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Ahmed Baig Major: Neurobiology
Examination of Astrocyte Cell Density in the Medial and Lateral Dorsal Striatum After Prenatal Stress Exposure
Emerging research has focused on the role astrocytes serve in synaptic transmission within the brain and how prenatal stress (PS) may disrupt this neurotransmission. Insights may enhance understanding of how astrocyte dysfunction relates to neurodevelopmental diseases like autism spectrum disorder. Studies reveal that rats exposed to PS showed soma and filament enlargement in striatal astrocytes. However, little research has examined striatal astrocyte cell density in different striatal subregions after PS exposure. We studied this topic by analyzing astrocyte cell density, following PS exposure, in the medial and lateral dorsal striatum (DS). These regions are involved in goal-directed behavior and in habitual learning control respectively. Brains from adult male and female mice from three groups: naïve, saline-injected, and PS (exposed to light, restraint, and saline injection) were collected. Sectioned brain tissue was stained for GFAP, to mark astrocytes, and mounted in DAPI. Then, fluorescent microscopy was used to contour lateral and medial DS regions and astrocytes were counted stereologically to collect density values. Preliminary data revealed larger cell density in the lateral DS, but not in the medial or overall DS, in PS mice. This suggests that PS may impact astrocyte signaling in specifically in the motor-control region of the striatum.
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Josephine Baum Major: Human Physiology
Visual Assessment and Data Management for Efficacy of Diet on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis (EDQ:MSQ)
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease affecting the Central Nervous System. It is thought to arise through complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors, including diet. Symptoms of MS vary widely among individuals but are often displayed in the form of motor, cognitive, and vision impairments. In the clinical study, "Efficacy of Diet on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis (EDQ:MS)," the effectiveness of dietary intervention is critically evaluated in individuals aged 18 to 70 with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), with the goal of improving long-term quality of life. Along with improved quality of life, the effect of diet on motor function, vision, fatigue, mood, and disease activity (monitored through brain imaging) is also a focus. The demand for improved quality of care and reduced disability burden is high among those with RRMS, and a promising non-pharmacologic way to improve function and disease progression is dietary intervention. As vision impairment is a highly prevalent symptom among individuals with RRMS, visual assessments are administered at the participants' month zero, month three, and month twenty-four visits. The participants' performance on these assessments correlates with the disease's impact on a patient's quality of life.
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Adam Benmoussa Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Identification of Specific Human RPA Small Molecule Inhibitors
Replication Protein A (RPA) is the primary eukaryotic single-strand DNA (ssDNA) binding protein. Essential for all aspects of cellular DNA metabolism, RPA binds to ssDNA with high affinity and is vital for maintaining genomic integrity during homologous recombination. In humans, canonical RPA (RPA) is composed of 3 subunit proteins: RPA1, RPA2, and RPA3. Each RPA subunit contains DNA-binding domains (DBD). RPA1: DBDs-A, B, C, F. RPA2: DBD-D. RPA3: DBD-E. The 3 RPA subunits oligomerize at DBDs-CDE, a site referred to as the trimerization core. In primates, an alternative version of RPA can coexist with RPA called alternative RPA (Alt-RPA). RPA2 being replaced in Alt-RPA with RPA4. RPA4 contains DBD-G, DBDs-CGE comprise the Alt-RPA trimerization core, structurally different from that of RPA. Alt-RPA has undefined functions, however, also binding to ssDNA with high affinity it competes with RPA. Upregulation of Alt-RPA was found in brains of patients with Huntington’s disease, caused by tandem CAG repeat expansion, therefore understanding how to selectively inhibit canonical and alternative human RPA can greatly improve our understanding of the role RPA plays in the development of disease. Using Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) based assays, we can measure RPA bound to ssDNA, quantifying RPA inhibition. FRET-based analysis has identified small molecule inhibitors (Aurintricarboxylic Acid & 4,4-Diisothiocyanostilbene) that exhibit a degree of RPA inhibition specificity.
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Sydney Benton Major: Environmental science
Comparison of Intentionally Planted Species to Observed Population: Survey of Plant Biodiversity at Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory Prairie Restoration
Ecological research following plant biodiversity was conducted in the Ashton Prairie using the quadrant method. The goal of the study was to observe the effectiveness of the prairie burn conducted in the fall of 2022 by comparing the ratio of planted prairie species to the invasive species from 2022 and 2023.
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Makenna Schinstock Major: Environmental Science Biosciences
Comparison of Intentionally Planted Species to Observed Population: Survey of Plant Biodiversity at Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory Prairie Restoration
Ecological research following plant biodiversity was conducted in the Ashton Prairie using the quadrant method. The goal of the study was to observe the effectiveness of the prairie burn conducted in the fall of 2022 by comparing the ratio of planted prairie species to the invasive species from 2022 and 2023.
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Eric Biedke Major: Physics, Astronomy, and Math
Canonical Quantization of Thomas-Whitehead Projective Gravity
Thomas-Whitehead gravity is a theory of gravity that uses projective geometry and allows quantization. We use the Thomas-Whitehead action to obtain the constrained Hamiltonian in the two and four dimensional Minkowski metrics, as well as the Polyakov metric. This allows us to use Hamilton’s equations to find the dynamics of the metric, diffeomorphism field, and connection coefficient in those geometries. Using a wave ansatz, we can find and analyze gravitational dispersion relations, and look for a speed of light solution. Moving forward, we are using our commutation relations to construct quantum operators.
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Ethan Bley Major: Geoscience, Environmental Science
Encrinurid trilobites from the Upper Ordovician (Katian) of northeastern Iowa
The trilobite fauna of the Late Ordovician (late Katian) Maquoketa Formation of northeastern Iowa (primarily Fayette County) contains numerous species, including generic type species, that have been widely cited in the literature of the past century. Despite dozens of references to them, most have not been revised or photographically illustrated since the original monograph of Slocom, published in 1913. Encrinurid trilobites from the formation are excellent examples. The cybeline Cybeloides iowensis (Slocom 1913) is the type species of its common and widely cited genus, to which some 15 valid and formally named species have subsequently been assigned from various parts of Laurentia. Its type material, however, has never been revised and virtually no images of the species have been published since Slocom's original work. The encrinurine Encrinuroides pernodosus (Slocom 1913), in contrast, has barely been commented upon in the literature, likely because of Slocom's tiny and difficult to interpret photograph of the holotype specimen, which has been the only image available. The Maquoketa encrinurids are revised based on new images of Slocom's type specimens housed in the Field Museum of Natural History, combined with rich new, well documented, collections made by vocational paleontologists Calvin Leverson and Arthur Gerk that were donated to the University of Iowa Paleontology Repository.
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Adrian Carmenate Major: Cinematic Arts, Screenwriting Arts
Printmaking in India
After the University of Iowa recieved the Waswo X Waswo Collection of Indian Printmaking in 2016, we traveled to India to interview the artists showcased in the collection in order to provide a deeper historical and cultural understanding of the collection through a series of video interviews. This initiative celebrates India's cultural diversity and offers insights into the evolution of modern and contemporary Indian printmaking.
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Isabella Cesarz Major: Microbiology
The role of Tnfsf8 during chronic viral infection
CD8+ T cells are a crucial component of the immune response and are vital for eliminating chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis B/C, and tumor growth. Throughout chronic infection and cancer, a decrease in CD8+ T cell effector functions—termed “exhaustion”—is observed in the immune response. T cell exhaustion is characterized by increased and prolonged expression of co-inhibitory surface markers and decreased ability of the T cells to fight off the infection. While once thought to be terminally exhausted, new research shows that the pool of “exhausted” T cells consists of several transcriptionally heterogenous cell populations, in which a progenitor subset differentiates into an intermediate subset that further differentiates into either terminally exhausted or effector T cells that are critical for viral control. The mechanisms that determine whether a T cell differentiates into any of these subsets is currently unknown. Through the use of single-cell RNA sequencing, we found that the inhibitory gene Tnfsf8 is selectively upregulated on the progenitor T cell subset during late-stage chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) Cl13. In this experiment, we wanted to examine the effects of deleting Tnfsf8 on the T cell subset distribution during LCMV Cl13 infection in mice. Deletion of Tnfsf8 resulted in a decreased frequency of progenitor and effector cells, an increased frequency of exhausted cells, and an increase in granzyme B expression.
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Kathryn Cochrane Major: Biology
Impact delta-1 glutamate receptors have on social interaction and environment preference in mice.
Ionotropic glutamate receptors mediate neuroexcitatory synaptic transmissions that are involved in brain development processes and brain functions. Delta-1 glutamate receptors (GluD1) are widely expressed in the brain as functional ion channels, helping organize synapses. Little is known about how and when they function, how their activity shapes neural output, and ultimately how they influence behavior. Using male and female wild type and GluD1 knock out mice, we tested how genetic deletion of GluD1 alters three innate behaviors: pro-social behavior, aversion to illuminated areas, and inclination to environments within their optimal temperature range. To test for pro-social behavior, mice were placed in an arena containing a novel mouse and novel object to give the mouse a choice of interactor, while remaining physically separated. To test for preference for dark and warm environments, mice were placed in an arena where one side blocks out light and one side is made to be warm, respectively. While a test mouse explored these three arenas, the amount of time spent in different locations was monitored. Furthering what is known about how the loss of the GluD1 channel changes behavior, we can better discern how this channel may be a target in treating various neurological conditions.
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Leah Cousineau Major: Biochemistry
Assessing protein-protein complexes of genes attributed to deafness from the Deafness Variation Database
Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficient affecting over 1 billion people worldwide. Hearing loss variants have been expertly curated by physicians and scientists at the University of Iowa in the Deafness Database Variation (DVD). Previous work developed full-length monomeric structures using AlphaFold2.0 to give the DVD proteins 100% structural coverage. However, >50% of DVD proteins function as part of a complex. In this work, we propose to use established databases such as STRING and CORUM to determine which proteins complex with each other. The proposed complexes are then put through Swiss Model to develop homology models of the interactions. We use the protein-protein complex models to assess for variants of benign, pathogenic, and unknown significance from the DVD to determine variants for further experimental investigation.
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Abby Cupp Major: Biomedical Sciences
The Mechanical Properties of Heat Treated Candida albicans Biofilms
Implant-associated infections are difficult to treat and result in significant patient morbidity and mortality. These infections arise from the formation of polymicrobial biofilms on the implant surface that change the character of the cells within and protect them from antibiotics and host immune cells. The goal of this work is to better understand the relationships between biofilm mechanics and composition, heat treatment, and microorganism viability/virulence in a polymicrobial biofilm in order to advance technologies concerned with eliminating implant-associated medical infections. We implemented a method for growing albicans biofilms of dimensions sufficient for rheological (mechanical) measurements. Control and heat-treated biofilms have been subjected to strain analysis to evaluate their tendency to deform in response to rotational torque. Our preliminary results suggest that heat-treated biofilms may be more susceptible than untreated biofilms to low levels of strain. In ongoing work, we are optimizing heat treatment conditions and the investigating the effects of heat on biofilm morphology and cell viability.
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Peter Dengler Major: Biomedical Sciences
The Mechanical Properties of Heat Treated Candida albicans Biofilms
Implant-associated infections are difficult to treat and result in significant patient morbidity and mortality. These infections arise from the formation of polymicrobial biofilms on the implant surface that change the character of the cells within and protect them from antibiotics and host immune cells. The goal of this work is to better understand the relationships between biofilm mechanics and composition, heat treatment, and microorganism viability/virulence in a polymicrobial biofilm in order to advance technologies concerned with eliminating implant-associated medical infections. We implemented a method for growing albicans biofilms of dimensions sufficient for rheological (mechanical) measurements. Control and heat-treated biofilms have been subjected to strain analysis to evaluate their tendency to deform in response to rotational torque. Our preliminary results suggest that heat-treated biofilms may be more susceptible than untreated biofilms to low levels of strain. In ongoing work, we are optimizing heat treatment conditions and the investigating the effects of heat on biofilm morphology and cell viability.
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Rami Mayasa Major: Biomedical Sciences
The Mechanical Properties of Heat Treated Candida albicans Biofilms
Implant-associated infections are difficult to treat and result in significant patient morbidity and mortality. These infections arise from the formation of polymicrobial biofilms on the implant surface that change the character of the cells within and protect them from antibiotics and host immune cells. The goal of this work is to better understand the relationships between biofilm mechanics and composition, heat treatment, and microorganism viability/virulence in a polymicrobial biofilm in order to advance technologies concerned with eliminating implant-associated medical infections. We implemented a method for growing albicans biofilms of dimensions sufficient for rheological (mechanical) measurements. Control and heat-treated biofilms have been subjected to strain analysis to evaluate their tendency to deform in response to rotational torque. Our preliminary results suggest that heat-treated biofilms may be more susceptible than untreated biofilms to low levels of strain. In ongoing work, we are optimizing heat treatment conditions and the investigating the effects of heat on biofilm morphology and cell viability.
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Joy Curry Major: History
Changing Stays: Understanding Gender, Health, and the Body in Premodern England with Foundation Garments
The study of dress can reveal a variety of insights into premodern life, including people’s relationships to their community, economy, and identity. As scholarly understanding of the history of dress has developed, different methods were used to emphasize the material, social, and embodied conditions of premodern life. In my research, I examined different approaches in the research of stays – the foundational garment which preceded the corset – to better understand how historians interact with the material past and how premodern stay-making interacted with ideas of gender, beauty, and health. The study of foundation garments has often involved analysis of patterns and the change in silhouette over time. In recent years, historians of the pre-modern world have increasingly used reconstruction and experimentation to enrich their understanding of material culture. This approach requires some interpretive caution, since the exact circumstances of the past cannot be replicated with complete authenticity, but it yields promising results towards understanding the day-to-day rhythms and processes that governed pre-modern life. I plan to use experimental methods to develop a better understanding of the patterning and fitting processes, how stays shaped the body, and the relationships between stay-makers and their customers.
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Emma Demuth Major: Neuroscience
Assessing the Impact of Chiari Malformation Surgery in Visuospatial Construction
Chiari Malformation is a medical condition where the cerebellar tonsils extend below the foramen magnum. This can create physical and cognitive symptoms, but cognitive complaints are not specific, and patients complain of general “brain fog”. Surgery is an option to improve physical symptoms. To determine whether cognitive symptoms are more specific and if they improve after surgery, people with Chiari Malformation were given neuropsychological testing before and after surgery. Previous research has stated that the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test showed significantly lower scores for those with Chiari Malformation. I scored 17 people’s pre-surgery and post-surgery Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Tests with the Boston Qualitative Scoring System to further identify the specific components affected. I ran t-tests comparing the difference between the norms and those with Chiari Malformation pre-surgery and those with Chiari Malformation pre-surgery and post-surgery. The results showed no significance in any of the tests. The study supports the idea that there is no change in cognition between pre-surgery and post-surgery. Only 17 people were included in scoring which may not be a large enough sample to get significant findings. This can be used in the clinical setting to tell patients that surgery will have no effect on their cognition.
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Kate Dennis Major: History
Brammar's West: Wyoming in the 20th Century
This thesis explores the photography of Francis Brammar, photographer for the Cheyenne Star-Tribune, in Wyoming from the 1930s to the 1980s. It shows that Brammar, who highlighted everyday life and progress in his photography, contravened past and prevailing contemporary beliefs about the peripheral status of Wyoming and its citizens. He captures the myth of the West and its legacy throughout the 20th century. His photographs demonstrate how the celebrated Cheyenne Frontier Days exploited Indigenous culture for its monetary gain and reputation as a “True Western” rodeo entertainment experience. Women’s history is highlighted through multiple paradoxes including photographs which display traditional femininity but also the modern working women who is embracing new opportunities. His depictions of women as both desirable objects and as people with purpose and toughness help to explain the evolution of women’s roles in Wyoming society. This thesis uses photographs and documents from the Wyoming State Archives that have not previously been used in scholarship.
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Adam Engelbrecht Major: History
Floodplains and Sandbags: Iowa City and the Flood: 1918-2008
This essay examines the Iowa River flood of June 2008 as a means to understand a century of landscape change along the Iowa River, in Iowa City’s northside and on the University of Iowa campus. Using the framework of the duality of “external hazards” and “internal vulnerabilities,” which is prevalent in contemporary disaster studies scholarship, the paper specifically explores how the history of development along the river and the introduction of a flood control dam upstream of Iowa City informed flood responses and attitudes. It argues that throughout the twentieth century, activities of developers and the Army Corps of engineers effectively “externalized” the Iowa River from the land that it cuts through. This “external hazard” was then fought against in June of 2008, with some of the flood’s potential effects mitigated by community response, outside assistance, and the dam itself. Using newspapers, oral histories, planning documents, and geological surveys, the paper examines the relationship between landscape change and community ideas of strength and vulnerability in the century leading up to the flood.
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Owen Fiedorowicz Major: Physics, Math
Geodesic Deviation and Thomas-Whitehead Gravity
We’re developing a theory of gravity that has origins in string theory: the coadjoint orbit action of the Kac-Moody and Virasoro semi-direct product algebra obtains the Wess–Zumino–Novikov–Witten model, action and a modified Polyakov action incorporating a field D, the diffeomorphism field. The diffeomorphism field is understood as a component of the connection describing projective geometry. TW gravity incorporates projective geometry as a theory of gravitation. The new field Diff from the projective connections is decomposed into its irreducible representations and studied as separate radiating degrees of freedom. There are tensor, vector, and scalar radiating solutions with non-light like dispersion relationships. With these diff field solutions, we then look at geodesic deviation purely from these solutions. The geodesic deviation from these solutions have similar presentation as a breathing mode. Additionally, the geodesic deviation equation equipped with a projective Riemann tensor allows for an alternative explanation for an expanding universe. While the breathing modes are undetectable to interferometers like LIGO, they may be seen by alternative detection methods.
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Darby Forsyth Major: Biology
Effect of Extreme Heat on Systemic Inflammatory Response
Extreme heat events cause adverse health effects, such as increased systemic inflammation. Increases in extreme heat events will add to the already significant public health burden. There is a critical need to define the inflammatory mechanisms involved. To investigate the central hypothesis that acute extreme heat exposure results in systemic inflammation, serum cytokine levels in male and female mice were examined. Mice were randomly placed in cages of three mice per cage and then randomly placed into one of the three treatment groups: heat exposed, control, and paired fed. Exposed mice were housed singly and placed in an incubator, and the temperature was ramped over eight hours from 20℃ to 38℃ and held at 38℃ for five minutes and given food and water ad libitum. Control and paired-fed mice were left at ambient temperature and given food and water based on the previous day’s exposed consumption. Mice were euthanized immediately after the five-minute hold, and blood was collected and placed on ice until serum could be prepared. Serum cytokine levels were analyzed. IL-1α was significantly decreased after heat exposure in female mice. IL-12(p40) was significantly elevated after heat exposure compared to paired-fed mice. RANTES was elevated after heat exposure in male mice. These findings suggest that systemic inflammation does not increase after acute heat exposure. Additional analyses of tissue-specific inflammatory markers and pathway alterations are still needed.
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Hannah Franke Major: Psychology, Linguistics
A New Method for Investigating the Facilitative Effects of Discourse Priming on Real-Time Word Recognition
Semantic priming is pervasive and robust across modalities. It is often considered facilitatory, but research using the Visual World Paradigm (VWP) suggests that it may induce competition (e.g., fixating 'lock' after hearing 'key') which requires management. Developmental studies provide evidence for both interpretations. Semantic activation during word recognition appears to remain stable throughout adolescence (Jeppsen & McMurray, submitted), but reduces in adulthood (Hwang & Snedeker, 2011), indicating the presence of competition. This raises the need for new paradigms to differentiate facilitatory vs. competitive processing. We introduce a modified VWP where participants read passages followed by VWP trials. Some trials prime the target, while others prime a competing or non-presented word. Preliminary findings (N=41) show that fixation speed on the target significantly increases following a related discourse prime (t(112)=-3, p<.01). Additionally, fixation speed is not slower when the discourse primes a competing word (t(112)=.8, p=.45). These results validate the priming paradigm and support a facilitatory interpretation.
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Ellyse Froehlich Major: Biomedical Engineering
Epigenome-wide Effects of Serological Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is integral to cellular metabolism, and both its deficiency and elevated levels are implicated in various chronic pathologies. In current clinical practice, serological B12 is the most widely used measurement to guide clinical decision-making. However, its short window of detection limits the clinical interpretability of B12 assessments. Consequently, the search for additional markers more reflective of B12 absorption and function continues to be a focus of nutritional research. Based on the premise that B12 plays an important role in methylation, we determined whether DNA methylation (DNAm) could be used to predict serological B12 levels. Using genome-wide DNAm data from 376 African American adults, we identified a total of 33,290 loci significantly associated with B12 levels. These loci, predominately found in CpG Islands (p < 2.2e-16), were linked to pathways related to transcription and translation (p < 4.3e-05). Using a step-wise approach, we found that a regressor incorporating 5 DNAm loci captured 19% of the B12 level variance (p = 3.37e-16). The findings of our study underscore the potential of an epigenomic strategy in gauging B12 status, warranting further refinement of the most predictive biosignature in future research.
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Briah Drewry Major: Health Studies
Contributing Factors for Pediatric Bystander Lawn Mower-Related Injuries: A Qualitative Study
Background: Our study objective was to investigate the circumstances of pediatric bystander riding lawn mower injuries and identify behaviors leading to these events. Methods: Followers/members of lawn mower injury-related Facebook pages who were aware of children that had suffered a riding lawn mower-related injury were invited to complete the survey. Qualitative analysis of open-ended question responses were independently performed by three research members. An iterative process was used to resolve coding differences. Results: Of 140 injured children, 97 (69%) were bystanders. Major themes identified that contributed to the injury included: Supervision Issues (40%), Child Not Perceiving Danger (40%), Child Allowed to be in Vicinity of Mower (23%), Mowing in Reverse (51%), and Other Mower-Related Issues (15%). Sub-themes included, but were not limited to, distracted supervisor, child approaching mower for a ride, and child allowed to play near mower. Conclusions: Contributing risk factors for child bystander lawn mower injuries were identified and reinforce many safety directives. Many children were, or possibly were approaching to get rides. Mower rides likely desensitize children to the inherent dangers and lead them to seek rides. Mower design preventing blade operation in reverse and not giving children rides may be critical in decreasing mower-related injuries.
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Maia Bibbs Major: Microbiology, Pre-Medicine Track
Contributing Factors for Pediatric Bystander Lawn Mower-Related Injuries: A Qualitative Study
Background: Our study objective was to investigate the circumstances of pediatric bystander riding lawn mower injuries and identify behaviors leading to these events. Methods: Followers/members of lawn mower injury-related Facebook pages who were aware of children that had suffered a riding lawn mower-related injury were invited to complete the survey. Qualitative analysis of open-ended question responses were independently performed by three research members. An iterative process was used to resolve coding differences. Results: Of 140 injured children, 97 (69%) were bystanders. Major themes identified that contributed to the injury included: Supervision Issues (40%), Child Not Perceiving Danger (40%), Child Allowed to be in Vicinity of Mower (23%), Mowing in Reverse (51%), and Other Mower-Related Issues (15%). Sub-themes included, but were not limited to, distracted supervisor, child approaching mower for a ride, and child allowed to play near mower. Conclusions: Contributing risk factors for child bystander lawn mower injuries were identified and reinforce many safety directives. Many children were, or possibly were approaching to get rides. Mower rides likely desensitize children to the inherent dangers and lead them to seek rides. Mower design preventing blade operation in reverse and not giving children rides may be critical in decreasing mower-related injuries. |
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Olivia Goodyear Major: Speech and Hearing Sciences
Analysis of Spelling Skills in Children who are Hard of Hearing using Multilinguistic Coding
Children who are hard of hearing (CHH) face potential challenges when it comes to language acquisition and writing abilities due to limited access to auditory information. Spelling skills combine the use of phonological awareness, orthographic representations, and morphological awareness, each of which are important for developing literacy skills and overall academic success. This study looked at the frequency and types of spelling errors children with typical hearing (CTH) and children who are hard of hearing (CHH) made in the second and fourth grade. We accomplished this by using a multilinguistic coding system. We found that hearing status did not affect the likelihood of misspelled words in second grade and CTH were more likely to misspell words than CHH in fourth grade. CHH and CTH showed similar types of errors at both grades. Children who are hard of hearing seem to effectively apply phonological, orthographic, and morphological awareness skills, similar to typical-hearing peers.
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Kelsey Greenwood Major: Microbiology
Development of a Hyperadherent E. coli Probiotic Strain
Salmonella, a bacterial pathogen that regularly causes human disease being carried from poultry to plates, remains a problem for both the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture as this bacterium becomes more antibiotic resistant. A new approach to this problem is needed to reduce the spread of this infectious disease, and our work aims to create a probiotic strain ideally able to outcompete pathogenic Salmonella strains for position in the intestinal microbiome of poultry. Using E. coli, we are developing a strain to express a key Salmonella adherence factor, type 1 fimbriae, and hope to show it’s hyperadherent capability to competitively exclude Salmonella strains from colonizing the intestinal epithelium of the poultry host. This result would help reduce or eliminate carriage of Salmonella in poultry flocks and thus and reduce the risk of human infection.
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Eli Gregory Major: Human Physiology
The Contribution of Shal (Kv4) to Hearing in Drosophila
The Shal gene (Kv4) in Drosophila melanogaster is a member of the Shaker family that encodes voltage-gated potassium channels. In some neuron types, Shal had been shown to localize to dendrites, so this study investigates the potential role of the Shal gene in Drosophila hearing mechanisms including mechanotransduction. Electrophysiological recordings conducted to assess neural responses to auditory stimuli in mutant Shal flies revealed significant decreases in auditory responses. A GFP-protein trap was used to visualize the localization of the Shal channel in Johnston’s organ neurons of the antenna, responsible for hearing. We localized the Shal protein to the cell body and the proximal dendrite region of sensory neurons, suggesting its involvement not only in auditory function in general, but specifically also in mechanotransduction. To test Shal’s putative participation in active mechanisms during transduction, Laser Doppler Vibrometer recordings indicated abnormal antennal free fluctuation frequencies, indicating an effect on active antennal tuning. This research provides insight into the role of Shal in Drosophila hearing mechanisms, suggesting that it participates in coordinating energy-dependent antennal movements essential for tuning the antenna to courtship song frequencies.
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Emma Grunkemeyer Major: Human Physiology
The role of polyglutamine in Med15 interactions and Mediator Complex function.
In this work we investigate the extreme bias in the amino acid, glutamine, including long continuous tracts of glutamine in certain proteins. Glutamine tracts are relatively uncommon but are a feature of many transcriptional regulators including the Med15 subunit of the Mediator Complex which is a large protein complex that plays an important role in gene expression in eukaryotic organisms including yeast and animals. Strains lacking Med15 are compromised in their ability to grow on many kinds of media, under stress conditions, and in fermentation, reflecting its importance in gene expression. Naturally occurring yeast strains specialized for growth in specific environments (e.g., wine, beer, clinical) vary in their glutamine tract lengths, suggesting that the length of glutamine tracts may influence Med15 function in a manner that is adaptive for a specific environment. In this study, we intentionally manipulate the length and composition of the glutamine tracts in Med15 and find that these changes affect interactions with partner proteins. We consider whether these effects are direct or indirect.
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Molly Guerra Major: Psychology
Associations Between Household Chaos, ADHD, and Depression in Youth: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that develops in childhood and adolescence and has an established link with other internalizing disorders, such as depression. Children and adolescents with comorbid ADHD and depression have greater academic, social, and behavioral impairments. ADHD and internalizing problems share common environmental risk factors (e.g., parenting, household disorganization), and may be influenced by common mechanistic factors, such as emotion dysregulation. The study examined the direct effects of household chaos on ADHD and depression symptoms in youth as well as indirect effects via emotion dysregulation. Participants consisted of parents and children aged 9-14 years (N=101) who were recruited from the community. Parents completed measures of household chaos, and both youth and parents completed measures of ADHD and depression symptomatology and emotion dysregulation. Results indicated a significant direct effect of household chaos on ADHD, but not on depression. However, household chaos influenced both ADHD and depression symptoms via emotion dysregulation. Specifically, greater household disorganization predicted higher emotion dysregulation, which, in turn, predicted increased ADHD and depression symptoms. Findings suggest the importance of emotion dysregulation as a transdiagnostic construct that may link environmental risk to ADHD and comorbid problems in youth.
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Max Halbach Major: History, Social Studies Education
“To Make Virginia Blossom as the Rose:” Emigration, Enslavement, and Environmentalism in Eastern Virginia 1831-1860
This thesis explores the motives of Virginians in the Tidewater and Piedmont who advocated for scientific approaches to plantation agriculture during the sectional crisis. Evaluating contemporary articles, diaries, letters, literature, and artwork, it argues that fears of cultural degradation and abolition shaped advocacy for environmentally sustainable scientific agriculture in Virginia. The sectional crisis molded White Virginians’ perceptions of their society; fearing historical abandonment and potential invasion by anti-slavery outsiders, they mourned their state’s decline and tried to restore its relative importance. The sectional crisis also shifted the discourse of scientific plantation management towards the institutional defense of slavery as emigration from worn-out lands combined with internal resistance to threaten the institution. Nationally, the sectional crisis politicized Virginia’s geographical position as an increasingly untenable front against social and political pressure from the North –causing concern among other Southern states and challenging the necessity of immediate westward expansion of slavery in favor of shoring up the Old South. Faced with a cultural and political crisis, scientific agriculturalists viewed environmentally sustainable plantation slavery as the panacea –creating societies, journals, and editorials to convince citizens to remain in the state, avoid westward emigration and expansion, and preserve White supremacy in Virginia.
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Addy Hawkins Major: Biomedical Sciences
Investigating the Contribution of Rac-Driven Resistance in Several Mutant Melanoma Cell Lines
Melanoma is a one of the most dangerous types of skin cancer and arises from the pigmented cells of the skin. Many of these cancers are resistant to drug treatment administered for a mutation in the BRAF gene, which accounts for around half of melanomas. To investigate the mechanism of resistant we used a patient-derived cell line called A375. This cell line is sensitive to BRAF inhibition. Then, mutants of this cell line were made that are resistant to drug. Our investigation looked at how these mutant lines reacted to other inhibitors and what their biochemical activity was. The question we are trying to answer is whether the resistance is due to reactivation of the signaling pathway downstream of BRAF, initiated by Rac, or if Rac is signaling through some other pathway to promote cell proliferation. The results of our experiments lead us to believe this is some reactivation of the pathway, but not enough to promote resistance. There must be some other targets of Rac, besides the MAPK pathway that BRAF is in, that are signaling to grow. Based on this conclusion we are continuing to look at what could possibly be keys players in this mechanism in future experiments.
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Cherolyn Henke Major: Chemical Engineering
Green Chemistry Using Organic Crystals: Photoreactivity of unsymmetric alkenes
Solid-state [2+2] photodimerization is an energy efficient and greener way of synthesizing cyclobutane derivatives with controlled stereochemistry in 100% reaction yields. Preorganized olefinic ligands are excited with UV radiation to form new covalent bonds resulting a four-membered strained cyclobutane ring. Cyclobutane derivatives are of importance as the molecules possess anti-cancer activity against prostate cancers, cellular constituent in Annomox bacteria cell membranes and small molecule drugs. To meet the topochemical criteria for solid state [2+2] photodimerization, small organic molecules (e.g., resorcinol) can be used as templates to pre-organize the double bonds (e.g., hydrogen bonds, halogen bonds) in a parallel orientation separated by a distance less than 4.2 Å. Non-covalent interactions between the templates and olefinic ligands form cocrystals guiding the solid-state assembly of ligands to facilitate the [2+2] photodimerization. In order to synthesize cyclobutane with different substitutions, trans-4-(4-cyano)styrylpyridine (PyCN) was used as the ligand and 3-methylcatechol(3-Methyl-Cat), 4-ethyl resorcinol(4-Ethyl-Res), and 1,3-benzendediol,5-(9-anthracenyl) (DHA) were used as the templates. Our experiment yielded three cocrystals, 3(PyCN)⋅2(3-Methyl-Cat), 2(PyCN)⋅(4-Ethyl-Res) and (PyCN)⋅(DHA) respectively. The cocrystals were exposed to UV radiation and the reaction progress was monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy to study the formation of the cyclobutane.
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Nevindee Samararathne Major: Chemistry
Green Chemistry Using Organic Crystals: Photoreactivity of unsymmetric alkenes
Solid-state [2+2] photodimerization is an energy efficient and greener way of synthesizing cyclobutane derivatives with controlled stereochemistry in 100% reaction yields. Preorganized olefinic ligands are excited with UV radiation to form new covalent bonds resulting a four-membered strained cyclobutane ring. Cyclobutane derivatives are of importance as the molecules possess anti-cancer activity against prostate cancers, cellular constituent in Annomox bacteria cell membranes and small molecule drugs. To meet the topochemical criteria for solid state [2+2] photodimerization, small organic molecules (e.g., resorcinol) can be used as templates to pre-organize the double bonds (e.g., hydrogen bonds, halogen bonds) in a parallel orientation separated by a distance less than 4.2 Å. Non-covalent interactions between the templates and olefinic ligands form cocrystals guiding the solid-state assembly of ligands to facilitate the [2+2] photodimerization. In order to synthesize cyclobutane with different substitutions, trans-4-(4-cyano)styrylpyridine (PyCN) was used as the ligand and 3-methylcatechol(3-Methyl-Cat), 4-ethyl resorcinol(4-Ethyl-Res), and 1,3-benzendediol,5-(9-anthracenyl) (DHA) were used as the templates. Our experiment yielded three cocrystals, 3(PyCN)⋅2(3-Methyl-Cat), 2(PyCN)⋅(4-Ethyl-Res) and (PyCN)⋅(DHA) respectively. The cocrystals were exposed to UV radiation and the reaction progress was monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy to study the formation of the cyclobutane.
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Aditya Joglekar Major: Biomedical Sciences
Understanding the mechanism responsible for accelerated degradation of lipid droplets in PLIN2 deficient pancreatic beta cells
Diabetes affects about 1 in every 10 individuals in the United States. At the Imai lab, we focus on the PLIN2 protein to understand the mechanism behind beta cell failure leading to diabetes. PLIN2 protein plays a crucial role in maintaining lipid droplets (LD) necessary for beta cell function and health. When wild type INS1 cells were compared with PLIN2 downregulated INS1 cells, lipid droplet content was reduced, and mitochondrial function and morphology was altered. My project specifically aims to test the hypothesis that degradation of newly formed nascent lipid droplets at or near endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is accelerated in PLIN2 deficient beta cells but is not diminished. Using confocal microscopy along with FIJI and IMARIS image analysis, it is evident that there was an increase in LD formation for PLIN2 deficient cells at after 60 minutes. However, after 4 hours, the cells revealed a reduction in cytoplasmic LD content and a higher colocalization of C12 (LD staining) signal in mitochondria for PLIN2 downregulated cells. Additionally, there was a higher fragmentation of mitochondria in PLIN2 deficient cells compared to wild type in human beta cells indicating PLIN2 is critical for mitochondrial health in human beta cells too.
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Major:
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Veena Kappaganthu Major: Political Science, Vocal Performance
Annamayya, Ramadasa, Tyagaraja (ART) Vandanam: A View on Music-Making in Southern India
During her summer research (funded generously by ICRU), Veena worked hands-on with different elements of Carnatic music and how these traditional elements have transformed in the age of technology and musical recordings. Veena, in her presentation, will present her observations regarding Carnatic music and how it is recorded, in addition to practices that vastly differ between the practice of Western music and Carnatic music.
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Jack Kapsner Major: History
We Don't Need Anymore Martyrs: May 1970 Protests at the University of Iowa
This thesis argues that the May 1970 protests at the University of Iowa were nonviolent compared to similar demonstrations. This is due to the actions of University President Willard “Sandy” Boyd who was able to strike a delicate balance between maintaining civil order and protecting the 1st Amendment right to protest. The protests occurred during a time of intense political polarization where cultural issues started to take a forefront within American political discourse. Much of the debate was around how to best handle the war in Vietnam and what course of action to take when coping with demonstrations. During and after the Iowa protests, conservatives criticized Boyd for not being tougher on the demonstrations while leftists were angry that he did not support their efforts to shut the university down. While many college and government officials chose to adopt repressive stances towards the protests that occurred nationally, the Iowa protests were de-escalated without any deaths. This resolution gives current elected officials a model of how to maintain civil order without violating the rights of American citizens.
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Gretchen Klock Major: Environmental Planning and Policy
Cancelling the Crosstown: Chicago's Failed Expressway
This thesis traces the life and death of the Chicago Crosstown Expressway, an urban highway first conceived in 1909 but ultimately cancelled in 1979. The paper argues that both Mayor Richard J. Daley’s failure to channel political support to advance the project and grassroots opposition in the 1970s blocked the expressway from becoming a reality. The expressway was a significant feature of a broader urban plan for Chicago, first mapped out by Daniel Burnham in his Plan of Chicago (1909). Post-WWII, significant federal funding and legislation existed to support such projects. Mayor Daley, who controlled the Chicago democratic political machine, avidly supported the project, and attempted to use his political clout to push the project through. The Anti-Crosstown Coalition, which opposed the destructive nature of urban highway construction and lack of citizen input led a successful election campaign to elect the Anti-Crosstown candidate Dan Walker as governor in 1972 who slowed the project. Other research has focused on Mayor Daley’s role or the urban design of the project. This thesis includes these elements with a focus on community organizations. The thesis draws on design plans, archival sources from the Anti-Crosstown Coalition, Chicago newspapers, and secondary sources.
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Ismael Leyva Major: History, American Studies
Constructing Modernity: Debates Over Chavez Ravine's Transformation Into Dodger Stadium, 1950-1962
This thesis examines the debates over the construction of Dodger Stadium, which opened in the former Chavez Ravine neighborhood of Los Angeles in April 1962. It shows that issues of economic profit, socioeconomic inequality, and racial injustice were at the center of the debates between stadium proponents and opponents. Stadium proponents, who included white, middle-class men and women, supported the construction of the stadium because they believed that a stadium would contribute to the growth and progression of the city. They argued that a stadium would catalyze the economy and modernity of Los Angeles through tax revenue, the creation of new jobs, and the positive impact on the youth. By contrast, opponents of the stadium, who included white, middle-class men and women, and Latino, working-class men and women, were against the stadium because of the way it was done. On May 8, 1959, the remaining Chavez Ravine residents were violently evicted from their homes. Refusing to accept meager compensation for their properties, these residents were dragged out of their homes while reporters, cameramen, and spectators watched. For proponents, a stadium was a physical representation of the growth potential of Los Angeles. For opponents, Dodger Stadium revealed that modernity and progression oftentimes came at the cost of justice and equality. The thesis draws on correspondence, radio broadcasts, flyers given to Los Angeles citizens, newspapers, and scholarly sources.
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Henry Lin Major: Biomedical Sciences
The Smooth Muscle Cell Sorbs2 Protein is Required for Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Contractility.
One of the causal factors of cardiovascular pathology is the dysregulation of vascular contractility and cytoskeletal remodeling. Sorbs2 is a regulatory gene regulating cytoskeletal remodeling and cardiomyocyte contraction, whose expression and genetic variation often correlates with cardiovascular disease. However, the causal mechanism remains poorly defined. Our research aims to identify the mechanism that Sorbs2 plays in vascular contraction in mouse models. We hypothesize that the absence of the Sorbs2 protein dysregulates cytoskeletal structure, and impairs VSMC contraction. To test this hypothesis, cumulative vasoactive drug response curves were conducted on isolated aorta and carotid arteries. The experiment was conducted on two strains of mice, one with functional Sorbs2 gene (Sorbs2-WT), one without (Sorbs2-KO). Comparative data compilation shows that aortas from Sorbs2-KO mice have significantly increased phenylephrine induced contractility and sensitivity, abolished by inhibition of eNOS. Neither vasodilation induced by nifedipine nor fasudil was significant, suggesting no role in calcium dependent vs independent pathways. Finally, passive tension curves suggest that Sorbs2-KO arteries are more elastic. These results suggest that Sorbs2 may regulate contractility through regulation of endothelial functions, and elasticity through cytoskeletal remodeling. We plan to assess the specific role of the Sorbs2 in endothelial regulation and cytoskeletal remodeling of VSMC.
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Morgan Linahon Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
SUBACUTE PCB52 NOSE-ONLY EXPOSURE OF ADOLESCENT RATS DOES NOT AFFECT APOPTOSIS, MORPHOLOGY, AND CELL DENSITY OF MICROGLIA AND ASTROCYTES IN THE CEREBELLUM
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are no longer mass produced, but they continue to persist in the environment and threaten human health. Neurological impacts, such as neurodevelopmental disorders, have been associated with the presence of this chemical, especially in schools where adolescent students are exposed. However, the effect of PCBs, such as PCB52, on neurons and glia in the developing brain remain poorly investigated. We hypothesize that subacute inhalation exposure to PCB52 will result in higher levels of apoptotic cell death, neuroinflammation, and changes in cell-cell interactions in the adolescent rat brain, compared to those of the control group. To test this hypothesis, adolescent rats were exposed to PCB52 for 4 hours a day for 28 consecutive days via a nose-only apparatus. After the exposure period, animals were sacrificed, brains were harvested, the cerebellum region was frozen, and tissue sections were cut and stained to label apoptotic cells (PSvue), microglia (Iba-1 antibody), and astrocytes (GFAP antibody). Z-stack confocal images were taken from control and PCB52-exposed animals and analyzed for differences in microglia and astrocyte density and apoptosis within the distinct cerebellar layers. We observed no significant differences in brain cell changes (i.e., apoptosis, morphology, and cell density) based on the conducted image analysis. Future studies will explore the effect of inhaled PCB52 on other brain regions relevant to neurological disorders.
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Ruth Bropleh Major: Psychology
Methods and mechanisms of menthol anesthesia in triploid asexual lineages of the New Zealand freshwater snail potamopyrgus antipodarum
In working with model organisms, anesthesia efficacy is an important step to ensure reliability of data and achievement of ethical standards. Studies have concluded that pain experienced by the research organism and researcher perception of animal wellbeing can confound scientific results (Poole 1997). Recent data have shown that menthol anesthesia success can be driven by intraspecific genetic variation (Song et. al. 2020) in asexually reproducing lineages of the invasive New Zealand freshwater snail potamopyrgus antipodarum. Our study seeks to combine knowledge of genetic mechanisms of menthol anesthesia with improved methods of anesthetic delivery in order to validate and further study this important line of inquiry. We aim to provide preliminary evidence for genetic factors influencing the phenotype of menthol anesthesia success/failure on the lineages of asexual triploid potamopyrgus antipodarum previously reported to show variation in anesthesia response (Song et. al. 2020). We will explore the possibility of polymorphism in the cold and menthol receptor 1 (CMR1) gene driving phenotypic variation in menthol anesthesia outcomes. Through the study of the literature on mechanisms of menthol anesthesia and anesthetic effects on biochemical pathways, we will develop a new menthol-anesthesia protocol for potamopyrgus antipodarum using an organic solvent, DMSO.
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Gabby Dennis Major: Psychology
Methods and mechanisms of menthol anesthesia in triploid asexual lineages of the New Zealand freshwater snail potamopyrgus antipodarum
In working with model organisms, anesthesia efficacy is an important step to ensure reliability of data and achievement of ethical standards. Studies have concluded that pain experienced by the research organism and researcher perception of animal wellbeing can confound scientific results (Poole 1997). Recent data have shown that menthol anesthesia success can be driven by intraspecific genetic variation (Song et. al. 2020) in asexually reproducing lineages of the invasive New Zealand freshwater snail potamopyrgus antipodarum. Our study seeks to combine knowledge of genetic mechanisms of menthol anesthesia with improved methods of anesthetic delivery in order to validate and further study this important line of inquiry. We aim to provide preliminary evidence for genetic factors influencing the phenotype of menthol anesthesia success/failure on the lineages of asexual triploid potamopyrgus antipodarum previously reported to show variation in anesthesia response (Song et. al. 2020). We will explore the possibility of polymorphism in the cold and menthol receptor 1 (CMR1) gene driving phenotypic variation in menthol anesthesia outcomes. Through the study of the literature on mechanisms of menthol anesthesia and anesthetic effects on biochemical pathways, we will develop a new menthol-anesthesia protocol for potamopyrgus antipodarum using an organic solvent, DMSO.
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Yiming Liu Major: Biology
Methods and mechanisms of menthol anesthesia in triploid asexual lineages of the New Zealand freshwater snail potamopyrgus antipodarum
In working with model organisms, anesthesia efficacy is an important step to ensure reliability of data and achievement of ethical standards. Studies have concluded that pain experienced by the research organism and researcher perception of animal wellbeing can confound scientific results (Poole 1997). Recent data have shown that menthol anesthesia success can be driven by intraspecific genetic variation (Song et. al. 2020) in asexually reproducing lineages of the invasive New Zealand freshwater snail potamopyrgus antipodarum. Our study seeks to combine knowledge of genetic mechanisms of menthol anesthesia with improved methods of anesthetic delivery in order to validate and further study this important line of inquiry. We aim to provide preliminary evidence for genetic factors influencing the phenotype of menthol anesthesia success/failure on the lineages of asexual triploid potamopyrgus antipodarum previously reported to show variation in anesthesia response (Song et. al. 2020). We will explore the possibility of polymorphism in the cold and menthol receptor 1 (CMR1) gene driving phenotypic variation in menthol anesthesia outcomes. Through the study of the literature on mechanisms of menthol anesthesia and anesthetic effects on biochemical pathways, we will develop a new menthol-anesthesia protocol for potamopyrgus antipodarum using an organic solvent, DMSO.
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Brianna Lobeck Major: Biology
Pre-clinical testing of two candidate vectors for subretinal gene therapy of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome type 10
Bardet-Biedl Syndrome type 10 (BBS10) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in BBS10. Subretinal gene augmentation therapy for BBS10 has shown promise in slowing vision loss in a mouse model of BBS10. The purpose of this study is to investigate the toxicity and efficacy of these two candidate viral vectors, AAV8-CAG-hBBS10 and AAV8-RK-hBBS10 driven by the chicken-beta actin promoter (CAG) and rhodopsin kinase promoter (RK), respectively. Heterozygous (HET) and wild-type (WT) mice were subretinally injected with a high dose (7.28×1010 or 8×1010 vg/µL) of AAV8-CAG-hBBS10 or AAV8-RK-hBBS10 for safety testing. AAV8-CAG-hBBS10 injected mice presented with severe retinal degeneration in a strain-specific manner (p = 0.016, Fisher’s Exact Test) at 3 months post-injection, whereas AAV8-RK-hBBS10 did not cause any degeneration and was selected for efficacy testing. To evaluate gene therapy efficacy, a dose-response test was conducted with Bbs10-/- mice receiving AAV8-RK-hBBS10 at 8×108, 8×109, 7.48×1010, or 8×1010 vg/eye. Eyes receiving high doses (7.48×1010 vg/eye) had significantly improved cone function in electroretinography compared to eyes receiving lower doses (8×108, p = 0.0003; 8×109, p = 0.002, two-way ANOVA followed by multiple comparisons test) and contralateral untreated eyes (p = <0.001) at 2 monthsNo post-injection.
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Sara Magdziarz Major: Biomedical Engineering
Optical Strain Assessment of Carbon Fiber Custom Dynamic Orthoses (CDOs)
Chronic migraine is one of the most prevalent disabilities worldwide, affecting roughly one billion people. Our lab aims to better understand migraine by analyzing electrophysiological recordings of the mouse brain during a migraine-like brain state induced by Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). We pair these electrophysiological recordings with a phenotypical measurement of squint from eight separate camera angles. Adequately measuring squint with a meaningful temporal resolution is one of the greatest challenges associated with interpreting phenotypical changes during migraine-like brain states. To do this I utilized DeepLabCut, a machine learning model that is capable of automatically tracking and generating measurable variance of squint. This enabled me to analyze squint at a higher temporal resolution while keeping manual user time requirements low. To validate the machine learning model, I did multiple analyses to measure accuracy of the training. I first trained four models with one to four hundred frames respectively to justify the number of frames used in training each model. I then compared the highest sampled model to an analysis method used by another lab to test accuracy against a previously validated system. Using these validations, I have created a robust and repeatable method for analyzing squint in a mouse model of migraine. In order to better interpret the data, we pair it with an external facial grimace observation. this electrophysiological data with a phenotypical observation of the mouse. This data is then paired with recorded neurophysiological data as an external phenotypical validation of migraine. I also used additional tests to validate the model for tracking squint in this setting. I compared it to a model used by another lab, did a manual comparison using a confusion matrix, and finally I did an in-depth analysis of relative accuracy in proportion to training dataset sizes.
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Megan McGovern Major: Biomedical Sciences
Impact of formulation on solid oxygen-entrapping materials to overcome tumor hypoxia
Tumor hypoxia, resulting from rapid growth and aberrant vascular proliferation, exacerbates tumor aggressiveness and resistance to treatments like radiation and chemotherapy. To increase tumor oxygenation, we developed solid oxygen gas-entrapping materials (O2-GeMs), which were modeled after clinical brachytherapy implants for direct tumor implantation. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact different formulations of solid O2-GeMs have on the entrapment and delivery of oxygen. Using a Parr reactor, we fabricated solid O2-GeMs based on hard-candy formulations in the confectionery industry. The sucrose-containing formulation exhibited the highest oxygen concentration at 1 mg/g and the fastest dissolution rate, whereas surface coatings, especially polycaprolactone, effectively modulated release kinetics. In vivo evaluation confirmed robust insertion and positioning of O2-GeMs in a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, highlighting potential clinical applications.
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Ryan McLerran Major: Neuroscience, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
More Than Just A Rash: Cutaneous Manifestations of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetes is a condition that affects tens of millions of Americans. Because of its growing prevalence in the population, it is increasingly important to recognize the variety of diagnostic presentations that can be seen in the clinic. Our report describes an 18-year-old male who came to the clinic reporting weight loss and a rash that, after testing, revealed to be untreated diabetes mellitus presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes such as described in this case can play a key role in the early treatment of diabetes in a wide variety of patients.
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Jasmin Mendoza Major: Microbiology
Exploring how cellular RNA Polymerase III activity restricts oncogenic herpesvirus infection
The goal of this project in the Tucker lab is to explore whether cellular RNA polymerase III (Pol3) activity controls the replication of oncogenic gammaherpesviruses. Pol3 generates many non-coding RNAs, including transfer RNAs, that promote cellular proliferation. The Tucker lab has found Pol3 transcripts, primarily tRNAs, are elevated during murine gammaherpesvirus MHV68 infection. To determine if increased Pol3 transcription influences MHV68 infection, here we develop tools to overexpress Brf1, a limiting Pol3 transcription factor, in order to facilitate increased Pol3 transcription in cell culture. We utilized PCR and gel electrophoresis to design and clone a pcDNA-based overexpression plasmid encoding the human Brf1 gene. With this plasmid, I aim to characterize gene expression during Brf1 overexpression in mammalian cells. Upon nucleofection of pCDNA-Hs_Brf1 into NIH 3T3 murine fibroblasts, I will isolate RNA and protein from cells and analyze by RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. Once the utility of this plasmid to enhance Pol3 transcription is confirmed, I will determine whether Brf1 overexpression impacts MHV68 replication.
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Jack Miller Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Centrosome defects are linked to loss of germline stem cell homeostasis in Drosophila
Drosophila female germline stem cells (fGSCs) employ a specialized ‘semi-closed’ mode of mitosis that involves largely intact nuclear envelope and nuclear lamina (NL). Execution of this semi-closed mitosis requires an altered centrosome maturation cycle, wherein centrosomes with pericentriolar material (PCM) embed in the NL at the beginning of mitosis and become removed at the end. Our studies reveal that loss of the NL protein emerin disrupts this cycle. Strikingly, in emerin mutants, non-dividing fGSCs carry centrosomes with excess PCM that largely remain embedded in the NL. We suggest that centrosome dysfunction underlies the germ cell defects found in emerin mutants, which include blocked germ cell differentiation and fGSC death. To test this prediction, we generated double mutants of emerin and genes encoding PCM components. After testing centrosomin (cnn) and spindle defective-2 (spd-2), we found that loss of Cnn or Spd-2 in emerin mutants restores fGSC viability and partially rescues germ cell differentiation. Our current studies are examining how emerin, pcm double mutants affect the size and structure of interphase and mitotic centrosomes. Based on our findings, we predict that failures in the centrosome maturation cycle represent one mechanism to disturb stem cell homeostasis in the ovary.
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Daniel Ocon Major: History
La República de Los Indios: Tlaxcala, Survival, and the Struggle for Autonomy within New Spain, 1519-1558.
This thesis examines the strategies Tlaxcalan leaders employed to maintain their autonomy vis-à-vis Spanish colonizers and administrative officials in their native province in the 16th century. Previous scholarship has portrayed the Tlaxcalans as insignificant collaborators or willful allies of Spanish colonizers. This thesis, by contrast, shows that they maintained their autonomy through the strategic appeals to various colonial authorities, integration of Catholicism into native culture, and the use of both prestige and alliance to emphasize the importance of the province. The thesis uses contemporary annals, government records, literature, artwork, and letters created by the Tlaxcalans, and the Spaniards with whom they interacted, to analyze the methods and reasonings behind their adaptations.
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Molly Patterson Major: Public Health, Computer Science
PCBs and OH-PCB Metabolites in Serum of Dam Mice Exposed to PCBs via Diet During Gestation and Lactation
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of manmade environmental contaminants associated with health risks, including cancer and neurotoxicity. Living organisms can metabolize PCBs into hydroxylated forms via P450 enzymes, which are further converted into sulfates and glucuronides by phase II enzymes like sulfatases and glucuronidases. We hypothesized that PCB levels would influence this metabolism. To test this, we used a PCB mixture, the Fox River Mixture (FRM), to simulate PCB profiles found in Fox River fish, delivered via peanut butter. Dams were exposed to peanut butter alone (control, N=4) or peanut butter with PCBs at doses of 0.1 (LD, N=6), 1 (MD, N=6), or 6 (HD, N=6) mg/kg of body weight from age 8 weeks through pregnancy until post-delivery at 28 or 35 days. After euthanasia, tissues and serum were collected, and serum samples were extracted using liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed by GC-MS/MS in MRM mode. Similarity analysis showed LD and MD PCB profiles were similar (cosθ=0.94), while MD and HD OH-PCB profiles were highly similar (cosθ=0.99). Higher chlorinated PCB congeners were enriched in the residue profiles, indicating that the PCB metabolism was affected by PCB dosage.
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Max Hansen Major: Public Health
#NicFiend: Vapes and queer identity on TikTok
Background: Social media provides a community space for sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults (SGM AYA) to explore and develop their identity and also a platform for exposure to e-cigarettes from both influencers and peers, which might shape vaping perceptions. We aimed to understand how e-cigarettes are portrayed on TikTok, especially by SGM AYAs. Methods: We collected data for sixteen days on three accounts, including two that were SGM specific. By searching for and interacting with e-cigarette and SGM content, we trained the TikTok algorithm to push relevant content to our feed. We collected 650 unique e-cigarette videos, 176 of which contained SGM elements. We identified patterns and common themes using quantitative content analysis and qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Despite TikTok’s claim it does not push e-cigarette content, many videos remain on the platform, including some that promote underground sales. Together, the 650 unique e-cigarette videos had over 850 million total views. SGM content portrayed e-cigarettes more positively and had more underage content than non-SGM content. Conclusion: There is evidence that TikTok is used as a means for e-cigarette sales to underage viewers. Furthermore, the depiction of e-cigarette content on TikTok tends to be positive, which might promote vaping among SGM AYA.
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Halie Petersen Major: Public Heath, International Relations
#NicFiend: Vapes and queer identity on TikTok
Background: Social media provides a community space for sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults (SGM AYA) to explore and develop their identity and also a platform for exposure to e-cigarettes from both influencers and peers, which might shape vaping perceptions. We aimed to understand how e-cigarettes are portrayed on TikTok, especially by SGM AYAs. Methods: We collected data for sixteen days on three accounts, including two that were SGM specific. By searching for and interacting with e-cigarette and SGM content, we trained the TikTok algorithm to push relevant content to our feed. We collected 650 unique e-cigarette videos, 176 of which contained SGM elements. We identified patterns and common themes using quantitative content analysis and qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Despite TikTok’s claim it does not push e-cigarette content, many videos remain on the platform, including some that promote underground sales. Together, the 650 unique e-cigarette videos had over 850 million total views. SGM content portrayed e-cigarettes more positively and had more underage content than non-SGM content. Conclusion: There is evidence that TikTok is used as a means for e-cigarette sales to underage viewers. Furthermore, the depiction of e-cigarette content on TikTok tends to be positive, which might promote vaping among SGM AYA.
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Brenna Powers Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Flies on drugs: Screening a compound library to identify treatments for LMNA-associated muscular dystrophy
Mutations in the LMNA gene cause several types of muscular dystrophy (LMNA-MD). The LMNA gene encodes lamins, proteins that line the inner nuclear membrane. How mutant lamins cause muscle disease is poorly understood, and limited treatments are available. The goal of my research was to use fruit flies possessing a LMNA-MD causing mutation (c.746G>A p.R249Q) in a drug screen. The mutant lamin causes muscle defects and 100% lethality in the fly model. We performed a drug screen using the Prestwick Chemical Library and assayed for adult viability. Each compound was mixed with food at a 5µM final concentration. Adults possessing the mutant lamin transgene were crossed with adults expressing a transcription factor that drives transgene expression in muscles of the offspring, which ingested the drug throughout development. Adult viability was scored after 14 days. This screen identified 68 drugs that rescued adult viability (4.75% hit rate). Among these positive hits were voltage-gated calcium channel blockers and inhibitors of the cyclooxygenase enzymes. Taken together, these data identify multiple potential therapeutic targets. Future research includes a secondary screen of the positive hit compounds testing dose response, and a tertiary screen for broad efficacy across additional lamin mutants.
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Grace Rocco Major: Biology
Neuronal Sorbs2-dependent regulation of microtubules and its effect on learning and memories
A genetic variant in the Sorbs2 promoter in the hippocampal neurons associates with increased Sorbs2 expression and delayed Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) onset by 11 years, suggesting that increased Sorbs2 may protect against cognitive decline. Cardiomyocyte loss of Sorbs2 destabilized microtubules (MT), whereas Sorbs2 overexpression promotes MT stability. We investigate Sorbs2 deletion in hippocampal neurons and its effects on MT stability and learning. To test this, we generated whole-body Sorbs2-Knockout (KO) mice and assayed 6-month-old, co-ed littermate cohorts with behavior tests. We used postmortem brain samples to visualize and quantify Sorbs2 expression and microtubule stability. Our data show that hippocampus samples from Sorbs2-KO mice don’t express the Sorbs2 neuron-specific isoform at ~150kDa, and have decreased Sorbs2 immunofluorescence staining in brain tissue. Microtubule stability assays suggest that hippocampus tissue from Sorbs2-KO mice may have increased MT stability, but significant sample variability impairs interpretation. We performed open field, novel object recognition, and contextual fear conditioning (CFC) behavior tests on the mice to observe learning and memory. Sorbs2-KO female mice have significantly less freezing behavior in CFC tests 24 hours after training, suggesting cognitive impairment. Altogether, our results suggest Sorbs2 may regulate brain microtubule stability and be involved in memory formation or retrieval.
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Arielle Cafi Major: Human Physiology
Tardigrade-Inspired mRNA Delivery for Radiation Protection
The majority of patients receiving radiation treatments for cancer experience debilitating side effects such as extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, and pain and inflammation as a result of damage to healthy tissue. These side effects can interfere with treatments, the patient's prognosis, or decrease the patient’s quality of life. These negative effects of radiation treatment occur because of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks in normal peritumoral cells. Utilizing the natural defenses of extremophiles, such as Tardigrades, against radiation damage to DNA can prevent these negative side effects of radiation therapy. Using the polymer-lipid-based nanoparticles we developed, we were able to effectively introduce Dsup mRNA particles derived from tardigrades into both oral and rectal epithelial cells. Through in vitro and in vivo studies, we found that Dsup mRNA treatment reduced DNA damage in oral and colorectal epithelial cells after radiation treatment and increased cell survival. Additionally, we demonstrated that Dsup mRNA treatment did not impact tumor growth pre-radiation treatment or the efficacy of radiation treatments.
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Lauren Rosenstock Major: Biomedical Sciences
Tardigrade-Inspired mRNA Delivery for Radiation Protection
The majority of patients receiving radiation treatments for cancer experience debilitating side effects such as extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, and pain and inflammation as a result of damage to healthy tissue. These side effects can interfere with treatments, the patient's prognosis, or decrease the patient’s quality of life. These negative effects of radiation treatment occur because of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks in normal peritumoral cells. Utilizing the natural defenses of extremophiles, such as Tardigrades, against radiation damage to DNA can prevent these negative side effects of radiation therapy. Using the polymer-lipid-based nanoparticles we developed, we were able to effectively introduce Dsup mRNA particles derived from tardigrades into both oral and rectal epithelial cells. Through in vitro and in vivo studies, we found that Dsup mRNA treatment reduced DNA damage in oral and colorectal epithelial cells after radiation treatment and increased cell survival. Additionally, we demonstrated that Dsup mRNA treatment did not impact tumor growth pre-radiation treatment or the efficacy of radiation treatments.
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Cristian Sanchez Major: Mechanical Engineering
Implementation of Drone Swarming for Cooperative Autonomous Missions
Drone swarms have shown to be useful for multiple applications including search and rescue missions, environmental monitoring, and entertainment purposes. The objective of this work is to develop control algorithms, set up localization and communication systems, and writing code to enable to flight of many quadrotor drones at once. We utilize many different types of localization systems to gather continuous positional data on the drones. We have flown up to 25 drones simultaneously in our current lab, and we are currently expanding to new lab with a much larger flight space. With this new space, we plan to increase our swarm size to over 200 drones and potentially more in the future.
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Hailey Hakes Major: Human Physiology
Validation of Blood Pressure Devices for Sale in the United States
We sought to investigate the number of validated blood pressure devices for sale online in the United States, and hypothesized that most devices would not be validated. We collected device information, which included device name, type, measurement site, price, consumer rating, and manufacturer model number from Amazon, Walgreens, and CVS online websites. The validation status for each BP device was determined by cross-referencing with online validated device listings. Our conclusion was most of the BP devices for sale online in the US were not validated. Non-validated devices were cheaper than validated ones, and, therefore, if price is a major consideration for consumers, they may preferentially select a device that is not fit for blood pressure measurement.
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Cassie Sievers Major: Microbiology
Tumor-specific brain TRM mediate protection against intracranial malignancy
Primary brain tumors and brain metastases are clinically refractory to immunotherapies that demonstrate efficacy in peripheral cancers. While tissue-resident memory (TRM) CD8+ T cells are detected after brain tumor establishment, their utility as an immunopreventative agent has not been queried. Here, we utilized a dendritic cell prime-recombinant Listeria monocytogenes boost (DC-rLM) approach in mice to pre-seed the brain with anti-tumor TRM. Importantly, tumor-specific brain TRM, but not bystander TRM, afforded mice with increased survival against B16 melanoma intracranial tumor models. This protection was confirmed in the absence of circulating memory T cells (TCIRCM). Brain TRM persisted in intracranial tumor survivors out to 100 days post-tumor challenge. To increase translational impact, we designed an mRNA vaccine encoding tumor-derived epitopes. Future work will 1) elucidate the optimal vaccination route to generate brain TRM and 2) determine the effector molecules (i.e. IFN-Y, perforin) required for brain TRM-mediated protection. Altogether, these data support that pre-seeded brain TRM can protect against brain tumors, pointing to prophylactic vaccination as a clinically feasible approach to prevent brain malignancies.
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Gabe Simons Major: Biology
Expression of fern EMS1 receptor family genes and the implication of their functional divergence in land plant reproduction
I examined the expression and localization of EMS1 receptor family genes in the model fern Ceratopteris by using whole mount and sectioned in-situ analysis, and RT-qPCR. The implication of their roles in the evolution of land plant reproduction is provided.
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Keegan Staab Major: Biomedical Engineering
Assessment of Gas Exchange in Long COVID using Hyperpolarized 129-Xe MRI and Dual Energy CT
Prolonged symptoms of dyspnea, fatigue and neurocognitive deficit following acute COVID-19 infection (so-called “Long COVID”) has recently been reported to encompass 7.5% of cases and affecting approximately 16 million people in the United States and internationally. In this study we evaluated associations among CT- and MRI-based regional gas exchange indices and ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) matching in COVID-19 survivors with neurocognitive deficits. An intriguing pattern of reduced gas exchange in Long COVID subjects with documented neurocognitive deficits was measured independently with DLCO%p, HP Xenon MRI and V/Q matching via DECT. While our small sample size limits strong conclusions, our findings suggest a potential association between gas exchange efficiency and lingering neurocognitive deficits of COVID-19 infection.
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Benjamin Stimson Major: Biochemistry
Recombinant Ago2 for Nanobody Library Screening
Ago2:HITS-CLIP is a versatile technique used to empirically determine transcriptome-wide microRNA binding sites. The technique requires specific high-quality antibody to immunoprecipitate RNA-fragments bound by Ago2, and this antibody is a limited resource. Our overall goal was to develop a recombinant antibody like reagent (termed a nanobody), that is specific for human Ago2 and a long-term solution for Ago2:HITS-CLIP. We used PCR and restriction enzymes to subclone full-length human Ago2 into a bacterial expression plasmid (pET-11A). Next, we inserted a TEV protease site, a Twin-Strep-Tag, and a 6X histidine tag in-frame at the C-terminus to assist in protein purification. Next, we empirically determined the ideal conditions to induce recombinant Ago2 expression in these bacteria. Three variables were tested: bacteria concentration, induction temperature, and IPTG concentration. Expression of recombinant Ago2 was confirmed via gel electrophoresis and western blotting for with antibodies against Ago2, His-tag, and Strep-Tag. After determining ideal induction conditions, large scale induction was performed. Bacterial pellets derived from these cultures were lysed using standard and commercial buffers, and three attempts were made to purify Ago2 from these lysates. However, all attempts to purify Ago2 from these lysates were unsuccessful due to inclusion body formation. In the future, we plan to optimize a modified induction protocol that mitigates inclusion body formation.
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Robert Weger Major: Economics B.S.
The effect of quantitative easing on commercial bank asset quality
This research seeks to answer whether or not quantitative easing (QE) in the U.S. had a significant effect on the asset quality of American banks. Austrian business cycle theory predicts that ultra-low interest rates and growth of money associated with QE gives the false appearance of abundant resources in the economy, and as a result firms and households will make investments that they otherwise would not have. Banks serve as one channel by which new money is lent into existence, and overtime, if certain investments are revealed to be bad investments, the asset quality of banks will suffer. This research uses aggregated financial statements of U.S. banks from the FDIC, and data from the loan officer survey conducted by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (FRB) to determine if there are any significant trends in asset quality or pricing of risk that coincide with QE. Results are mixed. While there is some evidence of greater risks at a lower premium, banks have are also better capitalized.
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Ethan Weires Major: Psychology
Contributions of Maladaptive Personality Traits and Momentary Negative Affect to Emotion Dysregulation in College Students
Personality traits and negative affect (NA) have been identified as critical predictors of adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (Hughes et al., 2020; Sandel-Fernandez et al., 2022) and were examined as predictors of regulation within a large sample of undergraduates. In Study 1, we determined the unique impact of five maladaptive personality traits on emotion dysregulation dimensions within a sample of 405 undergraduates. NA and detachment were uniquely predictive of non-acceptance, impulse control difficulties, limited access to strategies, and lack of emotional clarity. Psychoticism also predicted multiple dimensions of dysregulation, while antagonism lacked unique associations entirely. Study 2 examined momentary variability in NA as a predictor of short-term variability in emotion dysregulation. NA and dysregulation were measured across 28 timepoints (4 times per day for 7 days) for 154 undergraduates. Mixed effects models revealed that both between- and within-person levels of NA predicted higher dysregulation. Further, higher within-person NA predicted higher within-person dysregulation. We found no evidence that personality significantly moderated these associations. However, findings showed that variability in NA was more tightly linked with variability in dysregulation for those with higher overall NA. Results support the importance of measuring and understanding the momentary and dynamic nature of regulatory processes.
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Amelia Williams Major: history and anthropology, art history minor
Paddle Faster, I Hear Chainsaws!: Reconceptualizing Whiteness in the 1970s and the Rise of Hillbilly Horror through Deliverance and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
This thesis examines the rise of “hillbilly horror” film in the1970s to investigate changes in cultural conceptions of Whiteness following the civil rights movement. The modern-day image of White rural men as a malignant backwood villain was fully realized in the late 1960s and 70s. I argue that Deliverance and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre helped cement the stereotype of White Trash as a violent figure. With White people committing racist acts of violence on family TV sets nationwide, White Americans reckoned with their racial identity in a rapidly desegregating US through their readings of these films. My research explores three contrasting ‘readings’ of hillbilly horror by White Americans. The first reading argues that urban, liberal White Americans used the films to reaffirm their social superiority over their rural counterparts. In the second reading, I demonstrate how filmmakers and critically minded viewers reexamined Whiteness and the condemnation of White Trash through the films’ social commentary. The third reading deals with the complicated relationship between White rural Americans and their horrific on-screen portrayal. Finally, the paper examines how these perspectives shaped and were shaped by the 1970s political climate. I aim to bring a rigorous historical view to this under-explored subject.
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Rebekah Yarvis Major: Biology
The effect of auxin on meristem regeneration in the model fern Ceratopteris
I examined the role of the plant hormone auxin in the regeneration of the meristem (containing stem cells) in gametophytes of the model fern Ceratopteris using laser ablation to destroy the original meristem then letting them grow on media containing different concentrations of auxin. I measured the time it took for the gametophytes to develop a new meristem and the distance between the original and regenerated meristem. I found that auxin treated gametophytes have delayed meristem regeneration and that regenerated meristems of gametophytes treated with indole-3-acetic acid, the natural form of auxin, form farther from the original meristem and with increased preference toward the apical side of the plant.
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Morgan Anderson Major: Biology
Zombie Snails: Finding Genome Size in Dead Tissue
The substantial variation in genome size across eukaryotes remains a fundamental biological puzzle. Central to this question is the role of phosphorus (P), a vital component of DNA. Organisms with large genomes may require more phosphorus, suggesting a connection between genome size and the "nutrient constraint hypothesis." This suggests that organisms with high nuclear DNA content, and thus high-P content, are particularly sensitive to low-P environments. New Zealand lakes vary widely in P availability and often harbor lower P availability than is required for triploid Potamopyrgus antipodarum (a model organism with varying ploidy). P availability in lakes is not static and has not been thoroughly studied. Thus, the available P at each site was measured while samples were collected to find ploidy level frequency in various New Zealand lakes. Due to unfortunate travel circumstances, nearly 50% of the field-collected snails were already dead when they reached our lab, and all were dissected and snap-frozen. I used flow cytometry to analyze these poor quality samples to attempt to characterize ploidy levels within the sampled NZ lakes.
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Anna Behrens Major: History
Brothers & Sisters Unite: Motivations, Meaning, and Conflicts of Take Back the Night in Iowa City, Cambridge, & San Francisco
This thesis examines Take Back the Night (TBTN) marches in Iowa City, Cambridge, and San Francisco in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It analyzes how TBTN marches emerged out of the broader feminist anti-violence movement, as previous scholarship has shown, but moves beyond such studies by drawing comparisons across three critical sites across the country. Using sources from the Iowa Women’s Archives, Schlesinger Library, and GLBT Historical Society, the thesis argues that TBTN marches in the three locations possessed similarities: they were motivated by local events, had common structural elements, and, finally, their intended message and goals were undermined by conflicts among organizers and their surrounding communities. The thesis specifically explores communities’ awareness of the frequency of gendered violence, local knowledge of publicized trials and crimes (often serial), the physical reclaiming of space, the sharing of testimony, and disagreements on the role of pornography in gendered violence, exclusion of women of color, and exclusion of men.
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Krishna Bharadwaj Major: Geosciences and Biomedical engineering
Scientific illustration of a crocodylidae skull
Scientific anatomical illustration is a central tool in paleontology and systematics. It is critically important in visualizing fossils in ways that photographs cannot; to learn detailed anatomy and to communicate essential fossils to the reader. Illustration highlights features in the fossil such as layers of bone, boundaries, and fracture marks. Facility in this form of anatomical illustration builds expertise for future paleontologists to readily identify bones in the field based on sight. We describe the methodological steps of illustrating the small skull of a West African crocodyliform, Osteolaemus, in the software Adobe Illustrator. The African dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) is now known to represent at least three distinct species, but our ability to distinguish them from skeletal remains is in its infancy. This is important not only to aid in conserving endangered wild populations, but to further circumscribe distinct species related to Osteolaemus in the fossil record of Africa over the past 20 million years.
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Brianna Blaine Major: Human Physiology
SSRI Use in Pregnancy Rescues Postpartum Cognitive Dysfunction after Pregnancy in a Mouse Model for the Study of Preeclampsia
Mood disorders in pregnancy are a large and growing health concern. Specifically, depression and preeclampsia, a multi-system hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, share high rates of co-morbidity and are linked to cognitive dysfunction. It is not known, however, whether cognitive dysfunction after preeclamptic pregnancy contributes to depression risk. Here we examine whether cognitive dysfunction occurred following a preeclampsia-like pregnancy, and whether SSRIs might rescue this cognitive dysfunction. For this work, we utilized a preeclampsia mouse model of chronic vasopressin (AVP) validated previously by our lab. SSRIs were chronically administered via drinking water throughout pregnancy. This dose of SSRI crossed into the amniotic fluid and caused significantly decreased anxiety and depression-like behaviors and increased hedonic behaviors after a pregnant cohort. We tested cognitive function via the Barnes maze for spatial memory and the Radial arm maze for working memory one year following index pregnancy. Our results reveal that a prior pregnancy was sufficient to significantly improve spatial memory on the first day of Barnes maze testing. AVP treatment significantly decreased spatial memory on the first but not subsequent days of the Barnes maze task, regardless of SSRI status. Only on the first probe trial did we find there was a rescue of performance by the SSRI. These results have important implications for the treatment of psychiatric and obstetric disorders.
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William Broadston Irvine Major: History
The United Irishmen: Nationalism, Catholicism, and Cultural Propaganda in 1790s Ireland
This thesis examines how the Society of United Irishmen used cultural symbols, Catholic writings, and literary texts to fashion a “true Irish” identity and garner political support for their nationalist and anti-British movement, which culminated in the 1798 Irish Rebellion. The Society of United Irishmen was a nationalist political group founded in Belfast in 1791 to advocate for equal representation in parliament, and to emancipate Catholics from discriminatory laws. The United Irishmen used the imagery of popular Irish cultural artifacts that they associated with ancient Gaelic culture, like the Irish harp, to signal their Irishness. They crafted the image of a “true Irishman,” a poor Catholic bardic countryman. Their created “true Irishman” did not align with their wealthy, city-dwelling, Protestant and Presbyterian backgrounds. They also used their propaganda newspaper, the Northern Star, to spread popular liberal texts, writings in support of Catholic emancipation, and poetry, to gather support and galvanize their readers. The thesis makes use of contemporary newspapers published by the United Irishmen, journals, old Irish anecdotes and fables, and correspondence between prominent members of the United Irishmen.
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Lauryn Bunn Major: Interdepartmental Studies, Pre-Dental Track
The Medicaid Unwind: Who Lost Coverage in Iowa After the Public Health Emergency?
The start of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted policy changes in order to improve healthcare accessibility in the U.S. The declaration of a "Public Health Emergency" in early 2020 resulted in increased Medicaid flexibilities, ultimately allowing people to remain enrolled in the government health insurance program throughout the pandemic. In anticipation of this declaration's expiration in May 2023, each state's Medicaid office began re-determining the eligibility of its enrollees at the beginning of this year, a process referred to as the Medicaid "Unwind." Our presentation will focus on this re-determination process in the state of Iowa, describing the policies informing this transition and the timeline and outcomes of this process. We will then review possible implications for those removed from Medicaid coverage in Iowa, outlining alternative sources of health insurance and/or care.
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Puja Mekala Major: Psychology
The Medicaid Unwind: Who Lost Coverage in Iowa After the Public Health Emergency?
The start of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted policy changes in order to improve healthcare accessibility in the U.S. The declaration of a "Public Health Emergency" in early 2020 resulted in increased Medicaid flexibilities, ultimately allowing people to remain enrolled in the government health insurance program throughout the pandemic. In anticipation of this declaration's expiration in May 2023, each state's Medicaid office began re-determining the eligibility of its enrollees at the beginning of this year, a process referred to as the Medicaid "Unwind." Our presentation will focus on this re-determination process in the state of Iowa, describing the policies informing this transition and the timeline and outcomes of this process. We will then review possible implications for those removed from Medicaid coverage in Iowa, outlining alternative sources of health insurance and/or care.
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Alexis Carfrae Major: Political Science, Ethics and Public Policy
Exploring the Implications of the Black Maternal Health Crisis in Iowa
This research is focused on looking at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services' Title V Community-Based Doula Project for African American Families and exploring the efficacy of the program. This will also include policy recommendations for further steps that the state should take to decrease maternal health.
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Nina Carnevale Major: Biomedical Sciences
Lysyl oxidase inhibitors as a targetable mechanism for Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (MPNSTs) metastasis
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive, highly metastatic sarcomas arising from the Schwann cells of peripheral nerves. Up to 50% of MPNSTs metastasize to the lungs and the 5 year survival rate of MPNSTs is 20-35%. Treatment of this cancer has not improved over the last 30 years. We are currently exploring how to identify and disrupt mechanisms of MPNST metastasis using novel therapies to ultimately improve patient outcomes. Loss of PRC2, a major epigenetic regulator, is associated with increased metastasis in vitro, in vivo, and patients. Dysregulation of PRC2 is also linked to poor clinical prognosis and chemotherapy resistance. Lysyl oxidases (Lox) are proteins that modify the extracellular environment of tumor cells to promote metastasis. Production of Lox proteins is upregulated in PRC2 loss MPNSTs. In this study, we will assess the ability of Lox inhibitors to decrease MPNST metastasis in vitro. This data will provide evidence of the utility of targeting a downstream pathway of PRC2 loss to decrease metastatic phenotypes of this aggressive cancer. This data will influence how to treat metastasis and be applied to patient care.
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Seren Castellano Major: Biology and Anthropology
Characterizing Sleep in Estuarine Snails
Sleeping is a fundamental process shared across animals, however, we still do not understand why sleep is so common and important. Here, we build on previous work in my lab characterizing true sleep for the first time in a New Zealand freshwater snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, to determine whether true sleep is found in another species, P. estuarinus and how it differs between estuaries vs. freshwater habitats. This difference in habitat is intriguing in considering how tidal cycles might affect sleeping behavior. I used the criteria from Stephenson and Lewis (2010) to identify quiescence within four freshwater snails through (1) stereotypic posture where sleep is limited to a narrow range of bodily positions, (2) behavioral quiescence where no other behavior is exhibited during sleep such as such as eating or moving, (3) delayed or lowered stimulus response where the transitory state delays an organism’s response to stimulus, and (4) compensation following deprivation which requires the organism to sleep more or for longer periods of time due to delayed sleep. While these tests are still underway, outcomes will both expand our knowledge of sleeping behavior in mollusks and provide initial insights into how evolution in a tidal environment might shape sleeping behavior.
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Emma Caster Major: History
Lost in Translation; The Evolution of Spanish Translations and the Black Legend in England from 1578 to 1740
This paper traces the evolution of the Black Legend using Spanish accounts of the colonization of the Americas published in English from 1578 to 1740. The Black Legend, largely spread by English, Dutch, and German Protestants, was an anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish narrative demonizing the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Relying in particular on the appropriation of Spanish Friar Bartholomé de las Casas’s Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, originally published in Spanish in 1552, the thesis argues that English editions of the text reflect England's political and religious turmoil in the 16th and 18th centuries. Previous work on the Black Legend centered on how the authors of New World accounts intended to have their work received in Europe. By studying printed paratexts, including dedicatory letters to patrons, letters to the readers, and the translations themselves, I show how English publishers and translators, and the statesmen who sponsored these publications sought to use Spanish accounts as political. Facing various religious and political crises at home English leaders and booksellers used translations of Las Casas's work to advance their hopes of British imperial expansion in the Americas and encourage the English to unite in the face of the Spanish threat.
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Madison Einck Major: Psychology
Predictive Associations of Parent Dysregulation on Child Negative Emotionality with Age as a Moderator
Parents’ dysregulation can negatively impact children’s development, including development of negative emotionality. Child negative emotionality may also influence parent dysregulation. However, little is known about whether mothers’ versus fathers' dysregulation differentially predict negative emotionality in children, or vice-versa. Further, it is unclear whether these associations differ as a function of age. Thus, the current study investigated predictive associations between mothers’ versus fathers' dysregulation and children’s negative emotionality, moderating for child age. Data was collected from a community sample of child-parent dyads. Negative emotionality was assessed using parent-report on the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire. Parent dysregulation was a composite of items from the Wills Self-Regulation Scale and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Cross-lagged panel model results revealed that child negative emotionality and parent dysregulation were predictive of themselves and associated concurrently. Child negative emotionality did not predict later parent dysregulation, or vice-versa. When including age as a moderator, the association between child negative emotionality and later parent dysregulation was significantly larger for younger children at a trend level only for fathers. These results emphasize the importance of intervening on child negative emotionality at younger ages to buffer against future parent dysregulation, specifically for fathers.
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Quinn Eldridge Major: Biomedical Sciences
Characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis Type III Secreted Effector Protein CT584
Chlamydia trachomatis (C.t.) is an extremely infectious bacteria with millions of cases reported worldwide annually. Infection is commonly asymptomatic and associated with several negative health outcomes such as ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, and sterility. Within its host, C.t. lives in a vacuole where it dynamically interacts with its host via a type III secretion system. These secreted proteins hijack host cellular machinery to create an environment that allows C.t. to replicate; however, many of their exact functions are unknown. We used affinity purification-mass spectrometry to identify potential host cell protein binding partners for these secreted effectors, including CT584. CT584 was found to interact with nucleoporins (NUPs), proteins that control the shuttling of materials in and out of the nucleus. Under infection conditions, CT584 binds Rae1, NUP214, and NUP153. Furthermore, the C-terminus of CT584 was necessary for binding NUP153. CT584 was also found to colocalize with both NUP153 and NUP214 at the nuclear envelope in transfected HeLa cells. Lastly, we show that nuclear translocation of STAT1 under interferon-gamma inducing conditions is blocked by CT584. We hypothesize CT584 helps C.t. create its intracellular niche and subvert host cell defenses by restricting the movement of proteins in and out of the nucleus.
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Rhett Ellerbroek Major: Biochemistry
Prenatal Stress, IL-6, and Striatal Microglia Variation
Prenatal stress is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. We are currently unaware of the exact mechanism of this connection, but previous research has shown microglial cells may play a role. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) has been shown to be upregulated during prenatal stress, and may be a possible mechanism. Although the striatum is altered in neurodevelopmental disorders, and previous studies have shown cortical microglia to be permanently altered after prenatal stress, none have examined microglia in the striatum of prenatally-stressed mice. It is hypothesized that more microglia will be switched to the different morphologies in adult mice who have experienced prenatal stress, and IL-6 will have similar effects. To test this, pregnant mice were placed in one of four conditions: no stress, saline injections, IL-6 injections, or prenatal restraint stress three times a day from embryonic day 12 thorough birth. The mice grew until postnatal day 60, when brains were collected. Brains were stained using immunohistochemistry for IBA1. Striatal microglia were categorized as amoeboid, lowly ramified, moderately ramified, and highly ramified with unbiased stereology. Microglia density was then calculated using striatal volume. In females, an increase in lowly ramified microglia due to stress and a decrease due to IL-6 was found.
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Faith Fairbairn Major: Microbiology
Sex-Specific Changes seen in Placental Angiogenesis in Placental Igf-1 Overexpression Mouse Model
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf-1) is an important hormone that is placentally produced necessary for fetal development and proper placental angiogenesis, critical for transport of essential factors to the fetus. We hypothesized that placental Igf-1 overexpression (Igf1-OE) would promote angiogenesis. Igf1-OE was induced in mouse placentas at embryonic day 12 (E12) via CRISPR and collected at E14 and E18. qPCR examined the expression of placental angiogenic factors, Flt-1, Hif1-α, Plgf, and Vegf. Sectioned placentas were H&E stained to visualize and measure blood space/sinusoidal area. Females showed Igf1-OE and increased angiogenic factors’ expression at E14 but not E18, although no change in sinusoidal area was found. Increased fetal body mass in E14 females but not E18 females supported by Igf1-OE and angiogenic effects. Males showed no Igf1-OE, potentially caused by ceiling effect limiting overexpression, and downregulation of Plgf at E14 and E18. Plgf is involved in fetal growth in addition to angiogenesis. No difference in sinusoidal area in the male placentas was found. Males showed no fetal body mass difference at E14 but showed a decrease at E18. Future experiments will investigate placental sinusoidal changes in later embryonic development and factors limiting the male response to induction of Igf1-OE.
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Will Fairman Major: Biomedical Sciences
Mitokine Secretion from OPA1 Deficient Skeletal Muscle in Mice is Sexually Dimorphic and Partially Dependent on ATF4
Over the last century, the prevalence of diabetes and obesity has dramatically increased. Previous studies from our lab revealed that depletion of a mitochondrial protein, Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1), in skeletal muscle (mOPA1 KO) leads to increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress factors including Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4), secretion of a Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21), and protection from diet-induced obesity (DIO) and diabetes in mice. We hypothesized that ATF4 is necessary for upregulation of FGF21 and resistance to diabetes and obesity in the mOPA1 KO model. To test this, we generated a skeletal muscle-specific ATF4 OPA1 double KO (AO DKO). In AO DKO mice, ER stress was induced in males, however, only partially induced in females. FGF21 was moderately induced in males and strongly induced in females. AO DKO males and females were protected from DIO and diabetes. The persistent increase in circulating FGF21 seen in AO DKO mice could contribute to this protection. The lack of full FGF21 induction in the absence of ATF4, supports a role for ATF4 in FGF21 regulation, but also implicates additional mechanisms linking mitochondrial stress and ER stress induction with the generation of FGF21 in skeletal muscle.
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Alexis Faudel Major: Environmental Engineering
COVID-19 Impacts on Pregnancy Experiences
The differential effects of COVID-19 on different pregnant populations are not well understood. To address this question, pregnant patients enrolled in the Perinatal Family Tissue Bank (IRB#200910784) were emailed a survey through REDCap regarding COVID-19 effects to their overall healthcare, finances, social support, and pregnancy. Responses were received from 946 participants. The four cohorts were identified based on survey responses answers to the question, “Over the past trimester of your pregnancy how did you feel burdened by restrictions imposed on labor and delivery as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?” The four possible answers were: a lot more, a little more, not affected, and improved. Differences between these groups were examined using ANOVA or Chi-square analysis as appropriate. Groups were analyzed for differences in demographics, outcomes, and social determinants of health. Significant differences were identified between the cohort related to healthcare, financial ability, and social support (p≤0.001). Understanding drivers of patient burden will aid in the development of support programs.
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Meghan Funk Major: Mathematics
Identification of Early Biomarkers of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) results in hyperglycemia due to pregnancy-specific insulin resistance. GDM affects 2-10% of all pregnancies in the United States each year. To develop an earlier test for gestational diabetes, our lab investigated four biomarkers with known or suspected involvement in the development of diabetes: alpha-2HS-Gycoprotein (AHSG), leukocyte cell derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF-19), and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21). Plasma samples were attained from pregnant subjects with and without a diagnosis of GDM who were in their second trimester of pregnancy from the Perinatal Family Tissue Bank (IRB# 200910784). The samples were measured for concentrations of each biomarker via Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs). Total protein concentrations were also measured via bicinchoninic acid (BCA) protein assay. Biomarker concentrations were normalized to total protein measurements. Student’s t-test and Fisher’s exact test were utilized for analysis, as appropriate. Alpha was set at 0.05. Statistically significant differences in biomarker concentrations were identified between GDM and non-GDM complicated pregnancies for AHSG (p=0.0002) and LECT2 (p=0.0018). No significant differences were measured for FGF-19 and FGF-21 between cohorts. We conclude that AHSG and LECT2 have potential to identify gestational diabetes earlier in pregnancy than the current glucose tolerance test.
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Shreya Gaddi Major: Biomedical Sciences
Investigating Cardiac Hypertrophy in Pregnant Subjects: A Novel Approach Using Arginine Vasopressin (AVP) Infusion
Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy complication linked to hypertension. Those with a history of PE are at increased risk for future cardiovascular disease (CVD). The connection between PE and CVD remains unclear; however, a novel approach using AVP infusion offers insight. Past research demonstrated that AVP infusion in pregnant mice emphasizes preeclampsia symptoms, especially hypertension. Our hypothesis states that AVP infusion causes cardiac hypertrophy in pregnant mice through the induction of PE. Mini-pumps were implanted to infuse AVP in mice throughout gestation until necropsy on gestational day 18. Blood pressure and heart weight were measured. Non-pregnant and saline-infused pregnant mice showed no BP increase. In AVP-infused pregnant mice, BP rose along with heart weight, indicating hypertrophy. ELISA also revealed elevated NT-ProBNP levels, a cardiac abnormality biomarker, in plasma from pregnant AVP-infused mice. For a case-control study, we obtained 3rd-trimester human maternal plasma samples from preeclamptic patients. Their plasma showed significant increases in NT-proBNP and MR-proANP, another cardiac abnormality biomarker. Using H9C2 rat cardiomyocytes, we treated them with pooled plasma from preeclamptic patients. The results showed significant increases in rat ANP and BNP expression, suggesting that AVP-infused pregnant mice exhibit more pronounced cardiac hypertrophy than typical pregnancy-related hypertrophy, offering a relevant model to study future CVD.
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Winnie Gavin Major: Biology (BA) on the Pre-Med track
Phosphorus Allocation Strategies in Freshwater Snails: Balancing Growth and Reproduction
Organisms can make unconscious physiological choices about where nutrients are allocated to best suit their needs. In a nutrient-limited environment, these trade-offs are essential. Phosphorus (P) is ubiquitous but is a limiting nutrient in nature. P is necessary for both rRNA production for growth and DNA replication for gametogenesis. Despite the fundamental importance of growth and reproduction as determinants of organismal fitness, little is known about how P availability mediates allocation to growth vs. reproduction. Potamopyrgus antipodarum is a New Zealand freshwater snail well suited to address this biological question because it has cross-individual variation in DNA content and has been the subject of a growing body of work addressing connections between P availability, DNA content, and fitness-related traits. Here, we studied trade-offs between growth rate and reproduction of P. antipodarum under P limitation in a lab environment. We predict that adult snails given a high-P diet would allocate more P to reproduction and less P to growth. Conversely, we predict that adult snails given a low-P diet will allocate more P to growth, resulting in lower embryo production. This research will help us fill major gaps in knowledge about life history evolution and the consequences of P limitation.
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Lauren Gomez Major: Biology
The Effect of ISM1 Knockdown on Neural Crest Gene Expression
Cleft Lip/Palate (CLP) is a birth defect that affects 1/1000 births. Our lab discovered that the loss of the gene ISM1 plays a role in the development of CL/P. To further understand this, frogs were used as a model to perform gene knockdowns using morpholino injections, where morpholinos were designed to prevent protein production of ism1. We then isolated RNA, converted it into cDNA, and ran a qPCR to see quantitatively the amount of expression of neural crest genes. We also used in-situ hybridization for a more qualitative data set to show the expression of ism1. We found that the loss of ism1 alters early neural crest migration, which may cause CL/P. We want to expand this study by looking at other genes found in neural crest migration to identify the specific time requirement for ism1 expression.
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Mengcheng Guo Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, History
The role of Pitx3-mediated transcriptional activation of RGS6 promoter in Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurological disorder after Alzheimer’s. The loss of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons in the substantia nigra compacta (SNc), due to Lewy body accumulation, is believed to cause sporadic PD. Pitx3 is a bicoid homeodomain transcription factor essential for mDA neuron development and survival. Mouse mutants of Pitx3 show selective mDA neuron loss, and human PITX3 variants have been linked with sporadic PD. We previously identified Rgs6 as the most downregulated transcript in SNc of Pitx3-/- mice and found that Rgs6-/- mice exhibit loss of Pitx3-dependent gene expression in SNc DA neurons. Mice with RGS6 loss exhibit SNc DA neuron loss, α-synuclein accumulation, and hallmark PD motor deficits. Additionally, a proteomic study identified RGS6 as the most downregulated protein in the SNc of Lewy body-positive PD patients. Although these studies suggest RGS6 protects against PD neurodegeneration, regulation of RGS6 expression in PD remains unknown. We performed in silico analysis of ~1 kb of the 5’-flanking region of the human RGS6 gene and identified a highly conserved bicoid homeodomain element. We hypothesized that Pitx3 acts as a critical transactivator of the RGS6 promoter. To test this, we cloned the mouse RGS6 promoter into a mammalian luciferase plasmid and examined its activity in PC-6 cells following Pitx3 expression. This confirmed Pitx3 significantly increases RGS6 promoter activity.
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Ethan Hahlbeck Major: Biochemistry
Both full-length and cleaved C-terminus LPL bind VLDLR
Increased levels of triglycerides (TGs) in the blood are associated with many metabolic diseases. In the blood, triglycerides are transported by particles called lipoproteins. The protein lipoprotein lipase (LPL) regulates TG levels in the blood in two ways: it breaks down the TGs in the lipoprotein particles to free fatty acids, or it facilitates the uptake of whole lipoprotein particles into cells through a process called bridging. Bridging occurs when LPL binds lipoprotein particles and a surface protein, facilitating the uptake of the whole lipoprotein into the cell. LPL can be cleaved into two parts by proteases. This cleavage renders LPL unable to break down TGs, but it is currently unknown how cleavage affects bridging function. This study assessed the ability of both full-length and cleaved LPL to bind the protein very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR). We also investigated the ability of full-length and cleaved LPL to bridge lipoproteins to VLDLR. Initial experiments showed that both cleaved and full-length LPL bind VLDLR. In addition, initial immunofluorescent microscopy experiments suggested both cleaved and full-length LPL could bridge lipoproteins to VLDLR, but the high background signal present in these experiments will require further troubleshooting before this conclusion can be confirmed.
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Emily Hartman Major: Speech and Hearing Sciences
Language Outcomes in Multilingual Immigrant Preschoolers: A Community Based Participatory Research Study
Data is currently lacking on language development in children acquiring English as a second language with or without language impairment. Many educators and health professionals do not have proper developmental expectations for this population, resulting in false diagnoses of language impairment. Language samples present information on a child’s understanding of language skills that are imperative for language use. By implementing tiered support with narrative macrostructure curriculum, and tracking growth of language over time, the study charts response to intervention in multilingual immigrant preschoolers. Two 4-year-olds with language concerns identified by teachers and/or parents received a curriculum that represented levels of intervention in an MTSS model. Data was collected through language samples at pre-, during-, and post-intervention then analyzed with SALT software for measures of language depth, breadth, and productivity. The data shows the growth of the mean length of utterances, greater vocabulary depth, and increases in the amount of correct verb usage, percentage of verbs per sample, and mean verbs per utterance. This study shows the value of MTSS language intervention to support English language development in a diverse and unique population for which there is limited data on the rate of second language acquisition and supports using language sampling as a measure for such analysis.
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Elleri Herman Major: Human Physiology
Investigating a Role For Time of Day On The Effects of Seizures On CO2 Arousal in Amygdala Kindled Mice
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures. Anti-seizure drugs fail in 1⁄3 of people with epilepsy. People with drug-resistant epilepsy are at higher risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). SUDEP is more prevalent at night in both humans and animal models. Several etiologies have been proposed for SUDEP, including impaired arousal. One relevant arousal stimulus is CO2. Preliminary studies from our lab suggest that seizures impair CO2 arousal. We hypothesized that CO2 arousal is impaired to a greater extent by seizures that occur during the night. This may contribute to increased nighttime mortality. To examine this, wild-type mice were surgically implanted with hardware to monitor EEG and EMG to determine sleep-wake state and seizure activity, and with a bipolar electrode in the basolateral amygdala to induce epileptogenesis via amygdala kindling. Once rendered epileptic, mice were exposed to 7% CO2 before and after seizures induced at different times of the twenty-four-hour day. So far, we have demonstrated that seizures impair CO2 arousal. This impairment may be more prominent following nighttime seizures. Since the neurotransmitter serotonin is important for CO2 arousal, future studies will be conducted in serotonin neuron-deficient mice.
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Abdelrahman Homedan Major: Neuroscience
Perceptual Organization in Peripheral Vision
Perceptual organization is a type of cognitive processing that allows us to abstract information about a scene that is not physically present in the stimulus itself. Essentially, it is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Examples of perceptual organization include surface completion, abstraction of 3D surface structure from 2D image geometry, and surface scission from transparency. This type of processing is known to occur in central vision, where stimuli are near fixation. Visual processes, however, are less reliable for stimuli that are farther away from fixation, (i.e., in the peripheral visual field). We therefore hypothesized that, unlike central vision, perceptual organization does not occur in peripheral vision. We used a known measure of perceptual organization— the Configural Superiority Effect (CSE)— to measure three different perceptual organization processes at two different eccentricities, one near fixation and one in the periphery. Consistent with our hypothesis, we observed significant CSEs for stimuli presented centrally, but not for stimuli presented peripherally.
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Colin Houts Major: Chemical Engineering
Thermal Shock Eradication of Single-Species and Polymicrobial Biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus
Bacterial biofilm infections on medical implants cost patients billions of dollars each year. Infected implants are resistant to antibiotic treatment, often requiring surgical removal. A new device must then be surgically implanted with twice the likelihood of infection. Recent research has highlighted the potential of controlled in-vivo thermal shocks as a biofilm eradication strategy. Research thus far has focused on the thermal eradication of single-species biofilms; however, many implant infections are comprised of multiple species. This study compares the thermal shock resistance of single-species and multi-species (polymicrobial) biofilms of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus as a strategy for biofilm elimination. Results confirm thermal shocks at varying durations and temperatures can eliminate bacterial biofilms. Within single-species biofilms P. aeruginosa was found to have significantly lower thermal resistance than S. aureus. In polymicrobial biofilms, the presence of P. aeruginosa significantly decreased the thermal resistance of S. aureus, while the resistance of P. aeruginosa was not significantly impacted. Re-incubation of thermally shocked biofilms confirmed their elimination at clinically relevant thermal shock durations and temperatures. These results indicated complete elimination of the biofilm was required to prevent regrowth. The results from this study can be utilized to develop more effective treatments for biofilm infections.
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Katie Joslyn Major: Neuroscience
Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Influence Suicide Risk in Patients Referred for Neuropsychological Assessment?
The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the mental health of many individuals. Suicide risk in patients referred for neuropsychological assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet been researched. While suicide risk amongst the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic and suicide risk amongst patients with neurological conditions have been researched separately, our study aims to observe fluctuations in suicide risk in this particularly vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study includes adult neuropsychology patients (N=1908; average of 58.8 years of age; average education of 14.3). Participants were included if they completed the Suicide Rating Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) item 9. Patients were assessed prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2021) to investigate various components of suicide risk. We found increases in anxiety, sleep problems, thoughts of dying, and suicide ideation. Our findings of increased suicide risk in patients referred for neuropsychological assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that suicide risk in this population needs continued careful monitoring and should be an integral practice in neuropsychological assessment.
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Njenga Kamau Major: Genetics
Overexpression of Placental Igf-1 in Mice Alters Striatal Cell Proliferation and Increases Striatal Volume
Changes in placental gene expression may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Previously our lab found increased placental Insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf-1) in litters that were prenatally stressed, a known risk factor for NDDs. The brain region, the striatum, has high expression of the Igf-1 receptor. We hypothesized that increasing placental Igf-1 would lead to accelerated growth of the striatum through increased cell proliferation density, resulting in changes relevant to NDDs. We induced placental Igf-1 overexpression on embryonic day 12 (E12) using CRISPR. The fetuses and placentas were then collected on E18. ELISA and qPCR measured Igf-1 expression and protein levels in placentas, respectively. Fetal brains were sectioned and stained to identify changes in cell density using fluorescence microscopy and stereology. E18 females showed the expected placental Igf-1 overexpression while males showed no change in overexpression at this time point, they potentially had an earlier change. Brain volumes showed an increase in striatal volume when compared to controls. Currently, there is also a trending increase in cell density. This work demonstrates that placental overexpression may lead to increased striatal cell proliferation and density. In the future, we plan to identify the specific striatal cell types that are altered.
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Parker Kaminski Major: Biomedical Engineering
Development of an experimental mechanical ventilator for the analysis of ex vivo respiratory dynamics.
Mechanical ventilation is a life-sustaining technique used for patients suffering from lung disease or injury. The goal of this project was to design and construct a mechanical ventilation device for excised lung tissue samples that can recreate the mechanical conditions experienced by lung tissue in vivo. This device will provide precision-controlled pressure and flow in order to investigate the impact of different mechanical ventilation modalities on alveolar structural dynamics within ex vivo lung models.
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Natalie Kehrli Major: Psychology
Schizotypal Group Differences and Associations Between Physical Activity and Three GPS-Derived Mobility Indices
The current research indicates that individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders engage in less physical activity than non-psychiatric comparators, and physical activity shows associations with symptoms and functioning in this group. However, there is limited research examining physical activity in those with elevated schizotypal characteristics. Therefore, we are interested in understanding the relationship between self-reported physical activity and geolocation derived mobility indices in undergraduates with and without elevated schizotypal characteristics. We will examine 3 geolocation mobility indices (e.g., time spent at home, distances traveled, and distances traveled from home) and a self-report measure of total physical activity (in metabolic equivalent of task (METS)). Moreover, we are interested in examining group differences (high and low schizotypy group) on self-reported physical activity, and the 3 geolocation mobility indices.
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Annelise Richardson Major: English Writing Rome: Creating a Verbal Topography of the Eternal City I spent two months this summer in Rome, Italy attempting to capture the dynamic character of this city in writing. Using personal essays, travel writing, and memoiristic writing, I sought to capture the spirit of modern Rome and convey it earnestly and artfully to an unfamiliar audience.
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Cameron LaPage Major: History and Political Science (Music Minor)
Agency in Removal: How the Iowa Tribe Navigated War and Colonization between 1812 and 1824
This thesis examines how the Iowa Tribe preserved its survival from 1812 to 1824. Rather than being victims of tribal warfare, as they were portrayed in early histories, it argues that Ioway leaders actively negotiated with rival tribes and colonial powers in the decade leading up to their first removal. Prior to the nineteenth century, the Iowa Tribe had dominion over most of the modern-day State of Iowa and Northern Missouri. The Iowa Tribe was divided during the War of 1812 between allegiances to the United States and Great Britain but emerged united under the leadership of Chief Hard Heart. The following decade saw increased pressure from American settlement, and relations between the Ioway and Sauk and Meskwaki tribes deteriorated to the point where the Iowa Tribe left behind their old villages on the Des Moines and Mississippi Rivers to reside with the Otoe in Northern Missouri. In 1824, in wake of Missouri achieving statehood, Ioway chiefs White Cloud and Great Walker signed away their lands in Northern Missouri, beginning a long period of removal and attempts by the United States to assimilate the Iowa Tribe. Although they lost their lands as a result of this agreement, the Iowa leaders’ pragmatism ultimately preserved the tribe.
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Jeff Leiberton Major: Physics, Mathematics
Towards Topological Magnons for Hybrid Magnonic Systems
Here I will present results from our theoretical investigation of topological magnons for hybrid magnonic systems [1]. I will begin by discussing the coupling between a Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) spin center and bulk magnons in a ferromagnetic honeycomb lattice. Special attention will be paid to the rate at which excited magnons decohere/destroy the stored information in the NV centers. Next, I will discuss topological magnons in a honeycomb Heisenberg ferromagnet with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) and easy-axis anisotropy [2]. Finally, I will merge these two analyses and discuss future work, outlining ways in which topological magnons can be used to couple to NV centers and presenting preliminary results. [1] Bence Hetényi, Alexander Mook, Jelena Klinovaja, and Daniel Loss Phys. Rev. B 106, 235409 [2] Hongseok Kim and Se Kwon Kim Phys. Rev. B 106, 104430
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Nathan McCutcheon Major: Neuroscience
Quantifying Facial Grimace with DeepLabCut
Chronic migraine is one of the most prevalent disabilities worldwide, affecting roughly one billion people. Our lab aims to better understand migraine by analyzing electrophysiological recordings of the mouse brain during a migraine-like brain state induced by Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). We pair these electrophysiological recordings with a phenotypical measurement of squint from eight separate camera angles. Adequately measuring squint with a meaningful temporal resolution is one of the greatest challenges associated with interpreting phenotypical changes during migraine-like brain states. To do this I utilized DeepLabCut, a machine learning model that is capable of automatically tracking and generating measurable variance of squint. This enabled me to analyze squint at a higher temporal resolution while keeping manual user time requirements low. To validate the machine learning model, I did multiple analyses to measure accuracy of the training. I first trained four models with one to four hundred frames respectively to justify the number of frames used in training each model. I then compared the highest sampled model to an analysis method used by another lab to test accuracy against a previously validated system. Using these validations, I have created a robust and repeatable method for analyzing squint in a mouse model of migraine.
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Zoe Meaney Major: Psychology
Increased Expression of RGS2 by Betamethasone Prevents Vasopressin-induced Symptoms of Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is indicated by hypertension and kidney damage. Features of preeclampsia have been shown to be replicated with AVP treatment. Corticosteroids such as Betamethasone (BMTZ) are often administered to promote fetal maturation. This research explores use of BMTZ to manage or treat preeclampsia. AVP was administered to mice throughout gestation. BMTZ was administered to AVP treated mice on gestational day 7. Systolic blood pressure was observed to be elevated in mice treated with AVP. BMTZ returned systolic blood pressure to baseline. Expression of Col1A and TGFβ were analyzed as indicators of kidney damage. Both Col1A and TGFβ were elevated in AVP treated mice. BMTZ reduced expression of Col1A and TGFβ in AVP treated mice. Poor placental profusion due to decreased trophoblast migration is common in preeclamptic patients. HTR8, a placental trophoblast cell, was treated with AVP and BMTZ to observe effects on migration. Cells treated with AVP experienced decreased migration. BMTZ restored migration in AVP treated cells. Migration was increased in AVP treated cells with over-expression of RGS2. This demonstrates that preeclamptic phenotypes caused by AVP can be prevented using BMTZ. RGS2 regulation by BMTZ could be the mechanism by which BMTZ prevents preeclamptic symptoms.
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Chidera Mitchell Major: Human Physiology
Low sodium diet and aldosterone increases the activity of HSD2 neurons in mice
In the present work, we tested the hypothesis that in mice, dietary sodium deprivation and aldosterone infusion each increase Fos expression in HSD2 neurons. We gave mice a low-sodium diet (LSD; <0.01% NaCl) or regular chow (0.3% NaCl, Envigo 7013) for 6-7 days, then perfused the mice and immunolabeled tissue sections from the brainstem for HSD2 and Fos. We found Fos in 36.9% ±7.2 SD (n=3) of HSD2 neurons in mice that were fed low-sodium chow and 1.1% ±0.9 SD (n=3) of HSD2 neurons in mice fed regular chow (p<0.05). In separate mice, we infused aldosterone peripherally, into the subcutaneous tissue, or centrally, into the 4th ventricle (i4V). We found an average of 56.7% ±11.4 SD (n=9) Fos in HSD2 and 11.3% ±4.5 SD (n=3) Fos in HSD2 of vehicle-treated mice (p<0.05). Peripheral infusion produced similar results, 49.4% ±2.0 SD (n=6) in aldosterone-treated mice and 0.5% ±0.5 SD (n=2) in vehicle-treated mice (p<0.05). These results support our hypothesis that the HSD2 neurons are activated by low-sodium diet and by aldosterone. This information advances our understanding of the neural circuits controlling aldosterone-induced sodium appetite.
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Ana Novella Maciel Major: Neuroscience
Time-of-Day-Dependent Mortality from Spontaneous Seizures Persists in Constant Darkness in the Scn1aR1407X/+ Mouse Model of Dravet Syndrome.
Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by spontaneous seizures. Dravet Syndrome is a genetic type of epilepsy that is associated with a high rate of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Seizure-associated death occurs more commonly at night, which has been attributed to seizures occurring during sleep. This is also true in multiple mouse models, including the Scn1aR1407X/+ mouse model of Dravet Syndrome, despite mice being nocturnal and more active during the dark phase of a 12:12 light-dark cycle. Our lab has shown that the nighttime tendency persists in constant darkness following induced seizures in other mouse models, suggesting a conserved circadian rhythm that might mediate nighttime risk of death. This has not been demonstrated in a genetic mouse model of epilepsy. In this project after weaning mice were placed into constant darkness in individual cages with infrared motion sensors for long-term locomotor activity monitoring. Mice were monitored in this manner until experiencing a fatal seizure or until PND 90. In alignment with previous findings from our lab, our results show that Scn1aR1407X/+ mice are more likely to die following spontaneous seizures during the subjective night. Our lab has demonstrated that both induced and spontaneous models of seizure-associated death are time-of-day-dependent and persist in constant darkness, suggesting that an endogenous circadian rhythm may mediate the nighttime susceptibility of seizure-associated death.
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Katherine Ogden Major: Psychology
Turning the Page on Language Processing: COWA and LESYMAP Analysis
The Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWA) is a neuropsychological test used to assess verbal fluency. It is one of the most widely used tests of cognitive function in brain lesioned patients. However, little work has been done examining the relationship between lesion location and qualitative differences in responses on the item level. The Iowa Neurological Patient Registry (INPR) is a research database consisting of thousands of neuropsychological tests completed by people with localized brain lesions. Its great utility lies in determining how lesion location affects human behavior and cognition. Animal words are one of the better-understood semantic categories with regards to how they are mapped in the cortex. This project aims to explore whether significantly reduced animal word responses on the COWA localize to expected regions of the brain using lesion-symptom mapping (LESYMAP) analysis of INPR subjects. If successful, it will be possible to use this method to examine how the brain organizes other parts of language with less established expectations of where they will localize. Preliminary analysis localized animal word lexical retrieval to Wernicke’s area; further analysis excluding aphasic patients is planned.
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Ragad Osman Major: 3D Design
Wall Piece
Still have not decided
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Taylor Parsons Major: Neuroscience
CO2-arousal impairment following heat-induced seizures in mouse model of Dravet Syndrome
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a devastating public health problem. It is the leading cause of death in the 1 in 26 people in the US that will develop epilepsy in their lifetime. SUDEP is second only to stroke in the number of years of potential life lost. The mechanisms of SUDEP are highly debated, but one possible factor is a prolonged impaired consciousness during the period following seizures. Our lab has demonstrated that 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus mediate CO2 arousal. Others have shown that ventilatory responses to CO2 are impaired following a seizure. We hypothesized that seizures impair postictal CO2 arousal. To investigate this, we used a mouse model of Dravet Syndrome, a genetic epileptic encephalopathy, characterized by spontaneous and febrile seizures. CO2 and room air control stimuli were presented to mice before and after spontaneous heat-induced seizures. A closed-loop system was employed to detect spontaneous seizures and present stimuli. Currently analyzed data suggests an increase in CO2 arousal latency, and, consistent with previous studies, a significant decrease in hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) postictally. On-going work will continue to unravel the mechanisms of impaired arousal after a seizure and how this contributes to mortality.
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Bansari Patel Major: Neuroscience
Chemosensitivity Across the Lifespan in a Mouse Model of Amyloidopathy
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder characterized by the accumulation of pathological proteins in the brain and worsening dementia. More than 6 million Americans are living with AD. There is no cure for AD, and current medicines are limited to symptom relief. As AD progresses, it is associated with numerous comorbidities, including respiratory dysfunction. Several animal models exist that recapitulate AD pathology, such as amyloidopathy, but whether these have respiratory dysfunction is unknown. We hypothesized that the double mutant Amyloid Precursor Protein, Presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) mouse will display respiratory dysfunction that worsens with age and will be associated with pathological changes in the brainstem. In this ongoing study, young (2-4 months) and old (> 6 months) APP/PS1 mice are instrumented for EEG/EMG recording to assess sleep-wake state and are allowed to recover. During experiments, mice are exposed to CO2 during wake or sleep while measuring EEG and breathing. Brains are collected after trials for immunohistochemistry to look for the accumulation of amyloid plaques within the brainstem. Older APP/PS1 mice demonstrate impaired arousal and ventilatory responses to CO2. Continuing work will include more trials in mice of both age groups, trials in wildtype control animals, and assessment for brainstem pathology.
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Ashley Rhodes Major: Biomedical Engineering
A Novel Device to Streamline the Treatment of Non – Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers in the US with nearly 80,000 individuals diagnosed annually. The majority of diagnoses occur at early stages where the cancer is contained in the epithelial lining of the bladder. Standard-of-care treatment for NMIBC involves surgical resection of the tumor and subsequent immunotherapy or chemotherapy. Addressing a scarcity of these agents, the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics pioneered a novel combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel for NMIBC treatment. However, this process necessitates patients to undergo an extended period of outpatient care, contributing to burden on healthcare professionals and a decrease in patient compliance. To streamline this procedure, enhance patient compliance, and alleviate the demand for a trained urologist, we developed an intravesical delivery system for docetaxel. The device consists of a drug-loaded, spiraled tube sealed with a carbohydrate cap and coated with a fluorinated polymer. This system allows administration via Foley catheter and provides a tunable delivery of docetaxel. Importantly, this innovation not only benefits patients with NMIBC, but also holds potential applications for treatment of urinary tract infections and other bladder diseases.
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Lillian Schmidt Major: Biomedical Engineering
Investigating the medial prefrontal cortex-lateral hypothalamic area circuit for sex-specific control of eating behaviors
Neural regulation of appetite is important in maintaining homeostatic energy levels by modulating food intake and preference. Dysfunction of appetite regulation can lead to an over or under consumption of food, resulting in serious implications such as obesity and eating disorders. One such neural pathway of interest is the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) circuit. This circuit was isolated using chemogenic activation to gain a greater understanding of the role this projection has on appetite regulation in mice, and any differences activation of this projection has in male and female mice. Activation of the mPFC-LHA circuit resulted in sex-dependent effects on the preference for a high fat diet (HFD), but no effect on the consumption of standard chow pellets. Male mice showed a significant decrease in HFD consumption with mPFC-LHA circuit activation. Female mice displayed the opposite response, showing a significant increase in HFD consumption with activation of this pathway. These results indicate the mPFC-LHA pathway as having a role in appetite regulation and this role differs in male and female mice.
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Sahithi Shankaiahgari Major: International Relations, Journalism & Mass Communications
Ethiopian Women's Self Help Groups Evaluation
This presentation summarizes the psycho-social findings, achievements/challenges, and measures taken to research Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The SHG approach is a “development model that aims at transforming individuals and communities from poverty and hopelessness to a state of self-esteem and empowerment”. It was introduced in Ethiopia in 2009 by a German NGO via the Consortium of Self Help Group Approach Promoters (CoSAP). Utilizing the unique three tier approach–Federation, Cluster Level Association, and SHG–CoSAP spread the model to both urban and rural areas, changing the lives of 276,512 individuals and transforming entire communities. In 2023, through The New School’s International Affairs department, we collected data on 19 SHGs for CoSAP. The data collection consisted of three components: a focus group discussion with the SHGs as a whole and two individual surveys, the prosperity scorecard and psycho-social survey. The financial benefits and challenges of microfinance have been widely documented. There is a significant gap, however, in regard to the Ethiopian context of SHGs. Psychological and social aspects of SHG memberships have been paid less attention to in grassroots developments. In 2022, data collectors for CoSAP piloted a psychosocial survey to examine recurring themes in focus group discussions. This presentation expands those findings by focusing on the SHGs contribution towards improving the social, psychological, and financial situation of these women.
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Ellie Shaver Major: Nursing
Examining the use of wearable technology in rural older adults with type II diabetes
Increasing physical activity is effective in improving quality of life, number of healthy days, and glycemic control in older adults with type 2 diabetes (Nair et al., 2022). While physical activity has proven to be an effective intervention, adherence to exercise regimens and measurement of physical activity are ongoing issues. Wearable, activity-tracking devices may be helpful for individuals with type 2 diabetes to monitor and track their physical activity goals. A study looking at patient experience using Fitbit technology among older adults with type 2 diabetes found that there was high acceptability of the intervention, and participants reported improved knowledge of health behaviors, improved quality of life and improved diabetes management (Jiwani et al., 2020). Further testing is needed to explore the accessibility, potential challenges, and solutions for older adults using wearable Fitbit technology to manage their type 2 diabetes.
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David Smith Major: Human Physiology
Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp in mice with DRP1 down regulation in skeletal muscle.
BACKGROUND: Dynamin-related protein-1 (DRP1) mediates mitochondrial fission. C57 mice with DRP1 knock down in skeletal muscle (DRP1 KO mice) are resistant to high fat diet-induced weight gain and diabetes, and exhibit reduced adipose tissue. METHODS: To explore the mechanisms of diabetes resistance in DRP1 KO mice, we conducted a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, with glucose clamped at 150 mg/dL. RESULTS: DRP1 KO mice had a glucose infusion rate ranging from 29.9 to 44.4 mg/kg/min over 120 min whereas the rate ranged between 4.6 to 6.3 mg/kg/min in wildtype mice. In previous studies, we found that gene expression of ATF-4, a transcription factor associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activation, was elevated in DRP KO mice. Furthermore, gene and protein expression of FGF21 and GDF15, which are downstream signals associated with activation of ER-stress, were also elevated. CONCLUSION: Down regulation of DRP1 in skeletal muscle in mice fed high fat diet is associated with resistance to diabetes and increased insulin sensitivity measured by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. This phenotype seems to be mediated through activation of ER-stress response.
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Allison Suen Major: Nursing
Amygdala Volume and Dim Light Melatonin Onset
Over 20% of older adults suffer from mental or neurological disorders. Amygdala volume in the brain is reduced in the patients with major mental health conditions. Circadian rhythm is a biological clock that is highly related to mood and mental health. Few studies have examined amygdala volume in relation to circadian rhythm characteristics, which could represent a target for interventions. The purpose of this study was to compare circadian rhythm characteristics with amygdala volume in older adults. We studied 59 older adults (mean age=70, SD=7.156, female = 32 (54.2%)) that completed 3.0 T MRI scan to determine the amygdala volume. Dim light melatonin onset data was collected to measure circadian timing and melatonin levels. 14-day actigraphy data was used to measure rest activity rhythms. T-test and chi-square test were used to compare circadian rhythm characteristics between smaller (<1.25 cc) and larger (>1.25 cc) amygdala volume. Participants with higher amygdala volumes demonstrated higher melatonin levels (47.24pg/dl) compared to individuals with lower amygdala volume (28.98pg/dl) (P=0.028), and individuals with higher amygdala volumes had higher maximum activity (1.58) than those with lower amygdala volume (1.39) (P=0.036). However, circadian timing, peak activity timing, mean activity levels, and consistencies in rest activity rhythms were not associated with amygdala volume.
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Samantha Thompson Major: Biochemistry
Synthesis of an Nav1.3 Blocker to Investigate Neuronal Ion Channel Function in the Heart
The voltage-gated ion channel NaV1.5 is the predominant voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) in the heart, where it is required to initiate action potentials in the myocardium. Mutations in NaV1.5 lead to arrhythmia and cardiac disease. Though NaV1.5 predominates, other VGSCs such as NaV1.3 may be involved in cardiac compensation for dysfunction. Unfortunately, it is difficult to study the contribution of non-NaV1.5 isoforms due to the overwhelming NaV1.5 current. We have developed a mouse model with a NaV1.5 channel that can be selectively inactivated by aryl- and acyl- sulfonamide (GX) drugs, allowing other sodium channel isoforms to be studied in cardiomyocytes. This project focuses on the synthesis of PF-C39, an aryl sulfonamide drug with a high selectivity and affinity for NaV1.3. The drug targets an extracellular pocket of the channel’s voltage-sensing region to inactivate it, with a 20-fold preference for NaV1.3 over the next most preferred isoform. After inducing a heart failure model, we will suppress the NaV1.5 current in cardiomyocytes with the GX drug and apply PF-C39 to pharmacologically detect NaV1.3. Administration of the drug in cardiomyocytes will provide insight into mechanisms of cardiac remodeling and potential therapeutic pathways in the future.
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Andrea Janelle Torres Major: Nursing
How to Measure Morningness-Eveningness Chronotypes in Older Adults
Circadian rhythm regulates sleep and wake cycle, which is critical to physical and mental health in older adults. Dim light melatonin onset is the gold standard measure of circadian rhythms. Prior literature focusing on circadian rhythms in older adults primarily used questionnaires to assess chronotypes. The purpose of this study was to identify the associations between questionnaire measured chronotypes, DLMO, and rest-activity data in older adults. This cross-sectional study examined 61 older adults that were recruited from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Participants completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) to measure chronotypes. Actigraphy data for 2 weeks was collected to determine their average sleep timing and rest-activity rhythm. Home DLMO data was collected for 6 hours until the habitual bedtime to assess circadian timing. Our findings indicate that higher MEQ scores are associated with a later dim light melatonin onset time and later mean peak activity timing after adjusting for age and gender. However, we did not find the relationship between MEQ classification and other circadian rhythm characteristics (e.g., melatonin levels or sleep timing). Chronotypes may reflect circadian and peak activity timing, but there are some circadian rhythm characteristics that may not be measured by chronotype data. Nurses and researchers can use MEQ in addition to biomarker and activity data to understand circadian rhythms in older adults.
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Abigail Townsend Major: Neuroscience
ASIC1A Deficiency Leads to Reduced Parvalbumin Reactivity in the Basolateral Amygdala of Adult Mice.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by exaggerated fear and anxiety. Despite their often-early age of manifestation and high levels of chronicity, their development remains poorly understood. The acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1A) has been associated with anxiety disorders. From Postnatal day 18 to adulthood, the fear circuit undergoes significant maturation, including the maturation of parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons. PV+ interneurons in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) are important for fear learning and fear memory retrieval. Therefore, we hypothesized that the impaired cued fear memory seen in adult Asic1a -/- mice is associated with reduced parvalbumin immunoreactivity, a marker PV+ interneuron maturation.
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Aditi Tripathy Major: Biomedical Sciences
Relationship of Sleep and Emotional Regulation in Children and Adolescents
Emotional regulation is the ability to manage and regulate intense emotions like anger and anxiety. Previous research indicates that children and adolescents dealing with anxiety tend to employ less effective methods for managing their emotions, Furthermore, insufficient emotional regulation has been associated with lower sleep quality and disturbances in sleep patterns among young individuals. The primary goal of the present study is to determine whether children and adolescents with anxiety disorders have differences in emotional regulation patterns. We will also be exploring if emotional regulation is correlated with sleep measurements. 20 participants with anxiety disorders and 20 participants who are their matched controls (9-13 years) participated in the experiment. To measure emotional regulation, participants watched emotionally aversive videos and were instructed that they were allowed to look away from the screen to the relaxing nature poster on their left if they get upset for any reason. Moreover, their sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and sleep efficiency were followed for 8 days with a wristwatch called actigraphy and a sleep diary. It is expected that children with anxiety will have decreased emotional regulation when compared to the control group. Additionally, it is anticipated that disrupted sleep will correlate with decreased emotional regulation in the entire sample.
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Sabrina Vlk Major: Mechanical Engineering
Development and Control of a Multi-Tentacle Soft Robot
The Smart Multifunctional Material Systems (SMMS) Lab and the Cooperative Autonomous Systems (CAS) Lab are joining forces to design a soft robot octopus that utilizes an emerging technology called TCAMs (Twisted and Coiled Artificial Muscles). My work on this project has consisted of designing and building a testbed for a tendon-based arm/tentacle which can be used to test the controllers that will eventually be applied to the octopus.
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Hannah Vogts Major: Biomedical Engineering
Silk Fibroin Scaffolds for Dynamic Organ Mimicry
Tissue engineering is a rapidly evolving field that focuses on creating synthetic tissues to repair or rebuild human tissues and organs. Current research is centered around the design of tissue scaffolds, or structures made from synthetic materials to support cell growth. However, these models and scaffolds do not mimic the chemical composition and mechanics of organs, and often cause an adverse immunogenic response in the body. Material choice for tissue scaffolds is vital, as scaffolds must be biocompatible and promote cell adhesion. In addition, scaffolds must mimic the mechanical properties of the target organ and tissues. Organs are dynamic structures, constantly undergoing volumetric expansion and contraction. They are naturally auxetic, exhibiting a negative Poisson’s ratio and expanding transversely when stretched axially. Therefore, the 3D-printed silk fibroin is proposed as a viable alternative for the development of tissue patches. Silk fibroin is a naturally occurring, proteinaceous molecule that is biocompatible and can be 3D printed under ambient and aqueous conditions to exhibit different mechanical properties. Here, silk fibroin was extracted from silkworm cocoons and used to 3D print geometrically auxetic structures. Changing the design of the printed structures showed the ability to tune the mechanical performance of the scaffold.
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Kaitlyn Walter Major: History, Ancient Civilization
The Rise of the Chocolate Chip Cookie: Kitchens, Cookbooks, and Modernity in the Early Twentieth Century
This thesis explores the rise in popularity of the chocolate chip cookie in the 1930s. It argues this popularity was dually rooted in challenges created by technological innovations of the oven and in the publication of new technical cookbooks written to address those difficulties. In the nineteenth century, kitchen appliances relied upon a present cook to monitor the approximate heat of the oven and progress of the bake using a vague recipe. However, in the twentieth century, ovens came with thermostats and timers, and as a result, recipes grew more exact to match. Unfortunately, home cooks had difficulty updating older recipes to this level of specificity, and they needed to learn new modes of baking. To solve this problem, motherly figures such as Ruth Wakefield published cookbooks that aided struggling home cooks. The popularity of this cookie offers a unique look at how the American cooks dealt with the rapid onset of modernity in the 1920s and 1930s by falling back on a dependable motherly figure offering traditional concepts of baking while embracing new ideas and ingredients. This thesis evidences cookbooks and newspapers to demonstrate these changes within the kitchen itself and elaborate on the pressures faced by home cooks.
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Sami Watts Major: Neuroscience
Cre Conditional Viral-Mediated Ablation of Serotonergic Neurons in the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus and Raphe Obscurus
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, or SUDEP, is the primary cause of death in patients with epilepsy. Why some seizures are fatal is poorly understood. Impaired CO2 arousal and breathing following seizures has been implicated in SUDEP. Serotonin in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are involved in CO2 arousal, and serotonin neurons in the raphe obscurus (ROb) modulate breathing. Serotonergic physiology may be impaired following seizures and lead to death. We hypothesize that ablation of DRN or ROb serotonin neurons will impair arousal or breathing. We predict this impairment will be exacerbated following seizures and lead to increased mortality. In this ongoing study, serotonin neurons in the DRN or ROb will be ablated via viral-mediated apoptosis. Mice are then instrumented for EEG/EMG recording and subjected to CO2 challenges. Animals will experience a single maximal electroshock seizure. Brain tissue containing the DRN or ROb will be stained using immunohistochemical techniques to appreciate the extent of serotonin ablation. Currently, we are optimizing DRN ablation. Once these surgical techniques are validated, we will begin seizure trials. Strategies being used to optimize viral ablation include angled stereotactic injections to avoid the superior sagittal sinus and cerebral aqueduct and co-injection with a fluorescent reporter virus.
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Elizabeth Wetzel Major: Human Physiology
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Isolated from E-Cigarette Users Have a Greater Inflammatory Cytokine Response to LPS Stimulation Compared to Controls
Chronically elevated inflammation is a contributing factor in the development and progression of chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease. Biomarker studies suggest that chronic e-cigarette use is associated with elevated circulating inflammatory cytokines. However, few studies have examined measures of immune cell activity in e-cigarette users. We hypothesized that healthy adults who exclusively use e-cigarettes (EC) would have higher plasma concentrations of the inflammatory cytokine TNFα compared to controls (HC), and that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from EC would release more TNFα when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) compared to PBMC isolated from HC. 10 HC (20±2 years) and 10 EC (20±1 years) participated in 1 study visit in which we collected 20mL of whole blood and isolated plasma and PBMC. PBMC were incubated in RPMI + 10% FBS with or without 1mg/mL LPS (37°C, 5% CO2). Supernatants were collected at 4 and 24 hours and TNFα concentrations were quantified in plasma and supernatant samples via ELISA. EC had greater plasma TNFα compared to HC (HC: 1.7±1.5 vs. EC: 3.1±2.7 pg/mL; p=0.03). PBMC supernatants from EC had elevated TNFα following 4 (HC: 28.0±16.9 vs. EC: 52.1±46.5 pg/mL; p=0.04) and 24 (HC: 87.7±71.6 vs. EC: 178.9±121.0 pg/mL; p=0.04) hours of LPS stimulation compared to HC. There were no differences in TNFα in unstimulated samples (all p>0.05).
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Ellie Wojcikowski Major: Neuroscience
Biological Evaluation of Adaptive Traits (BEAT)
My project, Biological Evaluation of Adaptive Traits (BEAT), is exploring how HRV can be used as a biomarker of resilience in young adults with or without psychotic-like experiences. These subjects take the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief Revised Unusual Experiences (SPQ-BRU) assessment to identify if they have either positive or negative schizotypy scores. My research explores Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as a potentially significant biomarker of disease propensity in young adults without diagnosed psychotic disorders. In doing so, I aim to contribute to our greater understanding of the way disease traits, even without a diagnosis, can be identified by alterations in basic bodily regulation.
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