dual-task execution relates to overall driving performance.
322
Assessing cultural competence of providers within a network of HIV/AIDS
care providers
HM13
Adedipupo King
Advisor(s): Nathalie Bartle, Rashidah Abdul-Khabeer
School of Public Health
Community Health and Prevention
It is crucial for healthcare organizations to be aware of the cultural diversity within its clientele and
institute suitable procedures to ensure culturally competent services are provided. Cultural competence
in service delivery is vital to whether or not clients access care and adhere to their treatment regimen.
Such outcomes are particularly desirable for management of HIV-infected individuals. The cultural
competence of providers within a network of HIV/AIDS healthcare service providers in Philadelphia was
assessed.
Some aims of this project included: 1) Determine key elements of a culturally competent service delivery
system; 2) Identify standards used in various healthcare organizations particularly among STD/HIV
care providers; 3) Identify major constraints of providers to providing culturally appropriate services;
4) Determine major population groups that make up the clientele of the Circle of Care and to identify
their major concerns and needs to receiving culturally appropriate services; and 5) Determine key steps
to enhance delivery of culturally appropriate services.
Qualitative methods including key informant interviews with care providers and focus group sessions of
clients were conducted to address these aims. Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards (CLAS)
published by the Office of Minority Health was used to develop the interview guides.
HM
Data collection and analysis are on-going and will be completed by June, 2012. Preliminary results from
key informant interviews suggest that organizations may be providing culturally-competent services
although in some cases, they have no detailed procedural descriptions. Preliminary data from clients
imply that experiences of some clients may differ from what organizations believe. For example, some
clients believe the information collected by organizations during their first meeting is collected as mere
formality because such information is not acknowledged in their subsequent encounters with staff.
323
An Analysis of Decision Making Tasks and Information Sources in Trauma
Resuscitation
HM14
Zhan Zhang
Co-Author(s): Diana Kusunoki, Aleksandra Sarcevic
Advisor(s): Aleksandra Sarcevic
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Science
The development of clinical decision support systems over the past decades shows continued effort
in improving and augmenting a key aspect of high-quality medical care—clinical decision making.
Medical researchers have been seeking ways to improve accuracy, efficacy and expediency of decision
making by studying how physicians make decisions. Yet, little is known about what constitutes decisionmaking tasks in emergency care and how different information sources support this medical activity.
Understanding the complexity of decision-making process is thus essential to designing and developing
computerized support.
HM
This work is part of a larger research effort to examine work processes of trauma teams and elicit
design requirements for wall displays to facilitate information flow, improve situation awareness
and support decision making. Here we focus on studying decision-making tasks and information
sources used by team leaders in the fast-paced and high-risk medical setting of trauma resuscitation.
Interviews with ten surgical team leaders and ED physicians revealed several environmental aspects
that make decision making difficult, including system complexity and diagnostic tradeoffs, missing
and unreliable information, and managing multiple patients simultaneously. These findings suggest
three ways in which information technology can facilitate decision making in trauma resuscitation: (1)
provide more information about the current patient; (2) engage other team members in the room or
remote specialists; and, (3) enable comparison with past similar cases. This study is a step toward a more
comprehensive understanding of complex teamwork processes in trauma resuscitation; it considers how
factors affecting decision making need to be accounted for when designing technology for trauma
teams.
324
Negative Problem Orientation as a Mediator of Personality Traits and
Negative Affectivity
HM15
Sarah Ricelli
Co-Author(s): Christine Nezu, Arthur M. Nezu
Advisor(s): Arthur M. Nezu, Christine Nezu
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Within the context of the empirically-supported personality trait taxonomy known as five-factor
model, the trait of neuroticism has been associated with negative affect. Additionally, the traits
of conscientiousness and extraversion have been associated with reduction in negative affect. This
suggests that personality vulnerabilities may lead to emotional distress, and personality strengths may
serve as a buffering factor. However, one way that the likelihood of psychological outcomes may be
either increased or decreased regardless of the presence of personality trait vulnerabilities or strengths,
may be dependent on the presence of specific coping strategies in an individual’s repertoire. Social
problem solving is a particular cognitive behavioral coping process by which an individual identifies
effective solutions to everyday problems. Because of the extant evidence base for problem solving as an
important coping factor with regard to the link between stress and depression, it has been suggested
that problem solving coping may represent one important set of coping responses that may also impact
the link between personality traits and emotional distress. It was hypothesized that the problem solving
dimension of negative problem orientation (NPO), a factor consistently associated with distress, would
serve as a mediator of the relationship between personality and negative affect. In the present study,
290 undergraduate students completed a series of three questionnaires: NEO Personality InventoryRevised, Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule.
Mediational analyses were performed to test the predicted mediational role of NPO. Results indicate
that NPO is a significant partial mediator of the relationships between personality traits and negative
affect. These findings identify negative problem orientation as a clinical target to attenuate distress in
individuals with personality vulnerabilities.
325
Prosopography and Social Network Analysis: A Journey to Ancient Uruk
HM16
Emad Khazraee
Co-Author(s): Chris Yang
Advisor(s): Michael Khoo
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
HM
Usually historians spend a great deal of time to find the relationships among people in historical texts
and primary resources to build the social network of persons and social groups and in order to find a
better image of social, political and economic status of the actors in the past. “Prosopography is the
investigation of the common background characteristics of a group of actors in history by means of a
collective study of their lives” (Stone, 1971). This process is usually a painstaking task, because beside
deep knowledge of ancient languages it needs comparison of many resources and references and
assembling the models by hand. Social Network Analysis (SNA) techniques can bring the computation
power of machine into this field and it may help us to streamline a cumbersome process and increase
the pace of research. This study is a pilot exploratory study to understand the potentials of SNA and the
focus of study is a corpus of historical tablets. The research design is focused to understand the nature
of social interaction among the clans in the Uruk society. In this regard, we attempted to see which
actors have the most mutual ties and which actors have the most prominent role in social interactions.
To achieve this goals two type of analysis has been done. Centrality analysis, based on weighteddegree centrality and betweenness centrality; structural analysis to understand the roles, positions,
core and periphery; The result of centrality analysis and the structural analysis suggests that there were
a significant distinction in the amount of social interaction among clans in the Uruk society based on
the content represented by the legal documents. Three layers of social interaction distinguished in this
analysis. These findings are will not considered valid unless confirmed by other historical evidence from
domain experts.
326
Library Services to the Underserved
HM18
Adam Townes
Co-Author(s): Eileen Abels
Advisor(s): Eileen Abels
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
HM
This study seeks to understand how libraries are filling the needs of underserved populations.
Underserved populations include minorities, immigrants, Native Americans and residents of rural
areas. Generally, members of these populations have low educational achievement, low income, and
overall low literacy rates. In addition, they have lower access to information resources. Research into
how libraries and librarians are reaching out and providing services to underserved communities
has the potential to inform library education practices, increase awareness of needs of underserved
communities and restructure resources and access points accordingly, thus taking a step towards
realizing information equality. The proposed study will address the following overarching research
question: What role does the public library play in the lives of underserved populations? Specifically,
we will gain an understanding of the services and resources provided to meet the special needs of
this population; the issues or challenges librarians encounter when providing library and information
services to these populations; how public libraries can better serve underserved populations in their
communities; how do library services directed toward reaching underserved populations help the
development of 21st century competencies including basic digital, health and financial literacies.
The study will consist of interviews with library staff or library program staff who deliver services to
underserved communities. Initial interviews will be conducted among the librarians from the Free
Library of Philadelphia who are involved in the Hot Spot project. Hot Spots are public library supported
computer centers available to underserved communities in Philadelphia. Librarians interviewed will be
asked to recommend other librarians to include in the study using the snowball sampling approach.
Additional services will be identified through a literature review.
327
Suicide on Facebook: Suicide Assessment Using Online Social Media
HM19
Amir Ahuja
Co-Author(s): Krystine Biesaga, R. Bryan Chambliss
College of Medicine
Psychiatry
HM
Often in suicide assessment, an interviewing psychiatrist relies mostly on the patient’s oral history. In
this case report, we explore the use of online social media to aid in suicide assessment. We postulate
that, with increased technology usage, social media should be an important form of collateral
information, particularly in a safety assessment of suicide. With this patient, there was an impulsive
suicide attempt without a diagnosable history of depression. With the patient’s consent, social media
was used to reconstruct a picture of the suicide attempt and establish a clear timeline which we were
unable to obtain from the patient due to his lack of insight. By obtaining the data from Facebook,
a clearer diagnosis of depression was made. This information also helped us assist the patient in
gaining more insight into the severity of his condition and helped in getting the patient to agree to a
treatment plan. In the future, Facebook and other social media can be routinely utilized as part of a
comprehensive safety assessment.
328
Napping, academic performance, and depressed mood in university
students
HM20
Jessica Bartholow
Co-Author(s): Elizabth J. Culnan, Christina O. Nash
Advisor(s): Jacqueline D. Kloss
College of Arts and Sciences
Clinical Psychology
HM
College students are at risk for both inadequate sleep and depressed mood, both of which have
been shown to compromise academic performance and daytime functioning. While napping may be
utilized to alleviate sleepiness or cope with depressed mood, little is known about the influence of
napping on academic performance. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between napping,
depressed mood, and GPA among college students. A college student sample completed the Epworth
Sleepiness Scale, Profile of Mood States, and three weeks of sleep diaries as part of a larger study. A
regression analysis revealed a significant interaction between depressed mood and napping behavior
accounted for a significant amount of variance in academic performance. These findings indicate that
the combination of depressed mood and daytime sleeping habits may account for a greater amount of
variance in academic performance than either depressed mood or napping alone.
329
Twitter Zombie In Action: Tweeting the Dystopian Discourse of the Hunger
Games
HM21
Melinda Sebastian
Co-Author(s): Rachel Magee, Alison Novak, Christopher Mascaro, Alan Black, Dr. Sean Goggins
Advisor(s): Dr. Wes Shumar
College of Arts and Sciences
Culture & Communication
HM
Twitter is a service growing in popularity that provides relatively easy access to online social networking
and participation in a community. However, much research on this micro-blogging platform has focused
on its use in crises, such as shootings or the Arab Spring revolutions (Heverin & Zach, 2012; Papacharissi,
2011). In order to develop a deeper understanding of how this service is used in the United States
in a day-to-day manner, we instead examine anticipation, experience of, and reminiscing about the
opening of the film The Hunger Games, released on March 23, 2012. The film is based on the bestselling
teen novel by Suzanne Collins (2008), and is one in a recent stretch of film adaptations from this type
of literature. We use the Twitter Zombie system developed by the Drexel Group Informatics Lab to
collect discourse about this story, using the affordances of tweets, retweets, “reply-to’s”, “@mentions”,
#hashtags and keywords. We analyze the way discourse about the work of fiction changes over the
course of time, and examine how Twitter users engage in an extension of the telling of the story,
interacting with fictional characters, and sharing that interaction with other fans.
330
Studying Scatter/Gather Browsing for Exploratory Search
HM22
Xuemei Gong
Co-Author(s): Weimao Ke
Advisor(s): Weimao Ke
College of Information Science and Technology
HM
Scatter/Gather system is an information retrieval system based on document clustering. It integrates
Bing to do search in a manner that the search results are obtained from Bing and clustered into
different clusters automatically. Then the clusters and the key words for each cluster are provided to the
users. It can help the users to clarify their information needs when it is difficulty to articulate the needs
as query, and also provide a new strategy for searching. A user study will be conducted to compare the
effectiveness of Scatter/Gather system and classic free-text searching system in helping users to finish
search tasks while considering the task type and topic familiarity.
331
Maternal Psychosocial Determinants of Fetal and Infant Health: Advancing
Science through the National Children’s Study
HM23
Jane Greene Ryan
Co-Author(s): Michelle O’Connor Kensey, Joan Rosen Bloch
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nursing
HM
Understanding the psychosocial determinants in tandem with the study of extensive cellular and
environmental biological factors differentiates the National Children’s Study (NCS) from all other
childhood studies. This far-reaching research will help untangle the complex array of interrelated
perinatal factors affecting health and well-being of children and contribute to understanding the role
various factors have on health and disease. This complex and extensive research study is relevant to
perinatal nurses in practice, teaching and research. This project synthesizes the literature on NCS and
the maternal psychosocial determinants with the aim of informing scholars of the National Children’s
Study (NCS) and how researchers will be able to advance science in explicating maternal psychosocial
determinants of infant health. A rich epidemiologic dataset will emerge that will have longitudinal
data on 100,000 children, enrolled from before birth to 21 years. We reviewed all issues of the Journal
of Obstetrical, Gynecological, Neonatal and Gynecological Nursing published during the 40 years of its
existence and identified potential research questions of previously conducted perinatal nursing studies
that are would have great impact if replicated, using data that will emerge from the NCS dataset.
332
The relationship between sleep and violence among adolescents:
Examining gender and ethnic differences
HM24
Aimee Hildenbrand
Co-Author(s): Brian P. Daly, Elizabeth Nicholls, Stephanie Brooks-Holliday, Jacqueline D. Kloss
Advisor(s): Jacqueline D. Kloss, Ph.D., Brian P. Daly, Ph.D.
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Insufficient sleep is associated with a host of adverse physical, behavioral, and psychosocial
consequences among adolescents, including increased risk for perpetrating or being the victim of youth
violence. However, few studies have examined factors that may moderate the relationship between
insufficient sleep and violence-related behaviors among adolescents. The purpose of this study was
to more thoroughly investigate the association between insufficient sleep (less than 8 hours on a
typical school night) and violence by examining gender and ethnic differences among a nationally
representative sample of high school students. This study utilized data from the 2009 National Youth
Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Logistic regression analyses evaluated the association between insufficient
sleep and violence-related behaviors, controlling for demographic factors (i.e., gender, age, ethnicity).
In addition to examining the full sample, analyses were stratified by gender and ethnicity. Findings
revealed that students with insufficient sleep were more likely to engage in all violence-related
behaviors examined compared to students with sufficient sleep. Males with insufficient sleep were at
increased risk of carrying weapons and engaging in physical fights on school property as compared to
females with insufficient sleep. Caucasian and Hispanic/Latino students with insufficient sleep were
at increased risk of carrying weapons on school property as well as being victims of bullying. Results
highlight the potential value of incorporating sleep education interventions into violence prevention
programs and underline the need for further examination of the ways in which gender and ethnicity
may moderate the relationship between sleep and violence-related behaviors.
333
Risk for perinatal depression and mental health status in incarcerated
pregnant women
HM25
Krystal Anson
Advisor(s): Jennifer Kolker, Marjie Mogul
School of Public Health
Executive MPH
HM
Incarcerated women face many physical and mental health disparities including minimal reproductive
and mental health care. Perinatal depression is a complication 7-13% of women in the general
population face. The risk for perinatal depression doubles when the woman is low-income and minority
or has a history of a mental health issue, and increases further to about 40-60% as a teen mother.
The numbers of incarcerated women who come in pregnant or become pregnant while in prison are
increasing. Many of the women have a history of mental health issues, it is also documented that
incarcerated women have co-existing issues that can include mental health illness, trauma, substance
abuse and poverty; making incarcerated women at higher risk for perinatal depression when they
become pregnant. Perinatal depression is a treatable mental health condition but many correctional
facilities lack the services needed to support the women and their getting treatment. The Maternity
Care Coalition (MCC) MOMobile at Riverside program in Philadelphia’s Riverside Correctional Facility
educates pregnant and postpartum women in childbirth and parenting skills; includes doula support
and screening for risk of perinatal depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). In
the evaluation of the MOMobile at Riverside program, enrolled from 2007-2012 (n=233), 44.6% (n=104)
were diagnosed with a mental health condition and 25.3% (n=59) accepted treatment. MOMobile at
Riverside clients are at high risk for perinatal depression, screening for perinatal depression resulted in
48.9% (n=114) of the clients were at risk during their initial visit.
334
Menu Labeling May Motivate Fast Food Restaurants to Include Healthier
Options on their Menus
HM26
Alexa Namba
Co-Author(s): Amy Auchincloss, PhD, MPH, Beth Leonberg, MS, RD, CSP, FADA, LDN, Sachin
Walawalkar
Advisor(s): Amy Auchincloss, PhD, MPH
School of Public Health
Epidemiology, MPH
HM
In recent years, legislation requiring the posting of nutritional information at chain restaurants has
been implemented in municipalities across the country to combat rising obesity rates. While early
research into the effect of such labels on consumer decisions has shown mixed results, no quantitative
assessment into the restaurant industry’s response to these mandates has been conducted. This project
aimed to evaluate the impact of menu-labeling legislation on offerings from fast food restaurants
between 2005-2011. Using the nutrition menus from five case (Arby’s, KFC, Long John Silver’s, SONIC,
and Wendy’s) and four control restaurants (Bojangles’, Culver’s, Hardee’s, and Whataburger), this
exploratory study compared menu offerings in areas currently under menu labeling mandate and
outside of those municipalities. A trend analysis of menu items pre and post-menu labeling legislation
quantitatively assessed whether these regulations motivated restaurants to increase their ‘healthful’
menu options or modify the nutritional content of their existing menu items. Over the past 7 years, the
average calories for an a la carte entree has remained moderately high (approximately 450 calories,
standard deviation of 190), with no clear systematic differences between restaurant chains in case vs.
control areas. Additionally, less than 25% of all entrees and sides qualified as ‘healthful’ on a number
of nutritional criteria. While the overall prevalence of ‘healthful’ options remains low for all years and
all chains, a noteworthy increase in the prevalence of healthy entrees was seen at case locations relative
to controls after menu labeling legislation (from 13% to 20% at the case locations vs. remaining
static at 8% at the control locations, p<0.05). These findings suggest that menu labeling has thus far
not motivated restaurants to improve their menus overall but it may motivate restaurants to slightly
increase healthier options.
335
The use of Twitter for information dissemination by academic libraries
HM27
Hae Min Kim
Co-Author(s): Eileen Abels, Christopher Yang
Advisor(s): Eileen Abels, Christopher Yang
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
HM
Twitter is a tool for information dissemination introduced in 2006. Currently, it has 130 million
active users and 340 million tweets are sent on average each day [1]. This tool has potential for
academic libraries in their effort to disseminate information to their users. Thus far, according to
research reported in the literature, academic libraries have posted a variety of content including
announcements, services, and useful information and news. Some studies have looked at content of
tweets by academic libraries. However, no studies have been found that look at dissemination patterns
through retweeting. This study will be a multi-method study that analyzes the content of tweets sent by
ten academic libraries from the perspective of authority and reliability, as well as the retweet networks
of these libraries. In addition, librarians from each of the ten libraries will be interviewed to determine
how they choose the content that they tweet and retweet, and a survey will be administered to the
members of the retweet network to explore their motivation for retweeting. The research questions are
(1) what factors do librarians consider when they use Twitter to disseminate information, (2) what kinds
of users are on the academic library’s retweet network , (3) what factors do members of the retweet
network consider when they retweet messages from a library, and (4) what patterns emerge from the
retweet network in transmitting information on Twitter. This study will contribute to an understanding
of how academic libraries use Twitter as a tool and if this provides them with a tool that allows them to
be authoritative mediators on Twitter.
336
Enhancing Health Information Search with Dual-Process Theories
HM28
Michael Zarro
Advisor(s): Xia Lin
College of Information Science and Technology
Ph.D.
HM
Searching for health information is one of the most common online activities today and the resources
found on the Web can have a serious effect on health outcomes. However, the complexity of health
concepts, the vocabulary gap between consumer and health-information provider, and the scatter of
content across the Web often make it difficult for health consumers to reach the resources they need,
understand the information they find, and ultimately make well-informed decisions. Search engines
serve a substantial intermediary function in health informatics, supporting consumers as they navigate a
complex and unfamiliar domain. An expanded understanding of health information seeking is needed
in order to develop systems that will enhance search performance. This work characterizes searchers’
cognitive processes using two dual-process theories from social psychology, the Elaboration Likelihood
Model and the Heuristic-Systematic Model. The parallels between human cognition described by dualprocess theories and observed behaviors described by information-seeking models from the information
sciences are investigated to further the understanding of strategic and tactical decisions made during
health information searches. The results of this comparison can be used to extend models of health
information seeking and inform the design of future search systems.
337
Essential Air Service: A Local, Geographic Market Perspective
HM29
Fangwu Wei
Co-Author(s): Tony H. Grubesic
Advisor(s): Tony H. Grubesic
College of Information Science and Technology
HM
Essential Air Service (EAS) is a federally subsidized program in the United States that provides air
transport connections to rural and remote locations. Critics suggest that EAS is too expensive and that
many of its airports are underutilized. Proponents of the program argue that connections between
rural locales and larger urban hubs help maintain local economic activity. The purpose of this paper is
to examine the variations in local geographic markets and their impacts on service levels. Specifically,
we use exploratory and confirmatory statistical approaches combined with spatial analysis to examine
the geographic, demographic, socio-economic and local business determinants that contribute to
commercial flight activity from EAS airports. Results suggest that geographic proximity to larger hubs,
subsidy levels and the local population of the EAS catchment area are critical factors in flight activity at
EAS airports.
338
Using Open Source Data in the Estimation of Area Atmospherics
HM30
Rachael Dubin
Co-Author(s): James Eilbert, James Stokes, Andrew Rossoff
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
HM
Recent social movements in the Middle East and North Africa, referred to as the “Arab Spring”, have
drawn attention to the role of social media as a tool for information dissemination and planning
within a movement. Due to this growing command, control, and communication role of social media
during social activism and to its open source nature, social media represents a rich source of data for
intelligence analysts. Such practical applications may include the estimation of situational perceptions,
inter-group sentiment, and likelihood of action within a group or region. Drawing on appraisal-based
theories of emotion and social movement literature, a conceptual framework outlining observable
phases of the process leading from dissent to action was developed and refined. We selected the
uprising in Libya as a case example and began by performing research to develop a basic understanding
of the region’s history, economy, and socio-political structure. Based on this understanding, we
identified a set of observables likely to indicate a population’s perceptions of economic condition, their
support for the Libyan government, and their support for blue force (including the United States and
NATO forces). Text from web pages and tweets were collected from time periods during the Libyan
uprising, and the selected observables informed manual coding of this content as indicative of positive
or negative economic condition, government support, or blue force support. Automated classification
algorithms were trained using these datasets. A suggested initial result is that spikes in sentiment tend
to precede reported events. Tweet frequency in each category over time was graphed and compared to
data from Google Trends, representative of keyword search volume and used as a proxy for reported
events. This research reports on an initial phase of model development, data collection, and analysis,
and is part of an ongoing effort under the sponsorship of the Office of Naval Research.
339
The Relationships Among Mindfulness, Physical Activity Level, and
Menstrual Symptom Severity
HM31
Lindey Bartolucci
Advisor(s): Mary Spiers
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Menstrual symptoms such as pain, negative affect, and sleep disruption, can be debilitating for
some women. There are treatments for menstrual symptoms available, but they are unpleasant and
many women do not continue using them. Mindfulness has been shown to have an array of health
benefits including decreases in pain, decreases in negative affect, and better sleep quality, which are
three symptoms experienced during menstruation. Previous research has shown that an increase in
mindfulness is related to a decrease in the severity of some menstrual symptoms. Exercise has also
been shown to decrease menstrual symptoms and is a common prescription to relieve menstrual pain.
Because there are methods of simultaneously exercising and enhancing mindfulness (such as yoga)
and because mindfulness may increase health related behaviors such as exercise, a study is proposed to
compare the relationships of both exercise and mindfulness to menstrual symptoms determine which
the is most likely creating the beneficial effects. The relationships among levels of mindfulness, levels of
fitness, sleep quality and severity of menstrual symptoms in normally menstruating college women will
be assessed using a battery of online questionnaires.
340
Risk Taking and Sensation Seeking
HM32
Crystal Jicha
Co-Author(s): Kara Douglas, MS, Tiffany Lake, MS
Advisor(s): Dr. Mary Spiers
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
Individuals with high risk taking propensity are often at greater risk for problems concerning finances,
drug abuse, and safety. These behaviors may be mediated by activation in the mesolimbic and frontal
regions of the brain (Rao et al, 2008).
Sensation-seeking is a personality measure typically used to define an individual’s willingness to seek
out thrills, and includes traits such as disinhibition, and susceptibility to boredom (Zuckerman, 1994).
These traits may increase an individual’s likelihood for taking on new experiences with potential for
reward and also risk. Sensation seeking and reward may involve similar reward pathways as those
activated during risk taking. This analysis sought to determine whether or not there exists a relationship
between risk taking behavior and a self-report personality measure of sensation seeking.
50 female undergraduate students were given the Balloon-Analog Risk Task (BART), a
neuropsychological measure of real-world risk taking behaviors, and the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking
Scale (SSS-V).
A significant, moderate, positive correlation between sensation-seeking scores and performance on the
BART was found (N=50, r=0.431, p=0.002). In a stepwise linear regression, sensation seeking scores were
found to be a positive predictor of BART performance although the relationship was relatively weak (b
= 0.794, SEb = 0.240, p = .002, adj. r2 = .169), explaining only 17% of the variance in BART performance.
HM
This relationship suggests that those with higher inclination towards sensation seeking behaviors are
also more disposed to risk taking. This information may be applied to real-world scenarios such as drug
use and gambling.
341
The Utilization of a Deprivation Index to Inform Socioeconomic Status
HM33
Melissa Miller
Advisor(s): Yvonne Michael, ScD
School of Public Health
Epidemiology
HM
Persistent disparities in breast cancer outcomes have lead to research focused on understanding the
effects of socioeconomic status (SES). However, there is no gold standard for quantifying a complex
variable like SES. A study by Messer and colleagues (2006) utilizes neighborhood-level data to create an
index, which summarizes many indicators of SES into a single measure of deprivation. This project seeks
to recreate the Messer et al. index to observe its utility in understanding disparities in breast cancer
outcomes in a study area including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Eight SES indicators were
extracted from the 2000 census and used to create the deprivation index. These indicators represent
education, income, occupation, employment, and housing. A principal components analysis approach
was used to reduce these indicators to a single factor. The resulting first component accounted for
only 34.32% of the variability seen across the three sites, whereas the Messer et al. index accounted
for 66.9% of the variability across eight sites. Additionally, component loadings were not consistent
between study areas (0.01-0.88). The low correlation between these specific census indicators and
overall neighborhood deprivation for our study area suggests that this particular index may not be
generalizable to all populations. This study does however, provide insight into the possible benefits
of establishing research and health programs focused at the neighborhood-level, rather than those
focused on the individual.
342
Visualizing Collaboration Visualizing Collaboration; Central Authors and
Strong Ties in Evolutionary Game Theory
HM34
Katherine McCain
College of Information Science and Technology
HM
This project explores whether there is a simple way to identify strong patterns of collaboration
in co-author networks, given that the same degree centrality can arise from different patterns of
collaboration. Social Network Analysis was used to examine co-authorship patterns in 753 articles in
Evolutionary Game Theory (1973-2009). Network visualizations focusing on number of co-authors
(degree centrality=collaboration breadth) do not distinguish well between authors with many coauthors/few papers and authors with more papers but fewer co-authors per paper. Including the
number of collaborations between author pairs (tie strength = collaboration persistence) allowed
more substantial patterns of collaboration to appear. The recommendation is to focus first on building/
identifying the networks and then filtering by tie strength to identify network components for further
investigation.
343
What Dual-Degree Library Students Need to about a Career in Academic
Law Librarianship
HM35
Mark Popielarski
Advisor(s): Edwin Greenlee
College of Information Science and Technology
MSLIS
HM
The past few years have witnessed an influx of law school graduates entering library schools across
the nation in order to pursue a career in public services in an academic law librarian. While these legal
professionals may have enjoyed career success in their previous occupation, most new students are
complete novices when it comes to the field of librarianship. The author used a combination of surveys
sent to current academic law librarians and a review of existing literature to assist students in course
selection, gaining library experience, professional development, and how to secure that first full-time
library job.
344
Impact of Social Support on Recidivism Rate in Offenders
HM36
Jade Dinh
Co-Author(s): Kirk Heilbrun, Stephanie Brooks Holliday
Advisor(s): Kirk Heilbrun
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
The aim of this study was to examine the correlates of a structured reentry program, consistent with
the Risk-Need-Responsivity model, with offender perceptions of social support. Fifty-two participants
recruited from a short-term community-based classification center were included in this study’s analyses.
Participants’ perceptions of social support were measured at time of intake and prior to leaving
the program using the Social Support scale of the Texas Christian University Criminal Justice Client
Evaluation of Self and Treatment (TCU CJ CEST). Participation in programs designed to improve family
and peer relationships was also assessed. Results indicated that there was no significant change in social
support scores. In addition, this study examined the relationship between time, risk level, and social
support. Results demonstrated that risk level was a significant moderator of change in social support
over time. Finally, this study examined the correlation between change in social support perception
and the extent to which the criminogenic risks/needs of family/marital and companions were targeted
through services received in the program. There was no significant correlation between receipt
of treatment and change in social support perceptions. These results suggest that adherence to a
rehabilitation model in a reentry facility is positively related to offenders’ perceptions of social support,
although this relationship may be different for individuals across risk levels. This has implications for
successful reintegration into the community, and for public safety.
345
Is An Individual’s Implicit Theory of Self-Control Predictive of Short-Term
Success in a Weight-Loss Program?
HM37
Lauren Lentz
Advisor(s): Dr. Meghan Butryn
College of Arts and Sciences
MS Psychology
HM
Obesity is a leading public health concern with serious health and economic consequences. An
emerging area of study in the treatment of obesity is self-control. Self-control is understood as the
ability to resist immediate gratification so as to adhere to long-term goals. Previous research has shown
that an association exists between response inhibition and a failure to lose weight in participants
enrolled in weight loss treatment (Nederkoorn et al, 2006). Other research also has demonstrated
that self-control predicted weight regain in participants following weight loss (Lattimore, Fisher, &
Malinowski, 2011). However, little research has focused on the importance of participants’ beliefs about
self-control in determining weight loss. Individuals vary in the extent to which they believe that selfcontrol is a limited vs. nonlimited resource. The proposed study will test the hypothesis that individuals
with a limited resource theory of self-control will be less successful in the short-term in a weight loss
program than those with a nonlimited resource theory of self-control. The data is currently being
collected, and the results will be presented at the Research Day. Results from this exploratory study may
advance the understanding of factors that promote or inhibit weight control.
346
Family Weight History as a Predictor of Dieting Status in College Aged
Females
HM38
Renee Mikorski
Co-Author(s): Lisa Shank, Meghan Butryn, Michael Lowe
Advisor(s): Meghan Butryn
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Despite the high prevalence of obesity in the United States, few interventions have shown long-term
improvements in weight control. Because of this there have been growing efforts to develop effective
programs to prevent obesity. In order to develop these programs, it is important to understand
predictors of future weight gain. Dieting behavior is one known predictor of future weight gain.
Degree of parental obesity also predicts probability of obesity in their offspring. The aim of this
current analysis was to examine personal dieting history and family weight history in an unselected
sample of college-aged females through an online survey. The goal was to determine if these two
markers of weight gain proneness overlap or are independent. The survey had 139 responses from
Drexel undergraduate females. Participants were asked questions about their dieting history and
their family weight history. Family weight history was assessed by having participants estimate their
parents’ height and weight, and then select representative figures of their parents from standardized
body shape silhouettes. One-way ANOVA tests were conducted examining the differences in mother
body mass index (BMI), father BMI, mother weight, father weight, mother figure rating and father
figure rating between participants who were currently dieting, participants who have dieted in the
past, and participants who have never dieted. Significant differences were found for both mother BMI
and mother figure rating for the three diet groups, with current dieters reporting the highest mean
values for both mother BMI and figure rating, and never dieters reporting the lowest mean values for
both mother BMI and figure rating. This implies that mother BMI and mother figure size predicts diet
status in females. A history of dieting is a known predictor of future weight gain, and the relationship
between dieting history and mother’s weight status should be examined to further understand how
these variables interact.
347
Changes in Antisocial Attitudes during a Structured Reentry Program
HM39
Stephanie Brooks Holliday
Co-Author(s): Jade Dinh, Liza Rubin, Kirk Heilbrun
Advisor(s): Kirk Heilbrun
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Antisocial attitudes and procriminal patterns of thinking are empirically-supported predictors
of criminal behavior. Studies have demonstrated the impact of criminal thinking on institutional
misconduct and reoffending behaviors, and antisocial attitudes form an important component of
structured assessments of criminal risk factors (e.g., the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory;
Andrews, Bonta, & Wormith, 2004). As such, a variety of treatment programs have attempted to
modify criminal thinking in an effort to reduce recidivism. The current study examines the effectiveness
of a short-term, structured reentry program in modifying antisocial attitudes. Several aspects of this
program are designed to impact antisocial thinking patterns, including daily lectures, individual and
group counseling, personal application assignments (in which program participants work to apply
information provided in the large lecture setting to their own personal circumstances), and specialty
groups such as anger management. A sample of N = 51 male residents of this facility who had been
transferred from the New Jersey Department of Corrections were included in this analysis. Criminal
thinking patterns were assessed upon entry to the facility and prior to release using the Texas Christian
University Criminal Thinking Scales, which measure domains of criminal thinking including entitlement,
justification, and cold heartedness. Results demonstrated that participants did not experience
significant changes in their antisocial attitudes while at the facility. Additionally, subsequent analyses
examined the risk level as a potential moderator of change in antisocial attitudes over time. However,
no significant moderating effect was found. Potential explanations for this lack of significant change
are discussed.
348
Recall of Verbal Learning is Impaired After Next-Day Interference Testing in
Students
HM40
Charles Corbitt
Advisor(s): Maria Coletta
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Daytime functional impairments in primary insomnia remain subjective in nature. Better treatments
for performance deficits cannot be designed until impairment domains can be identified with accurate
measures. Declarative memory consolidation and interference testing are understudied domains of
functioning within populations that report sleep disturbances. College students may be particularly
vulnerable to sleep issues due to variable schedules. They are also expected to rely on declarative
memory consolidation by retaining facts and figures. It follows that sleep issues would be especially
detrimental in this population, thus college students were the focus of this study. This experiment
examined declarative memory consolidation in college-aged participants using an (A-B, A-C) future
interference paradigm. The students were divided into two groups, a sleep-disturbed group and a
healthy control group. The sleep-disturbed group met both quantitative research criteria as set forth by
Lichstein and colleagues and self-report criteria for at least subclinical sleep disturbance severity using
the Insomnia Severity Index. The design was utilized in an attempt to detect differences in delayed
recall of word-pair associate lists. Initial results were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests. Preliminary
data indicate that the control group (N = 12, Mean age = 19.8, 5 males), experienced significantly
decreased recall after interference testing ( t(10) = 3.900, p <.005), and that the recall of the
experimental group (N = 5, Mean age = 19, 2 males), is approaching significance ( t(5) = 2.301, p =.083).
Students’ verbal memory is impaired when subjected to next-day interference, which may impact study
habits. It is expected that as more sleep disturbed subjects are run, groups will show more divide in
terms of levels of impairment. Results will be analyzed in further detail prior to presentation, as at least
10 more experimental participants will be run within the next few weeks.
349
Financing Productive Government Spending in the presence of Credit
Frictions
HM41
Sofia Kalantzi
Advisor(s): Maria Pia Olivero, Marco Airaudo
LeBow College of Business
Economics
Existing theoretical work shows that government spending is not wasteful when it increases the
productivity of the private sector in a way that it can mitigate the negative effect created by
distortionary taxation or debt. For example, Barro (1990) shows that public capital entering the
production leads to endogenous productivity growth. Particularly, an increase in government spending
raises labor productivity which lowers the cost of production. This results in an increase in employment
and a crowd in effect of private consumption. However, due to the trade-off between the expansionary
effects of fiscal policy and the contractionary ones, the importance of fiscal policy will depend on the
financing scheme.
To understand how this relationship evolves we need to consider the presence of financial frictions.
Financial imperfections create informational asymmetry-problems and inefficiency known since at least
Adam Smith (1776). They can affect investment opportunities in a way that shocks in the economy may
have a multiplicative effect on output. This means that the shocks needed to achieve a given response
in output should be much smaller.
As has, already, been established by Bernanke, Gertler, and Gilchrist (1999), the existence of a “financial
accelerator” as a result of the presence of credit frictions, amplifies the shocks in the economy. In
particular, an increase in net worth leads to a decrease in the external finance premium that firms pay
which in turn increases investment which, also, increases net worth and so on. Thus, a given response to
output can be achieved with smaller shocks.
HM
This realization motivates the necessity to examine different budgeting plans to finance productive
spending, in the presence of credit frictions. The need for smaller fiscal shocks will minimize the tradeoff between the positive and the negative effect, by allowing a smaller share of government spending
to achieve the same result as in the case of a frictionless economy.
350
Caregiver Negative Problem Orientation and Depression in Heart Failure
Patients
HM42
Kristin Salber
Advisor(s): Arthur M. Nezu, Chrstine Maguth Nezu
College of Arts and Sciences
Clinical Psychology
Social Problem Solving (SPS) is the cognitive-behavioral process by which a person attempts to identify
effective solutions for specific problems encountered in everyday life (D’Zurilla & Nezu, 2007). SPS
deficits, such as negative problem orientation, have been linked to depression in many populations,
including college students, psychiatric inpatients, heart patients, caregivers of individuals with
Alzheimer’s disease, and caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury. Problem-Solving Therapy (PST),
an evidence-based psychological intervention designed to improve one’s overall problem-solving ability,
has been found to be efficacious in treating depression in many populations (see D’Zurilla & Nezu, 2007
for a review of this literature).
Heart Failure (HF) affects approximately 5 million Americans, with 500,000 new cases diagnosed each
year. Researchers estimate that 20 - 45% of individuals with HF also suffer from depression, and that
severe depressive symptoms are associated with an increased risk of functional decline or death in these
individuals (Skotzo et al., 2000; Vaccarino et al., 2001).
The current study examined the relationship between SPS and depression in HF patients and their
caregivers. Caregiver and patient negative problem orientation (NPO) were each associated with
patient depression, and regression analyses suggest that caregiver NPO might be related to depressive
symptoms in patients with heart failure, even when patients’ own problem-solving abilities are
controlled for.
HM
Individuals with a high NPO tend to view problems as threatening and unsolvable, and become
easily frustrated. It is therefore possible that caregivers with high NPO might contribute to patients’
depression by approaching HF as an unsolvable problem, expressing pessimism regarding the patients’
health and being less motivated to provide quality care. If this is the case, it might be beneficial to
include caregivers in PST for depressed individuals with HF.
351
Whodunit? Collective Trust in Virtual Interactions
HM43
Issam Ahmed
Co-Author(s): Roberto Salome
Advisor(s): Shuyuan Mary Ho
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Computing & Security Technology Program
This abstract presents a socio-technical study on how humans collectively perceive trustworthiness in
a suspicious situation when evoked by computer-mediated communications (CMC). The paper was
recently accepted into the SBP12 conference and published in their journal. This research was designed
through the use of an online game, entitled “Whodunit” to study how collective trust in a virtual
scenario can be reflected in untrustworthy cloud environments. We propose that virtual dialogue
can provide important clues to understanding an actor’s inclination, using the cognitive process of
observers’ collective trust in a virtual collaborative group. The methodology proposed in this paper is
built on research that demonstrates how human “sensors” can detect unusual or unexpected changes in
a psychological construct: trustworthiness - based on observed virtual behavior. The research framework
adopts the theory of trustworthiness attribution to model collective trust in virtual interactive
environments. Humans “sensors,” with limited access to information (e.g., online conversations) make
assessments based on subtle observed changes to a person’s disposition. This paper concludes that
people that rely on “cognitive trust” can identify dispositional changes within untrustworthy scenarios
more precisely than people that rely on “emotional trust.” In addition, people who have a propensity
to trust others more than themselves (lacking confidence in their own abilities) tend to do better
identifying the correct murderer.
This paper will be presented at the International Conference on Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural
Modeling, and Prediction (SBP’12) at University of Maryland, College Park, on April 2-5, 2012.
HM
Ho, S.M., Ahmed, I., and Salome, R. (2012). Whodunit? Collective Trust in Virtual Interactions. In S.J.
Yang, A.M. Greenberg, and M. Endsley (Eds.) Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling, and
Prediction (SBP’12), LNCS 7227, 348-356, Springer-Verlag Berlin H
352
Brief psychoeducational intervention targeting substance use among
individuals with severe traumatic brain injury: a pilot study.
HM44
Kara Douglas
Co-Author(s): Marc Gramatges, Karen Lindgren, PhD
Advisor(s): Mary Spiers, PhD
College of Arts and Sciences
Clinical Psychology
HM
Drug or alcohol intoxication is documented in approximately one-third of patients hospitalized for
traumatic brain injury (TBI). Furthermore, reported post-injury rates of drug/alcohol use among
patients hospitalized for TBI have been estimated at 25% or higher. Established group interventions for
substance use in patients with TBI have demonstrated some success, but there is little existing evidence
to support a specific treatment strategy. We implemented a novel 10-week group therapy intervention
among 9 individuals who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, incorporating aspects of
motivational interviewing, the stages of change model, and activities from the Substance Use in Brain
Injury (SUBI) model. A modified CAGE screener was administered to assess current drug/alcohol use,
along with a brief learning assessment measuring knowledge/ability in four domains: neural effects of
substances, assertiveness, triggers to use, and effective coping skills. A total of 4 individuals completed
all sessions, as well as pre- and post-testing (75% men). At pre-test, 3 of 4 members endorsed at least
one item on a modified CAGE screener for drug/alcohol abuse. There were no significant differences
in reported substance use between pre- and post-treatment. Though scores were marginally higher on
the learning assessment at post-testing, results of a paired-samples t-test indicated that this difference
was not statistically significant (Pre: M=69.3%; SD=20.5% vs. Post: M=80.0%; SD=18.3%; t=1.59; p=0.21;
ns). Our intervention elicited no significant change in substance use behavior or scores on a learning
assessment related to substance abuse issues, despite its utilization of commonly used treatment
elements. The findings of this pilot study highlight the need for ongoing research into interventions
that can effect positive therapeutic change among individuals who have had a brain injury and are
seeking substance abuse treatment.
353
Insufficient Sleep and Weight Status in High School Students: Should we be
Focusing on the Extremes?
HM45
Elizabeth Culnan
Co-Author(s): Stephanie Brooks-Holliday, Brian P. Daly, Richa Aggarwal, Jacqueline D. Kloss
Advisor(s): Jacqueline D. Kloss, Brian P. Daly
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
The relationship between insufficient sleep and weight status among adolescent populations has
yielded equivocal findings. Thus, this study investigated the relationship between length of sleep and
weight status by analyzing data from 9,321 high school students on the 2007 National Youth Risk
Behavior Survey. Weight and height were assessed by asking, “How much do you weigh without your
shoes on?” and “How tall are you without your shoes on?” Body Mass Index was then calculated based
off these responses. Sleep duration was assessed by asking, “On an average school night, how many
hours of sleep do you get?” To examine all ranges of sleep duration, our variable was categorized
into three categories: short sleep duration (five or less hours); usual sleep duration (six to eight hours);
and, longer sleep duration (nine or more hours). Multinomial logistic regression was conducted and
adjusted odds ratios were calculated, controlling for sex, age, and race/ethnicity, which revealed that
individuals with short sleep duration were not more likely to be overweight than individuals with usual
sleep duration (AOR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.85-1.40) or individuals with longer sleep duration (AOR, 0.99; 95%
CI, 0.78-1.26). Conversely, students who reported short sleep duration had higher odds of being in the
obese category (AOR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.20-1.80) as compared to students who reported receiving the
usual amount of sleep or a longer amount of sleep (AOR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.85-1.53). These findings have
important implications for prevention and intervention programs that address sleep and weight among
adolescents.
354
Child Preference and Forensic Evaluators’ Presentation of Ultimate Issue
Testimony in Child Custody Cases
HM46
Maria Petrongolo
Co-Author(s): Amanda D. Zelechoski, Christy Lane, Jamie Feehan, Naomi Goldstein
Advisor(s): Naomi Goldstein
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Under the 2003 Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act, child custody arrangements are determined by
considering the “best interests” of the child. A key component in determining the child’s “best interest”
is the child’s preference, or the degree to which an evaluator took the child’s opinion into account. Data
from 142 child custody evaluation reports were used to examine the relationship between the type of
conclusion rendered by the evaluator and whether the report included information about the child’s
preference. Findings revealed a significant relationship between inclusion of child preference and
presentation of an ultimate legal issue conclusion. Implications will be presented.
355
Pinterest: A new model for Social Collecting
HM47
Catherine Hall
Co-Author(s): Mike Zarro
Advisor(s): Xia Lin
College of Information Science and Technology
PhD information Studies
Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) allows users to create and curate image collections. Existing at the
intersection of social media websites and push-button collection services, Pinterest combines the
social features of social media - sharing, likes, following, commenting - with the personal collection
capabilities of private collection sites. We define We define a site, like Pinterest, that combines social
and collecting capabilities as a “social collecting” website. These sites represent a new way of sharing
and linking collections on the social web.
HM
In this poster we use data collected from Pinterest to analyze and describe the types of activities being
performed on the site, the nature and provenance of the content being collected, and the interests and
expertise of the users.
356
Consumer Perception of Dark Chocolate
HM48
Laura Johnson
Co-Author(s): Rosemary Trout
Advisor(s): Dr. Jeehyun Lee
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts and Food Science
HM
In this study, the consumer acceptibility and perception of dark chocolate with 70% (+/- 3%) cacao
solids was explored to determine if there is a correlation between overall liking, the actual price of the
chocolate, the perceived price of the chocolate, and the intensity of the descriptors used to describe the
samples. The first phase of research was conducted using three focus groups. These groups described
each dark chocolate sample using their own words, then were presented with a collection of descriptors
and discussed the applicability of each descriptor. The chocolate samples were then grouped by each
focus group based on similarity and dissimilarity of taste and mouthfeel. These results were used to
determine which chocolate samples will be used in the second phase of research. When complete, this
study will have implications for the chocolate manufacturing and food marketing sectors.
357
Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy in Hannibal Lecter
through Cinema
HM49
Julie Vayner
Advisor(s): Eva Thury
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
There are many misconceptions among the general public of what psychopathy is and how it relates
to antisocial personality disorder (APD) based on the similarities in symptoms. The community
tends to assume that serial killers are “psychopaths” or “insane criminals”. However, often this is a
misunderstanding. “Almost all participants identified as psychopaths by the PCL-R also met the criteria
for APD, but most individuals identified with APD were not psychopaths,” (Skilling et al. p. 28) meaning
that psychopathy and APD are not synonymous. Through the fictional character, Hannibal Lecter as
developed through the quadrilogy of movies consisting of: Hannibal Rising, Red Dragon, The Silence
of the Lambs, and Hannibal, even the most perilous serial killers may not be psychopathic. There has
been literature published on the evidence that Hannibal Lecter portrays either psychopathy or APD.
However, there is not much evidence for a comparison of the two disorders in regards to serial killers
such as Hannibal Lecter. Using the PCL-R alongside with the DSM-IV I was able to compare Hannibal’s
behavioral and interpersonal characteristics with the disorders. My findings suggest that Hannibal
Lecter accurately portrays someone with APD, but not necessarily psychopathy despite his numerous
murders. Although this is not a scientific study, this research is useful to the community to promote
awareness of what psychopathy is and the stigma it gives to the serial killer persona. Further research
in comparing psychopathy to APD in various populations is recommended to continue to eliminate
incorrect assumptions of these disorders.
358
Transformational Teams: Examining the Relationship of Nursing Teamwork
to Patient Outcomes
HM50
Debbie Rahn
Advisor(s): Rajashi Ghosh
Goodwin School of Education
EdD in Higher Education and Management
HM
The intent of this action-oriented, mixed methodology research is to determine if a relationship exists
between nursing teamwork and the occurrence of nursing indicators of quality care. A landmark
study published in 2000 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) titled “To Err is Human- Building a Safer
Health System” identified the need for the healthcare industry to address a widespread problem of
preventable adverse patient outcomes. Researchers revealed significant numbers of poor patient
outcomes resulting from preventable medical errors (Institute of Medicine, 2000). Since that time,
healthcare research in the past decade has focused on the study of interdisciplinary collaboration and
the relationship to patient outcomes. However, research focusing on the effects of teamwork within the
nursing sector is minimal. The role of the nursing profession within healthcare is the provision of safe
and effective nursing care. It is critical that the nursing profession examine the incidence of negative
patient outcomes occurring within the nursing sector’s locus of control, and implement teaching and
leadership strategies to protect patients from the increased morbidity and mortality resulting from
these preventable nurse-sensitive occurrences. The goal of this mixed methodology action-oriented
research study is to examine the relationship between nursing teamwork and the occurrence of nursesensitive patient outcomes with the goal of incorporating new teamwork strategies into nursing
leadership and educational practices.
359
Implementing the Logic Model Approach for a Family Self-Sufficiency
Program
HM51
Alicia Howard
Advisor(s): Dr. John Rich, Terry Guerra
College of Medicine
HM
The purpose of this project was to answer the question is the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSSP)
that is being implemented by the anti-poverty non-profit ACHIEVEability an effective conceptual
model for working to break the generational cycle of poverty for its families? This analysis involved
a triangulation of data approach where an in-depth literature review was conducted, in-person
interviews were carried out with key informants at ACHIEVEability (n=4), and then later combined
with data from their internal data summaries. A qualitative analysis approach was utilized to analyze
the transcribed interviews with the assistance of the qualitative software Nvivo 9. Some of the major
themes that arose from the data were the effectiveness of ACHIEVEability’s holistic approach, the postsecondary education/training requirement of the FSSP, and the housing as a first service model that
characterizes this organization. The development of a theory based logic model of ACHIEVEability’s
FSSP as a way to effectively and concisely communicate how research-based evidence is exemplified
in each component of the FSSP and the outcome and impact of these initiatives was developed as
the end-product of this investigation. Some of the policy implications that arose from this analysis
concerned the need for increased advocacy and support for anti-poverty efforts. Also the need for
increased investment in human capital by government sponsored programs and the need for increased
examination of the effectiveness of the Temporary Assistance For Needy Families program (TANF)
during times of economic recessions were highlighted.
360
Infertility Treatment and Outcomes among Diverse Women
HM52
Mitra Khaksari
Co-Author(s): Pamela Geller, Ph.D.
Advisor(s): Pamela Geller, Ph.D.
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Infertility is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the inability to become
or stay pregnant following a year of unprotected intercourse, or six months if a woman is older than
35. It affects approximately 10%, or 6.1 million women in the United States (CDC, 2011). African
American, Hispanic, and other non-Caucasian women report higher rates of infertility, according to
the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS, 1995). Primary infertility is the failure to conceive and
carry to term a first biological child, while secondary infertility, which is more common, is the failure
to conceive and carry to term any additional pregnancies. Approximately one third of infertility issues
result from female factor infertility, one third from male factor infertility, and one third from mixed or
unknown causes (CDC, 2011). Treatment for infertility is widespread and includes surgical, medical, or
psychological options. Medical treatments of infertility include drug therapy, artificial insemination, and
assisted reproductive technologies (ART), with in vitro fertilization (IVF) being the most common type
of ART. Women of ethnic minorities, particularly Hispanic and African American women are less likely
to receive ART and wait longer before seeking treatment. There exist disturbing differences in access to
and use of infertility treatment by ethnic and cultural minorities in the US. This poster will review the
extant literature on infertility treatment, its availability and usage by minority women in the US, and
outcomes following infertility treatment.
361
Examining Sensory Processing Deficits in children with and without ADHD
Hoffman, M.J. BS Drexel University & Daly, B. Ph.D Drexel University
HM53
Michael Hoffman
Co-Author(s): Dr. Brian Daly, PhD
Advisor(s): Dr. Brian Daly, PhD
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Recent studies suggest associations between symptoms of Attention Hyperactivity/Impulsivity Disorder
(ADHD) and sensory processing problems (Yochman et al., 2004). However, few experiments have
examined these problems by comparing ADHD children to a control group. As such, we investigated
whether ADHD children have more sensory processing problems compared to typical peers. We
hypothesized that ADHD participants have more sensory problems compared to a control group.
Participants were 45 children (24 males and 11 females) between ages 5 to 10 years. The ADHD group
had 26 children while the control group had 19 children. The Sensory Processing Measure Home
Form (Parham & Ecker, 2007) and the Short Sensory Profile (Dunn, 1999) assessed sensory problems.
The Conners 3-Parent form (Conners, 2008) measured ADHD symptom severity. Analyses revealed no
significant differences (p>.05) between groups on ethnicity, gender, and age. Independent t-tests
yielded a significant difference (p<.05) when comparing SPM and SSP total score between groups.
Higher SPM scores signify greater sensory processing symptoms. Lower SSP scores indicate more sensory
problems. SPM total score (M=61.60; SD=7.879) for the ADHD group was significantly greater than the
control group (M=48.00; SD=8.654). SSP total score for the ADHD group (M= 134.19; SD=21.882) was
significantly less than the control group (M= 180.16; SD= 14.06). Results extend the findings of recent
research that children with ADHD are at-risk for sensory problems. As such, early detection of sensory
problems in youth with ADHD can translate into early intervention and prevent significant problems in
social and academic functioning.
362
Non-Stringent Law Leads to Data Breach?
HM54
Tian Zou
Advisor(s): Murugan Anandarajan
LeBow College of Business
This project aims at exploring the relationship between the stringency of state law and the criminal rate
of data breach incident. Unlike other U.S. regulations using a common law system, information security
law uses statutory law system. Therefore, by evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of each state
law, the author can have a better understanding of what are the broken bones of criminal justice, and
what need to be done to strengthen the law.
The author does four steps to study the relationship. Based on the state, the regulations for controlling
data breach are different in terms of five components. So these components are explored first and
given scores based on the level of stringency. By ranking the sum of scores of five components, state
laws are ranked. Second, a database of information about some 3,200 breaches from 2004 to 2011
is collected from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and DataLossDB, two online nonprofit consumer
information organizations, and these breaches are analyzed through PASW. Third, in order to
understand how organizations act under state laws, a sample of 212 notification letters sent to victims
is coded using qualitative analysis techniques. When a security law is stringent enough, the author
expects to see the breached company follows the law in many aspects. Finally, stock prices fluctuations
are collected to examine the impact of data breach incident on stock performance. The author utilizes
three US stock databases, CRSP, I/B/E/S and Compustat, to track historical stock price of breached firms
and conduct cumulative abnormal return analysis. Through the analysis, the author expects to see that
the more stringent the law is, the smaller the impact data breach has on the stock performance.
HM
By collecting, analyzing and interpreting state laws, actual incidents, notification letters and stock price
fluctuations, the author hopes to identity what has been neglected and what should be put to trivial
use in the security law.
363
Move it with Mommy and Me - An intervention to reduce childhood obesity
in Philadelphia
HM55
Stefanie Thomassin
Co-Author(s): Ami Khatri
Advisor(s): Annette Gadegbeku
College of Medicine
Family Medicine
HM
Childhood obesity has significantly increased in the United States over the last 20 years. It is estimated
that 17% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 yrs are obese. In the city of Philadelphia, 19% of
children are obese. A household survey conducted in North Philadelphia in 2008 found that 57% of
children 6-11 years old were either overweight or obese. The childhood obesity epidemic stems from
three key factors: 1) Unhealthy eating behaviors 2) Lack of physical exercise 3) Increased cost of healthy
and nutritious foods. To tackle this issue the Department of Family Medicine at Drexel University
applied for and was awarded a grant through the American Academy of Family Physician’s (AAFP) AIMHI initiative to reduce childhood obesity by promoting fitness, healthy eating and emotional well-being.
The target community for our project is a women and children’s shelter in Philadelphia, the Eliza Shirley
Shelter. Homeless women and children are a unique and vulnerable population, particularly given
their socioeconomic status. The intervention takes place monthly and will occur from December 2011
to December 2012. Each session has a nutritional and fitness component led by a dietitian and athletic
trainer, respectively. This project is being evaluated through indicators such as attendance and the
pre and post session questionnaires taken by the participants. This project allows the family medicine
residents to participate in a community service project and gives us the tools to implement our own
projects when we complete residency.
364
Alice’s Adventures in the Matrix
HM56
Gavin Youngs
Advisor(s): Dr. Eva Thury
College of Arts and Sciences
English
HM
The notion of religious identity is a hot issue in today’s society. From the political sphere to the social,
accusations fly about where people place their faith. Recently, this researcher has uncovered an
interesting trend that sheds light on modern America’s faith structure. Our entertainment industry’s
offerings are becoming increasingly laced with gnostic elements. Hans Jonas provides a historical
grounding in the nature of Gnosticism. Harold Bloom gives perspective on the modern expression
of this philosophy in modern American culture. Here, some of the most famous works of previous
decades are analyzed to illustrate this growing trend. Lewis Carroll’s Alice stories demonstrate a sort of
Gnostic Hell. Richard Bach uses flight as a metaphor for enlightenment. The Matrix presents perhaps
the quintessential example of a reality constructed by evil sentience with the intent of keeping its
inhabitants ignorant of the true nature of reality. These findings reveal opportunities for better
understanding modern American sociology by better understanding the entertainment they gravitate
toward.
365
The Living Room Revolution
HM57
George Payne
Advisor(s): Dr. Eva Thury
College of Arts and Sciences
International Area Studies
Initially Aldous Huxley, author of the book Brave New World, motivated me to pursue fictional writing
with a futurological perspective. His work forced me to question the world around me, gaze through
the lens of epistemology, and formulate new ideas about “End of the World” literature. I used
works by Tom Moylan, Raffaella Baccolini, and Benjamin Kunkel to help me define a true dystopia,
then, combining these readings with a few of Huxley’s works, both his fiction and his supplementary
material, I created a practical dystopian future world for my story. After appropriately piecing together
the setting, I used books on the art of creative writing by Mark Baechtel, Orson Scott Card, Howard
Mittlemark and Sandra Newman to help guide my creative writing processes.
My story, entitled The Living Room Revolution, is about a traveling, poet-journalist in the year 2160,
who seeks to win an internationally esteemed rap competition, called the Mind-Volley Summit. The
young man, Mego Nnowair, documents his journey and the people he meets along the way with the
help of his orbiting monitor and silent companion, DBH. The two are met by mysterious challenges and
tragedies on their way to the event, but as he gets closer to his goal, he realizes there is more to his
fateful journey than he could have ever expected.
HM
Overall, my study of time, society, communication, and science fiction writing have helped me to
become a better creative writer. The Living Room Revolution will be an ongoing venture for me beyond
the limits of this project, but the opening chapters are available for these 2012 Research Days.
366
“God Never Makes Mistakes:” Religious Coping in African American
Women following Pregnancy Loss
HM58
Anne Sekley
Co-Author(s): Emilie Pinkasavage, Efrat Eichenbaum, Mitra Khaksari, Dr. Pamela Geller
Advisor(s): Dr. Pamela Geller
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
Introduction: The rate of stillbirth and miscarriage is approximately 2.3 times higher in African
American women than non-Hispanic White women (MacDorman & Kirmeyer, 2009). Religious coping
(classified as positive or negative) is a common technique following pregnancy loss (e.g., El-Khoury,
et al., 2004). Given the importance of religious coping to African American women, the current study
examines the role of positive and negative religious coping in African American women following
pregnancy loss.
We predicted that: 1. Women who use negative religious coping strategies tend to endorse higher
levels of avoidant coping. 2. Women who use positive religious coping will demonstrate higher levels of
coping through social support.
Methods: Participants are self-identified African American/Black women between ages 19 and 50,
who experienced a pregnancy loss in the past six months to four years. Several recruitment and
data collection methods are utilized. Measures include a demographics questionnaire and several
quantitative instruments.
Results: To date, 26 women have completed the study. Bivariate linear regressions were conducted
to examine both hypotheses. Preliminary results revealed a significant association between positive
religious coping and seeking social support (Y = 0.36, X = 0.47, SEb = 0.14, p = .05, R2= 0.24), and
between negative religious coping and avoidance (Y = 0.44, X = 0.78, SEb = 0.14, p < .05, R2= 0.3). Thus,
both hypotheses were supported.
HM
Conclusion: Our findings may suggest that positive and negative religious coping are associated with
different emotional outcomes following pregnancy loss in African American women.
367
Get to know your local Occupiers: A framing analysis of the coverage of
the Occupy Movement
HM59
Alison Novak
Co-Author(s): Ernest A Hakanen, Ronald Bishop
Advisor(s): Ernest A Hakanen
College of Arts and Sciences
Culture & Communication/Ph.D. Communication, Culture, and Media
HM
A few hundred protestors, angered at the widening gap between the rich and the poor in the U.S., the
concurrent demise of the middle class, and the role of nation’s biggest banks in pushing the country to
the brink of economic ruin, on September 17, 2011 took up residence in New York City’s Zuccotti Park.
Energized by the Arab Spring protests, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement quickly spread across
the country and to more than 1,000 cities around the world. The movement’s catalyst was the Canadian
magazine Adbusters, whose editor, Kalle Lasn, said Occupy protestors sought to capitalize on what
he called “the right moment to have kind of a soft regime change in America” (Conan, 2012). From
that moment on, the media became obsessed with the protesters. This study examines the coverage
given to the Occupy Movement in 10 of the United States most popular newspapers. From this framing
analysis, we describe the paradigm shift occurring in the coverage of protest movements. We further
identify new themes and mechanisms journalists use to describe the Occupy movement. This study has
implications for research on the mass media and social protest movements. More widely, this study
defines the way the Occupiers were covered by the mass media and lends insight into new forms of
journalistic coverage.
368
Positive and Negative Effects of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
HM60
Giselle Saleet
Advisor(s): Dr. Maureen Gibney
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Education reform has been a major political topic in America since the 1960s. Various efforts have
been made by past presidential administrations to improve education in America, the most recent
being the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). NCLB was designed to bridge the achievement gap
between high and low performing students especially when that gap had been created by economic
disadvantages. Public school students are categorized into achievement levels (basic, proficient, and
advanced) based upon statewide assessment scores. States were responsible for standardizing each
level. Students across the country were expected to be at the proficiency level by 2014. There have been
several studies on NCLB and its impact on student achievement. This poster presents the positive and
negative aspects of NCLB guidelines as implemented in the classroom. Teachers reported higher levels
of organization within their classroom due to the NCLB requirements. Regardless of the positive affects
of NCLB legislation on classroom organization, there has been no significant report on improvement in
overall student achievement and performance.
369
A Tale of Two Cities: The Impact of Local Culture on the Evolution of Urban
Cooperative Businesses in Philadelphia and Madison, Wisconsin
HM61
Maggie Deptola
Advisor(s): Richardson Dilworth
College of Arts and Sciences
International Area Studies
HM
The cooperative business model first appeared in the United Kingdom in the 19th century in the form
of artisans and farmers coming together to generate start-up capital otherwise unavailable to them
individually. Today, there are almost 30,000 cooperatives operating in the US, generating $500 billion in
revenue each year. Madison, Wisconsin is considered a mecca for cooperatives, with numerous policies
and mechanisms in place supporting the development and management of cooperatives. Philadelphia,
in comparison, does not have the same supports in place, yet frequently cooperatives are used to solve
community deficiencies. For this research, multiple variants of cooperatives were examined on the basis
of history, structure, and progress in different industries. Specifically, research was conducted on worker
cooperatives, food cooperatives, and to an extent energy cooperatives and credit unions located in
both cities. The information collected was used to analyze what specific aspects of local culture greatly
influenced cooperative development in the two cities.
370
Analysis of Chinese Parenting in Mainland China and the U.S.
HM62
Suli Deng
Advisor(s): Eva Thury
LeBow College of Business
HM
After reading Battle Hymn of the Tiger mother by Amy Chua, I decided to do a project on Chinese
parenting. Chinese parents tend to be strict with their children. However, there is difference between
Mainland Chinese parenting and Chinese American parenting. I launched this study for a better
understanding of Chinese parenting in these two different areas. I found that Chinese American young
adults perform better at school than European American young adults, but their parents are rather
more authoritarian. However, studies showed that first-generation Chinese parents have slightly shifted
their parenting from authoritarian to authoritative. They adapted American culture to their Chinese
culture in raising their children. In Mainland Chinese family, Confucian principles have significant
impacts on family interactions and relationships. Chinese mothers showed higher parental control and
child-rearing ideologies. They believe the best way to protect their children is to prepare them for the
future and arm them with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence. In addition, one-child policy
drives parents in Mainland China to have higher expectations on their children. So, they tend to put
more pressure on their children and hope they achieve the goals they set, which leads to authoritarian
parenting. I concluded that the effectiveness of a parenting style should be defined relative to cultural
context. A child’s success is a combination of parenting and social environment. Parenting style should
change if social environment changes. In fact, authoritarian parenting is not necessarily beneficial for
every Chinese young adult. There are always exceptions.
371
Does Bullying Impact Grades? Examination by Demographic Factors
HM63
Elizabeth Nicholls
Co-Author(s): Brian P. Daly, Ph. D.
Advisor(s): Brian P. Daly, Ph. D.
College of Arts and Sciences
Clinical Psychology/Ph. D.
HM
Bullying has become one of the most serious problems facing school psychologists today. Considerable
research has indicated that victims of bullying are at risk of serious negative outcomes including
depression, low self-esteem, loneliness, and suicidal behaviors. The purpose of the present study was
to examine the relationship between bullying and academic performance among a diverse sample of
urban high school students. This study utilized the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a 99-item
survey instrument developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Participants included
1,328 ethnically diverse adolescents from various public high schools in Philadelphia. Findings indicated
that 13% of students (11.7% of females and 14.4% of males) reported that they had been bullied
at school within the twelve months prior to taking the survey. During this same time period, 31% of
students reported receiving poor grades. Binary logistic regressions were used to determine odds ratios
(OR) for reporting poor versus good grades between students who did or did not report being bullied.
Overall, the odds of reporting poor grades were 1.055 times greater (95% CI: 1.013-1.099, p < .05) for
students who reported being bullied as compared to students who did not. Female students were 1.300
times more likely to report poor academic performance when bullied (95% CI: 1.230-1.374, p < .01).
African American females who had been bullied were 1.385 times more likely to report poor grades
than non-bullied peers (95% CI: 1.305-1.471, p < .01), and increased risk was also seen among 9th and
12th grade female students (OR: 1.397; 95% CI: 1.268-1.539, p < .01 and OR: 2.566; 95% CI: 2.360-2.768,
p < .01, respectively). Future researchers should seek to identify causative factors related to negative
academic outcomes among students who are bullied in order to develop specific interventions for
improving academic performance in bullied students.
372
Interrogative Suggestibility and Academic Achievement: The Relationship
with Reading and Listening Comprehension
HM64
Jenna Ebbecke
Co-Author(s): Lindsey Peterson, Sadia Rharbite, Ana Prelic, Naomi E. S. Goldstein
Advisor(s): Naomi Goldstein
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
The majority of juvenile suspects have histories of academic problems and poor school performance.
However, little research has examined the relationship between interrogative suggestibility and
academic achievement. Consequently, this study examined such data from 77 youth in pre-and postadjudication facilities. Results revealed a significant relationship between reading and listening
comprehension on the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) and yield scores on the Gudjonsson
Suggestibility Scale (GSS), but not between WIAT and GSS shift scores. Oral expressive abilities were
unrelated to suggestibility. Implications of these findings for interrogation procedures with youthful
suspects will be presented, and limitations will be addressed.
373
Gender Differences in Adolescents’ Risks of Confessing During
Interrogations
HM65
Marli Schecker
Co-Author(s): Sharon Messenheimer Kelley, Erika Foster, Maria Petrongolo, Naomi E. S.
Goldstein
Advisor(s): Dr. Naomi Goldstein
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
This study examined gender differences in the self-reported likelihood of offering true confessions
in response to a variety of police interrogation techniques and whether suggestibility, mental health
symptoms, or IQ mediated the gender- confession relationship. 168 juvenile justice youth completed
the Perceptions of Coercion in the Holding and Interrogation Process (P-CHIP), a measure that evaluates
an individual’s description of behavior during a police interrogation. Results revealed that girls were
significantly more likely to report that they would offer a true confession, but neither suggestibility,
mental health symptoms, nor IQ mediated the gender-confession relationship.
374
Frome what might have been to what may be: The effects of CEO
counterfactual thinking
HM66
Jianhong Chen
Advisor(s): Sucheta Nadkarni
LeBow College of Business
Department of Management
HM
CEO upward counterfactual thinking process (imagining better alternatives to the past) begins with a
problem or other negative experiences that fall below the aspiration level. The behavioral theory of a
firm predict that such negative feedback increase risk taking behaviors(e.g external actions), whereas
threat-rigidity perspective argued that negative feedback decrease risk taking behaviors (e.g. internal
actions). These conflicting predictions are dependent on whether decision makers perceive the negative
performance as a repairable gap or a threat. Drawing on Upper echelon theory, I argue that two facets
of CEO personality (high generalized self-efficacy and neuroticism) will influence their risk tolerance,
and therefore moderate the relationship between CEO counterfactual thinking and firm actions: CEOs
with high generalized self-efficacy have strong beliefs that they can accomplish difficult tasks and repair
performance gap in face of negative feedback. Thus, they are more likely to be more risky and take
external actions. However, CEOs with high neuroticism view negative feedback as a step closer to failure
and tend to be engaged in risk-averse behaviors, such as internal actions. Finally, I propose that firm
internal actions will lead to firm profitability and firm external actions will lead to firm growth.
375
Evaluation of MyPlate as a Dietary Learning Tool
HM67
Lareina Lee
Co-Author(s): Adrienne Mangroo, Kelsey Vierow
Advisor(s): Jennifer
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nutrition and Food Sciences
HM
MyPlate is the USDA’s newest visual tool designed to help consumers adhere to the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, 2010. It was introduced in March, 2011 and is a visual of a nine-inch plate that represents
the proper portions of food groups for a balanced diet. The goal of this research was to determine the
awareness among college students of MyPlate as well as how useful students thought MyPlate could
be in helping them to eat a healthy diet. A brief (31 question) online survey with visuals of MyPlate,
MyPyramid and the Food Guide Pyramid was developed and administered through the online survey
tool Zoomerang. Undergraduate students (approx. 13,000) at a private university were sent a direct
email inviting them to participate in the survey via a link in the email. Over 900 students participated
in the survey (57% female, 43% male). Of the respondents 92%, 59% and 38% were aware of the Food
Guide Pyramid, MyPyramid and MyPlate, respectively. Despite many students not having seen it before,
however, 91%, 78% and 67% thought that MyPlate was “simple”, “visually appealing” and that they
could “personalize MyPlate to fit their diet”. While most students thought MyPlate would be helpful in
planning their lunch and dinner, 36% thought that it would not be helpful in planning breakfast and
40% thought it would not be helpful in planning their snacks. This research indicates that overall young
adults found MyPlate to be an appealing and potentially useful tool for planning a healthy diet.
376
Rates and Predictors of Prenatal Depression in HIV+ and HIV- Women
HM68
Alexa Bonacquisti
Co-Author(s): Pamela A. Geller, Ph.D.
Advisor(s): Pamela A. Geller
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
HIV-infected individuals have twice the risk of developing major depressive disorder compared with
HIV-uninfected individuals, and these depressive symptoms have serious implications for disease
progression, quality of life and medication adherence (Ciesla & Roberts, 2001; DiMatteo et al., 2000;
Rabkin, 2008; Kacanek, 2010). This is particularly relevant for women, as approximately one in five
women experience major depression at some point in their lives (Kessler et al., 1997). Taken together,
these studies conclude that depression is a serious concern for HIV+ women, specifically during the
prenatal period (Adler et al., 2007; Moehler et al., 2006). Given the unique medical and psychosocial
demands these women face, research addressing the impact of depression on HIV+ pregnant women is
needed (Psaros et al., 2009). The current study examines rates and predictors of depression among HIV+
and HIV- women, hypothesizing that HIV+ women will experience higher rates of prenatal depression
as compared to HIV- women. Risk factors for prenatal depression were also assessed to determine if
they differ according to HIV status. Prenatal data from 90 women were collected from the Partnership
Plus Clinic and Women’s Care Center. Rates of prenatal depression were assessed using the CES-D and
confirmed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR (SCID-I). Preliminary findings suggest
that HIV+ women demonstrate higher rates of prenatal depression compared to HIV- women, and that
HIV+ women may exhibit unique predictors of depression which differ from HIV- women. This poster
will describe these findings, and will discuss clinical implications and directions for future research.
377
Automation, Mechanization, and Emerging Efficiencies in Large-Scale
Genetic Testing: A Study of Laboratory Work Processes
HM69
Kenneth Mosby
Advisor(s): amy slaton
College of Arts and Sciences
science,technology and society
HM
This study is based on observations of the design and use of equipment utilized for the purification,
sequencing, and analysis of genetic material in a mid-sized, independent research laboratory. The
aim of this study is to understand how recent developments in mechanization, divisions of labor,
instrumentation and other features of routine laboratory work have changed the way in which genetic
research is conducted. To capture the emerging efficiencies in genetic research enabled by these new
technologies, the author will observe what genetic sample processing tasks these technologies do in
the lab and what manual processing method these technologies where meant to replace; ease of use,
and organization of laboratory apparatus; the organization of technical roles and departments; and
the instructions and skills that surround these aspects of genetic research today. This project will ask:
How do machines speed up and scale up the work of genetic research and testing? What knowledge
and skills best equip laboratory technicians to perform this work? Where greater efficiencies might be
attained? Can the biological foundations of genetic study in the lab, which have formally provided the
basis of modern, genetic study and databanking, be supplemented by experiential knowledge gained
by technicians on the job?
378
Cognitive Theory-Based Classification of Prospective Memory Problems in
Multiple Sclerosis
HM70
Joshua McKeever
Co-Author(s): Chelsea Morse, Lauren Mace, Lisa Zhao, Maria Schultheis
Advisor(s): Maria Schultheis, Ph.D.
College of Arts and Sciences
Clinical Psychology
Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to carry out future intentions, and has begun to be recognized
as an important everyday functional ability. Investigations of PM impairments among individuals with
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have been limited, often relying on non-PM specific measures and self-report.
The current study includes measures targeting specific aspects of PM function based on a theoretical
cognitive model of PM (the Multi-Phasic Process Model). It is hypothesized that overall PM errors will be
related to MS symptom severity, and that most errors will occur in the “retrospective memory” stage of
the process. Eleven community-dwelling individuals with MS (mean age= 48.2 years) completed a single
two-hour testing session. Objective measures administered included the MIST (Memory for Intentions
Test), the modified Six Elements Test (mSET) with a PM-specific manipulation, and tests comprising the
Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC).
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Analysis using multiple linear regression indicated that MS symptom severity (MSFC score) and degree
of sophistication of PM task plan emerged as significant predictors of overall performance on a
standardized PM task (MIST Total Score); this model was able to account for 81% of the variance in
MIST performance, F(2, 4) = 8.38, p = .037. Thus, as predicted, greater MS symptom severity predicted
poorer performance on a standardized measure of PM ability. However, contrary to a separate
hypothesis, PM errors in this sample were significantly predicted by errors in the “planning” phase of
PM rather than the “retrospective memory” phase. Though further study is needed, characterizing
errors in PM among individuals with MS can provide guidance for rehabilitation and interventions. This
investigation also provides general support for the notion that complex cognitive functions such as PM
may be conceptualized using theoretical models that may be able to inform evaluation methods and
treatment recommendations.
379
Psychopathy, Intoxication, and Verbal Abuse: Perceptions of Sexual
Coercion in a College Dating Scenario
HM71
Danielle Hamilton
Advisor(s): Kirk Heilbrun
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Experiences of sexual coercion and verbal abuse are common in intimate partner relationships and on
college campuses. Using a college and community sample, this study uses a 2 x 2 x 2 between subjects
design to examine how levels of intoxication (high versus low) and verbal abuse (present versus absent),
systematically varied across four written vignettes, affect the participants’ perceptions of coercion in
a sexually intimate encounter. Participants’ gender and psychopathy level are hypothesized to affect
participants’ perceptions of the presence and levels of coercion in the vignettes.
380
Comparison of driving behaviors on VRDS following traumatic brain injury
HM72
Nicole Graff
Co-Author(s): Manning, K., Mitura, R., Klimchuk, D., Neyens, D., Boyle, L., Schultheis, M.
Advisor(s): Maria T Schultheis
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Virtual reality driving simulation (VRDS) allows us to measure new and unique driving performances.
VRDS is a way to safely present challenging tasks in the assessment of driving ability following
neurological compromise. The current study sought to examine the driving performance between
individuals with brain injury (BI) and healthy controls (HC) using VRDS. Specifically, we examined
driving when presented with presented with unexpected challenges, such as a boy chasing a ball into
the street or a bus releasing a stop sign to allow students to cross the street. All participants were
administered the VRDS which consisted of a training session and “virtual drive: through a standardized
route. Between-group comparisons of each task using t-test analysis between BI and HC active drivers.
In response to the boy chasing the ball, it was noted that the HC stopped an average of 20.8ft closer
to the boy or not come to a complete stop at all. In contrast, it was found that during the bus task, the
BI group was more likely to stop in the unsafe zone and have an average of 1.5ft deviation within the
lane. The current findings demonstrate that individuals with BI and HC differ in their VRDS responses.
The finding that drivers with BI stopped at a greater distance from a pedestrian may suggest a more
cautious behavior when compared to HC drivers. A discussion of the implications for assessment will be
presented.
381
The Effects of Four Interrogation Strategies on the Likelihood of Delivery of
True Confessions in Juvenile Offenders
HM73
Erika Foster
Co-Author(s): Lindsey Peterson, Shelby Arnold, Marli Schecker, Naomi E. S. Goldstein
Advisor(s): Naomi Goldstein
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
A significant body of research has focused on risk factors for false confessions, but little research has
examined risk factors for true confessions, particularly among youthful suspects. Thus, the current
study examined whether various types of police interrogation techniques predict juvenile justiceinvolved youths’ susceptibility to providing true confessions. Using a vignette-based format, data from
183 juvenile offenders revealed differences in youths’ self-reported risk of offering a true confession
to police during interrogation, with greater risk associated with parental pressure and positive police
pressure than with negative police pressure and negative physical environment. Implications and
limitations will be described.
HM
The Interrogations are inherently adversarial (Inbau, Reid, & Buckley, 1986). Police officers use a
variety of strategies to coax information from suspects (Inbau, Reid, & Buckley, 1986). This poster will
present results of a study that examined the relationship between police interrogation techniques and
juvenile offenders’ self-reports of their risks of offering true confessions to police. It was predicted
that confession risk would differ by type of interrogation strategy, with positive police pressure (i.e.,
minimization strategies) and parental pressure (i.e., police invoking parental pressure to confess)
techniques eliciting more confessions than negative police pressure (i.e., maximization strategies) and
negative physical environment (i.e., an unpleasant physical context for interrogation) strategies.
382
Examining Equality: Analyzing the Gray Area in Reconstruction-Era Civil
Rights Litigation
HM74
Connor Hackert
Advisor(s): Scott Knowles, Rose Corrigan, Lloyd Ackert
College of Arts and Sciences
History and Politics Department
Following the Civil War, Civil Rights Movements erupted throughout the United States as African
Americans and their supporters began to push for equality. The passing of the 14th Amendment in 1868
and the Civil Rights Act of 1875 became avenues through which African Americans sought to obtain
equality during Reconstruction. Throughout the country, they began to implement civil equality by
bringing forth lawsuits against individual acts of discrimination. A great deal of uncertainty lingered as
the outcomes of such cases varied from state to state along what is often referred to as “the color line.”
In Pennsylvania, the first legal case to challenge segregated facilities following the passing of the
14th Amendment was United States v. Upton Newcomer. The case came before the District Court of
Pennsylvania in February of 1876. In analyzing the case and tracing its involvement in subsequent legal
battles its implications on the national and local movements become apparent. The case demonstrates
that the strengths of the Civil Rights Movement during Reconstruction came through individual and
localized efforts. This was because, after the handing down of the Civil Rights Cases, it became a matter
of the state to enact and enforce civil rights legislation. For states like New York or South Carolina this
was a simple, but for Pennsylvania, the story is much less black and white.
HM
The case of Newcomer gave African Americans a firm foundation to build off of, but resistance still
remained. Newcomer served as a catalyst in the local movement between 1876 and 1883. Still, it is often
held that the movement went cold after 1883 when the 1875 act was repealed and the infamous case
of Plessy v. Ferguson was handed down. Instead, the spirit of the Newcomer decision shifted focus.
African Americans kept fighting back against inequality, but in a less conventional manner. As such, a
new “era” of civil rights was ushered in and continued through the turn of the century.
383
Women Engineers and the Influence of Childhood Technologic Environment
HM75
Shahla Mazdeh
Advisor(s): William F. Lynch
Goodwin School of Education
Education/Leadership and Learning Technologies
HM
This phenomenological multi-case study investigated the influence of women engineers’ childhood
exposure to engineering concepts on their preparation for an engineering profession. An ecologic
model (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) was used as the conceptual framework of this research. Twelve
professional women engineers from various age and racial/ethnic groups, with rich engineering
experiences, were selected through a purposeful sampling. An in-depth phenomenological interview
was used as the initial method through which data were collected to capture the essence of the
participants’ experience of the phenomenon. In particular, the participants’ childhood technologic
environment as the source of exposure to engineering concepts was studied in terms of its richness
of engineering concepts, the role it had played in the development of the participants’ technologic
literacy, its significant elements, and its overall role in the process of participants’ preparation for
an engineering profession. The findings of the study were analyzed through phenomenal analysis.
The results revealed that the twelve professional women engineer participants, indeed, had ample
access and exposure to engineering concepts during their childhood. Their childhood environment
allowed them to develop the schemata upon which they were able to build their technologic literacy
and engineering field of interest so that they could pursue an engineering career and thrive and
succeed professionally. It is concluded that childhood exposure to engineering concepts facilitates the
development of technologic literacy for women which contributes to pursuing and succeeding in an
engineering profession.
384
Relationship Quality, Depression, and Anxiety in New Parents
HM76
Richa Aggarwal
Co-Author(s): Julie A Waples. B.S., Regent University, Sharnail Bazemore, M.S., Old Dominion
University, James F Paulson, Ph.D., Old Dominion University
Advisor(s): Brian Daly, Ph. D.
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology/MS program
HM
This study examines prenatal relationship quality in new parents, and potential associations with
concurrent and prospective depression and anxiety. The research presented used preliminary findings
from an ongoing longitudinal study of prenatal to postnatal depression in expecting couples. Analyses
reveal moderate correlations between two time points for perceived relationship quality and depression
in either parent, particularly involving fathers’ perception of relationship functioning and its association
with maternal depression. Findings also highlight that perceived relationship quality for both parents
is associated with their own concurrent and future state, or situational, anxiety. Additionally, fathers’
perception of relationship quality is a stronger indicator of maternal concurrent and predictive anxiety
than the converse.
385
Late adolescents’ risky decision making: Does the legality of behavior
matter?
HM77
Casey Burkard
Co-Author(s): Sharon Messenheimer Kelley, Naomi Goldstein
Advisor(s): Naomi Goldstein
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
This study investigated decision making in a context in which risk-taking behavior is common and in
which adolescents tend to be forthright about making risky decisions- driving. Specifically, this study
examined driving behaviors among late-adolescents, comparing decisions about risky, legal behaviors
to risky, illegal behaviors. Data from 294 undergraduates revealed that most participants reported
engaging in risky driving behaviors (i.e., texting or using an ipod/mp3 player while driving), but some
significant differences in the frequencies of legal and illegal behaviors. Implications for late adolescents’
abilities to conform behavior to legal standards will be presented, and legal policies will be discussed.
386
Implicit-Explicit Attitude Discrepancy as a Predictor of Disinhibited Eating,
and the Moderating Role of Psychological Acceptance
HM78
Stephanie Goldstein
Co-Author(s): Evan Forman, James Herbert, Adrienne Juarascio, Breann Erford, Amanda
Barbieri
Advisor(s): Evan Forman
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Research focusing on cognitive and individual difference factors associated with maladaptive eating
behaviors may point toward novel weight loss intervention strategies. One such area of work focuses on
implicit (automatic) and explicit (deliberative) attitudes related to disinhibited eating, which typically
occurs in restrained eaters and has been linked to weight gain. Given previous research, the behavior
could involve both types of attitudes, namely the discrepancy between implicit and explicit attitudes,
which may be more predictive of disinhibited eating than either alone. The current study examines both
implicit and explicit attitudes towards food as well as their discrepancy in predicting disinhibited eating
of chocolate, a commonly craved food. We recruited 95 normal-overweight, moderate-high restraint
female undergraduate students. Measures of implicit attitudes (Implicit Association Test; IAT), explicit
attitudes (Visual Analogue Scale; VAS), self-reported disinhibited eating (Disinhibitive Eating Scale; DIS),
and behavioral disinhibited eating (taste test) were administered. The results revealed that implicit
attitudes alone were not indicative of disinhibited eating, and explicit attitudes alone were also not
indicative of disinhibited eating. However, attitude discrepancy, calculated as the absolute difference
in z scores of the IAT and the VAS, was a statistically significant, positive predictor of behavioral
disinhibited eating, b= 6.16, t(87) = 2.69, p <.01, but not a predictor of self-reported disinhibited
eating, b= 0.19, t(88) = 0.19, p =.85. The results suggest that attitude discrepancy may be a contributor
to disinhibited eating, and raise intriguing possibilities for the further development of more effective
interventions for weight loss.
387
Social Problem Solving and Psychological Distress among Pregnant
Women
HM79
Amy Evans
Co-Author(s): Benjamin Hildebrand, Andrea Segal, Arthur M. Nezu, Christine Maguth Nezu
Advisor(s): Arthur Nezu
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
HM
Animal and human studies have provided evidence that psychological distress during pregnancy
may have adverse effects on the physical and psychological health of the child and mother. Given
this evidence, it is important to learn about the ways in which women cope during pregnancy. Social
problem solving is defined as the cognitive-behavioral process whereby an individual tries to cope
with daily life problems. As such, the purpose of this study is to determine if social problem solving
statistically predicts psychological distress, as defined by depressive and anxious symptomatology,
during pregnancy. It is hypothesized that social problem solving will statistically predict psychological
distress above and beyond demographic variables and stressful life events. Specifically, it is expected
that maladaptive social problem solving, particularly negative problem orientation, will be positively
related to depressive and anxious symptomatology and adaptive social problem solving will be
negatively related to depressive and anxious symptomatology. Pregnant women seeking prenatal
care from two university-based obstetric and gynecologic offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are
being recruited to fill out a series of self-report questionnaires, including the Life Experiences Survey,
Pregnancy Experience Scale, Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale, Pregnancy-Related Anxieties
Questionnaire-Revised, and Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised. A hierarchical multiple regression
analysis will be used to determine whether social problem solving statistically predicts psychological
distress above and beyond reported demographic variables and stressful life events. Data collection is
currently being conducted with an expected total of 200 participants. If the hypotheses are supported,
then problem-solving therapy may be effective in alleviating symptoms during pregnancy.
388
The exploration of ethnic identity through dance/movement therapy: a
phenomenological study of 1.5- and second-generation Korean American
young adults
HM80
Minjung Shim
Advisor(s): Sherry Goodill
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Creative Arts Therapies
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to develop an in-depth description of Korean
American 1.5- and second-generation young adults’ subjective, lived experiences in two areas: the
experience of being 1.5- or second-generation Korean American, and the experience of exploring
their ethnic identity - as experienced in a dance/movement therapy(DMT) workshop structure that
incorporates traditional Korean dance/movement forms.
Growing up as children of immigrants, the 1.5- and second-generation Asian Americans often
experience ambiguity, uncertainty, and tension about their ethnic identity. And this in-between
existence causes isolation, alienation, anxiety, vulnerability and identity crises. DMT offers Asian
American individuals an opportunity to experience their two different cultural identities and help them
integrate those experiences through self-exploration and expression at a bodily level.
For the present study, a DMT workshop was designed to encourage self-searching and self-expression
through creating movements and experiencing Korean traditional dance/movement. Six Korean
American young adults participated in the study. Their subject experiences were collected through indepth interviews and analyzed by phenomenological method.
HM
The findings about being a 1.5- or second-generation Korean American experience include: feelings of
not belonging to any specific identification; a sense of isolation associated with their ethnic identity;
a sense of pride about Korean heritage and their Korean American identity; and bicultural awareness.
Exploring ethnic identity through a dance/movement therapy structure workshop incorporating Korean
traditional dance/movement forms allowed this population to search deeper within themselves; yielded
positive emotional, cognitive gains; helped them to get in touch with the Korean culture. It is seen to
be potentially beneficial as an intervention for people who are struggling for ethnic identity.
389
Juvenile Competence to be Sentenced to Probation: A Relevant Legal
Standard?
HM81
Amanda NeMoyer
Co-Author(s): Ana Prelic, Jenna Ebbecke, Holly Hinz, Naomi E.S. Goldstein
Advisor(s): Naomi E.S. Goldstein
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology (and Law)
HM
Probation is the most common disposition for delinquent youths, but there is no competence standard
for juveniles facing that disposition. Deficiencies in other legal decision-making abilities suggest
that many juveniles may not adequately understand probation requirements and appreciate the
consequences of fulfilling those requirements; as a result, they may violate probation. Applying a more
specific competency standard could help ensure juveniles on probation understand conditions with
which they must comply. However, concerns arise regarding alternatives for those juveniles who would
not meet minimum probation competency levels. This paper discusses creating a juvenile probation
competency standard and resolutions to resulting concerns.
390
Here or St. Elsewhere: Does the cost of medical liability affect resident
retention after graduation?
HM82
Aasta Mehta
College of Medicine
OB/GYN
Objective: To establish resident retention rates in each state over a 6 year period and to determine if
there is a correlation between resident retention and medical liability premiums.
Methods: We conducted a descriptive study of graduating fourth year residents in obstetrics and
gynecology residency programs from 2005-2010 and whether they remained in the same state after
completing their training. Resident retention rates for each stat were obtained from Council for
Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG). For each year, the ten states with the
highest and lowest average base rate medical liability premiums were identified using data obtained
from the Medical Liability Monitor. Regression analysis was used to calculate the difference in resident
retention rate by high and low medical liability base rate premiums.
Results: The overall national resident retention rate from 2005-2011 was 50%. The average resident
retention in high premium states (43%) was lower than in lower premium states (60%), (p<0.0001).
HM
Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that the cost of medical liability insurance is inversely
correlated with resident retention after graduation. Further research should be performed in order to
determine if a relationship exists between new physician migration and medical liability.
391
Identifying Food Safety Risks for Minority Racial/Ethnic Consumers
HM83
Shauna Henley
Co-Author(s): Dr. Susan E. Stein, Dr. Jennifer J. Quinlan
Advisor(s): Jennifer J. Quinlan, Susan E. Stein
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Consumers represent the last line of defense against foodborne illness and it is estimated that a
significant percentage of foodborne illnesses are caused by improper handling by consumers. Surveys
have been an important tool to evaluate food safety knowledge and behaviors, but minority groups
often lack representation among the entire sampling frame. These groups have distinct food cultures
that may represent unique food safety risks, but remain unidentified due to small sample sizes or
food handling questions which are not culturally relevant. This study attempted to identify potential
food handling practices unique to cultural practices. A comparable proportion of Caucasian, African
American, Asian, and Hispanic consumers’ were surveyed, regarding their current food handling
knowledge, practices, and food consumption patterns. Phone surveys were administered in English,
Spanish and Chinese, targeting primary meal preparers residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in
the fall of 2011. The survey was based on the 2006 FDA and FSIS Consumer Food Safety Survey with
the addition of culturally themed questions derived from recent focus groups held with the target
populations. Nonparametric survey analysis used SPSS 19.0.0. A total of 428 surveys were completed
(25.5% Hispanic, 25.1% Caucasian, 24.8% African America, and 24.6% Asian). Caucasians were
significantly (p>0.05) less likely to purchase eggs at room temperature and purchase live poultry,
compared to all minority groups. Minority consumers were more likely to (p>0.05) prepare offals and
body parts (chitlins, kidney, chicken liver, headcheese, chicken giblets, pork skin, feet, snout), not use a
meat thermometer, and leave whole poultry in the oven overnight to cook compared to Caucasians.
HM
Significance: The survey identified unique handling practices among minority groups, which may
present an increased risk for foodborne illness. These groups may benefit from food safety education
that is culturally appropriate, based on language and cultural food differences.
392
Impact of Bullying on Patient Care, the Target Nurse’s perspective: Findings
from a Phenomenological Study
HM84
Rebecca Castellanos
Co-Author(s): Roberta Waite
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Graduate Nursing
Background & Content:
Bullying is a disruptive behavior that continues to plague workplace environments not exclusive of
healthcare institutions. Nurses are a specific professional group that adversely is impacted by violent
behaviors such as bullying. Bullying is defined as a range of overt or covert behaviors, perpetrated
by the bully often hidden and difficult to prove, aimed at a target through escalating unethical
incidents in frequency and intensity, over time making daily work task performance difficult. Bullying
encompasses unethically driven communications that are directed towards another person’s self-esteem
which ultimately can diminish cohesiveness of teamwork. Bullying negatively influence customer
satisfaction and threaten quality and safety of patient care. Unprofessional bullying behaviors targeted
at peer nurses while they continue to provide care to patients should be better understood especially if
direct patient care is compromised.
Nurses have described disruptive behaviors such as peer bullying which may ultimately affect safe
patient care. There has been little evidence to support anecdotal statements demonstrative of this
potential. There have been no studies to link disruptive behaviors and patient care. Bullying within
the profession and its impact on safe practice has not been explored leaving gaps in understanding
how the accumulated effect of bullying directly affects patient care provided from the perspective of
the targeted nurse. Moreover, there are limited qualitative investigations into the bullying experience.
Additionally, there are gaps in understanding how the accumulated effect of bullying directly affects
patient care provided from the perspective of the targeted nurse.
HM
Despite acknowledging the presence of bullying within professional nursing empirical evidence is
lacking specifically as to how direct patient care is affected. Anecdotal opinions speculate nurses who
have been bullied may jeopardize safe patient care.
393
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Standard Operating Procedures of a Strength and Conditioning Facility
ED01
John Sheffield
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
ED
The role of the strength and conditioning coach (SCC) has evolved from being an assistant football
coach, telling players to “pick up and push more weight”, to a certified strength and conditioning
coach. The teams and types of athletes these coaches are training now vary from football to golf
and everything in between. SCCs are now being utilized at every level of competition from the high
school to professional levels in both academia and the private sector. Once hired SCCs are faced with
the daunting task of managing and maintaining their strength and conditioning facility as well as
the management of their staff if they are lucky enough to have one. It is the responsibility of the
Head SCC to organize and create a safe environment suitable for the training of his/her athletes. The
purpose of this project is to create a manual that will help SCCs organize and layout the standard
operating procedures of their specific facility. Through a series of surveys, information and ideas from
SCCs around country will be compiled and used in addition to recommendations provided by national
organizations to create an E-book. This E-book will aid any SCC in the setup and operation of their
strength and conditioning facility.
395
Minimizing Injury While Maximizing Results Within the Catching Position
by Analyzing Strength Training Parallels
ED02
Jessica Serio
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
Although a catcher is well protected with proper gear, it is important to understand the strains and
stresses that the rigors of the position puts on the body of a catcher. The softball catcher is the position
that is most susceptible to injury based on location (behind the batter), the compromising position
(squat), and the frequency of which he or she is involved in the play (every pitch). Because of this,
it is thought that a catcher will get injured. Although this may be true in some cases, it is possible
to condition and train catchers to be able to handle this stress. The purpose of this project is to: (1)
transition proper strength training mechanics to the specific techniques required by catchers; and,
(2) maximize their performance while minimizing their injury during play. In order to obtain these
objectives, the following research questions have been answered:
1. What possible injuries could a catcher sustain during practice and competition?
2. How can information about proper lifting/squatting techniques be integrated into the specific tasks
required by a catcher?
3. Will the implementation of proper weightlifting techniques help to prevent overuse injuries in the
lower extremities?
ED
Picture and video analysis was taken of both softball catchers and expert weightlifters. This video
was cross-checked with the descriptive literature already available. Description of injury and injury
occurrence was paralleled with video/picture analysis to discuss possible prevention. Video and picture
analysis is able to pinpoint target pressure areas during a deep squat by analyzing strength angles
described by experts. Proper technique is verbally implemented within the video in order to describe
how to prevent the occurrence of the injury.
396
The International Student-Athlete Recruiting Model
ED03
Christopher Norton
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
ED
Sports Club “Meteor” is one of the premier athlete training facilities in the country of Ukraine. The
organization has been the home of Olympic-level athlete development for close to 50 years. The
International Student-Athlete (ISA) Recruiting Model is an implementable system that provides a
solution to a problem identified by the administration of Sports Club “Meteor”. The organization fails
to provide a comprehensive service that not only prepares its athletes for competition, but readies
them for life after sport. By opening the door to athletic scholarships in the United States of America,
pupils of the sports club will get the opportunity to compete in intercollegiate athletics and also
earn a degree in higher education. The ISA Recruiting Model analyzes the relevant NCAA rules and
regulations involved in foreign athletes, scholarship availability and opportunity in college sports, and
the recruiting process. It also examines the Ukrainian sport and educational system, identifies potential
hurdles, and provides solutions to facilitate scholarships. The model also serves as an educational
platform as well as guide to building strategic alliances for coaches of Sports Club “Meteor”. This
system functioning in harmony with the organization’s elite training programs will represent a unique
comprehensive service that few international training facilities possess.
397
Collegiate Rowing Leadership Development Manual
ED04
Denise Julian
Advisor(s): Dr. Amy Giddings
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Sport Management
ED
Leadership development is now considered vital to an organization’s success. Traditionally viewed as a
skill for those is a position of hierarchy or for vocal leaders, leadership development is now available
for all levels and encouraged in many group settings such as collegiate athletics. Through this research,
the data demonstrates that leadership skills can be taught and developed, and additionally, how it is
the responsibility of all members of an organization or team to have these leadership skills. Models
for leadership programming already exist in many different industries in order to train individuals
and groups. There are many programs that target collegiate athletics and are available in colleges
and universities across the country. Through a questionnaire emailed to all coaches that participate
in leadership training with their teams. The data from this revealed the most common tools used and
why they found success in that training. Trends were pulled together into a manual that is targeted at
collegiate rowing programs. The final deliverable brings together leadership training into day-to-day
practices with easy to execute drills and programming.
398
Catalyzing STEM Education via the NAE Engineering Grand Challenges
ED05
Jared Coyle
Co-Author(s): Weston Aenchbacher, Alyssa Batula, Gabe Carryon, Jeffrey Cucura, Bill Mather,
Brandon Morton, Sin Park, Eleanor Small, Kevin Wanuga, Youngmoo Kim
Advisor(s): Adam Fontecchio
College of Engineering
ECE
Ten teams composed of a Drexel University College of Engineering GK-12 Fellow paired with a teacher
from the School District of Philadelphia began intense work in August 2011 to develop engineeringbased modules for inclusion in the high school curriculum. These modules serve to enhance the math
and science education of high school students through the context of the National Academy of
Engineering (NAE) Grand Challenges (www.engineeringchallenges.org) while concurrently illustrating
the global nature of these societal issues.
The teams have implemented their modules into the otherwise very prescribed traditional science
curricula of five area high schools. Modules are typically derived directly from each fellow’s research
and laboratory activities and matched with one or more relevant NAE Engineering Grand Challenges.
From there they are adapted to their students? grade level to generate excitement about engineering
and in the fellow’s field of study.
Teachers have developed new perspectives on innovative ways of teaching science. Fellows, in
turn, have learned to meet the challenges of a high school classroom and have gleaned insight and
experience by teaching to an audience much different than their traditional peers. The fellows, teachers
and their students have all discovered the excitement of math and science when explored through
hands-on interactive exercises and experiments. As a result, students have been exposed to science and
engineering in ways that both complement and enhance the standard curriculum.
ED
This poster illustrates a variety of the creative module lessons developed by each of the fellows during
the first two years of the program and provides some evidence of the impact the NSF GK-12 program
has had on the high school students. Topics on the current poster include restoring and improving
urban infrastructure, population dynamics, oil spill clean-up, water treatment and clean water access,
etc.
399
Investigating Widespread Impact of State Colorectal Cancer Prevention
and Control Initiatives on Late Stage Diagnosis Rate and Costs
ED06
John Nguyen
Advisor(s): Craig Newschaffer
School of Public Health
Epidemiology
ED
Colorectal cancer morbidity and mortality is a cause for concern nationally. In Pennsylvania, colorectal
cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the second most common in women.
The early detection of colorectal cancer drastically improves chances of survival. The relative five year
survival rate for early detection where the disease is still localized is 90%. The Pennsylvania Colorectal
Cancer Control Program is a major initiative geared towards reducing the burden of illness and death
due to colorectal cancer, specifically through increasing education and the availability of screening
throughout the state. The goal is to use statewide cancer surveillance data to assess the effectiveness
of statewide cancer prevention initiatives on colorectal cancer by analyzing changes in late stage
diagnosis rates and to assess the changes in economic burden over time. Data from the Pennsylvania
Cancer Registry was used to assess changes in late stage diagnosis through analysis using logistic
regression. Additional analyses using group level poisson regression on the same dichotomous outcome
and polytomous logistic regression using the standard cancer stage categories were conducted for
specificity comparative analysis. Data from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council was
used to assess the changes in economic burden using log linear models on inpatient costs and charges.
The expected results of the study are a statistically significant decrease in late stage colorectal cancer
diagnosis over time and an increase in economic burden of colorectal cancer over time. Reductions in
late stage cancer diagnosis can potentially correlate to reduction of mortality from colorectal cancer.
Additionally, the methods used in this study can be applied to assess the effectiveness of cancer
prevention initiatives using statewide surveillance data in other states.
400
KEYSPOT: an initiative that bring digital awareness, access and adoption
to all Philadelphia communities
ED07
Marlon Millner
Co-Author(s): Maria Walker, Joanne Ferroni, Youngmoo Kim, Kapil Dandekar
College of Engineering
Freedom Rings Partnership
ABSTRACT: Tamika Reed was looking for a job, but found herself at a disadvantage in not having a
computer. “A lot of jobs want me to submit my application online,” said Reed, a Mt. Airy resident. “It’s
very hard to apply for jobs without being able to access a computer.”
That’s the real barrier in a world where an estimated 90% of large employers hire via online
applications. But Reed overcame this barrier at a recent digital job fair conducted by KEYSPOT, a
citywide Philadelphia initiative.
KEYSPOT provides free Internet access, computer classes and 1-on-1 training at more than 70 sites
citywide. An initiative of the Freedom Rings Partnership - led by the City of Philadelphia, the Urban
Affairs Coalition and Drexel University - KEYSPOT is funded by two federal stimulus grants.
Drexel University occupies a unique position in the partnership. Through the College of Engineering,
Drexel manages a public awareness program citywide, and it has led the development of a website,
www.phillyKEYSPOTS.org, a hub of e-learning and information for those new to the Internet. The
University also leads an effort, in collaboration with Community College of Philadelphia to train people
from 5,000 Philadelphia Housing Authority households. These 5,000 people, equipped with eight hours
of basic computer and Internet training, receive a free netbook computer. Aware of the power of
the Internet, and armed with a tool for optimal access, Drexel empowers families all over the city of
Philadelphia to connect with friends and family, pursue further training and education online, and like
Reed, search, apply for and receive new job opportunities.
To date, Drexel has trained people from more than 1,700 PHA households, in nearly 14,000 hours of
learning.
ED
To find out where to go to learn basic computer skills, create a resume and get help in applying for a
job online at KEYSPOTS throughout the city, call 311 or visit www.phillyKEYSPOTS.org.
401
Social Search and Social Media Practices and Support in U.S. Public
Libraries and School Library Media Centers
ED08
Robin Naughton
Co-Author(s): Rachel M. Magee, Patri O’Gan, Andrea Forte, Denise E. Agosto
Advisor(s): Denise Agosto
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
Today, many U.S. teens spend hours each day communicating with friends via online technologies
like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Flickr. A 2010 report from the Pew Research Center showed that
almost 75% of U.S. teens use social networking sites on a regular basis (Lenhart et al., 2010b). Texting
is also an extremely important part of teen technology use; research by Lenhart et al. (2010a) shows
that 75% of U.S. teens aged 12-17 have their own cell phones and that most use their phones for going
online and texting. These statistics demonstrate how important these technologies are for teens, and
increasingly, teens are using these technologies to seek, find, use and share information, practices
termed “social searching”. Further, public and school libraries are beginning to work to reach teens via
these technologies. In order to develop a better understanding of how teens engage in social searching
and how best for libraries support those practices, we are conducting a survey of a representative
sample of 500 U.S. public libraries and 500 U.S. school libraries, inquiring into their current policies and
social media strategies. We will use these responses to develop a portrait of teen technology services,
outreach, and policies in the United States, describing how libraries currently interact with social media
and work to support social searching behaviors, as well as using our findings to develop educational
materials and describe best practices to support libraries in developing and delivering technology-based
services for teens.
References:
Lenhart, A., Ling, R., Campbell, S., & Purcell, K. (2010a). Teens and mobile phones. Pew Internet &
American Life Project: Washington DC. http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.
aspx.
ED
Lenhart, A., Purcell, K., Smith, A., & Zickuhr, K. (2010b). Social media and young adults. Pew Internet &
American Life Project. http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults.aspx.
402
Bowel Wall Thickening On CT Scan is A High Yield Colonoscopy Indication
ED09
Ronak Modi
Co-Author(s): Dr. Ringold
College of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Wall thickening in the lower GI tract (WTLGIT) is a common finding on computerized tomography(CT)
and raises the concern for neoplasia. We performed a retrospective study of patients with WTLGIT
reported in CT reports between 2008 and 2010 to evaluate significance of these findings. Significant
correlating colonoscopy/surgical findings were defined as: Polyps >1cm, masses, ulceration, edema,
erythema, evidence of infectious colitis and diverticulitis. Subjects with prior lower GI diagnoses were
excluded.
188/2505(7.5%) CT described WTLGIT. The mean age was (54.9±19.4) and 101(54%) were females.
105(56%) were African American and 63(34%) were Whites. 70/188(37%) patients underwent
colonoscopy and 14/188(7.4%) underwent surgery. 53/84(63%) had correlative thickening based
on diagnostic intervention (colonoscopy 39/70(55.7%) and surgery 14/14(100)). Patients with
correlating intervention findings were significantly older (59.6 ± 17.9y) than those without (48.2 ±
17.6y;p=0.006). African Americans 34/48(70%) were more likely to have correlated findings then whites
11/25(44%;p=0.04). Patients who did not undergo diagnostic intervention were significantly more likely
to have a presumed or diagnosed infectious cause [75/104(72%) vs. 40/84(47%);p<0.0009]. Patients
with adenocarcinoma were more likely to have weight loss [5/7(71%)] than in those without cancer
[5/77(6.5%)] who underwent diagnostic intervention and had a correlation with WTLGIT;(p=0.0002).
ED
The majority of patients with WTLGIT had significant correlating findings. Older and African American
patients had significantly higher rates of significant correlative pathological findings on diagnostic
intervention while hypoalbuminemia and symptoms, besides weight loss, didn’t correlate with WTLGIT.
Weight loss was seen in the majority of those with cancer and may help stratify patients to undergo
diagnostic intervention.
403
Health Literacy among Mothers, Pregnancy, and Child Well-Being
ED10
Victoria Fiorenza
Advisor(s): Dr. Roberta Waite
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Nursing
Health literacy, the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, process, and understand
basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions, is critical to
effectively manage health care needs. Approximately one-third of adult Americans have limited health
literacy, affecting their ability to obtain, understand and apply health information. Moreover, limited
health literacy is associated with poor health outcomes, inadequate receipt of preventive care services
and increased health care costs. There is a dearth of research and literature that examines the relevance
of maternal health literacy particularly during pregnancy and its ultimate effect on child well-being.
Limited health literacy poses a particular concern for many low-income mothers who tend to be head of
household and are often stressed due to economic hardship. A mother’s inability to maneuver through
the healthcare system, read prescription bottles, complete forms, follow written instructions, and
understand explanations for risk health complications for herself and her child plays a critical role in the
child’s well-being.
ED
During one to one engagement, Registered Nurses within hospital and community settings can assess
patients who lack sufficient health literacy skills with common instruments that have been designed
for healthcare professionals to identify individuals operating at rudimentary levels. Findings can
direct preferences regarding communication and at what level and how written health materials are
provided. Deliberate action is required to address maternal health literacy as it impacts behaviors
during her pregnancy as well as decisions that affect the child’s growth and development. This poster
will present (i)the most updated information about maternal health literacy found in relevant health
science data bases and (ii)a model that illustrates key components of health literacy and its relevance to
maternal pregnancy and child well-being.
404
An Approach for Evaluating Open Source Projects for Student Participation
ED12
Michelle Purcell
Co-Author(s): Heidi Ellis, Gregory Hislop, Alan Black
Advisor(s): Gregory Hislop
College of Information Science and Technology
Student participation in free and open source software (FOSS) has potential to improve student
learning in computing majors. Experiences contributing bug fixes, testing, writing documentation and
developing new features can enable students to learn in a more authentic environment developing
technical skills as well as teamwork and communication skills. However, it can be difficult to identify
FOSS projects suitable for student participation.
ED
Building upon several years of experience involving students in humanitarian open source software
projects a framework was developed to assist instructors in identifying appropriate FOSS projects
for student involvement. In this poster, we present the framework and findings from initial steps to
evaluate its validity.
405
openHTML: Basic Web Development in Research and Education
ED13
Thomas Park
Advisor(s): Andrea Forte, Susan Wiedenbeck
College of Information Science and Technology
ED
Computing education today takes two primary forms: computer literacy courses in which students
become skilled users of productivity applications, and programming courses in which they learn
to design and build software. By making basic web development (HTML and CSS) the focus of our
research, we aim to bridge the gulf between these two areas of computing education and support
students in transitioning from users to creators of software. Our educational initiative consists of the
development of a web-based code editor and instructional resources to be made available to the
general public. We are deploying these materials in a set of research studies, including a lab study that
explores the computational concepts applied in basic web development tasks, and a naturalistic study
of after-school web workshops in local community centers.
406
The Impact of Conversations about Women’s Health
ED14
Melinda Johnson
College of Medicine
Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership
Background: Conversations about Women’s Health are defined as interactive panel discussions between
lay persons and experts conducted by a skilled moderator. The Institute for Women’s Health and
Leadership has been conducting these Conversations since 2003 in an effort to address knowledge gaps
related to women’s health, healthcare and nutrition in local communities in Philadelphia.
Purpose: This pilot study was performed in order to determine the extent to which Conversation
participants self-report an increase in understanding and/or a change or increase in behaviors related to
a topic addressed at a Conversation on Women’s Health.
Research Questions:
1. To what extent did participants report that they were aware of the Conversation’s subject matter?
2. To what extent did participants report behaviors that reflect their knowledge and awareness of the
the Conversation’s subject matter?
3. To what extent do participants report that they are prepared to utilize information they have
regarding the Conversation’s subject matter?
4. To what extent do participants report the attribution of post-Conversation behavior practices to the
Conversation?
This particular study’s objectives included 1) assess participants existing knowledge about healthcare
reform, 2) increase participants knowledge on healthcare reform
Study Design: This pilot study included the development of two assessment tools: a pre-survey and a
post survey containing qualitative and quantitative inquiries. Each of the surveys included quantitative
likert scale questions and at least one qualitative inquiry. These two instruments are valuable in
their design and scope for future assessment of interactive panel discussions. An exempt IRB review
was conducted and approved. Participants (n=69) were asked and informed about their option to
participate in the two-part survey designed to measure the impact of this Conversation. The first survey
was administered by the researcher. The second/post-survey was administered by a third party due
to IRB constraints. Participants were asked to list their e-mail address on a separate form in order to
receive the Post follow-up survey.
ED
Results: The survey results were analyzed and reported on in the aggregrate. The study suggests that
Conversations about Women’s Health did increase participants’ knowledge and understanding of
healthcare reform. Post-Conversation assessments revealed an increase in most participants’ interest
and understanding. In this study, participants attributed this increased understanding and behavioral
involvement in the topic area to their participation in the Conversation. A sustained measure of this
increased understanding and a potential change(s) in behavior is a study for future research.
407
Wimba Live Classroom technology as a supplement in the teaching of
Organic Chemistry
ED15
Kishore Bagga
Co-Author(s): Peter Falzarano, Will Bringgold
Advisor(s): Kishore Bagga
College of Medicine
Office of Health Professions in the Health Sciences
ED
Instructors at all levels of education have a wide variety of tools at their disposal. Before the
technological advancements we have come to appreciate today, worksheets and hand-outs were the
normal supplements in a classroom setting. With the technologically sophisticated student of today, it is
becoming more and more common for instructors to utilize technology-based supplementary material.
This study was conducted in order to validate the effectiveness of one such supplementary tool: the
Wimba Live! online classroom. Besides the use of the traditional classroom style of lectures, students
were invited to engage in real-time presentations, which could also be accessed from an archived
repository for future visits. Comparison of each student’s pre- and post-Wimba assessment scores were
used as a means to assess the efficacy of this tool. A total of ten groups were studied in this manner,
of which seven groups showed a statistically significant improvement in their test scores (p ≤
0.05). Whether the gender of the student plays any role in score improvement was also determined
in this work. This was not the case, as both pooled samples (males and females) showed a statistically
significant increase in scores (p ≤ 0.01). The data from this study suggests that use of this technology
can be beneficial as a support to aid student learning and achievement.
408
From Benchtop To Chip: Some First Steps in Transitioning Engineering
Education to the Microfluidic Scale
ED16
Patrick Kirby
Co-Author(s): Bailu Xu, Irina Ciobanescu Husanu, Michael Mauk
Advisor(s): Irina Ciobanescu Husanu
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Engineering Technology
ED
In order for students to gain a more complete understanding of many topics in the field of engineering
hands on experience proves to be a very useful tool. With this said in many instances, especially when
the topic of interest involves either heat transfer or fluid dynamics it becomes very difficult for students
to actually gain hands on experience due to the complicated nature by which the labs are set up. In
many instances the labs have to be set up ahead of time by the instructors, leaving relative little space
for students to participate in their own learning experience. With this said, there exists a current trend
in engineering research which involves the incorporation of smaller micro devices to do things which
much larger much more expensive equipment was once applied. For this reason we have merged both
the desire to get students more involved in their own learning as well as the current engineering
trend of shrinking down technologies. Amongst these new experiments we examine the relationship
between pressure and temperature in what could be described and potentially used as a one shot valve
or pump. In this case we apply Expancel  microbeads to simulate a temperature-dependent volume
phase change and allow for the students to observe and evaluate the resulting phenomena. Another
phenomena examined within our development of new labs is microfluidic mixing. By creating various
chip designs which include channels less than 1mm in size not only are students giving the opportunity
to attack a current issue facing many researchers involved with microfluidics but also observe many
of the other phenomena involved with fluid flow such as boundary layers and the influence of chip
geometry on flow patterns. By scaling down the experiments involved in this lab we were able to cut
down on both spatial and financial costs while allowing the students to gain more involvement in the
experimental design process and analysis.
409
Library Consultations in Biology Laboratory Courses
ED17
Peggy Dominy
Co-Author(s): Heather Gwin, Jessica Battisto
College of Arts and Sciences
Hagerty Library
ED
Laboratory reports and presentations are staples in biology courses. Learning to incorporate the body
of scholarly literature into their laboratory experience and course lectures has often been a stumbling
block for students. For the winter term consultation with the science librarian (Dominy) was required
by Lab Instructors (Battisto, Gwin) for the Biology 219 courses (41 students) by week 4 of the term. An
improvement was definitely revealed in student’s reports and presentations compared to the fall term.
This successful experiment promises future opportunities for instructor/librarian collaboration.
410
Evaluating Technology Use to Reduce Health Literacy Issues
ED18
Nina Multak
Advisor(s): Michelle Rodgers
College of Information Science and Technology
ISchool/PhD program
Background
Patients are often faced with complex medical information and treatment decisions. They must be
able to locate health information, evaluate information for validity, analyze risks and benefits, and
calculate medication doses. In order to accomplish these tasks, patients must be literate, able to operate
a computer, able to obtain relevant information from documents, and have basic quantitative abilities.
Health literacy requires individuals to have a level of ability that enables them to manage their health
and the health of those in their care. Health literacy affects all citizens, however there are discrepancies
in prevalence and severity. Groups which are more likely to experience limited health literacy include:
adults over the age of 65 years old, non-white racial and ethnic groups, immigrants, non-native
speakers of English, individuals with less than a high school degree and people who are economically
disadvantaged1. Low levels of health literacy adversely affects management of chronic disease,
prevention of transmission and acquisition of communicable infections and contributes to higher rates
of hospitalization and overall poor health outcomes. Understanding these issues is important to provide
appropriate support to improve the health and health literacy of older adults. The emergence of these
tools will increase opportunities for health care disparities among U.S. population groups. The needs of
diverse user groups must be considered in the development and implementation of electronic health
tools, such as patient portals.
Method
Data collection focused on the relationships between health literacy and a person’s ability to use
communication technology and electronic health technology. Surveys were completed by adults who
were 65 years of age and older. Demographic information, chronic conditions, and technology use were
evaluated. Educational status was divided into those with a high school education and no high school
education. The two groups analyzed were a group of seniors attending a book club gathering (n=17)
and a group of individuals attending a social gathering with members of their place of worship (n-11).
Conclusions
Limited literacy skills translate into limited health literacy skills. This results in higher hospitalization
rates and higher health care costs for these individuals2. Patient information and the way it is retrieved
has a broad impact on healthcare. Future research focused on information seeking and gathering
through technology and future potential for impact on patient outcomes is needed. Further analysis
is needed for evaluation of methods to support geriatric patients health care technology needs and
evaluate how to support direct access to their health record and provide patient education to this
population.
411
ED
Results
The age range of the participants was 74-89 years old. 72% of participants have an education beyond
the high school. 100% of the participants own and use a cell phone. 62% of the participants use a
computer weekly. 100% of the participants indicated that they have diabetes and/or hypertension.
Participants had varied responses about using electronic health technologies with widespread
agreement about the need for technological support from a family member or a medical staff support
person.
Information Seeking Contexts in Rural Indian Populations
ED19
Andrea Marshall
Co-Author(s): Radhakrishnan “Ranjit” Subramaniam
Advisor(s): Kristene Unsworth, Deborah Turner
College of Information Science and Technology
Information Studies
ED
The current corpus of scholarly literature in library and information science (LIS) that addresses
information seeking within rural Indian populations is sparse (Dutta 2009); however it is also apparent
that there is increased scholarly attention being devoted to rural India in terms of global development
(Basu 2009). Additionally, populations in rural India are engaging more with information technologies;
this is indicative of the gradual changes taking place in terms of informational and digital literacies
(Basu 2009). We propose that Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process Theory (1985) and her concept
of Guided Inquiry (Kuhlthau 2010) can be utilized as methodological approaches to scrutinize and
contextualize the information seeking behaviors most important to rural Indian populations. Although
the notion of information flow has been investigated in rural-to-urban job seeking scenarios (Banerjee
1984), we contend that Kuhlthau’s two theoretical constructs act as methodological tools to fully
examine the emergent information seeking contexts most relevant to modern rural Indian populations.
412
Exploration of a Peer and Faculty E-Mentoring Program for EdD Students
ED20
Tarae Waddell-Terry
Advisor(s): Allen Grant, Rajashi Ghosh
Goodwin School of Education
EdD program
Mentoring has been suggested to be a useful mechanism in helping doctoral students achieve their
educational and professional goals. Outside organizations and educational institutions are calling
stakeholder’s attention to the importance of developing the doctoral student for critical leadership
roles in the global workforce through mentorship. Educators, students and administrators in the
EdD program are pondering the concept of implementing a web-based mentoring program that will
promote doctoral student success, professional development and career advancement. Preliminary
conversations on a web-based mentoring program have focused on the need for peer and faculty
mentorship to help advance the doctoral student to the next level. Additional thoughts on mentoring
consists of social opportunities (meet and greet) between peers, faculty and staff related to the doctoral
students experience and support through research opportunities and professional development.
ED
This poster will outline concepts of a mentoring program to help support doctoral students in their
programs.
413
Multidisciplinary Rounds on Labor & Delivery to Improve Team
Communication and Solidarity: Opinions
ED21
Jie Xu
Co-Author(s): Dana Farabaugh, Daniel Guilfoil, Kalatu Davies, Folasade Odeniyi
College of Medicine
OBGYN
Unpredictable events in the context of a multidisciplinary unit will undoubtedly pose as an avenue to
error in communication, an avoidable risk that can compromise patient care. Multidisciplinary rounds
have been used in Intensive Care Units with success.
During July 2011, pre- and post-rounds questionnaires were distributed on labor and delivery to assess
the opinions of each team (Labor & Delivery, Antepartum, Neonatology, Anesthesia) on their rounding
experiences.
A scoring system of 1 through 5 (completely disagree through to completely agree) corresponding
with each statement on questionnaire was utilized. Statements were kept the same for both preand post-rounds: (1) I am comfortable with my clinical knowledge of the patients; (2) I feel like part
of a multidisciplinary team; (3) I am comfortable voicing my opinions regarding management; (4) I
am comfortable with the level of involvement of other providers; (5) I feel everyone is in agreement
regarding management plans.
Although not statistically significant, all teams did score higher in the post-rounds survey (n=27). The
difference in comfort level of clinical knowledge of the patients pre and post-rounds was found to
be significant. This means participants found rounds to be especially helpful in verifying the clinical
information they have on the patients on labor & delivery. More anesthesia participation is needed.
Lack of available participants overall may have led to the lack of statistical significance in the findings.
ED
In the future it would be interesting to see if there is any difference in gender, age, or race of
participants. One may also look at the amount medical errors made prior to and after the application of
multidisciplinary rounds to see if this new routine truly improves patient safety and quality of care.
414
E- Quality Control Method for Measuring Solar Cell Efficiency
ED22
Sharon van Bezooyen
Co-Author(s): Bret Davis
Advisor(s): Richard
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Technology Engineering
ED
The project studies the design and implementation of a remote non-contact solar cell surface roughness
monitoring system as well as resulting data in solar energy manufacturing. The process solution set
represents an integrated suite that provides solar cell manufacturing process monitoring, tool and
fixture design, visualization, quality analysis, and automation through a remote robotic control system.
An experimental study of surface roughness effect on laser light scattering from textured surfaces
is described. The results and the system proposed are useful in implementing laser light scattering
instruments for on-line monitoring of solar cell manufacturing processes which produce surface
roughness patterns.
415
Effect of Bicycle After school Program on Students Perception of Health
ED23
Stephanie Wever
Co-Author(s): Dr. Yvonne Michael, David Bevacqua
Advisor(s): Dr. Yvonne Michael
School of Public Health
ED
Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. Community-based organizations may
play a role in addressing the obesity epidemic in Philadelphia by creating programs to promote a
healthy lifestyle and providing opportunities for youth to be physically active. One such organization
is Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW) works with underserved youth through their Earn-a-Bike Program
(EAB). The EAB program teaches youth basic bicycle mechanics, safe riding skills and healthy lifestyle
choices with the ultimate goal of refurbishing their own bicycle. We analyzed surveys administered
to participants before and after the Earn-a-Bike program to assess changes in student physical activity
levels and fast food consumption. Statistical analysis was performed on survey responses (n=534) using
a McNemar’s and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test of significance in SAS 9.2. After participation in the EAB
program, participants showed a significant decrease in the number of days consuming fast food (1.69 to
1.67 days, p <0.001), and increase in hours cycling(1.49 to 2.54 hours, p <0.001) and hours spend playing
another sport (3.45 to 3.73 hours, p=0.0045). Therefore the EAB program has been shown to increase
physical activity and decrease fast food consumption among its participants and can be part of a unique
strategy to reduce obesity in underserved youth in Philadelphia, PA.
416
Serving the Needs of Autistic Spectrum Students in Higher Education: A
Study of Leadership and Support Systems
ED24
Amy Edwards
Advisor(s): Frederick Loomis
Goodwin School of Education
EdD Educational Leadership and Management
This study is intended to survey the counselors and leaders in four research universities in their disability
services offices and their observations on the gap that may exist between the knowledge of autism
spectrum disorder students and support services which are available.
ED
This multiple case study will begin with a survey delivered to these universities, which will be followed
by interviews. The officers in each of the disability offices will be surveyed and interviewed on their
perception of the needs of autism spectrum disorder students and how institutions respond. This study
will be beneficial because it will uncover if the needs of this growing population of students in higher
education.
417
Using student-centered, project-based assignments with technology to
enhance student learning
ED25
Traci Fox
Co-Author(s): Joyce Pittman, PhD
Advisor(s): Joyce Pittman, PhD
Goodwin School of Education
Educational Leadership & Management
ED
This abstract is based on the work of Joyce Pittman, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor, Drexel University,
as part of a course entitled Educ 802, Using and Integrating Emerging Technology, which is a program
requirement for Drexel’s EdD program in Educational Leadership and Management. The instructional
approach to Educ 802 is designed to inform students on new approaches to teaching, student-centered
learning and digital equity using a School of the Future (SoF) model. The Read, Reflect, Display, and Do
(R2D2) framework introduces a practical model for creating educational experiences using the latest
technology. The R2D2 framework helps instructors of online or blended-learning courses design and
deliver learner-centered instruction and maintain digital equity principles. The designs that resulted are
based on educational leadership students’ graduate research and collective futuristic thinking, as well
as interactions that emerged during this research-based hybrid course. SoF models in both digital and
Web-based formats are shared in this session. The SoF visions incorporate a “systemic view” in showing
what a day-in-the-life of a person learning and leading in a future school might look like. While the
schools of the future designed in the class were based on K-12, the concepts are transferable to the
University setting, as well. The findings will focus on emerging school design and leadership issues that
are universal and global. The presentation will highlight the theory behind project based learning and
feature one or more “schools of the future” from EDUC 802.
418
Mind, Body and Spirit in the Single-Parent Family
ED26
Mik`ael Rice
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Behavorial Health Counseling
ED
Mind, Body and Spirit in the Single-Parent Family
419
Conditions for Using Digital Games in Schools: A Case Study
ED27
Mamta Shah
Co-Author(s): Aroutis Foster
Goodwin School of Education
Educational Leadership and Learning Technologies
ED
Researchers are documenting the use of digital games as instructional tools by focusing on the
effectiveness of specific games (Squire, 2004), difficulties experienced in the classroom (Rice, 2007),
and student learning and motivation (Foster, 2008; 2011). However, studies examining the school
conditions that impact the implementation of digital games are missing. Therefore, a case study was
undertaken at a K-8 private school in a Northeastern suburban city. The objective of this ongoing study
was to facilitate an in-service science and technology teacher in using and adopting the Play Curricular
activity Reflection and Discussion (PCaRD) game-based learning pedagogical model (Foster & Shah,
2012) for engaging students in constructing meta-knowledge, humanistic knowledge, and foundational
knowledge. We worked extensively with one teacher coaching and modeling to incorporate PCaRD to
teach a two-term course on design and systems thinking using commercial games such as Rollercoaster
Tycoon 3 in a 5th and a 6th grade class. We analyzed this case using three domains-the innovation
(PCaRD), the innovator (the participating teacher), and the context (the school). These domains have
been found to significantly impact the degree to which technology projects are integrated well
in classrooms (Zhao, Pugh, Sheldon & Byers, 2002). Preliminary findings suggest that the teacher
implemented PCaRD successfully within the school. The school has appointed the teacher as Director
of Design and Innovation and is supportive of her to introduce new technology initiatives. The PCaRD
model provides a pedagogical method to use serious and commercial games for achieving curricular
goals across K-12 education. Lastly, PCaRD fulfills the teacher’s goals of creating technology-enhanced
learning experiences. Teachers and researchers interested in assessing the effectiveness of game-based
learning projects must consider the interaction of several factors within K-12 schools.
420
NSAID’s in the elderly: A patient information handout
ED28
John Liantonio
Co-Author(s): Brent Simmons MD
College of Medicine
Family Medicine
ED
It has been well documented that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID’s) have their
share of complications and side effects. In particular, the cardiovascular, renal and GI systems have been
studied extensively. Of interest, the elderly population uses an alarming amount of these medications
on a chronic basis. To address this issue, we have put together a patient handout to educate this
population on the risks that these seemingly harmless medications can provide to their health.
421
Keys to college: Tracking IELTS test score gains among international
students in an undergraduate conditional admission program
ED29
Patrick Braciszewski
Co-Author(s): Reese M. Heitner
Advisor(s): Reese M. Heitner
College of Arts and Sciences
Culture and Communication-Sociology
Substantial numbers of international students who apply to U.S. undergraduate study are admitted into
“conditional admission” programs pending additional English language credentials. The International
Gateway Program (“Gateway”) at Drexel University is a conditional admission program which consists
of a four-term course of study including intensive English coursework together with selected creditbearing university courses. Crucially, students accepted into Gateway must meet minimum exit score
requirements on a standardized language test (IELTS or TOEFL) for full acceptance into the university.
In AY2010-2011, a cohort of 34 students enrolled in Gateway and applied for undergraduate admission
using IELTS test scores. The current research project was designed to examine the utility of the IELTS test
in this context, addressing the following three concerns:
1. What is the dynamic of English language proficiency as measured by successive IELTS scores and IEP
course level progression?
2. What is the relationship among initial program entry IELTS scores and credit-bearing university course
GPAs</x>?
3. Are first-term post-Gateway matriculated student GPAs</x> comparable to direct admission peers?
In short, does the Gateway program prepare low-English proficiency international students to succeed
in college?
ED
The results of this research project are now becoming available. In particular, average score gains
over 3-month, 6-month, 9-month, and 12-month intervals are reported and compared to academic
course performance during each Gateway term. In addition, university GPA data from the first term of
matriculated undergraduate study are correlated with IELTS scores, providing some basic information
regarding the predictive validity of IELTS test scores within a U.S. university context. Combined, these
score gain correlations reveal a more global, detailed, and comprehensive profile of international
students developing English language academic proficiency in the context of a conditional admission
program at a U.S. university.
422
Proctor Exam Cam
ED30
Allen Krasner
Co-Author(s): Tim Steffen, Yunus Sahin, John Granate
Advisor(s): Warren Rosen
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
EET
ED
There are many problems with monitoring online classes because the students can take their exams at
any time and at anyplace. This has caused cheating in online classes to become rampant since there is
no effective enforcement. We have tackled this problem by developing a low-cost automated proctor
exam bot. Our proctor exam bot will be able to identify any cheating that may occur during an online
exam by monitoring the student taking the exam with an autonomous articulating camera and acoustic
sensors. The system will be able to detect any sounds that may occur and then focus the camera in that
direction. Our proctor exam bot will also be able to verify that the correct student is taking the online
exam by way of ear recognition software that will be interfaced with the camera. Another feature
of our proctor exam bot is that it will allow a remote human proctor to manage multiple exams. The
proctor who is managing multiple exams will be able to watch and control the camera in real time via
the Internet and see and hear everything that is going on during a test. The proctor would also have
access to monitor the computer screen of the person during an active session. The main goal of our
project is to build this device cheaply and sell it cheaper than the competition at a selling price of $125,
and to build a device that has superior capabilities. Our proctor exam bot will be cheaper than the
current competition. It will also be superior due to our improved video clarity and easier portability. To
date we have completed many of the needed tasks such as building the amplifying circuit that will be
used to boot the voltage levels from the microphones. We have also completed the software code that
is needed to control the articulating camera and move it to the correct position based on sound.
423
Low-Cost Electro Cardo Gram Device For Education
ED31
Matthew Ercolino
Co-Author(s): Fred Spor, Donald Lebedynsky, Jim Cunningham
Advisor(s): Warren Rosen
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Electrical Engineering Technology
ED
The issue addressed by this project is the absence of widely available low-cost ECG units for educational
purposes that provide open source software. The approach in attempting to broach this issue was to
identify a core technology for such a device that minimizes hardware costs; additionally, to develop a
user software environment for user customization which is widely available throughout Universities.
The impact of this development is that this technology targeted at learning and teaching with this focus
has never been available before at this price point. The device will enhance learning and understanding
for biotechnology studies and the students produced from those programs. Furthermore, low-income
and disadvantaged groups would also see the benefit of this development, as better diagnostics would
be available with capabilities at an unprecedented level to a much wider audience.
424
PHYSICAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
Fabrication and Applications of Polymer-Quantum Dot Composite Coatings
PS02
Cheng-Hsin Lu
Co-Author(s): Yen-Ming Lu
Advisor(s): Wei-Heng Shih, Wan Y. Shih
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
PS
Quantum dot (QD) semiconductor nanoparticles have tunable optical and electronic characteristics by
size control because of the quantum confinement effect. Because of this unique property, QDs have
been utilized in many applications including medical imaging, antimicrobial efficacy, transistors, solar
cells, and lighting. Most of the QD applications require a layer of QD coating. Making QD coating
without losing their original quantum confinement property can be achieved by forming a polymerQD composite. By mixing polyethylenimine (PEI) with cadmium sulfide (CdS) QDs, or polyacrylic acid
with cadmium selenide (CdSe) QDs, we can deposit a dense polymer-QD coating layer with very good
absorbance and photoluminescent properties comparable to their QD suspension. By combining a
QD coating on a glass slide with an LED (light emitting diode) light source, we can obtain QD- LED
white light system of different color temperature. The effects of polymer-QD mixing ratio, deposition
condition, optical characteristics of polymer-QD coating, and their applications in QD-LED white light
will be discussed.
426
Ferromagnetic Nano UV Epoxy
PS03
Jamie Kennedy
Advisor(s): Adam Fontecchio
College of Engineering
ECE
PS
In the methods of combining materials, there is a need for control over the placement of an epoxy in
a research project on a nano-scale level. With combining nonfunctional ferromagnetic particles and
optical UV curing glue, a magnetic-nano epoxy is created, which allows control over the glue through
exterior magnetism. Starting with a basic breakdown of ferrifluid, where kerosene is the primary
suspension carrier, it is possible to create a basic ferrifluid where glue is the primary suspension carrier
instead. Past research has shown complications concerning viscosity and separation of the mixture over
time. However, with the introduction of the polymer pectin to the mixture it increases the viscosity
and provides the overall system with more of a thicker base and non-separation characteristics. The
magnetic-nano glue is a material that can be used in many aspects of research if perfected with the
right ingredients and the proper procedure.
427
Thermally calibrating AFM cantilever spring constants
PS04
William King
Advisor(s): Luis Cruz Cruz
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
In order to successfully function in the world, your body must be capable of generating and responding
to a number of mechanical stresses, and it has developed many dedicated structures that can be used
for such purposes. The muscle protein titin is a key player in providing passive elasticity in skeletal
muscle, acting as a molecular spring holding the sarcomere together. Because it’s biologic role involves
its response to mechanical force, we use an atomic force microscope to apply similar forces to titin
subdomains in vitro. A better understanding of their response of mechanical strain would help us
understand titin’s effect within a cell, and also shed light on the broader issue of protein folding and
stability. In order to conduct such experiments, we need calibration methods with which we can easily
and accurately measure the spring constants of our AFM cantilevers. I will discuss the most popular
“thermal tune” method, which takes advantage of the equipartition theorem from statistical mechanics
to calculate the spring constant from the cantilever’s thermal fluctuation. One of the main benefits of
this approach is its accessibility, since it does not require external weights or reference springs. While
the basic theory is reasonably accurate, there are many refinements that allow for a more reliable
estimation. I will point out some of these refinements in the context of my ‘calibcant’ software package
that implements the calibration scheme for Linux-controlled microscopes.
428
Effects of Grain size and DC bias on the electromechanical coupling
constant of 0.67Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.32PbTiO3 piezoelectric plate
sensor (PEPS)
PS05
Wei Wu
Advisor(s): Wei-Heng Shih, Wan Y Shih
College of Engineering
Materials Eng
PS
Piezoelectric plate sensor (PEPS) made of 8 μm thick 0.67Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.32PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) have
been shown to exhibit high sensitivity in detecting proteins (e.g., 0.1 pg/ml proteins in full serum) and
DNAs (e.g., 30 copies/ml of DNA in urine or serum). In addition, the detection resonance frequency
shift of a PMN-PT PEPS was often more than 300-1000 times higher than can be accounted by mass
change. Earlier studies indirectly suggested that such high sensitivity was related to the piezoelectric
performance of the PEPS. In this study, we seek to examine the direct correlation of a PEPS detection
sensitivity to its piezoelectric performance. To obtain PEPS with various k31 electromechanical coupling
constant, we sintered 8 μm thick PMN-PT freestanding films under various sintering conditions to obtain
PMN-PT films of different grain sizes. The results indicated that PMN-PT PEPS with a larger grain size
exhibited a larger k31. Furthermore, k31 of a PEPS could also be increased by applying a DC bias electric
field with the optimal negative DC bias electric field ranging around 2-5 kV/cm depending on the grain
size. PEPS of various k31 value was used to monitor biotin immobilization on the sensor surface. It is
shown that the detection resonance frequency shift of the same biotin immobilization increased with
an increasing k31 of a PEPS regardless whether the k31 value was achieved with a DC bias or through
change of grain size. This clearly and directly linked the detection resonance frequency shift of a PMNPT PEPS to its k31, and indicated that the >103 enhanced resonance frequency shift of a PMN-PT PEPS
was a result of its high electromechanical coupling.
429
Influence of Temperature on the Compaction and Strength of Some
Pharmaceutical Excipients
PS06
George Weber
Co-Author(s): Antonios Zavaliangos, Jerry Klinzing, Steven Hu, Tracey Mascaro, John
Cunningham, Denita Winstead
Advisor(s): Dr. Antonios Zavaliangos
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
PS
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of temperature on the compaction behavior
and mechanical properties of some common pharmaceutical powders. Three common excipients
microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), starch-1500, and mannitol were evaluated at various temperatures
(25, 50, 100, and 150C). An Instron compression testing system with temperature controlled die and
punches was employed to compact each powder into a porous tablet. Mechanical properties during
and after compaction were significantly affected by temperature, primarily exhibited by differences in
compactibility and tensile strength. The dependence of tablet strength on temperature for Starch-1500
was dramatic. An increase in processing temperature resulted in much larger strength values for the
same compaction pressure applied at room temperature. This effect was also observed for the MCC
tablets but to a lesser degree. Higher temperatures improved compressibility and generally decreased
initial fill density for all materials examined. This study reveals that the compaction temperature has
significant effects on the mechanical properties of pharmaceutical powders.
430
MXenes - A New Family of Two Dimensional Materials Transition Metal
Carbides Produced by Exfoliation of MAX Phases
PS07
Michael Naguib
Co-Author(s): Olha Mashtalir, Joshua Carle, Murat Kurtoglu, JérémyCome, Volker Presser,
Jun Ju, Lars Hultman, Patrice Simon, Yury Gogotsi, Michel W. Barsoum
Advisor(s): Michel W. Barsoum, Yury Gogotsi
College of Engineering
MSE Department
Currently, there are relatively few classes of two dimensionally (2-D) materials. Herein, we report on the
fabrication of a new family of 2-D Mn+1Xn sheets from MAX phases. MAX phases are a large family
of machinable layered ternary carbides and nitrides, where M is an early transition metal, A is a group
13 to 16 element and X is C and/or N. The exfoliation process was carried out by immersing selected
MAX phase powders in hydrofluoric acid, HF, at room temperature. It results in removing the A layer
from MAX phases and exfoliation of 2-D layers. We are labeling those 2-D layers MXenes to denote
the loss of the A element and emphasize their structural similarities with graphene. Several examples
are discussed, such as Ti2C, Ti3C2, (Ti0.5Nb0.5)2C, (V0.5Cr0.5)3C2, Ta4C3, and Ti3(C0.5N0.5)2. The most
characterized material to date is Ti3C2 produced by the room temperature exfoliation of Ti3AlC2 in HF
for 2h. Not only are individual layers formed, but also multi-layer particles and conical scrolls of radius
less than 20nm have been demonstrated.
The large elastic moduli predicted by ab initio simulation and the possibility of varying their surface
chemistries render these nanosheets attractive as polymer composite fillers. Cold pressed discs of
MXenes showed hydrophilic behavior and electrical conductivity compared to multilayer graphene.
It has been predicted that their band gap can be tuned by varying the surface termination. MXene
showed a promising behavior as an anode material in lithium ion batteries. At C/25, the steady state
capacity was 225 mAh•g-1; at 1C, it was 110 mAh•g-1 after 80 cycles; at 3C, it was 80 mAh•g-1 after 120
cycles; and at 10C, it was 70 mAh•g-1 after 200 cycles.
PS
Since there are over 60 MAX phases known to date, this discovery opens the door to the synthesis of a
large number of other 2-D transition metal carbides and nitrides.
431
Exploring Statistical Microstructure-Corrosion Property Linkages in 5xxx
Aluminum Alloys
PS08
Daniel Satko
Advisor(s): surya kalidindi, roger doherty
College of Engineering
materials science and engineering
PS
Sensitization of 5xxx series Al-Mg alloys by natural aging over prolonged time is known to lead to
susceptibility of the material to failure by intergranular corrosion and stress corrosion cracking due
to precipitation of an anodic intermetallic phase at grain boundaries. This limits the useful operating
temperature regime of these alloys, which are favored for marine and automotive applications due to
a combination of good strength, weldability, and corrosion resistance. While the electrochemistry of
the system is well understood, the underlying microstructural drivers of the observed heterogeneity of
precipitation are still an open question. A novel multi-modal experimental technique is presented to
investigate statistically the linkage between microstructure, precipitation, and corrosion in these alloys
and elucidate the salient features.
432
Biotemplated Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Enhanced Dropwise
Condensation
PS09
Emre Olceroglu
Co-Author(s): Md Mahamudur Rahman Dinar, Stephen M. King, Matthew McCarthy
Advisor(s): Matthew McCarthy
College of Engineering
MEM
We report the fabrication and characterization of biotemplated nanostructured coatings based on
the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) for dropwise condensation. Compared to filmwise condensation,
a substantial increase in two-phase heat transfer can be achieved through dropwise condensation.
However, traditional nanofabrication methods are difficult to integrate with real-world thermal
management schemes, thus limiting their potential. This work reports the use of a simple room
temperature nanofabrication process, using the self-assembly and mineralization of the Tobacco mosaic
virus, to create superhydrophobic surfaces for enhanced two-phase heat transfer.
The TMV is a benign plant virus measuring 300nm in length and 18nm in diameter, which is genetically
engineered to include cysteines with enhanced binding properties. Its behavior is well known over a
wide range of environmental conditions (stable up to 60 ⁰C between pH 2-10). By sequentially
exposing a surface to three room temperature solutions, conformal virus-templated coatings are
created. This process requires no special equipment and can easily be extended to both micro and
macro-scale applications.
Superhydrophobic surface manufacturing involves two steps: Nanoporous rough surfaces have been
obtained through the use of the TMV. Then, TMV is coated with Teflon (PTFE), which is well known for
its hydrophobic characteristics.
Droplet impact tests and static contact angle measurements on our fabricated superhydrophobic surface
are reported. Dropwise condensation induced two-phase heat transfer experiments, together with
droplet departure tests are conducted and elaborated. We also compare the heat transfer capability of
our fabricated superhydrophobic surfaces with flat surfaces.
PS
In this study, the feasibility of biotemplated nanostructures based on TMV is demonstrated for dropwise
condensation purposes. Also, a fundamental understanding of the dropwise condensation mechanism
on these nanostructures is provided.
433
Activation of Carbon Onions for Supercapacitor Electrodes
PS10
John McDonough
Co-Author(s): Peter Palena, Bastian Etzold, Volker Presser, Vadym Mochalin
Advisor(s): Yury Gogotsi
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Common materials for supercapacitors have a porous structure, which leads to a high surface area
and high capacitance. While they are able to store a significant amount of charge on their surface,
limited ion mobility prohibit the use of high charge-discharge rates. The capacitive behavior of typical
supercapacitor materials, such as activated carbon or carbide-derived carbon, can only be used for scan
rates up to ~0.1 V/s and the material tends to a resistive behavior at higher scan rates.
Carbon onions are 5-10 nm sized spherical particles consisting of concentric graphitic shells. They can be
considered as large multi-shell fullerenes. Particularly attractive is the combination of high conductivity
and a moderate surface area resulting in a gravimetric capacitance of ~30 F/g. Carbon onion based
devices can be used even at ultra-high rates up to 200 V/s which is attributed to their high conductivity
and exohedral structure. The closed surface of the carbon onion reduces any ion diffusion limitations at
high scan rates that are associated with a porous structure.
Carbon onions were obtained by vacuum annealing of nanodiamond at temperatures between 1300
to 1800 °C in high vacuum. Shape, physical, and electrical properties of the resultant carbon onions
changed as a function of the synthesis temperature. The influence of the annealing temperature
on crystal structure, particle shape and resulting properties will be presented based on Raman
spectroscopy, electron microscopy, gas sorption, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy.
PS
At an attempt to increase the surface area, and hence capacitance, KOH activation of the carbon onions
was investigated. It was found that activation destroyed the outer shells of the particle, which increases
the surface area and capacitance, yet retains its high conductivity and rate performance. A systematic
study of the electrochemical performance in aqueous and organic electrolytes has been carried out.
434
Phase Change Heat Transfer Enhancement with Biotemplated
Nanostructured Surfaces
PS11
Md Mahamudur Rahman
Co-Author(s): Stephen M king, Emre Olceroglu, Matthew McCarthy
Advisor(s): Dr. Matthew McCarthy
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
PS
We report the fabrication and characterization of biotemplated nanostructured surfaces during
nucleate boiling. By introducing nanoporosity and surface roughness at the liquid-vapor interface,
significant enhancement in heat transfer can be achieved for nucleate boiling surfaces. This work
reports self-assembled, and mineralized Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) deposition process to moderate
the surface heat transfer properties. The TMV is a well-researched benign plant virus which is stable up
to 60 °C. The thiol groups in this virus bind metallic surfaces which are then metalized through simple
room temperature mineralization. This rod-shaped 300 nm long and 18 nm wide virus introduces
uniform and small scale features which result in augmented surface porosity and roughness leading
to improved surface wettability and heat transfer phenomena. Using nanofabrication technique
superhydrophilic, superhydrophobic, and mixed hydrophilic-hydrophobic surfaces were fabricated and
analyzed in this paper. Contact angle measurements and SEM analysis are reported to characterize
the surface wettability properties. Liquid spreadability analysis on fabricated surfaces is also presented
in this article. Surface heat transfer enhancement with modified surface characteristics are presented
and analyzed. Critical heat flux and corresponding heat transfer coefficients are also reported to
demonstrate the surface geometry modification based heat transfer enhancement phenomena. The
mixed surfaces incorporating both hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity phenomena are shown to enhance
both critical heat flux and onset of bubble nucleation in this paper. We also performed and analyzed
the performance repeatability of surfaces on nucleate boiling operation mode. This work demonstrates
the feasibility of using TMV coated biotemplated enhanced phase heat transfer. This work aims to
provide a fundamental understanding of the heat transfer enhancement for mixed surfaces in nucleate
boiling.
435
Learning from Thin Air: An Online Learning Framework for Reconfigurable
Antennas
PS12
Nikhil Gulati
Co-Author(s): David Gonzalez, Kapil R. Dandekar
Advisor(s): Kapil R. Dandekar
College of Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
PS
Cognitive communication techniques which can adapt and optimize the radio functionality based
on the environment, wireless channel and the location of the user are going to be required for the
next generation of wireless systems. We propose a learning framework based on Multi-Armed Bandit
technique for sequential decision making at the wireless transceiver. We present this technique in
the context of Reconfigurable Antennas which provide the capability to dynamically change the
radiation patterns for wireless transmission. Unlike conventional antennas, which radiate the energy
in all directions or a fixed direction, these pattern reconfigurable antennas can direct the energy in
a specified direction to an intended user. The challenge is to decide and select a radiation pattern
which can maximize the systems performance. We propose, that sequential decisions can be made
to intelligently select a radiation pattern which can maximize the average system performance.
Experimental validation of this technique is performed using a software-defined radio testbed available
in Drexel Wireless Systems Laboratory.
436
Human Behavior and Low Energy Architecture: Linking Environmental
Adaptation, Personal Comfort, & Energy Consumption in the Built
Environment
PS13
Jared Langevin
Advisor(s): Jin Wen
College of Engineering
Civil, Architectural, & Environmental Engineering
The built environment is necessitated by the shelter-needs of its inhabitants, yet the current process of
designing buildings typically lacks rigorous consideration for the human building occupant and his or
her capacity for adapting an interior environment to personal preferences. In large part, this deficiency
is due to the lack of quantitative tools that architects and engineers can use early in the design process
to weigh various scenarios of occupant behavior against key aspects of the building design as well
as anticipated comfort and building energy consumption outcomes. This project seeks to develop a
simulation framework that offers building designers such capabilities.
PS
Preliminary simulations of occupant behavior alongside energy use, comfort, and productivity outcomes
have been implemented using the Building Controls Virtual Test Bed (BCVTB), which allows coupling
of multiple simulation engines into one simple user interface. The current BCVTB setup pairs an
EnergyPlus model of an office building with MATLAB and the agent-based Netlogo software. At each
simulation time step, EnergyPlus calculates the environmental conditions of the office space and passes
these data to MATLAB, which then runs an occupant behavior algorithm in NETLOGO and instructs
EnergyPlus to modify relevant input parameters for the next time step in accordance with the simulated
behavioral outcome. Using this approach, initial results have been generated considering the key
personal adaptations of adjusting clothing and using space heaters. The results demonstrate that such
behavioral parameters vary dynamically across the day and that this variation significantly influences
whole building energy use and comfort predictions. Future work will integrate more potential types of
occupant behavior and validate the behavioral algorithm using real occupant response data collected
from a representative office building in downtown Philadelphia.
437
In Situ Grain-scale Strain Measurements Using Digital Image Correlation
PS14
Raghavendra Saralaya
Co-Author(s): Timothy Schmidt, Eric Schwartz, Kavan Hazeli, Prashanth Abraham, Antonios
Kontsos
Advisor(s): Dr. Antonios Kontsos
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
PS
The goal of this research is to in-situ measure strains at metallic material grain-scale level using the
Digital Image Correlation (DIC) method. A Compact Tension (CT) test sample made of aluminum
alloy Al2024 based on ASTM E647-08 was used for this purpose. The specimen was first fatigue precracked to a length of 1.2 mm. The microstructure in the pre-crack region, comprising grains with an
average size of 75 µm, was exposed by grinding and polishing using sand paper and diamond particles
solution. The natural pattern observed on the specimen’s surface after polishing also provided sufficient
surface contrast for DIC measurements. ARAMIS, a commercially available DIC system, was modified
and augmented by the use of long distance microscopy lens to monitor a region of 870 µm x 730 µm
near the pre-crack. The sample was subjected to displacement controlled Mode I loading while insitu acquiring images at using the DIC system. In addition, acoustic emission (AE) was recorded using
a multichannel data acquisition system and piezoelectric sensors. Strain values were obtained at the
crack tip; alternating tensile and compressive strains were seen over grains at regions isolated from the
propagating crack tip. Furthermore, the initiation of AE hits was correlated with strain development
and onset of cracking.
438
Investigation of Positive Electrode Reaction Kinetics for Vanadium Redox
Flow Batteries
PS15
Arvind Kalidindi
Co-Author(s): Ertan Agar, Chris Dennison
Advisor(s): Dr. Emin Caglan Kumbur
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Recently, vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) have emerged as a novel energy storage technology
with tremendous promise for grid-scale energy applications due to their high energy efficiency
(70-85%), long cycle life (12,000+ cycles), and flexible design. Before VRFBs can be commercially
implemented, their performance ratings (power density and longevity) must be nearly doubled to be an
economically viable solution to energy storage challenges. Cost-effective, high performance electrode
materials would make VRFBs a much more viable technology. Carbon felt electrodes have high surface
area due to their porosity, while also having a relatively low cost. The issue with carbon felt is that it
does not act as a very good catalyst for vanadium ion reactions.
PS
This study investigates the effectiveness of heat treating and acid treating carbon felt to increase
their performance in vanadium redox flow batteries. Using cyclic voltammetry, reaction rate constants
and charge transfer coefficients for both the oxidation and reduction reactions that occur at the
positive electrode (V(IV) and V(V)) were determined. Cathodic charge transfer coefficients for all of the
electrodes were approximately 0.2, which is indicative of an irreversible reaction. The reaction constants
for oxidation reactions at heat treated, acid treated, and raw felt electrodes were 328, 311, and 264
nm/s respectively, and 266, 90.1, and 140 nm/s for reduction at each of the electrodes. The reaction rate
at the heat treated electrode was the fastest, which would lead to a lower activation polarization and
better performance.
439
The Impact of Environment on the Faint-End Slope of the HI Mass Function
PS16
Crystal Moorman
Advisor(s): Michael Vogeley
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
Large surveys like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) have shown that the Universe has structure that
is popularly described as the “cosmic web.” Large, under-dense regions of space, known as voids,
separate galaxy clusters that are connected by thin filaments and sheets of galaxies. Cluster galaxies
are known to interact with each other via collisions that significantly change the future evolution of
the galaxy. Voids are pristine environments for determining the accuracy of galaxy evolution models in
the absence of interactions. We study how environment affects star formation and galaxy evolution in
the Universe by comparing galaxies in clusters and voids. We use the SDSS and the Arecibo Legacy Fast
ALFA (ALFALFA) Survey with a peculiar velocity flow model to define void regions, determine stellar
and neutral hydrogen (HI) masses of galaxies, and thus determine the HI Mass Function (HIMF). To
determine star formation efficiency, we calculate the gas mass fraction of galaxies, which is the ratio of
the mass of neutral hydrogen (HI) to stellar mass. The HIMF and gas mass fraction are used to compare
star formation and galaxy evolution of void vs. non-void galaxies.
440
Photo-induced Capacitance Enhancement of GaAs/AlGaAs MSMs
PS17
Richard Prusak
Co-Author(s): Pouya Dianat
Advisor(s): Bahram Nabet
College of Engineering
ECE
PS
The capacitive behavior of GaAs/AlGaAs MSM devices is strongly tied to the nature of the quantum
well existing at the interface. When the QW is populated, two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is
present and a distinct enhancement is observed in the capacitance-voltage (CV) characteristic. However,
by adding a SiN layer between the contact and AlGaAs, the QW, and therefore the 2DEG is depleted.
Through the application of 830nm laser illumination, the 2DEG is repopulated, resulting in a photoinduced capacitance enhancement. By varying the biasing of the MSM and spatial location of the
illumination, the nature of the CV is greatly changed.
441
Controllable Building Electrical Load Modeling and Dispatch for a Smart
Campus
PS18
Jonathan Berardino
Co-Author(s): Chika Nwankpa
Advisor(s): Chika Nwankpa
College of Engineering
ECE
PS
This poster will present research related to electrical load modeling and control as part of on-going
work to create a “Smart Campus” at Drexel University. Load modeling efforts directed at characterizing
the dynamic behavior of the controllable loads (HVAC) is shown. These models highlight the important
coupling between the electrical and thermal behavior of a building and how inclusion of this coupling
is essential for accurate control. A generic problem formulation for determining the optimal dispatch of
controllable building loads utilizing these load models is then presented and discussed. Also presented
in this work are specific applications of this research to actual control of buildings on Drexel’s campus.
442
Outstanding features of an unconventional capacitor composed of a metal
and a two-dimensional electron system
PS19
Pouya Dianat
College of Engineering
PS
We have designed and fabricated an unconventional voltage-controlled capacitor, varactor, in which
a two-dimensional electron (2DES) serves as one of the plates. The varactor is realized in a planar
structure on a delta-doped GaAs/AlGaAs hetero-interface. Capacitance-Voltage (C-V) characteristics
of this device includes anomalous features of capacitance enhancement (CE) due to negative
compressibility of 2DES, and negative capacitance (NC) which can be attributed to the collective
behavior of 2DES. While CE can be utilized to improve the performance of a MOS-capacitor, NC feature
of this varactor makes it a suitable replacement for bulky inductors in monolithic microwave integrated
circuits.
443
Controller Covering For Hybrid Adaptive Control Systems
PS20
Eric Peterson
Advisor(s): Dr. Harry Kwanty
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
A single controller may be inadequate for systems that experience structural changes that arise, for
example, from component failures. Such systems are often modeled by a family of plants with structural
diversity. At any given time the appropriate plant model is uncertain. Hybrid Adaptive techniques
have been proposed to accommodate such systems. Hybrid Adaptation selects a controller from a
predefined set to achieve relevant performance goals, such as stability. In general, the set of controllers
is finite although the family of plants may be continuous. We seek to design a small set of controllers
containing at least one controller that guarantees stability for each plant in the family.
PS
Previous results constrain the plant structure. We suggest the individual controllers may themselves
be parameter-adaptive; therefore, plant structures shape the controller set design. Important plant
structures are identified. A method to catalog these plant structures is reviewed. An example,
longitudinal aircraft dynamics, near a control degeneracy, is provided.
444
Small Strain Deformation Monitoring in Magnesium Alloys
PS21
Kavan Hazeli
Co-Author(s): P.Abraham
Advisor(s): Dr.Kontsos
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
PS
The objective of this research is to in situ monitor and quantify critical relationships between
reversible/irreversible microstructural changes and bulk mechanical behavior of a Magnesium AZ31
(Mg–3% Al–1% Zn wt%) alloy using an innovative setup combining digital image correlation (DIC)
with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. Research on the mechanical behavior of Mg-alloys has been
significantly increased in view of the renewed interest on light metals and their applications, e.g.
in the automotive industry. The limited crystallographic deformation mechanisms in hexagonal
close-packed Mg-materials, including a-direction basal, prismatic and pyramidal slip, as well as
c-direction pyramidal slip and deformation twinning/detwinning, results to a distinct mechanical
behavior upon monotonic/cyclic loading characterized by asymmetric tension/compression yielding,
anisotropic hardening and hysteretic loops. Mechanical testing data of AZ31 specimen in addition
to detailed pre- and post-test microstructure quantification, full-field DIC surface deformation/strain
measurements and simultaneously recorded AE activity are presented in this research. The measured
surface strain heterogeneities are associated with distinct volumetric AE patterns and are correlated
to microstructural deformation mechanisms corresponding to imposed small (<1%) strain increments.
The presented results demonstrate novel aspects related to the mechanical behavior of this class of Mg
alloys that agree and augment relevant information in the pertinent literature.
445
Analysis of the Effect of Network Delay on PI Controlled Converter Systems
PS22
Sachi Jayasuriya
Co-Author(s): Chika Nwankpa
Advisor(s): Dr. Chika Nwankpa
College of Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering/Ph.D.
PS
Operation of power systems is increasingly dependent on the communication network used for
transmitting voltage and current measurements. Due to the presence of network traffic, the system will
experience a delayed response when considering the operation of controllers. This work emphasizes the
existence of a boundary for the network time delay, upon exceeding which, the system loses stability
albeit remain controllable. Therefore, there arises a need for analysis of the effect of available control
parameters which are critical in maintaining stability of a given system.
446
Design of Free-Space Optical Transmitter and Receiver Modules for Helmet
Mounted Broadband fNIR System
PS23
Peter Tran
Co-Author(s): Brandon Lally, Li Hao Jian, Khushali Manseta, Ebraheem Sulton
Advisor(s): Dr. Afshin Daryoush
College of Engineering
ECE
PS
Blasts or accident related damages to brain leads to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Early detection of
TBI and its severity avoids disability and future problems. One solution is to utilize functional near
infra-red spectroscopy (fNIR) which is a non invasive optical technique that employs near-infrared
(NIR) photons to quantitatively characterize the optical properties, such absorption coefficient (µa)
and scattering coefficient (µ’s) of tissue in various wavelength. Multi-wavelength spectroscopy of
brain matter is considered at near infra-red region, where optical absorption coefficient μa, modified
scattering coefficient μ’s properties of diffused medium are extracted by fitting the diffusion equation
expectation to the broadband insertion loss and insertion phase measurements of modulating signal.
Development of this broadband free space optical system is optimized in terms of improved signal
to noise ratio. Custom designed optical transmitter and receiver are developed and experimental
characterization are performed in both free space and brain phantom. These results are fitted to
simulated homogenous and inhomogeneous phantoms. To reduce the overall size of the receivers
without sacrificing performance and power output using the above mentioned hardware, there are two
stages in the design of the receiver and transmitter. The first stage is a hybrid model of the receiver and
transmitter where components (in die form) are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) for testing
and characterization. The second stage consists of implementation of these components on a single
TO- can to reduce size of the receiver and transmitter. The transmitter will be custom built on TO-5 and
receiver will be built on TO-39 package.
447
Liquid Plasma
PS24
Yohan Seepersad
Advisor(s): Adam Fontecchio, Danil Dobrynin
College of Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
PS
The creation of plasma in liquid media has been widely accepted as being formed through the
ionization of gases within bubbles. Vapor bubbles formed by localized joule heating from the
electrodes or surface cavitation serve as gaseous voids within which plasma is generated and sustained.
The possibility of discharge formation in the absence of cavity formation however presents new
questions about the mechanism leading to plasma generation. In this work, we report the generation
of non-equilibrium nanosecond discharges in liquid phase without bubbles and the effect of electrode
geometry on the discharge features. In our experiments, a pin to plate electrode geometry is used to
create a non-uniform electric field submerged in the liquid. The pin electrode had 5μm or 500μm radius
of curvature, and separation of electrodes was varied over experiments between 0.5 - 5mm. An FID (Fast
Ionization Device) pulse generator was used to deliver high voltage nanosecond pulses (+ 16kV) to the
electrodes at ~ 2ns rise times with 16ns duration- the positive potential applied to the pin electrode.
Time evolution of the discharge was captured using the 4picos High Speed ICCD (Intensified Charge
Coupled Device) Camera and mapped to the electrode potential measured using a return current shunt.
The effect of the electrode size and separation as well as the dielectric properties of the liquid, on the
physical appearance and duration of the plasma are reported, along with results of shadowgraphy and
spectroscopy.
448
Novel Optico-Acoustic Sensing System (NOAS) for Intelligent Structural
Monitoring
PS25
Prashanth Abraham Vanniamparambil
Co-Author(s): Fuad Khan, Eric Schwartz, Jefferson Cuadra, Kavan Hazeli, Raghav Saralaya,
Daniel Servanksy, Ivan Bartoli, Antonios Kontsos
Advisor(s): Antonios Kontsos, Ivan Bartoli
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
PS
A Novel Optico-Acoustic Sensing System (NOAS) based on Digital Image Correlation (DIC), Guided
Ultrasonic Waves (GUW) and Acoustic Emission (AE) and its application in detecting breaks on a seven
wire steel strand, commonly used as load-carrying element in post-tensioned concrete bridges, is
presented herein. The implementation of an emerging and powerful optical Nondestructive testing
(NDT) and metrology method in parallel with established acoustic NDT techniques enables the crosscorrelation of recorded information related to progressive damage accumulation which is the focal
point of this research. Acoustic waveforms and their extracted features were compared to full field
strain measurements that directly detect damage “hot spots”. To this aim, pristine and pre-notched
strands were loaded in tension using a TINIUS OLSEN frame under displacement control, while
simultaneously recording AE, DIC and GUW data. The frame was programmed to hold the load at
specific levels to facilitate the triggering of GUW. Low frequency pulses centered between 300kHz500kHz were generated with a step frequency of 50kHz. AE was recorded during dynamic loading
by two piezoelectric sensors and the DIC system captured images at predetermined load levels with
specific sampling rate. The reported DIC results reveal strain accumulations at the notched areas
prior to breakage, while AE waveforms showed sudden increases of their amplitude and energy at
time instances in which wire breaks occurred. Similarly, the GUW signals showed a decrease in their
amplitude upon failure of the bridge strands. Detailed post-processing of the acoustic results using
both unsupervised pattern recognition techniques and data fusion approaches were also attempted to
cross-correlate recorded information from NOAS and create methodologies for data filtering, alignment
and synchronization that could lead to robust damage identification in structural health monitoring
applications.
449
The Evolution and Diffusion of Entropy during Inflationary Expansion
PS26
Sajjan Mehta
Advisor(s): David Goldberg
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
The second law of thermodynamics is commonly used as an effective arrow of time. However, most
analyses of cosmological entropy growth assume the possibility of black hole formation, which likely
depends strongly on cosmological parameters. We investigate the evolution of entropy during the
early period of structure formation by exploring the diffusion of entropy during the early inflationary
expansion as well as in perturbed, gravitating systems.
450
Unique Energy Storage and Renewable Test Environment
PS27
Jesse Hill
Advisor(s): Dr. Chika Nwankpa
College of Engineering
Electrical Engineering
PS
With the continued demand for “smart” technologies, the implementation of hardware such as
batteries and renewable energy sources (i.e. solar panels) has become a huge economic undertaking. In
order to better utilize these resources and thus maximize the lifetime of the elements, control schemes
looking to both maximize the economic/financial gains while also preventing over usage have become
even more important. The work presented examines both software and hardware configurations.
The software portion looks to determine an optimal dispatch that while preventing wasteful resource
allocation still provides a maximum saving to the consumer. The flexibility of being able to change
constraints or variables instantaneously allows for repeated and constant testing without the need for
proper hardware conditions. The hardware portion, on the other hand, provides a platform to validate
as well as introduce more variability to the problem. Some of the more complex complications within a
hardware environment such as intermittency of solar input or other uncertainties give the opportunity
for increased understanding of the unknowns to further bolster the software portion. The combination
of these two testing platforms provides a flexible environment for understanding all of the variables
within the problem. Resources for hardware testing are housed within the Drexel Center for Electric
Power Engineering (CEPE). This project is part of Drexel’s Green Initiative.
451
Assembly of carbon nanotube/polymer hybrids at liquid/ liquid interface
PS28
Wenda Wang
Co-Author(s): Eric Laird
Advisor(s): Christopher Li
College of Engineering
Materials Engineering
Carbon nanotube (CNT)-templated polymer crystallization has led to controllable patterns
PS
on individual CNTs. Previous work has demonstrated that crystalline block copolymers (BCP) can be
uniformly patterned on CNTs and the mechanism was attributed to CNT-induced BCP phase separation.
Herein, we report that at liquid/liquid interface, CNTs can be bent into nanoscale rings. The structure
and morphology of these intriguing CNT rings were investigated using electron microscope and
Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, these CNT rings were used as a template for polymer crystallization.
Homopolymer, BCP and gold nanoparticles have been successfully patterned on sub-200 nm CNT rings.
These unique hybrids are of great interest in various areas of nanoelectronics and single-electron
devices.
452
Textile Energy Storage
PS29
Kristy Jost
Co-Author(s): Carlos R. Perez, John K. McDonough, Genevieve Dion, Yury Gogotsi
Advisor(s): Yury Gogotsi
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Fashion and Technology is a multidisciplinary field of study, focusing on the fabrication of wearable
electronics by combining fashion design techniques with advanced nanotechnology. Applications of
fashionable technology range from wearable and soft bio-sensors to integrated circuitry that can
monitor human vitals in hospitals, combat, or in space. Beyond the engineering perspective, the field
has shown applicability in the aesthetic realm as a transformable means of expression on the body,
including clothes that change color and shape while performing electronic functions similar to an
iPhone. However, previous designers and researchers in the field of “smart” textiles still struggle with
the challenge of finding seamless solutions to currently available, and bulky, power sources. Therefore,
the focus of our presentation will be on one of the fundamental components to all electronics: energy
storage.
PS
Among the current energy storage technologies available today, our research focuses on developing
electrochemical double-layer capacitors (also called supercapacitors) since they can be fabricated
entirely of non-toxic materials, do not heat up, and have high cycle life (up to 1 million cycles).
Supercapacitors have the potential to power present and future devices efficiently and sustainably. We
will demonstrate fabrication of supercapacitor electrodes by screen-printing activated-carbon ink onto
commonly worn cotton and polyester textiles, as well as testing of fully knitted carbon fiber electrodes,
meaning that our energy storing materials are also taking the place of the textile.
453
Mg-MAX Nano-grained Composites
PS30
Babak Anasori
Co-Author(s): Matthias Agne
Advisor(s): Prof. Michel W. Barsoum
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
PS
When Mg and Mg-alloys are reinforced with MAX phases such as Ti2AlC and Cr2AlC - using a simple
pressureless melt infiltration method - the result is nanocrystalline, nc, Mg-matrix composites with
outstanding mechanical properties. As an added bonus, the nc Mg-matrix is extraordinarily thermally
stable up to above the melting point of Mg. When Mg-alloys, AZ61, is used to infiltrate the Ti2AlC
preform, ultimate tensile stresses of 800 MPa are achieved. The reasons that lead to the formation of
the nc-Mg are as of yet not understood. In this study, the different composite’s microstructures are
investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. The results
shed light on why the Mg forms as nano-grains and why they are as stable as they are.
454
Modeling impacts of dynamic ventilation strategies on indoor air quality
over the United States office sector
PS31
Adams Rackes
Co-Author(s): Michael S. Waring
Advisor(s): Michael S. Waring
College of Engineering
Architectural Engineering
PS
A potential source of energy savings in existing buildings is using demand-controlled ventilation
(DCV), or dynamic modulation of the ventilation rate based on current occupancy. The impact of
DCV on indoor air quality (IAQ) has not been investigated over a full range of indoor air processes or
under the revised ventilation rate procedure (VRP) introduced in ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004, which
reduced per-occupant rates and added a constant per-area rate for offices. A detailed, parametric
transient model of an area-normalized US office was created. Existing data and literature were used to
make best estimates for distributions across the US office sector of the model inputs, which included
volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, indoor/outdoor transport of particles and ozone, particle
filtration, deposition, products of ozone surface reactions, CO2 emissions, and occupancy. These inputs
were used in a Monte Carlo simulation to assess the ranges of impacts of DCV implementation in six
United States cities. Impacts of morning flushes were also simulated. Simulation results indicated that
DCV implementation did not have a strong effect on concentration of particles or ozone. DCV did
impact VOC levels, increasing the daytime mean total VOC concentration by about 50 μg/m3. Even so,
in all cities, nearly 90% of office buildings had daytime means that remained below 1,000 μg/m3. The
greatest effect was observed on daytime peak VOC levels. For example, the percent of all buildings
in which formaldehyde concentration exceeded 80 ppb at some point during the day nearly doubled,
from 6% under fixed ventilation to 11% under DCV. A 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. flush strategy limited these peak
effects. Even a mild flush (28 L/s or 0.45 h-1) fully counteracted the impact of DCV on peak levels, and
stronger flushes reduced peak levels. These results suggest that combining DCV with a morning flush
may be able to reduce building energy consumption and protect or improve IAQ at the same time.
455
Small-scale Three-dimensional Cell Printer with Potential Space Application
PS32
Mickey Whitzer
Co-Author(s): Darko Blazic, Adrian Ambrus, Ashan Senaratne
Advisor(s): Wei Sun, Qudus Hamid
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
PS
The field of three-dimensional printing and additive manufacturing has recently experienced rapid
advancements. Instead of solely being used for prototyping in plastic, today’s printers are able to
print three-dimensional cell structures for use in drug delivery testing and organ growth. In order to
increase the availability of these systems, their size, weight and cost must be reduced. These systems
can be extremely large and expensive, making them ill suited for use under laboratory fume and cell
culture hoods, which is an important feature for the three-dimensional printing of cells. Furthermore,
the user must be proficient in technical coding in order to successfully operate the existing systems;
the number of users able to manage the devices is therefore effectively decreased. Several entities
expressed interest in a three-dimensional cell printer that is capable of printing in microgravity
conditions, such as in the International Space Station. This would provide the avenue for research of
cell viability and proliferation under specific conditions in a zero gravity environment. The size, weight,
and cost of the existing systems not only limits their use in laboratories, but also their use in potential
space applications. Decreasing the size and weight of the device is therefore the first step in allowing
them to be used in space. The team has designed and fabricated a small-scale three-dimensional cell
printer that costs under $2000, is less than 45 lbs., is easy to operate, and that has a gravity independent
material delivery system. The cell printer is 12”x12”x12” in size, and fits inside a custom designed casing
unit. Prototype testing of the cell printer has shown the printer to be operational. Within the next few
months, improvements to the printer’s performance will be made possible through system calibration
and characterization.
456
Coalescence, Evaporation and Particle Deposition of Consecutively Printed
Colloidal Drops
PS33
Xin Yang
Co-Author(s): Viral H. Chhasatia, Jaymeen Shah, Ying Sun
Advisor(s): Ying Sun
College of Engineering
MEM
PS
Inkjet printing is a viable, low-cost and scalable manufacturing technique for a wide range of
applications, such as thin film solar cells, electronic circuits and flexible displays. These applications
often require the printed droplets to coalesce to form linear or 2D patterns. Hence, the particle droplet
coalescence and deposition dynamics of two consecutively printed evaporating colloidal drops have to
be examined. First, the coalescence process of two consecutively printed pure liquid droplets on glass
substrate is observed from side view camera. The real-time images show the oscillation of the air-water
interface of the merged droplet induced by the impact of the second drop damps down in 310 μs.
Second, the morphology of the merged colloidal drop (the circularity and the radius of curvature of the
second drop) largely depends on the temporal delay and spatial spacing between the two drops. As
the drop spacing increases, the circularity of a merged drop decreases, while the radius of curvature of
the second drop first decreases and then increases. Third, the uniformity of the deposit of the merged
colloidal drop varies with temporal delays. For the regime where the time scale for drop evaporation
is comparable with the coalescence time scale, the impact of the second drop and the capillary flow
induced by the local curvature change redistributes the particles inside the merged drop, causing coffee
ring suppression for the particle accumulation between two drops under long temporal delay. By tuning
the interplay of drop spreading, evaporation, capillary relaxation, and particle assembly processes, the
deposition morphology of consecutively printed colloidal drops can hence be controlled.
457
Cross-validation and Novel Methods for Digital Image Correlation
Measurements Across Length Scales
PS34
Eric Schwartz
Co-Author(s): Raghavendra Saralaya
Advisor(s): Antonios Kontsos
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Digital Image Correlation is becoming more and more common in both destructive materials testing
and non-destructive structural evaluation either as a standalone system for providing analysis or cross
validating with another technique. Be it an analog sensor such as an extensometer, a volumetric sensing
technique like acoustic emission, or numerical simulation as for example the finite elements case, the
limits of the DIC technology are being pushed towards more advanced applications, and standards are
being developed for common materials testing.
The DIC Technique in this research effort has been validated against extensometers, strain gages, and
displacement sensors and these results have proven that DIC can replace these sensors for most common
applications. The typical strain noise achieved is in the realm of 100 microstrain, but can we do better?
Is it possible to achieve 10 microstrain for example? With the assistance of the presented in-house built
filtering and time averaging schemes it is believed that DIC measurements can become even more
accurate with even larger signal-to-noise ratios.
PS
In addition to time scales a strong focus of this research concerns length scales. This allows the
transition of DIC from the world of mechanical engineering and materials science to civil engineering
and structures. The focus of this paper is to demonstrate the DIC system’s effectiveness across this
variety of applications.
458
Capturing Building Load Dynamics for the Smart Grid
PS35
Mohammed Muthalib
Advisor(s): Chika Nwankpa
College of Engineering
ECE/ Electrical Power Engineering
The electrical load of a building is largely determined by the energy requirements of the HVAC
equipment. By studying the electro-thermal relationships that exist within buildings engineers have
been able to estimate the corresponding electrical load. In the realm of electrical power distribution,
building loads have been considered static loads which can be attributed to the slow reacting nature
of the mechanical loads. However, enhanced metering and actuating capabilities brought about by the
“Smart Grid” update have made it possible to re-evaluate building loads to reflect their true dynamic
nature. The building dynamics, however, do not exist in isolation from the electrical power grid and
the effect of varying the building load on the grid needs to be quantified. The presented work does
this by using an equivalent energy circuit model to represent the building load and using an equivalent
transformation to examine the causality of load variation on the grid side.
PS
Effectively capturing the building load dynamics is essential for improved participation of buildings
in the energy market. By participating in demand response programs buildings essentially act as
distributed generators capable of flattening peak loads or contributing to frequency regulation. To this
end dynamic load models are crucial in incorporating buildings as controllable sources in power flow
studies and this work aims to do so.
459
Fatigue Damage Quantification in Polymer Composites using a Hybrid NDT
Approach
PS36
Jefferson Cuadra
Co-Author(s): K. Hazeli, P. Abraham
Advisor(s): Antonios
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
PS
Damage is an inherently dynamic and multi-scale process. Of interest herein are the fatigue failure
mechanisms in newly developed glass fiber reinforced polymer composites (GFRCs), including
interfacial debonding, matrix cracking, ply cracking and fiber breakage. The goal of this research is to
demonstrate the potential of data fusion in structural damage detection, identification and remaining
life estimation, by integrating heterogeneous monitoring techniques and using extracted information
for data-driven modeling. Damage monitoring is achieved by investigating the deformation and
damage of GFRCs used in wind turbine blades by a novel hybrid mechanical testing and Nondestructive
Testing (NDT) monitoring system, combining the Acoustic Emission (AE) and Digital Image Correlation
(DIC) methods with a standard servohydraulic testing frame. Uniaxial fatigue experiments were
performed, while continuously recording NDT data. Preliminary full field strain measurements show the
progressive development of structural “hot spots” which are further associated with locations in which
inelastic strains accumulate and damage initiates. The combination of DIC with mechanical data reveals
hysteretic stress-strain loops, which display: i) stiffness degradation with increasing fatigue cycles, ii) an
increase in the energy dissipation, and iii) an exponential growth in the maximum longitudinal strain
due to damage accumulation. In addition, extracted features from the recorded AE signals reveal three
characteristic stages of fatigue life. Such quantified information will be used to build a mathematical
model of multi-site damage accumulation, and construct a framework for reliable fatigue remaining
life-predictions.
460
Exploring Additive Diffusion in Ferrous Powder Metal Compacts Using
Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy
PS37
Alicia Kriete
Co-Author(s): Brian Sparber, Steven Spurgeon, Mitra Taheri
Advisor(s): Mitra Taheri
College of Engineering
PS
The design of ferrous powder metal compacts is currently limited by a limited understanding of how
alloying elements diffuse from additives into the iron matrix. A number of factors, including sintering
conditions, compaction density, and particle morphology, affect diffusion behavior. In this study
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) were used to map
the diffusion of various alloying elements from additive particles into a water atomized iron powder.
The results of this work will enable more efficient ferrous powder alloy design and offer insight into
sintering dynamics.
461
Results of Superconducting-to-Normal Switching Experiments in MgB2/I/
Pb Josephson Junctions: Distinctive Features of a Multi-Gap Superconductor
PS38
Steve Carabello
Co-Author(s): Joseph Lambert, Roberto Ramos
Advisor(s): Shyamalendu Bose
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
Superconducting-to-normal switching experiments, with and without microwave excitation, are useful
for exploring resonances and other features of the washboard potential of a Josephson junction. A
heterojunction, using the dual-gap MgB2 and single-gap Pb as its superconducting electrodes, provides
a system well-suited for exploring the unique properties of MgB2, by exhibiting multiple tunneling
channels. We present results of switching experiments on MgB2/I/Pb Josephson tunnel junctions,
including escape rates and microwave resonant activation, that indicate the presence of multiple
resonances, and appear to be consistent with recent theoretical work on macroscopic quantum
tunneling in multi-gap superconductors.
462
A Multi-Touch Research Day Poster Browsing Application and Repository
PS39
Julian Kemmerer
Advisor(s): Dr. Youngmoo Kim
College of Engineering
ECE
PS
Touch screens have long been a tool for human-computer interaction. Multi-touch displays are
ideal for interacting with information in intuitive ways that are both familiar and novel. Working
specifically with a Microsoft Surface (a large multi-touch display), an application for browsing Drexel
University Research Day posters was created. As part of this application, it is essential to be able to
easily select, view, and manipulate large numbers of high-resolution images. Several interdepartmental
collaborations were required to design an efficient and sustainable process for collecting, converting,
categorizing, and displaying the hundreds of high resolution Research Day poster images each year
submitted each year.
463
Self assembly of Rod-Rod Block Copolymers within Nanofibers for Solar
Cell Applications
PS40
Alda Kapllani
Co-Author(s): Qinsu Niu, Chau Tran, Vibha Kalra
Advisor(s): Vibha
College of Engineering
CBE
Prior to electrospinning, solution-cast films of OT-b-OPV were fabricated and characterized to better
understand the effects of electrospinning on block copolymer self assembly. Within the thin film,
covalently bonded OT and OPV blocks micro-phase separate to form self-assembly structures with
approximately 5 nm domain spacing. In addition, the oligothiophene (OT) blocks exist as highly ordered
crystalline domains with spacing of less than 2 nm through intermolecular packing with their alkyl
side chains aligned normal to the substrate and the thiophene rings aligned parallel to the substrate
through π-π stacking, thereby resulting in hierarchically-ordered self assembly.
PS
Oligomers are not electrospinnable by themselves due to the lack of chain entanglement in
solution, which is a prerequisite for the electrospinning process. To overcome this limitation, in
this study nanofibers were fabricated by coaxially electrospinning OT-OPV (oligothiophene-cooligophenylenevinylene) as the core with PVP (poly vinyl pyrrolidone) as the shell. PVP serves as a
spinning aid and allows the formation of a continuous OT-OPV jet in the core. Pure OT-OPV nanofibers
were successfully obtained by selective removal of PVP shell post-electrospinning. The block copolymer
undergoes micro phase separation and exhibits nanostructured configurations in the fibers. The
structure in films and nanofibers was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM),
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wide and small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). These
materials offer an opportunity to explore new and different concepts in devices such as organic light –
emitting diodes, field effect transistors, chemical sensors, and all polymeric opto-electronic devices.
464
Synthesis of Ruthenium N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Complexes as
Catalysts for Transfer Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds
PS41
Joseph DePasquale
Co-Author(s): Mukesh Kumar, Matthias Zeller
Advisor(s): Elizabeth Papish
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) based ruthenium complexes were studied as transfer hydrogenation
catalysts of carbonyl compounds. Ruthenium complexes containing a monodentate NHC ligand with
a tethered diethyl ether N-substituent, ImEt,CH2CH2OEtRuCl2(arene), (arene = benzene (1), p-cymene
(2), hexamethylbenzene (3)), a ruthenium complex containing a mono-dentate NHC ligand with solely
alkyl N-substituents, ImEt,PentylRuCl2(p-cymene) (4) and a ruthenium complex with a bis-NHC ligand,
[RuCl(methylenebis(ImEt,Et)2)(p-cymene)]PF6 (5) were synthesized (Im = Imadazole). X- ray crystal
structures of complexes 1, 2, 4 and 5 were obtained. These complexes are active transfer hydrogenation
catalysts for the reduction of acetophenone in basic isopropanol. With complex 1 as the catalyst it
was found that electron deficient ketones were the most easily reduced. The influence of bis versus
mono NHC ligands, arene ligand identity, and the role of pendant ether groups were investigated.
Also, a chiral NHC ligand precursor containing an ester grouping was synthesized from L-valine and
coordinated to Ru(II) resulting in two structurally distinct complexes.
465
Biowalls for Sustainable Reduction of Human Exposure to Volatile Organic
Compounds
PS42
Margarita Pauliushchyk
Advisor(s): Michael Waring
College of Engineering
Architectural Engineering
PS
Since most Americans spend the majority of their time indoors, the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has become
an important health consideration that can have serious impact on productivity and overall well-being
on building occupants. Many studies have shown that the concentrations of pollutants indoors greatly
exceed those in the outdoors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprise one the major groups
of pollutants predominately present indoors. VOC exposure in humans has been associated with “sick
building syndrome” (SBS) that is often characterized by symptoms of headache, dizziness, nausea,
sore eyes and throat, or loss of concentration. Some of the VOCs have been proven to be carcinogenic.
Typically, the indoor concentrations of VOCs are reduced by ventilating the indoor space with the
outdoor air. However, this process has been proven to be energy inefficient and quite costly. The
process of biofiltration is a major focus of the present study as an alternative method of purifying the
indoor air and removing the VOCs. Biofiltration, which is based on the ability of bacteria situated on
plant roots to degrade a variety of compounds, is proven to be a sustainable and economically efficient
method of removing the pollutants from the indoor air. A system of four containers with plants grown
aeroponically was used in the experiment to mimic the growing environment of a newly constructed
Biowall in the Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building (ISB). The plants were grown in the absence of
any kind of medium in a constant mist of water that supplied all the necessary nutrients. Seven VOCs
commonly found indoors were introduced into the airstream of the system for a continuous period
of 20 weeks. Using GC/FID, samples of influent and effluent air flows were taken throughout the
experimental process to evaluate the performance of the biofilter as well to study the removal kinetics
of microbial communities. Root samples were also collected every 2-3 weeks to study the bacteria on
the plant roots, characterize the diversity and species.
466
“Indoor Solar Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Nodes”
PS43
Garrett Smith
Co-Author(s): Kyle Robak
Advisor(s): Radian Belu
Goodwin School of Technology and Professional Studies
Engineering Technlogy
PS
In many industries, there has been a growth in the necessity to have sensor networks to monitor
environmental and physical conditions of structures or facilities. This growing technology has been
trending in the direction of constructing these networks wirelessly. Wireless networks provide the
practicability of placing sensors in remote locations where wired counterparts are not feasible. Because
these sensors have low power consumption, batteries are a sensible option in operating the wireless
sensor nodes. However, a drawback to this option is the circumstance that batteries have relatively
short life cycles, meaning that batteries lose some of their capacitance as the number of charge cycles
increase. Being so, batteries require regular maintenance to check their life or to change or charge
them. This is usually not cost effective for a user, as the cost of the required maintenance outweighs
the cost of the sensor itself. A new idea has been presented to scavenge ambient energy from indoor
light sources through the use of photovoltaic solar cells and store the energy in electric double-layer
capacitors (EDLC), also known as super capacitors. The advantage to this is the little maintenance
required to sustain the system and super-capacitors provide a much longer life cycle than do batteries.
467
Construction Waste Management Decision Making Process: Identification,
Framework and Detailed Urban C&D Waste Profile Analysis
PS44
Kimberlee Marcellus
Co-Author(s): Sabrina Spatari, Patricia Gallagher
Advisor(s): Sabrina Spatari, Patricia Gallagher
College of Engineering
PS
Construction and demolition (C&D) activities require large inputs of resources and also create large
outputs of waste while generating significant revenue and employment within the urban economy.
As an intricate and multi-domain segment of building end of life (EOL) management, construction
managers and other stakeholders within the waste management industry greatly influence decisions
on the fate of C&D waste materials - whether they are landfilled, reused, or recycled. C&D waste is
not federally regulated in the United States and the responsibility for reporting and tracking waste
lies within the state and/or local government jurisdiction. Since reporting is not regulated, there are
potential discrepancies in reporting of the quantities of C&D waste that are generated, recycled and
disposed in landfills, and in the reporting frequency. We conduct a C&D waste audit through use of
multi-year data sets comprised of completed C&D projects in the greater Philadelphia area. This audit
establishes a discrete, private industry data set that is normally confidential and unpublished from
a local C&D waste reclamation center. The research will promote early identification of sustainable
practices for the owners, reducing demolition and hauling costs, rather than leaving secondary scrap
markets to define which materials they will accept. We posit that higher recycling rates will be found
within the city of Philadelphia relative to regional suburban recycling rates. These rates will be higher
based on established local infrastructure and emergence of recipient markets and partnerships with
construction industry material manufacturers. This collection of data will inform the decision makers
and advance recycling within the construction industry, and minimize impact on local landfills. This
novel data set will explicitly define local performance, with the potential for using this approach to
model C&D waste management practices in other regions across the U.S.
468
Tuning ion conducting pathways using holographic polymerization
PS45
Derrick Smith
Co-Author(s): Christopher Li, Bin Dong, Russell Marron, Michael Birnkrant, Yossef Elabd,
Lalgudi Natarajan, Vincent Tondiglia, Timothy Bunning
Advisor(s): Chris Li
College of Engineering
Material Science
While much research has demonstrated repeatable characteristics of electrolyte membranes, the
fundamentals behind the interactions during ionic diffusion in solid polymer electrolyte membranes for
battery applications are not well understood, specifically the role of nanostructures, which hold the key
to improving performance of energy storage devices such as fuel cells and Lithium ion batteries. The
challenges in fabricating highly controlled model systems are largely responsible for the interdependent
ambiguities between nanostructures and the corresponding ion conducting behavior.
PS
In this work, Holographic Polymer Electrolyte Membranes (hPEM) volume gratings comprised of
alternating layers of crosslinked polymer resin and lithium ion salt were fabricated using holographic
polymerization with an average d-spacing of approximately 200 nm. These one-dimensional
confinement structures were used to quantitatively study the anisotropic ionic conductivity between the
directions of in-plane and normal to the layers, and the unique ion conducting behavior was correlated
with nanoscale phase separation. These volume gratings also offer an exciting route to fabricate
multifunctional gratings for optic and sensing applications.
469
Multiscale modeling of moisture transport in pharmaceutical tablets and
the effect of moisture on bilayer tablet strength
PS46
Jerry Klinzing
Advisor(s): Antonios Zavaliangos
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
PS
While the study of moisture absorption in porous media is not new, the majority of prior efforts address
this problem in ways that employ effective properties rather than consider separate mechanisms
occurring over multiple length scales. As a result, it is difficult to analyze complex problems such as
moisture absorption in bilayer tablets. In the spirit of Quality by Design, we present a model that
explicitly addresses (a) the diffusion of moisture within pores including the dependence of moisture
diffusion on pore diameter (Knudsen effect) and (b) the absorption of moisture by the solid. The model
is validated against experimental results from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) compacted to different
relative densities (RD). This model can form the basis for a full 3D analysis of moisture diffusion in
non-homogeneous hydroscopic media. The model is based upon local microstructural detail whereas
previous model attempts are generalized or empirical in nature. This new approach provides insight
into the mechanism of moisture diffusion within porous tablets. Initially moisture diffusion occurs
within large macropores while continuously lost to nanopores and adsorbed by the material creating
large moisture gradients. An increase in RD results in a decrease in uptake and good correlation
between model and experiments exists. Moreover, moisture uptake has significant implications
towards tablet swelling which can lead to tablet failure, especially within bilayer tablet systems where
delamination may occur. Interfacial shear strength tests have shown that any change in environmental
conditions from production results in bilayer tablets with weaker interfaces. A mechanism for interface
failure is proposed and examined through microcomputed tomography and SEM experiments.
470
Microcrack Formation and Failure in Powder Compacted Materials
PS47
Sean Garner
Advisor(s): Antonios Zavaliangos
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
PS
Powder compaction is a widely used processing technique that spans a wide variety of industrial
applications including advanced ceramics manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, powder metals, and
applications in nuclear industry. Common to all these applications is the desire to produce mechanically
sound solids from powder. The formation of cracks during the tableting process is a common defect
that has been addressed on a semi-empirical basis. The present study focuses on understanding crack
formation during the powder compaction process and subsequently on the generation of relevant
predictive models that will allow for process optimization. A specially designed split die is employed in
order to eliminate the ejection step in uniaxial die compaction by relieving the residual radial stress and
reveal whether microcracking damage occurs within the die during unloading. A variety of materials
which include microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate and bilayer ATAB/MCC are studied.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to reveal the geometry of microcracks and provide first
order information for understanding the geometric aspects of the damage. When radial unloading
with the use of a split die is employed, it is revealed with the use of SEM that microcracks formed in all
samples studied in this work. This suggests that damage occurs in the die during axial unloading and
is not solely the result of ejection from the die. It was also found that increasing compaction pressure
results in visibly more microcracks suggesting the release of larger amounts of stored strain energy in
the compacts. The theoretical study and application of the mechanics of crack growth within powder
compacted materials is important as it helps to more fully characterize the failure process of these
compacts. Also, it may explain possible solutions to prevent material cohesive failure within future uses.
471
Development of a Unique Surface Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect
Magnetometer to Correlate Magnetism and Structure in Coated Ferrous
Powder Metals
PS48
Ian McDonald
Co-Author(s): Steven R. Spurgeon, Devon Beckett, Steven J. May
Advisor(s): Dr. Mitra L. Taheri
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
As the automotive industry moves steadily toward electric vehicles, there is an increasing need for
more efficient electric motors. Electromagnets currently in production suffer from various inefficiencies,
a major one being eddy current loss that occurs due to the core material, often iron, being both
magnetically permeable as well as electrically conducting. Oxide-coated ferrous powder metals
offer the electrical resistivity and magnetic flux density needed for such applications, but coating
compatibility and performance are still the subject of much research. To simplify the observation of
these interfaces thin film samples consisting of iron and ferrite layers are to be grown, this will allow
for correlation between atomic structure and magnetic characteristics.
This study explores the structural compatibility between the core (Iron) and coating material (ferrite), as
well as the magnetic hysteresis of the resulting composite, using a combination of transmission electron
microscopy (TEM) and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect (SMOKE) magnetometry.
TEM has the capability to quantify interfacial features that play a large role in dictating the magnetic
properties of these composites. We can then relate them to magnetic measurements conducted
on a custom-designed SMOKE magnetometer. Using this system we are able to perform hysteresis
measurements in a longitudinal geometry under magnetic fields up to 1.2 T and under applied in situ
electrical bias. This instrument allows for both static and dynamic measurements of thin film samples
with high surface and interface sensitivity. Using this instrument we are able to discern changes in
coercivity, as well as gain understanding of magnetization dynamics in these materials.
PS
Processing-property relationships can be determined through this combined magnetic and
microstructural characterization that will inform the eventual production of coated ferrous powders
with improved electromagnetic properties.
472
Drowned Forests and Buried Salt Marshes: Reconstructing Local-relative
Sea Level Change along the Delaware River Estuary
PS49
Anna Jaworski
Co-Author(s): Kenneth J. Lacovara
Advisor(s): Kenneth Lacovara
College of Arts and Sciences
Environmental Science
PS
As global temperatures rise, coastal communities and wetlands are at risk of destruction. Past research
has shown a mean global rate of sea level rise of 1.8mm/yr for the 20th century (Church & White,
2006). While this information is important, it has two limitations. First, the figure subsumes the more
recent, and far more rapid, rate of sea level rise measured from 1993 to 2008 at 3.11+/- 0.6mm/yr
(Ablain et. al., 2009). Second, this estimate reflects eustatic sea level changes. However, effects of sea
level rise will not evenly manifest along coastlines. Therefore, it is important to assess changes on a
site-by-site basis. In this study, we seek to determine the local-relative rate of sea level change for
the Delaware Estuary coastline between the baymouth and the C&D Canal. Because low-gradient
estuarine shorelines are particularly sensitive to small changes in sea level, this region will experience
substantial coastal inundation. Since historic tide gauge records are not available for this site, we will
use dendrochronology methods and salt marsh deposits to establish two independent proxies for the
rate of sea level rise. Understanding the historic response of a coastline to sea level rise will help policy
makers and natural resource managers decide what actions should be taken to anticipate the effects of
climate change on the estuary’s fragile wetland biomes and coastal developments.
473
Precision Characterization for Prototype Electronics for read out of the 3.2
Gigapixels camera for LSST
PS50
Othmane Rifki
Advisor(s): Gordon Richards
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is an 8.4m ground based telescope that will be used to
produce a 6-band wide-field deep astronomical survey of the southern sky. The survey covers a wide
range of astronomical topics such as using the deformation of the images of distant galaxies to map
the distribution of dark matter in the universe. For this purpose LSST will use a 3.2 Giga pixel camera
characterized by a high segmentation, low noise, fast read out, and sensitive to light in the range of
0.3 to 1.1 Micron. University of Pennsylvania¹s instrumentation group is involved in the development
of the front end electronics for the LSST camera readout. The goal is to achieve a highly compact low
power read out with a signal sensitivity of 4 microVolts per electron and a rate of 500 Kilopixels per
second. To prepare for the first vertical slice test, a pulser driven electronic signal is used to mimic the
CCD signal in order to understand the noise level achieved, the pattern effects, and the channel-tochannel interference. We will perform read out consistency checks in order to determine a pedestal
background and electronic noise baseline, in addition to determining the overall gain of the system.
Then, introduce pulses to monitor the time evolution of the response, the cross talk, and the persistence
effects. My work will aid in performing these studies by developing analysis tools based on the high
energy physics data analysis interface ROOT that would allow the creation of histograms, Gaussian fits,
and time changes of means and standard deviations. The end goal of this project is to determine the
current characteristics of the electronic set up in terms of noise, gain, and cross talk to prepare for the
next electronic upgrade that will read CCD signals of the LSST.
474
Ir and Ru Precatalysts Supported by a Novel Dihydroxybipyridine Ligand
for Transfer Hydrogenation and Water Oxidation Catalysis
PS51
Lauren Reuther
Co-Author(s): Ismael Nieto, Joseph Depasquale
Advisor(s): Elizabeth T. Papish
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
The ligand system 6,6’-dihydroxy-2,2’-bipyridyl (6,6’-dhbp) binds to metals and provides hydroxyl
groups close to the metal center. It has been shown that the complex [Ru(p-cymene) (6,6’-dhbp)Cl]Cl
catalytically performs transfer hydrogenation reactions best in 90% water/10% methanol solutions,
allowing for the use of “green” solvents. It has also been shown that the complex [Ir(Cp*)(6,6’-dhbp)
Cl]Cl catalytically performs water oxidation in cerium ammonium nitrate/water or sodium periodate/
water solutions. These hydroxyl groups appear to significantly improve the solubility of the catalyst,
and future studies will explore whether these influence the mechanism and enhance the catalytic
rates. These hydroxyl groups can potentially allow for metal-ligand bifunctional catalysis. Studies are in
progress to determine the effect of the protonation state of these hydroxyl groups on the catalytic rates
and the structures formed and to determine what role these hydroxyl groups play in hydrogenation.
475
An Alternative Energy Bottleneck Solution: Capacitor Component
Integration and Characterization
PS52
Jonathan Campos
Advisor(s): Yury Gogotsi
College of Engineering
Chemical Engineering
PS
Energy needs are growing and currently used resources are depleting while damaging the environment.
Renewable and cleaner resources are available, but their use is limited by generation and consumption
fluctuations. Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that help to remove this limitation. Thus,
supercapacitors were prepared in an innovative manner to make their use more applicable. Specifically,
capacitor components, activated carbon beads from greater than 1 μm in size or carbide derived carbon
(CDC) with various electrolytes, were integrated. Galvanostatic and potentiostatic measurements were
made to determine performance. Fluid characteristics of the integrated material were obtained by use
of a viscometer for supercapacitor preparation concerns.
476
Nanostructured Polymeric Systems for Aerospace Applications
PS53
Arianna Watters
Advisor(s): Giuseppe Palmese
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Room temperature ionic liquids offer a new way to homogeneously disperse SWNTs in polymeric
systems while simultaneously initiating epoxy polymerization. The small particle size of SWNT
minimizes disruption of the polymer matrix, while high surface area increases the interactions
between the polymer and the SWNTs. Effectiveness of dispersion is monitored by electrical conductivity
measurements, fit to an equation relating conductivity to percolation and compared to theoretical
percolation. Deviation in experimental values is illustrated by SEM imaging, revealing a fracture surface
with dispersed SWNTs and small areas of SWNT agglomerations.
PS
The resulting composite materials show improved modulus, fracture toughness, thermal and electrical
conductivity while maintaining a glass transition temperature comparable to the neat epoxy. This nonvolatile solvent process creates nanocomposites with simplified processing and improved interfacial
interactions. The nanocomposite enables control of desired material properties including mechanical,
thermal and electrical by varying parameters such as particle size, surface area of the nanoparticle and
the strength of the interfaces.
477
Examining Ethnic Consumers’ Attitudes toward Ethnic Enterprises
PS54
Ron (Chuang Rang) Gao
Advisor(s): Yanliu Huang
LeBow College of Business
PS
Ethnic consumers have been investigated from different perspectives; however, a significant gap exists
in the literature on how ethnic identities affect ethnic consumers’ attitudes toward different types of
ethnic enterprises. In this study, by applying the two dimensional model of ethnic identity and social
identity theory, we propose that ethnic consumers’ ethnic identities are related to their attitudes
toward and patronage intentions for different types of ethnic enterprises. Theoretical and managerial
implications are discussed.
478
Use of Biotemplated Nanostructured Surfaces to Offset Leidenfrost
Phenomena
PS55
Stephen King
Co-Author(s): MD Mahamudur Rahman, Emre Olceroglu
Advisor(s): Matthew McCarthy
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
We report the fabrication of biotemplated nanostructures for two-phase cooling systems. In this paper,
we describe the fabrication and characterization of biotemplated nanostructured coatings based on
the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to offset the Leidenfrost point (LFP) by increasing surface roughness.
The Leidenfrost phenomenon is the case of inefficient heat transfer characterized by the presence of
a vapor layer between a liquid droplet and a surface whose temperature is much greater than the
boiling point of the liquid. Controlling this phenomenon is important in processes where liquid-tosurface contact is critical, such as replacing nuclear reactor coolant after loss-of-coolant incidents. By
manipulating the solid-vapor-liquid interface with nanostructured coatings, substantial increases in heat
transfer can be achieved. However, traditional nanofabrication methods are difficult to integrate with
real-world thermal management schemes. This work presents the use of a simple room temperature
nanofabrication process, using the self-assembly and mineralization TMV to create superhydrophilic
surfaces for enhanced two-phase heat transfer and Leidenfrost point augmentation.
PS
Evaporation time of 6μL distilled water droplets on heated surfaces is measured to determine the LFP.
The addition of nanostructures offsets LFP by 100°C, the 20μm hierarchical posts offsets LFP by another
75°C, and the 40μm posts offset LFP by an additional 75°C, 250°C above LFP for the flat surface. Heat
transfer rate may be calculated from the data. At nominal superheat, the 20μm hierarchical posts show
an order of magnitude improvement in heat removal the flat surface. The flat nickel surface begins
to experience Leidenfrost phenomena at ~100°C superheat, at this point the nanostructured surface
displays a three order of magnitude increase in heat removal and the hierarchical surfaces show and
four order of magnitude increase.
479
Is it Better to Separate Charged Enantiomers Using Electrokinetic
Chromatography With or Without Electroosmotic Flow?
PS56
Erin Ennis
Advisor(s): Joe P. Foley
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry/PhD
PS
Electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) is a separation technique used to separate neutral compounds
via a pseudostationary phase (PSP) into which the compounds can differentially partition. Charged
compounds including charged enantiomers can also be separated by EKC via such differential
partitioning, although these separations have received less attention. The separation of charged
enantiomers via EKC is compared under conditions of either high or low (suppressed) electroosmotic
flow (EOF) with a PSP whose electrophoretic mobility is either large and counter-electroosmotic or
zero or nearly so. Thus all the permutations of conventional EKC and reverse-flow electrokinetic
chromatography (RF-EKC) are considered, although the experimental emphasis will be on those
involving suppressed EOF. In particular, the benefits of suppressed EOF on resolution and migration time
are examined for pharmaceutical enantiomers of varying hydrophobicity. Chromatographic figures of
merit are compared for each approach and applications are explored.
480
Simultaneous Determination of Oppositely Charged Ingredients in
AdvilCold & Sinus Liqui-Gels Using Dual-Opposite Injection Capillary
Electrophoresis
PS57
Donna Blackney Beckett
Advisor(s): Prof. Joe P. Foley
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
The ability of dual-opposite injection capillary zone electrophoresis (DOI-CZE) to simultaneously
separate oppositely charged active ingredients in an over-the-counter pharmaceutical drug is
demonstrated. The use of a poly(vinylalcohol)-coated capillary to suppress electroosmotic flow (EOF)
allows sample injection from each end of the capillary. Therefore, a sample can be subjected to
appropriate amounts of pressure and time of injection from opposite ends of the capillary to allow
equal concentrations of each active ingredient to be introduced into the capillary. Once voltage is
applied, the active ingredients will migrate from their respective injection site at opposite ends of the
capillary toward the detector. Representative electropherograms from a separation of Advil Cold &
Sinus Liqui-Gels, where each gel contains almost seven times larger amount of ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug, compared to pseudoephedrine are shown. Due to the large difference in active
ingredient amount between the analytes of interest, quantitative analysis under conventional CZE
conditions would be more difficult than under the proposed DOI-CZE method.
481
Modeling copper nitrite reductase with tris(triazolyl)borate ligands: The
triazolyl nitrogen’s influence on the structure, electronic properties, and
reactivity
PS58
Natalie Dixon
Co-Author(s): Mukesh Kumar, Anna Merkle, Nicolai Lehnert, Matthias Zeller, Elizabeth Papish
Advisor(s): Elizabeth Papish
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
Bulky tris(pyrazolyl)borate (Tp) ligands of the scorpionate family are ubiquitous in enzyme modeling.
Here, the under-utilized analogs, tris(triazolyl)borate (Ttz) ligands, support models of the active-site of
copper nitrite reductase (CuNiR) during the enzymatic cycle. The extra nitrogen on the triazole ring,
relative to pyrazole, changes the structures, electronic properties, and reactivities of the corresponding
copper complexes. In addition, IR spectroscopy reveals that H+ bonding to the third nitrogen changes
the electronic properties of TtzR1,R2Cu(I)CO complexes and this influence could be applied to the
reactivity of our TtzR1,R2CuNOx species. TtztBu,MeCuNOx complexes have been reported and show
distinct structural features in the X-ray crystal structures and electronic differences according to EPR and
UV-VIS when compared to corresponding TpR1,R2CuNOx complexes. Most notably, [PPN]+[(TtztBu,Me)
Cu(I)NO2]- has been synthesized and characterized and allows for stoichiometric nitrite reduction to
NO upon addition of acid. Anionic Cu(I) nitrite complexes are rare and this is the first stabilized by a
scorpionate ligand due to the electron withdrawing properties of the triazolyl rings.
482
Assessing EGF-induced Changes of Cell Adhesion Using Dissipation
Monitoring.
PS59
Jennifer Chen
Co-Author(s): Ammar Shahid, Marce P. Garcia, Jun Xi
Advisor(s): Dr. Jun Xi
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
Cell adhesion is an important cellular process for cell survival, differentiation, and migration. This
process of cell de-adhesion, like many other cellular process exhibits a complex sequence of steps.
Cellular de-adhesion induced by epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a critical step of normal embryonic
development, wound repair and regeneration, inflammatory response, and tumor cell metastasis. We
have developed a novel method using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D)
to monitor the changes in cell de-adhesion due to EGF induction in MCF-10A cells. We have successfully
monitored changes in adhesion in a monolayer of MCF-10A cells. In addition we have identified the
sequence of changes as first a rapid de-adhesion step, followed by a transition step, and ending with a
slow re-adhesion step. Lastly, we demonstrated the process of cellular de-adhesion process is regulated
temporally by the downstream pathways of EGFR signaling such as the PI3K, MAPK/ERK, and PLC
pathways. The QCM-D provides a real time label-free sensor technology that can be used quantitatively
to investigate the cellular changes during cell de-adhesion. The QCM-D technique can be a useful
application in studying other cellular process such as cell signaling and trafficking and can potentially
be a useful in vitro method for drug and biomarker screenings.
483
Enhancing the Precision of Low Energy Neutrino Experiments with Novel
Calibration Technique
PS60
Erica Smith
Advisor(s): Jelena Maricic
College of Arts and Sciences
physics
PS
The last mixing angle to be determined in the neutrino mixing matrix, which describes neutrino
oscillations, is theta13. The Double Chooz experiment is looking to determine theta13 with only 0.6%
systematic error, a vast improvement to the previous CHOOZ experiment which had a systematic error
of 2.7%. One of the new developments being implemented to substantially improve precision of the
experiment is the articulated arm, a device which allows for full-volume calibration of the detector.
However, introduction of new equipment into the detector requires calibration in order to ensure
optimal precision. A proposed solution is the optical finder, an LED which will be located on the
articulated arm. By creating a cone of light at a known origin and then reconstructing the origin of the
light based on detector readings, we can determine how precisely we are able to detect the location of
light within the detector.
484
Electrospun Ultra-fine Fluorescent Polyelectrolyte Complex Composite
Fibers
PS61
Jennifer Atchison
Co-Author(s): Caroline Schauer
Advisor(s): Caroline Schauer
College of Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
PS
Water insoluble fluorescent composite fibrous assembles of nanoparticle-polyelectrolyte complex fibers
are useful multifunctional materials, utilized in filtration, drug delivery, sensing and tissue engineering
applications, with the added benefits of improved mechanical, chemical or structural characteristics over
the individual components. Ultra-fine polyelectrolyte complex composite (PECC) fibers were electrospun
from a non stoichometric solution of poly(acrylic acid)(PAA), chitosan(Cht) and carboxylic acid
functionalized CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (SNPs). The spinning dope was prepared by mixing aqueous 1
mL of 13wt% PAA solution loaded 0.10% v/v SNPs and 1.8 wt% Cht for 12 hrs and then electrospinning.
The effect of the degree of deacetylation (DA) of the chitosan on fiber diameter and morphology were
explored as well as the stability, optical properties of the ensemble mats. Complexation with low DA
(70%) lead to the formation of bi-modal fiber diameter distributions of nanofiber and macro fibers
High DA (85%) chitosan complexation resulted in more uniform ultra-fine fibers with a uni-modal fiber
diameter distributions and higher yields. Both types of assemblies were fluorescent and stable in water.
485
Investigating Structural Changes to Green Tea Extract (EGCG) by
Monitoring the Effect on Cells Using QCM-D
PS62
Danielle Fagnani
Co-Author(s): Dr. Jun Xi, Jennifer Chen, Marcela Garcia
Advisor(s): Dr. Jun Xi
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of the most abundant and potent antioxidants found in green
tea. Research has shown that this compound displays many cancer preventative effects on cells. EGCG
contains many hydroxyl functional groups that can be converted to ester groupings by chemical
derivatization to make the molecule more hydrophobic. This may increase cell permeability of EGCG
and possibly increase its potency. In this study, we compared the biological effects of EGCG and ECGGperacetate on a cancer cell line A431 by assessing the respective cellular response caused by each of
these two compounds with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring.
486
Design and Construction of a Linear Motor Driven Pulse Tube Cryocooler
for Infrared Cameras
PS63
Keola Williams
Co-Author(s): Michael Kapp, Yash Nagarsheth, Dion Antao
Advisor(s): Bakhtier Farouk
College of Engineering
MEM
PS
Cryocoolers are the devices used to reach cryogenic temperatures (<120 K) by cycling certain gases like
helium and nitrogen. The pulse tube cryocooler is a developing technology that emerged largely in the
early 1980s with a series of other innovations in the broader field of thermoacoustics. The pulse tube
cryocooler can be made without moving parts in the low temperature part of the device, making the
cooler suitable for a wide variety of applications including the cooling of infrared camera sensors. The
design construction and operation of coaxial type pulse tube cryocooler (for possible use in infrared
cameras) is presented. Scaling the pulse tube cryocooler to the low temperatures and cooling power
required while still fulfilling the geometrical specifications for infrared cameras is a challenge. The
coaxial pulse tube cryocooler (driven by a linear motor) was designed using DELTAEC, a thermoacoustic
apparatus design tool developed at the Los Alamos Laboratories. The cryocooler components are being
built at the time of writing this abstract.
487
Illusory Decoherence
PS64
Sam Kennerly
Advisor(s): Robert Gilmore
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
If a quantum experiment includes random processes, then the results of repeated measurements can
appear consistent with irreversible decoherence even if the system’s evolution prior to measurement
was reversible and unitary. Two thought experiments are constructed as examples.
488
On the Zeros of the Plane Partition Polynomials
PS65
Daniel Parry
Advisor(s): Robert Boyer
College of Arts and Sciences
Mathematics
PS
A plane partition of $n$ is an array of positive integers $\pi={\pi_{i,j}\}$ that are listed in weakly
decreasing order across any row and down any column and $\sum \pi_{i,j}=n.$ The trace of a plane
partition is defined as $Tr(\pi)=\sum \pi_{i,i}$ and we let $pp_k(n)$ count the number of plane partitions
of $n$ with trace $k.$ We investigate the asymptotic structure of the zeros of the plane partition
polynomials $\sum pp_k(n) x^k.$ We show that the roots gather along specific curves in the complex
plane and determine the densities around those curves.
489
Variability of Active Galactic Nuclei in SDSS Stripe82 & Kepler
PS66
Vishal Kasliwal
Advisor(s): Michael Vogeley, Gordon Richards
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
We study the flux variability properties of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in Stripe82 of the Sloan Digital
Sky Survey (SDSS) and in NASA’s Kepler mission. AGN are known to exhibit significant flux variability on
timescales of hours, days, months and years. The physical origin of the variability is poorly understood.
We seek to impose constraints on models for AGN variability by probing the stochastic properties of the
flux time series. We use data from the Stripe82 region of the SDSS survey that has been imaged ~ 65
times over the ten year span of the SDSS survey yielding valuable long term time-series data on quasars.
We also use the extremely high cadence NASA Kepler dataset which has been imaging quasars in the
Kepler field once every 30 minutes since 2009 to probe the variability properties of quasars at extremely
short timescales.
490
Fabrication of Graphene-based Josephson Junctions for Studying GateVoltage Controlled Macroscopic Quantum Effects
PS67
Joseph Lambert
Co-Author(s): Steven Carabello, Roberto Ramos
Advisor(s): Roberto Ramos, Shyamalendu Bose
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
Graphene is a fascinating material with many promising applications and rich physics. It is a
2-dimensional material consisting of a single atomic layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal
lattice. We have produced single crystals of graphene tens of microns long exfoliated from graphite
using adhesive tape. By depositing Al leads 100-300 nm apart onto these flakes, we have fabricated
superconducting devices called Josephson junctions. Below the superconducting critical temperature
of Al (~1K), the graphene provides a weak link between the superconducting Al leads. As a result,
a resistance-less supercurrent is observed to pass through the graphene, between the leads. Above
a characteristic critical current, the devices switch from the superconducting to the normal resistive
state. The novelty of graphene-based Josephson junctions is a back gate voltage, which we can use to
tune the junction’s critical current. This provides an additional macroscopic classical knob to control
quantum-mechanical properties of the junction. From the stochastic distribution of currents at which
these devices switch to the normal state (the switching current), we can perform many interesting
experiments, such as microwave resonant activation, macroscopic quantum tunneling, and energy
level quantization, which are all tunable by the gate voltage [1]. We report on the fabrication of these
devices and progress toward measuring and understanding the distribution of the switching current
from these experiments.
PS
[1] J. G. Lambert, et al., IEEE Trans. in Appl. Supercond. 21, 734 (2011).
491
Mean SEDs and Bolometric Corrections for Luminous Quasars
PS68
Coleman Krawczyk
Co-Author(s): Gordon Richards
Advisor(s): Gordon Richards
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
We explore the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for 121,988 luminous quasars using mid-IR data
from Spitzer and WISE, near-IR data from 2MASS and UKIDSS, optical data from SDSS, and UV data from
GALEX. In addition to computing a mean SED, our work concentrates on how the mean SED changes
as a function of various parameters. As such, we consider the problem of determining bolometric
corrections for individual quasars as opposed to the ensemble average. While normally bolometric
corrections are fixed to a single SED, we find a range of values.
492
The Lorenz Map, The Logistic Map, And All Of The Maps In-between
PS69
Jon Brennan
Advisor(s): Dr. Robert Gilmore
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
The logistic map is one of the most well-studied maps in all of Nonlinear Dynamics. The properties of
the logistic map are well-known. The Lorenz map, on the other hand, is not understood with the same
clarity. The Lorenz map describes trajectories in the Lorenz attractor and I will show, with the help of
two intermediate nonlinear maps, that the properties of the Lorenz map are similar to the properties of
the logistic map. Thus, the understanding of the properties of the logistic map can be transferred to the
more mysterious Lorenz map.
493
Triaxial NFW Projection Effects Upon Dark Matter Halo Concentrations
PS70
Austen Groener
Advisor(s): David M. Goldberg
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
The Navarro-Frenk-White profile (NFW) is a mass density distribution most commonly used to model
dark matter over a wide range of mass scales -from dwarf galaxies up to rich galaxy clusters. This
density profile is characterized by a few different parameters, one of which is the concentration. The
concentration of the halo describes how cuspy the inner density profile looks.
Other parameters needed to properly model dark matter in galaxy clusters include the semi-axes, which
quantify the halo’s likeness to that of a football. One of the differences between using tri-axial NFW
profiles to model clusters which form in large simulations of dark matter particles (N-body simulations)
with what is actually observed is that for a particular cluster mass the concentration of halos in
simulations tend to be too large, typically by a factor of two.
PS
One of the questions my research attempts to answer is: What effect do the orientations of the semiaxes have upon the concentration of the cluster? Consequently, can this effect be large enough to cause
the discrepancy we see between observed and simulated cluster concentrations?
494
Stability and reactivity of epoxy silane-derivatized silica surfaces
PS71
Xue Sha
Advisor(s): Dr.Lynn Penn
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
Multi-step chemical modifications of silica surfaces are increasingly common. These often start with
covalent coupling of organofunctional silane to the pristine surface, followed by subsequent steps
based on the reactive organofunctional group of the silane. A study of the stability of silica surfaces
derivatized with 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane was carried out. This surface was found to degrade
differently in acid and in base. Acid opens the epoxide ring, but leaves the siloxane bonds so the silica
substrate intact. Base not only hydrolyzes the epoxide group but also hydrolytically cleaves the siloxane
bonds to the silica substrate. The intact epoxide group was found to require elevated temperature for
reaction with primary amines of any size. Finally, the original, pristine silica surface can be completely
regenerated after surface modification by an oxidative treatment.
495
Bayesian Quasar Selection Using Variability Properties
PS72
Christina Peters
Co-Author(s): Gordon T. Richards
Advisor(s): Gordon T. Richards
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
We used the Non-parametric Bayesian Classification Kernel Density Estimation (NBC KDE) quasar
selection algorithm to compare the effectiveness of four different data sets of known quasars and
stars to classify a set of unknown objects. Beginning with data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)
DR7 Quasar Catalog, multi epoch quasar sample, and the University of Washington Variable Object
Catalog, we used the colors from the SDSS data and the variability parameters from the U.W. catalog
to compute each object’s probability of being a star or quasar. When doing self tests of the data sets
we found an improvement in the percentage of quasars detected with using multi epoch data (97.54%)
over single epoch data (95.34%) and an improvement in the number of quasars that are detected when
using variability parameters in addition to colors (99.34%) over just colors (97.54%). Using a sample of
stripe 82 multi epoch point sources we found 4829 of 4837 known quasars were classified to be quasars
and 1113 previously unknown quasars were found. Of these, 962 are beyond the spectroscopic limit
of i=19.1, and represent a significant gain over the existing selection algorithm by enabling deeper
selection with the same data.
496
Real-time measurement of cell signaling: A Quartz Crystal Microbalance
with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) Study on MCF-10A cells
PS73
Marcela Garcia
Co-Author(s): Jennifer Chen, Ammar Shahid, Mauricio Reginato, Lynn Penn
Advisor(s): Jun Xi
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in cell growth, proliferation, motility,
and differentiation. High levels of EGFR are associated with development of breast cancer as its
resistance to treatment with cytotoxic drugs. In this study, we examine the role of EGFR and their
downstream signaling pathways in human MCF-10A mammary epithelial cells. We used the quartz
crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) to monitor cellular responses to EGFR
signaling in human MCF-10A mammary epithelial cells when treated with epidermal growth factor
(EGF). Cellular responses to EGFR signaling were detected based in mass and viscoelasticity of the
cells. These responses were associated with EGF-induced biological processes including cytoskeleton
remodeling.
497
SPE Inefficiency Analysis in the Double Chooz Experiment
PS74
Edward Damon
Advisor(s): Jelena Maricic
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
The Double Chooz Experiment is a reactor neutrino experiment designed to measure the neutrino
mixing angle O13 . While first results have introduced strong limits on the value of O13 , our systematic
errors remain larger than initially predicted. These errors are partially due to an anomalous energy
response- a non-linearity in the energy scale- which is corrected for by the introduction of a logarithmic
energy response function. In this poster, we show our work in isolating one possible source of the
energy non-linearity, SPE inefficiency, and examine its effects. SPE inefficiency refers to an inefficiency in
including charge from PMTs (Photo-Multiplier Tubes) which have only a Single Photo-Electron response,
i.e. a very small signal. The current energy reconstruction algorithm can exclude channels which have a
very small but non-zero amount of signal, causing a loss of charge. We use Z-axis deployed radioactive
sources (including Ge68, Cf252, Cs137, and Co60) to investigate the response of the detector. We show
that SPE inefficiency is a significant component of the energy non-linearity, causing a loss of charge
which varies with source energy.
498
A statistical mechanical approach to protein aggregation
PS75
John Schreck
Advisor(s): Jian-Min Yuan
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
We develop a theory of aggregation using statistical mechanical methods. An example of a complicated aggregation system with several levels of structures is peptide/protein self-assembly.
The problem of protein aggregation is important for the understanding and treatment of
neurodegenerative diseases and also for the development of bio-macromolecules as new materials. We
write the effective Hamiltonian in terms of interaction energies between protein monomers, protein
and solvent, as well as between protein filaments. The grand partition function can be expressed in
terms of a Zimm-Bragg-like transfer matrix, which is calculated exactly and all thermodynamic properties can be obtained. We start with two-state and three-state descriptions of protein monomers using
Potts models that can be generalized to include q-states, for which the exactly solvable feature of the
model remains. We focus on n x N lattice systems, corresponding to the ordered structures observed
in some real fibrils. We have obtained results on nucleation processes and phase diagrams, in which
a protein property such as the sheet content of aggregates is expressed as a function of the number
of proteins on the lattice and inter-protein or interfacial interaction energies. We have applied our
methods to AB(1-40) and Curli fibrils and obtained results in good agreement with experiments.
499
Pattern Reconfigurable Antennas for Adaptive MIMO-OFDM Wireless
Systems
PS76
George Sworo
Co-Author(s): Kapil Dandekar
Advisor(s): Moshe Kam
College of Engineering
ECE
PS
Data rates and channel capacity in MIMO-OFDM wireless systems can be improved through the
use of Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) and pattern reconfigurable antennas. Our research
work focuses primarily on computational efficient algorithms that will utilize our novel pattern
reconfigurable antennas to achieve improved data rates and diversity. We evaluate the performance
of these algorithms using Rice University’s proprietary Wireless Open-Access Research Platform (WARP)
framework.
500
Design and Fabrication of a Novel Artificial Photosynthesis Device
PS77
Xiang Ren
Co-Author(s): Qingwei Zhang, Ho-lung Li
Advisor(s): Jack Zhou
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
PS
We designed an artificial photosynthesis device and fabricated the construction part of this device.
This device can absorb light energy and produce organic compounds. In order to constrain reaction
solution in a solid state structure and increase the reaction efficiency, we designed a novel artificial
photosynthesis device with porous chitosan scaffold with interconnected micro-channels. We built 3D
interconnected chitosan channels with a heterogeneous 3D rapid prototyping machine, and we used
lyophilization method to generate pores inside the chitosan scaffold.
501
Factors Affecting Stakeholder Decisions to Invest in Energy Conservation
Measures During Building Retrofits
PS78
Michael Hamilton
Co-Author(s): Jared Langevin
Advisor(s): Dr. Patrick Gurian
College of Engineering
Civil, Architectural, Environmental Engineering
PS
Economic theory suggests that rational actors make investments by choosing the option with the
greatest net present value (NPV). However, it seems this model does not apply to decisions regarding
energy conservation measures (ECMs) in commercial buildings, given the slow adoption of ECMs by the
market as a whole. This “energy paradox” is one question being addressed by the Greater Philadelphia
Innovation Cluster (GPIC), a federally-funded consortium of researchers tasked with stimulating private
investment in energy-efficient measures in new and existing buildings in the greater Philadelphia
region. Drexel’s involvement with GPIC encompasses three primary areas of research: 1) How building
occupant behavior affects energy use, 2) How decisions are made to invest in ECMs, and 3) Simulation
of energy use by different types of buildings. As part of the second research effort, a series of semistructured interviews was administered to 16 stakeholders (i.e., building owners, developers, engineers,
contractors, and consultants) in order to clarify the factors affecting their decisions to invest (or not
invest) in ECMs. Results indicate that significant first costs, uncertainty regarding financial outcomes,
operational uncertainty, and “split incentives” all act as barriers to the uptake of such technologies. The
results of these interviews are considered in light of parallel GPIC efforts on building occupant behavior
and building energy use simulation. Results of the interviews are also cross-referenced with survey data
collected by Johnson Controls Institute for Building Efficiency, yielding several insights into facilitating
the adoption of ECMs on a larger scale.
502
Using Open Notebook Science to predict the solubility of trans-cinnamic
acid using the Abraham Model
PS79
Matthew McBride
Co-Author(s): Jean-Claude Bradley, William Acree, Andrew Lang
Advisor(s): Jean-Claude Bradley
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
This research investigates the ability of the Abraham Model to accurately predict the solubility of transcinnamic acid in organic solvents. Specifically, the solubility of cinnamic acid in methanol, benzene,
toluene, chloroform and acetonitrile have been measured through the use of the density method.
In addition to this, the solubility of cinnamic acid in cyclohexanone and 1,2-dichloroethane have
been measured using 500MHz HNMR. The Abraham Model is useful because it uses experimentally
measured solubilities to predict solubility in unmeasured solvents. This information would be useful for
determining the best solvent to use when attempting to recrystallize cinnamic acid and more generally,
provides valuable information for choosing a solvent for an organic reaction. In a similar manner, there
is a model that allows melting points to be predicted that would be extremely useful for checking
reported melting points contained in scientific papers before the papers are released for publication.
This research was conducted used Open Notebook Science, which releases all experiments completed
and results online to promote the sharing of information. A case will be made that open and real-time
sharing of experimental results, whether successful or not, leads to more efficient and rapid scientific
progress.
503
Studying Neutrino Directionality with Double Chooz
PS80
Erica Caden
Advisor(s): Charles Lane
College of Arts and Sciences
Physics
PS
The first results from Double Chooz with 100 days of data measured the last unknown neutrino
mixing angle sin^2(2theta_13) = 0.086 +/- 0.051. Backgrounds contribute significantly to the systematic
uncertainty budget. Using the incoming neutrino directionality we will attempt to further separate the
inverse beta decay signal from backgrounds. The CHOOZ experiment completed a similar analysis and
found that the neutrino source can be located to within a cone of half-aperture of 18 degrees at the
68\% C.L. We study the possible improvement of this results by Double Chooz.
504
First-principle calculations for NaTaO3 surfaces
PS81
Xiang Liu
Advisor(s): Karl Sohlberg
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry
PS
Sodium tantalate has shown a high catalyzing efficiency in the photodisocciation reaction of water.
We are interested in investigating the surface structure of NaTaO3 because the surface is where the
catalyzing reaction occurs. First-principle (DFT) calculations are performed in this work to calculate
the electronic total energy of the different Miller surfaces of the NaTaO3 crystal in order to identify
the most stable surface of NaTaO3. In this presentation, I will describe (1) different ways to calculate
symmetrical and asymmetrical surfaces of the crystal; (2) the surface reconstructions found from these
calculations.
505