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How do listeners recognize whispered speech?
Incoming speech signals arrive sequentially and rapidly in time. At any given moment there is only partial information for a word, which creates uncertainty. Normal Hearing (NH) listeners overcome this uncertainty by activating multiple candidate words that match the speech signal as input arrives. As the word unfolds, listeners disregard words that do not match the input until the appropriate word is fully active.
A limitation of this research is that it has primarily examined conversational speech. Understanding how whispered speech is recognized is crucial because it is ever-present in typical listening environments and is a very challenging problem listeners have to solve. Take for instance, the words “peach” and “beach.” Between these two words, the only prominent difference in acoustic signal is the voice onset time (VOT) of /p/ versus /b/. During whispered speech, however, we lose this acoustic signal as the vocal folds never vibrate. So how are listeners able to recover this signal and recognize a whispered word?
The goal of the current study is to determine how NH listeners recognize whispered speech. Given the increased uncertainty due to the reduced signal, we predict that listeners will adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ approach in which they will wait to activate words until more speech information is accumulated. We also predict that these results will be driven by voicing distinctions. To test this, we used eye-tracking to measure the processing of whispered speech.
Cochlear implantation in single sided deafness: Is there an impact?
People with single sided deafness hear out of one ear but not the other. Cochlear Implants have been tried for the deafened ear in SSD listeners. However, the efficacy of CI in SSD listeners is not clear. By creating a simulation of single sided deafness (SSD), this study determined if CI in SSD listeners improves speech recognition in noise. The SSD-CI simulation was implemented by introducing the added component of vocoding to one ear. Vocoded speech is what cochlear implant users hear, and because it is electronic, is often more robotic and degraded (harder to understand). My hypothesis is that hearing unaffected speech in one ear and vocoded in the other will negatively impact the ability to process speech in noise, however; regardless of the outcome, the comparison of speech in noise recognition (between the solely SSD simulation and the added vocoded simulation) will provide critical information on how to clinically assist SSD CI users in their day-to-day life.
Sarah Berkowitz
Major: Social Justice
Mentor: Louise Seamster (Sociology)
Universities and the Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has put universities in an unprecedented position having to make choices about instruction and formatting, with no set path for how universities should handle this situation. Universities have taken a range of different approaches, all trying to find the best way to preserve both institutional assets and safety. Universities’ varying approaches have come alongside vastly different outcomes in the number of coronavirus cases. One important element of university response to crises like COVID-19 is the process of communicating information to constituents. Universities’ messaging can come in the form of emails, announcements, press conferences, etc., all of which influence how the audience feels about and reacts to the situation. Being too overt could cause a panic; too covert, and risk downplaying the situation. Using the University of Iowa as a case study, I intend to look at how universities have used management techniques throughout the coronavirus pandemic and how this may have influenced outcomes.
Yiming Chen
Major: Accounting
Mentor: Michael Durney (Accounting)
The Effect of a Corporate Scandal on Competitors: Responses from Retail Investors
This paper utilizes retail investors’ responses to investigate how a corporate scandal can affect competitors. When previous studies state that a corporate scandal can both positively and negatively affect competitors, these studies do not separate retail investors but use the market as a whole. As more and more retail investors enter the stock market, their roles are getting unprecedentedly more critical. Unlike professional investors who possess extensive knowledge and analytical tools, retail investors with limited resources might exhibit different investment behaviors when confronting a corporate scandal. Although I am still applying for the IRB approval and cannot launch my survey to collect data, I expect that retail investors are more likely to see competitors potentially scandalous and invest less in competitors’ stock. Moreover, based on the type of scandal, I expect a safety issue scandal to impact competitors most significantly, followed by a financial statement scandal and an environmental friendliness scandal.
Quinton Christensen
Major: Neuroscience
Mentor: Chun-Fang Wu (Biology)
Effects of oxidative stress on electroretinogram in Drosophila
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an enzyme responsible for catalyzing the conversion of reactive oxygen species, such as free radical superoxide (O2-) into molecular oxygen (O2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Without the proper functioning of SOD, oxidative stress can occur in which free radicals react with and damage fragile biomolecules including DNA and proteins. To examine the effects of oxidative stress on signal processing in the compound eye including the photoreceptor cell in the retina and its synaptic output onto the second order neurons, we compared electroretinogram (ERG) in mutant alleles of Sod with wildtype controls at different ages in Drosophila melanogaster. We characterized the effects of oxidative stress on the steady-state receptor potential ERG component resulting from phototransduction and the amplitudes of on- and off-transient components reflecting the subsequent synaptic transmission. A light protocol of 1 sec pulse width and 30 second interval was followed to induce both ‘light-on’ and ‘light-off’ transients in Sodn108, Sod21, and SodH71Y alleles. Apparently, synaptic transmission onto the lamina, both on- and off-transients, decreased with age, while ERG recovery time could drastically increase in some Sod flies. Further studies will elucidate the detailed mechanisms in the phototransduction and synaptic transmission steps that are prone to oxidative stress.
Water Inaccessibility in South Africa: Current Spatial Patterns & Future Impacts of Climate Change
Globally, over one billion people face some form of water insecurity. Prior research indicates that water security is not evenly distributed, and inequities are predicated upon many factors, including gender and wealth. One aspect in the landscape of water insecurity is access, the focus of this research. We aim to explore water accessibility in South Africa by examining the association of current water access with various sociodemographic characteristics. Further, we look at the potential effects of future climate change on existing water inaccessibility. Using a nationwide survey, we mapped water inaccessibility hotspots. We used regression to study the association between water inaccessibility and household characteristics. Using predictions for precipitation under climate models, we mapped the relationship between locations of current water inaccessibility and expected changes in precipitation. We found the following household characteristics to be associated with increased water inaccessibility: larger size and rural location; increasing wealth was associated with decreased water inaccessibility. We did not find relationship between locations of current water inaccessibility and projected precipitation declines by 2060. This research is significant its potential to influence policy decisions about where to target water interventions in the present. Although the data did not show future declines in precipitation to be associated with current water inaccessibility, there are likely other factors that are associated with these changes, highlighting the need for more research to influence policy as the climate crisis continues.
Abbigail Denner
Major: International Relations
Mentor: Brian Lai (Political Science)
Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) Implementation Following Civil War
Does the implementation of DDR provisions following the negotiated settlement of a civil war increase prospects for peace? A significant portion of peace agreements fail after parties have agreed to them, but recent literature on intrastate peace processes suggests that the degree to which peace agreements in general are implemented is a primary indicator of whether peace will last. Scholars argue this is because implementation can serve as a costly signal to other actors that reduces uncertainties in the post-conflict environment, which makes durable peace more likely. In this presentation, I argue that the implementation of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) provisions, specifically, should be associated with decreased chances of conflict recurrence because it represents one of the costliest signals that actors can send each other and is therefore also one of the most credible signs of a genuine commitment to peace. First, I present my theory and hypothesis based on existing scholarship followed by an interpretation of my preliminary findings. I conclude by considering limitations and avenues for further research.
Proxy Warfare in the Yemeni Civil War and Strategies for an Effective Peace Process
This presentation examines elements of proxy warfare in Yemen’s civil conflict and details strategies for achieving meaningful progress in the ongoing peace process. First, we explain why states choose to engage in proxy warfare and how the resulting proxy-agent dynamic escalates the size, scope, and duration of conflicts. We then present negotiation and violence data from two other cases of proxy warfare in the region and consider how these conflicts can inform effective negotiation strategies for Yemen’s own peace process. We conclude by outlining several recommendations for reckoning with the diverse range of Yemeni and non-Yemeni interests driving the conflict based on our cases and the existing literature on proxy warfare.
Anj Droe
Major: Anthropology
Mentor: Scott Schnell (Anthropology )
The Role of Ethical Killing in Local Deer Management
Iowa City has an overpopulated deer herd, which has resulted in both environmental damage and social conflict. To solve the problem of overabundant deer and prevent it from recurring, citizens of Iowa City have to work together to come to a solution. However, deer management is highly contentious and provokes intense reactions from many different groups of people, inhibiting the community's efforts at coming to an agreement. Through an analysis of different and conflicting frameworks for ethical killing and environmental protection, we attempt to better understand the opposing groups, the demonization occurring between them, and the deeply held emotions evoked by the deer management controversy.
Sam Eliasen
Major: Neuroscience
Mentor: Hanna Stevens (Psychiatry)
Looking at Sex-Specific Placental Responses to Prenatal Pyrethroid Insecticide Exposure in Mice
Pyrethroid pesticides are a common class of household insecticides derived from plants in the genus Chrysanthemum. Common pyrethroids in use today include permethrin, cypermethrin, and allethrin, among others. While these compounds were tested for acute neurological toxicity prior to household approval by the FDA over 40 years ago, the subtle effects of chronic, sub-lethal exposure in utero are understudied. Previous studies implicate early exposure to class II pyrethroids in increased risk for developmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
Previous work in our lab has implicated the placenta as a point of interest for developmental effects of pyrethroid exposure. Historically, our lab has studied effects of in utero pyrethroid exposure on male offspring, because males are typically more susceptible to developmental complications. While this is a common trend in toxicology and neuroscience, the underpinnings of male developmental vulnerability are not well-understood. This project begins analysis of placental responses to pyrethroid dosages administered during pregnancy across male and female offspring. Data collected include placental macrophage densities, estimated placental macrophage counts, and area of the placental labyrinth zone. Initial findings indicate dose-dependent immune responses that are unique between male and female offspring.
Ganon Evans
Major: Mathematics, Economics
Mentor: Scott Spak (School of Planning and Public Affairs)
Neighborhood Census Tract Level Variability of Solar Energy Potential
The expansion of solar photovoltaic energy has the opportunity to provide increased energy opportunities. While expansion of utility and rooftop solar energy has rapidly increased in the U.S. in the 21st century, the high initial capital cost has prevented solar from making inroads in the low- and middle-income communities who would have the greatest impact. This study uses data from Google Sunroof estimates of rooftop solar photovoltaic potential to analyze neighborhood-level differences in access to solar benefits across Iowa and the United States.
To test the hypothesis that total solar potential would be concentrated in wealthy suburban and ex-urban tracts while potential per capita generation and household energy independence would be highest in smaller homes in lower income urban neighborhoods, we performed regression analysis between Sunroof and NaNDA. We found that low density ex-urban wealthier census tracts had the highest total generation potential. However, we found that other neighborhoods could achieve similar or greater solar benefits with smaller installations. At the city scale, factors like geography and weather were less determinant of rooftop solar potential than land use and density. In a state-level analysis for Iowa, we found large variability between metro areas and their neighborhoods with no consistent trend, furthering the idea that current solar energy potential is largely dependent on local land use history.
Laura Flores
Major: Computer Science, English
Mentor: Brandon Myers, Kyle Rector (Computer Science)
Improving the Accessibility of Dynamic Trees for Blind CS Students
Trees are used throughout computer science to visualize algorithms and data structures. Unfortunately, trees are largely inaccessible to blind CS students due to their graphical formats, which are incompatible with screen readers.* Although there has been prior work done to make static, or unchanging, trees accessible to blind CS students, there remains work to be done in making dynamic, or changing, trees accessible.
There is a possibility that presenting trees in alternative formats, i.e. textually and auditorily instead of visually, can help blind CS students better understand the changes that occur in trees.
To determine how alternative formats might help, we plan to conduct interviews with blind CS students (past or present) to investigate 1) how they currently learn about trees, 2) what types of tools or resources they are using, and 3) what new tools or resources they would be open to using.
*Screen readers are tools that blind and visually impaired individuals rely on to read and interpret the data on their computer screens.
Marissa Good
Major: Sociology
Mentor: Louise Seamster (Sociology)
Analyzing Formality of the Flint Water Crisis Email Archive
In early 2016, former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder published an archive of about 455,000 emails that were related to the Flint Water Crisis. As a student in Dr. Seamster’s Applied Research class, I have been tasked with coding and analyzing a sample of these emails in order to create a database that is searchable and publicly accessible. It is especially important that these emails are available to be viewed by those who were affected by the Flint Water Crisis. For this project, our class hand-coded the emails for informality and analyzed whether some codes are more highly correlated with informality. This is meaningful research because it shows patterns of informality in the communication network of officials discussing the Flint Crisis.
Benjamin Grimm
Major: Biochemistry
Mentor: Ronald Weigel (Surgery)
AP-2α Modulates Metastasis of Melanoma
Metastasis of melanoma drastically reduces the 5-year survival rate, therefore novel drug therapies targeting metastasis are needed to prolong survival and improve patient outcomes. Herein, we demonstrate that the AP-2α transcription factor modulates melanoma metastasis through transcriptional activation of genes within the E2F pathways, thereby activating EZH2, encoding a pro-metastatic Histone H3K27 methyltransferase. Mice with melanoma xenografts showed significantly reduced metastasis and prolonged survival times following treatment with tazemetostat, an FDA-approved EZH2 inhibitor. Our findings support the use of EZH2 inhibitors for the treatment of advanced melanomas, with responsiveness mediated by AP-2α.
Stephanie Herzog
Major: Accounting
Mentor: Cristi Gleason (Accounting)
Is IFRS really more comparable than GAAP?
Although IFRS has been adopted by many countries, the financial statements submitted under IFRS are not as comparable as those under GAAP. Using operating lease disclosures for airlines under both IFRS and GAAP, research suggested that the financial statements under GAAP were more comparable than those under IFRS, implying that creditors, investors, and other financial statement users benefit more under GAAP.
Ben Hinz
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Mentor: Lori Wallrath (Biochemistry)
Modeling muscular dystrophy in Drosophila: A study of lamins and interaction partners
Mutations in the human gene LMNA cause a group of diseases known as laminopathies, which includes muscular dystrophies, fat disorders, and early onset aging. The muscular dystrophies are characterized by muscle contractures, weakness, and wasting. The LMNA gene encodes the A-type lamins. Lamins are filamentous proteins that form a meshwork inside the nuclear envelope, providing a structural scaffold and playing an important role in regulating gene expression. The goal of my project is to understand how single amino acid substitutions in lamins cause diverse disease phenotypes.
An in silico analysis of disease-related amino acid substitutions in lamins A/C revealed no apparent correlation between the location of the amino acid substitution and disease phenotype. Molecular modeling revealed that specific amino acid residues altered in disease mapped to potential protein partner interaction sites.
To test our in silico work, we modeled the human substitution R249Q (which causes Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy) in the Drosophila orthologue Lamin C (R264Q). Wild-type and mutant Lamin C was expressed in larval body wall muscles. Immunohistochemistry showed wild-type Lamin C localized to the nuclear periphery, while R264Q caused nuclear lobulation and nuclear pore mislocalization. Together, these data suggest R264Q disrupts the lamina network, causing other nuclear envelope proteins to mislocalize, and that loss of partner protein binding may contribute to disease phenotype.
Brianna Iverson
Major: Biology
Mentor: Joshua Weiner (Biology)
Necroptosis in Akirin2-null neurons
This presentation focuses on Akirin2, a nuclear protein critical for many developmental processes. Our studies utilize transgenic mice in which the Akirin2 gene is “knocked out” specifically in neurons of the cerebral cortex beginning in the third week of life, as circuitry is developing and maturing. We have found that Akirin2-knockout neurons degenerate over several months, a phenotype reminiscent of human neurodegenerative disorders of aging. We found that Akirin2 knockout neurons do not undergo apoptosis, the most common form of regulated cell death. Rather, neurons lacking Akirin2 swell before dying, suggesting an alternate form of cell death known as necroptosis. To assess this, we utilized a necroptosis inhibitor compound called Nec-1s. Control and Akirin2 knockout mice were injected intraperitoneally with Nec-1s or vehicle beginning at 3 weeks of age. After 30 days of injections, the mice were sacrificed and immunofluorescence was performed to determine the extent to which this inhibitor rescues the neurodegenerative phenotypes that we observe. This experiment, along with other molecular and histological analyses, supports the hypothesis that neurons undergo necroptosis in the absence of Akirin2. This work may have relevance to a variety of neurodegenerative disorders.
Elizabeth Janey
Major: Psychology
Mentor: Mark Blumberg (Psychological and Brain Sciences)
Development of twitching during sleep in a rat model of autism
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that results in social, cognitive, and motor deficits. Our lab has been investigating motor abnormalities associated with ASD by using a genetic knockout rat (16p11). The goal of this study is to characterize the twitching movements of these rats at young postnatal ages. Twitches are myoclonic jerks that occur spontaneously during REM sleep and have implications for motor development. Through the quantification of limb movements during sleep by using a machine-learning program, we established a comparison between the twitching behaviors of 16p11 and normal wild type rats. Our ultimate goals is to use the information obtained to determine whether this motor movement may also be impacted in those with ASD.
Rielle Jones-Teske
Major: Art History
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Maze (Art and Art History)
Plautilla Nelli: Renaissance Painter-Prioress
Art historians have overlooked women artists for centuries. My work focuses on the remarkable nun-artist, Plautilla Nelli. She painted her most monumental work, the Last Supper, around 1568. Nelli’s Last Supper occupies a unique place in the tradition of Florentine refectory decoration. However, many scholars have disregarded Nelli’s work because of her lack of formal artistic training, an antiquated view that has prevented Nelli's work from being appreciated by modern viewers. In my reevaluation of her painting, I will argue that Nelli changed traditional iconography of the Last Supper so that it was more relevant to her and her fellow nuns, reflecting the rules and values they held dear.
Emma Kenney
Major: Psychology
Mentor: Isaac Petersen (Psychological and Brain Sciences)
The Role of Intrusive Parenting in the Relationship Between Child Behaviors and Learning Outcomes
Children with externalizing behavior problems and children who display high levels of inattention are at a disadvantage in school settings and have worse learning outcomes than their peers. However, the mechanisms that explain the relationship between inattention and externalizing problems and academic achievement are not well understood. This study examined a parenting style called intrusive parenting as a mediator in the association between inattention and poor school outcomes and the association between externalizing behavior problems and poor school outcomes. I hypothesized that children with higher levels of inattention and/or externalizing problems will have parents that use a more intrusive style of parenting which in turn predicts worse performance on learning measures. This hypothesis was based on previous literature that supports child-driven effects where the child’s behavior can act as an antecedent to the parent’s behavior. This study included parent-child dyads; children were given an assessment of academic achievement and parents reported both the behaviors of their child as well as their own parenting behaviors. The results did not support the mediation hypothesis. The study did find that inattention and externalizing behavior problems were associated with worse performance on the learning outcomes. These findings reinforce the need for intervention efforts that target children with externalizing and attention problems to improve their academic achievement.
Eddie Khachikian
Major: Finance
Mentor: Petra Sinagl (Finance)
Confirmation Bias in Investing and Trading
This thesis refers to the effects of confirmation bias, which is primarily a psychological idea, in the field of business and finance. This paper uses a specific sample of investors to test how forecasting can unconsciously alter trading behavior in financial markets. We also discuss how forecasting may differ if some justification is included in the forecast. Data is provided to show if confirmation bias is affecting traders in this environment and hypothesize the possibility in larger financial markets.
Michelle Krumm
Major: Neuroscience
Mentor: John Freeman (Psychological and Brain Sciences)
Did you know that the cerebellum plays a crucial role in certain types of learning and memory? Nor did I before I started researching at Dr. Freeman's lab! My presentation will teach you the basic neural circuitry underlying eye-blink conditioning in the cerebellum, what we still have yet to discover about networks behind eye-blink conditioning, and why researching learning and memory in the cerebellum matters to humanity.
Sreelekha Kundu
Major: Microbiology
Mentor: Hanna Stevens (Psychiatry)
Understanding the role of the placenta between maternal stress and offspring neurodevelopment
Psychiatric disorders impact about 17.1 million children in the United States. Various forms of maternal stress has shown to impact the neurodevelopment of offspring and have been linked to childhood psychiatric disorders. However, to better understand the connection between maternal stress and fetal neurodevelopment, understanding the role of the placenta in this chain is essential. The placenta plays a critical role in fetal development, as it serves as the mediator between mother and fetus. We have analyzed several published research papers which investigate the impact of various forms of maternal stress on placenta, as well as how these placental changes impact neurodevelopment of the offspring.
Hallie Lartius
Major: Global Health Studies
Mentor: Benjamin Solow (Economics )
Leveraging taxation for health development: a cross-country analysis of tax revenues as a share of G
Economists have shown that increasing tax revenues is associated with higher rates of development economically, politically, and culturally (Besley and Persson 2014). Development and taxation appear to work together, expanding the power to tax and the impact of tax revenues (Besley and Persson 2014). However, one area of development that may have a particularly complicated [LHJ1] relationship with taxation is health. Health is strongly linked with development, able to impede new progress while resting on the individual, social, and environmental determinants within the nation (Adler, Glymour and Fielding 2016). To develop health nationally, tax revenues may be invested through a wide variety of mechanisms: national health research, infrastructure in clinics and hospitals, disease-specific campaigns, or broader conditions associated with health (Horwitz, et al. 2020). As national governments seek to advance health and development today, it may be important to leverage taxation as one of their most valuable tools (Besley and Persson 2014). This research aims to broadly describe the relationship between taxation and health and to identify the primary mechanisms through which tax revenues improve health indicators. By comparing the correlation of tax revenues and each indicator, we can evaluate the impact of taxation on health in these countries and in those isolated by region, income level, healthcare system, and primary burdens of disease.
Campus food pantries: exploring sustainability of student-led pantries and administrative support
Rates for college food insecurity are higher than the general population. To address growing rates of college food insecurity, student-operated food pantries have been the immediate response on many colleges campuses. However, there is a lack of research as to which campus pantry approaches are the most effective and how students cope with the stress and anxiety of operating a service for the entire campus community. As COVID-19 has increased demand for food emergency services, stress on pantry operations and staff has only increased. This research seeks to understand the lived experiences of student leaders working to address food insecurity at the University of Iowa and how administrators understand their role and responsibility in this effort. This research uses collective ethnographic analysis to explore the lived experiences of food pantry executive team members at the University of Iowa. Additionally, interviews with University administrators responsible for campus food security initiatives will further reveal socio-political dynamics within university structures that influence institutional responses to address college food insecurity. Broadly, this project will inform the future of campus food pantries, assessing the capacity of students to run campus food pantries and critically examining how basic needs are met within an increasingly neoliberal University campus.
Ashleigh Machado
Major: Biochemistry
Mentor: Samuel Stephens (Internal Medicine)
Overexpression of ATP6voa2 Does Not Impair Pancreatic Beta-cell Insulin Secretion
Pancreatic beta cells synthesize, store, and secrete insulin to combat elevated glucose levels in the body. In Type 2 Diabetes, beta cells enter a state of dysfunction and can no longer properly secrete insulin, leading to hyperglycemia. The vacuolar (v)-ATPase pump is known to control insulin vesicle lumenal pH. Previously, increased expression of the a2 subunit of the v-ATPase (ATP6voa2) was found in beta-cells under hyperglycemic conditions. Based on this, we hypothesized that overexpression of the a2 subunit in beta-cells would impair insulin secretion. In these studies, we examined the effect of overexpressing the a2 subunit on insulin secretion using a recombinant adenovirus and compared this to control cells expressing GFP. Overexpression was verified by quantitative RT-PCR. A glucose stimulated insulin secretion assay was performed to measure differences in insulin secretion between GFP control cells and those with a2 overexpression. No significant changes in insulin secretion were found between the control cells and the overexpressed cells. Based on these findings, our data suggest that overexpression of the a2 subunit does not affect insulin secretion in a hyperglycemic state.
Mitch Majure
Major: Mathematics; Computer Science
Mentor: Kyle Rector (Computer Science)
Making Aerobic Exercise More Accessible to People with visual impairments.
Currently there are many barriers that prevent people with visual impairments from accessing aerobic exercise. First, exercises that have been adapted for people with visual impairments are niche or regionally popular. In addition, there is stigma in group exercise environments in the form of excessive attention placed on disability as well as patronizing behavior which lead people with visual impairments to be dissatisfied. Finally existing technologies that provide aerobic exercise feedback lack nuance and require a visual reference. We propose a system designed for step aerobics exercise that can give a participant with visual impairments nuanced audio feedback that can be used discretely to avoid attracting attention to disability.
Molly Matkovich
Major: Mathematics
Mentor: Gordon Buchanan (Neurology)
Role of subclinical seizures in sleep-wake regulation of a mouse model of tauopathy
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive worsening of dementia symptoms. Patients with AD often experience sleep disturbances and epileptiform activity which is only observable when the electrical activity of the brain is measured via electroencephalography (EEG). Subclinical seizures do not present outward signs but could complicate disease progression. The mechanisms underlying these seizures in patients with AD are little understood. A pathological hallmark of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases is the aggregation of microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT). Hyperphosphorylated tau may form aggregates of insoluble protein known as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Brain tissue from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy also displays tau pathology in the form of NFTs, leading to the hypothesis that tau pathology leads to subclinical seizures which contribute to cognitive impairment and sleep-wake disruption. To pursue this, PS19 mice that were bred to express MAPT and their wild type (WT) littermates were implanted with EEG technology and recorded at various epochs throughout their lives. Number of subclinical seizures and sleep-wake state over time were analyzed. We observed that PS19 mice showed more epileptiform activity than did their WT littermates. PS19 mice also experienced more fragmented and less deep sleep. This research is expected to advance our understanding of how subclinical seizures affect patients with AD.
An Analysis on the Aggregation-Based localization of RuvBL1 and RuvBL2 in Xenopus Laevis Nucleoli
Protein aggregation is linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease if not controlled. However, many important cellular activities depend upon the regulated formation of aggregates. This includes many nuclear activities that modify and transport RNA. The proteins RuvBL1 and RuvBL2 are part of several cellular complexes that may act as chaperones to promote controlled assembly and disassembly of nuclear aggregates. The studies described examining which nuclear aggregates may be substrates for RuvBL control.
Zachary McDaniel
Major: Business Analytics
Mentor: Kristina Bigsby (Business Analytics)
This presentation takes an in depth look at NFL team and penalty statistics from 1999-2019 to better understand the historical trends an anomolies in the NFL.
Madeline Moffett
Major: Human Physiology
Mentor: Rhonda Souvenir (Internal Medicine)
Investigating the potential compensatory relationship between OPA-1 and estrogen
A serious contraindication of using oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) is increased risk of a thrombotic event. The mechanism behind this contraindication is unclear. Preliminary data showed a positive correlation between increased platelet Optic Atrophy Protein 1 (OPA-1) levels and thrombosis. OPA-1 is an inner mitochondria membrane protein responsible for mitochondrial function. Upon platelet-specific deletion of OPA-1, we observed a sex-specific pathological difference in platelet mitochondrial function and thrombosis. In the absence of OPA-1, male mice exhibited a pro-thrombotic phenotype while female mice were protected. Compared to male mice, female OPA-1 deficient mice exhibited preserved platelet mitochondrial function and complex expression. These preliminary findings suggest a potential compensatory relationship between OPA-1 and estrogen in female platelet mitochondria. We performed Blue native PAGE to investigate platelet mitochondrial complex expression in female Sham OPA-1 control and knockout mice and gonadectomized OPA-1 control and knockout mice. Our findings revealed visible upregulation of mitochondrial super complexes and complexes I and V in gonadectomized female mice. These findings allude to a potential compensatory relationship between OPA-1 and estrogen levels in platelet mitochondrial complexes. Platelet mitochondrial complex expression data combined with previous findings provide greater insight into the pathology of thrombosis in the presence of OCPs.
A New Approach: Adapting the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) for Daily Use
Self-reported measures provide a practical and cost-effective means of assessing physical activity (PA) across an ever-widening range of clinical applications. However, many standardized surveys, such as the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), are limited in assessing PA performed over a previous seven-day period. This requires extensive participant recall and cannot identify daily PA fluctuations. This inspired our development of the novel IPAQ-Daily, which requires relatively low subject time (< 5min) and cognitive (one- vs seven-day recall) burden. Tailored for REDCap software, the IPAQ-Daily exhibits aesthetic improvements, extensive branching, and advanced conditional logic which enables a syncopated, yet unabated survey experience according to participants’ PA responses. The IPAQ-Daily was employed and compared to accelerometer and IPAQ-Long PA estimates. Of 15 pilot participants, 86.7% preferred the IPAQ-Daily and 100% felt that it enabled more accurate self-reported PA estimates. Associations between IPAQ-Daily and accelerometer measures were low, consistent with prior studies when collapsed over 6 days of variable participant PA levels (median r=0.17–0.33). However, daily within-subject correlations were significantly greater (median r=0.74–0.78), elucidating relationships which cannot be discerned by the IPAQ-Long. Further validation tests should be performed with a larger sample size to refine this survey for publication and global implementation.
Sai Meghana Palagiri
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Mentor: James Ankrum (Biomedical Engineering)
Designing an Alginate Gel to deliver and maintain therapeutic cells on the wound bed.
Wound healing is a complex process that involves inflammation, cell proliferation, and remodeling. To promote healing rather than scarring, a number of regenerative medicine strategies have been proposed that rely on delivering therapeutic cells to the wound bed. However, delivering and retaining cells at the site of the wound is a challenge. Herein we report of the development of a pharmaceutical grade alginate gel suitable to surgeon handling and encapsulation and delivery of human adipose-stem cell derived spheroids. Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC’s) have previously been shown to accelerate angiogenesis and healing. Here we designed an alginate gel infused with adipose derived MSC spheroids to accelerate healing in pig burn wounds.
Eric Peters
Major: Physics
Mentor: Kenneth Heitritter (Physics)
Contributions to Geodesic Motion from Thomas-Whitehead Gravity
A geodesic is the generalization that the shortest path between two points is given by a straight line. On a flat surface this is quite intuitive, but a more complicated geometry dictates a more complicated path. Through the success of General Relativity, we know that the geometry of spacetime is curved by gravitational forces. Thus, the geodesic path a particle takes is determined by gravity. Thomas-Whitehead Gravity is an extension of General Relativity which predicts new geometric fields that can influence the geodesics of particles. We review the notion of geodesic motion and discuss the contributions due to Thomas-Whitehead Gravity.
Josh Peterson
Major: Biology; Biochemistry
Mentor: Marcelo Correia (Internal Medicine)
Mice with DRP1 Depletion in Skeletal Muscle are Resistant to Age-related Weight Gain
Dynamin Related Protein-1 (DRP1) constricts outer mitochondrial membrane during fission. Notably, skeletal muscles of type 2 diabetics exhibit mitochondrial dysfunction associated with increased mitochondrial fragmentation suggesting activation of DRP1. ): In this study we explored the phenotype of aging C57 mice (80 weeks-old) with reduced expression of DRP1 in skeletal muscle (KO mice). DRP1 deficiency in male and female aging mice resulted in a reduction in total and fat mass. Male KO mice exhibited elevated plasma GDF15 and FGF21, and reduced insulinemia. Male KO mice exhibited higher energy expenditure, better glucose tolerance but unaltered hypoglycemic response to exogenous insulin as compared to wild type mice. Male KO mice had reduced grip strength of forelimbs but no changes on distance walked on treadmill. We did not observe changes in O2 consumption in isolated skeletal muscle fibers from male KO mice in response to diverse substrates. Our study shows that the depletion of DRP1 in skeletal muscle is associated with increases in plasma GDF15 and FGF21 suggesting activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress response, which could explain higher energy expenditure, better glucose tolerance and resistance to fat accumulation in aging C57 mice. Our results also indicate that DRP1 KO in skeletal muscle impairs maximal force generation during forelimb grip test suggesting skeletal muscle remodeling.
Julia Prime
Major: Anthropology
Mentor: Heidi Lung (Museum Studies; Anthropology)
Museums and Virtual Internships: How Museums Have Responded to the COVID-19 Pandemic
This presentation focuses on Iowa museum professionals and University of Iowa museum students and their response to the Coronavirus pandemic in terms of internships.
Reading Motivation in Adolescents with Hearing Loss and Typical Hearing
Reading motivation is what motivates someone to read and is made up of several varying aspects, such as intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, social reasons for reading, and one’s self-efficacy. Previous studies have examined the effect reading motivation has on reading comprehension in typical hearing adolescents but there has been a lack of research examining reading motivation in adolescents with hearing loss. Studies have used the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ) to measure reading motivation, but it has always been administered in person. Our research aims addressed the following questions: 1) Will scores from an online MRQ be consistent with scores from traditional administration methods?, 2) Is there an effect of gender on reading motivation profiles?, 3) Is there an effect of grade level on reading motivation profiles?, and 4) Is there an effect of hearing loss on reading motivation profiles. The study examined 29 responses to the online MRQ, 14 with hearing loss and 15 with typical hearing. Our results indicated no effect on reading motivation as a function of gender and hearing loss. However, younger children were found to have higher levels of reading motivation than older children, which was consistent with previous studies. The online MRQ had consistent scores with previous studies and can be utilized in the future to continue research in adolescents with hearing loss.
Speech perception associated with Hybrid L24 cochlear implant users
Cochlear implants were originally designed for use by individuals with profound, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) who did not benefit from use of hearing aids. Over the past 2-3 decades, as technology improved, not only did asymptotic performance levels improve on all measures of speech perception, but the length of time required to reach those asymptotic performance levels dropped. Today, just like in previous years, tremendous variability across subjects remains. However, studies have shown that most CI users reach asymptotic performance levels within 6-12 months of CI use (Holden et al., 2013). Recent changes in surgical technique coupled with changes in the design of the intracochlear electrode array have allowed for the preservation of low-frequency acoustic hearing post-implant. This new cohort of CI recipients is able to take advantage of both acoustic and electrical stimulation of the same ear. Successful preservation of low-frequency acoustic hearing results in significant benefit on tests that measure speech perception both in quiet and in background noise. The purpose of this study was 1) to characterize the rate at which changes in performance over time occur for a group of Nucleus L24 CI users, and 2) to determine if there is an age effect. The result from our 55 post-lingually deafen subjects indicates that 1) most subjects reach their ceiling performance within 3-6 months post-implantation; 2) age does seem to act as a moderator.
How Does the Brain Predict Who's Speaking?
Previous studies have developed the Predictive Coding Theory. This theory states that the brain makes predictions of what will occur in its environment based on internal representations. The brain updates the predictions based on incoming sensory inputs. Current research emphasizes the physiological evidence of neurocognitive processing. One is dominated by top-down processing and the other using sensory sampling. However, there is no research on what neural substrates are involved while tracking a speaker identity in speech and noise. In this study, we claim that cortical gamma oscillations use bottom-up processing and beta oscillations use top-down processing. To support this, we measured EEG data of 13 normal-hearing participants in a speech in noise task. One condition had a speaker identity cue and the other had no cue. We found that speaker identity cues increased beta oscillations in the inferior frontal gyrus of the brain’s left hemisphere. However, without the speaker identity, greater gamma oscillations were found in the supra temporal gyrus in both hemispheres. These results support the Predictive Coding Theory and its physiological evidence of brain oscillations. While the brain predicts the familiar voice, it uses top-down processing. This is indicated by beta waves in speech and language processing areas. However, if the brain can’t predict the speaker, then it uses sensory sampling of auditory features. Sensory sampling allows flexibility for all voices.
Lucas Spain
Major: Computer Science
Mentor: Brandon Myers (Computer Science)
Machine Learning in the Smart Home
Internet of Things (IoT) devices have surged in popularity over the last several years. Much of this can be credited to common devices in the home becoming smart and internet-connected. These devices include everything from lightbulbs to door locks, introducing new functionality and features. While these features often provide higher convenience to users, such as using your mobile device to control your home equipment from anywhere, it can also be cumbersome to forgo traditional control, like flipping a lightswitch. Voice Assistants like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa have been at the forefront of controlling smart home devices with speakers and microphones in the home. While these solutions do allow a user to control their home without their mobile device, they can be time consuming or annoying when not working properly.
We propose using machine learning (ML) techniques to allow a home to utilize past behavior and make adjustments to smart devices without the user having to do anything. Our approach leverages time and presence-based factors to create a system that can operate an entire home independently of human intervention. We begin by collecting data regularly which includes the time, day, and presence of users among other features. We then select 14 types of ML models and make eliminations until just one remains. Then, we optimize the final model and evaluate it using real-time data. Lastly, we deploy the model to independently control the home.
Sydney Stork
Major: Biology
Mentor: Maurine Neiman (Biology; Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies)
Consequences of Asexual Reproduction: Behavioral Changes in Asexual Potamopyrgus antipodarum
Once-useful traits that no longer contribute to fitness tend to decay over time. Here, I address whether traits that increase the fitness of sexually reproducing individuals may be counterproductive or unnecessary to their asexual counterparts. Potamopyrgus antipodarum is a species of freshwater snail native to New Zealand characterized by repeated transitions from sexual reproduction to asexual reproduction. The frequent coexistence of sexual and asexual lineages makes P. antipodarum an excellent model for the study of mating-related trait loss. In this study, I conducted a mating choice assay using sexual and asexual P. antipodarum females to evaluate the loss of behavioral traits related to sexual reproduction. I found that sexual females engaged in mating behaviors with preferable mating partners more frequently and for a greater duration than with undesirable mating partners, while asexual females seemed to lack the ability to make a choice. These results suggest that selection acting to maintain mate choice in asexual P. andipodarum is weak or nonexistent relative to sexual females, and that asexual reproduction plays a critical role in the evolutionary loss of behavioral traits.
Samalya Thenuwara
Major: Human Physiology
Mentor: Michael Lovaglia (Sociology and Criminology)
Exploratory Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of CKDU Arsenic Hypothesis – Sri Lanka, June-July 2011
Background: Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDU) has been a mystery in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka since the mid-1990s. While the estimated prevalence is unreliable, upwards of 150,000 people may be affected with 5,000 deaths per year. The incidence of the disease is increasing annually. Researchers have proposed many hypotheses to explain the cause of CKDU but it remains unknown. The “arsenic hypothesis” postulated that CKDU could be caused by water and rice contaminated by arsenic from agrochemicals. It inspired a media frenzy that began in June 2011. Methods: This study analyzed Sinhala and English-language print newspaper coverage of the arsenic hypothesis in five widely circulated publications from June-July 2011. This exploratory study aimed to gauge which CKDU stakeholders had the most influence on the media discourse surrounding the arsenic hypothesis. Results: The themes and sources of information in 35 articles related to the arsenic hypothesis revealed that the most common theme was the countering of the arsenic hypothesis by the government, claiming the high quality of its research (26.5%). The most frequent source of information was government employees (37.1%) followed by the research team that originated the arsenic hypothesis (20%). Conclusion: The study revealed the government as the most influential stakeholder in the media discourse. This study is limited by the timeframe as well as the exclusion of Tamil-language newspapers.
Examining backsliding in Colombia's Ceasefire Agreement: Causes and Recommendations
Despite the broad scope and comprehensiveness of the 2016 Final Agreement between the government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia: FARC), the ceasefire between the forces appears to be in danger of collapsing. The government’s lack of progress on implementing areas of the agreement important to the FARC and the existence of FARC splinter groups and other armed forces are leading to an increase in violence in the country. This research aims to provide U.S. policymakers with recommendation on how to ensure that the armed conflict does not break put again.
What do you remember? Divided attention and memory for past referents
Language production involves complex processes of language supported by cognitive resources. Research suggests that speakers have better memory of past referents compared to listeners because they invest more cognitive effort into language planning/production than listeners. This is consistent with the generation effect in memory literature that memory is enhanced when items are produced than when they are passively received. Less clear is whether this speaking benefit of memory can be extended even when attention is divided while speaking. In the current research, participants played the role of speaker or listener in a referential communication task. We manipulated participants’ attention using a dual task (phonology taboo task). In the attention-divided group, participants were asked to describe target images without the use of certain sounds. In the control group, participants freely described target images. After the communication task, participants completed an unexpected memory test for the past referents. Results of the communication task revealed that speakers produced fewer modifiers when they were distracted compared to when they were fully engaged. The memory test revealed better memory for past referents when speaking vs. listening, although the overall accuracy was lower in the attention-divided group. The research replicates speaking benefits of memory in conversation and provides new insight into the role of cognitive resources in language production.
Lorena Tran
Major: Biology
Mentor: Alejandro Pezzulo (Internal Medicine)
Parasite and humans produce a similar inflammatory marker
Background: Ascaris suum is a parasitic worm that occupies the human lungs, inducing inflammation and asthma. Ascaris infection affects 1 billion people worldwide and is especially prevalent in areas with unsanitary drinking water. Previous experiments suggest that Ascaris extract contains a protein similar to human periostin, a biomarker of allergic inflammation in the lungs.
Hypothesis: Ascaris suum produces a periostin-like protein.
Methods: To test the hypothesis, fluids from live Ascaris were examined. Excretory and Secretory Products (ESP) were collected from the buffer where the worms lived and Perienteric (PE) fluid was extracted upon dissection.
Results: Analysis by ELISA shows that both ESP and PE fluid contain a periostin-like protein. Analysis of the Ascaris genome also shows that human periostin matches two genes found in Ascaris suum isolates, further suggesting that Ascaris produces a protein similar to periostin.
Discussion: Ascaris and humans’ production of similar proteins could be an example of convergent evolution. This trait may have evolved in Ascaris because the periostin-like protein mimics the response of the human host and thus hides the parasite from the immune system.
Next Steps: Cloning of the periostin-like protein identified by Ascaris genome analysis. Human lung fibroblasts will be exposed to the recombinant protein and cell response will be analyzed with ELISA.
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Mentor: N. Charles Harata (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics)
Effective image segmentation for analyzing dendritic branching of neurons
Cell biology experiments often include identifying fluorescent signals, describing their specific locations, and measuring the local and total intensities within single cells. Such information can be used for characterizing similarities and differences among different neuronal groups, e.g. disease-state vs. wild-type cells. The analyses will require isolating the signal of individual neurons in the already acquired images (image segmentation), by eliminating unnecessary signals from the image field, such as those arising from neighboring neurons and those of background noises. One of the conventional segmentation methods involves selecting positive neuronal signals by manually tracing the neurites using a semi-automated software, such as the Simple Neurite Tracer (SNT). This tracing approach results in selecting strongly positive signals from the traced neurites. However, this method is prone to be affected by unnecessary noises from the background, while failing to include weak and irregularly shaped signals/neurites that belong to the cell of interest. In order to solve this problem, we propose an alternative, complementary method. It first excludes the background noise by performing background subtraction (or Difference of Gaussians, DoG) and then manually excludes signals from neighboring cells (masking).” Our approach can retain the weak and irregularly shaped signals, allowing us to accurately segment single neurons. We will apply this method to analyze the dendritic branching pattern of mouse brain neurons in primary culture. Importantly, this method will be applicable to any marker of any cellular organelle or any cell type, and both healthy and disease conditions.
Amygdala Cellular Subpopulation Inducing Stress Resilience
Chronic stress yields a multitude of adverse effects, including debilitating depressive-like symptoms in susceptible populations. Previous neurophysiological data recognized complex brain-wide electrical networks and identified one such network involved in mediating resilient and susceptible states in response to chronic stress. This neuronal circuit, arising from projections between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala (AMY), was altered in depressive models. Furthermore, chemogenetic activation of this circuit in a controlled study induced a stress-resilient state both phenotypically and within the electrical network. Although this PFC-AMY circuit has been identified, it remains unknown which network-specific cell types in the AMY send and receive projections with the PFC. To identify these cell types, RNA-sequencing data from the AMY cells from mice subjected to a chronic stress paradigm was used. Two subgroups of circuit AMY cells were identified, termed “large cells” and “small cells” based on their relative diameters, and these cells were characterized in comparison to the remaining tissue. These comparisons yielded significant differentially expressed genes which were compared to a curated database of known amygdalar cell markers for cell type identification. The results expand current understanding of the PFC-AMY circuit and the underlying biology involved in conferring resilience after stress exposure and may indicate treatment targets to promote resilience.
Zachary Vig
Major: Physics; Geosciences
Mentor: Jessica Meyer (Earth and Environment Sciences)
Hydrofacies Analysis of Ice-Marginal Sediments Using Dynamic Image (Camsizer) Methods
Our work focuses on improving transport predictions for a mixed organic contaminant plume emanating from a residual dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zone in ice-marginal sediments in south central Wisconsin. Ice-marginal environments are often characterized by complex spatial distributions of sediment types which results in heterogeneity in hydraulic conductivity. The structure of these heterogeneities is often conceptualized in terms of hydrofacies. The spatial arrangement of hydrofacies in the subsurface is a fundamental control on plume migration. Here, our goal is to improve grain size distribution resolution throughout the subsurface to better delineate hydrofacies. To efficiently analyze many samples for grain size distributions, we opted out of using a classical sieve-based method in lieu of a less common method known as Camsizer analysis. A Camsizer device utilizes CCD imaging to analyze the characteristics of falling grains as they pass a backlit background. Samples are first wet sieved to isolate the sand fraction for Camsizer analysis. Camsizer technology has allowed us to not only process samples quickly, but to glean pertinent information about grain characteristics that may support the improvement of empirical equations relating grain size distributions to hydraulic conductivity. A better understanding of the hydrofacies at this site will lead to a better understanding of plume movement at the site and through ice marginal sediments in general.
Sydney Walker
Major: Biochemistry
Mentor: Margaret Ketterer (Biochemistry)
Jill Viles and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep are women who have experienced contrasting adult lifestyles due to differences in their physique. Jill is confined to a wheelchair, while Priscilla is an Olympic bronze medalist for the 100-meter hurdles. Surprisingly, these women each possess a mutation in the LMNA gene. This gene encodes A-type lamins, filamentous proteins that form a meshwork on the inner side of the nuclear envelope. Lamins provide structural support for the nucleus and organize genomic chromatin. Mutations in the LMNA gene cause a collection of diseases known as laminopathies, which include lipodystrophy, rare types of muscular dystrophy, and early onset aging. Jill possesses a mutation that results in the amino acid substitution R527P, which causes a rare muscular dystrophy called Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy and a rare lipodystrophy called Dunnigan-type familial partial lipodystrophy. Priscilla possesses a mutation that results in the amino acid substitution R482W. This single amino acid substitution causes Priscilla to have Dunnigan-type familial partial lipodystrophy; her skeletal muscles are not affected. The focus of my research is to understand how mutations in the LMNA gene cause these different phenotypes.
Yuesihan Wang
Major: Marketing
Mentor: Bowen Ruan (Marketing )
The last one to tell --- Withold infomation disclosure and happiness
A happiness boost is to withhold access to pleasurable things intentionally.
Positive information disclosure = Positive effects on mood and wellbeing.
Delayed sharing with the person you wanted to share the most will result in a higher happiness level.
Andrew Wendel
Majors: Biology; Criminology
Mentor: Marina Zaloznaya (Sociology; Criminology)
Using White Collar Crime to Gauge Regional Perceptions of Race and Crime
In the 1960s, a criminal class that described young, African American men as street criminals was created. Over time, this has become the “expectation of society” and is reflected in news media today. Our group has assumed that because of this expectation, perpetrators of street crime who are African American would be individualized less than white perpetrators of the same crime. If this trend was true, then the same trend should also be true for white collar crime, meaning African American perpetrators of white collar crime should be individualized more because that is unexpected. Here, we look at the regional individualization trends of white collar crime perpetrators, independent of time, which make up the overall national trend that we have already found.
Maria Werner Anderson
Major: Nursing
Mentor: Ruth Grossmann (Nursing)
The Effect of Exercise on Blood Pressure in the Pregnant Population
Background: The blood pressure (BP) measurement is the most critical vital sign for identifying preeclampsia and hypertension (HTN) is a major cause of cardiovascular disease; in pregnancy, HTN leaves the mother and child at risk for poor obstetrical outcomes and high risk for HTN later in life. Little research has focused on how the level of exercise during pregnancy for the non-hypertensive population impacts BP measurements. Hypothesis: There will be a decrease in BP with an increase in physical activity; pregnant people with more active lifestyles will show a decrease in average BP readings. Methods: Pregnant women in the outpatient and inpatient settings recorded their physical activity using the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) and proceeded to have their BP taken twice in the AHA recommended position. Data was subsequently recorded in REDCap and analyzed using SigmaPlot. Results: Physical activity during pregnancy did not have a statistically significant effect on blood pressure in this population. However, a significant difference is seen between the inpatient and outpatient cohorts in levels of both sedentary and moderate activity. The inpatient cohort spent more time doing both sedentary and moderate intensity activity when compared to the outpatient cohort. Conclusion: Level of physical activity during pregnancy does not result in a clinically significant change in blood pressure in pregnant women.
Noah Wick
Major: Public Health
Mentor: Rima Afifi (Community and Behavioral Health)
“We don't talk about it" - Barriers to PrEP Uptake Among College-Enrolled MSM
Background: Since the HIV epidemic first started in the US in 1981, infection rates of HIV have remained highest among men who have sex with men (MSM) despite the roll-out of behavioral intervention programs. Young adult MSM remain particularly at risk. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has proven to be highly effective as an antiretroviral, yet, uptake has remained low, particularly among younger men. Few studies have been conducted to understand barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 students, all not on PrEP. Interviews were conducted over Zoom from October-December 2020. Thematic analysis was used to code interviews for emergent themes.
Results: Results are described through a socio-ecologic lens. At the individual level, participants described financial concerns and low perceived importance of PrEP as barriers to uptake. Reasons for considering PrEP among these participants were a fear of acquiring HIV. Social barriers included concerns about discussing PrEP with family members and healthcare providers. Organizationally, respondents described the dearth of information about PrEP in sex education content. At the community level, respondents described a lack of discussion about - and stigma associated with, PrEP in the LGBTQ+ community.
Conclusion: Our results can help inform the development or adaptation of interventions for increasing PrEP uptake among young adult MSMs from rural or suburban areas.
Alexis Winecke
Majors: International Studies; Spanish
Mentor: Kathleen Newman (Spanish and Portuguese)
Feminist Activism and the Legalization of Abortion in Argentina
This essay examines the struggle for abortions rights in Argentina that culminated with the legalization of abortion in December 2020. During the last decade, various feminist organizations united to demonstrate against violence against women (such as Ni Una Menos [Not One Less], founded in 2015) and this, in turn, accelerated the fight for the legalization of abortion. The essay discusses the specific ways in which these organizations, such as the National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion, founded in 2005, highlighted basic sexual and reproductive rights to overcome patriarchal views of reproductive politics.
Hannah Zadeh
Major: Sociology
Mentor: Louise Seamster (Sociology)
The Genealogy of Racialized Method: eGFR as Case Study
The eGFR equations, clinical tools used to measure of kidney function, factor race into their overall score. The racialized equation was established in 1999 by Levey et al. and updated in 2009. Since its establishment, it has maintained widespread use, despite calls across medicine for a social constructivist race framework and despite criticisms about the lack of evidence justifying race's relevance to kidney function. In this paper, I take eGFR as a window into what it looks like for racial ideology to live through scientific methods. I construct a 'geneaology' of scientific articles through citational connections, stacking two 'generations' on top of the two Levey et al. papers. This project relies on reading as data not only scientific text, but also methodological and citational choices. "Reading around" the Levey et al. articles, for whom the race variable is central but whose discussion of the race construct is sparse, points toward a theory of race as binary, bodily, and measurable. Race ideology's embeddedness into the eGFR equations is prefigured by the call for racial standards throughout the sample and the ubiquitous use of the regression model. I recommend that the race variable should be removed from the eGFR equations and scientific methods––particularly statisical models––must be reconfigured to reflect a structural theory of race.