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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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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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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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50 |
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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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
Using DeepLabCut, I analyzed facial grimace data for recordings of CGRP induced migraine-like brain states in mice. 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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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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