Discovery Day
2008
The Office of Undergraduate Research
would like to give special thanks to the
sponsors who made this event possible:
Office of Research and Health Sciences
South Carolina Honors College
College of Arts and Sciences
College of Engineering and Information Technology
Discovery Day 2008
Schedule of Events
9:00 am - 9:15 am
Welcome:
Russell House Theater
9:15 am -11:30 am
Creative Performances:
Russell House Theater
9:15 am - 11:30 am
Oral Presentations:
Russell House Rooms 201, 203, 205, 303, 305
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Poster Session:
Russell House Ballroom
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Reception:
Russell House Ballroom
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Awards Ceremony:
Russell House Theater
Table of Contents
Oral & Creative Presentations:
Arts & Music ............................................................. page 2
Biomedical Sciences ................................................. page 5
Communication, Humanities, & Culture ................... page 8
Health, Well-Being, & Education .............................. page 10
History & Politics ...................................................... page 13
Natural Science & Engineering ................................. page 16
Poster Presentations:
Arts & Humanities .................................................... page 22
Biomedical/Health 1 ................................................. page 25
Biomedical/Health 2 ................................................. page 32
Business, Law, & Politics........................................... page 39
Chemistry & Material Science ................................... page 43
Earth & Marine Sciences 1 ........................................ page 48
Earth & Marine Sciences 2 ........................................ page 52
Engineering, Physics, & Math ................................... page 57
Neuroscience............................................................ page 61
Psychology, General ................................................. page 67
Social Science & Education ....................................... page 73
Discovery Day 2008
Oral & Creative
Presentations
Discovery Day 2008
Arts & Music
Interpreting Latin American Music through Study of Latin History and Culture
Catherine Flora Con, Music - Greenville, SC
Mentor: Dr. Marina Lomazov, School of Music
The music of Latin America is an area that has not received as much attention as that
of Western Europe in schools of music. Because of this, musicians lack the knowledge necessary to perform Latin music in a historically and stylistically accurate
context. While at Chautauqua Institution piano program last summer, I learned music by Alberto Ginastera, an Argentinean composer, and Heitor Villa Lobos, a Brazilian composer. Through instruction from Caterina Domenici, a concert pianist specializing in Latin music, I found that an important element of Latin music is rhythm.
I explored these rhythms by bouncing on a yoga ball while practicing the music in
order to feel the pulse in my body and apply it to the rhythms I was creating. I also
tapped out the rhythms on my legs when pieces called for each hand to play a different rhythm. Through resources in the Thomas Cooper Library and music library at
the University of South Carolina, I learned more about the folk songs and dances that
were used in the music I learned, and about the history of Latin American music. I
also played different Latin American instruments to aid in emulating those sonorities on the piano. Through my research, I found that musicians must be able to
physically feel the indicated rhythms in their bodies, have sufficient knowledge of
the folk songs and dances, and be able to imitate the sounds of indigenous instruments in order to perform Latin music effectively.
Music Production in Post-Katrina New Orleans
Heather Davis, History - Aiken, SC,
*USC Aiken
Mentor: Dr. Maggi Morehouse, History
On the unforgettable day of August 29, 2005, the Gulf coast region of the United
States took a direct hit from the catastrophic storm, Hurricane Katrina. The city of
New Orleans was especially affected, as the levees could not withstand the storm
surge that flooded the city during the days following. I wondered how the music
community in this culturally rich city had been impacted by Katrina's aftermath.
New Orleans roots music is a vital tradition and serves as a direct reflection of the
city's diverse past. With the Magellan Scholarship, I investigated the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the music community in New Orleans. My research began by compiling a historiographical bibliography and discography on music in New Orleans during the post-Katrina era. In the summer of 2007 I took my research into the field,
taking two trips to New Orleans. After obtaining appropriate IRB approval, I collected oral histories from six locals who are directly involved with music production.
Also, I had numerous personal conversations with musicians, and completed ethnographic studies of some popular music venues. The oral histories were then transcribed and analyzed as primary sources for my research. Through this investigation
I discovered music that is reflecting consequences of the storm, a renewed sense of
pride in the music community, and that many musicians feel an obligation to continue promoting the genuine culture of the region. I discovered that loss in venues
and the convention business has affected the music community in New Orleans also.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 2
Nándorfehérvár 1456: The Historical and Cultural Impact of a Choral Work
Elizabeth Nyikos, Music - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Carol Krueger, School of Music
After their conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the Turkish army launched an invasion of Europe. Their force was finally defeated in 1456 at the battle of Nándorfehérvár, Hungary. Five hundred years later, Pope Pius XII asked the Hungarian Franciscans to celebrate the anniversary of this monumental Christian victory. In response to the pope’s request, Hungarian conductor, professor and composer Fr.
Gregory Aloysius Tamás commemorated the event in his choral work, Nándorfehérvár 1456 Oratorio. While the 1956 premiere was initially a success, it was not
performed for a number of years because of heightened governmental control after
the bloody 1956 uprising against the Soviet occupation. Last summer, I traveled to
Hungary to research the history of the Oratorio and its composer. I interviewed Fr.
Tamás’ niece, Ms. Márta Kovács; Fr. Gergely Magyar, prefect of the Franciscan order
in Hungary; and founding members of the Kapisztrán Choir, who sang the Oratorio’s
opening performance. During my stay, I visited locations in Budapest, Öregcsertö
and Kalocsa connected with the composer’s life and obtained scores of many of Fr.
Tamás’ choral works. The USC University Chorus, directed by Carol Krueger, performed selections from Nándorfehérvár 1456 on November 30, 2007. I translated
the Oratorio’s text into English, assisted the choir with the Hungarian pronunciation,
and sang with them in the American premiere of this historical work. Ultimately, I
intend to submit a biography of Fr. Tamás, a short history of the Oratorio, and its
score with English translation to the USC Music Library for future reference.
Medieval French Polyphony at Columbia College
Elizabeth Nyikos, Music - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Scott Gwara, English Language & Literatures
This past summer, USC Professor Scott Gwara discovered a music manuscript at Columbia College. This manuscript, dated c.a. 1400, is an extremely rare example of
polyphony (several voices singing together). I identified the music as a setting of the
Gloria from the Catholic Mass, and located two similar manuscripts with the help of
Professor Margaret Bent of Oxford. The Gloria’s Superius (high voice) corresponded
to that of an Italian manuscript, while the Tenor (lower voice) was similar to a fragment in Spain. Columbia College’s fragment is significant because it contains both
voices, whereas the concordances are both missing a part. The Gloria thus links two
chant fragments that previously were not considered to be the same music. I transcribed the music into modern notation, and recorded it with fellow music majors.
At the opening of the Thomas Cooper Library’s exhibition “Pages from the Past”,
seven students performed the Gloria for the first time in six hundred years. The ensemble also opened USC University Chorus’ fall 2007 concert. Over spring break, in a
trip jointly funded by the USC Music School and Honors College, I traveled to Siena,
Madrid, and Oxford to study the manuscripts and meet Professor Bent. I am now
working on co-authoring an article with her, which will soon appear in an international journal. Next fall, I will open an exhibition of medieval manuscripts at the USC
Music Library. I also intend to found a small vocal ensemble that will perform original medieval music from USC Library collections.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 3
An Exploration of International Schools of Cello Technique
Kristian Ring, Music - Charlotte, NC
Mentor: Dr. Robert Jesselson, School of Music
For this project, I traveled to Leipzig, Germany, to attend the EuroArts Music festival.
There, I studied with and witnessed performances by a broad spectrum of ‘cellists. I
studied under two while I was there: Ulf Tischbirek, from Germany, and Kyong Ok
Park, from Korea. The goal was to learn aspects of each one’s technique and musical
philosophy to use in my own playing and to communicate those aspects to my colleagues back in the states. Through the lessons I took and the performances I observed, I gained the insight I sought. My professors there came from very different
pedagogical backgrounds. Park was predominantly trained in the United States, and
Tischbirek was a product of the German conservatory system. In the context of the
Lalo concerto, which I studied there, Tischbirek recommended that I play very much
over the top, widening my vibrato and exaggerating all aspects of my interpretation.
This is required, especially when performing with an orchestra in a large hall, to
make musical ideas obvious for the audience. His approach to bow usage was one
that emphasized use of speed rather than weight to produce more sound. Kyong Ok
Park encouraged me to polish and smooth my musical lines and phrases so that they
were clear to the listener. All of these points have allowed me to re-approach how I
play music on the cello, and allow me to act as a resource for those I interact with
here as a teacher, colleague, and performer.
AIDS Personal PSA Mobile Media Project
Phillip Walker, Media Arts - Chicago, IL
Mentor: Prof. Karla Berry, Art
AIDS Personal PSA Mobile Media Project November 6-8, 2007 Philadelphia, PA Presentation at International Digital Media and Arts Association Conference The AIDS
Personal Public Service Announcement project tested best practices in media communication to create a new type of message (the personal public service announcement) to be delivered directly to cellphones with the goal of encouraging young people to be tested for HIV. In one day, November 7th, in Philadelphia, three teams of
students worked with professional video producers to create mobile media messages encouraging HIV testing. The teams utilized mobile technology (computers,
cellphones, and PDAs) to collaborate with a remote producer in another location.
Throughout the day, the Mobile Teams traveled throughout Philadelphia and sent
video content to their remote producers via Verizon wireless networking technology. The three teams produced three PPSA's each. A reception at The Constitution
Center, sponsored by Verizon, showcased the student's PPSA's produced in just one
day. Phillip Walker and the other three USC Media Arts students also presented their
PPSA's at the International Digital Media & Art Association Conference on November
8. Project Partners included: Verizon Communications, Mobile Media Consortium University of Georgia, Department of Art - University of South Carolina, School of
Communicatons and Theater - Temple University, International Digital Media and
Arts Association, E-Health Marketing - Centers for Disease Control, AIDS Research
Consorutium of Atlanta, Philadelphia FIGHT (AIDS service organization). The PPSA's
can be viewed online at: http://www.nmi.uga.edu/aids_ppsa/
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 4
Biomedical Sciences
An Analysis of the Inhibition of Amyloid-ß -Induced Inflammation in
Alzheimer's Disease
Fahmin Basher, Chemical Engineering - Orangeburg, SC
Mentor: Dr. Melissa Moss, Chemical Engineering
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia experienced by elderly
people and has been determined to be caused, at least in part, by the formation of
aggregates of the amyloid-ß (Aß) protein, referred to as Aß plaques, found between
neuronal cells. In addition to affecting neuronal cells, Aß plaques have the ability to
impact other cell types, including immune cells such as microglia and monocytes,
and elicit inflammatory responses upon deposition. Aß fibrillogenesis occurs
through a process of slow nucleation followed by a period of rapid growth of
intermediates (protofibrils) by mechanisms of elongation by monomer addition or
lateral association. Inhibition of either mechanism results in decreased protofibril
growth. Investigation of a library of cyclic organic compounds with structural
features shared by previously identified inhibitors is under way to determine
relationships between structural aspects of the compound and inhibitory function.
The physiological effects of inhibition are also under investigation. In this study, we
seek to determine the effectiveness of these compounds in mediating the proinflammatory activation of monocytes by Aß aggregates. Thus, we have examined
the effect of selected cyclic organic compounds, which serve as potential inhibitors,
on stimulation of the release of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α from monocyte cell
cultures following treatment with Aß aggregates formed in the presence and
absence of inhibitors.
Inhibition of Amyloid-ß Protein Aggregation in Alzheimer’s Disease
Timothy Davis, Chemical Engineering - Garden City, SC
Mentor: Dr. Melissa Moss, Chemical Engineering
The cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been associated with the aggregation and
deposition of protein plaques in and around brain cells, causing neurocellular death.
The protein primarily responsible for the extracellular plaques has been identified
as the amyloid-ß protein (Aß). During the plaque formation process, Aß has been
shown to exist as a series of unique structures: single monomer, partially soluble
aggregation intermediates and fully formed insoluble fibrils. Further research has
shown that Aß aggregates formed in aqueous solutions and Aß aggregates formed in
solutions with polar-nonpolar interfaces differ in their molecular structure.
Inhibiting the formation of any or all of the observed Aß aggregates could prove to
be a therapeutic method to retard the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This
project examined the inhibitory characteristics of a library of cyclic chemical
compounds that could potentially inhibit Aß aggregation. Potential inhibitors were
first scanned for their ability to inhibit fibril formation from monomer in aqueous
solutions. Effective inhibitors were then introduced into assays that isolate unique
growth mechanisms, termed elongation and association, in aqueous solutions.
Assays in buffer and 2.5% hexafluoroisopropanol were then performed to quantify
inhibition in solutions with polar-nonpolar interfaces. Finally, inhibitor
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 5
concentrations were varied to examine the dose-response relationship of inhibitors
on Aß aggregation. Results demonstrate that several bi-cyclic and tri-cyclic
compounds inhibit monomer aggregation in a dose dependent manner in both
aqueous solutions and solutions with polar-nonpolar interfaces. Further results
demonstrate that some compounds selectively target association of partially soluble
aggregation intermediates.
Physiological Basis for Fetal Alcohol-Induced Hypersensitivity to Pain
Jeet Guram, Interdisciplinary Studies - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Sweitzer, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience
In 9-10 out of every 1,000 human live births, the infant is born with fetal alcohol
spectrum disorder (FASD). Among the many effects of FASD is increased sensitivity
to pain. We hypothesized that fetal alcohol exposure increases pain sensitivity via
an enhancement in the activity of C fibers—small diameter, unmyelinated primary
afferent neurons that respond to temperature. To test our hypothesis, we used a
rodent model of FASD and administered ethanol from postnatal day 0-10, an
exposure paradigm equivalent to third trimester human exposure. On postnatal day
21 (equivalent to a human child with respect to neurological development) an
injection of capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot chili peppers, was administered
subcutaneously in the left plantar hind paws of the rodents, thereby activating C
fibers. We examined behavioral responses to and neuronal activation following
application of capsaicin. Ethanol-exposed animals exhibited greater capsaicininduced pain behaviors than control animals. Two hours post-injection, animals
were perfused and spinal cords were isolated. Spinal cords were sectioned and
processed for c-fos using immunohistochemistry. C-fos is a marker of neuronal
activity; higher levels of c-fos in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord corresponded to
greater neurotransmission from C fibers. We found a significant increase in the
number of c-fos positive neurons in the deep dorsal horns of ethanol-exposed
rodents as compared to control animals. These findings suggest that fetal ethanol
exposure increases pain sensations by increasing the activity of C fibers.
Understanding this process is a fundamental first step in developing treatments for
FASD.
NONO, Working Hand-In-Hand with the RAD51 Protein Complex in Genome
Maintenance
Cedric Johnson, Chemistry - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Douglas Pittman, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
DNA damage, one of the causes of cancer, is responsible for changes arising and
accumulating in an individual’s DNA sequence. The RAD51 protein complex can
repair DNA damage, but the mechanism of how these proteins function is not
understood. However, they are known to interact with several proteins related to
cancer, including the cancer susceptibility protein BRCA2. New protein partners
were recently identified using individual RAD51-related proteins as bait. A protein
named NONO (Non-POU domain containing, octamer-binding) is one such protein. I
am currently performing molecular cloning and characterization of NONO to
determine whether this protein is involved in DNA repair and genome maintenance.
My findings will help to understand mechanisms of DNA damage repair, potentially
presenting a means for early cancer detection and intervention.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 6
The Effect of Radioactivity on Immune Function in Madagascar Hissing
Cockroaches
Lauren Stone, Biological Sciences - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Timothy Mousseau, Biological Sciences
There is evidence that exposure to radiation may have significant negative effects on
immune system function. Although there have been many studies of the impacts of
radiation on human and model vertebrate organisms (e.g. mice), there have been
very few studies of invertebrates. From an ecological and environmental standpoint,
immune system impairment due to radioactive contaminants may be very important
in natural systems where most mortality is due to disease and parasitism. This study
will investigate the effect of radiation on immune response in Madagascar hissing
cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa). The Madagascar hissing cockroach has a
complex immune system which provides an excellent model of an innate immune
system. Using a cesium-source irradiator we will examine the effects of exposure to
radiation at three different levels of exposure in roaches of both sexes. We will then
observe hemocyte counts in roach hemolymph, encapsulation response, and lytic
response. Encapsulation is the insect's cellular immune response to parasites in
which an invasive parasite is engulfed by hemocytes and melanized. Lytic response
is the insect's antimicrobial response. Our hypothesis is that the Madagascar hissing
cockroach will exhibit a negative correlation between exposure to radiation and
immune function. We anticipate a decrease in overall immune response as a result of
lower cell counts. These data provide information about the impact of radiation
exposure on insect populations and will contribute to understanding the continuing
effects of events such as the Chernobyl disaster on full ecosystems, as well as the
effects on human populations.
MRSA: Are we on the ball?
Elizabeth Wolfe, Physical Education - Pickens, SC
Mentors: Dr. James Carson, Exercise Science
Dr. Toni Torres-McGehee, Physical Education
Prof. Jane Steinberg, Physical Education
Objective: This project will identify potential Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA) on both volleyballs and volleyball players in the collegiate athletic
setting. This study will benefit the Athletic Training field by bringing awareness to
the ways and places MRSA may be found in the everyday practice environment.
Participants: A convenient sample Varsity volleyball athletes (ages 18-22 years of
age) from one Division I institution (University of South Carolina). In addition,
volleyballs will be used to assess MRSA. Methods: Cultures of skin cells and sweat
will be extracted from the forearm and thigh from the selected athletes to see if
MRSA is present on either site on the body. Culture swabs will also be extracted
from random volleyballs, net practice towels, and the laundry cart to see if MRSA is
present on any of these surfaces. Results: Not available; testing has not yet been
completed.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 7
Communication, Humanities, & Culture
In Case Something Should Happen: Changes to Hemingway's Post-humously
Published Garden of Eden
Jennifer Brackett, English - Easley, SC
Mentor: Dr. Matthew Bruccoli, English Language & Literatures
Ernest Hemingway died before he completed The Garden of Eden. Three manuscripts exist, each one an extension of the first. Scribner’s publishers assigned Tom
Jenks the task of editing the three manuscripts into a publishable novel, a task he
admits he did not want. The published novel is about 70,000 words; the manuscript
contained nearly 200,000. I spent two weeks in Boston reading the hand-written
manuscript at the J.F.K. Library. I found, as suspected, that the novel was done a
great disservice and that themes and tragic implications which Hemingway is notable for have been left out entirely. It is already widely known that three characters
are cut from the novel, and that the ending of the published text was actually more
like the climax of the manuscript. I found, in addition to this, that severe edits were
made to the themes which remained in the material of the published novel. The published text is not, as the editor’s preface says in the published text, “In every significant respect…all the author’s.” Hemingway's design for this novel had much more
tragic implications than Jenks' edited version portray. Most importantly, however,
the themes of this novel, Hemingway's difficulty in finishing it and the heavy autobiographical tendencies within it reveal the extreme importance of Garden of Eden
as a text for studying Hemingway's work and life.
An Etymological Investigation of Medical Terminology: A Realistic Application
for the Medical Interpreter
William Davis, Biological Sciences - Greenville, SC,
*USC Upstate
Mentor: Prof. Douglas Jackson, Languages, Literature, & Composition
An Etymological Investigation of Medical Terminology: A Realistic Application for
the Medical Interpreter Skilled interpreters are needed. Most assume that bilingualism alone suffices for health care interpreters. However, unforeseen difficulties arise
in every medical situation. Many do not comprehend medical terminology in their
native language and lack training in human anatomy or physiology. Knowing etymologies of medical vernacular can resolve these issues. Romance languages often
overlap Germanic languages. Therefore, understanding orthography, lexicon and
phonetics reveals how languages relate. Latin and Greek origins can determine semantics and definitions of words unknown to the interpreter. Prefix and suffix
modulation linguistically imply anatomical location. This study traces the origins of
medical nomenclature and explains elements of diachronic linguistic development.
Street Vending in Nairobi, Kenya: More Than What Meets the Eye
Denise Dunovant, Geography - West Columbia, SC
Mentors: Dr. Ron Atkinson, History
Dr. Ed Carr, Geography
This paper examines the informal economic activity of street vending and how it
contributes to survival within an urban environment. Much of the literature on the
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 8
informal economy tends to lump all sellers together in terms of either all being involved in street vending as purely a survivalist mechanism, or all being
“entrepreneurs” in a country where formal, wage paying jobs are few. Through the
use of interviews with vendors on the streets of Nairobi, the results of this research
indicate that the range of activities and their consequences do not fit within a
“survivalist” or “entrepreneurial” dichotomy. Instead, street vending extends along
a continuum between the two.
Comparative Archaeological Study of the Cultures of Enslaved Persons and
Planters in Martinique
Mary Ann Fanning, History - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Kelly, Anthropology
Understanding the differences in the archaeological record in a place which was
once the home for two very distinct groups of people can reveal a range of possibilities. By studying the ceramic assemblage recovered from the slave village and from
the maison du maitre at the Creve Coeur plantation in Martinique a few things become evident. Within the village we see a greater proportion of refined earthenwares with relation to the rest of the assemblage as well as a greater reliance upon
locally hand made coarse earthenwares, known colloquially as coco neg (similar to
the colonoware found at American sites). At the maison du maitre we see greater
proportions of stonewares, coarse earthenwares (excluding coco neg) and porcelain.
By studying these differences we can begin to hypothesize about the different economies that may have been functioning within the plantation.
Existential Dislocation and Everyday Life
Nathan Rouse, Philosophy - Rock Hill, SC
Mentor: Dr. Edward Munn Sanchez, Philosophy
This project explores the experience of existential dislocation from two perspectives.
These two perspectives force us into an irresolvable tension, with each indicating
the other. Each is examined through a different style. The first perspective explores
the idea that dislocation should be resolved through an appeal to everyday existence. This response to dislocation runs from David Hume to Richard Rorty, and
includes such philosophical movements as American Pragmatism. It is explored
through a brief series of philosophic parables employing irony, humor, and small
woodland animals. The second perspective explores a response most traditionally
associated with the Existentialism of Martin Heidegger and Jean Paul Sartre, but can
also be seen in the contemporary concerns regarding the fragmentation of identity
in thinkers such as Charles Taylor. This approach is best exemplified in the aestheticization of brutality in Russian authors such as Isaac Babel. The second perspective
will be explored through a brief philosophical essay, and attempts to show the unavoidability of ontological horror. The goal is to bring out the tension between the
two viewpoints with enough clarity to allow the audience to recognize the necessity
of this ontological horror and offer some possible responses.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 9
Health, Well-being, & Education
The Influences of Attitude, Knowledge, and Perceptions on the Sexual Practices of Undergraduate Students
Andrea Heyward, Experimental Psychology - Beaufort, SC
Mentor: Dr. Kendra Ogletree-Cusaac, Psychology
The purpose of this research will be to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and perceived norms of students in a college/university setting. This research will focus on
how or if these factors influence the sexual practices of undergraduate students. It is
the goal of this research to address the following questions: 1) How or if previous
sexual knowledge has an influence on the sexual practices of undergraduate students? 2) How or if the method(s) of learning about sexuality/sexual health topics
influences the sexual practices of undergraduate students? 3) Does an individual’s
attitude towards sexuality/sexual health influence their sexual practices? It is anticipated that students who score higher in permissiveness and instrumentality on the
Brief Sexual Attitude Scale (BSAS) will be more likely to engage in high-risk sexual
behaviors. These students will have a higher perceived norm for the “typical” sexual
practices of undergraduate students. Students who score higher in birth control and
communion on the BSAS will be less likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors.
These students will have a lower perceived norm for the “typical” sexual practices of
undergraduate students. It is also anticipated that these students will have greater
sexuality/sexual health knowledge.
Testing the Quality of Life in School-Aged Children as Related to Asthma and
Asthma Management in South Carolina Schools
Sarah Mecca, Nursing - Columbia, SC
Mentors: Dr. DeAnne Messias, Nursing
The purpose of this research was to describe the asthma-related quality of life
among middle school students enrolled in school districts in South Carolina and examine associations between quality of life of asthmatic children and gender, race,
and type of health insurance. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of asthma, no other
chronic medical conditions, and enrollment in a South Carolina public middle school.
Middle school students that met the study’s criteria were identified and recruited
through school nurses in 3 school districts. An age-appropriate instrument, based
on existing measures of quality of life, was developed for the research. The Middle
Schoolers with Asthma Quality of Life Survey (MSAQLS) is composed of questions
about the effect of asthma on the student’s social life and their daily activities. The
MSAQLS was completed by the students and the students’ parents completed the
demographic survey. A total of 41 surveys were completed and returned. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used to analyze the survey data.
If You Can Read this Statement, Where are You From?
Jossalyn Richardson, English - Spartanburg, SC
Mentor: Dr. Bobby Donaldson, History
An important characteristic of having a successful school is one which has reading
proficiency rates that are equivalent to, or exceed the national literacy standards.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 10
This article focuses on Massachusetts, the state with the highest reading proficiency
rate among grade four students and compares their state’s fourth grade reading
standards to Mississippi’s fourth grade reading standards, the state with the lowest
reading proficiency rate among grade four students. Then, both states’ fourth grade
reading curricula are compared to the national reading standards for grade four
students. Through statistical analysis, literary reviews and various interviews and
the literacy accomplishments of fourth grade students in Massachusetts in relation
to the national standard, it is clear that using Massachusetts’ reading curriculum as a
model for fourth grade students to establish a national reading curriculum is necessary and will allow most fourth grade students in each state an opportunity to reach
the fourth grade national literacy standard. This study is conducted to ultimately
diminish the reading achievement gap among grade four students.
A Multi-Level Risk assessment of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya
Ashlee Riggs, Pharmacy - Sumter, SC
Mentor: Dr. Pearl Fernandes, Biology
*USC Sumter
Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the most affected regions for HIV/AIDS and 61%
of those affected are women. Kenya is one of the countries where women are disproportionately affected. The aim of our study was to conduct a multi-level risk assessment of susceptibility to HIV/AIDS among women in Kenya. The study was conducted in Thika, Kenya, which has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS. Fifteen
women with HIV/AIDS and 15 controls were selected by purposive sampling. HIV
tests and CD4+ counts were conducted. The survey included questions on sociodemographics, nutrition and feeding practices. In addition, clinical examinations for
body mass index; urine and fecal analysis; and venous blood as biochemical indicators of health were also assessed. Our results indicated that neither women in the
control or experimental group had finished school. More women in the experimental group were in polygamous marriages or single and had a lower percentage of
contraceptive use. None of the experimental group had received sex education or
HIV prevention education prior to being tested for HIV and only 60% received sex
education after being detected as HIV positive. Only sixty percent reported using
anti-retroviral drugs due to lack of access to health care facilities and transportation
and loss of wages. The disease affected their physical and mental health and results
from the nutritional survey indicated that calories and nutrient intake were well
below published recommended values for HIV negative women in Kenya. A holistic
intervention strategy needs to be implemented to reduce the risk among women.
Effects of the Self-Efficacy Enhancing Feedback Upon Peer-Assisted Learning
Strategies
John Terry, Experimental Psychology - Hilton Head, SC
Devin Waldrop, Experimental Psychology - Irmo, SC
Mentor: Dr. Bradley Smith, Psychology
Introduction: During previous work experience with the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP), which is a program for middle-school students with learning or behavior problems, the authors of this study have made observations concerning several
difficulties in motivating middle school aged students to participate in academic
interventions and academic tasks. Children’s own beliefs in their efficacy to master
difficult subject matters appear to have a causal effect on their academic motivation,
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 11
interest, and scholastic achievement (Bandura et al, 1996). A reading Self-Efficacy
Enhancing Mentoring (SEEM) intervention utilizing performance feedback, vicarious
learning, and social persuasion was designed in order to augment reading selfefficacy in middle school students. Methods: This study examines the effects of adding SEEM to Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) designed to improve middle
school student reading. Approximately 50 participants were recruited from the
Boys and Clubs Club of the Midlands (BGCM) after school program at Dent Middle
School and randomly assigned to one of 3 possible conditions: (a) a reading group
with daily assigned reading logs, (b) PALS reading group, (c) PALS reading group
with SEEM. The Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test was used to collect pre-post
data with weekly progress monitoring probes. The students received a 6 week dosage of PALS and 8 SEEM sessions aggregated into those six weeks. Results: At the
time of submission, data are still being collected. By Discovery Day, six weeks of data
will be collected, analyzed, and ready for presentation. Conclusions: Pending completion of the results.
Factors that Predict Teen Partner Abuse
Amanda Thomas, Nursing - York, SC
Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Burgess, Nursing
Prof. Kara Jones-Schubart, Nursing
The purpose of this study is to determine the extent a teen girl’s high risk behaviors
and her relationships with her family and peers predict partner abuse. Teen partner
abuse has received little attention despite a 337% increase in teen violence over the
past ten years. Previous research suggests that teen partner abuse may be associated with high risk behaviors and poor relationships with family and peers. The
study was a correlational predictive design, using cross-sectional data. A convenience sample was recruited from two primary healthcare offices in SC for data collection. Criteria for inclusion were teen girls who agreed to participate, had additional
parent/guardian consent if under age 18, were well enough to answer questions,
ranged in ages from 13 to 19 years, and were able read and write English. Instruments used to collect data were the Burgess Partner Abuse Scale for Teens, Index of
Family Relationships, Index of Peer Relationships, and a demographic questionnaire
to assess for high risk behaviors. Findings showed that teen girls who had multiple
sex partners was a major predictor of teen partner abuse. Factors associated were
girls who reported poor relationships with family, friends, and father. The findings
will contribute to the growing body of literature which supports that teen partner
abuse is a problem and may be explained by a teen girl’s high risk behaviors and her
relationships with her family and peers. This knowledge can be the basis for interventions to decrease risk for violence among adolescent females and partners.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 12
History & Politics
Municipal Politics in Columbia, South Carolina, during the Reconstruction Era
Lee Cole, Political Science - Williamston, SC
Mentor: Dr. Thomas Brown, History
The project examines the local politics of Columbia, South Carolina from 1860 until
1880. It describes the structure of local government during this time period, identifies the important local political figures of the era, and analyzes the major issues in
Reconstruction Columbia. In order to fulfill my research goals, I have used a variety
of primary sources including daily Columbia newspapers from the time period, state
and city statutes, and city directories. I supplemented these primary sources with
several authoritative secondary sources on the city of Columbia and Reconstruction
in South Carolina. I have gained an understanding of the structure of municipal government in South Carolina as well as the internal operations of the city of Columbia.
Moreover, I have compiled a list of local officeholders and other key political figures
in Reconstruction Columbia that may be the most exhaustive one that currently exists. Examination of Reconstruction politics in Columbia reveals that there were
serious local issues and political contests in the city during that time period. The
City Council and county offices were all hotly contested and held by independents,
Republicans, and Democrats with African Americans having leadership positions in
the city for the first time in its history. However, as the Reconstruction era ended in
the late 1870’s, white Democrats that had ruled before the Civil War regained power
and effectively ended black voter participation in the city.
American Wilderness Legacies and Feral Hog Management
Corinne D’Ippolito, Marine Science - Boulder, CO
Mentor: Dr. Thomas Lekan, History
American identity and nationalism has long been intertwined with both the existence and conquering of wild nature, of wilderness untouched by man, and is a noticeable component of America’s expression of spirituality. These pieces of American identity, however, are wrapped up in a façade that both masks the history of
settler’s relationship with undeveloped landscape and often lacks an honest definition or treatment. Wilderness is thus a slippery concept that is deeply emotionally
resonant within the United States and one that impacts the management of undeveloped lands in America. Uncertainties and inaccuracies involving the definition and
treatment of wilderness as a concept express themselves in landscape management
conundrums stemming from the apparent paradox of actively managing landscapes
envisioned to be untouched by man. This is particularly true of management questions pertaining to invasive species. Because of a non-native (feral) hog population
that resides within park boundaries, these questions are current in South Carolina’s
Congaree National Park. In order to examine the current competing philosophical
and practical obligations facing national park and designated wilderness area management, and Congaree in particular, it is important to put these obligations in context. This project presents background information on Congaree, the legacy and
progression American perceptions of wilderness, the development ecological
thought and the concept of invasive species, and the development of National Park
Service management missions as a framework for understanding, analyzing, and
acting on the problem posed by feral hogs.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 13
The Development of Technology Assessment: The Case of Israel, 1947-2007
Jason Fairbanks, International Studies - Greenville, SC
Mentor: Dr. Ann Johnson, History
Contemporary states must navigate heavily technical policy options on a daily basis.
States attempt to render science and technology policies manageable through a variety of institutions using different practices of foresight, forecasting, and assessment
for a variety of goals, but especially economic development, under competitive international conditions. These tools are thought to guide a National Innovation System,
wherein various contributors of inputs to the production function are related towards the national interest in innovation. Technoscientific statecraft is examined
through analysis of government documents and other primary, as well as secondary
sources in the development and political economy literature. This case study focuses
on Israel, the only Middle Eastern state to have successfully reached OECD
“developed” status, and that in under 40 years of existence. This achievement is
shown to rest largely on its successful NIS, built through various historical stages of
the Israeli state dominated by policy successive prerogatives of Expansion, Garrison,
and Integration. Major Israeli institutions of technoscientific statecraft, including the
OCS and ICTAF are examined and evaluated for their contributions to Israeli national
interests.
Senator B. F. Randolph: Reconstruction for all South Carolinians, 1865-1868
Gale Lyons, History - Sumter, SC
Mentor: Dr. Valinda Littlefield, History
Dr. Bobby Donaldson, History
This research involves discovering how Senator B. F. Randolph, an educated northern free-born mulatto, should be remembered from his political involvement in reconstructing South Carolina from slavery to freedom. Senator Randolph, a Civil War
Chaplain, became a high ranked politician in South Carolina Legislative Government
during the Reconstruction era. The goal is to show that Senator Randolph was memorialized in South Carolina for his radical egalitarian ideas in an attempt to incorporate social equality to benefit all South Carolinians. This has been done by examining Senator Randolph’s political preparation in the North prior to his engagement in
southern politics, and includes an extensive analysis of his participation in the Proceedings of the 1868 Constitutional Convention, in which he was elected and appointed to prominent leadership roles (Delegate and Senator of Orangeburg; Chairman of the Miscellaneous Provisions of the Constitution; Presidential Elector). Upon
examination of the Constitutional Convention, it becomes clear that Senator
Randolph-a Radical Republican Black Majority Leader-attempted to constitutionalize
“perfect social equality,” without the disparities in race, color, class or gender to
benefit all South Carolinians. However, his democracy became a menace to white
superiority, and ultimately led to his political assassination. Through showing that
Randolph Cemetery- located on Elmwood Avenue in Columbia-was established in
honor of Senator Randolph’s importance to South Carolinians, this research highlights the magnitude of his radically framing a new Constitution for the People of
South Carolina.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 14
The Shadow of Orangeburg: Voorhees Student Unrest 1969-71
Michael Williams, History - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Mr. Eric Bargeron, PhD Candidate, History
This project was designed to explore a virtually unheard of event during the Civil
Rights era. The student unrest at Voorhees came during a time of high tension in the
state of South Carolina. The following year, the state witnessed a peaceful civil rights
protest that turned violent as officers opened fire on the student protesters on the
campus of South Carolina State University; this event was known as the Orangeburg
Massacre. With these actions, student protest and reaction to student protest dramatically changed during the years of 1968-1971 in the state of South Carolina.
These changes can be witnessed in the following events after Orangeburg, especially
during the armed student takeover of Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina.
Students at Voorhees, using many of their own formulated demands and changes,
and the demands put forth by the Black Awareness Coordinating Committee used
the campus takeover to make the historically African- American institution of Voorhees more suitable for their opinion of how the college should function. Also, this
drastic action by the students caused the administration to push these changes even
faster to avoid the likelihood of another Orangeburg Massacre. This research project, through analyzing primary sources left by students, faculty, state governmental
officials, and the college’s administration and various interviews of those involved in
the takeover pieces the timeline and events of a story of South Carolina’s civil right
through the view point of the college’s students and faculty.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 15
Natural Science & Engineering
The Effect that Electric, Gasoline, and Solar-Powered Lawn Mowers have on
Our Environment and its Consumers
Solomon Addico, Biological Sciences - Virginia Beach, VA
Mentor: Dr. Wally Peters, Mechanical Engineering
This research will explore the carbon emissions, usability, function ability, initial
costs, long-term costs between gasoline, electric and solar powered lawn mowers.
Through the information gathered from this research project, the results should
provide the total percentage of reduced pollution if everyone where to switch from
gasoline to another alternative source. This research will also examine the correlation between the consumers’ prejudices on their willingness to switch to an alternative fuel source.
Identification of Active Faults in the Ene Basin, Peru Through Earthquake Recording and Analysis
Emily Graham, Geophysics - Spring, TX
Mentor: Dr. James Knapp, Geological Sciences
Locations of earthquake hypocenters from the Ene Basin region of the Eastern Andes, previously acquired in a 1991 study by Dorbath et al., and a more recently detailed structural map were compared to analyze prospective locations for oil exploration. Superimposing the hypocenter locations onto the structural map allowed for
further inferences on the area’s tectonic structure and yielded more details on prospective traps than previous data allowed. The results suggest the following: (1)
intense seismic activity occurs along the Western margin of the Ene Basin, where
major fault structures have not been previously recognized, (2) very little seismic
activity is recognized on moving mapped faults within the basin’s proper, (3) intrabasin seismicity is concentrated at the structural transition from the Ene Basin to the
South to the Ucayali Basin to the North, and (4) seismic activity on the basin boundary faults appears to confine to depths as great as 30km, implying thick-skinned
deformation of the crust along the Eastern margin of the Andes. Based on this analysis, most structures with in the Ene Basin proper would appear to be prospective for
oil exploration from the standpoint of trap integrity.
Insights Into Sediment Trap Fluxes: No Underestimation of Opal Flux in the
Santa Barbara and Cariaco Basins
Susan Herron, Marine Science - Lexington, KY
Mentor: Dr. Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Geological Sciences
In marine systems, the flux of particulate biogenic silica (opal) to depth reflects the
biological production of diatoms in overlying waters. This flux may be measured
using automated sediment traps, but recent questions regarding trap integrity have
arisen due to solubilization of particulate matter within trap cups. Our study measured dissolved silicate and particulate biogenic opal concentrations in sediment trap
samples collected from the Santa Barbara and Cariaco Basins. Dissolved silicate
found within trap solutions was compared to trap particulate biogenic silica to calculate a percent loss of 0.6 ± 1.1% for Santa Barbara and 3.1 ± 2.9% for Cariaco Basin.
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Oral Presentations 16
Relatively consistent concentrations of dissolved silicate (305 ±109 µM for Santa
Barbara, 273 ±136 µM for Cariaco) within the trap solutions, independent of flux or
deployment period suggests a solubility control, i.e. maximum dissolution is
achieved. It remains to be seen whether this is due to saturation or the regularity of
supernatant exposed particle surface area. Regardless, this dissolution factor varies
spatially and therefore must be taken into consideration for determining opal fluxes
to the seafloor.
Depth Dose Verification of a GEANT4 Simulated Radiation Therapy Treatment
Head
Charles Peterson, Physics - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. David Tedeschi, Physics & Astronomy
I will present a GEANT4 simulation that was created in order to study the beam
characteristics of a radiation therapy machine similar to one that is currently in use
at medical facilities. The GEANT4 toolkit was chosen for its usefulness in simulating
particle transport throughout user defined geometrical regions. Our simulation includes most of the major components present within a medical linear accelerator
(linac) head, including the target, primary collimators, flattening filter, and movable
secondary collimators; the multi-leaf collimator was omitted to speed development
and event simulation times. Verification was done by comparing the output with
percent depth dose (PDD) data of a 10 MV x-ray beam incident on a simulated water
phantom, with data analysis being done using the ROOT object-oriented data analysis framework. Construction of the linac head was done in accordance with technical
specifications listed for a Varian Clinac 2100CD. Our results for simulated 10 MV
beams incident on a water phantom with a field size of 10x10 and 6x6 cm2 and
source to surface distance (SSD) of 100 cm led to an overall chi-squared fit value 0f
~1.83 with generally accepted depth dose data. Further analysis includes an inquiry
into the beam profile at various depths within the water phantom, and a brief discussion of the usefulness of this simulation as a research tool.
Gold Nanorods: Exploration of the Growth Mechanism through Cellular Automata Modeling
Tyler Ray, Mathematics - Richmond, VA
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Baxter, Mechanical Engineering
Metallic nanoparticles have been used since the Middle Ages. Both artisans and scientists have harnessed their unique optical properties. Despite substantial interest,
however, little is known about the controlled growth mechanisms that convert colloidal gold into nanoscaled rods, cubes, or triangles. This specific project involved
applying the unique modeling approach of cellular automata (CA) modeling to investigate the nanorod growth mechanism. CA modeling is a computationally efficient
means of modeling complex systems because it is built on core principles of emergent (or complex) behavior. CAs employ a lattice, or a 2- or 3-D grid to describe the
physical space. The evolution of the state variables that describe each lattice point
are governed by a set of simple, locally defined rules, producing a global response
which emerges as a result of the synergistic effects of the local rules. This project
extended a model designed to describe dendritic metallic solidification to capture
the growth of colloidal gold spheres into rods. Parallels were drawn between the
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 16
effects of local temperature variations in the original model and the local concentration of CTAB, the growth agent in gold nanorod fabrication. The competitive effects
of surface tension and surface curvature were used to model the competition between the CTAB and gold, which might block growth, and to capture the local crystalline anisotropy of the molecular gold. Preliminary results have demonstrated the
potential of the model to capture the growth of nanorods shapes. Further refinements will allow for the study of the different shapes that result from slight variations in the description of the crystalline anisotropy.
Degradation of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol by Arundo donax
Dylan Stankus, Civil Engineering - North Augusta, SC
Mentor: Dr. Laszlo Marton, Biological Sciences
Dr. Mihaly Czako, Biological Sciences
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (TCP) is a persistent environmental contaminant that is toxic
and carcinogenic. The degradation of TCP was investigated in hydroponic cultures of
Arundo donax (Giant Reed), grown for seven months in a greenhouse, and exposed
to TCP at concentrations of 10 mg/L in tap water without added nutrients. TCP removal from the liquid phase was assayed by measuring TCP in the samples on a reverse phase HPLC separations module with a photodiode array detector under isocratic conditions. Roots and leaves were ground, extracted with methanol, then analyzed the same as liquid samples. After 15 days of exposure, TCP removal in containers with plants was 98 ± 1%, while removal without plants was 4.1%. The degradation kinetics were best described as a first order reaction (reaction constant, k =
0.101±0.028 days-). TCP traces were found in roots but not in leaves. It can not be
determined if the TCP degradation occurred in the root zone by peroxidases excreted by roots (dehaloperoxidase activity), by micro-organisms living on the roots,
or by a collaborating effect of both. Arundo donax has the potential to be used for
phytoremediation of TCP contaminated sites, with the biomass later harvested for
energy, pulp, or peletization.
Sublethal Stress Response to Climate Variation in Marine Ecosystems
Lauren Van Thiel, Marine Science - Roanoke, VA
Mentor: Dr. Jerry Hilbish, Biological Sciences
An organism’s fitness, its ability to reproduce and survive is directly affected by its
environment. Body temperature, for example, affects many physiological processes
of an organism. Due to global warming, it has become imperative to better understand the effects of warming temperatures on the fitness of organisms. Intertidal
communities are ideal study sites to forecast the effects of climate change because
organisms tend to be subjected to temperatures close to their thermal tolerance;
suggesting that this community will be one of the first to respond to climate change.
Recent studies have been done to examine the lethal effects of thermal stress on a
keystone species in the intertidal community: mussels in the Mytilus edulis complex
(M. edulis, M. trossulus, and M. galloprovincialis). However, continuous and constant exposure to thermal stress is unrealistic and little work has been done to understand sublethal stress. In the intertidal, for example, organisms are typically able
to partially recover from low tide thermal stress during high tide. Heat shock proteins (hsps) are an important indicator of sublethal stress. Hsps are expressed and
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Oral Presentations 17
prevent proteins from denaturing when an organism experiences environmental
stress, acting as chaperone proteins. The presence and quantity of hsps can be determined by Western Blot analysis. By analyzing the magnitude of hsp expression
under different frequencies and durations it is possible to forecast the effects of climate change on sublethal stress.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations 18
Poster Presentations
Discovery Day 2008
Arts & Humanities
Renovation of Benson Theatre
Alex Bergeron, Theatre - Kingwood, TX
Mentor: Mr. Sam Gross, Theatre & Dance
A technical director for a theater must know the ins and outs of how their theater is
built, how it functions, how its equipment works, and how to solve problems that
occur within the theater. Because every theater is unique, a technical director must
have a basic set of skills that can be applied to any theater building. These skills include carpentry, electrical, and bookkeeping skills. To learn how to run the technical
aspects of a theatre, I chose to renovate Benson Theater, a small “black box” theater
on the University of South Carolina campus which had become run down. My goals
were to install a new lighting system, build a standard set of interchangeable set
walls, repair the audience seating, and clean up the theater. I would also add to it
several amenities such as changing rooms, a makeup area, and a stage manager table. Through several meetings with my mentor, Sam Gross, Assistant Technical Director for the USC Department of Theatre and Dance, as well as research done on my
own, I found the best equipment, methods, and designs to use to achieve my goals
while fitting into a fixed budget. Other than personal ambitions, this project has a
lasting effect because it created a more modern space in which undergraduate theatre students can experiment and hone their craft. Having gone through this project, I
am far more adept and skilled in the field of technical direction.
Fundamental Differences in Violin and Viola Pedagogy
Andrew Moeller, Music - Oak Ridge, TN
Mentor: Dr. Constance Gee, School of Music
For hundreds of years, string educators have failed to differentiate between the violin and the viola. The phenomenon dates back to the birth of the symphony in the
early Classical period, a time when viola sections were largely comprised of violinists who didn’t make the first or second violin sections. The perception that violinists
and violists were interchangeable led to unreasonable similarities in their respective
pedagogical techniques. These similarities have caused huge problems in recent
years. Composers like Bela Bartok and Paul Hindemith have redefined the technical
limits of the instrument. Their works, along with the works of other contemporary
composers, are incredibly difficult and call for new, viola-specific technical strategies. Over the past several months, I have examined the history of this problem and,
with the help of Dr. Constance Gee, identified strategies for remedying it. The problem’s origins lie in the size differences between the two instruments. Violas are on
average two inches longer than violins and use longer, thicker strings. These discrepancies are enough to account for dozens of technical differences. In my presentation, I will delve into these differences and demonstrate how it is possible to correct for them on the viola. I will also examine methods for enacting new pedagogical
techniques in the classroom.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 21
Oral Presentations
Intercultural Communication and Chekhov
Nicholas Slaughter, English - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Maia Solovieva, Languages, Literatures, & Cultures
Intercultural communication between Russians and Americans has been an important subject for sixty years and will continue to grow in importance. However, even
at a university such as USC, a basic foundation for this communication is lacking. My
study has found that the arts, specifically literature, can provide the foundations for
a bridge between cultures. My initial survey, “Proximity to Russian Culture,” exhibits
a basic lack of knowledge of Russian culture in the university population. Searching
for a method to counteract this lack of knowledge, I utilized a subgroup from the
survey’s responders. With these smaller groups I led culturally-focused readings
and discussions of Anton Chekhov’s short stories. Using literature as a context for
culture, I identified moments of cultural misunderstanding in each session and developed a dialogue with the groups. Exit questionnaires showed an increased openness and interest in participants toward further acquiring knowledge and sensitivity
about an alien culture. The problem of intercultural communication exists between
close neighbors just as it does with distant ones. However, I have shown that this
problem can be mitigated through the guided exploration of cultural artifacts, in this
case literature. Planting the barest foundation for cultural understanding results in
a much greater potential for growth.
Penetrating the Cultural Iceberg in Pre-Departure Orientation to Study Abroad
Melanie Stolzenberg, Russian - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Maia Solovieva, Languages, Literatures, & Cultures
This project researched the effectiveness of culture-specific pre-departure orientation to study abroad. I applied intercultural communication concepts to study
abroad in general and more specifically to the study of Russian culture and secondlanguage acquisition. The goals of the project were to increase students’ interest in
and openness towards Russian culture and to provide a foundation for their successful immersion in the Russian language. Ten students in a pre-departure orientation
course for study abroad in Taganrog, Russia, were administered pre- and posttraining measurements of intercultural awareness in the form of a survey. After the
students completed the survey, I led a group discussion concerning the students’
reactions to the survey itself. Having compared the results of both measurements, I
observed that the students made great strides in intercultural awareness and knowledge of intercultural communication techniques from the start of the course, considering such factors as confidence in the Russian language, familiarity with Russian
literature and culture, identification of personal goals for study abroad, and preparation for successful communication with native Russians while abroad. The project
has impacted the future of the Taganrog program by providing valuable feedback on
the quality of the pre-departure orientation course that will be used to develop plans
for next year’s program. This project also serves to provide study abroad programs
with useful information on the power of intercultural training to improve students’
learning experiences in a foreign culture.
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Posters 22
Oral Presentations
Kiss Me, I Might Be Irish: A Visual Study of Nationality and Belonging
Matthew Trew, Anthropology - Ottawa, Canada
Andrew Cline, Media Arts - Rock Hill, SC
Mentors: Dr. Karl Heider, Anthropology
Prof. Laura Kissel, Art
Questioning identity is a utility of virtually any anthropological research. An investigation of national identity and its potential for transmutation is relevant in the face
of modern globalization. Anthropologist Matthew J. Trew, a Canadian citizen with
Irish ancestry raised mostly in the United States, will attempt to clarify his own
sense of “home” and test his adaptability as he travels to Canada and Ireland to pursue dual citizenship. Mr. Trew’s ability to adapt to each culture in order to “belong”
will be used in tandem with interviews with Canadian, American, and Irish people
about national identity and citizenship, culminating in an ethnographic documentary
produced collaboratively with filmmaker Andrew Cline in pursuit of the ultimate
question: what is required to “belong” to a country? A variety of answers are anticipated, and the researchers expect to illuminate that ideas of cultural identity, especially in regards to nationality, are complex and not concrete. By contrasting those
who believe in citizenship, ancestry, bloodlines, birthplace, and cultural habits, the
film will highlight the multiple criteria for “belonging” to a nation. Mr. Trew’s journey will visually explore a range of data provided by the interviews, allowing the
film to compare concepts of nationality with broader issues in the modern political
climate. This research will benefit social and anthropological understanding of nationality by using one man’s journey to “belong” as an example of the difficulties of
defining identity.
Online Community for String and Orchestra Teachers
Stacy Wiley, Music - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Gail Barnes, School of Music
Due to the divisions of schools and teachers, schedules, and the demanding needs of
a growing program, music educators are often isolated from a community of peer
collaboration. The Online Community for String and Orchestra Teachers provides a
venue by which string teachers can view and share teaching strategies. The objective
of my research project was to expand the collection of video clips available to string
and orchestra teachers via this online community. My methods included gathering,
analyzing, and editing video clips of effective teaching strategies taken from teachers
in South Carolina. Throughout the year, I traveled to eight schools, observed classes,
and collected video data from seven teachers. The final outcome of my project consists of fourteen clips of exemplary teaching techniques included in the online community. Through presentations at the Society for Music Teacher Education Symposium and the American String Teachers Association National Conference, I was also
able to promote the online community and describe my specific role in contributing
to and expanding the project. Throughout its completion, this research project has
provided me with valuable knowledge regarding classroom management and teaching strategies while also developing my communication skills, both written and oral.
My resulting contributions to the Online Community for String and Orchestra Teachers will benefit teachers who actively seek to view and learn from effective teaching
models.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 23
Oral Presentations
Biomedical/Health 1
Do Cardiac Mast Cells Undergo Apoptosis in an Experimental Model of Heart
Failure?
Samirah Ashraf, Biological Sciences - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Mary Forman, Biological Sciences
Mast cells are granular cells residing in various tissues including the heart that play
a vital role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy leading to heart failure. In an
experimental surgical model of cardiac volume overload, the number of cardiac mast
cells increases within 12 hours then declines by 7 days. The most logical reason for
the loss of mast cells within one week would be a form of cell death. Two possible
causes for lower cell numbers include apoptosis, where mast cells undergo programmed cell death, or necrosis, whereby mast cells undergo metabolic cell death.
We hypothesized that mast cells underwent apoptosis in response to a scenario initiated by stretching of the heart muscle. We determined mast cells numbers from
male rats following 7 days of surgery with Pinacyanol Erythrosinate staining averaging 0.769 ± 0.146 (SEM) versus non-surgical control rats averaging 1.851 ± 0.436
(SEM). Cell death could occur through an apoptotic intrinsic pathway, causing intracellular injury (TNFR1, TNFR2, Fas, or TRAIL-2) or a necrotic extrinsic pathway.
TUNEL staining to detect DNA fragmentation revealed few apoptotic nuclei in other
cells. However, protein receptors for the apoptotic intrinsic pathway were present
on these cells. The decline in mast cell density was comparable to previous data reported and necrosis is not present. Because mast cells mature early on following
volume overload, these results suggest that mast cells may mature and then release
granules that uptake histological stain or that apoptosis occurs earlier (by 5 days)
and they may die within hours.
Modeling of Shear Stress during Cardiac Valve Development
Stefanie Biechler, Chemical Engineering - Marshfield, WI
Mentors: Dr. John Weidner, Chemical Engineering
Dr. Richard Goodwin, Cell & Developmental Biology & Anatomy
Developmental heart defects are the most common birth defects and heart valve
defects are the most common cardiac defects. Therefore, defining the mechanisms of
cardiac valve development is critical to our understanding and treatment of these
debilitating disorders. At the early stages of cardiac development the heart is a simple two-cell layered tube, which divides into separate atrial and ventricular regions.
The area between the atria and ventricles is called the atrioventricular (AV) canal
and is the site of future AV valve formation. Early in the formation of cardiac valves,
small, mound-like structures, called cushions, form. As valve development continues,
these mounds fuse and thin into valve leaflets. Our group has previously described
an in vitro model of valve leaflet development. A longstanding hypothesis proposes
that mechanical forces, such as shear stress, are critical in shaping the cushions into
leaflets. We are currently using our in vitro model system to test this hypothesis. As
part of this investigation, we sought to mathematically model the key
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 24
Oral Presentations
Optimization of Pattern Formation Reagents for 3D-Digital Image Correlation
Analysis of Mouse Arteries
Vaughn Braxton, Chemistry - Hemingway, SC
Mentor: Dr. Susan Lessner, Cell & Developmental Biology & Anatomy
To quantify the behavior of mouse arteries under mechanical stresses that simulate
conditions in vivo, we have used microscopic three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC). Fluorescent polystyrene microspheres were adhered to the artery
surface to create a high contrast, random pattern suitable for 3D-DIC analysis. The
focus of this work was the optimization of parameters for adhering microspheres to
arterial tissue, in order to achieve high quality pattern formation. To facilitate adhesion, the surface of the microspheres was chemically modified to include targetspecific proteins such as anti-collagen Type I and human fibronectin. Another approach was surface modification with amino-reactive N-hydroxysuccinimide groups,
which provide non-specific covalent binding to proteins directly on the arterial surface. Fibronectin-labeled microspheres aggregated excessively on the arterial surface, and unlabeled microspheres did not attach in sufficient numbers, making these
methods unsuitable for 3D-DIC. In contrast, we found that both Nhydroxysuccinimide modification and anti-collagen labeling resulted in efficient
binding to the arterial surface and generated a random, high contrast pattern suitable for image analysis by 3D-DIC. The methods developed in this study provide a
tool for labeling any soft tissue, including submerged specimens, with a high contrast pattern for 3D-DIC analysis of strain fields at the micrometer length scale.
Genetic Changes That Could Possibly Explain Breast Cancer Aggressiveness In
African Americans
Bianca Byrd, Biological Sciences - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Bert Ely, Biological Sciences
In this research, we investigated if certain genetic factors are associated with an
increased risk or severity of breast cancer, especially in African American women
since they have a higher frequency of aggressive breast cancer. We studied a specific
location in the human genome, 8q24, and the frequency of four SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that are known to occur in this region. A SNP is a genetic
change or variation in one nucleotide that has occurred in an individual’s DNA sequence and which results in a different allele. We looked at frequency rates among a
sample of Caucasian Americans and African Americans that have been diagnosed
with breast cancer. PCR reactions, restriction digests, and gel electrophoresis were
used to determine genotypes. Genotype frequencies will then be compared between
two groups of breast cancer patients, those with mild forms of breast cancer and
those with more aggressive forms of breast cancer. A significant difference might
help us determine why there is an increased risk of breast cancer among African
American women.
A Novel Technique to Quantify Functional Blood Vessels in Atherosclerotic
Plaques
Vrunda Intwala, Biological Sciences - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Susan Lessner, Cell & Developmental Biology & Anatomy
Angiogenesis is the development of capillaries from pre-existing blood vessels and it
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 25
Oral Presentations
occurs in many tissues and organs in the body. Several human autopsy investigations found a correlation between increased blood vessel development in atherosclerotic plaques and plaque rupture, which leads to clotting of blood vessels. Currently, labs are using histology to quantify blood vessel development in atherosclerotic plaques. However, this methodology is very tedious and limited in what it can
tell us. Specifically, histology does not indicate which blood vessels are functional.
We conducted a study to establish a new , more efficient technique to quantify functional blood vessels developing in atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE knockout mice.
Two fluorescent tracers, Helix pomatia lectin and fluorescent microspheres, were
used to quantify blood vessels. Fluorescent lectin was administered to the mice via
retro-orbital injection. The lectin binds to endothelial cells of blood vessels and was
used to determine the surface area of the vessel. Fluorescent microspheres were
injected into the mice using careful perfusion techniques and were used to determine the volume of the blood vessels. By using these two methods simultaneously,
we collected data to establish a correlation between surface area and volume of
blood vessels, as measured by the fluorescence of lectin and microsphere tracers,
respectively. The results of the fluorescence data indicated that there was a correlation between surface area and volume of blood vessels. This correlation can be used
to study angiogenesis and quantify functional blood vessel growth in atherosclerotic
plaques as well as other tissues.
Determinants of Colorectal Cancer Metastasis
Cory Janney, Biological Sciences - Tampa, FL
Mentor: Dr. Marj Pena, Biological Sciences
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells to various organs from the primary site of
initiation; usually signaling the stage when therapies to eliminate the cancer are
mostly unsuccessful. Metastasis is often diagnosed at its final stages when little can
be done for the patient because the early steps of metastasis usually occur without
being detected. Most current mouse models of metastasis bypass these early steps or
utilize immuno-compromised mice. The objective of my project is to develop a
model of metastasis allowing us to study the early steps more thoroughly, enabling
us to identify the molecular and cellular events that result in the metastasis of colon
cancer to the liver, lymph nodes, and the lungs. We will utilize bone marrow transplantation from mice expressing GFP followed by implantation of tumor cells expressing red fluorescent protein and luciferase bioluminescence. This will permit us
to follow the early steps of metastasis from tumor growth through migration to the
metastatic organ. To accomplish this goal, I am implanting marked CT-26 tumor
cells in the GFP-expressing mouse cecum and monitoring their progression from
their initial growth to metastatic development. The bioluminescence in the metastasizing tumor cells will enable whole body imaging in order to track the progression
of metastasis. These studies will allow us to identify genetic and molecular markers
that can be used to diagnose metastasis at its early stages as well as therapeutic targets that can be used to block metastatic progression.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 26
Oral Presentations
SK and IK Ca2+-activated K+ channels as novel pharmacological targets to control urinary bladder smooth muscle excitability and contractility
Whitney Kellett, Chemistry - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Georgi Petkov, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
The role of small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) and intermediate conductance
Ca2+-activated K+ (IK) channels in the rat urinary bladder smooth muscle (UBSM)
excitability and contractility was studied using the novel SK/IK channel opener –
NS309 and the SK and IK channels specific inhibitors, apamin and TRAM-34, respectively. To identify SK/IK channels in rat UBSM, we employed studies on UBSM contractility and the perforated patch-clamp technique. NS309 inhibits spontaneous contraction amplitude, frequency, force, and muscle tone of isolated UBSM strips. In currentclamp mode, NS309 caused ~2 mV membrane potential hyperpolarization in single
UBSM cells. Apamin increased UBSM spontaneous contraction amplitude and frequency, whereas TRAM-34 had no effect on spontaneous contractility. Pretreatment
with NS309 followed by a washout of the drug led to an increase in UBSM contractility
indicating for a functional role of the IK channel in this tissue. Both apamin and TRAM34 shifted the NS309 concentration-response curves for spontaneous contractility to
the right. Apamin and TRAM-34 had no significant effect on the resting membrane
potential but blocked NS309-induced hyperpolarization. Collectively, our data reveal a
functional role of the IK channel in rat UBSM and suggest that both SK/IK channels are
potential therapeutic targets to control overactive urinary bladder.
Identification of Inhibitors Effective at Preventing Aggregation of the Amyloid-ß
Protein Involved in Alzheimer’s Disease
Brandon Murphy, Chemical Engineering - Gray Court, SC
Mentor: Dr. Melissa Moss, Chemical Engineering
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative disorder with a hallmark being
the deposition of extracellular plaques in the brain. These plaques are composed primarily of amyloid-ß (Aß) protein, which aggregates from the harmless Aß monomer.
Once it has aggregated into amyloid fibrils, Aß gains toxicity and can affect the surrounding neuronal cells. The objective of the research is to identify inhibitors which
prevent Aâ monomer from undergoing aggregation and to further assess the effectiveness of these inhibitors. Aggregation of Aß monomer showed a lag phase, followed by
quick growth, then ending with a stationary phase. Aggregation assays were performed in the absence and presence of inhibitors to assess the ability of inhibitors to
prolong the lag phase. Inhibitors were screened with an excess of Aß monomer, then
effective inhibitors were examined at lower concentrations, to identify the most effective inhibitors. These assays were conducted using the fluorescent dye Thioflavin T
(ThT). ThT binds to the â-sheet structure of aggregates, resulting in shifted fluorescent
properties of ThT, which reflects the extent of aggregation. Assessment of the inhibitors was limited using ThT. Thus, a new fluorescing agent resveratrol, has been implemented, allowing for assessment of previously incompatible inhibitors. A small library
of cyclic inhibitors was tested. Several inhibitors considerably increased the lag time
to aggregate formation. Among the effective inhibitors, some exhibited diminishing
effectiveness as the concentration approached equimolar with monomer. Other compounds retained their effectiveness at equimolar concentrations, but lost activity at
substoichiometric concentrations.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 27
Oral Presentations
Reactive Oxygen Species and Concurrent Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity in
Human Platelets Following Long-term Storage
Ashleigh Quick, Biological Sciences - Hartsville, SC
Mentors: Dr. Mary Forman, Biological Sciences
Tatiana Voloshenyuk, Ph.D.
Platelet transfusions are useful in situations where patients experience a decline in
circulating blood platelets, termed thrombocytopenia. Platelets adhere to proteins
including fibrinogen, fibronectin, vitronectin, thrombospondin and von Willebrand
factor via glycoprotein IIb/IIIa; collagen by glycoprotein VI, and to von Willebrand
factor by the formed receptor complex GPIb-V-IX. Adverse alterations in these
receptors reduce platelet function. Platelets are obtained from donors by apheresis
and stored for 5 days in oxygen diffuse bags within an agitating incubator. During
storage reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be generated, including oxygen ions (O2),
free radicals (O2-), and peroxides (H2O2). These ROS may in turn damage blood
platelets by inducing activation of enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases
(MMPs) bound to the cell surface or stored within the cytoplasm. Our objective was
to confirm presence of ROS and determine MMP activity in stored platelets. We
determined ROS indirectly by measuring peroxidation of lipid membranes with free
Malondialdehyde (MDA). Free MDA was determined using a colorimetric assay with
N-methyl-2-phenylindole and hydrochloric acid. The resulting average free MDA
was 22.87 ƒÝMol/mg protein ¡Ó 1.485 (SEM), with a range of 13.43 to 34.34, above
the range for rat heart, kidney, and brain. MMP activity was visualized using gelatin
zymography. The ratio of active to latent MMP-9 bands averaged 2.12 ¡Ó 0.1 (SEM).
The ROS could potentially remove a cysteine residue from the blocked active site of
latent MMP-9, thus conferring activity. Recent publications have identified
regulation of platelet receptors by MMPs, but not reported specific enzyme activity
following storage.
Mechanisms of Mast Cell-Mediated Cardiac Fibrosis
Rebecca Swift, Spanish - North Augusta, SC
Mentor: Dr. Gregory Brower, Cell & Developmental Biology & Anatomy
Cardiac fibroblasts are responsible for increased collagen synthesis in the stressed
heart; however, the exact mechanism(s) remains unclear. In other tissues,
stimulation of fibroblasts by mast cell-derived tryptase has been linked to the
production of prostaglandin J2 (PGJ-2) by the fibroblasts inducing collagen
production. Accordingly, this study will investigate whether cardiac mast cells
mediate the fibroblast response to tryptase leading to interstitial fibrosis of the
heart. Isolated cardiac fibroblasts from adult male Sprague Dawley rats were used
to determine tryptase modulation of collagen synthesis, fibroblast proliferation, and
PGJ-2 secretion. Fibroblasts were incubated with 200ìU of tryptase for 24 hours,
after which the amount of collagen in the media was determined using a
hydroxyproline assay. The amount of PGJ-2 released from the fibroblasts was
determined by commercially available ELISA. Fibroblast proliferation was evaluated
by labeling newly formed DNA with BrdU. Cells were then counter stained with the
nuclear specific stain PI, and proliferating cells were quantified by confocal
microscopy. It was found that fibroblasts treated with tryptase had a 28% increase
in proliferation relative to the control group. Incubation with tryptase also led to a
significant increase of secreted collagen in the media. Further, ELISA analysis
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 28
Oral Presentations
demonstrated a 121% increase in PGJ-2 levels following incubation with tryptase.
These findings suggest that tryptase stimulates cardiac fibroblast proliferation and
collagen synthesis, demonstrating a potential mechanism by which cardiac mast
cells mediate myocardial fibrosis. Also, the significant tryptase-mediated increase of
PGJ-2 in the media suggests its role as an intermediate in this signaling cascade.
The Inhibitory Effect of HoxA5 on NF-kB Dependent Transcription
Melisa Tanverdi, Biological Sciences - Irmo, SC
Mentor: Dr. Rekha Patel, Biological Sciences
In order to become malignant, a tumor must initiate angiogenesis; a process by
which tumor develops a vasculature. Without angiogenesis, tumors are unable to
grow past one to two millimeters due to a lack of oxygen and essential nutrients.
Although eliminating angiogenesis in tumors hinders their ability to thrive in the
human body, the process is vital for normal physiology. Recently, it was reported
that a homeobox transcription factor HoxA5 is expressed at high levels in quiescent
endothelial cells (EC) and its expression is downregulated in proliferating EC. In
addition to EC, normal breast epithelial cells also express HoxA5, and the breast
cancer cells show downregulation of HoxA5 expression. Contrary to HoxA5, the
transcription factor NF-kB is active in tumor cells and is thought to play a crucial
role in a tumor’s ability to initiate angiogenesis. Therefore, the hypothesis for the
current study was to test if HoxA5 inhibits NF-kB dependent transcription. Towards
this goal, we cloned HoxA5 to create a mammalian expression construct. Endothelial
and breast cancer cell culture and transfection was used to test if HoxA5 inhibits the
NF-kB dependent promoter activity via reporter gene analysis. The results show that
the expression of HoxA5 does inhibit the expression of NF-kB dependent genes. In
addition to this, an inducible system to overexpress HoxA5 in breast cancer cells was
used to study expression of an endogenous NF-kB regulated gene cyclooxygenase-2
(COX-2). This study could potentially identify novel regulators of the NF-kB pathway,
and lead to more effective treatments for cancer.
Construction of a Conditional Knockout Vector for Wwp1
Margeaux Wetendorf, Biological Sciences - Elgin, IL
Mentor: Dr. Lydia Matesic, Biological Sciences
Autoimmune disease is estimated to affect upwards of 3% of the U.S. population.
Therefore, attempts to understand the genetic contribution to this pathology are
important. Wwp1 is a member of the C2-WW-HECT gene family of ubiquitin ligases,
and loss-of-function mutations of genes in this family have been associated with
dysfunction of the immune system. Although Wwp1 knockout mice are viable, lossof-function of Wwp1 in combination with null alleles in closely related family
members results in perinatal lethality. In order to study the functional redundancy
of the C2-WW-HECT family in the immune system, a conditional knockout allele of
Wwp1 was created. Recombineering (genetic engineering that makes use of
recombination in a lambda prophage system) was used to make the conditional
knockout vector. Using this system, a construct was generated that floxes (i.e., flanks
with loxP sites) exon 9 of Wwp1. Upon the expression of cre (either in vivo or in
vitro), exon 9 is deleted, creating a frameshift in the Wwp1 mRNA. This allele is
predicted to be a functional null because all four WW domains and the enzymatic
HECT domain will be removed from this allele. The construction of the conditional
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 29
Oral Presentations
knockout vector is complete. The next steps include sequence verification of the
vector and transfection of ES cells. Once properly targeted ES cells are identified by
Southern blotting, these clones will be injected into blastocysts in order to create an
animal model.
Cloning and Characterization of the Human HuR Gene: An mRNA Stability
Factor
Tina Zhang, Biological Sciences - West Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Dan Dixon, Biological Sciences
Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.
Current evidence demonstrating the ability of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) to prevent and mitigate colorectal cancer has led to a better understanding
of the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in carcinogenesis. Specifically, the
overexpression of COX-2, a pro-inflammatory enzyme crucial for the conversion of
arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, has been identified as a key rate-limiting feature
in tumorigenesis. Post-transcriptional control of COX-2 expression is normally
closely regulated by a balance of mRNA stability and decay factors. Hu antigen R
(HuR) is one such factor which binds to specific AU-rich mRNA sequence elements in
the 3' untranslated region of COX-2 mRNA, promoting stabilization of COX-2
transcript and thereby increasing its half-life. Increased levels of HuR have also
been detected in numerous types of cancers including colorectal tumors. To better
understand the mechanisms promoting HuR dysregulation during carcinogenesis,
Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends by Polymerase Chain Reaction (RACE-PCR) was
performed to identify the transcription start site of HuR in colon cancer cells. Within
the 5' promoter region of HuR, key transcription factor binding sites within 1 kb
upstream of the predicted start site were identified using on-line transcription factor
databases. DNA sequence analysis of the human HuR promoter as well as homology
to the mouse HuR promoter along with functional analysis of promoter activity will
be discussed. These studies offer insight of the interactions involved in posttranscriptional regulation subject to HuR dysregulation and may reveal novel
therapeutic targets of future therapies.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 30
Oral Presentations
Biomedical/Health 2
Dementia and Cardiovascular Disease: Are They Related?
Courtney Benjamin, Exercise Science - Rembert, SC
Mentor: Dr. Victor Hirth, School of Medicine
Dementia can be defined as a syndrome of multiple acquired cognitive deficits that
occur in the absence of acute confusion. The cognitive domains that can be affected
by dementia include memory loss, orientation, language, praxis (skilled action), constructions, prosody and executive control” (Reuben MD, 105). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes hypertension (HTN), congestive heart failure (CHF), and coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of the study was to examine the association
between dementia (Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, or diagnosed memory loss) and
cardiovascular disease in a geriatric outpatient population. We hypothesized cardiovascular disease would be more prevalent in patients with dementia compared with
those without dementia. Also, our secondary hypothesis was HTN would have a
stronger significant relationship to dementia than CAD and CHF. All procedures and
methods were approved by the Palmetto Health Systems Institutional Review Board
(IRB). We analyzed a convenience sample of Senior Primary Care patients with and
without dementia (diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and/or
memory loss). The targeted subject population was patients of Senior Primary Care
aged 65 or older with all race groups included. We excluded patients with a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease or alcoholism. Our final study sample contained 1892
patients. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, odd ratios, and binary
logistic regression (BLR) using SPSS 14.0. The mean age for our sample was 79.8 ±
7.8 years. Seventy-four percent (74%) of the population were female and 68% were
white. Three hundred clients (16%) had a diagnosis of dementia and 1166 (62%)
had a diagnosis of CVD. In addition, 311 patients (16%) had a diagnosis of diabetes
mellitus type II. Patients with CVD were twice as likely to have dementia as patients
without CVD (p = 0.000). This significant association was primarily between hypertension and dementia [OR = 1.9, p = 0.000). When the data was controlled for age,
the association was no longer significant. In conclusion, there appears to be an association between CVD and dementia; however, age appeared to be a more potent risk
factor for development of dementia than CVD. The most common CVD among patients with dementia was hypertension. The results from this experiment indicate a
need for further investigations on the relationship between dementia and CVD with
particular attention on HTN.
Methods of en Situ Cell Culture Analysis and Comparison
Chris Butch, Chemical Engineering - Horicon, WI
Mentor: Dr. Melissa Moss, Chemical Engineering
This poster will compare various methods for evaluating the toxicity, metabolic activity, and performance of SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell cultures following
treatment with the amyloid-beta protein associated with Alzheimer's disease. These
methods would apply to SH-SY5Y cells grown in culture and plated in a single layer
on a standard 96 well plate and differentiated to a neural phenotype by introduction
of retinoic acid into the growth media. The objective was to identify a method of
analyzing the effect of the amyloid beta protein on cell survival and physiological
activity nondestructively so time based data on a single culture could be gathered.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 31
Oral Presentations
Methods for analyzing cell survival include treatment with MTT and XTT and Alamar
Blue dyes for optical analysis, as well as monitoring apoptotic gene expression.
Methods for evaluating physiological activity include comparisons of various couplings of micro electrodes and nontoxic voltage sensitive dyes that allow visual
monitoring of the ability of the culture to sense and propagate an electrical signal.
While observation of apoptotic proteins for toxicity evaluation and use of a micro
electrode grid for physiological activity evaluation are the most widespread measurements, the ease of application and measurement for the dye techniques indicates
future investigation into these techniques would be merited.
Role of Genistein in Phytoestrogen-Mediated Cardioprotection
Margaret Crosby, Chemistry - Irmo, SC
Mentor: Dr. Jason Gardner, Cell & Developmental Biology & Anatomy
In a study on the gender difference in cardiac remodeling induced by volume overload, Dr. Gardner has shown that females respond better during the remodeling
process than males. Further studies indicate that soy-derived phytoestrogens can
work in concert with ovarian hormones to cardioprotect against adverse left ventricular remodeling induced volume overload. We hypothesize that genistein (a soy
isoflovone) is the key component of the phytoestrogenic cardioprotection previously
exhibited. Four groups of female rats were studied: ovariectomized sham-operated
(SOX), ovariectomized fistula (FOX), FOX with estrogen replacement (FOX+EST), and
FOX with combined treatments of estrogen and genistein (FOX+EST+GEN). Estrogen
was delivered by time-release pellet (0.02 mg/kg/d) and genistein was delivered in
the diet (250 ppm). Volume overload was induced surgically by making a shunt between the abdominal aorta and vena cava using an 18-gauge needle. Cardiac functional parameters were assessed temporally (every 2 wk) using ultrasound echocardiography and by conductance catheter at the 6 wk post-surgery endpoint. Volume
overload is indicated by a 3-fold increase in cardiac output for all fistula groups.
Volume overload caused significant LV hypertrophy in the fistula groups, however
the FOX group developed much greater hypertrophy (75.1% increase vs SOX) than
that of the estrogen treated groups (~50%). While all fistula groups developed significant LV dilatation denoted by increased LVIDd, the FOX group had the greatest
degree of dilatation. These data indicate that estrogen treatment partially blocks
adverse remodeling. Also, the findings suggest that genistein is not the key soy compound responsible for the cardioprotective effects previously demonstrated.
Warfarin efficacy in cancer patients on long-term antcoagulation
Neha Doshi, Pharmacy - Spartanburg, SC
Mentors: Dr. LeAnn Norris, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
Dr. Brandon Bookstaver, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
Dr. Julie Sease, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
Patients with cancer have a substantial risk of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic
complications. This is due to an increased number of risk factors including active
cancer, catheters, prolonged bed rest, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. The
objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of warfarin, for any indication,
by comparing international normalized ratio (INR) control and clinical outcomes
before and after the diagnosis of cancer. Patients with cancer on active anticoagula-
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 32
Oral Presentations
tion for 6 months prior to, and 1 year after diagnosis, were followed in an outpatient
clinic. Data collected on INR values as well as goal ranges were used to calculate the
time in therapeutic range (TTR) for each patient. The primary outcome was to determine the TTR, indicating INR control. Secondary outcomes included the rate of
thromboembolic and major hemorrhagic events. The calculated TTR for pre-cancer
diagnosis was 65.94% compared to 66.97% post-cancer diagnosis. Bleeding events
occurred in 5 patients before and 2 patients after cancer diagnosis. Patients on warfarin generally displayed better INR control after cancer diagnosis. Only in the chemotherapy group, was there poorer INR control for post-cancer diagnosis, indicating
that drug-drug interactions have a significant impact on warfarin therapy, compared
to other cancer treatment. Bleeding rates were better in the post-cancer diagnosis
group. Our data was contradictory to the published guidelines for anticoagulation in
cancer patients. Possible reasons include the need for a longer observation period as
well as the active cancer requiring more hospital visitations allowing closer observation and adjustment of patient INR values.
Periodontal Cyst after Secondary Trauma: A Case Report
Amy Fraley, Physical Education - Spartanburg, SC
Mentor: Dr. Tamerah Hunt, Physical Education
Objective: To increase awareness of the development of a cyst after direct trauma to
the mouth or teeth and being able to identify mechanism of injury and signs and
symptoms Background The root tips close as person ages, but trauma to the area can
stop the development of the root and prevent closure. Therefore, an opening remains in the bone. The epithelial cell rests of Malassez will line this opening, causing
the development of a cyst. Differential Diagnosis: It can be misdiagnosed as a periapical abscess, periapical granuloma, sinus infection, contusion and inflammation
from the trauma, or allergies. Treatment: A periapical cyst can be caused by direct
trauma and is likely to be asymptomatic until the occurrence of a second trauma to
cyst. Root canal therapy is recommended to remove the infection in the root canal.
An apicoectomy may also be necessary to remove the cyst. Uniqueness: This case
report occurred after the patient received a secondary blow to the central incisors,
12 years after the first trauma. The patient developed facial swelling 2 days posttrauma and symptoms mimicked possible sinus infection and tooth abscess. Patient
was treated with penicillin and root canal therapy before periapical cyst was diagnosed and an apicoectomy was performed. Conclusion: Periapical cysts can be present for years only producing symptoms after a second trauma. It is important to
understand the athlete’s prior history and the mechanism of injury and symptoms of
periapical cysts so that they can be treated promptly and not compromise other
teeth.
Treatment Outcomes of Novel Antibiotic Lock Solutions: A Case Series Analysis
Anne Hishon, Pharmacy - Charlotte, NC
Kate Gerrald, Pharmacy - Asheville, NC
Mentor: Dr. Brandon Bookstaver, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
Background: Catheter related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) are a concern in patients with indwelling catheters. Antibiotic Lock Therapy (ALT) may be considered
as adjunctive therapy when catheter removal is not a favorable option. Methods:
This was a retrospective case series analysis to evaluate outcomes of ALT used for
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 33
Oral Presentations
treatment of CRBSI. Patients receiving ALT during the 18 month study period were
screened for inclusion. Cases were included if the patient received ALT for „d 24
hours as treatment for an established CRBSI. Cases were excluded if ALT was used
as prophylaxis or if pertinent data was missing. If patients received multiple courses
of ALT, each episode documented individually. The primary endpoint was sterilization defined as negative blood cultures for the identified CRBSI pathogen at 30 days.
Additional data was collected to include patient demographics, CVC indication, and
concurrent systemic antibiotics. Performance of specific antibiotic lock solutions
against individual pathogens was also evaluated. Results: Final analysis included 27
cases from 15 patients. Antimicrobials combined with heparin in lock solutions included: daptomycin, (n=6), gentamicin (n=7), vancomycin (n=8), ethanol (n=1), and
antibiotic combinations (n=5). ALT successfully sterilized catheters in 73% of cases.
Gentamicin and daptomycin lock solutions were 100% successful at catheter sterilization. All cases of CRBSI due to Enterococcal species failed catheter sterilization
with ALT. Conclusion: ALT is a viable option as an adjunctive therapy to achieve line
sterilization. These results support the need for additional prospective controlled
studies to further delineate the role of ALT in the treatment of CRBSI.
Physical Compatibility of Common Respiratory Medications with Hypertonic
Saline for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis
Delilah Jackson, Pharmacy - Greenville, SC
Jaime Foushee, Pharmacy - Greenville, SC
Mentor: Dr. Laura Fox, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
Purpose: Hypertonic saline is a recent adjuvant therapy for the treatment of cystic
fibrosis and is commonly nebulized with other treatments in the practice setting.
Combining drugs decreases the burden on the patient and the person administering
the medication by shortening administration times and improving patient compliance. The purpose of this study is to obtain physical compatibility data of selected
cystic fibrosis drugs with hypertonic saline. Methods: Eleven medications were chosen based on use in cystic fibrosis and lack of compatibility data between the drugs
and hypertonic saline solution. Study samples containing 2.5ml of hypertonic saline
and 2.5ml of each tested drug were evaluated against controls upon initial time of
mixing and 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 hour after primary mixing. Physical compatibility
was assessed through visual inspection for precipitants against white and black
backgrounds as well as non-visual changes using a laboratory turbidimeter. Analysis
of variance was used to determine statistical difference between the turbidity of
experimental groups and controls with a p-value of less than 0.05 deemed significant. Results: Out of the eleven drugs tested, only one drug showed significant incompatibility. The turbidity of the cromolyn admixture was significantly different
from that of the controls (p0.001). Conclusion: No visual or turbidimetric evidence
of physical incompatibility was seen with most drugs tested when combined with
hypertonic saline. Cromolyn sodium was found to be physically incompatible with
hypertonic saline and the combination should not be administered via the same
nebulization.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 34
Oral Presentations
Evaluation of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and CockcroftGault (C-G) formulas in the Calvert equation for Carboplatin Dosing
Whitney Jones, Pharmacy - York, SC
Mentor: Dr. LeAnn Norris, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
The primary objective of this study is to determine whether a significant difference
exists in comparison of renal function and carboplatin dosing using the original
Cockcroft-Gault (C-Go), modified Cockcroft-Gault (C-Gm), and 6-variable MDRD formulas in a population of patients treated for NSCLC. A retrospective study was conducted in an adult population of NSCLC patients. Patients with a documented oncology clinic visit who received at least one dose of carboplatin within a 7 year period
were screened for study inclusion. Renal function estimates were entered into the C
-Go, C-Gm, and MDRD formulas and applied to the Calvert equation (accepted for
carboplatin dosing) to calculate 3 carboplatin doses. The primary endpoints were
measured differences in estimated renal functions between the 3 formulas and subsequent calculated carboplatin doses. Differences in means were assessed by paired
t-tests and 30% accuracy was deemed clinically significant for carboplatin dosing.
One-hundred twenty-eight patients were included for study analysis. There were
statistical differences in mean renal clearance between the C-Go vs. C-Gm formulas
(85.18 vs. 79.36, p0.001) and the C-Go vs. MDRD formulas (85.18 vs. 80.45,
p=0.028). In comparison to the carboplatin doses calculated using the C-Go formulas, 15% and 46% of patients would had clinically significant differences in dosing
by the C-Gm and MDRD formulas, respectively. Differences exist between the C-Go, C
-Gm, and MDRD formulas in estimating renal function in this NSCLC population and
may result in clinically significant carboplatin dosing calculations. A prospective,
controlled study is needed to determine the optimal formula for renal function estimation in carboplatin dosing.
Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer: Diagnostic and Treatment Recommendations
Alicia Latham, Experimental Psychology - Greenville, SC
Mentor: Dr. Leslie Sargent Jones, Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience
Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) is characterized by accelerated
tumor growth with high microsatellite instability (MSI), tumorgenesis commonly
occurring proximal to the splenic flexure, an early age onset (~45 yoa), but little to
no polyp formation. Any one of five inherited mutations of mismatch repair (MMR)
genes (hMLH1, hMHS2, hMSH6, hPMS1, hPMS2) has been associated with HNPCC.
The current diagnostic criteria are either the Bethesda Guidelines or, the more restrictive, Amsterdam Criteria. Current research suggests that the identification of
HNPCC may be more crucial than simply the traditional staging of tumors when assessing treatment options; this is due to the decreased response of HNPCC to 5-FU,
as well as better overall prognosis compared to sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) of
comparable staging. In order to distinguish HNPCC from CRC, it is important to
broaden the “diagnostic net,” especially concerning prognosis and treatment. Therefore, it is this author’s recommendation that 1) MSI testing be conducted if the patient meets the Bethesda Guidelines, especially if there is an early age onset; 2) If
MSI-H is observed, genetic testing for an MMR deficiency should be conducted; 3) If
a mutation is found, genetic counseling and testing should be offered to the patient’s
first-degree relatives. With regards to treatment, the HNPCC-positive patient with
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 35
Oral Presentations
Carbohydrate Counting in Columbia Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes
Tamara Looney, Anthropology - Aiken, SC
Mentors: Dr. Thomas Leatherman, Anthropology
Dr. Beth Mayer-Davis, Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Type 1 diabetes affects 1 out of every 400 to 600 adolescents in the United States.
To combat this serious threat to the country’s youth, current therapy focuses on
maintaining close to normal blood glucose levels in order to prevent long-term complications of diabetes. Carbohydrate counting is a key strategy used to achieve glucose control for many youth. It requires patients to know the CHO content of foods
and to multiply this content by estimated serving size in order to calculate total meal
carbohydrate consumption. This allows diabetic patients flexibility in their food
choices, because carbohydrate counting theoretically gives patients the skills to adjust the amount of insulin they inject according to the amount of carbohydrate consumed. Breakdowns in applying such skills adversely impact the efficacy of carbohydrate counting. This study combines quantitative and qualitative data collected
through questionnaires and worksheets on the accuracy level of carbohydrate
counting among adolescents with Type 1 diabetes in Columbia, SC. The data are
analyzed to identify where inaccuracies occur when the children implement their
carbohydrate counting routines, and explores the factors that might cause these inaccuracies. These factors include demographic background, social pressures, carbohydrate counting education received, estimation of carbohydrate amounts, estimations and variability of serving sizes, and the ability and inclination to read product
labels. Specifically, these findings are used to formulate recommended modifications for carbohydrate counting education received by adolescents with Type 1 diabetes in the hope that this might lead to improvements in insulin dosing accuracy
and general metabolic control.
Imaging Multidimensional Cancer Therapeutically Relevant Diurnal Relationships
Jamil Singletary, Technology Support & Training Management - Charleston, SC
Mentors: Dr. William Hrushesky, Cell & Developmental Biology & Anatomy
Dr. Song Wang, Computer Science & Engineering
Circadian clocks gate cellular proliferation and, thereby, therapeutically target availability within proliferative pathways. This temporal coordination occurs within both
cancerous and non-cancerous proliferating tissues. The timing, along the circadian
cycle, of the administration of drugs targeting proliferative pathways necessarily
impacts the amount of damage done to proliferating tissues and cancers. Concurrently measuring target levels and associated key pathway components in normal
and malignant tissues, around the circadian clock, provides the arena to fully understand the temporal relationships among the physiologic processes governing the
therapeutic index of anti-proliferative anti-cancer therapies. The temporal ordering
of these relationships, paramount to determining causation, is less well understood
by two or three dimensional representations. Therefore, we have created multidimensional, multi-media depictions of the temporal unfolding of putatively causative circadian relationships and the therapeutic effects of timing of drug that specifically targets these ordered processes. The systems and methods used to create
these depictions are provided, as well as three example movies.
Discovery Day 2008
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Oral Presentations
Cause for the Re-emergence of the Chikungunya Virus
Shiva Srivastava, Biological Sciences - Varanasi, UP
Mentor: Dr. Austin Hughes, Biological Sciences
Chikungunya fever is an acute arthropod-bore viral illness reported in many parts of
Africa and Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific and India. The causative agent, Chikungunya virus is a single stranded positive RNA-enveloped virus that is a member
of the genus Alphavirus of the Togavirdae family and is transmitted from primates to
humans generally by Aedes agypti The aim of this study is to figure the cause of the
reemergence of this virus after being dormant for so long. This study uses various
bio-informatics tool and genomic data to analyze the viral genome. The study is focused on any genetic changes that may have taken place in the virus that caused its
reemergence. Genomes of all the 19 different strains of this virus were analyzed in t
this study. The hypothesis proposed was that one of the strains of this virus has gene
mutation which has made the virus better fit for positive selection and increased the
infectivity of the virus. This study is based on bio-informatics tools on computer.
Software such as Artemis, Mega and Clustal W were used to annotate and study the
gene. The viral genome sequences were downloaded from NCBI gene bank. Phylogenetic trees were constructed with all the strains of this virus. EU037962 was seen to
deviate the most form the other strains. This virus was also found in the samples
taken from the infected patients. Hence it is proposed that the mutation in this virus
has made it infective agent again.
Acupuncture as an Alternative Treatment for the Reduction of Emotional Distress and Enhancement of Well-being in HIV-Infected Individuals
Michael Tucker, Exercise Science - St. Simons Island, GA
Mentor: Dr. Gregory Hand, Exercise Science
Individuals infected with the HIV virus often experience elevated emotional stress
levels caused by both the disease itself and the social stigma associated with the disease. This elevated stress increases the risk of opportunistic oral infections and/or
disease progression. Acupuncture may be used as an alternative treatment to reduce
emotional distress and enhance well-being in HIV infected individuals. Purpose: To
determine the effects of real and placebo acupuncture on oral markers of distress
and oral immunity in HIV-infected African Americans. Method: Sixty-two HIVinfected African Americans were recruited and randomized into one of two groups,
real (n = 30) or placebo (n = 32) acupuncture. Each subject underwent either real or
placebo acupuncture in a group setting for 20 minutes, twice a week for 5 weeks. At
the end of the five weeks, participants were re-randomized into either the placebo (n
= 15) or real groups (n = 14). Data was collected via questionnaires and saliva samples prior to and at the completion of each five week trial. Results: Significant differences were only observed at 5 weeks for the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Symptom
Distress Scale (SDS), and salivary Cortisol levels. The PSS (p=0.004) and SDS
(p=0.042) showed significant decreases in both groups, whereas the placebo group
showed a significant increase in cortisol with no change in the real group. Conclusions: Participating in either real or placebo acupuncture can be beneficial in the
lowering of an individual’s perceived stress and symptom distress in a five week
trial. The data also show that real acupuncture can be beneficial in maintaining stable Cortisol levels.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 37
Oral Presentations
Business, Law, & Politics
A Review of Sexual Assaults: Correlates at the International Level
Kristen Bales, Criminal Justice - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Hayden Smith, Criminology & Criminal Justice
Justification Studies on sexual assaults are currently limited to small-scale locales
and institutions. To date, there is a dearth of information of the rate, prevalence and
correlates of sexual assaults at the international level. This poster highlights the importance of ecological and social factors that can lead to variations in the rates of
sexual offenses. Specifically, this research addresses the following concerns: 1. Assessing and analyzing secondary de-identified data from the International Crime
Victimization Survey (ICVS). Here, the researcher will assess differing legaldefinitions of ICVS and report incidence, prevalence, and emerging trends. 2. Conducting a literature review on the variations in sexual violence at the international
level. Report findings in a poster session for Discovery Day. Relevant Background To
date, many criminological studies are restricted by the construction of social reality
of crime within a specific geographical region. Comparative criminology is an effective theoretical approach to examining and understanding social phenomenon at a
much broader level of analysis. Here, criminologists are attempting to standardize
measures at the international level in order to reduce crime. In this study, we examine data from the International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS) and find key correlates to sexual assault. GIS mapping is employed to graphically illustrate differences in rates of sexual assault between countries, and a short literature review will
identify key policy implications. Methodology Data analysis: The International
Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS) contains data that is available online. These data
are secondary, de-identified and available for public use. Using data from International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS), this study examines the correlates of sexual assault at the international-level. Specific attention is given to the impact of social and ecological variables and the proclivity toward sexual violence associated
within select countries. This collection consists of 2 SPSS setup files that include a
range of European and North American countries. Poster: The literature review and
subsequent analysis of the International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS) data will
lead to a graphic representation of this important issue.
Sexual Harassment Liability under Title IX: Does the Setting Matter?
Dustin Doyle, Sport & Entertainment Management - Campbellsport, WI
Mentor: Dr. John Grady, Sport & Entertainment Management
The purpose of my honors thesis is to determine if the setting of intercollegiate athletics presents a problem in determining whether there can be institutional liability
for sexual harassment under Title IX. Two research questions have been proposed:
First, does the intimate nature of the coach/athlete relationship compared to the
supervisor/employee relationship make it difficult to assess sexual harassment
cases under Title IX? Second, does the nature of intercollegiate athletics (screaming
profanities, the fact that most sports have contact) present any challenges when
analyzing sexual harassment cases under Title IX? In order to find the answers to
these questions, I researched recent Title IX cases, most notably Melissa Jennings v.
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (2007). This case involves a UNC soccer
player who accuses her coach of sexual harassment arising out of a series of inci-
Discovery Day 2008
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Oral Presentations
dents that took place during her two seasons with the team. Much of the case hinges
on what is acceptable conduct for a male soccer coach in the setting of women’s collegiate athletics. In addition to the Jennings case, I have also been examining older
cases that laid the foundation for modern Title IX law, as well as recent law reviews
that address the current application Title IX as well as draw parallels to the Title VII
jurisprudence involving sexual harassment in the workplace. The results of my research should provide guidance for collegiate athletics administrators in crafting
and revising sexual harassment policies related to acceptable standards of conduct
between coaches and athletes.
Black Empowerment and the Outcomes of the Protest Era
Vincent Ingram, Political Science - Irmo, SC
Mentor: Dr. Todd Shaw, Political Science
In the post-Civil Rights era, some black-led cities (those in which a majority of their
elected officials are African-American) possibly experienced a shift “from protest to
politics;” meaning that grassroots organizations involved in protest activities have
“demobilized” as more blacks were elected to public office. The objectives of the
project are to: (1) examine patterns of protest activism in black-led cities vs. their
white counterparts; (2) assess the transition of grassroots activists as the moved
into positions within the political structure (political incorporation); (3) understand
the trends in black grassroots activism following the climax of the Civil Rights and
Black Power Movements; and (4) investigate the effect of protest activities on the
allocation of funds to public welfare and health programs, as opposed to those cities
where such organizations remained more mobilized. This project tests the
“demobilization” hypothesis and examines its outcomes by analyzing a combined
data set and extending upon these findings through a case study. The data sets in
question are the Urban Crisis Study of Dr. Robert Brown (Emory) and the Ethnic
Collective Action in Contemporary Urban U.S. dataset by Dr. Susan Olzak (Stanford).
The case study looks at Atlanta, includes telephone interviews with several experts
familiar with the history of protest in Atlanta and others who have been directly
involved therein, and provides a context for the results of the dataset analysis. The
goal in mind with is to discover whether there are potential strategies for minority
communities to better wield political power.
Conservation Awareness in Germany
Caroline Lee, Russian - Moncks Corner, SC
Mentor: Dr. David Whiteman, Political Science
Over Spring break (March 6th-13th) I will be visiting Germany. While this will provide ample opportunity for sightseeing, I want to make my trip more meaningful by
experiencing the culture and the typical lifestyle of the people who reside there. For
many Europeans, conservation has become a forefront issue, almost seamlessly integrated into a normal daily routine. Public transportation, recycling, packaging reduction- all of these are thriving aspects of society and readily visible to any observer. While I will undoubtedly see beautiful things- cathedrals, art museums,
monuments, et cetera, I will see more mundane things as well- recycling bins, reusable shopping bags, fuel-efficient cars, plastic-efficient packaging, space-efficient
housing...! Efficiency is a hallmark of European infrastructure, and I have little
doubt that I'll feel its effect throughout my journey. I will interview the people that
Discovery Day 2008
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Oral Presentations
I'll be staying with, asking them questions about their recycling habits, whether they
use public transportation, how they feel about global warming and other issues,
what do they themselves do to combat environmental degradation, how do they
view their respective country's policies versus America's policies... and so on. I will
compare the answers I receive from two households, noting their differences and
similarities. I would be pleased to represent our Green Learning Community, of
which I am a member, and USC as an inquisitive visitor to further my cultural and
environmental awareness, and to share my findings with our community.
Analyzing the Legal Climate which Protects Sponsors and Event Organizers
from Ambush Marketing
Michael Morehead, Sport & Entertainment Management - Shelby, NC
Mentor: Dr. John Grady, Sport & Entertainment Management
The practice of ambush marketing poses significant legal and business challenges for
sport event organizers (McKelvey & Grady, 2008). My research focused on analyzing
intellectual property laws at mega sport events, such as the Olympics, to determine
the impact that these laws have on both host city/host country and the event’s official sponsors. The purpose of my research was two-fold. I first wanted to determine
if the legal climate (e.g., existing laws, newly enacted special legislation) impacted
the event organizers’ ability to protect their event from ambush marketing. My second goal was to determine if the official sponsors have different expectations for
protection from ambush marketing depending on which country is hosting the
event. I studied the 2006 Winter Olympics (Italy), 2006 World Cup (Germany), 2002
Winter Olympics (United States) and the 2008 Summer Olympics (China). Because
each event was held in a different country, I found vast differences in the way the
countries viewed intellectual property protection through their laws. While the U.S.
consistently had laws which provide strong intellectual property protection, China is
relatively new in implementing and enforcing rights in this area. As the amount of
money it costs to be an official sponsor of a mega sport event continues to rise, it will
be important for countries wanting to host future mega sport events to become
more aware of the necessity of intellectual property protection or else risk losing
sponsorship revenues as well as economic impacts resulting from hosting the event.
Corporate Governance and Return on Capital Investments
Joshua Rabon, Accounting - Georgetown, SC
Mentor: Dr. Marcus Caylor, Accounting
We examine the effect of governance on executives and “empire building” behavior.
Previous studies (Gompers, Ishii and Metrick (2003)) indicate that firms with higher
governance make less capital expenditures, and we examine the effectiveness of
these investments. Do firms with greater governance make more profitable expenditures, or simply less expenditures due to increased shareholder rights? We look at
the relationship between return on assets three years into the future and current
governance and capital expenditures, and use a similar metric to examine the relationship between current expenditures and future return on equity. We find some
evidence that governance affects the future return associated with capital expenditures, and argue that managers who face more scrutiny from empowered shareholders are less capable of “empire building” and must evaluate projects with greater
care. Conversely, entrenched executives make less effective capital expenditures.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 40
Oral Presentations
Hispanic Marketing Research for Public Assembly Facilities in Columbia, South
Carolina
Eric Rogers, Sport & Entertainment Management - Lawrenceville, GA
Mentor: Dr. Mathew Bernthal, Sport & Entertainment Management
The primary goal of this research is to help public assembly facilities in Columbia,
South Carolina better understand the Hispanic consumer market. The goals of this
project include providing public assembly facilities in Columbia with an overview of
the Hispanic demographic in the United States and Columbia, a synopsis of how to
strategically market towards Hispanics, and recommendations on how to best
launch a marketing program targeted to Hispanic consumers. All information was
gathered from secondary sources. This presentation will focus on six areas. Section
one provides an introduction to the Hispanic market as a whole. This section serves
as the foundation upon which the subsequent research and inquiry will be built.
Section two provides a discussion on the demographic breakdown of Hispanics
across both the US and South Carolina, with an emphasis on Columbia. Section three
examines the psychographics, or distinctiveness, of the Hispanic market. Section
four focuses more on the actions of the firm seeking to reach Hispanics. Section five
provides an overview of what an organization can to do to strategically align itself
with the interests of Hispanic consumers. In section six, recommendations about
how to penetrate Columbia’s Hispanic market and suggestions for conducting further research are forwarded.
How much is tomorrow worth? The relationship between time preference and
addiction
Amanda Kay Seals, Interdisciplinary Studies - Clinton, TN
Mentors: Dr. Melayne McInnes, Economics
Dr. Christine Fountain, Sociology
The theory of rational addictive behavior is well developed in the body of behavioral
economic literature. Most generally stated, the theory of rational addiction implies a
consistent plan to maximize utility over time while engaging in a behavior traditionally perceived to be destructive (Becker and Murphy, 1988). It is widely accepted
that rational addictive behavior is a function of addictive capital and an individual’s
rate of time preference, this having been suggested by Becker and Murphy. This project attempts to add to that literature by expanding the understanding the impact an
individual consumer’s time preference rate and social network has on his decision to
consume an addictive good (or engage in an addictive behavior). The rate of future
discount is the rate at which a consumer prefers a future unit of time to the current
unit of time. The rate of future discount is then a measure of time preference equal
to the marginal rate of substitution between current and future substitution. Using
an experiment based on that done by Coller and Williams in 1999 here at the University of South Carolina—a seminal experiment in eliciting the time preference rates of
individuals—I will analyze data on undergraduates’ rates of time preference as a
potential function of sociological variables such as income, education, race, and social-network makeup. Measures of smoking behavior will in turn be regressed
against time preference rates to determine how, if at all, smoking behavior among
undergraduates is related to their rate of time preference.
Discovery Day 2008
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Oral Presentations
Chemistry & Material Science
Comprehensive Analysis of Drugs of Abuse in Urine with Automated Disposable Pipette Extraction
Ashley Bagwell, Chemistry - Spartanburg, SC
Mentors: Dr. William Brewer, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Dr. Stephen Morgan, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Urine analysis has become the standard method of investigating and identifying individuals using drugs of abuse. Because of its popularity for such task as doping
screening, clinical purposes, and pre-employment screening, urinary drug analysis
provides an expanding realm of commercial interest for development of rapid, reproducible analytical techniques to isolate drugs from urine. Our research focuses
on manual extraction of basic, acidic and neutral drugs of abuse from a single small
volume of urine using disposable pipette extraction (DPX) technology. The extracted
samples are analyzed using and Agilent GC/MS. The extraction of acidic and neutral
drugs from urine is accomplished using reverse phase and hydrophobic mechanisms
and the extraction of basic drugs is performed utilizing cation exchange interactions
with the sorbent in the DPX-CX tip. The recoveries of several basic drugs such as
tricyclic antidepressants, PCP, opiates and meperidine are between 80-100%. The
recoveries of the acidic and neutral drugs, such as barbiturates, and glutethimide,
are greater than 80%. Comprehensive screening is readily accomplished from single
small volume samples which have relevance in toxicological analyses of saliva and
sweat. The main advantages of DPX technology is that the extractions are very rapid,
negligible solvent waste is generated, and the extractions can be fully automated and
coupled to chromatographic injections. Using a Gerstel MPS-2 instrument, the DPX
extractions can be performed off-line or “in-line” with a GC or HPLC instrument. Preliminary studies of the adaptation of our manual extraction method to automation
will also be presented.
Investigation of the photocatalytic properties of a family of calcium bismuth
oxides
Byron Farnum, Chemistry - Camden, SC
Mentor: Dr. John Ferry, Chemistry & Biochemistry
A series of calcium bismuth oxides was synthesized and assayed for photocatalytic
activity against a Bi2O3 standard. All oxides were visibly colored, with band edges
falling in the 400nm-500nm region. A family of potential substrates (1-adamantol,
benzanilide, diethyl phthalate, diphenylamine, and 2,4,6-trimethylphenol,) was
photodegraded in aqueous, 0.03 wt% suspensions of the photocatalysts. A Suntest
XLS+ system (Xe lamp) was used to illuminate the suspensions. Substrate degradation was followed using liquid-liquid extraction followed by GC-MS techniques. Generically, photocatalytic oxidation increased with increasing Ca/Bi ratio, with
Ca6Bi6O15 the most effective photocatalyst at an equal wt% loading. The observed
rates of photocatalytic degradation (fastest to slowest for Ca6Bi6O15) ranked: 2,4,6
-trimethylphenol diphenylamine benzanilide diethyl phthalate 1-adamantol. The
photostability of the catalysts is also reported, and the effects of common photocatalyst poisons (bicarbonate, sulfate, dissolved organic matter) discussed.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 42
Oral Presentations
Self Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles Through Click Chemistry
Patrick Hankins, Chemistry - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Catherine Murphy, Chemistry & Biochemistry
The self-assembly of colloidal gold nanoparticles through click chemistry is presented. Gold nanorods and spheres were prepared with a seed-mediated approach
in the presence of the cationic surfactant, CTAB, giving the nanoparticles a net positive charge in solution. The nanoparticles are coated with the negatively charged
polystyrene sulfonate and maleic acid one-to-one copolymer. Nanoparticles are further functionalized with azides or alkynes through EDC chemistry using PEG-azides
and propargylamine, respectively. The click chemistry copper (I) catalyzed azidealkyne Huisgen cycloaddition reaction is utilized to form a substituted 1,2,3-triazole
which links the functionalized nanoparticles. Absorption spectra, light scattering
experiments and zeta potential measurements confirm the aggregation of the
“clicked” nanoparticles in solution. Transmission electron microscopy shows the
self-assembly of the nanoparticles on dried surfaces. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy was also used to confirm the presence of the 1,2,3-triazole click product.
Catalyst Synthesis and Screening for Asymmetric Silylation Reactions
John Hodgson, Chemistry - Irmo, SC
Mentor: Dr. Sheryl Wiskur, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Due to the biological discrimination of enantiomers, there is an ever-increasing demand for enantiomericly pure pharmaceuticals. One common method of forming
enantiopure compounds involves the kinetic resolution or separation of racemic
compounds, but only recently has resolution by enantioselective silylation been explored. We now present a new technology for the enantioselective silylation of aldolates. Our approach involves a tandem Mukaiyama aldol reaction followed by
silylation of the adolate intermediate. The reaction proceeds through catalysis with
a bifunctional cinchona quaternary ammonium acetate. Preliminary screenings have
shown this method is viable in numerous solvents, and produces the best results in
toluene. Work on the synthesis and screening of various catalytic derivatives, including use of the pseudoenantiomers cinchonine, cinchonidine, quinidine, and quinine, is helping to illustrate the role of hydrogen bonding in the reaction mechanism,
as well as determine structural effects of the catalyst on the reaction, with the ultimate goal of further optimizing the reaction.
Synthesis and Characterization of Mixed Divalent/Tetravalent Metal Phosphonate Compounds for Dielectric Polymer Nanocomposites
Heidi Houghton, Chemistry - Spartanburg, SC
Mentor: Dr. Hans Conrad zur Loye, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Novel, mixed divalent/tetravalent metal phosphonate compounds with the composition AB(RPO3)3 (where A = Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb; B =Ti, Zr; R = C6H5, C8H17 ) have been
synthesized via a hydrothermal route starting with ferroelectric perovskite precursors of the general formula, ABO3 and alkyl phosphonic acids of the type RPO3
where R = phenyl and octyl. The compounds were characterized by powder X-ray
diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high-resolution transmission
Discovery Day 2008
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Oral Presentations
electron microscopy (HRTEM). The 31P–MAS-NMR spectra of the compounds
showed the presence of three environments: a divalent metal connection to RPO3, a
tetravalent metal connection to RPO3, and a linkage between metals A and B by
means of a bridging RPO3 group, consistent with the existence of mixed metal platelets. HRTEM coupled with energy dispersive analysis confirmed that the platelets
contain a random dispersion of both metals A and B. Bulk elemental analysis by XPS
demonstrated that the mixed-metal phosphonates contain a 1:1 ratio of the divalent
metal to the tetravalent metal. PXRD shows that the compounds are structurally
related to the respective divalent metal alkyl phosphonates, A(RPO3)2.
Detection of Strptavidin using the Optical Properties of Gold Nanorods
Brian Kinard, Biological Sciences - Aiken, SC
Mentor: Dr. Cathy Murphy, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Finely divided metals have been known to display a range of colors when in solution.
Although these finely divided metals were used to create things such as stain glass
windows, their controlled synthesis and further development into functional devices
have only recently come into light. Gold nanorods synthesized below 100nm absorb
light in the visible spectrum in two distinct wavelengths; one corresponding to the
transverse aspect of the nanorod and one corresponding to the longitudinal aspect
of the nanorod. This is due to the phenomenon of plasmon resonance. In this experiment, we investigated the assembly of a protein sensor using the optical properties
of gold nanorods. Gold nanoparticles synthesized using the seed mediated silver
assisted approach are covered longitudinally with a bilayer of the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) while the ends remain open. The gold nanorods were then functionalized with the substrate biotin-hpdp, which bound to the
open gold end of the nanorods through a thiol bond. With the addition of the homotetrameric protein streptavidin, the gold nanorods align in an end to end manner.
This can be monitored by a red shift in longitudinal peak in the UV-Visible spectrum,
with a greater shift corresponding to a greater amount of protein present. As confirmed through TEM, ~30% of the nanorods were aligned end-to-end as opposed to
~1% for the control.
Forensic Discrimination of Black Electrical Tape using Attenuated Total Reflectance and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
Jessica Michaud, Chemistry - Wilmington, NC
Mentor: Dr. Stephen Morgan, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Adhesive tapes are often used in commission of crimes involving explosive devices,
bound victims, or sealed packages. Adhesive residue might be left on a victim’s
hands as a result of binding, or small pieces of polymer tape backing might be found
following detonation of an improvised explosive device. Its many uses in criminal
activity give tape dual evidentiary value: fingerprints and trace evidence can be collected from its surfaces and the tape itself can be examined for possible physical and
chemical matches to known suspect samples. Chemical analyses of such samples
may help to identify the type and possible manufacturer of a questioned tape, and
thus provide investigative leads or confirmatory evidence. The research hypothesis
tested by this work was that variations in chemical composition due to manufacturer’s formulations can facilitate forensic discrimination of tapes. Fourier transform
Discovery Day 2008
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Oral Presentations
infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and pyrolysis gas
chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was employed to study the organic
content of over 50 different black electrical tapes collected from commercial sources
in the eastern United States. Multivariate analysis was performed to visualize differences between spectra and pyrograms of tapes and to evaluate the ability to classify
unknown tape samples. Over 86% of the tape samples could be discriminated into
groups by manufacturer and by brand. ATR spectra alone did not achieve complete
discrimination of tape brands. However, variations in the amount and two major
type of plasticizers (phthalate and adipate) found by GC/MS also contributes to the
ability to identify electrical tapes.
Decoration of Cowpea Mosaic Virus by Noncovalent Interaction
Dustin Rawlinson, Chemistry - Simpsonville, SC
Mentor: Dr. Qian Wang, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Following advances in nanoscience, biomimetic chemistry and the diverse applicability of nanoparticles in areas such as electronics, optics, sensing, and biomedical
fields, the creation of novel, functional nanomaterials is paramount. Non-pathogenic
plant viruses are employed as templates for the synthesis of novel biocomposite
nanoparticles. Modification of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) using sol-gel deposition
of silicon oxide and noncovalent in-situ polymerization of aniline and 4vinylpyridine have afforded a flexible and facile synthetic route for successfully
coated, mono-dispersed biocompoiste nanoparticles. TEM, UV/Vis spectroscopy,
and Zeta potential measurement were used to evaluate and characterize stability
and functionality of the resulting composite nanoparticles.
Synthesis and Characterization of Amino-Bis-Phosphonic Acids for Use in Crystallizing Layered Inorganic-Organic Materials
Kathyrn Seward, Chemistry - Chapin, SC
Mentor: Dr. Hans Conrad zur Loye, Chemistry & Biochemistry
An important goal in the field of polymer nanocomposites has been to enhance the
gas barrier properties of plastics for applications in the food packaging industry. One
method for producing polymer nanocomposites with increased gas barrier properties is the incorporation of layered additives into the polymer matrix. The additives
would create a more tortuous pathway for the diffusion of gasses and thus increase
the gas barrier of the composite relative to the neat polymer. Metal amino-bisphosphonates are layered materials that are promising for use as layered additives.
Amino-bis-phosphonates have been synthesized, characterized and used for crystallizing layered metal amino-bis-phosphonates. Single crystals of calcium and copper
amino-bis-phosphonates have been prepared by us through solvothermal synthesis
and their structures have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Additionally, the corresponding metal phosphonate polycrystalline powders have also
been synthesized.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations
Posters 45
Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy for Detection of Latent Blood on
Forensically Relevant Substrates
Heather Taylor, Chemistry - Lexington, SC
Dorekia Schultz, Chemistry - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Stephen Morgan, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Forensic researchers have made great strides in the information that can be extracted from bloodstains. Blood typing using the ABO system was followed by discovery of specific antigens characteristic of general blood types. In recent years, DNA
has become the most powerful forensic evidence recovered from crime scenes. However, methods for locating and confirming the presence of blood have remained relatively unchanged. Catalytic wet-chemical methods of detection are the standard for
crime scene investigation. Many of these methods involve toxic chemicals, such as
luminol, which can compromise DNA integrity. The research hypothesis tested in
this work is that infrared spectroscopy, used in a real-time mode, can address these
issues and reduce analysis time for presumptive identification of latent blood stains.
Hemoglobin, the major protein in hematocrit, and albumin, the chief component in
plasma, produce distinctive absorbances (amide I and amide II bands in the 16501540 cm-1 spectral range). Diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) was
employed to determine the feasibility of a remote detection system for rapid detection/visualization of blood. Spectra were taken of multiple substrates (acrylic, cotton, nylon, olefin, and polyester coated with Scotchguard™ and other stain release
treatments) doped with various concentrations of blood. Multivariate statistical
analysis was used to determine the optimal spectral region for detection and to assess the discrimination of blood from background substrates. The results clearly
demonstrate that discrimination of bloodstained substrates from clean surfaces was
achievable in the overwhelming majority of case, including down to dilution factors
of 100:1.
Targeted Delivery to Tumor Cells with Taxol-Entrapped Nanospheres
Kevin Yeh, Chemical Engineering - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Esmaiel Jabbari, Chemical Engineering
Cancer is an extremely deadly disease that takes the lives of approximately 500,000
Americans every year. Researchers are doing everything in their power to find a
cure; however, even current methods do not work 100% of the time. These procedures are also extremely dangerous; the patient is at constant risk of consequences
as severe as death. Therefore, many researchers are trying to determine a safer, less
painful way to treat these cancer tumors. In this research, the objective is to develop
a targeted drug delivery system to treat cancerous tumor cells without bringing
harm to the healthy cells. This is performed by specifically targeting cancer cells
with drug filled biodegradable nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were synthesized
with self assembling polymers through dilation. Mass degradation and release profile experiments were performed on these particles. For release profile experiments,
these particles were filled with proteins detectable by UV spectrometer. BSA protein
release profile data displayed a linear trend of increased fractional release over
time; however, the rate of release was determined to be influenced by the nanoparticle loading efficiency. Mass degradation results also showed linear trends, suggesting a relationship between mass loss and materials release. These tests show that
the synthesized nanoparticles were indeed capable of encapsulation as well as biodegradation.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations
Posters 46
Earth & Marine Sciences 1
Saluda River Redeye Bass (Micropterus coosae): Native or Introduced?
Max Bangs, Biological Sciences - St. Thomas, VI
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Quattro, Biological Sciences
The redeye bass (Micropterus coosae) is native to most of the southeastern U.S. drainages including the Savannah River in South Carolina. However, in the late 1800’s,
redeye bass were collected from the Santee River in South Carolina, hundreds of miles
from the nearest ‘native’ population, and the origin of this population has been debated since. We examined the potential source of this unique population by assaying
genetic variation in this and other ‘native’ populations of redeye bass throughout the
southeastern U.S. We use measures of genetic divergence, and within population and
among population genetic variation, as a proxy with which to gauge the uniqueness of
the Santee River population. We hypothesize that if the Santee River population is
introduced from a single source from more southerly drainages, there should be a
decrease in genetic variation within and genetic variance between it and the source
population. Furthermore, rare alleles (alleles occurring in a single population) should
be limited to the potential source populations in the southern drainages, and alleles
found in the Santee River population should not be phylogenetically distinct. We find
a profound decrease in genetic variance within the Santee River population (lower
nucleon diversity than that observed in populations inhabiting other southern drainages) and a concomitant decrease in genetic variance in among population comparisons (no private alleles define the Santee River population and no fixed difference
were found between it and other southern drainages). We conclude that, despite the
relative age of this small isolated population (late 1800’s), Santee River redeye bass
are introduced, most likely from the geographically most proximate population in the
Savannah River.
Identification of the Production of Active Organic Compounds in Antagonistic
Interactions among Marine Bacteria
Kevin Beers, Biological Sciences -Coatesville, PA
Mentor: Dr. Richard Long, Biological Sciences
Recent studies have suggested that bacteria obtained from marine particles are a
valuable and an underutilized source for novel antibiotics. We tested the hypothesis
that a majority of these isolates obtained from the marine particles would express
antagonistic activity. The study of antagonistic interactions among these bacteria will
identify inhibitory organic compounds produced that could be successfully employed
in producing new antibiotics. We examined 59 bacterial isolates for cross inhibition
against the other 58 isolates by a co-cultured antagonistic agar assay, and we identified the isolates by 16S rDNA analysis. We found that 58% of the isolates expressed
inhibitory activity against at least one other isolate. Of these producers, the top 20%
showed inhibition against 6 to 23 isolates. The phyla Bacillus and Vibrio accounted for
75% of the top antagonists. The patterns of inhibition for these top producers displayed versatile effects among the experimental isolates, but has not been tested. We
also observed that 86% of the isolates were sensitive to antagonistic interactions. Of
these inhibited isolates, 20% were inhibited by 5 to 16 of the producers. Our results
demonstrate that marine particle-associated bacteria have the potential for production of antibacterial compounds. Further analysis for secondary metabolites in these
isolates may lead to the discovery of novel and useful antibiotics.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations
Posters 47
One or two species of cownose ray (Rhinoptera spp.) in the Western Atlantic
and Gulf of Mexico
Justin Lewandowski, Marine Science - South Bound Brook, NJ
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Quattro, Biological Sciences
The potential for misidentification between two threatened cow-nosed rays (genus
Rhinoptera) is an example of the conservation management issues created by cryptic speciation. Originally, it was thought that only R. bonasus was present in the Gulf
of Mexico. However, individuals with R. brasiliensis – like jaw toothplate number (a
defining characteristic separating the two species) have led to the suspicion that R.
brasiliensis is present as well. If some of rays in the Gulf that were thought to be R.
bonasus are actually R. brasiliensis, census numbers for this IUCN (2007) threatened
species would obviously be much lower. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA variation
in cownose rays collected from the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to evaluate the presence of R. brasiliensis. Field methods included sample collection and storage in
ethanol. Laboratory methods involved DNA extraction, PCR amplification, DNA sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Analytical methods involved basic population
genetic analysis and morphological identification. Analysis of samples from the Gulf
and western Atlantic revealed that there are clearly two species present in the Gulf
of Mexico; whereas, all sampled individuals from the western Atlantic sample are
clearly R. bonasus. At present, it is unclear whether these species represent the described pair R. brasiliensis and R. bonasus versus an alternative that a newly discovered, undescribed cryptic species inhabits the Gulf of Mexico. We are continuing
these studies by additional sampling and the inclusion of voucher specimens from
outside of US coastal waters (Mexico and Brazil).
Subcuticular bacteria in the brittle star Amphipholis gracillima
Kathleen Marston, Marine Science - Higganum, CT
Emily Kasl, Marine Science
Mentor: Dr. Richard Long, Biological Sciences
Subcuticular bacteria has been noted in many species of brittle stars but very few of
these bacteria have been sequenced. This work presents the analysis of subcuticular
bacteria found in the brittle star species Amphipholis gracillima. We tested the hypothesis that a monoculture of subcuticular bacteria would be found in all brittle
stars of the species. Amphipholis gracillima is a species of brittle star found on the
southeastern coast of the United States. Brittle stars used in this experiment were
collected at North Inlet, in Georgetown SC. We tested bacterial DNA extraction efficiency using the Qiagen tissue extraction kit and the Ultraclean soil DNA kit. The 16S
rDNA- ITS -23S rDNA region was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. This
served two purposes: 1) Use of the 23S eliminated the possibility of contamination
by brittle star mitochondrial DNA since the 23S is not present in the mitochondrial
genome 2) The length of the ITS and 23S is variable among bacteria allowing for
classification. The amplified DNA was separated using high resolution agarose gel. It
was determined that the Ultraclean soil DNA kit had a greater yield of bacterial DNA.
Initial studies indicated that the brittle star arms contained a mixed bacterial community, which voided our hypothesis. Further work is planned to identify the bacterial present using the 16S rRNA gene and compare variations of bacterial communities between brittle stars.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 48
Oral Presentations
Reproductive ecology in Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus) of South Carolina
estuaries
David Murray, Marine Science - Columbus, OH
Mentor: Dr. Virginia Shervette, Baruch Marine Field Laboratory
Fish in the gar family Lepisosteidae have received little attention in ecological research. This group of fish is sometimes classified with the bowfin and is older than
most teleosts, dating back to 180 million years ago. Longnose gar Lepisosteus
osseus ) is a ubiquitous species that occurs in fresh and estuarine water throughout
the eastern half of the U.S. The objective of this research is to examine aspects of the
reproductive ecology of longnose gar that utilize estuarine waters in South Carolina.
During the months from January to June 2007, 331 longnose gar were collected by
the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources with drift nets. The specimens
were primarily female ranging in size from 41-105 cm. The gonads of each fish was
collected and frozen. Using these gonad samples, I assessed the egg size, weight, and
total number of eggs for each fish. I also measured the gross weight of the gonad and
Gonadosomatic Index. Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) which is the ratio of the total body
weight to the weight of the gonad is used as a means of determining temporal trends
in the reproduction of fishes. This information and additional information I am collecting on other aspects of longnose gar ecology is important for management efforts
of other estuarine-dependent species that occur in the same habitats as gar.
Brittlestar (Ophioderma brevispinum) Behavior to Chemical Cues from Starfish (Luidia clathrata) body parts
Michele Ross, Marine Science - Smithfield, VA
Alyson Tockstein, History - South Salem, NY
Mentor: Dr. Steve Stancyk, Biological Sciences
Predator detection and response are essential survival behaviors for any organism.
Through evolution, organisms that are able to distinguish between a predator and
non-threatening organisms would increase their reproductive success, giving them
an evolutionary advantage. Ophioderma brevispinum, a type of brittlestar, is ideal
for analysis of the behavior it exhibits to a common predatory starfish, Luidia clathrata. The primary reaction after detection of O. brevispinum to a predator is a rapid
flight response. Previous research indicated that O. brevispinum respond to touch
from L .clathrata. The purpose of this research was to determine where the cue resided within L. clathrata. We hypothesized that tube feet would contain more of the
stimulating chemical than the pyloric cecae. To test this, we removed one arm from
an individual L. clathrata and detached the tube feet from the arm; we also removed
the pyloric cecae from within the arm. Each tissue was ground, placed in filtered
seawater and centrifuged to create a supernatant, which was removed, and a pellet,
which was resuspended in seawater. Each solution and a filtered seawater control
were tested on two groups of seven O. brevispinum by using pipettes to drip a
known amount of solution onto a brittlestar. The results indicate that there was
more of a response to the tube feet pellet than to the pyloric cecae or the control,
proving our earlier hypothesis. Possibly, the chemical cue created inside the animal
is secreted through the tube feet of L. clathrata.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 49
Oral Presentations
The Effects of Low Level Radiation on the Barn Swallow Population of the
Chernobyl Region
Andrew Voris, Biological Sciences - Blythewood, SC
Mentor: Dr. Timothy Mousseau, Biological Sciences
More that 20 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the radiation still present in
the environment is harming the species that inhabit the region. This project was
aimed at modifying a single cell electrophoresis method (a COMET assay) to quantify
the DNA damage in a Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) and then using the assay to
test the hypothesis that there is significant genetic damage to birds collected in the
immediate Chernobyl region versus those collected fifty miles away. A second control site was selected in Spain to further control for the radiation cloud over the region. Our results find dramatically higher numbers of cells with damaged DNA in the
birds from Chernobyl when compared to control populations, consistent with previous findings of elevated mutation rates using microsatellite DNA markers and visible
morphological markers. These results suggest that even low level radiation can damage DNA and have negative effects for animals. In addition, this study indicates that
the COMET assay may be a relatively simple and effective method for bioassays of
mutagens in the environment.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 50
Oral Presentations
Earth & Marine Sciences 2
Geochemical Provenance Analysis of Calcareous Gravel, Ebro Basin, Spain
Elizabeth Bell, Geology - Christiansburg, VA
Mentor: Dr. David Barbeau, Geological Sciences
One major tool for assessing the tectonic evolution of mountain belts and their associated foreland basins involves analyzing the origins (provenance) of the sediments
within the basin-fill. Whereas various methods have been developed to assess
provenance, extrabasinal carbonate clasts are somewhat problematic. We demonstrate the feasibility of carbonate provenance determination to the level of precision
of small groups of carbonate formations using stable isotope (ä13C, ä18O) and trace
element geochemistry and apply our method to the southeastern margin of Spain’s
Ebro Basin, where sediment has been independently constrained to derive from the
adjacent Catalan Coastal Ranges (CCR). Between 60 and 86 gravel-sized clasts have
been randomly selected from three basin-fill conglomerate units. Isotopic compositions have been analyzed by gas source mass spectrometry, and various trace element concentrations by ICP-AES. A suite of carbonate samples from within the CCR
have also been analyzed, and the compositions of source rocks and basin-fill clasts
compared. Clasts’ stable isotope compositions fall within the range of source rock
compositions, and the contributions of various CCR formations to the basin-fill can
be determined by least-squares analysis of the stable isotope data. Trace element
compositions of the clasts will serve as an additional provenance indicator. Analysis
of several basin-fill units allows us to evaluate shifting provenance with age, yielding
a more complete picture of basin/mountain belt tectonic evolution for the time period involved. In addition, the method we develop here may be applicable for
provenance analysis in other regions where basin-fill is similarly dominated by carbonate clasts.
Contributions of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons to Non-point Source Runoff
from the USC Aiken Campus
Michael Drinkwater, Biological Sciences - Aiken, SC
Mentor: Dr. Michele Harmon, Biology/Geology
*USC Aiken
Non-point source water pollution comes from many different sources and is caused
when rain or snow melt contacts and moves over the ground. This runoff carries
natural and anthropogenic contaminants which are ultimately deposited into
streams, rivers, estuaries, and oceans. This research focused primarily on total petroleum hydrocarbons as the non-point source water pollutant. This particular pollutant arises from the oil and gasoline residues which are found on virtually every
parking. The area under investigation consists of three parking lots located at the
University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) campus. The runoff from these parking
lots is deposited directly into a surrounding wooded area without any form of treatment or retention. The objectives of this study were to quantify petroleum hydrocarbons entering the environment during rainfall events and investigate additional
threats posed by this runoff, including toxicity and erosion. Results indicated petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations ranging from 11 ppm during first flush to a steady
concentration of approximately 4 ppm after 60 minutes of rainfall. These data were
used to calculate a total contribution of 710 grams of gasoline to the surrounding
environment during one rainfall event. Toxicity results were negligible, and erosion
was significant in places around the campus
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 51
Oral Presentations
Effect of Iron Limitation on Sulfur:Carbon Ratios in Marine Phytoplankton
Kaitlin Duffey, Chemistry - Denver, CO
Mentor: Dr. Benjamin Twining, Chemistry & Biochemistry
The exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and the atmosphere and the
growth of oceanic phytoplankton play an important role in the global carbon cycle.
The concentrations of dissolved metals, particularly iron, are vital factors in controlling the growth and productivity of oceanic species, necessitating the measurement
of the iron contents of natural phytoplankton cells. Iron quotas are usually normalized to carbon biomass to facilitate comparison of the accumulation of these two
elements. Because carbon-based filters are used to collect phytoplankton cells for
iron analysis, sulfur may be used instead as a proxy for carbon biomass. However,
many cells produce sulfur-containing antioxidants in higher concentrations when
their growth is limited by the availability of nutrients. Laboratory culture experiments are being performed to examine changes in cellular sulfur:carbon ratios resulting from iron limitation. Three different species of oceanic phytoplankton are
being grown under iron-replete and iron-limited conditions. Cellular carbon is being
measured using the C-14 radioisotope as a tracer. Cellular sulfur is being measured
using inductively coupled plama mass spectrometry. In the diatom Thalassiosira
pseudonana, cellular sulfur has been observed to increase during iron-limitation.
The dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum and the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi are currently being grown. Results for all three species will be presented and
compared.
Identifying Halophilic Extremophiles: Measuring the Effect of Salt Concentration on the Growth of Hypersaline Salt Pond Isolates
Caitlin Gionfriddo, Chemistry - Cincinnati, OH
Mentor: Dr. Richard Long, Biological Sciences
We examined the salinity range for growth of 74 different bacterial isolates collected
from a hypersaline pond on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. The salinity of the
pond fluctuates between 60- 300. Each isolate was exposed to six different environments of varying salinity: 0, 18, 36, 72, 144, and 288. The isolates were initially
grown at intermediate salt concentrations of 18 and 144 and then exposed to the
extreme salt concentrations to avoid hypertonicity. Bacterial growth was measured
over a three week period using a fluorescent dye which binds to DNA and a spectrofluorometer. From the growth patterns of each isolate, the effect of salt concentration on the isolate’s growth could be determined. The salinity tolerance of each isolate identified the bacteria as halophobic, halotolerant, or halophilic. Halophilic isolates preferred environments of high salt concentration, while halotolerant species
survived in moderate salt conditions, and halophobic isolates grew in the lower salinities. The goal of this experiment is to provide data for future research studies that
focus on halophilic species that thrive in extreme salt conditions and their potential
to be used in high ionic strength bacterial powered fuel cells.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 52
Oral Presentations
Physical Conditions in the Upper Mantle Beneath Kharchinksy Volcano, Kamchatka
Reid Mobley, Geology - Blythewood, SC
Mentor: Dr. Gene Yogodzinski, Geological Sciences
Chemical compositions of key minerals present within the ultramafic xenoliths from
Kharchinsky volcano were used to determine the physical conditions of the upper
mantle and deep crust in the Kamchatka subdudction system. Analyses were done
on the Cameca SX50 election microprobe in USC Electron Microscopy Center. Published geothermometers were used to quantify the temperature at which the ultramafic xenoliths were held prior to the eruption that carried them to the surface.
Previous work on whole-rock composition classified the Kharchinsky xenoliths into
two groups, peridotites, and pyroxenites based on compositional and textural characteristics. My results demonstrate these peridotites were held at a higher temperature and probably a greater depth than the pyroxenites in the upper mantle, beneath
the Kharchinsky Volcano.
U-pb detrital-zircon geochronology of Middle Paleozoic strata, central Appalachian basin, WV & VA
Alan Rickenbaker, Geology - St. Matthews, SC
Denise Bachmann-Krug, Geology - Ashland, OH
Mentor: Dr. David Barbeau, Geological Sciences
New evidence suggests that the onset of the dominant phase of Appalachian mountain-building may have occurred 5-30 million years prior to current estimates,
thereby requiring a fundamental reconsideration of Paleozoic plate kinematics of
North America and adjacent continents. In order to test this hypothesis, we collected
samples of Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, and Mississippian sedimentary rocks
from the Appalachian foreland basin, WV and VA for sediment provenance analysis
using U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircons. After isolating zircon grains from these
sandstone samples with standard disaggregation and mineral separation techniques,
we used laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry at the University of Arizona to constrain their U-Pb crystallization ages. This poster focuses on the
collected Devonian and Early Mississippian samples. Devonian samples from the
Chemung, Foreknobs, and Hamshire formations contain detrital zircons with prominent age peaks from 0.3 to 0.6 Ga, and ~0.9 to ~1.7 Ga. Mississippian samples from
the Pocono, Hinton, Princeton Ss, and Bluestone formations will also be presented in
this report. Whereas Grenville (0.9-1.4 Ga) zircons dominate the age spectra of all
samples, the relative abundance of Pan-African (0.5-0.7 Ga) and Paleozoic (ca. 250550 Ma) zircons provide insight into the kinematic history of the Appalachian orogen. The paucity of such zircons in the early Devonian foreland basin and their abundance in later Devonian and Mississipian rocks suggest a prominent shift in the orogen’s composition during the Acadian orogeny. We interpret these results to indicate
the docking of an exotic terrane to the central Laurentian margin.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 53
Oral Presentations
A Test of the Bioavailability of Model Fe-Porphyrin Complexes to the Marine
Phytoplankton Species Thalassiosira weissflogii
Kristin Rouse, Marine Science - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Benjamin Twining, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Iron is an element that is essential for the growth and metabolism of marine phytoplankton but is present in relatively low concentrations in seawater and is not
bioavailable in all its forms. It has been observed that most of the dissolved iron in
the ocean is bound to strong organic ligands. Porphyrin-based compounds such as
hemin are thought to comprise one such class of these ligands. However the
bioavailability of porphyrin compounds—and hemin in particular—is poorly constrained. Experiments are being performed to test the ability of Thalassiosira weissflogii to obtain iron for growth from hemin complexes in laboratory cultures. Four
different treatments of T. weissflogii cultures are being grown in triplicate with each
set having a different amount or form of iron available for transport into the cell.
Treatments include iron replete, iron deplete, and Fe added as hemin with or without the simultaneous addition of the strong competing ligand desferrioxamine. The
hemin-desferrioxamine treatment has been included to reduce the indirect accumulation of iron by the cells. Daily cell counts of the cultures will be obtained and analyzed for growth. Expected results include exponential growth in cultures containing hemin or other forms of Fe and comparatively decreased growth in those containing no Fe. Examining the relationship between Fe-porphyrin complexes and T.
weissflogii growth rates should provide further insight on marine phytoplankton
physiology.
Detection of Yanai Waves in the Indian Ocean using Multi-sensor Satellite Data
& HYCOM Simulations
Jamie Shutta, Marine Science - Walkersville, MD
Mentor: Dr. Subrahmanya Bulusu, Geological Sciences
Yanai waves, also known as mixed Rossby-gravity waves, have a major impact on
biology through nutrient upwelling. The waves’ ability to depress the thermocline
creates the upwelling, which then causes increased chlorophyll-a concentrations in
the nutrient rich areas. Yanai waves have a period of about 25 days in the Indian
Ocean. Since the typical oscillation of an equatorially trapped wave is 40-60 days,
the comparatively shorter period of the Yanai wave is significant in distinguishing it
from other waves in the equatorial region. It is important to study Yanai waves in
the Indian Ocean because plankton dynamics affect species of fish that will follow
the migration of their food source and thus have an effect on the fishing industry.
Down the Drain: Effects of a Waste Water Treatment Plant on the Pocotaligo
Swamp
Robert Soos, Chemical Engineering - Sumter, SC
Mentor: Dr. Pearl Fernandes, Biological Sciences
*USC Sumter
The Pocotaligo River and Swamp is a blackwater river system with its headwaters in
Sumter County, South Carolina. The Sumter Waste Water Treatment Plant adds 45
million liters/day of treated sewage into the Pocotaligo Swamp and has plans for
further expansion of the treatment plant. We are conducting a long term study on
the effects of effluents from the Waste Water Treatment Plant on biological indica-
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations
Posters 54
tors of water quality, including fecal coliforms, macro and micro invertebrate populations; chemical indicators of water quality such as nitrates, nitrites and phosphates; and physical parameters such as temperature, total suspended solids, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH and flow rate. Samples were taken from an upstream (control) site, a site at which the effluent is released, and a downstream site.
Our results indicate that fecal coliforms were higher at the site of the effluent as
compared to the upstream and downstream sites. There was a positive correlation
between fecal coliforms and physical parameters of pH, total suspended solids and
dissolved oxygen levels. The effluent site contained higher micro and macro invertebrate populations when compared to the upstream and downstream sites. Nitrate
and phosphate levels were also significantly higher at the effluent site. Our results
indicate that the treatment plant has effects on the water quality of the Pocotaligo
River and Swamp. Continuous monitoring for these indicators of water quality as
well as a study of other point sources is crucial in order to maintain a healthy ecosystem in the Pocotaligo Swamp.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations
Posters 55
Engineering, Physics, & Math
Mathematically modeling the temperature profile of a compact fixed-bed batch
hydrogen storage reactor
John Campbell, Chemical Engineering - Deer Park, TX
Mentor: Dr. Michael Matthews, Chemical Engineering
The development of effective hydrogen storage technologies is a key issue which
must be addressed as part of the advent of a hydrogen-based economy. The research project proposed for the spring of 2007 is to begin development of a mathematical model that will predict the rate of hydrogen production and the temperature
profile in a compact fixed-bed batch hydrogen storage reactor. This model will complement extensive experimental work being conducted by graduate students in Professor Matthews’ group. The reaction under study is based on hydrolysis of a chemical hydride to produce H2 gas; this reaction is well known to be strongly exothermic.
A simple thermophysical model of the reactor will be programmed and solved using
a commercial software package to give preliminary modeling results that can be
compared with experiments. Specifically, this Magellan project will support the following activities: 1) a literature review to obtain experimental data on the properties of the reactants and products; 2) in the absence of data, identification of methods to estimate the remaining properties; and 3) programming an initial model into
FEMLAB and conducting preliminary calculations. Ultimately, this preliminary
model will be further refined and developed by the Matthews group to model experimental results and to explore new reactor configurations. This model will help the
group in the development of an efficient lightweight hydrogen storage unit which
will provide fuel for hydrogen fuel cells.
Development of Selective, Low Damage Chemical etching Technique for Silicon
Carbide
Kevin Daniels, Electrical Engineering - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Tangali Sudarshan, Electrical Engineering
Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a very promising semiconductor material with higher breakdown field and thermal conductivity with respect to the current material used in
power electronics, silicon. However, due to the high density of defects that occurs
during growth, devices that are made on the material could perform with undesired
results. Current methods to reveal these defects involve a very destructive technique
involving pure potassium hydroxide (KOH), which not only reveals all defects in the
material, but greatly increases surface roughness, making the material useless in any
future application. The objectives of this research were to develop a less aggressive
chemical etching technique using eutectic compositions, experiment with different
etching parameters (duration, mixture composition and temperature) to obtain low
damage, selective technique and compare the results of the traditional KOH and
eutectic techniques using optical and scanning electron microscopy and AFM. It was
observed that different compositions, while maintaining excellent surface roughness, had different results as to what was delineated which could lead to better correlations between device performance and defect presence in devices.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 56
Oral Presentations
Study of Instrumental Asymmetries in the Focal-Plane Polarimeter at Jefferson
Lab Hall A
Jonathan DeGange, Chemsitry - Rock Hill, SC
Mentor: Dr. Steffen Strauch, Physics & Astronomy
Proton recoil polarization has been measured in the quasi-elastic 4He(e, e’p)3H reaction at a four momentum transfer Q^2 = 0.8 and 1.3 (GeV/c)^2 in Jefferson Lab
experiment E03-104. The induced polarization of the recoiling proton is a measure
of the proton's final state interactions (FSI), and precise measurements are needed
to constrain theoretical calculations. The proton polarization is extracted from
asymmetries in the angular distribution of the protons scattered in the carbon analyzer of the focal-plane polarimeter (FPP) of the Hall A High Resolution Spectrometer. The process of extracting the induced polarization becomes complicated due to
the presence of instrumental asymmetries in the FPP. Systematic studies of the detector response have shown inefficient regions in the FPP straw chambers. A novel
technique has been created in efforts of including only those proton tracks in the
analysis for which a mirror-symmetric track could have been detected with equal
efficiency. Analysis of the data of E03-104 has been done using the ROOT framework
and C++. The results of this technique have yielded slight improvements in corrections of false asymmetries. The reconstruction of the mirror-symmetric track, however, has been found to be limited by multiple scattering in the carbon analyzer and
detector resolution. This work has triggered an effort in overall improving the efficiency in proton tracking.
Computer Modeling and Validation of Axial Force Generated by Novel Prosthetic Device Under Normal Human Gait
Micah Hodgins, Mechanical Engineering - Bluffton, SC
Mentor: Dr. Phil Voglewede, Mechanical Engineering
One of the major contributors to amputations in the US originates from the complications of diabetes. Trans-tibial (below the knee) prosthetic devices enable these
amputees to regain their mobility. In this work an active (motorized) novel ankle
prosthetic device was dynamically tested by using 3D modeling software Pro/
Engineer Mechanism Dynamics. This test was to validate the actual test of the current prototype. Previously it was found that the device was capable of producing
very similar ankle torque results as experienced in the normal human gait. This current test was performed to measure the axial force produced during 6-60% of the
normal stride. Knowing this force is important to quantify the capabilities on the
new device. By comparing the axial force data from the tests in the computer model
and the prototype the values could be validated. The Pro/Engineering Mechanism
Dynamics model was constrained similarly to the actual prototype that was tested in
a MTS machine. When comparing the two axial force results it can be seen that they
are inconclusive. The two results are not similar enough to know if the actual test
was good or not. The differences could be contributed to the slight variances in the
test procedure—between the computer model and the prototype. By refining these
variations and setting up the two tests more closely the force quantities could be
easily compared and validated.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 57
Oral Presentations
The Hidden Dangers of Tornado Projectiles to the Nuclear Engineering
Industry
Lesley Joseph, Civil Engineering - Rock Hill, SC
Mentor: Dr. Charles Pierce, Civil & Environmental Engineering
The damage done by tornadoes has always been a concern, but no industry is more
adversely affected by its devastation than the nuclear engineering field. Many
nuclear engineers are worried that the underground pipes used to transport its
nuclear waste can be breached by the objects, or projectiles, that are displaced by
tornadoes. The goal of our research is to explore the creation of these tornado
projectiles, determine their ability to penetrate the earth’s surface, and analyze the
possible adverse effects on the underground transport system. We began by
compiling a list of the most anomalous objects that have been transported by
tornadoes. We recorded their dimensions, volume, and densities, and we calculated
the amount of force they would exert from the ground at different angles after being
transported. Once we gathered all of our information, we created theoretical models
of these projectiles and determined their effects on the earth’s surface. Our results
show that each type of projectile has its own specific type of danger associated with
it. Smaller projectiles have the ability to penetrate the earth’s surface and possibly
rupture the tubing that is underground, while heavier objects can exert a larger
force upon the ground that will transfer an immense amount of energy, which can
also have adverse effects. Nuclear engineers must be very cognizant of these
possibilities and plan the structure of their power plants accordingly to ensure the
safety of themselves and the surrounding communities.
Moving Toward the Future
Allick Inglis, Civil Engineering - Bluffton, SC
Greg Forman, Finance - Fairfax, VA
Mentor: Dr. Michael Meadows, Civil & Environmental Engineering
We would like to propose a solution in which we will strive to reduce our
dependence on fossil fuels. The intended plan is to harness the abundant energy of
the wind off the South Carolina coast via thirty 1.5 MW wind turbines. This
renewable resource has the potential to supply a portion of the energy needed to
fuel our modern society. These growing energy demands are having a detrimental
effect on the environment. Burning fossil fuels such as oil to power our vehicles and
coal to produce electricity are emitting vast excess amounts of CO2 into the
atmosphere producing global warning. Our dependence on these natural resources
has become a threat to national security and led us to war which we will not be able
to win until we are no longer dependent on oil. We are proposing a wind farm just
off the South Carolina coast, consisting of thirty 1.5 MW Wind turbines. The mean
wind speed in the design location has been determined to be 17 miles per hour. With
this wind speed it can be speculated that each wind turbine would produce six mega
watts of electricity each year. These thirty wind turbines would produce enough
electricity to provide power to nearly twelve thousand average households in the
southeast United States. This green energy will reduce our reliance on the current
fossil fuels and there damaging effects on our environment.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 58
Oral Presentations
Partition Regularity of the Pythagorean Triples
Christopher Poirel, Mathematics - Pawley’s Island, SC
Mentor: Dr. Joshua Cooper, Mathematics
Our research question asks if the Pythagorean triples are partition-regular. In other
words, if one k-colors the natural numbers, must there be a solution to the equation
a^2 + b^2 = c^2 which is monochromatic? We have had some interesting results by
attempting to color the integers using different greedy algorithms (naive and
random). We have also come to some conclusions about the structure of the
Pythagorean Triples by taking a graph-theoretical approach to the problem.
Anomoly-Mediated Neutrino-Induced Photons
Andrew Scott, Physics - Clemson, SC
Mentor: Dr. Sanjib Mishra, Physics & Astronomy
In November 2007 a novel neutrino interaction was put forward by Harvey, Hill and
Hill (Ref.[1]). The novelty of the idea is a new type of neutrino-matter interaction
resulting in a gamma-ray (photon) with the matter target (nucleus) left almost
intact. If true, this theoretical idea will have an immediate impact on two extremely
disparate aspects of Physics. First, the new interaction will yield an origin for the
anomalous electron-neutrino (NuE)- like events at low energy in the MiniBOONE
experiment (Ref. [2]). This involves the smallest of particles. Second, the new
interaction will modify our understanding of stellar evolution. Since neutrinos play
an important role in stellar dynamics, the new interaction will modify our
understanding of neutrino interactions within the stellar medium. My research
objective is to confirm or refute this important hypothesis using the precise neutrino
data collected by the NOMAD experiment (Ref. [3]). The universe is composed of two
types of particles, Fermions and Bosons. Fermions make up all matter, while Bosons
mediate forces between Fermions. Neutrinos are the lightest and the most abundant
of all Fermions; they are also the least understood. They interact very weakly with
other particles because of their small size and lack of electrical charge. For example,
a neutrino will go through the Earth without so much as being deflected. When it
does interact, neutrinos interact with the constituents of the target nuclei, protons
and neutrons.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations
Posters 59
Neuroscience
Using Herpes Simplex Virus-1 to Over-express the Mu-opioid Receptor in Afferent Neurons
Rabiah Ali, Biological Sciences - Newberry, SC
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Sweitzer, Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience
Neuropathic pain is a chronic condition that millions suffer with on a daily basis.
Opioids are often administered at high dosages to help with the symptoms associated with chronic neuropathic pain. In this project, Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1)
was used to over-express the mu-opioid receptor (ƒÝOR) in primary afferent neurons. Four groups were included: a control virus encoding the E. Coli LacZ gene
(SGZ), a HSV-1 encoding cDNA for mOR (SGMOR), a HSV-1 encoding cDNA for preproenkephalin (KPE), and a combination of the SGMOR and KPE viruses. HSV-1 viral
constructs were administered to the left hindpaw via topical inoculation. Spinal
cords were collected at 4 weeks post-infection to examine expression of the mOR
using immunohistochemistry. Preliminary results show that when compared to the
SGZ infected control group, the SGMOR infected mice have double the density of
mOR immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. This increase in mOR
immunoreactivity was observed in lamina I-III as compared to a more limited expression in lamina I-II in SGZ control infected mice. Also, infection with
SGMOR+KPE virus increases mOR immunoreactivity in lamina I-III of the spinal
cord. These results suggest that HSV-1 mediated viral vectors can increase expression of mOR in primary afferent neurons and may be used to enhance opioid analgesia in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain.
Increased KA2 Subunit Expression in Epileptic Rats
Sarah Barrett, Biological Sciences - Spartanburg, SC
Mentor: Dr. David Mott, Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience
Authors: Sarah Barrett, Sloka Iyengar, Donna Venable, Dr. Marlene A. Wilson, Dr.
Steven P. Wilson, Dr. David D. Mott Temporal lobe epilepsy can develop after a brain
injury, and is marked by spontaneous seizures, which typically start in the hippocampi. Kainate receptors (KARs) are a class of excitatory glutamate receptors, and
are composed of several subunits. KARs participate in the generation of seizures.
These seizures can alter expression of the KAR subunit, KA2. The presence of KARs
containing KA2 can increase the brain’s susceptibility to seizures. It was hypothesized that the increased expression of KA2 during epilepsy makes the brain more
vulnerable to seizures, and that genetic manipulation of KA2 expression could be a
novel therapy. The effect of seizures on KA2 subunit expression in the hippocampus
was examined. Rats were made epileptic using pilocarpine. Twelve weeks after induction of epilepsy, rats were sacrificed and immunohistochemistry was used to
examine the effect of seizures on KA2 subunit expression and distribution. Increased
KA2 expression was found with most additional expression appearing to occur on
glia. A lentiviral vector was made to upregulate KA2 expression. A lentiviral vector
over-expressing KA2 as well as green fluorescent protein (GFP) was stereotaxically
injected into the hippocampus of rats (n = 2). Control animals received a lentiviral
vector expressing GFP only (n = 2). Two weeks later KA2 expression in the hippocampus was compared between rats treated with control versus KA2 virus. In-
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 60
Oral Presentations
creased KA2 expression was found in neurons transduced by the KA2 virus. Future
experiments include developing a lentiviral vector to downregulate KA2 expression
and testing the vectors’ effects on epilepsy.
Social anticipation and play behavior in an animal model of autism
Lauren Codi Black, Experimental Psychology - Pickens, SC
Mentor: Dr. Sandra Kelly, Psychology
The Valproic Acid (VPA) Model of Autism in rats has been shown to mimic some of
the features of autism; however, changes in social behavior in this model have not
been investigated. This study examines the affect associated with anticipation of
social experiences and the ability to correctly perform play behavior in the VPA
model. Pregnant rats were exposed to 500 mg/kg of valproic acid (VP) or vehicle
(VEH) intraperitoneally on gestational day 11.5. After weaning of the offspring on
postnatal day (PD) 21, rats were housed with littermates until PD 28 when they
were isolated. Testing began on PD 32 and continued for five consecutive days. Play
behavior and anticipation testing occurred in same-sex pairs of VP-VP, VP-VEH, VEH
-VP, and VEH-VEH juvenile rats, with the first designated animal in each pair being
the experimental animal, i.e., the one that was being observed. Neither of the animals
in each pair had any previous play experience with the other. Rats were observed
for two minutes in anticipation and five minutes in play behavior. No main effect was
found in play behavior for condition, and no interaction was found between condition, sex, and day. These data suggest that the VPA Model of Autism does not correctly model changes in social behavior in autism. This study was funded by the
Magellan Scholar Program and NIAAA 11566.
The effect of ethanol exposure during development on the CB1 receptor
Henry Bonner, Biological Sciences - Spartanburg, SC
Mentor: Dr. Sandra Kelly, Psychology
One of the commonly observed behavioral deficits seen in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder (FASD) is an increase in anxious behavior. Recently, the endogenous cannabinoid system and specifically the CB1 receptor has been implicated in control of
anxiety, particularly those receptors in the amygdala and hippocampus. We hypothesized that alterations to the cannabinoid system were the neural bases for the
increased anxiety observed in FASD and animal models of FASD. The three treatment groups of rats included the ethanol-treated (ET), intubated-control (IC), and
non-treated-control (NC) groups. The treatments were from gestational day 1
through 22 and postnatal day 2 through 10, which is a period equivalent to all three
trimesters in the human. On PD 21, the brains were collected and processed for the
presence of the CB1 receptor in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala and the ventral hippocampus with an autoradiographic procedure using tritiated CP-55,940, a
CB1 agonist. The MCID imaging system was used to quantify the density of staining
for the CB1 receptor relative to microscale standards. Preliminary data suggest that
CB1 receptor density is reduced in the hippocampus and increased in the basolateral
nucleus of the amygdala by ethanol exposure during development. This study was
funded by the Magellan Scholar Program, University of South Carolina Honors College and NIAAA 11566.
Discovery Day 2008
Oral Presentations
Posters 61
Complexity of Visual Neocortex Minicolumns in Great Apes
Stacey Burgin, Anthropology - Waynesville, NC
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Buxhoeveden, Anthropology
Cortical minicolumns are vertically organized units within the neocortex and considered by many to be an important building block. The size differences between different cortical minicolumns may reflect alterations in their function. This research
observes and compares the sizes and spacing of cell minicolumns in two areas of the
cortex. Computer and animal models suggests that smaller columns are more specialized processors of information and may also reflect greater processing complexity. In this study, we analyzed the size of minicolumns in layer 3 of in primary motor
cortex (M1) and primary visual cortex (V1) in the great apes. Analysis was done
using Image J software that was modified by this laboratory to measure cell column
spacing and grey level index. The samples were cut in the coronal plane and micrographs were obtained at 100x total magnification. The results demonstrate that
minicolumns in V1 are easily distinguishable from those in M1, being much smaller
and having a higher grey level index. This is the same pattern found in human cortex. The results support the hypothesis that minicolumns in primary visual cortex
are smaller in all primates compared to other regions of the cortex, a pattern not
found in small other small brain mammals where minicolumns have been examined.
Further, the columns in primates are absolutely smaller than those found even in
such small brain mammals as rodents, cats, and marsupials. This is thought to be a
reflection of the specialized and complex visual system unique to the primate brain.
Functional Effects of GABAA Receptor Subunit Mutations
Shana Dykema, French - Charleston, SC
Mentor: Dr. Janet Fisher, Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the most abundant neurotransmitter in the
central nervous system, and mediates most of the fast inhibitory transmission there.
Recently, mutations in the ã2 subunit of the GABAA receptor have been linked to
childhood epilepsies, including febrile seizures (FS) and generalized epilepsy with
febrile seizures plus (GEFS+). Febrile seizures are the most common of the childhood seizure disorders, affecting two to five percent of children before they turn
five, with two to seven percent of these children developing epilepsy later on in life.
The mutation implicated here has substituted a glycine for an arginine at position
139 of the ã2 subunits, and has been shown to cause accelerated current deactivation or decreased current amplitude due to reduced membrane expression of
GABAA receptors. We have created mutations in the á1, â3 and ã2 subunits by substituting a glycine for a highly conserved arginine at position 139 of all three subunits in order to investigate the functional properties of the ion channels in the mutated receptors. To create these mutations, DNA primers were engineered containing the arginine-glycine point mutation in order to generate the mutation in cloned
GABAA subunits. Plasmids containing the mutated sequence were then purified and
transfected into HEK-T cells, causing them to produce mutated GABAA receptors; we
then recorded the flow of ions through the channels in these receptors using the
patch-clamp method in order to determine if this mutation in all three subunits
causes seizure-associated behavior.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 62
Oral Presentations
The Effects of Sleep Restriction and Exercise on Anxiety and Cognitive Function
David Elliott, Chemistry - Cooper City, FL
Mentor: Dr. Shawn Youngstedt, Exercise Science
Sleep loss can elicit anxiety and impairment in cognitive. Exercise might ameliorate
these deficits. Our purpose was to determine the effect of chronic sleep restriction and
exercise training on cognitive function and anxiety in mice. Forty mice were maintained on a 12hr:12hr light:dark cycle with ad libitum access to food and water. The
mice were randomly assigned to four 10-week treatment groups in a 2X2 design examining sleep (sleep restriction vs. normal sleep) and exercise (exercise training vs. sedentary restriction). Mice exposed to sleep restriction were placed on a slowly-rotating
disc surrounded by water, which resulted in sleep loss of approximately 3 hr/day. Normal sleep mice were exposed to the sleep restriction apparatus, but were allowed to
sleep. Exercise training consisted of running for 60 min/day at 36 m/min. Sedentary
groups did not run. Following the treatments, anxiety behavior was assessed with the
elevated plus maze. Greater amount of time spent in the open arms is inversely related
to anxiety. Cognitive function was tested using the Morris water maze, where higher
values represent better memory. Results were analyzed with a 2X2 sleep by exercise
ANOVA. There was no significant sleep by exercise interaction, and no significant main
effect for sleep restriction on anxiety. However, exercise training elicited a significant
reduction in anxiety. Sleep restriction elicited a significant decrement in cognitive
function. Exercise training elicited a significant improvement in cognitive function.
There was significant sleep by exercise interaction cognitive function. Exerciseinduced improvements were more evident in the normal sleep condition.
Growing Pains: Differential Endothelin-1 Induced C-Fos Expression in the Spinal
Cord
Jeet Guram, Interdisciplinary Studies - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Sweitzer, Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience
During pain transmission, nerve endings in the periphery conduct sensory input to
the spinal cord. In the spinal cord, these nerves synapse with second order neurons
that signal onward to the brain. This physiological process is called nociception. Previous work in our laboratory has shown there are higher levels of nociception in
younger versus older animals and different trends in nociception between the sexes
in response to the same nociceptive stimulus. In this study, a rodent model of ET-1
induced acute pain was used to explore differences in pain transmission at the level of
the spinal cord. Three age groups were used—postnatal day (P) 7, P21, and P60,
which correspond to infant, child, and adult humans with respect to neurological development. Males and females from each age group received either ET-1, saline vehicle, or nothing intraplantar in the hind paw. 2 hours post injection, animals were perfused and spinal cords were isolated. Cords were processed for c-fos, a marker of
neuronal activity, using immunohistochemistry. We found the greatest amount of
neuronal activity in P21 ET-1 animals, some activity in P60 ET-1 animals, and no clear
trends or activity in P7 animals. In the P60 and P21 groups, males showed more activity than females. These physiological results explain the previously observed behavioral trends, as younger animals exhibited both more behaviors and more neuronal activity than older ones. An understanding of age- and sex-specific transmission mechanisms is necessary in order to provide effective analgesia throughout the
lifespan.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 63
Oral Presentations
Effects of Damage of the Prefrontal Cortex on Trace Eyeblink conditioning
following Amygdala Inactivation
Stephanie Maddox, Experimental Psychology - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Barbara Oswald, Continuing Education/Academic Programs
Research demonstrates that the prefrontal cortex regulates acquisition and retrieval
of trace conditioned eyeblink responses, at least when using low-arousing stimuli.
When conditioning with highly-arousing stimuli, brain structures including the
amygdala could become activated to promote learning, even in the absence of the
prefrontal cortex input. The present study examined this hypothesis by training
animals both with and without damage to the prefrontal cortex, with and without
deactivation of the amygdala implementing a high-arousal (eyeshock) stimulus.
Animals received ibotenic acid lesion or “sham” surgeries to the prefrontal cortex,
and cannula implants into the amygdala. Following recovery, animals were
randomly assigned to receive microinfusions of the GABAA agonist muscimol or
vehicle into the amygdala immediately prior to behavioral training sessions.
Behavioral training consisted of trace eyeblink conditioning for 6 consecutive days,
followed immediately by 4 days of extinction training. Preliminary results suggest
that lesions to the prefrontal cortex disrupt trace conditioning, but not extinction.
Animals sustaining lesions to the prefrontal cortex coupled with deactivation of the
amygdala exhibited significant disruptions in trace conditioning, even when
conditioning with the high-arousal shock stimulus. These results suggest that during
emotional events, the amygdala becomes activated to permit higher-order learning.
Implications for victims of emotional learning disorders including anxiety,
depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder are discussed.
Neurobehavioral Changes and Quantification of Cytokine Levels in a Rat Model
of Mammary Adenocarcinoma
Catherine Meekins, Chemistry - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Marlene Wilson, Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience
Despite a vast amount of research studying the effects of behavior on cancer
progression, little has been done to examine the effects of tumor presence on anxiety
and depression. Cancer and altered mood-behaviors often co-occur, but little has
been studied on whether this is a psychological or physiological reaction to tumor
presence. Cytokines are released as an inflammatory response to tumor cells and
have been shown to cause behavioral disturbances including elevated anxiety and
depression. Initial studies indicated tumor presence induced higher levels of anxiety
in a rat model of mammary adenocarcinoma. The purpose of the present study was
to investigate if our model of mammary adenocarcinoma induced changes in
circulating and brain levels of cytokines, and if these were correlated to anxiety
levels. Also, determination if melatonin, a hormone shown to attenuate tumor
progression and have anxiolytic and antidepressant properties, could alter the
associated mood behaviors or concentration levels of the cytokines. Female Fisher
344 rats were injected subcutaneously in the mammary pad with serum free
medium or 1.0x10^6 MTLn3 rat adenocarcinoma cells and palpable tumor size was
recorded daily. Melatonin was administered in the drinking water at a target dose of
4 or 12 mg/kg/day. Circulating and brain specific cytokine levels were assessed
using the BioRad BioPlex Cytokine Assay, which analyzes nine cytokines
simultaneously. Preliminary data suggest a significant interaction between tumor
presence and melatonin ingestion for circulating levels of IL-1á, IL-1â, IL-10, and
TNF-á, and differences between plasma and brain cytokine levels.
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 64
Oral Presentations
Changes in Cutaneous Peptidergic and Nonpedtidergic Nocicepter Associated
with Fetal Ethanol Exposure
Dana Sanders, Interdisciplinary Studies - Fort Worth, TX
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Sweitzer, Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience
As fetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD) occurs in 1-10 in 1000 births, there is a
need for the complications of this disorder to be better understood. In particular, an
animal model from our research group has shown that the peripheral neuropathy
resulting from fetal alcohol exposure is characterized by decreased sensitivity to non
-noxious mechanical stimuli and increased sensitivity to noxious thermal stimuli. It
is thought that perhaps fetal alcohol exposure interferes, delays, or even inhibits
proper peripheral nerve development and mylineation; however, the mechanism for
this difference and its sensory consequences is not understood. In this study, we set
out to examine the difference in the peripheral nerve endings in the skin of rats on a
cellular level using immunohistochemistry. Specifically, we used the following antibodies: the PGP 9.5 which is a pan marker for cutaneous nerve endings, Isolectin B4
which stains for non-peptide containing, pain-sensing nerve endings, CGRP
(Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide) which stains for peptide containing, pain-sensing
nerve endings, and Neurofilament 200 which stains for A-Beta afferent, large diameter myelinated touch fibers. Preliminary results suggest a decrease in the PGP 9.5
immunoreactivity, and an increase in both CGRP immunoreactivity and IB4 binding
in the animals exposed to alcohol versus the controls. This suggests a decrease in
peripheral nerve endings in general, and an increase in both peptide and nonpeptide containing pain-sensing endings in the skin.
Discovery Day 2008
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Oral Presentations
Psychology, General
Attachment Style and Memory for Attachment Related Words
Jessica Anderson, Experimental Psychology - Pensacola, FL
Mentor: Dr. Doug Wedell, Psychology
Attachment avoidant individuals have been demonstrated to show memory deficits
for attachment related information (Fraley et al,. 2000). Research has investigated
long-term and working memory to find whether avoidant individuals process and
recall attachment information differently. In the present study, the authors investigated whether attachment avoidant individuals restrict themselves from experiencing emotion based information and therefore have difficulty recalling such information. Avoidant and anxious individuals recalled a similar number of words, both
attachment-related and neutral, as secure individuals. Attachment-related words
were viewed longer by the participants than neutral words. Although this study did
not fully support the ideas suggested by the hypotheses, the authors are developing
further studies from the information derived from this experiment.
Excessive Reassurance Seeking and Insecure Attachment as Risk Factors for
Depressive Symptoms: A 2 Year Prospective Study of Youth
Rachel Bingaman, Experimental Psychology - Columbia, SC
Mentors: Dr. Benjamin Hankin, Psychology
Ms. Emily Wetter, Graduate Student, Psychology
Studies have shown that insecure attachment, as well as excessive reassurance seeking (ERS), have been linked to increases in depression (e.g., Joiner et al., 2001). ERS
is defined as the general inclination to repetitively seek reassurance from others
regarding one’s worth, even after reassurance has been supplied (Joiner, 2000). Although a large body of research has investigated the relationship between insecure
attachment and depression, significantly less research has examined sub-types of
insecure attachment. Thus, the current study examined how dismissive-avoidant
attachment style, a sub-type of insecure attachment, was related to changes in depression. Individuals with a dismissive-avoidant attachment style have a positive
view of self and a negative view of others and are comfortable without intimate emotional relationships (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). This study used a multi-wave
prospective longitudinal design to examine the relationship between ERS, attachment style (specifically, dismissive-avoidant), and depressive symptoms in a 2 site
community sample of adolescents. 350 youth (ages 11-17) completed measures of
cognitive vulnerabilities, attachment style, and depressive symptoms across 2 years.
As hypothesized, results indicated an ERS X dismissive-avoidant attachment interaction, such that adolescents who reported higher levels of ERS and lower levels of
dismissive-avoidant attachment at baseline exhibited the greatest decrease in levels
of depressive symptoms. It is noteworthy that adolescents with high ERS and low
dismissive-avoidant attachment experienced a decrease in depressive symptoms
over a 2 year period, since research has shown a dramatic six-fold increase in rates
of depression during middle to late adolescence (Hankin et al., 1998).
Discovery Day 2008
Posters 66
Oral Presentations
Reference and Representation: The Neural Structures involved in Referential
Processing
Eric Bowers, Experimental Psychology - Walhalla, SC
Mentor: Dr. Amit Almor, Psychology
Language often involves repeated mentions of people and objects. First mentions
create mental representations that can be later accessed and modified by repeated
references. For example, “Mary and Susan went to the store. They needed milk,” the
mention of Mary and Susan in the first sentence creates a mental representation that
is referred to by the pronoun “They” in the second sentence. Little is known about
the underlying neural structures that mediate the generation and tracking of these
representations. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined
the neural structures involved in generating and maintaining the representations of
multiple referents. We recorded participants’ neural responses as they read two
sentence items in either a singular or a plural condition. In the single condition, Sentence 1 introduced one person which was referred to with a single pronoun in Sentence 2 (e.g., “Mary went to the store earlier today. She needed milk.”). In the plural
condition, Sentence 1 introduced two people which were referred to with a plural
pronoun in Sentence 2 (e.g., “Mary and Susan went to the store. They needed milk.”).
Items contained the same number of words across conditions. We found increased
activation in parietal and frontal areas in the plural relative to the single condition.
The parietal activation suggests that referring to multiple people evokes multiple
representations that need to be integrated and tracked. The frontal activation suggests that the plural texts induce ambiguity resulting from the need to sort these
multiple representations.
The Effects of Methylphenidate on time Processing in Adolescents with ADHD
Across Subtype
Justin Griffis, Experimental Psychology - Columbia, SC
Rachel Paull, Exercise Science - Columbia, SC
Laura Martin, Biological Sciences - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Leslie Baylis, Psychology
Previous research has suggested that time processing impairments exist in those
with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). However, controversy has
arisen in whether time processing impairments are more prevalent in those with
combined-type subtype compared to those with inattentive subtype. It has not yet
been examined whether the stimulant drug methylphenidate (MPH) affects both
behavioral and neural activity of time processing in these populations. Time processing ability was measured in adolescents with ADHD and was compared to non-ADHD
adolescents using fMRI. Ability was measured using a duration discrimination task,
in which the participant made a forced decision between two visual stimuli and indicated which was presented for a longer duration. Adolescents with ADHD were
scanned twice (counterbalanced on and off medication) and were analyzed separately by subtype. Results from this study showed that the ADHD group performed
worse in time processing than the non-ADHD group, which suggests impairment
does exist in those with ADHD. This impairment was more prominent in the combined-type ADHD than the inattentive subtype. MPH improved behavior in both subtypes: it decreased overall variability and reaction times, and increased accuracy
performance. These effects were more pronounced in the combined subtype. In ad-
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Oral Presentations
dition, neural activity was affected by MPH. In temporal lobe regions, more focused
activation was seen in on-medication participants; off medication participants
showed a more diffuse pattern of activity. This supports the theory that the ADHD
brain may be using compensatory neural recruitment from a more diffuse network
prior to MPH administration.
Exploring Self-Report and Friend Report Differences in Social Competence of
Adolescents with ADHD
Daron Jolley, Experimental Psychology - Gaffney, SC
Kristin Arnold, Experimental Psychology - Lexington, SC
Mentors: Dr. Kate Flory, Psychology
Ms. Kerrie Glass, Psychology
Research asserts that adolescents with ADHD have significant deficits with peers
and often overestimate their interpersonal skills (Owens, 2003). This overestimation
is referred to as the positive illusory bias. Previous research has used predominantly male samples, relied mostly on parent and teacher reports of skills, and
looked at social competence very broadly (Hoza, 2000). The current study aims to
expand this literature by comparing how adolescents with and without ADHD rate
themselves and how their friends rate them on specific aspects of interpersonal
competence (including initiating relationships, providing emotional support, asserting influence, self-disclosure, and conflict resolution). Our sample includes 26 participants both with and without ADHD from an ongoing study, but we expect more
than 40 participants. Adolescents ages range from 11-19 (Mtarget=14.08, SD=1.74;
Mpeer=14.19, SD=1.96) and 50% of the sample is male. ADHD is assessed using parent reports from the BASC-2, and interpersonal competence is measured using target adolescent (adolescent of main interest) self-report and peer report on the target
on the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ-R). We hypothesize that target
adolescents will rate their interpersonal skills higher than the peer rates those skills
of the target adolescent, and that there will be greater differences in ratings for adolescents with ADHD than those without ADHD. Preliminary results suggest differences between peer and self reported interpersonal competencies, as correlations
between raters were moderate on initiating relationships (r = .49, p.05) and conflict
resolution subscales (r = .52, p.01). Results have implications for better understanding the social deficits of adolescents with ADHD.
Assessing Resilience in Children with Trauma Histories
Colby Moseley, Psychology - Aiken, SC *USC Aiken
Mentor: Dr. Beverly Fortson, Psychology
Childhood maltreatment is a substantial problem in the United States, affecting close
to one million children annually. Although childhood maltreatment can result in
negative outcomes, not all children who experience maltreatment are affected. Instead, these children are described as “resilient.” Unfortunately, the relationship
between childhood maltreatment and the factors that promote resilience is still unclear. The present research was designed to examine the relations between childhood maltreatment, physiological responding, and several factors that have been
suggested to promote resilience in children with maltreatment histories (i.e., family
environment, social support, and socioeconomic status [SES]). Approximately 30
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Oral Presentations
children (15 “healthy” children and 15 children with histories of physical abuse and/
or neglect) between the ages of 11 and 17 were recruited from the Aiken, South
Carolina community. Participants completed questionnaires assessing depression,
anxiety, exposure to community violence, family environment, social support, and
exposure to traumatic events. In addition, the participants’ heart rates were monitored at baseline, during a 10-minute clip from Finding Nemo, and during the completion of the questionnaires. Based on previous research, it is hypothesized that a
healthy family environment (i.e., higher levels of cohesion, lower levels of conflict,
and higher levels of expressiveness), higher levels of perceived social support, and
higher levels of SES will moderate the relation between childhood maltreatment and
outcome. It is also hypothesized that children with histories of maltreatment will
have higher levels of physiological responding than children without histories of
maltreatment. This research has implications for the treatment of children with histories of maltreatment.
Parenting and Interaction Style Effects on Smoking Behavior Among Adolescents with ADHD
Brittany Skiles, Experimental Psychology - Aiken, SC
Jessica Maples, Experimental Psychology - Naperville, IL
Mentors: Dr. Kate Flory, Psychology
Dr. Benjamin Hankin, Psychology
Research has suggested that adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at particular risk for smoking (Milberger et al., 1997). However, little research has examined “why”. The goal of this study is to address this question by
examining parenting style as a contributor to smoking risk among adolescents with
ADHD. Our sample includes participants from a study which is examining multiple
factors that may explain why adolescents with ADHD smoke cigarettes. ADHD is
diagnosed using parent and adolescent scores (T60 for either hyperactivity or inattention) on the BASC-2 (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004). Smoking behavior, expectancies, and intent are measured using self-report questionnaires (Dalton et al., 1999;
Molina & Pelham, 2003; Wang et al., 1996). To assess parenting style, each adolescent and one parent are videotaped while playing a game of Jenga and engaging in a
10-minute discussion of a “hot” issue. Their interactions are coded for parenting
variables by two blind observers. Sixty-five adolescents have participated in the
study. Preliminary results suggest that adolescents with ADHD report significantly
greater intent to smoke in the future (F=4.42, p.05) and are marginally significantly
more likely to have ever smoked in their lifetime (÷2=3.32, p=.07) than participants
without ADHD. Further, results suggest that parents of adolescents with ADHD and
parents of adolescents who report ever smoking display less support/
encouragement/praise (ds=.73 and .72) than parents of adolescents without the
disorder and parents of adolescents who denied smoking. These results have implications for informing an effective smoking prevention program for adolescents with
ADHD.
Family Environment its Effects on Risk for Adolescent Cigarette Smoking
Anna Smith, Experimental Psychology - Sumter, SC
Mentor: Dr. Kate Flory, Psychology
Research has found that family environment can have an impact on adolescent
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Oral Presentations
smoking. For example, parental monitoring leads to a reduction in adolescent smoking (Dick et al., 2007). In the present study, we extend our focus to family environment factors in relation to adolescent smoking risks, specifically, intentions to smoke
and smoking outcome expectancies. Few studies have focused on smoking risks as
opposed to overt behaviors. The goal of this study is to determine if positive family
environments will lead to less risk of smoking among adolescents. A sample of 67
adolescents (52% male, 64% Caucasian) ages 11-17 (M=13.62) were administered
self-report questionnaires. Parental smoking was measured by asking whether the
adolescent’s parents smoke, while parent-child communication was measured using
the IBQ (Robin & Foster, 1989). We measured parental acceptance with the CRPBI
(Schaefer, 1965) and parent monitoring through a questionnaire developed by
Krishnakumar et al. (2003). Outcomes included positive and negative smoking expectancies (Dalton et al., 1999) and intent to smoke (Pierce et al., 1995). Results
show that parent smoking is not significantly related to the smoking outcomes. However, greater parent monitoring is significantly related to less intent to smoke (r = .41), greater negative expectancies (r = .48), and fewer positive expectancies (r = .36). Greater parent-child communication and acceptance are marginally significantly related to greater negative expectancies (rs = .22 and .23). Results suggest
that improving parenting factors, such as communication, may lead to less risk for
smoking among their adolescents.
Working Memory and Reference Processing
Ashley Smith, Experimental Psychology - Florence, SC
Victoria Bodie, Experimental Psychology - Blythewood, SC
Eric Bowers, Experimental Psychology - Walhalla, SC
Joel Knowles, Experimental Psychology - Myrtle Beach, SC
Mentors: Dr. Amit Almor, Psychology
Ms. Veena Nair, Graduate Student, Psychology
According to Almor (1999), working memory (WM) plays an important role in reading repeated references to previously mentioned referents. Specifically, repeated
reference can lead to interference in WM between the semantic representation
evoked by the referential expression and the existing representation of the referent
in memory. In this view, readers with high working memory performance may be
less affected by this interference. We report the result of an experiment that tested
this prediction. We assessed WM performance using a Digit Ordering task in which
participants heard a random list of digits and then recalled them in numerical order.
We assessed reference processing with a self paced reading task with simple two
sentence discourse items that included repeated references to salient and non salient referents. The dependent measure was the reading times of the sentences with
the repeated references. We found evidence of interference in reading times of readers with lower WM performance but not in the reading times of readers with high
WM performance. Together with previous research, our results indicate that WM
plays a complex role in reference processing. With simple items like the ones we
used here, high span readers may be able to accommodate the interference caused
by the repeated reference without a measurable decrement in reading times. With
more complex items as were used in previous research, low span readers may benefit from the repetition because it can help them reactivate and retrieve the representation of the referent.
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Oral Presentations
Probabilistic Reasoning about Security Scenarios
Filip Szymanski, Experimental Psychology - Simpsonville, SC
Mentor: Dr. Douglas Wedell, Psychology
Human judgment is often tied to how people reason about uncertain events. Researchers often present people with different scenarios to better understand how
the think about probability. In our web based research we presented scenarios that
were based on terrorist situation or non terrorist situation. These scenarios allowed
us to see how accurately people perceive a situation and evaluate its diagnosticity.
One manipulation in the survey was whether the problem involved forward reasoning that predicts future events or backward reasoning where the evidence is already
in place and the participant evaluates the likelihood of different hypotheses. When
presenting forward reasoning problems the conjunction of two events has greater
probability than either event. People commit the conjunction error when they fail to
see this relationship. With backward reasoning, the conjunction of two events might
reasonably lead to higher conditional probabilities for a hypothesis. Each person
was presented with either a choice format (which often is more probable) or an estimation format (indicate the probability of each option. The results show that there
were strong conjunction errors in both security-based and nonsecurity-based scenarios and also the reduction of conjunction error when estimating a probability of a
scenario.
Examination of sex differences in cognitive vulnerabilities to depression in
adolescence
Jennifer Yehl, Experimental Psychology - Spartanburg, SC
Mentor: Dr. Benjamin Hankin, Psychology
Research from a longitudinal study indicates that rates of depression increase dramatically for individuals between the ages of 15 and 18 (3% - 17%), with girls experiencing depression at higher rates (Hankin, Wetter, & Cheely, 2008). One approach in identifying risk factors for the development of depression is the study of
how cognitive vulnerabilities place individuals at increased risk (Hankin & Abramson, 2001). The cause of the sex difference in depression has not yet been determined, but Hankin & Abramson (2001) have proposed a cognitive vulnerabilitytransactional stress model. This theory states that females encounter more negative
life events and exhibit more cognitive vulnerabilities to depression than males, thus
increasing the likelihood they will experience depression when they encounter negative events. In this study, we hypothesize that there will be a significant relationship
between negative cognitive style and symptoms of depression in adolescence, with a
stronger relationship for females. This study used a multi-wave prospective longitudinal design to examine the relationship between cognitive style, sex, and depressive
symptoms in a 2 site community sample of 350 youth (ages 11-14) across 2 years.
Negative cognitive style was measured by the Adolescent Cognitive Style Questionnaire (ACSQ; Hankin & Abramson, 2002), and depressive symptoms were assessed
through the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI; Kovacs, 1985). Preliminary
analyses showed a significant cognitive style by sex interaction (â=0.905, p0.05),
such that females with higher scores on the ACSQ had increased levels of depressive
symptoms compared to their male counterparts. Possible implications of this research will be discussed.
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Social Science & Education
Autism, Reciprocal Communication, and a Child-Directed, Relationship-Based
Music Curriculum
Claire Griffith, Music - Atlanta, GA
Mentor: Dr. Wendy Valerio, School of Music
Theoretical Background As autism spectrum disorders become more prevalent, researchers seek to identify interventions that may help children who have these disorders learn to form relationships with others, use effective speech, and conduct
themselves productively in society. Purpose The goal was to document the experiences of Andrew (pseudonym), a nine-year-old boy diagnosed with low-functioning
autism, as he participated in child-directed, relationship-based musical sessions.
Researchers asked, what are the influences of a relationship-based music approach
on the reciprocal communication? Specifically, how does such an approach affect
Andrew’s reciprocal communication including eye contact, physical and verbal communication, and turn-taking? Method Once each week, during a 10-week period,
Andrew’s 20-minute group music sessions and 30-minute individual music sessions
were videotaped and analyzed. Group music sessions were held with 15 4- and 5year-old children in Andrew’s preschool class. Individual music sessions were held
with two music teachers and Andrew. For each session co-teachers guided the children’s music development by playfully performing for and communicating with the
children by using songs and rhythm chants with and without words in various tonalities and meters. The order and development of music events in each class was
dictated by the children’s vocal and movement responses, making each class childdirected. Synthesis of the Content Andrew displayed reciprocal communication in
the form of increased eye contact, physical communication, verbal communication,
and proximity during the data collection period, especially in individual music sessions. He produced many original songs, initiated familiar songs and rhythm chants,
and engaged in musical dialogue by initiating and taking turns in music conversation.
Interactive Blackboard Use, Non-Interactive Blackboard Use, and Classroom
and Classroom Performance
Paige Martineau, Experimental Psychology - Grantham, NH
Mentor: Dr. Mark Tompkins, Political Science
As public institutions face budget cuts, examining the efficacy of costly educational
technologies is increasingly necessary. USC’s main technology platform, Blackboard,
has been found to negatively affect performance when non-interactive elements are
utilized but positively affect performance when interactive elements are utilized.
This study sought to explore this discrepancy by determining which aspects of
Blackboard are most utilized, whether there is a relationship between Blackboard
use, interest, and positive classroom experiences, and whether this relationship
changes with the addition of interactive software like Tegrity. We measured Blackboard use, performance, and interest using a multiple choice questionnaire posted
online. USC-Columbia students took the survey for credit in psychology department
courses (n=335). We found that non-interactive elements were significantly more
useful than interactive elements (F=199.536, p.001), suggesting that interactive elements were utilized minimally. We also found that there was a significant positive
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Oral Presentations
relationship between interest and classroom performance (t=8.852, p.001), while
there was a significant negative relationship between Blackboard use and performance (t=-4.283, p.001). Given that the predominant uses of Blackboard at USC were
not interactive, this trend is understandable. Initial analysis of the TegrityBlackboard relationship suggests that its interactive nature may result in a more
positive relationship between Blackboard and performance. Taken in sum, these
findings suggest that Blackboard and other educational technology systems may
have the potential to enhance classroom experience and learning, but that this potential will not be realized if Blackboard is not used in a creative, student-oriented,
interactive manner.
Testing the Quality of Life in School-Aged Children as Related to Asthma and
Asthma management in South Carolina Schools
Sarah Mecca, Nursing - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. DeAnne Messias, Nursing
The purpose of this research was to describe the asthma-related quality of life
among middle school students enrolled in school districts in South Carolina and examine associations between quality of life of asthmatic children and gender, race,
and type of health insurance. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of asthma, no other
chronic medical conditions, and enrollment in a South Carolina public middle school.
Middle school students that met the study’s criteria were identified and recruited
through school nurses in 3 school districts. An age-appropriate instrument, based
on existing measures of quality of life, was developed for the research. The Middle
Schoolers with Asthma Quality of Life Survey (MSAQLS) is composed of questions
about the effect of asthma on the student’s social life and their daily activities. The
MSAQLS was completed by the students and the students’ parents completed the
demographic survey. A total of 41 surveys were completed and returned. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used to analyze the survey data.
Temporal Parietal Junction Activation during Temporal Order Judgments
Kathy Niu, Interdisciplinary Studies - Columbia, SC
Mentor: Dr. Christopher Rorden, Communication Sciences & Disorders
Perceptual temporal order judgments require an individual to contrast the relative
timing of two spatially separate events. Here we reveal the brain region involved
with this task. We had participants observe perceptually identical visual stimuli
while conducting two different tasks: discriminating temporal order or discriminating spatial properties. By contrasting the fMRI signals during these tasks we were
able to isolate regions specifically engaged by each task. Participants observed two
briefly presented rectangles. In one task, participants were requested to report
which rectangle was squarer, and in the other, they were instructed to report which
appeared first. A possible confound with this contrast is that the temporal order task
requires processing of brief events (onsets), while the shape task does not require
temporal selectivity. Our second study compared two tasks, both requiring discriminating event onsets. Again, identical stimuli were used. However, in this second experiment a brief gray line was superimposed on each rectangle at onset. Participants
either reported which item appeared first (temporal order task) or which rectangle
has a slightly longer gray line (shape task). The first study found that the temporal
order task resulted in greater bilateral activation of the TPJ. While the second re-
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vealed TOJ activation in the TPJ of the left hemisphere. The activation of the left TPJ
is modulated by task demands, and its activity is modulated when we need to temporally sequence information. This finding reveals the function of this region, and may
help resolve several enduring puzzles regarding the function of the TPJ.
Changing Carolina: College Men Can Make a Difference
Rebecca Ridgeway, Experimental Psychology - Blythewood, SC
Mentor: Dr. Suzanne Swan, Psychology
Women are at a high-risk of experiencing sexual assault and intimate partner violence during their time in college. Because men are the main perpetrators of this
violence, the cessation of violence against women is only possible if men commit to
playing an active role in stopping it. Changing Carolina, a violence prevention program encouraging men to raise awareness about the unfortunate plights of abused
women, promote positive male gender roles, and serve as mentors willing to hold
their peers accountable for violent behavior, was created at the University of South
Carolina in response to this widespread need for male action. In order to determine
the efficacy of the Changing Carolina program, several surveys assessing perceptions
of male gender roles, attitudes towards women, ability to intervene in violent situations, and experience perpetrating or being victimized by violence were administered to two groups of men. The experimental group included men from the Changing Carolina class, a three-credit discussion-based course promoting the mission of
the program, and our comparison group was comprised of men not enrolled in the
course. We hope the demonstrated effectiveness of our program and our enduring
passion for ending violence against women will truly inspire change through positive male action on our campus.
Preliminary Analysis of Parent Educational Involvement When a Child Has a
Chronic Health Condition
Jessica Topor, Experimental Psychology - West Bloomfield, MI
Mentors: Ms. Sarah Wilson, PhD Candidate, Psychology
Dr. Jeffrey Schatz, Psychology
The following study will examine the relationships among parents’ perceived time
and energy for educational involvement, parents’ perceived social support, and family characteristics. Family characteristics include child gender, child age, parent gender, parent age, ethnicity, parent income, parent education level, number of children
in the household, and children’s health. Two groups of parents participated in the
study: one group whose children do not have a chronic health condition and another
group whose children do have chronic health conditions. Relationships among time
and energy, social support, and family characteristics will be explored separately for
the two groups using correlations, and means for these variables will be compared
across groups. A better understanding of parents’ perceived time and energy for
educational involvement and variables related to it can benefit intervention design
for this at-risk group. In addition, supporting parent involvement is important because it has been associated with positive academic and psychosocial outcomes.
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Posters 74
5-2-1-8 Health Promotion Plan
Elizabeth Visbal, Experimental Psychology - LaGrange, GA
Lauren Hodge, Experimental Psychology - Sumter, SC
Mentor: Dr. Bradley Smith, Psychology
The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the 5-2-1-8 health promotion plan (HPP). The goal of this intervention is to increase the healthy behavior exhibited by adolescents living in an impoverished community. The 5-2-1-8 HPP is an
acronym that represents the following: 1) individuals should try to eat at least “5”
fruits and vegetables per day, 2) individuals should try to watch no more than “2”
hours of television per day (including videogames), 3) individuals should try to get
at least “1” hour of physical activity per day, and 4) individuals should try to get “8”
hours of sleep per day. A randomized design will be used to assign students to either the “no HPP” group (control group) or the “HPP” group (experimental group).
All the students will receive pre and post test that measure their general health
knowledge, body mass indices, and physical fitness (e.g. endurance, strength). Students in the “HPP” group will participate in a 30 minute a week class that discusses
the benefits of meeting the 5-2-1-8 goals. Students in the “HPP” group will also be
asked to complete daily logs which will track their 5-2-1-8 HPP progress. Students
will be filling out logs at the program to ensure that they are being completed twice a
week. The logs being filled out at home are aimed to promote parent involvement.
Specifically, parents of students in the HPP group are going to be asked to remind
and help the student track their 5-2-1-8 progress.
Effects of the Self-Efficacy Enhancing Feedback Upon Peer-Assisted Learning
Strategies
Devin Waldrop, Experimental Psychology - Irmo, SC
John Terry, Experimental Psychology - Hilton Head, SC
Mentor: Dr. Bradley Smith, Psychology
Mr. Gill Strait, Psychology
Mr. Sam McQuillin, Psychology
Introduction: During previous work experience with the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP), which is a program for middle-school students with learning or behavior problems, the authors of this study have made observations concerning several
difficulties in motivating middle school aged students to participate in academic
interventions and academic tasks. Children’s own beliefs in their efficacy to master
difficult subject matters appear to have a causal effect on their academic motivation,
interest, and scholastic achievement (Bandura et al, 1996). A reading Self-Efficacy
Enhancing Mentoring (SEEM) intervention utilizing performance feedback, vicarious
learning, and social persuasion was designed in order to augment reading selfefficacy in middle school students. Methods: This study examines the effects of adding SEEM to Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) designed to improve middle
school student reading. Approximately 50 participants were recruited from the
Boys and Clubs Club of the Midlands (BGCM) after school program at Dent Middle
School and randomly assigned to one of 3 possible conditions: (a) a reading group
with daily assigned reading logs, (b) PALS reading group, (c) PALS reading group
with SEEM. The Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test was used to collect pre-post
data with weekly progress monitoring probes. The students received a 6 week dosage of PALS and 8 SEEM sessions aggregated into those six weeks. Results: At the
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time of submission, data are still being collected. By Discovery Day, six weeks of data
will be collected, analyzed, and ready for presentation. Conclusions: Pending completion of the results.
Readability of Cancer and Cancer-related Educational Materials Developed for
the Hispanic Population in the United States
Anna Walton, Biological Sciences - West Columbia, SC
Mentors: Dr. Heather Brandt, Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior
Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina, Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior
Health education materials play an important supporting role in cancer prevention,
detection, and treatment provided that information is medically and scientifically
accurate and culturally and linguistically appropriate.. Readability scores (i.e. reading grade levels) should be no higher than fifth or sixth grade-level in order to reach
readers of all abilities. The purpose of this research was to assess the readability of
selected, existing cancer education materials that address cancer and cancer-related
issues for the Hispanic population in the U.S. Twenty-two English and Spanish educational materials were collected from well-known, national organizations that specialize in providing cancer information to the general public. The readability scores
were calculated using the SMOG and Fry methods. The readability scores of the
Spanish materials were found to be consistently higher than those of the English
materials. The average reading grade level of Spanish materials (n = 16) was 15.1
whereas the average reading grade level of English materials (n = 6) was 6.8. The
SMOG and Fry readability scores of the Spanish materials were converted using the
SOL formula and the FRASE graph, respectively. The FRASE graph does not give
grade score values but showed that the average readability score of the Spanish materials was a bit higher than “Beginning Level.” The SOL formula gave an average
readability score of 7.2. So, the readability is slightly more difficult than is desirable.
Using this information, additional methods of assessing the suitability of materials
designed for the Hispanic population will be conducted in order to provide suggestions for future Spanish language cancer education materials. Readability assessment is the first step in ensuring that efforts to provide information to the Hispanic
population are accurate and appropriate.
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Oral Presentations
Index of Presenters
Addico, Solomon .................................. 16
Ali, Rabiah ............................................ 61
Anderson, Jessica ................................ 67
Arnold, Kristin ....................................... 69
Ashraf, Samirah ................................... 25
Bachmann-Krug, Denise ...................... 54
Bagwell, Ashley .................................... 43
Bales, Kristen ....................................... 39
Bangs, Max .......................................... 48
Barrett, Sarah ....................................... 61
Basher, Fahmin ...................................... 5
Beers, Kevin ......................................... 48
Bell, Elizabeth ...................................... 52
Benjamin, Courtney ............................. 32
Bergeron, Alex ..................................... 22
Biechler, Stefanie ................................. 25
Bingaman, Rachel ................................ 67
Black, Lauren Codi ............................... 62
Bodie, Victoria ...................................... 71
Bonner, Henry ...................................... 62
Bowers, Eric .................................... 68,71
Brackett, Jennifer ................................... 8
Braxton, Vaughn .................................. 26
Burgin, Stacey ...................................... 63
Butch, Chris ......................................... 32
Byrd, Bianca ......................................... 26
Campbell, John .................................... 57
Cline, Andrew ....................................... 24
Cole, Lee .............................................. 13
Con, Catherine Flora .............................. 2
Crosby, Margaret ................................. 33
Daniels, Kevin ...................................... 57
Davis, Heather ....................................... 2
Davis, Timothy ....................................... 5
Davis, William ........................................ 8
DeGange, Jonathan ............................. 58
D'Ippolito, Corinne................................ 13
Doshi, Neha ......................................... 33
Doyle, Dustin ........................................ 39
Drinkwater, Michael ............................. 52
Duffey, Kaitlin ....................................... 53
Dunovant, Denise .................................. 8
Dykema, Shana ................................... 63
Elliott, David ......................................... 64
Fairbanks, Jason .................................. 14
Fanning, Mary Ann ................................. 9
Farnum, Byron ..................................... 43
Forman, Greg ....................................... 59
Foushee, Jaime ................................... 35
Fraley, Amy .......................................... 34
Gerrald, Kate ........................................ 34
Gionfriddo, Caitlin ................................ 53
Graham, Emily ..................................... 16
Griffis, Justin ........................................ 68
Griffith, Claire ....................................... 73
Guram, Jeet ...................................... 6,64
Hankins, Patrick ................................... 44
Discovery Day 2008
Herron, Susan ...................................... 16
Heyward, Andrea ................................. 10
Hishon, Anne ....................................... 34
Hodge, Lauren ..................................... 76
Hodgins, Micah .................................... 58
Hodgson, John ..................................... 44
Houghton, Heidi ................................... 44
Inglis, Allick .......................................... 59
Ingram, Vincent .................................... 40
Intwala, Vrunda .................................... 26
Jackson, Delilah ................................... 35
Janney, Cory ........................................ 27
Johnson, Cedric ..................................... 6
Jolley, Daron ........................................ 69
Jones, Whitney .................................... 36
Joseph, Lesley ..................................... 59
Kasl, Emily ........................................... 49
Kellett, Whitney .................................... 28
Kinard, Brian ........................................ 45
Knowles, Joel ....................................... 71
Latham, Alicia ...................................... 36
Lee, Caroline ........................................ 40
Lewandowski, Justin ............................ 49
Looney, Tamara ................................... 37
Lyons, Gale .......................................... 14
Maddox, Stephanie .............................. 65
Maples, Jessica ................................... 70
Marston, Kathleen ................................ 49
Martin, Laura ........................................ 68
Martineau, Paige .................................. 73
Mecca, Sarah .................................. 10,74
Meekins, Catherine .............................. 65
Michaud, Jessica ................................. 45
Mobley, Reid ........................................ 54
Moeller, Andrew ................................... 22
Morehead, Michael .............................. 41
Moseley, Colby .................................... 69
Murphy, Brandon ................................. 28
Murray, David ....................................... 50
Niu, Kathy ............................................ 74
Nyikos, Elizabeth ................................... 3
Paull, Rachel ........................................ 68
Peterson, Charles ................................ 17
Poirel, Christopher ............................... 60
Quick, Ashleigh .................................... 29
Rabon, Joshua ..................................... 41
Rawlinson, Dustin ................................ 46
Ray, Tyler ............................................. 17
Richardson, Jossalyn ........................... 10
Rickenbaker, Alan ................................ 54
Ridgeway, Rebecca ............................. 75
Riggs, Ashlee ....................................... 11
Ring, Kristian .......................................... 4
Rogers, Eric ......................................... 42
Ross, Michele ...................................... 50
Rouse, Kristin ....................................... 55
Rouse, Nathan ....................................... 9
Index
Index of Presenters
Sanders, Dana ..................................... 66
Schultz, Dorekia .................................. 47
Scott, Andrew ....................................... 60
Seals, Amanda Kay ............................. 42
Seward, Kathyrn .................................. 46
Shutta, Jamie ....................................... 55
Singletary, Jamil ................................... 37
Skiles, Brittany ..................................... 70
Slaughter, Nicholas .............................. 23
Smith, Anna ......................................... 70
Smith, Ashley ....................................... 71
Soos, Robert ........................................ 55
Srivastava, Shiva ................................. 38
Stankus, Dylan ..................................... 18
Stolzenberg, Melanie ........................... 23
Stone, Lauren ........................................ 7
Swift, Rebecca ..................................... 29
Szymanski, Filip ................................... 72
Tanverdi, Melisa ................................... 30
Taylor, Heather .................................... 47
Terry, John ...................................... 11,76
Thomas, Amanda ................................. 12
Tockstein, Alyson ................................. 50
Topor, Jessica ...................................... 75
Trew, Matthew ..................................... 24
Tucker, Michael .................................... 38
Van Thiel, Lauren ................................. 18
Visbal, Elizabeth .................................. 76
Voris, Andrew ....................................... 51
Waldrop, Devin ............................... 11,76
Walker, Phillip ........................................ 4
Walton, Anna ....................................... 77
Wetendorf, Margeaux .......................... 30
Wiley, Stacy ......................................... 24
Williams, Michael ................................. 15
Wolfe, Elizabeth ..................................... 7
Yeh, Kevin ............................................ 47
Yehl, Jennifer ....................................... 72
Zhang, Tina .......................................... 31
Discovery Day 2008
Index