1

3:40-4:40pm

Amelia Alexander (Mathematics)

Mathematical Precision of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Simplifying computations has been an area of focus in math education from K-12 to graduate levels. In lower-level mathematics it is often common and encouraged for students to use calculators to simplify their workload, however, collegiate students often encounter problems that are beyond what calculators can do. Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) has prompted constant discussion and debate surrounding its use, and particularly if it should be treated the same as a ‘calculator’. In this presentation, we will present results from several tests of Gen-AI in mathematical calculations to gauge if, or the extent to which, it can be trusted to give proper answers to a variety of mathematical questions ranging from the elementary to collegiate level.

2

3:40-4:40pm

Dave Cacho (Political Science, Ethics & Public Policy)

Grace Nelson, Political Science

Analyzing Iowa's Unique Approach to Cannabis Policy from the Standpoints of Criminal Justice, Public Health, and Economic Impact

This policy report evaluates Iowa’s cannabis policies within the broader national landscape, assessing how the state’s current framework affects criminal justice, public health, and economic outcomes. Our findings show that Iowa’s restrictive approach contributes to high enforcement and incarceration costs, persistent racial disparities, and a limited and unstable legal market, while offering relatively few public health benefits compared to states that have adopted more flexible regulatory systems. To address these challenges, we recommend that Iowa adopt a reclassification-based decriminalization model that replaces criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce of cannabis with a civil infraction and automatically expunges prior low-level cannabis convictions. Our recommendation also includes restoring the state’s THC cap to pre-HF 2605 levels to stabilize the existing low-THC market and implementing a scaled excise tax tied to THC potency to discourage high-risk products while generating revenue for healthcare and harm-reduction programs. This approach offers a politically viable path toward reducing incarceration and racial disparities, improving consumer safety, and strengthening Iowa’s cannabis market without requiring the creation of a full adult-use legalization system.

3

3:40-4:40pm

Nick Beaton (Environmental Science)

Joshie Osborne, Environmental Science

A Comparison of Biodiversity in Restored and Remnant Prairie Ecosystems in Johnson County, Iowa

Understanding plant species diversity in restored Iowa prairie ecosystems is essential for evaluating their health and effectiveness. This research project aims to compare the diversity between a restored prairie (seeded in 2021), Ashton Prairie in Coralville, Iowa, and a remnant prairie, Solon Prairie in Solon, Iowa. Both prairies were first surveyed by our team, where we gathered data on vegetation species diversity in each of our 'quadrat' plots. These plots have different sized sub-plots with respective statistical weights. With the data from the two prairies, an independent t-test was run to determine if there are statistically different means of biodiversity for the two prairies. Our null hypothesis is that the mean species diversity of the remnant prairie is equal to the mean species diversity of the restored prairie. Our alternate hypothesis is that the mean species diversity of the remnant prairie will be higher than the mean species diversity of the restored prairie. Remnant prairies are generally believed to have higher biodiversity due to their well-developed seed banks and intact soil with many years for the vegetation to establish specific niches. The significance level for comparison will be 0.05. With the outcome of these results, the effectiveness of Ashton Prairies restoration, as well as its current ecological health, can be determined with the Solon Prairie as a baseline.

4

3:40-4:40pm

Olivia Blake (Neurobiology)

Contribution of dynein motors to active mechanosensation

Dynein motor arms are thought to contribute to active mechanosensation. In Drosophila melanogaster, the chordotonal sensory organ, Johnston’s Organ (JO), contains subsets of neurons with specialized properties for different sensory modalities. Our work focuses specifically on the contributions of dynein motors to the vibrational and static deflection-sensitive subsets. Null mutations of smetana, encoding dynein axonemal assembly factor 1 (DNAAF1), show loss of dynein motors in all JO neuronal subsets. We show that complete loss of smetana results in a deaf phenotype measured by electrophysiology recordings, as well as loss of active antennal vibrations measured by laser vibrometry. To distinguish between the impacts on distinct sensory modalities, we are using the GAL4-UAS system to manipulate the expression of smetana in vibrational and static-deflection subsets independently. Electrophysiology recordings have demonstrated reduction of smetana expression in vibrational subsets results in significant hearing loss, while in static-deflection subsets, no hearing loss was seen when compared with controls. Our results are consistent with the model of unique contributions of dynein motors to different mechanosensory modalities. A complementary rescue approach is currently in progress.

5

3:40-4:40pm

Nadia Arsenijevic (Chemistry)

Computational Study of Actinide Pnictogen Complexes

Actinide complexes with pnictogen oxide ligands are a unique set of complexes with the potential to have valuable characteristics. We are doing a series of geometry optimizations for a selected group of these complexes using density functional theory (DFT). Structures are being optimized using ORCA 6.0. We have been focusing on the effects of the actinide (U, Np, Pu, and Am) as well as the pnictogen (N, P, As, Sb, and Bi) on geometry, bonding, and electronic structure. Trends in bond angles and lengths will be used to assess these effects. We plan to discuss the how these effects can contribute to a deeper understanding of actinide interactions. Further investigation into the reduction potential of these selected complexes will be done for potential applications. We aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of actinide-ligand interactions and their tailored properties for nuclear or catalytic applications.

6

3:40-4:40pm

Disha Chawla (Biology)

The Influence of Placental Igf1 insufficiency on Lifelong Neurogenesis in Male Mice

Hormone production in the placenta can influence brain development and may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. These disorders are highly prevalent, with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affecting approximately 1 in 31 children. Males are at greater risk for ASD than females. During gestation the placenta is a major source of Insulin-growth factor 1 (IGF1), a critical hormone for brain development. Decreased IGF1 gene expression has been observed in some individuals with ASD and in common perinatal conditions, such as preterm birth, that are linked to ASD. Consequently, the hippocampus, a brain region important for learning and memory, is particularly sensitive to changes in IGF1 levels. Moreover, neurogenesis, the formation of new neurons, is an important developmental process that may be influenced by these levels. The hippocampus is one of the few regions of the brain where neurogenesis continues throughout life. We hypothesize that placental Igf1 insufficiency will reduce lifelong neurogenesis in the hippocampus particularly in male mice. This study focuses on males due to the higher prevalence of ASD in males compared to females. Placental-targeted CRISPR manipulation was used to induce placental Igf1 insufficiency. Following this, postnatal animals with placental manipulation received bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) injections, a cell proliferation marker, for six consecutive days during early adulthood to track neurogenesis. Microscopy was used to assess the morphology of the adult hippocampus and its subregion the dentate gyrus (DG), the primary site of neurogenesis. Additionally, immunofluorescent staining was done in adult brains for BrdU incorporation, and BrdU+ cells were quantified in the DG for cells that underwent neurogenesis. Preliminary results indicate no changes in morphology, but counts in DG are ongoing. Future work will include more counting of BrdU+ cells in males as well as hippocampal measures in females to assess if there are any sex-based differences.

7

3:40-4:40pm

Misha DeBoef-Misyuk (Religious Studies)

Liberation in Church Doors: Women and LGBTQ+ Experiences in the Shaker Community

This presentation will discuss the Shaker Church in its formation, core beliefs, and historical figures of Mother Anne Lee and Rebecca Cox Jackson. It will highlight the existence of LGBTQ+ members of the church and their contributions to the faith and community.

8

3:40-4:40pm

Jaya Daley (Psychology Major, Religious Studies Minor

Internalized Misogyny, White Christian Nationalism, and the Rise of Tradwives in Modern Culture

Since 2020, a subculture called Tradwives, or Traditional Wives, has risen in popularity on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. A modern yet retro-idealist movement, the Tradwives promote heteronormative marital roles in the household while often denouncing contrary ideologies such as feminism. As Tradwives become the subjects of more interviews and research studies, Christian nationalism and white supremacy can often be identified as notable influences for the ideals promoted by the Tradwife movement. These findings aim to explore the intersectional relationship between Christian Fundamentalism and the patriarchal societal structures that have laid the foundation for the Tradwife movement, as well as what draws women into active participation in these roles.

9

3:40-4:40pm

Michael Darmody (Mechanical Engineering)

James Meacham, Engineering

Fan Array Flow Characterization

The Fan Array project investigates the flow behavior produced by over 100 independent fans. This project aims to determine how the flow patterns vary through the system. By collecting experimental data and applying interpolation methods, we determined the regions of uniform and non-uniform flow. These results will help us guide future design improvements that will be needed for future experiments, including modeling snow drift across roads.

10

3:40-4:40pm

Connor DeGroote (Political Science, Philosophy)

Allison Butz, International Relations

Thirsty Servers: Evaluating the Impact of Data Center Water Use in Iowa

Iowa has become a hotspot for data center development amidst growing demand for AI and cloud computing. Large data centers can consume hundreds of thousands or even millions of gallons of water per day during summer months. We investigate the impact of this increased demand on local supply of water. Our research draws from news articles, as well as reports by the State of Iowa, municipalities, and major data center businesses. We evaluate whether data center water consumption by several existing hyperscale data centers constitutes a serious policy problem. We then use evaluative criteria including political feasibility, data center water demand relative to supply, economic impact, and fiscal impact in weighing possible state policy responses. We find that data center water use poses a slight risk to Iowa communities in the immediate term, particularly Altoona, but information on groundwater drawdown and data center water use is incomplete

11

3:40-4:40pm

Stella Gerlock (Civil Engineering)

Experimental study of vortex dynamics for enhanced mixing

Vortex rings are common structures in fluid dynamics present in marine propulsion systems, cardiovascular flow patterns, and pulsejet engines. However, the dynamics of vortex rings in fluid mixing processes remain poorly understood. Vortex rings transfer momentum in the form of circulation through fluid volumes, and this study aims to quantify the mass transport accomplished by vortex rings. Vortex ring behavior depends strongly on stroke length—i.e., the momentum input from the vibration generator—so two canonical formation regimes are examined: (1) a single coherent vortex ring and (2) a vortex ring followed by a synthetic jet, distinguished by the formation time (L/D ratio). A laboratory-scale model of a synthetic vortex ring driven by a vibration generator is used to produce vortex rings in a 40 mmx40 mm clear acrylic tank. Mass transport is quantified by tracking the temporal evolution of fluorescent dye intensity within the cavity beneath the generator using high?speed imaging. Detailed vortex dynamics (velocity, vorticity, circulation) are determined by running particle image velocimetry (PIV). The experiment is ongoing, however preliminary results indicate that the vortex ring with synthetic jet effectively mixes mass across the entire height of the tank.

12

3:40-4:40pm

Alyssa Dillenburg (Speech and Hearing Science)

The roles of orthography and phonology during written word recognition in children with dyslexia

Children with dyslexia experience reading difficulties that can persist throughout their lives, negatively impacting education, vocation, and socialization. Theories and empirical evidence suggest that written word recognition depends on both phonology (sound) and orthography (letters), and that decoding (translating letters to sounds) is a core deficit in individuals with dyslexia. However, little is known about how phonology and orthography interact during real-time decoding in children with dyslexia. Recent eye-tracking studies using the Visual World Paradigm found that typically developing children and adults primarily activate phonology when reading familiar words. Using the same paradigm, we found robust activation of both phonology and orthography, suggesting that individuals with dyslexia may have a greater reliance on orthography during written word recognition to compensate for weakness in phonological processing.

13

3:40-4:40pm

Hailey Dixon (Religious Studies)

Religious Perspectives on Emerging Green Burial and Alternative Disposition Methods in the United States.

Religious traditions throughout time have maintained specific burial methods that reflect the group's beliefs. In the United States, until recently, people primarily chose between burial or cremation. New green burial options and disposition technologies are being introduced to the American public at growing rates. People can opt for anything from aquamation to human composting, ashes sent to space or mushroom burial suits. Major religious traditions in the US have made few official declarations about how green burial options align with the church. Through literature reviews and anonymous interviews this paper examines how the most popular emerging "Green" burial options align, or don't, with America’s Catholic, Islamic, Jewish, and religiously unaffiliated populations.

14

3:40-4:40pm

Charlie Duffy (B.S., Psychology; B.A., Theatre Arts)

Socioeconomic Status, Neural Development, and Executive Function in Early Childhood: A Longitudinal ERP Study

Executive functions are central to academic and social achievement and develop most rapidly during childhood. Prior research has found that higher socioeconomic status predicts stronger executive function abilities in both children and adults, suggesting that socioeconomic status may influence the development of executive function. However, few studies have examined neural mechanisms underlying this effect. Understanding such mechanisms might allow for an earlier intervention to promote executive functions, because neural variation may arise prior to behavioral manifestations. This study analyzed longitudinal associations between socioeconomic status and both behavioral and neural indexes of executive functions in a community sample of 231 children aged 3–7.5 years (M = 4.12, SD = 0.86) and their parents. Our neural index of executive function was the N2 event-related potential (ERP), a waveform observed during inhibitory control tasks and thought to represent conflict monitoring, a key process in executive function. Executive function performance was assessed using a latent factor derived from performance across 16 behavioral tasks. We hypothesized that SES would influence the development of the N2 event-related potential, which would act as a mechanism linking SES and EF. Additionally, we hypothesized that reductions in N2 amplitude across time would lead to increases in EF. Results showed no significant association between child SES and N2 amplitude, and increases in N2 amplitude across time had a trend-level relation with gains in EF performance across time. Future research should investigate other neural pathways potentially underlying early SES-related differences in executive functioning.

15

3:40-4:40pm

Avery Eckhardt (Physics, Math)

Virasoro Geodesics

Einstein's theory of general relativity has been incredibly successful in describing gravity as the bending of spacetime. One of its biggest successes is describing geodesics (the optimal path for a particle like 'a straight line') and their consequences, such as the perihelion shift of mercury, which is not predicted by Newton's Law. However, it still does not describe things like the inside of black holes, dark energy, dark matter, or the possibility of a dynamical cosmological constant. Thomas-Whitehead (TW) gravity is a projectively invariant theory of gravity that offers a potential, geometric explanation for these phenomena and contains general relativity in a certain limit. The new feature is the Diffeomorphism field, which arises as a part of the geometric connection. It can also be identified as a field already found in string theory the same way photons and other fields are found. String theory is a candidate theory for quantum gravity.  Here we will analyze the effect of the Diffeomorphism field on the geodesics, and thusly the orbits, of different celestial bodies, namely Mercury and star S2 (also called S0-2) to see where Einstein's theory leaves off and TW Gravity steps in.

16

3:40-4:40pm

Maggie Ernst (Speech and Hearing Science)

Comparing Narrative Assessment Elicitation Methods in Bilingual Preschool Populations

Narrative skills are an important component of early language development and are used to assess language abilities in pediatric populations. Evaluating bilingual children presents unique challenges, particularly in differentiating between typical bilingual language differences and language concerns. This study examines the use of narrative assessment measures to support identification of language difficulties in bilingual preschool children. The sample comprised eight bilingual children ages 3–5, representing both simultaneous and sequential learners, with four participants identified as having potential language concerns via parent or teacher report. Each participant completed story retell tasks in English using the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN) and the Apricot picture task. Children’s narratives were analyzed in two ways. Macrostructure coding examined story structure, including goal, internal state, attempt, and outcome. Microstructure coding looked at language complexity, including measures such as mean length of utterance (MLU) and number of different words (NDW). These analyses aim to identify patterns that may distinguish children with language concerns from those with typical development. The goal of this study is to inform culturally and linguistically aware language sampling practices.

17

3:40-4:40pm

Chase Evanson (Geoscience)

Geologic Hydrogen Production In the MId-Continent Rift System

Geologic hydrogen has potential to benefit society through use in fertilizers and as a net-zero emissions fuel source. A key area of exploration for geologic hydrogen is the Mid-Continent Rift System (MRS), which is comprised mainly of mafic rocks that contain the mineral olivine. When water is in contact with iron-rich olivine, an alteration process called serpentinization occurs and a byproduct of it is pure hydrogen gas. This gaseous hydrogen will migrate upwards through the subsurface until it is trapped within subsurface reservoirs or emerges at the surface as a seep. This research examines the Vincent natural gas storage field that overlies the MRS. In 1969, a 96% molality hydrogen gas sample was collected from the Hoffman #3 well in this field. Petrophysical logs from the initial exploration of the Vincent gas storage field were evaluated to identify potential hydrogen accumulations and subsurface flow paths. Results show indications of hydrogen accumulation in the subsurface, and informs future hydrogen gas storage analysis within bedrock stratigraphy proximal to the MRS.

18

3:40-4:40pm

Baba Faparusi (Biomedical Engineering)

Ghana Concordant Twin Sequence Presentation

This study investigated genetic variants associated with orofacial clefts in a Ghanaian family featuring concordant monozygotic twins. Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) identified 17 of the same variants of interest in the exons of 13 genes. The twins studied were genetically and phenotypically identical with bilateral cleft lip and palate, so this case provides a unique opportunity to examine allele segregation. The workflow used for this research was implemented to validate these variants among family members. Primers were designed using Primer3, UCSC Genome Browser, and NCBI SNP resources. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to amplify regions of interest, followed by gel electrophoresis to confirm successful amplification based on expected fragment size. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was used in some instances to improve visualization of GC-rich regions in the DNA samples. We successfully amplified DNA products and submitted for Sanger sequencing. The resulting sequences were analyzed using Consed to identify variant differences across family members. Variant analysis was conducted using Ensembl to obtain predictive scores, including CADD, REVEL, SIFT, and PolyPhen. HOPE analysis and UniProt were used to assess amino acid changes and their potential structural impacts. Several variants demonstrated complete penetrance in the father, but incomplete phenotypic penetrance. Suggesting complex inheritance patterns. Notably, the MGAM variant (Phe699Leu) was identified for its amino acid structural chance and penetrance patterns in the family researched. Overall, these findings support a multifactorial genetic basis for orofacial clefts.

19

3:40-4:40pm

Nathan Fassett (Neuroscience)

Sex- and Region-Specific Differences in Dopamine Clearance Following High Sugar Feeding

Obesity affects over 70% of U.S adults. The dopamine transporter (DAT) is the determinant of DA synaptic availability and exposure to obesogenic diets has been shown to impair DA clearance in dopaminergic projection sites including the dorsal striatum (dStr) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Insulin is released as blood glucose rises following eating events and is known to cross the blood-brain barrier. The insulin receptor is expressed in DA projection regions and has been shown to regulate DAT. We have shown that insulin facilitates an increase in DA uptake in the male dStr while having no effect on DA clearance in VS, PFC, or any region in female mice at physiologically relevant insulin concentrations. Changes in insulin activity or regulation of DAT may contribute to DA dysfunction.

20

3:40-4:40pm

Emily Fox (Microbiology Major with a Minor in SociologyÂ)

Generating a fluorescent reporter plasmid for evaluating gene expression in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. Neutrophils are a key component of the innate immune response against N. gonorrhoeae. However, N. gonorrhoeae is able to survive in neutrophil-rich environments, in part by using neutrophils as a source of nutrients. This study investigates the induction of fluorescence in N. gonorrhoeae using a plasmid containing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. The goal is to create a reporter system to study gene expression in N. gonorrhoeae, particularly during phagocytosis by neutrophils. In this system, GFP expression is driven by the Opa promoter, a constitutively expressed promoter for outer membrane proteins in Neisseria. The plasmid, originally constructed in E. coli by collaborators in Dr. Joanna Hick's lab at the University of Waikato (New Zealand), was introduced into N. gonorrhoeae using transformation methods including natural transformation and electroporation. Natural transformation was unsuccessful, but electroporation resulted in recovery of antibiotic-resistant colonies, indicating successful plasmid uptake. The resulting fluorescent N. gonorrhoeae strain will be used to track bacteria during interactions with neutrophils. This system can also be expanded to create reporter constructs for different metabolic genes, allowing investigation into whether N. gonorrhoeae utilizes lactate produced by neutrophils in inflammatory environments. Overall, this work aims to better understand how N. gonorrhoeae interacts with and survives within the innate immune response.

21

3:40-4:40pm

Alayna Gallery (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Human Physiology)

pCREB Expression in Spinal Dopamine D1 Receptor Neurons

Chronic pain conditions are highly prevalent, impacting millions of people worldwide, but the mechanisms that underly the transition to chronic pain are not fully understood. The focus of this project is to better understand the mechanisms of dopamine D1 receptors in the spinal cord of mice and the role they play in the transition to chronic pain. D1 receptors are stimulatory GPCRs and can bind to dopamine released from A11 dopamine neurons in the brain, resulting in the activation of protein kinase A (PKA), an enzyme that plays an important role in downstream mechanisms of pain. This project examines PKA activity indirectly through pCREB expression in spinal D1 receptor expressing neurons. Using a mouse model consisting of two acidic saline injections into the left gastrocnemius muscle, spaced 5 days apart, we are able to induce chronic widespread muscle pain. Tissue is then harvested two hours after the second injection to capture the transition to chronic pain and is prepared for immunohistochemical staining to visual pCREB. We hypothesize that the expression of pCREB will increase in mice induced with the model of chronic widespread pain. We found that spinal D1 receptor expressing neurons can express pCREB and will present results comparing pCREB expression in animals with and without the chronic pain model.

22

3:40-4:40pm

Victor Garza (English Creative Writing and Mathematics)

The Christianity of Civil Religion and Literary Fiction: Appeal and Purpose in a Contemporary America

This research project engages with how Christianity is practiced in American Civil Religion and Literary Fiction, including Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. American Civil Religion, a term coined by Robert Bellah, is used to describe a form of rituals and beliefs that appropriates Christianity into American identity. These rituals and beliefs construe a religion that adopts God as a symbol of “order and prosperity rather than as a Christ figure”. American Civil Religion has been weaponized by Conservative Christians in the United States and appeals to a white, heteronormative, patriarchal society. This interpretation of Christianity suggest a rising culture of individualism in the United States through Christian Nationalism, a movement gaining popularity through figures like Donald Trump. This research project analyzes this trend and sharply contrasts one form of Christianity with another: the community-based and redemptive Christianity of Dostoevsky and Robinson. Christianity has a long literary tradition, one that is distinct from the modern militant evangelism in the United States, today. The purpose of this project is to consider the appeal of Christianity in literary fiction and American Civil Religion and posit what our future could be if we embraced this God of love and salvation that Dostoevsky and Robinson suggest.

23

3:40-4:40pm

Maren Denison (Public Health)

Ethan Button, Political Science

Insecurity in the Hawkeye State: A State-Wide Policy Analysis of Food Insecurity

We have analyzed food insecurity in Iowa through the lens of the State's current and prior public policies, with the intent to inform legislators on Iowa's best steps going forward. After carefully researching various data sets to understand the state of food insecurity in Iowa, we researched policies from other midwestern states and local municipalities to understand which approaches best serve those without steady food access. Applying four of these promising policies to a statewide analysis, we discuss how well each policy can curb Iowa's food insecurity through four criteria: providing food generally, providing healthy food, cost-effectiveness, and each policy's ability to bridge the state's urban-rural divide and target the areas in Iowa with the highest food insecurity

24

3:40-4:40pm

Ashley Gitles (Human Physiology)

Understanding Patient Experiences Through Health and Life Events in a Dietary Intervention for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

The Efficacy of Diet is a randomized controlled trial that examines how dietary interventions affect quality of life in individuals with multiple sclerosis. This project focuses on collecting and organizing participant?reported health and life events to support accurate data interpretation and participant retention. Events are gathered through online surveys, classified by type and severity, and verified through correspondence and medical records when needed. Collaboration with the study team is necessary to collect survey data, develop follow?up strategies, and complete descriptive analyses of baseline demographics and reported events. This work enhances understanding of how life circumstances shape participant retention and influence study outcomes in individuals with MS.

25

3:40-4:40pm

Corey Goist (Psychology)

Effects of Gender and Stereotypes on the Perception of Sexual Orientation

Studies report that sexual orientation can be classified accurately from faces based on perceived social traits. However, methodological and ethical concerns have created ambiguity regarding the underlying social cognitive processes involved in making sexual orientation classifications. Here, two social categorization studies were conducted using faces making neutral expressions for which no sexual orientation was known. Study 1 found that perceived masculinity, but not femininity nor “babyfacedness,” predicted the categorization of male faces as gay vs. straight. Study 2 found that male targets, relative to female targets, were less likely to be classified as gay vs. straight. This effect was stronger for male participants compared to female participants. Findings suggest some, but not all, reported effects generalize to novel stimulus sets, and both stimulus- and participant-level traits drive perceived sexual orientation.

26

3:40-4:40pm

Elizabeth Gross (Neuroscience)

Neuronal Activity in the Hypothalamic A11 Nucleus During the Transition to Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a significant health problem affecting approximately 50 million Americans, but the mechanisms behind its development are not fully understood. Here, we examined the activity of the hypothalamic A11 nucleus during the transition to chronic pain. Dopamine neurons in A11 release dopamine in the spinal cord to modulate endogenous pain pathways, making them key targets for investigation. We propose that increased activity within A11 facilitates the transition to chronic pain. To test this, we first divided a cohort of mice into a pain group and a pain-free control group. Next, we induced chronic pain using a model developed in our lab consisting of two acidic saline injections into the left gastrocnemius muscle spaced five days apart. Two hours after the second injection, we perfused and prepared the brain tissue for immunohistochemical staining. Tissue was stained for pCREB, a marker of neuronal activity, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to label dopamine neurons, and CGRP, a peptide neurotransmitter implicated in pain and found around the A11 region. We then imaged the stained tissue and counted cells expressing each protein to determine if activity increased in dopamine neurons or CGRP+ neurons in animals with pain. While we saw a significant increase in total pCREB expression in A11 between the pain and pain-free control groups, we found no significant increase in pCREB expression in A11 dopamine neurons or CGRP+ neurons, perhaps suggesting the participation of a different population of cells near the nucleus.

27

3:40-4:40pm

Madelyn Grueter (Neuroscience)

Comparison of Autism-linked Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Across Different Routes and Dosage of CHPG Administration in Mice

This study aimed to examine the effects of CHPG administration on striatal neuron density in adult mice by comparing different routes of administration. Pregnant dams received CHPG either via intraperitoneal (IP) injection or intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection on embryonic day 13, with saline injections serving as controls. Striatal neuron counts in adult offspring were quantified using unbiased stereology following DAPI and NeuN staining in GFP-positive mice.

28

3:40-4:40pm

Ella Schlueter (Chemistry, Sociology)

Decreased Fetal Movement Association with Adverse Maternal and Child Outcomes

To explore the utility of fetal movement tracking, and to expand on gaps in research pertaining to maternal outcomes, I assessed whether perceived decreased fetal movement (DFM) during pregnancy is associated with adverse health outcomes for both mothers and children.

29

3:40-4:40pm

Charlotte Hanfland (Sustainability Science)

Utilizing UAV LiDAR to visualize plant height variability and growth in restored prairie compared to unrestored grassland

Researchers have increasingly used UAV-based LiDAR to estimate plant height across large areas. When combined with GIS and visual analysis, it can further show estimated changes over time in study areas. This project similarly employs LiDAR data and geographic visualizations to quantify the magnitude and spatial distribution of growth over time in restored prairie versus unrestored grassland. A qualitative comparison to species diversity metrics in the area also examines the relationship between plant height variability and biodiversity. Data showed that plant height variability was greater and there were more hotspots of growth over time in the restored prairie as compared to the unrestored grassland. Future research could make use of bare earth LiDAR scans to more accurately estimate biomass change over time in each area using a canopy height model. These differences would have implications for restored prairie’s biogeochemical cycling compared to unrestored grassland.

30

3:40-4:40pm

Kylee Harford (Actuarial Science, Mathematics)

Risk Management and Curation of Collections in Museums

This poster aims to provide insight on what kinds of risks collections in museums face and what steps can be taken to mitigate these risks. Topics in this poster include potential risks for collections, standards in place for museums, and the curation process many Natural History museums use to ensure conservation and preservation of collections. Specifically, this poster aims to address the risks collections in the Paleontology Repository at the University of Iowa face and the curation process that is used to help reduce these risks.

31

3:40-4:40pm

Mohana Sunkara (Biomedical Sciences)

Hypoxic conditions improve proliferation and differentiation capacity of nasal epithelial cells

Background: Organotypic culture of primary airway epithelial cells(AECs) at the air-liquid interface(ALI) has advanced understanding of airway biology in health and disease; however, translational studies requiring cells from living subjects are limited by the inaccessibility of the lungs to sampling. In vitro expansion of epithelial cells obtained via nasal brushing non-invasively enables cost effective biobanking of subject-specific samples; however, this technique is limited by the small number of cells. Previous reports show that expansion of human AECs in hypoxic conditions extends cell lifespan and differentiation capacity. We investigated whether hypoxic conditions improve proliferation and differentiation capacity of nasal epithelial cells(NECs) obtained via nasal brushing.

Methods: NECs were obtained from 6 subjects and expanded in expansion media in either 21% O2 or 2% O2; we tracked cell doubling time and expression of markers of mitosis for three passages. To evaluate differentiation capacity, equal numbers of cells in all conditions were cultured on semipermeable membranes at ALI for immunostaining with markers of ciliation and cytoskeletal integrity.

Results: Hypoxic conditions increased the proliferative capacity and decreased the doubling time and interindividual variability of mitotic marker expression in NECs. Moreover, NECs expanded in hypoxic conditions had a higher ciliated surface area, indicating better differentiation capacity; cells from samples that failed to expand or differentiate in normoxic expansion differentiated normally when expanded under hypoxic conditions.

Conclusion: Our data show that hypoxia increases proliferation of AECs in vitro; cells expanded in hypoxia also had improved differentiation potential. Our results suggest that hypoxic culture may recapitulate the native state of AECs in vivo better than “normoxia.” Moreover, our findings suggest that hypoxic culture may improve successful biobanking of patient derived NECs for research.

32

3:40-4:40pm

Michael Hasso (Biomedical Sciences)

Investigating glial involvement in excess neonatal testosterone treatment in wild-type mice

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a heterogenous group of conditions that affect the developing brain and exhibit a pronounced male sex bias. In humans, brain masculinization is driven by a surge of testosterone during a critical period of brain development. Disruption of this tightly regulated process by factors including exposure to excess testosterone has been associated with increased NDD diagnoses. Consistent with this, prior work from the Ferri lab demonstrated that excess neonatal testosterone in mice induces male-specific deficits in social behavior in juveniles and hippocampus-dependent fear memory in adulthood. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these behavioral outcomes remain unclear. Here, we show that these behavioral deficits are rescued by D-cycloserine, a partial NMDAR agonist mimicking endogenous d-serine, suggesting disruption of serine-dependent NMDAR signaling. Because astrocytes supply neurons with l-serine, the precursor required for d-serine synthesis and full NMDAR activation, we investigated astrocyte morphology in male hippocampi using immunohistochemistry. Testosterone-treated mice exhibited reactive astrocyte morphology, indicative of altered astrocytic function. Given that astrocyte reactivity can be induced by microglia-derived cytokines, we further assessed microglia morphology and observed a shift toward reactive phenotypes in testosterone-treated mice.  Together, these findings suggest that excess neonatal testosterone alters glial states, potentially disrupting regulation of NMDAR function. This provides a potential cellular mechanism linking early hormonal perturbation to long-term behavioral deficits. Future studies will examine neonatal brain tissue to determine if glial alterations emerge immediately following testosterone treatment during critical periods of brain organization and persist to influence behavior across the lifespan.

33

3:40-4:40pm

Braden Haugland (History)

The Nine Choirs of Angels: The Heavenly Hierarchy and their Roles, or Three chosen Parables of Jesus (the Sower, the Lost Sheep, and the Good Samaritan)

This poster/presentation will explore the nine choirs of angels and their repective roles in heaven/spiritual world. There are three distinctive spheres of which their roles are based around and how they fit in God's structure explaining each of the choirs from top to bottom for within their celestial order. This will also reference biblical language by providing insight on how angelic beings have been understood in religious thoughts and traditions.

With the Parables, I would go in depth with meaning and symbolism presented in each of them offering different ideas and perspectives through them using the teachings Jesus gave and the language provided in the Gospels revolving around the Parables.

34

3:40-4:40pm

Sophia Heim (Environmental Science)

Polychlorinated Biphenyl Exposure Alters Liver Metabolism and Bile Acid Homeostasis in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that disrupt metabolic processes and are linked to neurotoxic outcomes. The gut–liver–brain axis is a communication system among the gut microbiome, liver, and brain, in which bile acids help regulate metabolism, inflammation, and signaling among these organs. Disruption of this axis may contribute to diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The APP/PS1 mouse model is a transgenic model characterized by increased amyloid-? production and early plaque formation, both of which are characteristic of AD. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a human-relevant PCB (HR-PCB) mixture on hepatic metabolism and bile acid profiles to better understand how PCB exposure influences the gut–liver–brain axis in APP/PS1 mice. PCB concentrations were measured using liquid–liquid extraction and GC–MS/MS, while untargeted metabolomics and targeted bile acid profiling were performed using LC–MS. High PCB levels were detected in the liver (~17,000–18,000 ng/g), with a shift toward higher-chlorinated congeners. PCB exposure induced metabolic disruption, broadly affecting pathways related to lipid metabolism, energy production, nucleotide metabolism, and oxidative stress. Targeted bile acid analysis revealed minimal changes in the liver. In serum, PCB exposure increased 6-ketolithocholic acid across genotypes, indicating a shared but subtle effect on secondary bile acid metabolism. Overall, these findings demonstrate that PCB exposure disrupts hepatic metabolism and subtly alters bile acid signaling, with genotype-dependent effects that may influence gut–liver–brain axis function and contribute to neurodegenerative disease risk.

35

3:40-4:40pm

Matthew Todd (Physics, Astronomy)

Evaluating Native Aquatic Plant Species for Removing Nitrates from Water

The contamination of Iowa water supplies by nitrates from agricultural use has been a long-standing issue affecting residents of the state. One possible measure that can be taken to mitigate this is creating retention ponds, areas where water will be allowed to stagnate before re-entering the stream. This process causes contaminants to settle out of the water, filtering it naturally as it flows. This process may be accelerated by addition of plants known for nitrate removal, but to what measure is not well understood.

36

3:40-4:40pm

Harli Herrington (Microbiology BS)

Characterizing a MHV68 dual reporter virus to identify viral stages associated with tRNA fragment biogenesis

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) play an important role during viral infection, enabling both cellular and viral gene expression. Studies have displayed increased expression of tRNA genes during infection with members from all three subfamilies of herpesviruses, including the murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68). In addition, our analysis of tRNA expression during MHV68 infection has revealed the accumulation of tRNA fragments, which are endonucleolytic cleavage products of tRNAs produced in response to viral replication. To determine the viral stage associated with the increased accumulation of tRNA fragments, we are characterizing an MHV68 dual reporter virus (MHV68-DR) containing both an early gene reporter (CMVp:mIFP) and late gene reporter (ORF52p:GFP). We first optimized the performance of MHV68-DR in the presence of phosphonoacetic acid (PAA), which inhibits the viral DNA polymerase, ultimately blocking viral DNA replication and subsequent late gene expression. To characterize the response of MHV68-DR to PAA, we used flow cytometry to compare NIH3T3 cells infected with MHV68-DR at both 6 and 24 hours post infection, with the latter representing peak titer. By comparing the percentage of cells in each sample that were mIFP- or GFP-positive, we confirmed that the GFP signal was diminished in PAA-treated cells compared to untreated. Because GFP was still detectable, though at a lower mean fluorescence intensity, we independently confirmed a block in late gene expression by RT-qPCR. Thus, we conclude that we can successfully use MHV68-DR to capture early and late phase replication stages of MHV68. We have also validated published results indicating that enhanced tRNA expression is dependent on early viral gene expression. Moving forward, we will apply these tools to pinpoint the viral stage required for the biogenesis of tRNA fragments during gammaherpesvirus infection.

37

3:40-4:40pm

Vincent Hesselink (Environmental Engineering)

Environmental Fate of Fungicides Used in Crop Production

Fungicides like pyraclostrobin and trifloxystrobin are a widely used in agriculture. Due to their widespread use via aerial applications and as seed treatments, they are commonly detected in soil, sediment, and surface waters. However, their behavior, persistence and fate in the environmental is understudied. In this work, we explored how fungicides break down through reaction with sunlight. We find that a popular class of fungicide know as quinone outside inhibitors reacts with sunlight, sometimes forming degradation products that may still exhibit fungicidal activity. Ongoing work is focused on evaluating the ecosystem impacts of the degradation products we have observed and developing a better understanding of how environmental variables alter this light-driven degradation pathway.

38

3:40-4:40pm

Haley Hindsley (Environmental Policy and Planning, and English and Creative Writing.)

Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts of Urban Growth Boundaries and Policies in the United States

Although growth management policies and urban growth boundaries have become widespread in the United States, there has been limited study of their impacts on urban growth and its social, economic, and environmental impacts. This research analyzes associations between state and urban growth policies, urban growth boundaries, and their impacts across all U.S. metropolitan areas using data from the American Planning Association 2022 Survey of State Planning Laws, U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index, US Fish and Wildlife Service Critical Habitat for Threatened & Endangered Species, the Protected Areas of the United State (PAD-US), and Parkserve geodatabases. My initial analysis focused on impacts to cultural environmental services, biodiversity and habitats, and pollution using descriptive statistics and regression. I hypothesize that the implementation of growth boundaries would be correlated with greater land and habitat conservation in metropolitan natural areas, along with lower air and water pollution. The results will inform current and future urban planners about the impacts that growth policies and boundaries can have on the environment, and on encouraging the preservation and conservation of nature.

39

3:40-4:40pm

Katherine Holzman (Human Physiology)

Sex- and Time-Dependent Inflammatory Response of Whole Blood to High Sodium

Diets high in sodium are common in developed countries and increase risk for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. High sodium consumption has been associated with a chronic inflammation, which may contribute to the progression of these diseases. We hypothesized high-sodium treatment would induce an inflammatory response in whole blood samples collected from healthy males and females. Whole blood samples were collected via venipuncture, treated with 25mM or 50mM sodium chloride, and incubated at 37°C and 5%CO2 for 4 and 8 hours. Following incubation, plasma samples were collected and stored at –80°C until further analysis. Plasma concentrations of inflammatory cytokines IL-17 and TNF? were assessed via ELISA to test sex-and time-dependent inflammatory responses to sodium.

40

3:40-4:40pm

Brooke Hoogland (Neuroscience)

Excess neonatal testosterone induces developmental delays and alters early communicative behavior in wild-type mice

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) encompass a broad range of conditions characterized by delays in social and developmental milestones. NDDs are highly prevalent, affecting approximately one in six individuals, and disproportionately affecting males; for example, Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibits a 4:1 male-to-female ratio. While the mechanisms underlying this sex bias remain unclear, evidence suggests that early-life sex hormones may be a significant contributing factor. During neonatal development, males experience a transient surge of testosterone that is essential for organizing sex-specific brain circuits. Disruption of this process may increase vulnerability to neurodevelopmental delays. Previously, we demonstrated that a masculinizing dose of testosterone administered on the day of birth induces male-specific deficits in social behavior and contextual fear memory. Here, we investigate the effects of excess neonatal testosterone on developmental milestones in mouse pups and whether these deficits are induced by altered expression of androgen receptors (AR) and estrogen receptors (ER). We have found decreased ultrasonic vocalizations, one of the earliest communicative behaviors between mothers and offspring, in males treated with testosterone. Additionally, we found that all measured developmental landmarks were delayed in the testosterone-treated group, regardless of sex. Finally, preliminary IHC analyses suggest an altered expression of gonadal hormone receptors in the testosterone-treated mice. Altogether, these results suggest that brief hormonal disruptions during critical development periods can induce proximate and lasting neurodevelopmental disruption, and this may alter steroid hormone receptor expression in the brain in areas associated with social behavior and developmental processes.

41

3:40-4:40pm

Mihika Iyer (Neuroscience)

How do objective and subjective indicators of neighborhood environment relate to inhibitory control in children?

Inhibitory control is a core cognitive activity that allows individuals to suppress impulsive urges to select more adaptive behaviors catered to the environment. Neighborhood characteristics are known to predict children's inhibitory control—prior work has found that "objective" measures of neighborhood socioeconomic status such as higher neighborhood deprivation and higher poverty are associated with weaker inhibitory control in children, as are "subjective" neighborhood characteristics such as trust and collective efficacy. What remains unknown is whether subjective neighborhood contentedness is associated with children's inhibitory control above and beyond objective neighborhood socioeconomic status. I hypothesized that perceived neighborhood characteristics would capture processes (i.e., trust, content, happiness) that contribute to children's inhibitory control independently of neighborhood financial wealth. Data were collected from 231 children around Iowa. In this study, children completed laboratory tasks measuring inhibitory control while parents completed measures of perceived neighborhood characteristics. Family home addresses were geocoded to extract the neighborhood area deprivation index. I found that an objective measure of neighborhood deprivation (i.e., the area deprivation index) was more strongly associated with inhibitory control than was perceived neighborhood trust/safety. These results suggest that objective aspects of neighborhood deprivation are more likely to influence a child’s development of inhibitory control than the parent’s perceived trust of their neighborhood. By advancing understanding of how neighborhood characteristics influence child development, this work has implications for how to improve deprived neighborhoods to better support children and families. This can lead to greater availability of programs and resources for children that experience neighborhood deprivation.

42

3:40-4:40pm

Amara Jones (Biology)

SELEX Enrichment Dynamics and VSMC Uptake Testing Reveal Earlier Aptamer Candidates

Background and Project Goal: Aptamers are short RNA or DNA sequences that fold into unique 3D structures and bind targets with high specificity and affinity. They come from large libraries that are narrowed down through Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX). Although SELEX is iterative, it’s not always clear when the pool has been enriched. Next Generation Sequencing can identify the identity of enriched aptamers. The goal of my project was to develop a new program to analyze this NGS data using a test case with VSMC-specific aptamers. Experimentally, I worked with cultured VSMCs to test how well round 4 and 9 aptamers bind and enter VSMCs. Comparing these rounds helps determine how early candidates could be identified using ASSET-seq, which quantifies aptamer specificity in a library. 

Methods: Computationally, I wrote an R program to calculate enrichment across SELEX rounds and plot changes over time. After validating it on a small dataset, I optimized it on real data. Experimentally, VSMCs and endothelial cells (negative control) were treated in tandem, and aptamers were extracted with TRIzol and quantified by RT-qPCR. Reverse transcription issues prevented immediate ASSET-seq analysis, shifting the project toward digital droplet PCR quantification that could provide more reliable measurements. 

Results and Conclusions: The VSMC test case showed the pool reached enrichment earlier than the final SELEX round, suggesting that some workflows could be shortened without losing specificity. Since the code is not VSMC-specific, it can be applied to other aptamer NGS datasets. This work highlights ways to make SELEX more efficient and improve aptamer evaluation.

43

3:40-4:40pm

Bageshree Joshi (Human Physiology)

Association Between Exercise and Metabolic Syndrome in Endometrial Cancer Survivors

Background: Endometrial cancer survivors (ECS) face a high burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a CVD risk factor, is highly prevalent in ECS and can potentially be attenuated with moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). We aimed to measure the effect of an exercise intervention on MetS in ECS.

Methods: Physically inactive ECS (n=33) participated in a 12-week, remotely delivered, exercise intervention of MVPA, measured via accelerometer pre- and post-intervention along with fasting blood biomarkers and anthropometric measurements. MetS was defined as having 3/5 of the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Results: On average, participants were 63 years old with a BMI of 37.1 kg/m². Nearly 90% had Stage I disease and 50% had MetS at baseline. Analyses testing the association of MVPA with MetS are in progress and will be presented.

Discussion: Exercise is a low-cost intervention to reduce CVD burden in survivorship. Our results will show if MVPA is associated with reduced MetS burden, informing future interventions.

44

3:40-4:40pm

Emma Kajtazovic (Economics & Statistics)

From Daycare to Degrees: Who Pays for the American Dream?

This paper examines the evolving structure of higher education finance in the United States, with a particular focus on the role of state funding and its interaction with broader economic, demographic, and policy dynamics. Drawing on data sources such as IPEDS and prior literature, the analysis highlights how state support for higher education is closely tied to economic cycles, often contracting during downturns and expanding during periods of growth. Concurrently, the proliferation of merit-based, non-need-based financial aid programs raises questions about efficiency, equity, and the long-term return on investment, particularly in the context of potential grade point average inflation. The study situates these trends within a shifting landscape marked by demographic changes, including a projected decline in college-aged populations, and increasing fiscal pressures at both the federal and state levels. It explores the possibility of a feedback mechanism in which rising public debt constrains state and local education funding, thereby influencing human capital formation and long-term economic stability. In this context, upstream factors such as access to early childhood resources—particularly in rural areas where childcare availability is more limited—are considered as part of a broader pipeline shaping educational attainment and postsecondary participation. Additional considerations include the elasticity of higher education demand in response to rising costs, the implications of degree inflation for labor market outcomes, and the impact of exogenous shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic on enrollment, retention, and educational quality. Ultimately, the paper identifies gaps in the literature regarding the relative effectiveness of different funding sources and calls for a more comprehensive evaluation of how public investment strategies—spanning early childhood through postsecondary education—shape access, outcomes, and the broader role of education as both a public and private good.

45

3:40-4:40pm

Tejus Kanathur (Biomedical Sciences)

Increased Risk of Ischemic Stroke Associated with Beta-Blocker Use in Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major public health concern because it increases the risk of ischemic stroke. Anticoagulants reduce stroke risk in patients with AF, while beta blockers (BBs) are prescribed to prevent tachycardia. Although anticoagulation is known to lower stroke risk, it remains unclear whether BB use influences ischemic stroke risk in patients with AF. This study examined the association between BB use and ischemic stroke in A.

Question: Do beta blockers alter the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with AF?

Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study used de-identified electronic health record data from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network, representing 182 healthcare organizations and more than 130 million patients worldwide. Patients with AF receiving BB therapy were compared with AF patients not receiving BBs. Analyses were stratified by sex and age group (<65, 65–74, ?75 years). Propensity score matching balanced common stroke risk factors, including hypertension, ischemic heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and diabetes.

Results: In the propensity score-matched cohort, BB use was associated with a significantly increased risk of ischemic stroke across all age groups, both sexes, and all BB agents examined: atenolol, carvedilol, labetalol, and metoprolol. Overall risk ratios ranged from 1.68 to 2.09 for BB users versus nonusers. Risk ratios were highest in patients younger than 65 and attenuated with advancing age.

Conclusions: BB use in AF was associated with higher ischemic stroke risk, which may indicate non-BB treatments reduce stroke risk, supporting the need for further studies comparing rate- and rhythm-control strategies.

46

3:40-4:40pm

Lydia Karr (Neuroscience and Spanish)

Sleep in preterm infants with and without a subsequent cerebral palsy diagnosis

Across the lifespan, humans sleep the most when they are young. This early period of increased sleep coincides with rapid growth of the brain and body. When infants are born prematurely or with medical complications this period of sleep, and therefore development, is often interrupted. This is especially true in environments such as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where infants are routinely awakened around the clock for medical procedures and bedside care. Premature infants are also at higher risk of being diagnosed with developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, autism, and intellectual disabilities. Our current project is working to better understand the relation between preterm birth, sleep and development. The aim of this project is to specifically understand the differences in sleep fragmentation, twitch patterns, and other sleep differences between preterm control infants and preterm infants that were later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. To do this, we are collecting synchronized video and EEG data from preterm infants in the NICU at Stead Family Children's Hospital. Video data from these sessions are scored for behavior states and myoclonic twitches of the limbs and face. In total there have been over 50 sessions scored and analyzed thus far in 44 infants ranging from 31-41 weeks gestational age. Thus far five infants were diagnosed with cerebral palsy at around two years of age. In these five infants with cerebral palsy, preliminary data shows differences in twitch rates and inter-twitch intervals.

47

3:40-4:40pm

Emily Kelly (Psychology)

Investigating Sex-Related Differences in Parent, Teacher, and Self-Reported ADHD Symptoms: An Item Factor Analysis Approach

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hyperactivity, disinhibition, and inattention which leads to public health burden, for example, increased healthcare costs, substance use, and vehicle accidents. Ensuring timely diagnosis of ADHD and access to resources is important to reduce the personal and societal costs associated with the disorder. The current study investigated how items measuring ADHD on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Brief Problem Monitor (BPM) may function differently depending on the sex of the individual, using item factor analysis. The study used a sample (n = 11,866) of 9–18-year-olds from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. We hypothesized that (1) exhibiting behaviors related to physical hyperactivity, impulsivity, and academic problems tends to reflect a higher severity of ADHD symptoms in girls compared to boys; and (2) exhibiting behaviors related to inattentiveness and interpersonal hyperactivity tend to reflect less severe ADHD symptoms in girls compared to boys. Results indicated that girls required a higher severity of ADHD symptoms to have the same probability of item endorsement as boys for all items other than those measured by self-report (administered after age 14 years), on which boys required higher severity of ADHD symptoms. These findings suggest that girls self-identify ADHD symptoms with higher sensitivity than boys. Further, parent and teacher-report may be less sensitive than self-report at identifying ADHD symptoms in girls because they require that girls have a higher severity of ADHD symptoms to have the same probability of item endorsement as boys.

48

3:40-4:40pm

Isabel Klimowicz (Human Physiology)

Glomerular Filtration Rate and the Renal Function Reserve Response to Oral Protein Load in Healthy Young Adults

Renal functional reserve (RFR), which is the increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in response to an acute stimulus, reflects the kidney’s capacity to increase filtration. RFR has been proposed as a test for early declines in kidney function, before clinical markers detect kidney damage or disease. We sought to implement methodology to measure RFR in healthy young men and women, with the goal of defining normative values for RFR in healthy young adults and describing if there are sex-differences in RFR. We assessed GFR at fasted baseline, and 75 and 150min after whey protein (1.2g/kg body weight) ingestion. RFR= peak increase in GFR. Preliminary data demonstrate a 54% increase in GFR with oral protein. We hypothesize no sex-differences in RFR when GFR is normalized to body size.

49

3:40-4:40pm

Aishani Kundu (Psychology (BA) and English and Creative Writing (BA))

Understanding differences in linguistic expression in an online group-based psychosocial intervention

Cancer patients experience a variety of symptoms that affect their quality of life. Online group-based intervention sessions have been shown to build a sense of community amongst ovarian cancer survivors and make participation more accessible nationally. We conducted a 10-week online group-based psychosocial intervention to improve quality of life for ovarian cancer survivors. Participants were randomized to either Mindful Living (ML) or Healthy Lifestyle (HL) groups consisting of 5-8 survivors and a facilitator. This study was designed to understand how linguistic patterns of expression in these groups were related to changes in outcome variables. A Natural Language Processing tool called LIWC was used to assess emotion, cognition, and social words in transcripts of 10 groups in each condition (approximately 200 sessions altogether). Preliminary analyses indicated that ML had significantly higher levels of key variables, including insight, negative and positive emotion words, cognition, and social words. LIWC offers a nuanced understanding of lived experience with cancer. 

50

3:40-4:40pm

Grace Lin (Ancient Civilizations, Religious Studies)

Women: The Story Behind Creation Stories

Creation stories exist in nearly every culture, spanning the entire globe. An almost universal trope is the subjugation of women, and almost all of these creation stories are written by men. So why does this happen? Women are the producers of life, the producers of the future. Men, historically have desired to conquer, to own, and to control. Because of this, they tried to harness the power to create life through the use of creation stories. Women, through most stories, are created inferior, have to be destroyed, or are controlled in order to create humanity. Through these stories, men can begin to naturalize the trained inferiority of women, therefore harnessing the power to create life. After generations, these stories were successfully ingrained in the minds of the intended population and the idea became viewed as natural, as biology. By analyzing various creation stories and the cultures they're connected to, the connection becomes clear.

51

3:40-4:40pm

Drake Luong (Biology: Biotechnology and Genetics Track)

Synthesis & Optimization of Co-loaded Kinase Inhibitors Into Targeted Nanoparticles to Enhance Therapeutic Efficacy Against Colorectal Cancer

This project aimed to develop antibody-conjugated nanoparticles (NPs) co-loaded with a combination of small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) and study their anti-tumor efficacy in a mouse model of colorectal cancer (CRC). SMIs are organic compounds with molecular weight less than 1000 Daltons. They have specific mechanisms of action, for instance, kinase inhibition, KRAS inhibition, and checkpoint modulation, thereby reducing off-target toxicities often associated with conventional chemotherapy. Drug-loaded NPs made from synthetic US-FDA approved polymers such as PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid) and characterization of NP size, zeta potential and drug loading were performed. The NPs were surface conjugated with a commercially available antibody targeting specific surface proteins known to be overexpressed on CRC cells. These NPs were tested for cytotoxicity and cell uptake in HT-29 CRC cells in vitro.

52

3:40-4:40pm

Sofia Mamakos (Human Physiology)

The Effects of Angiotensin II on Maternal Brain and Behavior

Mood disorders in pregnancy are a growing health concern. Preeclampsia is a multisystem hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Preeclampsia is associated with cognitive dysfunction in the postpartum period and beyond. Together, mood disorders, such as Major Depressive Disorder, and preeclampsia share high rates of co-morbidity but the mechanisms linking the two are unknown. Our lab chose to investigate Angiotensin II (AngII), a vasoconstrictor and part of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), as an investigative cause of preeclampsia. To evaluate the effects of AngII on maternal health, our lab introduced AngII during pregnancy and lactation through osmotic minipumps. When the animals were roughly one-month postpartum, various behavioral tests were conducted to investigate cognition and depression and anxiety-like behaviors. Additionally, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) experiments were performed to investigate genetic changes in AngII-treated dams, as well as various histological analyses. Our behavioral results revealed that AngII-treated mice had significantly worse working memory, hyperactivity, and increased anxiety-like behavior. Our genetic analyses revealed stark differences in microglia and angiogenic markers in both maternal cortex and amygdala, with histological analyses ongoing. These results have important implications for the treatment of psychiatric and obstetric disorders in the postpartum period.

53

3:40-4:40pm

Neil Manickam (Psychology (premed))

Make it Double: Exploring the Effects of 16p11.2 Microduplication

Genetic copy number variants (CNVs) are mutations in which extra copies of a chromosome are created or lost. We study the 16p11.2 microduplication CNV (16p11.2dp/+), associated with neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. These disorders show cerebellar structural abnormalities that are also observed in 16p11.2dp/+ mouse models; however, the precise morphology, localization, and functional implications of the affected cerebellar cell populations have not been thoroughly characterized. Previous work in the Williams Lab identified lobule VI–specific alterations in Purkinje cell localization and decreased parvalbumin expression within the apical two-thirds of the molecular layer, where interneurons that regulate Purkinje cells reside. These structural differences were initially observed in adult 16p11.2dp/+ mice, but we are now investigating earlier developmental timepoints to gain insight into potential mechanisms contributing to this phenomenon. To establish a developmental timeline, we are using immunofluorescent microscopy to label and analyze Purkinje cells and molecular layer interneurons. In 1-month-old mice, qualitative observations suggest differences in Purkinje cell body shape, dendritic arbor complexity, and localization relative to wild-type mice. Quantitative analysis of DAPI-positive cells co-expressing parvalbumin shows trends supporting our prediction that 16p11.2dp/+ mice may display altered interneuron gene expression. Optimization efforts also indicate that confocal microscopy may be a better approach to improve resolution for better visualization of Purkinje cell dendritic architecture. Identifying the temporal sequence of these alterations will substantially advance our understanding of the 16p11.2 microduplication and its role in psychiatric disorders, potentially informing future therapeutic strategies.

54

3:40-4:40pm

Daniel Marren (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology)

Shafin Wasimi, Biomedical Sciences

Inhibition of Glutathione and Thioredoxin Metabolism Synergistically Sensitizes KEAP1 Mutant and WT Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells (NSCLCs) to Therapeutic Interventions by an H2O2 Dependent Mechanism

Lung cancer accounts for 20-21% of cancer deaths yearly and 11-27% of the non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) harbor KEAP1 (Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1) mutations. KEAP1 mutants demonstrate constitutive activation of the nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2 (NRF2) transcription factor, which leads to upregulation of many cellular antioxidants involved in H2O2 metabolism, including glutathione and thioredoxin reductase. Patients with NSCLCs harboring KEAP1 mutations show resistance to most existing therapeutic strategies, such as radiation and chemotherapies [PMID: 39817679, 34500370, 28899199, 31548347, 27663899, 34440648]. There is an urgent need for effective therapeutic strategies for sensitizing Keap1/Nrf2 mutant NSCLCs to therapy. This project will determine if pharmacological agents that deplete glutathione (buthionine sulfoximine) and inhibit thioredoxin reductase activity (auranofin) can sensitize KEAP1 mutant and WT NSCLCs to therapeutic interventions by compromising H2O2 metabolism. Inducible over expression of catalase will be utilized to determine the role of H2O2 in any observed effects on radio-chemo-sensitization.

55

3:40-4:40pm

Khushi Mehta (Biomedical Sciences)

Stress, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Ovarian Cancer Survivors

Ovarian cancer survivors face high mortality risk and experience significant stress related to treatment and its sequelae. Sleep has been shown to be an important predictor of quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients but has been understudied in relation to psychological stress in ovarian cancer. This study examined how contextual factors relate to sleep disturbance and whether sleep moderates the relationship between stress and QoL. Baseline survey data was analyzed from 259 ovarian cancer survivors prior to randomization into a 10-week psychological or lifestyle intervention. 64.5% of this population reported sleep disturbances with 24.6% of these reaching clinical severity. Poor sleep was correlated with pain, perceived stress, depression, anxiety, social isolation, and cancer-related worry but not with cancer stage. Additionally, stress (β=-0.620, p<.001)) and sleep (β=-0.177, p<.001) independently predicted QoL. While graphical trends suggested that better sleep buffers the impact of stress on QoL, this moderation effect was not statistically significant. Overall, clarifying these relationships may inform more targeted, patient-centered interventions focused on sleep.

56

3:40-4:40pm

Chloe Menneke (Speech and Hearing Science)

Developing a Measure to Assess Stuttering Concealment Among Youth Who Stutter

Stuttering is often accompanied by behaviors to hide, avoid, or minimize disfluencies. While these concealment-related behaviors have been explored in adults, fewer tools capture how adolescents experience and report them. This study aimed to adapt the established adult Concealing Stuttering Questionnaire (CSQ) for younger populations to examine patterns of self-reported concealment behaviors on a youth version. The original CSQ included 58 adult-focused items. For this study, items were revised to be developmentally appropriate and contextually relevant for youth (e.g., school-based situations), resulting in a 45-item drafted measure. The adapted questionnaire was administered in one-on-one cognitive interviews with youth who stutter (ages 10–17; n = 20). Participants rated how often they engaged in each behavior within a 4-point scale, ranging from never to all the time. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze response patterns. Results showed that the most frequently reported concealment behaviors included using filler words (e.g., “um”) and restarting words or sentences. These behaviors resemble typical disfluencies, suggesting concealment strategies may be less apparent to listeners. Responses varied across participants, indicating individual differences in concealment patterns. Findings highlight the importance of assessing concealment behaviors in youth, which differ from adults across contexts (e.g., school versus workplace) and are shaped by developmental and situational demands, including speaking in class or peer interactions. As a result, they require age-specific consideration. The adapted CSQ shows promise as a tool for identifying these patterns and supporting individualized, developmentally appropriate assessment and intervention. Future efforts to validate the adapted CSQ are warranted.

57

3:40-4:40pm

Shelley Mishra (Neuroscience)

Distinguishing Anhedonia from Depression: Investigating Reward Processing as an Independent Construct

Anhedonia, the diminished capacity to experience pleasure from rewards, is commonly studied as a symptom of depression. This study examined whether anhedonia can be conceptualized as an independent phenomenon. Data from an ongoing study to characterize alcohol risks in development (CARD) included the Reward Sensitivity Questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and behavioral and electrophysiological measures of reward processing. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to assess residual variance in anhedonia in the absence of depression. These analyses indicated a significant variance in anhedonia unexplained by depressive symptoms. Recognizing this may improve characterization and treatment of reward related deficits that persist beyond depression.

58

3:40-4:40pm

Alayna Mull (Neuroscience)

Measuring cortical layers in mouse brains with immunohistochemistry

SCN2A is the strongest monogenic risk gene for autism spectrum disorders. SCN2A mutations are also linked to epilepsy, intellectual disability, and early mortality. Nonsense mutations in SCN2A, a.k.a. premature termination codons (PTCs), reduce expression of the sodium channel Nav1.2. Complete deletion of SCN2A makes neurons appear immature, with reduced branching and immature dendritic spines, but it is unknown whether patient-derived SCN2A PTCs alter neuronal shape or brain structure. This project will explore the effects of 2 patient-derived SCN2A PTC mutations, Y84X and R1626X, on cortical structure. Previous work from our lab shows that both Y84X and R1626X mice display behavioral changes resembling autism, with Y84X mice more significantly impacted than R1626X mice. I hypothesize that both Y84X and R1626X mice will have immature cortical layering, with Y84X being more developmentally delayed than R1626X. I am testing this hypothesis using wild-type and mutant mice brains to measure differences in cortical layering through immunohistochemistry (IHC). I am working to identify and optimize antibodies for measuring the layers of mouse cortex. My preliminary data show that the layers have less distinct borders in SCN2A PTC mice compared to wild-type. I will correlate my findings with Nav1.2 expression and prior behavioral data from the same mice to determine whether my histological findings are associated with the severity of behavioral phenotypes. Data from this project will provide essential information about how patient-derived SCN2A mutations impact brain development and identify potential points for therapeutic intervention.

59

3:40-4:40pm

Abby Myroth (Neuroscience, Ancient Civilizations)

The Developmental Emergence of Sleep Spindles in Juvenile Rats

Infant sleep consists primarily of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but during the transition into the juvenile stage non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep becomes more prominent. NREM sleep is defined by regular respiration, high-amplitude slow waves (delta; 0.5-4 Hz), and brief bursts of 10-15-Hz activity called sleep spindles. In rats, the delta rhythm does not emerge until postnatal day 12 (P12), but the developmental emergence of sleep spindles has not yet been determined. Sleep spindles have been implicated in memory consolidation and synaptic plasticity, making their emergence an important developmental milestone. Although sleep spindles are generally thought to be generated by the thalamus, recent research suggests that spindles are also generated in the cerebellum. When and how cerebellar spindles emerge, and how they relate to cortical spindles during development, remains unknown. To investigate the emergence of sleep spindles, we recorded extracellular activity simultaneously from the cerebellum and cortex of head-fixed juvenile rats, between P15 and P21, as they cycled freely between sleep and wakefulness. Pilot data indicate that this age range captures the emergence of sleep spindles in the cortex. Sleep-wake states are identified using electromyography, behavioral scoring, and electrophysiological activity; spindles were detected using custom software during confirmed NREM epochs.  Across age, we are comparing spindle density, timing, and coordination across brain structures to characterize how cerebellar and cortical sleep spindles emerge and interact. The findings from this study could potentially reshape our understanding of how the networks that support sleep spindles are assembled during early development.

60

3:40-4:40pm

Matthew Nachtman (Human Physiology, BS)

Change in forces within the Carbon Fiber Custom Dynamic Orthosis proximal cuff when transitioning from sitting to standing

Introduction: Carbon fiber custom dynamic orthoses (CDO’s) can alter foot loading, reduce pain, and improve function following traumatic lower limb injury. CDOs are comprised of a footplate, a posterior strut, and a proximal cuff. While previous work has investigated forces acting on foot within the CDO, the forces acting on the leg within the proximal cuff have not been thoroughly investigated.

Methods: 19 able-bodied adults (9F/10M, 29.36(12.2)yrs, 1.71(0.1)m, 75.47(16.36)kg) completed testing. Force sensors were placed on the anterior aspect of the leg within the proximal cuff of the CDO. Forces were measured as participants sat and stood after fastening the proximal cuff to their self-selected cuff tightness (SSCT), as well as 30N, 50N, and 70N (+/-5N) in randomized order. Data was analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk tests for normality and Friedman’s ANOVA to test for significant main effects. Post-hoc testing included Wilcoxon Signed Rank with Bonferroni-Holm correction and effect sizes with Hedges Correction.

Results: Mean anterior force significantly increased (p<0.004) by approximately 15% when participants moved from sitting to standing in the 30N, 50N, and 70N conditions. The change resulted in medium effect sizes (0.665-0.775).

Discussion: CDO users typically don the CDO in the sitting position, and study results found that force increased from sitting to standing for all conditions. These findings are important to consider during clinical CDO provision, as forces applied to the leg while donning the CDO may differ significantly from those while standing and during gait.

61

3:40-4:40pm

Saina Narsian (Neuroscience)

Impact of Seizures on the Arousal Response to CO2

One in 26 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy in their lifetime, and about 30% of these people will have refractory epilepsy, meaning that their seizures cannot be controlled by medication. Refractory epilepsy is a known risk factor for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). SUDEP often happens after a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, which can cause hypercapnia and acidosis, two conditions indicating excessive CO2 levels in the body. Hypercapnic ventilatory response is reduced after a seizure. The arousal response to CO2 is regulated by serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is also responsible for the regulation of seizures and breathing.  We hypothesize that seizures diminish the arousal response to CO2, and in Lmx1b mice without central serotonin, the arousal response will also be diminished. To test our hypothesis, we first induced status epilepticus (seizure >60 minutes) using pilocarpine in mice, causing the surviving animals to exhibit spontaneous seizures (piloTLE model). EEG, EMG and CO2 levels were recorded in both seizure-naive and the piloTLE mice. Upon the detection of Non-REM sleep, either room air or 7% CO2 was delivered to the mice. Arousal latency was measured. CO2 exposure lengthened arousal latency amongst epileptic animals, with arousal latency being particularly increased in postictal trials. However, there is a large variation in arousal latency amongst Lmx1b mice. Prolonged arousal latency suggests that seizures affect the hypercapnic response, and the ability to oxygenate after a seizure, increasing vulnerability to SUDEP. In future experiments we hope to further explore the connection between serotonin, seizures and arousal latency. 

62

3:40-4:40pm

Cooper Negen (Political Science and Economics)

Dave Cacho, Political Science, Ethics & Public Policy

Restoring Lost Iowa Polls: Iowans' Opinions from Half a Century Ago

The Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab has been working to enter and analyze data from some old Iowa Polls ranging from the 1940s to the 1980s. We are working on a 1981 poll with current issues such as presidential safety, smoking, and parental regrets.

63

3:40-4:40pm

Bailey Newberry (Health Promotion)

Maternal Brain and Behavior in a Mouse Model of Chronic Gestational IL-17

Increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders is linked to chronic inflammation during pregnancy. A potential mediator is pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17) which is implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders and gestational disease. However, it remains unclear whether alterations in offspring neurodevelopment are in part mediated by alterations in maternal behavior. To test the maternal effects of IL-17, behavioral tests related to stress and anxiety were ran, along with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for gene expression. Additionally, the neocortex and hippocampal regions of maternal brains were contoured and microglial counts and morphology assessments were conducted in the neocortex and the paraventricular nucleus.

64

3:40-4:40pm

Thi Nguyen (Economics, International Relations)

Moral Spillovers at Checkout: Do Micro-Donations Influence Tipping Behavior?

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a central feature of modern business practice, yet its effects on consumer behavior in real-time service settings remain underexplored. This paper examines whether checkout-based charitable prompts—specifically small, voluntary micro-donations—affect tipping behavior toward service workers. While CSR is often framed as increasing overall prosocial engagement, behavioral theories suggest more nuanced interactions when multiple moral decisions occur in close succession. Drawing on economic frameworks of moral licensing, warm-glow giving, and substitution, I test whether an initial act of giving reduces subsequent generosity, or whether identity and image concerns reinforce it. To investigate this, I conduct a field experiment at a local coffee shop, introducing a $0.50 donation prompt during a treatment week and comparing tipping behavior to surrounding control periods. By observing decisions in a natural setting, this design captures how consumers allocate generosity at the point of sale. This study contributes to the CSR literature by examining whether micro-donation prompts expand total prosocial behavior or instead reallocate it, with potential implications for service workers whose income depends greatly on tips.

65

3:40-4:40pm

Keegan Nissen (Speech and Hearing Sciences)

Bridging the Gap: Barriers, Impacts, and Pathways to Addressing Rural Hearing Healthcare Inequities in Iowa

Hearing loss is a significant public health concern that disproportionately affects individuals living in rural communities. In Iowa, rural communities face structural barriers to hearing healthcare, including provider shortages, limited public transportation, and financial constraints. These barriers contribute to delayed diagnosis, reduced access to treatment options, and increased risk of social isolation, cognitive decline, and reduced quality of life. This poster examines the scope and impact of hearing health disparities among rural people, with attention to systemic and socioeconomic factors that shape access to care. Drawing on public health data and existing literature, we highlight key gaps in service delivery and the compounding effects of rural hearing healthcare inequities. In response, we discuss several actionable solutions, including the expansion of tele-audiology, interprofessional collaboration for hearing screenings, and community-based mobile outreach.

66

3:40-4:40pm

Liberty Nyberg (Microbiology, pre-pharmacy)

Knockdown of the transcription factor, Brf1, impacts Brf1-dependent and -independent Pol III transcript levels during MHV68 infection

RNA polymerase III (Pol III), which transcribes many important non-coding RNAs, is known to be upregulated during gammaherpesvirus infection. How increased Pol III activity impacts infection is not known. To understand whether Pol III upregulation is important for the host or virus during infection, we used siRNAs to knock down an essential transcription factor for Pol III, Brf1, followed by infection with murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68). Excitingly, we observed increased MHV68 titers from cells knocked down for Brf1 compared to control cells treated with non-targeting siRNA. To substantiate these findings, we set out to validate the effect of Brf1 knockdown on Pol III transcripts in our experiment. There are three distinct promoter types that Pol III uses to make transcripts. Type I and type II promoters depend on Brf1 to recruit Pol III, and so we hypothesized that transcript levels for type I and type II promoters would be diminished by Brf1 knockdown. Type III promoters do not use Brf1 and thus transcript levels should be unaffected by Brf1 knockdown. As predicted, we saw decreased expression of type II transcripts, however, type I transcripts remained mostly unchanged, as measured by RT-qPCR of 5S and pre-tRNA-Leu. Surprisingly, type III transcripts, including 7SK and U6, were found to have increased expression levels over the course of MHV68 infection, which was unexpected, and suggests that perhaps Brf1 knockdown permits higher levels of recruitment to RNA polymerase III to Brf1-independent genes. To further investigate how different Pol III transcripts impact MHV68 replication in our system, we will overexpress individual noncoding RNAs and measure their impact on MHV68 viral titer. Understanding the role that Pol III transcripts play in gammaherpesvirus infection may help us to understand why viral infection results in an upregulation of Pol III activity, and how non-coding RNAs play a role in host-viral interactions.

67

3:40-4:40pm

Khushi Patel (Public Health)

Failure to Refer: Real-World Patterns of Genetic Evaluation in Surgically Treated Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background: National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines recommend genetic risk evaluation for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) diagnosed at age ?46 years, those with bilateral or multifocal tumors, a family history of RCC, personal or family history of mesothelioma or uveal melanoma, or suggestive histologic features. However, adherence to these recommendations following surgical treatment remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the proportion of nephrectomy patients meeting guideline criteria and evaluate genetic referral and testing completion rates.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing radical or partial nephrectomy for RCC between 2022 and 2025 at a single tertiary referral center. Patients were classified based on NCCN criteria for hereditary cancer evaluation. The primary outcome was genetic referral, with secondary outcomes including genetic counseling completion and testing results.

Results: Among 145 patients, 94 (65%) met NCCN criteria for genetic evaluation. Only 27 (29%) of eligible patients received a referral, corresponding to an overall referral rate of 19%. Among referred patients, 26 of 27 (96%) completed genetic counseling, and 21 of 26 (81%) proceeded with genetic testing. Pathogenic variants were identified in 3 of 21 patients (14%), while 5 of 21(24%) had variants of uncertain significance.

Conclusions: Most surgically treated RCC patients who meet NCCN criteria are not referred for genetic evaluation. When testing is performed, clinically meaningful variants are identified, supporting the value of systematic referral pathways. Surgical encounters represent a key opportunity to improve hereditary cancer detection and optimize patient care.

68

3:40-4:40pm

Krushi Patel (Neuroscience BS)

Developing a Neonatal Microglial Classification Scheme Using a Model of Chorioamnionitis in Pregnancy

Maternal immune activation during pregnancy can disrupt fetal neurodevelopment by altering the function of microglia, brain's resident immune cells. Using a model of chorioamnionitis, an inflammation of placenta and fetal membranes, induced by E. coli is a clinically relevant precursor to neonatal sepsis and is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopment disorders in later ages. To better examine the effects of prenatal inflammation on neonatal microglia, pregnant mice were inoculated with E.coli at E14.5 and simultaneously received intraperitoneal injections of antibody blocking specific pro-inflammatory cytokines. Neonatal brain tissues were collected at P5 for immunohistochemistry using Iba1 to label cortical microglia and classify them by morphology. Stereological quantification using the optical fractionator method estimated proportions and distribution within each category. We hypothesized that cytokine blockade during prenatal inflammation would differentially alter microglia morphology. Our observations would provide insights on how immune activation during pregnancy shapes neonatal neuroimmune responses and may contribute to neurodevelopment vulnerabilities following maternal infection.

69

3:40-4:40pm

Thi Phan (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Oxygen-Dependent Regulation of LNP-Mediated mRNA Transfection in Tumors

Many solid tumors develop heterogeneous regions of hypoxia due to aberrant vascularization and rapid cellular proliferation. Despite the expanding clinical pipeline of intratumoral mRNA therapeutics for cancer, the impact of reduced oxygen tension on transfection efficacy remains poorly understood. In this project, we systematically evaluated how varying oxygen concentrations affect mRNA uptake, expression, and protein translation in cancer cell lines under controlled in vitro conditions. To address the therapeutic implications of these findings, we investigated whether reoxygenation strategies, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other hypoxia-modifying interventions, can enhance mRNA transfection outcomes in hypoxic tumor environments. This research provides critical insights into optimizing mRNA-based cancer therapies by characterizing the oxygen-dependent factors that influence therapeutic efficacy and identifying strategies to overcome hypoxia-mediated resistance to mRNA treatments.

70

3:40-4:40pm

Amira Qidwai (International Relations)

When Blood is Thicker than Peace: Consanguineous Marriage and International Conflict

The rate of consanguineous marriage, or unions between first or second cousins, has increasingly been used to understand the strength of kin networks and how trusting communities are of outsiders. Previous analysis identifies a robust negative relationship between consanguinity and democracy, arguing that high rates of consanguineous marriage reflect limited social ties beyond the family and low interpersonal trust. This investigation extends this logic of trust to international conflict, theorizing that low levels of trust in outsiders restricts diplomacy and exacerbates credibility and commitment problems, thereby increasing the likelihood of conflict initiation. Using data on consanguineous marriage rates in 76 countries and militarized interstate disputes (MIDs), this monadic analysis finds a significant positive relationship between consanguinity and MID participation. Even after adjusting for power, wealth, and regime type, high levels consanguineous marriage in a country are associated with an increased probability of conflict. These findings suggest that consanguineous marriage has meaningful political consequences beyond its well-documented health effects. They also emphasize the need for further data collection and analysis of consanguinity’s broader socio-political consequences.

71

3:40-4:40pm

Abdul Quraishi (Chemistry B.A.)

Water Quality of U.S. Drinking Water Kiosks: Lead Release from "Lead-free" Plumbing after Reverse Osmosis Treatment

Many Americans distrust tap water, leading them to purchase more expensive drinking water sold from water vending machines (e.g., kiosks) that are poorly regulated and sparingly monitored for quality. Here, we analyzed the water quality of 20 kiosks from 4 different manufacturers across 6 states in the first comprehensive comparison of the chemical and microbial characteristics of kiosk water to paired tap samples. Of the 16 kiosks listing specific water treatment processes (others indicated "filtered" or "purified"), only 1 dispensed water with ionic composition (e.g., Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+) inconsistent with the stated treatment. Most kiosks tested used reverse osmosis (RO), which removed fluoride and residual disinfectant, although we found no evidence of microbial contamination. RO also provided the benefit of removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. However, we frequently detected higher lead levels in kiosk water than in nearby tap water. Lead was detected (>0.05 μg/L, our method detection limit) in 15 kiosks; 5 were >1 μg/L (American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation), 2 were >5 μg/L (FDA allowable level for bottled water), and 1 was >10 μg/L (US EPA Action Level). Lead co-occurred with zinc and copper, consistent with corrosion of lead-containing plumbing materials. XRF analysis of plumbing in 2 kiosks from different manufacturers with nationwide distribution confirmed this suspicion although all components in question met the definition of lead free under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Lead release was most evident with the use of RO treatment, which can produce corrosive water low in alkalinity and pH. Going forward, the removal of lead-containing plumbing components downstream of RO treatment and regulation with routine testing of kiosk water quality is imperative to address this unchecked public health risk.

72

3:40-4:40pm

Max Riley (Molecular Biology and Biochem)

Brett Wineinger, Biomedical Sciences

Investigating the Role of CLDN18 in Human Airway Differentiation and Diseased Environments

The mammalian airway epithelium is a dynamic barrier essential for mucociliary clearance, gas exchange, and protection from environmental injury. Tight junction (TJ) proteins maintain epithelial integrity, yet their roles in coordinating repair and stem cell behavior are poorly defined. Claudin 18.1 (CLDN18.1), a lung-specific TJ protein highly expressed in alveolar epithelial cells and subsets of airway cells, has emerged as a regulator of epithelial homeostasis. Murine CLDN18 knockout models demonstrate an expansion of alveolar type Il, club, and basal stem cell populations, implicating CLDN18.1 as a potential modulator of epithelial regeneration. Understanding how CLDN18.1 influences human airway epithelial differentiation and injury responses could be important for developing new strategies to enhance lung repair in chronic lung disease.

73

3:40-4:40pm

Cameron Roach (Earth & Environmental Sci (Planetary Science) BS)

Integrated Gravity and Magnetic Imaging of Iowa Basement Geology for Natural Hydrogen Prospectivity

Natural hydrogen has emerged as a potential low-carbon energy resource, yet favorable generation and migration settings remain poorly constrained in sediment-covered regions such as Iowa. This project will leverage existing regional gravity and aeromagnetic datasets to image basement lithology and structure in northeastern Iowa and to delineate geophysical indicators relevant to hydrogen prospectivity. We will compile and quality-control public survey data, apply advanced potential-field processing, and perform 3D modeling/inversion to estimate subsurface density and magnetic susceptibility contrasts. The resulting basement framework will be interpreted to identify dense and/or strongly magnetic units (potentially iron-rich lithologies) and major structural features (faults, fracture zones, basement highs) that may promote water–rock interaction and fluid pathways. Deliverables include an uncertainty-aware 3D basement model and target maps to guide future field validation and follow-up surveys.

74

3:40-4:40pm

Levi Rosenboom (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mathematics)

Determining host and viral factors directing Human Polyomavirus JC cell tropism.

The Human Polyomavirus JC (JCPyV) infects a large portion of the human population and resides in the kidney asymptomatically. In patients with severe immunosuppression, it is known to cause Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), an often fatal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that has no cure. JCPyV has a Non-Coding Control Region (NCCR) in its genome, which binds host factors and is involved in gene expression. It is possible that the NCCR responds to CNS cells differentially, which could explain some of the symptoms of PML. We hypothesize that rearrangement of the NCCR is responsible for increased infection in brain cells. To test this, primary Oligodendrocytes, Astrocytes, and Renal Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells (RPTEC) were infected with variants of the virus with either rearranged (MAD1) or non-rearranged (Archetype) NCCRs. The cells were also treated with different inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1β) to characterize an interaction between the NCCR and the host cells in an inflammatory state. After infection, the cells and supernatant were collected, and the DNA was analyzed using digital nanoplate polymerase chain reaction (dPCR). Preliminary data suggests that inflammatory cytokines increase infection with the Archetype NCCR in Astrocytes. This suggests that NCCR rearrangement may aid in immune evasion in CNS cells. The results of this experiment will help to define how the NCCR is involved in the infection of CNS cells by JCPyV, and provide crucial knowledge on the mechanism of PML, which may lead to more effective treatment methods.

75

3:40-4:40pm

Emily Waddle (Human Physiology (Pre-med))

When Does Life End?

This poster examines how religious perspectives complicate modern medical definitions of death, particularly brain death. In contemporary medicine, death is defined as either the irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or all brain activity. While this provides clinical clarity, it raises deeper questions about what it means for a person to die. Drawing on Buddhism, Judaism, and Catholicism, this project shows how many traditions view death as a process involving the soul or consciousness rather than a single moment. The case of Jahi McMath highlights how differing beliefs about personhood can challenge medical determinations. Ultimately, death is not only biological—religion shapes what it means for a person to die.

76

3:40-4:40pm

Zoe Shadravan (Sustainability B.S)

Evaluating Legacy Petrophysical Data from the Vincent Dome to Investigate Geologic Hydrogen in the Midcontinent Rift

My research project explores where geological hydrogen may have accumulated above the Midcontinent Rift system, a 1.1-billion-year-old major geological feature located in the central United States. Through digitizing and analyzing historical geophysical data, I examine subsurface stratigraphy and structures that allow hydrogen to accumulate. While geological hydrogen is produced through reactions between rock and water, this project focuses on the conditions that enable its accumulation rather than its formation. This work assesses the presence of geologic hydrogen in legacy data that could serve as a basis for future exploration, extraction, and storage infrastructure.

77

3:40-4:40pm

Brenna Schwamberger (Speech and Hearing Science)

Evaluating the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN) as a Dynamic Assessment for Multilingual Preschoolers

For multilingual children, assessing language abilities requires distinguishing differences in underlying language ability from proficiency in a given language. Static assessments are often normed on monolingual English-speaking populations, which limits the validity for multilingual speakers and may disadvantage children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. Dynamic assessment (DA) has been proposed as a fairer alternative, as it evaluates a child’s learning potential, focusing on changes from pretest to posttest, rather than static language proficiency. This study examines whether the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN) can be used as a dynamic assessment tool to differentiate underlying language abilities in multilingual preschoolers. In partnership with the preschool programs at the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, 8 multilingual preschoolers, ages 3-5, participated. Four participants had a reported language concern from a teacher or caregiver; 4 participants had no reported concern. All participants used English and one additional language: Arabic or Portuguese. Each participant completed the MAIN as a pretest, received targeted instruction, then completed the MAIN as a posttest. Modifiability scores and pre-posttest change scores are discussed in terms of clinical implications for evaluating young multilingual learners.

78

3:40-4:40pm

Maxwell Shumaker (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Transcriptomic analysis of Drosophila models of Retinitis Pigmentosa reveal dysregulation of redox homeostasis and protein folding

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) in which the rod photoreceptors die, followed by loss of cone photoreceptors. Mutations in at least 60 genes cause dominant RP including mutations in SNRNP200. The SNRNP200 encodes an RNA helicase that is an essential component of the spliceosome that processes pre-mRNAs into mature mRNAs. Drosophila has a single orthologue of SNRNP200, Brr2, that has 86% similar and 74% identical amino acids. We refer to this orthologue as Snrnp200. There are currently limited treatments for RP. The goal of our study is to determine the molecular basis of SNRNP200-associated RP to inform on treatments. Towards this end, we developed a Drosophila model containing a point mutation in Snrnp200 that causes human RP using CRISPR gene editing. This mutation results in dominant photoreceptor dysfunction associated with abnormal morphology and enlarged mitochondria at the cellular level. Expanding on this model, we expressed an RNAi against Snrnp200 specifically in the developing eye using the Gal4/UAS system. This resulted in a rough eye phenotype that was partially rescued by treatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine, suggesting a role of oxidative stress in disease pathogenesis. To reveal the effects of Snrnp200 mutations on the transcriptome, total RNA was isolated from adult heads and RNA-seq was performed. Differential gene expression and alternative splicing analyses were performed, comparing results among the Snrnp200 models and controls. Over 2,000 differentially expressed genes with adjusted p-value threshold <0.05 were identified in both models. Pathway analysis revealed that both models exhibited similar dysregulation of RNA splicing, protein folding, mitochondrial function, and redox homeostasis, as well as down-regulation of retinal-specific genes, which is consistent with the mutant phenotypes. The Snrnp200 knock-down model showed up-regulation of small nuclear RNAs, which are typically encoded in introns, suggesting intron retention. Supportive of this finding, splicing analysis revealed altered splice site selection and intron retention in both models. These data suggest that treatment with antioxidants and methods that restore protein homeostasis are avenues for therapy.

79

3:40-4:40pm

Jenana Sinanovic (Psychology, International Relations: Economics and International Business, Pre-Law)

Allies and Adversaries: How Strategic Relationships Shape the Effectiveness of Anti-Terrorism Financing Laws

Post September 11, 2001, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) adopted numerous recommendations for anti-terrorism laws, which many countries have since implemented. However, some countries continue to disregard anti-terrorism measures in pursuit of their own political interests. The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between a country’s implementation of anti-terrorism financing laws and its alignment with terrorist organizations, as well as the amount of U.S. counterterrorism aid it receives.

80

3:40-4:40pm

Lauren Smith (Neuroscience, Anthropology)

Title: Lack of Central Serotonin Alters Respiratory Responses and Arousal to CO2 in a Mouse Model of Epilepsy

One in 26 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy in their lifetime, and approximately 30% of these individuals have refractory epilepsy, meaning their seizures cannot be adequately controlled by medication. Refractory epilepsy is a known risk factor for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). SUDEP often occurs following generalized tonic-clonic seizures, which can lead to hypercapnia, which is characterized by an excess of CO2 in the body. Hypercapnia alters normal respiratory function. Seizures are known to blunt the hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR), the body’s normal response excess of CO2.. Serotonin (5-HT), is implicated in the regulation of seizure activity, as well as breathing. Therefore, we hypothesized that loss of central 5-HT neurons would further impair the respiratory response to CO? in epileptic mice. To test this hypothesis, we recorded EEG, EMG, and plethysmography in mice under seizure-naive and epilepsy conditions. A pilocarpine-induced temporal lobe epilepsy model (piloTLE) was used in both Lmx1bf/f/p mice lacking central 5-HT as well as wild-type Lmx1bf/f mice. After inducing epilepsy, mice were exposed to either room air or 7% CO? during sleep. Respiratory parameters including breathing frequency (fR), tidal volume (VT), and minute ventilation (V?E) were analyzed from plethysmography recordings. Exposure to 7% CO? increased respiratory parameters across groups, however, seizure state altered breathing responses. Inter-ictal and especially post-ictal mice showed reduced baseline respiratory parameters, In addition, the HCVR was significantly blunted in post-ictal wild-type mice. Seizure-naive mice lacking central 5-HT also exhibited reduced respiratory responses to CO?, although loss of central 5-HT on top of a recent seizure did not appear to further worsen impairment. These findings suggest that both recent seizures and a lack of central 5-HT impair compensatory respiratory responses to elevated CO?, which could increase vulnerability to SUDEP.

81

3:40-4:40pm

DeAndre Steger (Psychology)

Evaluating the Convergent Validity of Digital Processing-Speed Assessments: An Analysis of DSST, Letter Comparison, and Pattern Comparison Tasks

The widespread adoption of digital neuropsychological assessment has raised important questions about the validity and equivalence of digital and traditional paper-based formats. This study evaluates the convergent validity of three processing-speed tasks: the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Letter Comparison (LC), and Pattern Comparison (PC), administered in both digital and paper formats to a sample of middle-aged, employed adults (ages 40—65; N = 220). Convergent validity was assessed using Pearson correlations, paired-samples t-tests, Cohen’s dz effect sizes, and joint z-score comparisons across both administration formats.

82

3:40-4:40pm

Allie Stolte (Microbiology)

Novel Small-molecule Inhibitors Block Filovirus Glycoprotein-mediated Entry

Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) are members of the Filoviridae family and the causative agents of severe viral hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal. Although an FDA-approved vaccine and monoclonal antibody therapeutics exist for EBOV, outbreaks continue to occur, highlighting the necessity for additional antiviral strategies. In contrast, no FDA-approved vaccines or therapeutics are currently available for MARV. Here, we identify robust anti-filoviral activity of two small molecule inhibitors: the indole analog, OXI8006, and the dihydronaphthalene analog, KGP18. These compounds were designed and initially characterized as inhibitors of tubulin polymerization with reported IC50 values of ~1-2 uM. In Vero E6 cells and in human skin explants, both KGP18 and OXI8006 potently inhibited EBOV- and MARV-glycoprotein (GP)-mediated infection, with IC50 values of ~8 nM and 190 nM, respectively, without cellular toxicity. Similar IC50 values were observed in assays that measured entry events of Ebola virus-like particles (VLPs), implicating virus entry inhibition as a primary mechanism of action. Notably, the concentrations required to block filovirus entry were 10- to 100-fold lower than those reported for inhibition of tubulin polymerization, suggesting a tubulin-independent antiviral mechanism. Ongoing mechanistic studies aim to define the entry step(s) targeted by these compounds. Collectively, these studies have identified novel, nontoxic small molecule inhibitors that inhibit filovirus entry at sub µM concentrations and represent promising candidates for the development of new filovirus antivirals.

83

3:40-4:40pm

Sean Strand (BA Biology)

Fascin Regulates Collective Cell Migration through the Nucleoskeleton

This project investigates how Fascin, an actin bundling protein, and prostaglandins, lipid signaling molecules, which are found in high concentrations in cancer cells, facilitates collective cell migration. My project uses Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism using their ovaries to observe collective cell migration in vivo. The nucleus is the limiting factor in cell migration due to it being the largest organelle within the cell. When the cell is attempting to navigate restrictive spaces, the nucleus must change its shape and stiffness through modulation of nucleoskeleton proteins like Lamin A and Emerin.  Lamin A and Emerin restrict migration by making the nucleoskeleton stiffer and less prone to migration.  Previous studies show that Fascin and prostaglandins facilitate collective cell migration however, little is known about how the nucleoskeleton is regulated during collective cell migration. My research shows Fascin restricts Lamin A and Emerin prevalence suggesting the nuclei are softer contributing to on time migration. Recent studies in the lab show that prostaglandin signaling results in a similar phenotype. I performed genetic interaction studies between Fascin and prostaglandins to determine if they function within a shared signaling pathway to regulate the nucleoskeleton to facilitate migration. Because Fascin and Prostaglandins are highly conserved amongst many organisms, this work seeks to provide a better understanding of how collective cell migration is regulated in cancer metastasis and organism development, possibly inciting the nucleoskeleton as a therapeutic target for future drugs.

84

3:40-4:40pm

Bailey Wolf (Chemistry)

Student Interactions with AI Homework Tutors: Implications for Learning in Introductory Chemistry

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within academic settings has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon in recent years. With the advancements of AI in its ability to interpret questions and explain academic material, many students use it as a resource when studying. AI’s ability to accurately explain concepts and facilitate student learning has been a concern amongst many instructors and students as its usage and popularity has grown. This study investigates the nature of student interactions with an AI homework tutor in an introductory college chemistry course, and categorizes the types of questions that students ask the AI tutor, and the nature of the tutor’s responses. We used qualitative analysis to characterize these interactions by creating codebooks that categorized the types of statements and questions made by both students and the AI tutor. 500 conversations were coded and compared amongst researchers to reach a consensus on each code. We found that the majority of student interactions with the AI tutor, while initiated by students, are directed by the AI tutor where the tutor asks the student questions, and the students provides answers, which indicates answer-making behavior. Codes that suggest a deeper understanding of course content are infrequent. Overall, it was found that students tend to use the AI tutor more to obtain homework answers, not to actually deepen their understanding of course material. These findings, along with previous quantitative work indicate that use of the AI tutor may improve homework scores, but not improve understanding of course material, and therefore overall performance in the course. This suggests that the AI model could be improved in a way that can facilitate student learning outside of just a homework setting or encourage students to use other resources that may be better equipped to accomplish such a task.

85

3:40-4:40pm

Isabelle Yoder (Neuroscience)

Distinguishing Mild Cognitive Impairment from Normal Aging: Domain-Specific Cognitive Differences

The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive weaknesses that do not interfere with instrumental activities of daily life. Unfortunately, most people do remain in this MCI window for long – about 15-20% are re-categorized as having probable Alzheimer's disease annually, with a five-year cumulative conversion rate of 80%. For myriad reasons, identification of older adults with MCI is critical, and the goal of the current study was to identify which cognitive domains distinguish participants with clinically defined MCI from demographically-matched normal comparisons. Our sample consisted of 100 participants, drawn from a larger study, with approximately half characterized as MCI (n = 43; mean age = 75.2 +/- 6.0; mean education = 16.61 +/- 2.6) and half as normal aging (n = 57; mean age = 74.5 +/- 6.0; mean education = 16.61 +/- 2.3) based on the gold-standard Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale. Participants completed a three-hour neuropsychological assessment battery spanning all major cognitive domains (attention/working memory, anterograde memory, language, visuoconstruction, psychomotor speed, executive functioning, and fine motor dexterity). Group differences in cognitive performance were examined using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test with multiple comparison correction. Results revealed significant differences between the MCI and normal aging groups, including domains not typically identified in the clinical and research criteria for MCI. Our findings suggest that cognitive changes in MCI may be more widely distributed across cognitive domains than previously assumed and help to explain the sizeable conversion rate to AD seen in this population.

86

3:40-4:40pm

Anand Subramaniam (Psychology, Pre-Med)

Understanding media literacy in current society and educating on ways of combating misinformation in online spaces.

A large number of the current population gets their information about healthcare from the internet- especially through TikTok and Instagram. Some examples of this are the craze surrounding red light therapy masks, raw milk being good for you, and vaccines. Furthermore, a large number of these social media figures cite papers while presenting their information, but have drawn incorrect conclusions from the research themselves. Thus, a proposed way in which misinformation can be combated is by summarizing research surrounding a topic and presenting it in simple, attractive, short-from content such as blogs and Instagram posts. The use of complex language in research today can make it more difficult for a layman to understand crucial information about a topic, which can in turn lead to them deferring to the opinions of these Internet influencers who are far easier to understand. Keeping the language used when communicating information about healthcare is crucial, and this discussion dives deeper into the literature surrounding this topic as well as propositions to fix this problem.

87

3:40-4:40pm

Luke Thompson (Physics, Math)

Optimizing for Heat-flow Reversal

Quantum thermodynamics offers a fascinating field for study, particularly from the counter-intuitive phenomena such as the reversal of heat-flow: when cold objects cool and hot objects heat. Via numerical simulations, target goals to maximize the heat flow reversal can be identified. In the simulations, the conditions under which to maximize heat-flow reversal are maximum entanglement and maximum antisymmetric exchange. These results offer a framework to apply to a realistic platform for further study and optimization.

88

3:40-4:40pm

Amman Hassan (Environmental Policy and Planning)

The impact of "Car Boat" in the United States

Over the past four decades, passenger vehicles in the U.S. have grown significantly larger and heavier—a trend known as “car bloat.” This paper examines the regulatory, economic, and cultural forces driving the rise of SUVs and pickup trucks, including fuel economy loopholes and profit incentives. Drawing on safety research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, emissions data from the International Energy Agency, and an original survey of Iowa residents, it analyzes impacts on safety, infrastructure, and emissions, and proposes politically feasible policy responses tailored to Iowa.

89

3:40-4:40pm

Ava Vaillant (Biology)

Validation of Repressive Post-Transcriptional Regulatory Elements to Determine Therapeutic Potential for Sodium Channelopathies

Voltage gated sodium channels (NaVs) are encoded by the SCN-family of genes and serve to regulate sodium ion influx and action potentials. Mutations in these channels are associated with a breadth of diseases including arrhythmias, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, neuropathy, neuromuscular disorders, and sudden death syndromes. Understanding how NaV protein expression is regulated is critical to developing targeted therapeutics for these channelopathies. In previous work, our lab discovered a highly conserved translational regulatory mechanism of NaV expression through an alternative open reading frame (altORF) that begins in the 5’UTR of each gene. This altORF serves to downregulate NaV expression and may be implicated in disease. Building on this work, we looked for other conserved post-transcriptional regulatory elements in the SCN-gene family. Our lab has generated a transcriptome-wide map of microRNA (miR) binding sites in the human heart and brain. Using this map, we previously identified a common SNP in a miR-24 binding site of SCN5A that modulates its suppression of SCN5A. Here, we use our map to uncover a conserved miR binding site in some neuronal SCN genes (SCN1A, SCN2A, and SCN3A). We experimentally validate the function of this site by generating a full-length plasmid construct for SCN2A and co-transfecting it into cells with either miR-neg or our target miR. In future studies, we plan to further validate the miR target by generating and transfecting seed mutant clones in the presence of our target miR. Lastly, we are working on expanding this work to SCN1A and SCN3A. Ultimately, in this study we have validated a putative uORF regulatory mechanism and identified an undescribed miR regulatory mechanism on NaV1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. This work provides a valuable basis on how to approach developing uORF and miR targeted therapeutics for channelopathies that arise from alterations in functional NaV channel expression.

90

3:40-4:40pm

Olivia Heller (Biochemistry)

Characterization of cell lines overexpressing tRNA processing enzymes, Tsen2 and Clp 1

Murine gammaherpesvirus (MHV68) is a large double-stranded DNA virus genetically related to human Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Our previous research found significant dysregulation of transfer RNAs (tRNAs) in response to MHV68, suggesting that tRNA control may be important during infection. Specifically, host pre-tRNAs are significantly upregulated in their expression during an MHV68 infection. Furthermore, we demonstrated that several of these upregulated pre-tRNAs undergo cleavage, resulting in the formation of tRNA fragments (tRFs).The presence of these tRFs suggest that MHV68 not only influences tRNA transcription but also alters tRNA processing pathways within the host cell. We have explored the role of two host proteins that participate in tRNA processing, Tsen2 and Clp1. Tsen2 is an endonuclease that cleaves at the 5' splice site of the pre-tRNA introns, and Clp1 is an RNA kinase with a reported role in tRNA splicing regulation. We found that siRNA-mediated knockdown of Tsen2 and Clp1 have differential effects on both tRF accumulation and viral replication. While Clp1 knockdown shows an increase in tRF accumulation and a decrease in overall viral titers, Tsen2 knockdown shows decreased tRF accumulation and increased titers. Overall, we hypothesize the proviral effect of Clp1 and the antiviral effect of Tsen2 is linked to their roles in tRNA processing. To further test our hypothesis, we have performed a rescue experiment which tests for off-targeting effects of siRNAs used to knockdown endogenous Tsen2 or Clp1. We have generated overexpression cell lines by transducing NIH3t3s with codon optimized, and siRNA-resistant, versions of Tsen2 or Clp1. We expect that the rescue cell lines should perform very similarly in infection to that of a normal unmodified cell line. These cell lines also have the added bonus of being able to test for an overexpression phenotype of each gene. Future work is aimed at mechanistically determining how Tsen2 and Clp1 influence MHV68 replication, and whether canonical tRNA processing is required for these effects.

91

3:40-4:40pm

Kaitlyn Weibel (Nursing)

Understanding the Mechanisms Involved in Yoga Interventions for Individuals with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Scoping Review

Low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability, affecting 619 million people worldwide. Consistent evidence supports yoga as a non-pharmacological intervention for pain reduction and functional improvement in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Despite these notable benefits, the lack of understanding of how and why yoga interventions work limits clinicians’ ability to identify their mechanisms of action. Overlooking how and why yoga interventions are effective for CLBP results in varied outcomes and limits the ability to scale up this research for use in clinical practice. This scoping review aims to evaluate the existing data on yoga interventions for adults with CLBP and synthesize their theoretical foundations. The studies that met the eligibility criteria included a yoga intervention for adults with back pain and were written in English. As a result, we identified 50 peer-reviewed articles published between January 2000 and February 2026 from four databases: Academic Search Elite, Medline (Ovid), CINAHL Plus, and Cochrane Library. Of those, 24 articles proposed explanations for yoga interventions in chronic LBP, including both physical (15 articles) and psychological (8 articles) mechanisms, particularly improvements in musculoskeletal function and stress. However, inconsistent descriptions of mechanisms and limited overlap across studies indicate that these mechanisms remain unclear. More standardized, theory-driven research is needed to build a clearer framework and support potential clinical integration. 

92

3:40-4:40pm

Sawyer Sand (Religious Studies & Ancient Civilizations)

Inquisitors of Groove

Religion is constantly intersecting and facilitating the development of music. Throughout history, innovation has been driven by a system of artistic patronage, in which the aristocracy and clergy were the dominant contributors -- a system that persists in many ways to this day. The great composers of Europe often came from the upper class, and the music they played was for an audience of the elite. Mozart's father was a violinist in the court of the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, a court which Mozart later served himself. But new, more radical, innovations in music would emerge once chauvinism waned, and access to music became more democratic. Jazz music is said to an invention of Buddy Bolden, who was inspired by the harmonic and rhythmic innovation of songs sung in Black churches. And this is only mentioning European and African-American history. All around the world, religious ceremonies have their own unique style of accompanying music that is a product of hundreds of years of cultural development.

93

3:40-4:40pm

Elizabeth Witcombe (International Relations)

Who Gives Matters: Foreign Aid and Women's Rights in Authoritarian Regimes

Foreign aid is often treated as a uniform tool for promoting development and human rights, yet its effects may vary significantly depending on its source. This paper examines how different sources of foreign aid shape women’s rights outcomes in authoritarian regimes. Previous research has analyzed the influence of Western aid on authoritarian regimes, finding that Western aid is linked to increases in women’s rights. However, as the world order shifts away from a unipolar system, it is important to understand how donor diversification influences these outcomes. This study draws on data from Donno, Fox, and Kassik (2022) combined with OECD’s Creditor Reporting System to assess how the composition of foreign aid, measured as a ratio of western to nonwestern aid, affects women’s rights within authoritarian regimes. Using a series of regressions, I find that, after five years, increases in the share of nonwestern aid in authoritarian regimes are associated with slower progress on women’s rights outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of considering donor composition in future research and suggest that increasing reliance on nonwestern aid may complicate international efforts to promote women’s rights.

94

3:40-4:40pm

Rachel Hamling (Human Physiology)

Paige Lewis, Psychology

Describing physical activity patterns across pregnancy using qualitative data and a large language model

Understanding how physical activity patterns change throughout pregnancy is essential for developing guidelines, yet quantitative methods often overlook qualitative aspects of behavior. Large language models (LLMs) offer an opportunity to interpret complex, text-based datasets. The objective of this study is to leverage LLMs to analyze physical activity patterns using qualitative data across pregnancy. Participants in the Pregnancy 24/7 Cohort Study (N=500) wore an activPAL3 micro monitor for 7 days in each trimester to assess physical activity and sedentary time. Cadence data were transformed into plots illustrating stepping patterns within each trimester, then converted into qualitative text descriptions by two coders. The text description file was analyzed using Microsoft 365 Copilot (GPT-5.4 Thinking). Clusters were defined based on activity level, intensity, timing, and weekday versus weekend variation. Differences in step counts by cluster and trimester were evaluated using a linear mixed-effects model. Step counts varied significantly across the four identified clusters (p < .001). Group 1 (n = 212) showed consistently high activity levels across three trimesters (1st: 7576 ± 2530, 2nd: 7920 ± 2479, and 3rd: 7259 ± 2192 steps/day). Group 2 (n = 120) showed the lowest overall activity level across trimesters (4917 ± 1632 steps/day). Group 3 (n = 96) showed a high-but-variable activity pattern across trimesters (7438± 2818 steps/day). Group 4 (n = 41) exhibited a mixed activity pattern. These findings demonstrate that text-based clustering using LLMs can identify meaningful activity profiles. Future research should investigate wording strategies to improve clustering performance and analytical power.

95

3:40-4:40pm

Brett Wineinger (Biomedical Sciences)

Visualizing The Co-Translational Disassembly of Tobacco Mosaic Virus With Coarse-Grained Brownian Dynamics Simulations

Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) was the first plant virus discovered and has long been used as a model to advance the field of virology. Today, TMV is being experimented with as a potential vector for delivering chemotherapies, vaccines, gene therapies, and imaging reagents to patients in the clinic. An important feature of TMV is its apparent ability to uncoat its genome through the action of a translating host ribosome in a process called co-translational disassembly. The mechanism by which this process occurs is of great interest to scientists working to develop safe and effective methods for drug delivery using TMV. Despite being extensively researched for the past century, the details of this mechanism are still poorly understood. Previous electron microscopy studies have captured isolated snapshots of disassembly intermediates, supporting the idea of a co-translational disassembly mechanism, but they have not provided residue-level views of how the process occurs. Here, we use novel Brownian dynamics simulation methods to directly visualize the co-translational disassembly of the TMV capsid with single-residue resolution. Control simulations were conducted to ensure that the protein-protein and protein-RNA interaction strengths were appropriately matched before co-translational disassembly simulations were performed. Starting with a host (plant) ribosome positioned at the 5’-end of the TMV genome, repeated simulations drive the ribosome along the viral RNA. As translation proceeds, the simulations show that the ribosome physically removes the capsid proteins sequentially through direct steric collisions. Our work provides a starting point for investigating the capsid disassembly processes of other, less well-studied viruses.

96

4:50-5:50pm

Briana Bohling-Hall (Religious Studies and Journalism and Mass Communication)

Beyond the Veil: Failures in Canadian Data Collection of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. 

Inspired by nurse Dawn Wilcox, who created a national database of every woman and girl who was a victim of femicide, I created a database listing every known Indigenous woman and girl who has gone missing and/or been murdered in Canada. This database functions as storage of information, housing as much information about a case as possible. Additionally, the person's personal details (hobbies, upbringing, etc.) are included to better memorialize them. Ultimately, my hope is that this database will be accessible to the public to both help solve cases and remember these women for their lives as well, not just their deaths.

97

4:50-5:50pm

Sadie Crandall (Anthropology B.S., Ancient Civilizations, Museum Studies Cert.)

Oakland Feijo, Geoscience, Anthropology

GCRU Project: Worth a Thousand Words: preservation, discovery, research and storytelling potential of an early 20th century photographic collection.

A forgotten collection of lantern slides languished in remote storage for 25 years until being returned to the UI School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability (SEES) in 2024. Investigation revealed a treasure trove of historic photographs taken by UI faculty from the late 1800s to mid-1900s. These glass slides formed a library of images that would have been projected in lectures – an early 20th Century PowerPoint. A collaboration between the UI Paleontology Repository and the UI Archives aims to preserve, document and digitize the collection with assistance from a team of GCRU Fellows. The project presents numerous challenges, not least the size of the collection (8,000+ slides). Slides were selected for preservation based on uniqueness and relevance to the University. Images that were photographed pages of books were discarded. An accompanying card catalogue preserving data from all images according to subject matter was digitized. Slide captions were painstakingly transcribed associated information recorded into a spreadsheet. Each slide is being assessed for conservation, lightly cleaned, and rehoused in archival storage, before transfer to UI Libraries for digitization and curation. There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. This project challenges the GCRU team to research and communicate these thousand words, by investigating and sharing the stories behind the photos. Our explorations will reveal details of UI research and expeditions, document changes to our university, cities, countries, lifestyles, and areas of natural history in the last hundred years and create connections with local history resources and archive collections.

98

4:50-5:50pm

Omar Aristizabal (Microbiology)

Characterizing Ebolavirus Localization and Neuroinflammation in the Murine Brain

Ebola Virus disease is rare, yet highly lethal. The mechanisms by which Ebola Virus enters the brain and the specific cellular targets of infection remain poorly defined. Mice were used as a small-animal model. Ebola virus infection was performed at Rocky Mountain Laboratories. RT-qPCR was used to quantify viral RNA and cytokine transcripts, while immunofluorescence enabled mapping of infected and activated brain cell populations. Ebola Virus colocalized with monocyte derived cells. Neurons, astrocytes, and endothelial cells exhibited minimal infection and a reduction in signal. Pro inflammatory mediators were upregulated in the CNS. These results suggest infiltrating macrophages carry Ebola virus into the CNS, seeding infection and triggering a local antiviral proinflammatory response.

99

4:50-5:50pm

Jade Huaracha (Psychology, Criminology)

Brian Farrell, Need Major

Systems in Control: The Cost of Immigration Policies

My creative poster will explore the human rights immigrants face upon entering the US and the psychological toll that new detention policies and laws passed in recent years have caused. Through visual storytelling and infographics this project will highlight detention policies, racial profiling laws, and ICE. This poster will highlight a focus on specifically the Hispanic/Latinx community but include comparisons within race, class, and how the response is different between the communities. The trends and shifts in policies will depict a story and include lived experiences of individuals who have previously gone through the system themselves. The goal of this project is to help advocate and inform for policy reform for immigrants and their human rights as it is a complex issue that is very prominent in today's society and can cause short and long term effects on an individual that needs to be better understood.

100

4:50-5:50pm

Aasiya Ali (Biology)

Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System to Engineer Exonuclease-1 Gene Insertion for Germline Localization and DNA Damage Repair Studies

Exonuclease-1 (EXO-1) is a 5’?3’ DNA exonuclease that plays a role in DNA damage repair by promoting double-strand break resection (ssDNA formation) during homologous recombination. It is essential to study EXO-1 to better understand DNA damage repair mechanisms which promote genomic stability. In our study, we aimed to create a strain of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) useful for visualizing the localization of the EXO-1 protein and its function in DNA damage repair within the C. elegans germline and be able to knock down the gene’s function, as needed. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate C. elegans germline with a sequence containing a degron tag, a 2xHA tag, a GS linker, and the EXO-1 nuclease sequence. The degron tag was added so that auxin induced degradation of the EXO-1 protein could be studied, while the 2xHA tag was added to be able to visualize the protein within the germline. The GS linker was used to space our HA tag from the EXO-1 nuclease sequence, so both will be functional. Our results suggested that the insertion of our sequence, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, was successful. The injected C. elegans can be used for further studies investigating the localization of EXO-1 and its role in DNA damage repair within the germline. These findings further demonstrate the effectiveness of the CRISPR/Cas9 system when engineering new C. elegans strains for future projects.

101

4:50-5:50pm

Nate Anderson (Human Physiology (BS), Chemistry (BA))

Early Cardiometabolic and Autonomic Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy Precede Changes in Central Adiposity in Normotensive and Hypertensive Adults with Obesity

Background: Obesity increases the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are approved for weight management and reduce CVD events in adults with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D). It remains unclear whether early reductions in blood pressure (BP) and cardiometabolic risk occur independently of weight and central adiposity changes. We hypothesized that GLP-1 RA initiation would reduce BP and improve cardiometabolic and autonomic function before weight loss.

Methods: Fourteen adults with obesity initiating GLP-1 RAs completed baseline and 2-month visits (age 54.3 ± 12 years; n = 3 T2D; weight 102.9 ± 19.4 kg; BMI 37.1 ± 5.8 kg/m2). Assessments included clinic and home BP, arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, CFPWV),cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), central adiposity (waist and hip circumference), and metabolic markers (lipids, glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR).

Results: After two months, weight and BMI decreased (-3.95 kg, -1.45 kg/m2; p < 0.001), while waist and hip circumferences were unchanged. Clinic supine systolic BP (-9.33mmHg, p = 0.004) and evening home systolic BP (-6.12 mmHg, p = 0.013) decreased significantly. Total cholesterol (-14 mg/dL, p = 0.008), LDL (-10 mg/dL, p = 0.018), and HOMA-IR (median -0.97, p = 0.013) improved, but CFPWV and BRS were unchanged. Weight change was uncorrelated with improvements in any outcome (all p > 0.47).

Conclusion: GLP-1 RA initiation produced early reductions in BP and metabolic risk markers without changes in arterial stiffness or autonomic function, independent of weight change and preceding changes in central adiposity.

102

4:50-5:50pm

Lily Arnold (Therapeutic Recreation on the Pre-Occupational Therapy Track)

Alea Wolfe, Therapeutic Recreation on the Pre-Occupational Therapy Track

Examining the Impact of Dog-Assisted Activities on Female College Student Mental Health: A Pilot Study

This preliminary study examined the effects of dog-assisted activities on mental health and physiological outcomes in female college students. Participants were assigned to one of three 15-minute conditions: (1) active interaction, involving handler-guided interactive activities with a therapy dog; (2) passive interaction, allowing unstructured time with a therapy dog without guided tasks; and (3) a control condition, consisting of seated leisure activities such as reading or watching a video. Due to the small sample size, no statistically significant differences were observed across groups. However, descriptive trends revealed meaningful patterns. All three groups demonstrated reductions in systolic blood pressure after the conditions, suggesting that even brief periods of rest or engagement with a therapy dog may contribute to short-term physiological relaxation. Notably, participants in both the active and passive dog-interaction conditions reported more favorable psychological outcomes compared to those in the control group. Specifically, participants indicated improved perceived health status and reduced stress levels following the interaction. This finding suggests that the presence of a therapy dog may provide additional psychological benefits beyond those achieved through sedentary leisure activities alone. Although these results are preliminary, they highlight the potential value of incorporating dog-assisted activities into campus-based wellness initiatives to support student mental health. Future research with larger sample sizes and more rigorous experimental designs will be needed to confirm these trends and further examine whether active or passive interaction yields differential benefits.

103

4:50-5:50pm

Megan Andress (Religious Studies, History, and Ancient Civilizations)

Forming Identity through Tourism in the Amana Colonies

Since the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, communities throughout the United States have begun to promote their histories to visitors. Towns that were formally home to communal societies, such as the Amana Colonies in Iowa, have become small tourist hubs with shops, museums, and restaurants that fit a historical theme. Amana in particular struggles to find identity between its German heritage, confusion between the religion of the Amana Inspirationalists and the nearby Mennonites in Kalona, and association with other American colonial settlements. These questions of identity reflect the 20th and 21st century efforts to create an "American tradition", and present historians with the difficulties of maintaining clear narrative in public history.

104

4:50-5:50pm

Armaan Bhagwat (B.S. Microbiology)

ACLY is Dispensable for Metabolic Regulation of Germinal Center B Cells Responding to Blood-Stage Malaria

Malaria is a deadly infectious disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite. Plasmodium-specific antibodies, a product of germinal center (GC) B cells, are fundamental to long-lasting humoral immune responses to effectively mediate parasite clearance, yet individuals in malaria endemic regions lack long-lived immunity. Therefore, it is imperative to understand why this happens. Our lab has demonstrated that mitochondrial glutamate is vital for GC B cell survival and proliferation during blood-stage Plasmodium infections. However, the biochemical pathways fed by mitochondrial glutamate in GC B cells remain unknown. One possibility is that mitochondrial glutamate is utilized for citrate production and cytosolic export, where it is converted to acetyl-CoA through the ACLY enzyme. We hypothesize that during blood-stage Plasmodium infection, rapidly proliferating GC B cells require ACLY to expand and mediate protective immunity. To test our hypothesis, we conditionally deleted ACLY in GC B cells using the S1PR2-Ert2/Cre x ACLYfl/fl mouse line. We infected P. yoelii into wild-type control and experimental mice with ACLY-deficient GC B cells, and we measured GC B cell quantity, anti-Plasmodium antibody production, and protection against Plasmodium infection. We unexpectedly observed no changes in GC B cell quantity, antibody production, or protection when ACLY is deleted from GC B cells. Our findings support that mitochondrial glutamate in GC B cells responding to P. yoelii infection powers mitochondrial metabolism via mechanisms independent of cytosolic acetyl-CoA production. Our current and future studies will improve our understanding of the humoral immune response to Plasmodium and potentially identify new opportunities to boost malaria immunity.

105

4:50-5:50pm

Carson Bantz (Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics)

Mallory Weber, Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics

Quantum Efficiency Characterization of CMOS Sensors for Soft X-ray Observations

Increasing options for efficient, low-cost sensors for X-ray astronomy would expand access to space for small, focused experiments. The commercially-available Sony IMX290LLR complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor has been shown to have the performance capabilities required for low-orbiting space missions. The quantum efficiency (QE) of a sensor informs upon the sensitivity of the instrument at different wavelengths of light and is a helpful metric for judging effectiveness in a particular mission. We report the QE of the IMX290LLR sensor and summarize the data collection procedure of our test campaign at the Advanced Light Source Synchrotron facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. We discuss QE results in context of the field and future paths to improving the QE through alternate sensor preparation techniques.

106

4:50-5:50pm

Tara Joiner (3D Design)

Julia Correia, 3D Design, Violin Performance

Advancing Seamless 3-Dimensional Woven Forms Using Sustainable Materials

The textile industry produces 92 million tons of waste annually with 10-15% from cutting leftovers from the seams. Our project aims to lessen the amount of textile waste by creating a loom that allows us to create a three-dimensional textile, eliminating the seams altogether. To achieve this, we designed a reusable structure that allows the loom to disassemble and be removed after the textile is complete. The collapsable loom structure is being developed with Computer Numerical Control (CNC) and Computer Aided Design (CAD). We are currently exploring how this new loom design works with different curvy/straight forms, as each shape results in different structures. Our design team is researching how to implement traditional techniques in the final textile design. Converging CNC and CAD with historical weaving practice allows for creative design freedom. This project focuses on textiles for upholstered furniture but can also impact other sectors of the textile industry.

107

4:50-5:50pm

Sydney Bellinghausen (International Relations

Peace Negotiations in Civil War

The project is research from the Civil War Negotiation Lab. It includes data collected on negotiation attempts during civil conflicts in African and Asian countries. We collect data from news sources and code them through a variety of metrics, including but not limited to: outcome, attempt number, number of combatants, third parties, and conflict type. I specifically focus on negotiation attempts during the Bodoland conflict in India from 1984 to 2014.

108

4:50-5:50pm

Beverly Bishop (Sustainability Science B.S.)

Assessing Iowa Great Lakes long-term water quality trends: The impacts of agricultural nutrient inputs

Authors: Beverly Bishop, Lilliana Carreon, Susan Meerdink, Samuel Taylor, Silvia Secchi, Ben Swanson

Maintaining clean and well-managed water systems is crucial in preserving ecosystem functions, safeguarding human health, and supporting recreational activities. Despite increasing water quality concerns throughout the state, the Iowa Great Lakes remain vital in supporting extensive recreation, bringing in hundreds of thousands of annual visitors during the summer months. Here we examine long-term trends in water quality in the Iowa Great Lakes region while evaluating the potential impacts of intensive agricultural practices on aquatic ecosystems using 26 years of Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Program (CLAMP) data. Specifically, we analyzed nitrogen, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a for West Okoboji Lake, East Okoboji Lake, and Big Spirit Lake from 1999 to 2025. We identified outliers and conducted long-term temporal trends to identify shifts associated with agricultural intensification. Throughout the time period, nutrient concentration and chlorophyll-a levels showed substantial variability, with particularly elevated values in both Big Spirit Lake and East Okoboji Lake, suggesting stronger susceptibility to nutrient enrichment in these lakes compared to West Okoboji Lake. Periods of elevated nutrient concentrations often corresponded with elevated chlorophyll-a, indicating potential eutrophication events driven by external nutrient input. Here, we demonstrate the impacts of agricultural activity on regional water quality and how long-term water quality monitoring can assess this impact in susceptible regions critical to Iowa, such as the Iowa Great Lakes.

109

4:50-5:50pm

Ryley Blake (Biology)

Madeline Roberts, Neuroscience

Impact of Heat on Physical and Physiological Characteristics of Candida albicans Biofilms

Implant-associated infections are difficult to treat and result in significant patient morbidity and mortality. These infections arise from the formation of polymicrobial biofilms on the implant surface that change the character of the cells within and protect them from antibiotics and host immune cells. Our hypothesis is that heat treatment delivered directly via electromagnetic induction to a specially coated implant surface may be an effective method of eradicating biofilms within the body. The goal of this work is to better understand the impact of heat treatment on biofilm mechanics and composition, microorganism viability and gene expression in a microbial biofilm in order to advance technologies for eliminating implant-associated medical infections. To better understand the effect of heat on biofilms we implemented a method for growing Candida albicans biofilms of dimensions sufficient for rheological (mechanical) measurements and tested mechanical strength as well as viability and gene expression after short exposures to high temperatures. Heat-treated biofilms exhibited a significant decrease in mechanical properties compared to control biofilms, indicative of mechanical weakening. Viability within the biofilm and among the cells dispersed from the biofilm was substantially reduced. We are currently investigating the ability of heated biofilms to form a secondary biofilm and using RNA-Sequencing to investigate heat-specific changes in biofilm gene expression. This information will prove valuable for improving current strategies for eliminating implant associated infections.

110

4:50-5:50pm

Alex Bock (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology BS)

Characterization of retinal defects in a novel mouse model of the vision disorder Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disorder characterized by degeneration of rod photoreceptors, followed by cone photoreceptors. Mutations in the gene SNRNP200 cause an autosomal dominant inherited form of RP. The SNRNP200 gene encodes a core component of the spliceosome called SNRNP200. The spliceosome removes introns from pre-mRNA transcripts. To understand the mechanism of RP pathogenesis, we generated a conditional knockout (cKO) mouse that specifically has the Snrnp200 gene deleted in the rod photoreceptors. Immunohistochemistry was performed on retinal tissue from 3-, 4-, and 6-week-old mice. Tissues were stained for rhodopsin (a rod photoreceptor outer segment marker), cone arrestin (a cone photoreceptor marker), PKCα (a rod bipolar cell marker), and PSD-95 (a postsynaptic marker). Tissues were imaged using fluorescence microscopy. 3-week-old mice showed no morphological changes in the retina between heterozygous and homozygous cKO mice. By 4-weeks of age, the cKO mice show a major reduction in the rod and cone photoreceptor markers. In addition, the bipolar cell bodies appear to regress towards the ganglion cell layer. In 6-week-old cKO mice, the staining revealed that a subset of photoreceptor cell bodies persists, and a subset of bipolar cells remain intact. Our results demonstrate that this mouse model of Snrnp200-associated RP exhibits a rapid photoreceptor degradation in which the rod and cone photoreceptors degenerate while a subset of bipolar cells persists. Retention of the bipolar cells provides a potential avenue for treatment, as bipolar cells can rewire to exogenously supplied photoreceptor precursor cells.

111

4:50-5:50pm

Jenna Brandes (Psychology, Religious Studies

Practical Limitations on Living Out the Parable of The Good Samaritan

The parable of the Good Samaritan tells how a traveler who was beaten and left to die was passed by two religious leaders (a Jewish priest and a Levite), but was stopped for by a Samaritan who treated his wounds and paid for his care. Studies have shown how not only do situational factors, but also different types of priming and focus influence prosocial behavior in regards to religious and moral beliefs. Despite the parable of the Good Samaritan having altruistic intentions, evidence illustrates that situational factors such as time constraints, need for self-preservation and belongingness to an in-group are more likely to promote prosocial behavior than religious and moral association.

112

4:50-5:50pm

Allison Butz (International Relations, Pre-Law)

U.S. Immigration Policy and Adherence to International Human Rights Standards

There is a growing gap between U.S. immigration policy and its human rights obligations under the Trump administration, causing widespread criticism and protest. Accusations of human rights violations are being thrown by international organizations. This paper examines if these claims are factual by analyzing categories of violations to the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights.

113

4:50-5:50pm

Braden Carne (Physics, Astronomy, Math)

Electron Behavior Across the Alfvén Surface: Recent Findings from Parker Solar Probe

Still working

114

4:50-5:50pm

Lillie Carreon (Environmental Science)

Assessing Water Quality Trends Across the Iowa Great Lakes Region: A 2024 Flood Impact Analysis

Authors: Lilliana Carreon, Susan Meerdink, Sam Taylor, Beverly Bishop, Silvia Secchi, Ben Swanson

With Iowa taking the lead in the highest cancer rates throughout the U.S. the topic of water quality has become increasingly important. The Iowa Great Lakes stands out even more when connecting water quality to recreational activities and demographic distribution across the state. Here, we examine long-term water quality trends in the Iowa Great Lakes region using 26 years of Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Program (CLAMP) data to identify spatial and temporal patterns across West Okoboji Lake, East Okoboji Lake, and Silver Lake. Specifically, we analyzed secchi depth, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a from these sites, and examined watershed characteristics, lake morphology, and community income distribution of the area. West Okoboji’s deep, water-fed basin supports stable water clarity and low algal biomass, compared to East Okoboji and Silver Lake, which demonstrate substantial, persistent elevated nutrient concentrations, increased water turbidity, and greater sensitivity to rain-runoff-driven events. When overlaid against demographic indicators, these patterns align with higher-income and tourism-supported communities in West Okoboji, while lower-income and more agricultural watersheds drain into East Okoboji Lake and Silver Lake. The 2024 flood in this area exacerbated these patterns with West Okoboji Lake showing a rapid recovery from nutrient spikes, whereas East Okoboji and Silver Lake experienced prolonged water quality degradation. Here we demonstrate the interactions between geologic factors, land use, and socioeconomic factors, and regional water quality, which can be vital for understanding and meeting water quality needs in Iowa’s Great Lakes region.

115

4:50-5:50pm

Lillie Carreon (Environmental Sciences)

Assessing Petrophysical Data from the Vincent Dome for Geological Hydrogen Across the Midcontinental Rift

Authors: Lilliana Carreon1, Joe Honings1.2, Zoe Shadravan1, Chase Evanson1, Ryan J. Clark2, Jack Malone2

The Midcontinent Rift System (MRS) is a 1.1 billion year old failed rift that is composed mainly of basalt, a mafic volcanic rock. The iron-rich mineral olivine in this basalt undergoes alteration called serpentinization to produce geologic hydrogen (H2) when in contact with water deep in the subsurface. This topic has become increasingly important for the state of Iowa due to incessant need for clean energy, and the location of the Midcontinent Rift System being ideal for exploration of this resource. This research examined available petrophysical data from selected wells within the Vincent Dome natural gas storage structure, which overlies the MRS, to investigate known occurrences of geologic H2 associated with the MRS. Gamma ray, neutron, sonic, and resistivity petrophysical logs and other geologic information were synthesized to identify possible H2 bearing zones and important structural features for subsurface migration. The specific wells analyzed in this study were Sharp #4, Anderson #1, Anderson #2, and Sharp #1. Correlation of stratigraphic units in the subsurface reveal faults that serve as pathways for migrating subsurface H2 gas, and petrophysical signatures suggest potential accumulation of geologic H2 in Iowan strata. These findings support reported occurrences of geologic H2 within the Vincent Dome and inform future work related to feasibility of H2 storage at Vincent and other areas close to potential industrial production near the MRS.

116

4:50-5:50pm

Adriana Castellano (Marketing BBA)

Peter Nitsche, Biology

"Tentacle Tales: How Genome Architecture and Nutrient Availability Shape Tissue Regeneration in a Freshwater Snail”

Some organisms, tissues, and organs grow and heal much more rapidly than others. While the rate at which growth at whichever level of biological organization occurs is a fundamental biological question, we still know very little about what drives variation in the rate of growth and regeneration. Here, we address potential roles for genome copy number (“ploidy") and nutrient availability as important factors in tissue regeneration in our snail model system. This work is of broad interest from the perspective of connecting the evolution of genome structure to growth rate, regeneration, and resource availability. Our in-progress experiment involves measuring tentacle regeneration rate across snails differing only in genome copy number and food availability. We are testing the hypothesis that extra genome copies facilitate healing but only when resources are adequate. We will assess whether this hypothesis is supported by evaluating whether results meet our prediction that snail tentacle regeneration will be most rapid in snails with more genome copies when food is available and slowest in these high genome-copy snails when access to food is limited. Regardless of specific outcome, this work will provide new insights into whether and how genome structure and resource availability might influence healing and regeneration.

117

4:50-5:50pm

Angelica Chaisson Cardenas (International Relations, Political Science, Ethics and Public Policy)

Capital Intensive vs Labor Intensive Foreign Direct Investment and Their Effects on Income Inequality in Latin America

The type of inward foreign direct investment a Latin American country receives has a direct correlation with levels of income inequality: labor-intensive investment is associated with decreased wealth disparities, while capital-intensive investment is associated with increased disparities. This is because whether FDI's influence is positive or negative depends on the type of FDI involved. Capital-intensive FDI sectors increase existing wage disparities because their industries (mining, energy production, and manufacturing) already benefit skilled workers and capital holders. In contrast, labor-intensive FDI reduces wealth disparities by providing opportunities for low-skilled workers. In most of Latin America, the workforce primarily consists of low-skilled laborers. This market benefits from a mass increase in jobs and wage raises at the bottom. The independent variable is the type of Foreign Direct investment (capital-intensive or labor-intensive), and data will be collected from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) statistics and databases. This is a good indicator of general inward FDI from 1990 to 2024. It measures FDI as the amount of investment in dollars received by the host country; it uses flow investment to quantify FDI's path over time in the state. The dependent variable is the levels of Inequality (as measured by the GINI index). Data will be collected from the Standardized World Income Inequality Database (SWIID), which uses the GINI index.

118

4:50-5:50pm

Corentin Charles (Corentin Charles)

Linking E-cadherin Mechanotransduction Through PFKM and PFK2 Activation

Cells in the body constantly experience mechanical forces, which they must actively resist to maintain their shape and function . To do so, cells reinforce their cytoskeleton through and junctional F-actin and E-cadherin enrichment – processes reliant on actomyosin contractility, actin polymerization, and extensive enzymatic activity – which are highly demanding in energy. Glycolysis, stimulated by liver kinase B1 (LKB1) activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), is an essential energy source for reinforcement. How glycolysis is upregulated by mechanical force remains unknown. Here, we show that phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK1), the rate-limiting enzyme responsible for the committed step of glycolysis, binds F-actin and is upregulated by force in an isoform-specific manner. We also establish a likely signal transduction pathway by showing that inhibiting E-cadherin abolishes force-mediated AMPK activation, but inhibiting PFK1 does not prevent AMPK activation. Additionally, we explore phosphofructokinase-2 (PFK2) – the enzyme generating PFK1’s most potent activator, fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, – as a possible link between AMPK activation and PFK1 activation.

119

4:50-5:50pm

Alika Cho (Philosophy; Criminology, Law, and Justice)

Contextualizing Care Ethics Within Clinical Spaces

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a debilitating mental illness that invasively dominates an individual’s cognition, gradually overtaking identity and decision-making abilities. Despite AN’s debilitating psychological effects, when treated in clinical settings, it is often stripped of its psychological complexity and treated as a weight disease corrected through the patient’s behavioral compliance and physiological balance. The ongoing hospital-based treatment of AN fails to bring about proper care for patients’ fragile mental states. Through examining the way AN is defined and situated within an individual, we can develop a care-centered approach for a medical space that is typically sterile and daunting, properly treating anorexia nervosa as a dangerous and intense cognitive illness.

120

4:50-5:50pm

Olivia Clothier (Speech and Hearing Science)

What Speech Reveals: Listening for Cognitive Decline in Parkinson’s Disease

Most individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop dementia, and up to 40% present with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at diagnosis. Detecting PD-MCI is challenging due to episodic symptoms and limited sensitive biomarkers. Speech production integrates cognitive, linguistic, and motor processes and offers a low-cost approach for accurately tracking MCI. We evaluated whether 15 metrics from four routine speech tasks were associated with PD-MCI, as determined by comprehensive cognitive testing. To isolate cognitive and speech impairments, participants were stratified by dysarthria severity and MCI status. Our preliminary data from 20 PD participants (>100 samples) suggest that speech metrics, such as longer pauses and shorter utterance lengths, may serve as early markers of PD-MCI.

121

4:50-5:50pm

Brandon Cole (Biomedical Sciences)

TGF-beta Disrupts the Citric Acid Cycle and Increases Lipid Accumulation

Myosteatosis is categorized by an accumulation of fat inside of skeletal muscle, which is prevalent in patients with cancer and a marker for poor prognosis. The fat accumulation may be due to an increase in lipid synthesis, a decrease in lipid utilization, or an increase in uptake of fatty acids. TGF-b is associated with fat accumulation in muscles cells, so we sought to understand the mechanisms behind this. Additionally, we have confirmed an accumulation of lipid in muscle cells of mice bearing C-26 tumors and an increase in TGF-b. The Citric Acid (TCA) cycle is one of the major metabolic pathways that oxidizes Acetyl-CoA and produces NADH, and we have shown in the TCA cycle to have altered intermediate levels in the presence of TGF-b. It is unknown if Acetyl-CoA or another substrate is the major contributor of the dysregulated levels seen in TCA intermediates. We used C2C12 cells and differentiated them into muscles cells called myotubes. After 5 days of differentiating, half were treated with 10 ng/mL of TGF-b and half of treated and untreated TGF-b cells were given 100 mM of CoA. The following day they were all harvested and total CoA levels were assayed. We saw that TGF-b treated cells tended to have decreased CoA, but CoA levels can be rescued when CoA is supplemented into the media. The results show CoA can be restored under TGF-b treated conditions but is lower without supplementation. Combining the CoA decrease in TGF-b treated muscle cells and the increased fat accumulation in tumor bearing C-26 mice leads to the hypothesis that low CoA, and subsequently low Acetyl-CoA, is a possible cause for TCA issues and a buildup of lipid in muscle cells.

122

4:50-5:50pm

Audrey Coleman (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

TFAP2C Promotes Tumorigenesis and Stem-like Programs in a Murine Breast Cancer Model

Transcription factor activating protein gamma (TFAP2C) is a key regulator involved in mammary gland development and breast cancer phenotype. We sought to further define the role of TFAP2C in breast cancer tumorigenesis through analyzing phenotypic and molecular effects of TFAP2C loss in an MMTV-Neu murine breast cancer model. Using MMTV-Neu TFAP2C floxed cells, we generated a conditional knockout (KO) of TFAP2C with adenovirus-Cre (Cre) and a control with intact TFAP2C using adenovirus-empty vector (EV). In vitro, with an MTT assay, TFAP2C-deficient cells had decreased proliferation (p<0.0001).  An invasion assay demonstrated diminished invasion in TFAP2C-deficient cells (p<0.05-0.0001). However, there was no significant difference between conditions for anchorage-independent growth on soft agar. In vivo, TFAP2C-deficient cells had 100% tumor free survival in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised mouse strains, whereas TFAP2C-intact cells resulted in tumor formation. To further understand underlying molecular mechanisms, bulk-RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) demonstrated differential gene expression in TFAP2C-deficient cells compared to TFAP2C-intact cells. Loss of TFAP2C resulted in upregulation of cell cycle regulation pathways and downregulation of mammary stem cell-associated gene signatures. 

These results suggest TFAP2C is involved in proliferation and cancer stem cell-like maintenance. Further studies including CUT&RUN and cell cycle analysis will continue to investigate the role of TFAP2C in tumorigenesis of breast cancer.

123

4:50-5:50pm

Benjamin Bennick (Biomedical Engineering, Pre-Medicine)

The Role of ITEPS in Analyzing Brain Signals and Tracking Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment Progress.

In patients who are comorbid for major depressive disorder (MDD) and other neurological conditions such as epilepsy, are able to undergo intracranial methods of measuring brain signals. In our research, it is our goal to develop a consistent recognition of biomarkers and brain signals in order to determine the effectiveness of noninvasive brain stimulation. One such example of a treatment is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). In this procedure, a coil placed on the patients scalp generates a magnetic pules, which passes through the skull and can activate or inhibit neurons. This treatment will modulate brain function and neural circuits involved with mood and cognition, which can product lasting changes in patient's brain connectivity. During a patient's TMS treatment, their brain activity is recorded using an intracranial EEG (iEEG). After collection of intracranial EEG data, a matlab and EEG lab software is used to analyze brain signals in each iEEG electrode channel, and is output into figures on matlab. Each channel is then ranked on certain criteria by comparing three seperate signals: a signal for baseline signal / noise, a pre-modulation signal, and a post-modulation signal. This is all in an attempt to investigate the excitatory nature of TMS treatment and how noninvasive brain stimulation modulates functional connectivity in the brain. In future research, the ranking of this data will allow our team to better understand human brain anatomy, as well as the mechanism of noninvasive brain stimulation in improving psychiatric conditions.

124

4:50-5:50pm

Nicholas Cory (Human Physiology)

Identify and prioritize candidate cytoskeletal adapter proteins for heart therapy.

Heart failure research has revealed a paradox: genes associated with centrosomes, which organize cell division, are dysregulated in failing hearts even though adult cardiomyocytes no longer divide and lack typical centrosomes. Instead, they contain atypical centrosome-like structures enriched in cytoskeletal adapter proteins (CAPs), whose roles in heart tissue remain largely unknown. Our goal is to develop heart failure therapies by targeting CAPs. We identified Ccdc93 and Cep68 as top candidates and will design CRISPR guide RNAs, test knockout efficiency by sequencing, package the best guides into AAV, deliver them to cardiomyocyte-specific Cas9 mice, and assess heart structure and function.

125

4:50-5:50pm

Isabella Cowling (Psychology)

FAMILY AND NEIGHBORHOOD ADVERSITY AND EMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING IN YOUTH WITH AND WITHOUT ADHD: POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT LABILITY USING EMA. 

Early life adversity has been shown to have long-lasting effects on a variety of biopsychosocial outcomes, including emotional functioning. This study aimed to examine the multifaceted impacts of adversity on family and broader community processes. Prior work has examined both levels of psychopathology and positive/negative affect, but has only examined findings at a single point. By utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessments, this research examines variability in youth with and without ADHD X. METHODS. Results: Both family adversity and neighborhood adversity were significantly related to increased variability in negative affect among youth but not positive affect. Adversity indices were unrelated to variability in internalizing symptoms, but both significantly predicted overall higher mean levels of child internalizing behaviors during the EMA period. Family adversity significantly predicted increased mean levels of externalizing and increased variability in externalizing behaviors; neighborhood adversity was unrelated to externalizing outcomes. This leads to implications that adversity appears to play a role in shaping momentary changes in youth negative affect, with consequences for both child internalizing and externalizing problems.

126

4:50-5:50pm

Riley Cronin (Ethics and Public Policy, Economics, Politcal Science)

Increasing Female Labor Force Participation Through Childcare Policy Reform: A Focus on Kosovo

Female labor force participation (FLFP) is vital for economic growth, welfare, and equality. Kosovo exemplifies the ongoing challenges faced by women in transitional nations, with a FLFP below 20%; it ranks last among European nations. This paper analyzes the underlying causes and reviews three policy options to ease the main barrier to entry, the childcare burden. Given fiscal and political constraints, large-scale employer-based childcare proves unfeasible; instead, a mix of targeted subsidies and expanded public facilities, especially in rural areas, is recommended. Examining the economic and social costs of persistent gender gaps underscores the urgency of advancing childcare policies to improve FLFP through policy and ensure Kosovo's long-term economic security.

127

4:50-5:50pm

Valadez DeAnda Valadez (Physics & Astronomy)

Hybrid Surface-Phonon-Plasmon Polaritons Modes of GaN in the IR

Gallium Nitride (GaN) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor. Here, investigation using FTIR reflectance and ATR spectroscopy allowed for the study of how different free carrier concentration densities affected the Surface-Phonon-Plasmon Polariton (SPPP) hybrid modes. Known constants of the material were extracted using dielectric function modeling, and redshifts and increase in polariton modes (using a free electron laser (FEL) (to probe polariton behavior at the nanoscale) to a near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM) to map such behavior) was seen as carrier density increased. These properties should be duly noted as GaN has been widely used as an important component for various photonic applications due to its unique optical and electronixlc properties.

128

4:50-5:50pm

Annika Dearden (Speech and Hearing Sciences)

EEG based Neurofeedback Training for Auditory Attention: Who Benefits Most in Speech-in-Noise

Speech-in-noise (SiN) perception is important for everyday communication, but may still be difficult even for people with normal hearing. This study looked at whether EEG-based neurofeedback training (NFT) could improve SiN perception and which individuals benefit the most. Young adults with normal hearing were recruited in Iowa and completed a gamified NFT training over three sessions. SiN performance was measured before and after training. Results showed that sentence-in-noise performance improved after training. The improvement was strongly related to extended high-frequency hearing thresholds (r = 0.91) - suggesting that people with possible hidden hearing loss may benefit more from the training. There were no significant changes in attentional modulation index (AMI). Overall, these results suggest that NFT could help improve SiN perception, especially for individuals with peripheral deficits.

129

4:50-5:50pm

Serenity Delgado (Environmental Policy)

Repair as a Social Movement

In the US, growing frustration with the inability to fix things (due to laws, cost, or lack of knowledge) has converged with a recognition that repair is important for a host of sustainability goals. Repair as a social movement aims to be anti-capitalist by resisting throwaway culture and consumerism. Community repair workshops provide an opportunity to strengthen relationships and transfer skills and knowledge. However, repair is not immune to being co-opted by large corporations.

130

4:50-5:50pm

Marisa DiGiacomo (Neuroscience)

Dorsal Raphe Serotonergic Neuronal Activity is Impaired During the Postictal Period

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by spontaneous recurring seizures, with approximately one-third of patients experiencing drug-resistant epilepsy, which increases their risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Although the underlying mechanism for SUDEP is ultimately unknown, cardiorespiratory dysfunction and impaired arousal are thought to contribute. Serotonin (5-HT) neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) play a critical role in regulating breathing and arousal in response to elevated CO2. We hypothesized that DRN5-HT neuronal activity becomes refractory during the postictal period and is unresponsive to CO2. 

To test this, Pet1::GCaMP mice expressing a fluorescent calcium indicator in 5-HT neurons were implanted with EEG/EMG electrodes, a fiber photometry cannula targeting the DRN, and a bipolar electrode in the basolateral amygdala. Neuronal activity was measured using fiber photometry of calcium fluorescence before, during, and after seizures in plethysmography chambers under room air or CO2 exposure.

DRN5-HT neuronal activity significantly increased during seizures and was positively correlated with seizure duration, but was diminished during the postictal period. Postictal CO2 exposure did not restore the reduced fluorescent signal compared to room air, indicating impaired chemosensitivity following seizures. These findings demonstrate that DRN5-HT neurons enter a refractory state after seizures, with reduced responsiveness to CO2. This dysfunction may impair arousal and breathing recovery, potentially increasing SUDEP risk. 

131

4:50-5:50pm

Nityasri Elangovan (Bioinformatics)

Measuring the extent of DSL staff's awareness and perception of reporting and responsibilities related to hazing incidents.

Measure staff awareness of responsibilities of reporting a suspected hazing incident and referral to resources. This study supports the ongoing work of the Hazing Prevention Coalition, charged with implementing both short term and long- term strategies to strengthen hazing prevention efforts and improve support for students and staff at the University of Iowa. Recommendations made to the Coalition.

132

4:50-5:50pm

Iris Engelhardt (Linguistics (TESL) & Japanese Lang. and Lit.)

English speaker production of Japanese vowels

While many studies have been done on Japanese speakers' production of English sounds, there is significantly less scholarship investigating English speaker's production of Japanese sounds. Using feature theory and the concept of vowel space as a basis, this study investigates the production of both English speaker's English and Japanese vowels, looking at the variation both within the speaker's own production, as well as how their L2 Japanese vowels compare to L1 Japanese vowels.

133

4:50-5:50pm

Landen Freeman (Physics, Math

The Quasi-Dirac Neutrino Hypothesis and Mass Ordering at JUNO

Neutrinos are tiny particles that oscillate between “flavors.” This process is dictated by the neutrino’s mass states, the ordering of which is still an open problem. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) aims to resolve this Mass Ordering Problem with unprecedented precision. However, if neutrinos are quasi-Dirac as some theories suggest, then each mass state is actually a pair of nearly identical states, which could subtly alter their oscillations. This project explores how quasi-Dirac neutrinos might affect JUNO’s measurements and identifies the conditions where these effects are most prominent.

134

4:50-5:50pm

Andrew Geiger (Environmental Science and Chemistry)

Is "Lead-Free" Really Lead-Free? Lead Leaching into RO-Water Systems.

Recently, work by our group in CHEEC, with Prof. Samantha Zuhlke from the School of Planning and Public Affairs, at UIowa has found that reverse-osmosis (RO) treated water dispensed by pay-per-gallon drinking water kiosks in Iowa and the Midwest can contain up to 19 ppb lead, which is above the EPA drinking water action level and several health-based lead standards. The primary cause of this elevated lead was narrowed to legally-compliant "lead-free" brass fittings having less than 0.25% by weight lead. This study directly investigates lead leaching from these commonly used brass and bronze pipe fittings. We purchased 8 different types of brass and bronze fittings from local and internet suppliers. Experiments were conducted by allowing RO-treated water to sit stagnant in PEX piping built with the fittings. The samples were then analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Additional water quality parameters, including pH and conductivity, were also recorded to evaluate potential influences on leaching behavior. Although all of the fittings were "Lead-Free" under current U.S. law, they still leached up to 36.5 ppb of lead into the water. We also detected elevated levels of other metals, including up to 1,176 ppb of copper and 3,623 ppb of zinc. Lead can cause serious health problems, especially in children, so it is a priority to further investigate the effects that pipe fittings have on water quality in RO-treated water. Our work highlights concerns both in kiosks and more broadly in whole-home RO systems where retrofits to existing plumbing may be common.

135

4:50-5:50pm

Sarah Guilfoyle (Political Science BS)

The Impact of Regime Type on the Effect of Sanction on Income Inequality

This research examines the role of the regime type of the sanctioned country in the relationship between economic sanctions and the income inequality of that country. Previous research is inconclusive, with some studies finding that sanctions increase income inequality, while others find the opposite. However, they have identified that the effect varies across sanction instruments. I utilize data from the Standardized World Income Inequality Database (SWIID), the Global Sanctions Database, Threat and Imposition of Economic Sanctions data, the Polity5 dataset, and a Replication dataset to examine 153 countries between the years 1970 and 2020 through five quantitative models. The results indicate that import sanctions increase income inequality, though the significance varies by model specification and sanctions dataset used. Regime type displayed a significant conditioning effect in some models, with income inequality decreasing more in autocratic countries.

136

4:50-5:50pm

Sarah Gulick (Microbiology & Immunology)

Characterizing the effects of Lenacapavir-resistance on the kinetics of HIV-1 post-entry functions

Lencapavir (LEN) is a first-in-class, highly potent antiretroviral medication used in the treatment of multidrug-resistant HIV-1. LEN targets the viral capsid, which plays multiple roles during viral replication. Previous studies have shown that LEN can interfere with both the early and late stages of the viral replication cycle, with its most potent effects occurring during the early post-entry phase of replication. However, as LEN continues to be used in the treatment of HIV-1, clinically-relevant LEN-resistant strains of HIV-1 have the potential to become more prevalent. “HRN”, a clinically relevant LEN-resistant HIV-1 variant, replicates at near wild-type (WT) levels in the presence and absence of LEN. The mutations that enable HRN to escape LEN occur at the interface where LEN interacts with the viral capsid. However, this interface is also functional in other steps of viral replication, raising questions about how HRN replicates as efficiently as WT HIV-1. Here, we have used product enhanced reverse transcription (PERT) to measure viral reverse transcriptase (RT) content to quantify WT and HRN HIV-1 pseudovirus. Using these quantifications, we will conduct normalized infections of relevant cell lines to compare WT and HRN post-entry infection kinetics. We have demonstrated that HRN displays a similar level of infectivity as WT HIV-1 in the absence of LEN, and future experiments will quantify reverse transcription products in infected cells. These experiments are foundational for understanding how LEN-resistant variants like HRN maintain fitness despite harboring mutations in key functional regions associated with LEN escape.

137

4:50-5:50pm

Isabella Hoeger-Pinto (Neuroscience, screenwirting, Chinese)

Sex-specific Molecular Impact of 16p11.2 Deletion on D1 Medium Spiny Neurons

16p11.2 is a variant that affects 1 in every 2,000 people and is associated with NDDs including autism, ADHD and intellectual disability disorder. Male mice with this deletion have been shown to lag in their learning compared to their female counterparts as well as wild type males and females. When 16p deletion is isolated to D1 medium spiny neurons, it is sufficient to present the same lag in learning. Using proteomics, the genes that are over expressed in male 16p del mice and under expressed in female 16p del mice are responsible for DNA damage repair. This finding elicits further investigation into cells with DNA damage in D1 medium spiny neurons. When Ino80e is administered to 16p del mice, DNA damage does go down for them but increases for wild type males and females as well as 16p del females. This points to the importance of DNA damage repair and prevention as a possible therapeutic.

138

4:50-5:50pm

Danielle Hribar (Music Therapy)

Creating a Music Therapy Songbook for Older Adults with Dementia

Dementia significantly diminishes the quality of life of older adults. The purpose of my research project was to explore the therapeutic effects of music for older adults living with dementia and translate research findings into a practical and accessible songbook for use in music therapy clinical practice. Through an iterative process of literature search and review, I examined current evidence to identify how music supports non-musical outcomes such as emotional well-being, motor skills, cognitive abilities, and quality of life in older adults with dementia. I also interviewed local board certified music therapists to gather information on the process of creating a songbook for clinical use. Findings from this review informed the development of a digital songbook designed for use by music therapists in memory care settings. Repertoire selection emphasized preferred, familiar, and age-appropriate music whose musical elements supported therapeutic goals. The resulting songbook serves as a bridge between research and clinical application in memory care settings. My research project highlights the importance of integrating research into practice and provides a resource aimed at enhancing therapeutic effectiveness and meaningful engagement for older adults living with dementia.

139

4:50-5:50pm

Kasia Janik (Neuroscience)

A Human-relevant PCB52 Metabolite Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Astrocytes

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), such as 2,2’,5,5’-dichlorobiphenyl (PCB52), are persistent organic pollutants in our environment. Human exposure to these compounds is associated with neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. PCB52 is metabolized to 4-OH-PCB52, which can impair mitochondrial function, disrupt membrane potential, and generate mitochondrial ROS (superoxide; mitoROS) within glia, specifically astrocytes. Astrocytes are known to support neuronal health through homeostatic maintenance and metabolic functions. This project examines the time course of 4-OH-PCB52-mediated disruption of mitochondria and ATP production. Undifferentiated C6 astrocyte cells were preconditioned for 12 hours in glucose and galactose conditions. C6 cells normally utilize glycolysis with glucose; however, the galactose condition induces the cell to rely on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), which is a mitochondria-dependent state. Pharmacological inhibitors of the electron transport chain were used to provide mechanistic context for mitochondrial function. Following exposure to 4-OH-PCB52, ATP production was measured at 1, 2, and 4 hours using CellTiterglo® assay. Results show that within 1 hour of 4-OH-PCB52 exposure in the galactose media, inducing OXPHOS, there was a decrease in ATP generation within the mitochondria. Ongoing kinetic experiments are evaluating ATP generation within the 1–2-hour timepoint to determine when mitochondrial dysfunction begins. Mitochondrial superoxide production will be assessed using MitoSOX imaging at matched timepoints to determine whether an increase in mitoROS coincides with ATP decline. This approach aims to define the temporal relationship between mitochondrial ROS generation and bioenergetic collapse implicated in astrocyte-mediated neurotoxicity. This study will offer insights into how PCB exposure raises the risk of neurodegeneration and neurodevelopmental disorders.

140

4:50-5:50pm

Luke Jennings (Biology)

Brain waves slowing in Dravet model mice

Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide and almost 3.5 million people in the US. Dravet syndrome is an epilepsy syndrome with severe developmental comorbidities, cause by pathogenic variants in the SCN1A gene. Mice lacking one copy of the Scn1a gene (Scn1a+/-) share the clinical phenotype of Dravet syndrome, including spontaneous seizures, behavioral differences, and increased risk of premature death. In this study, we asked whether Scn1a+/- mice have changes in their baseline brain-waves as measured by electroencephalography (EEG). To do this, we implanted wild-type (WT) and Scn1a+/- littermates with subdural electrodes and recorded continuous EEG and electromyography (EMG). We scored sleep and wake for two 24-hour epochs for each mouse, at postnatal day 28 (P28) and p42, corresponding to the human developmental equivalent of late adolescence and adulthood respectively. We performed a power spectral analysis of frequencies measured by EEG. Our preliminary data show a dominance of slower frequencies in Scn1a+/- mice compared to WT during wakefulness. Changes in EEG frequency will serve as an additional biomarker for brain dysfunction in Scn1a+/- mice.

142

4:50-5:50pm

Tara Livermore (Religious Studies Minor, Psychology Major)

The Fashion Language of Religion

What does fashion communicate about status both within the institution and in the broader culture? From daily mass to the hierarchy of the Vatican, fashion speaks volumes about the pecking order of people both within and outside of the church. From the use of extravagant Catholic inspired fashion at the MET to the Pope integrating high end fashion in his wardrobe, these clothes send a message about the social standing of the church in society and the conceptions about the institution. Fashion tells a person's importance and role, a priest wears his vestments and roman collar, a nun wears her habit, and the Pope wears Gucci. This poster will examine how the Catholic church uses fashion to communicate status within the organization and their broader standings in society.

141

4:50-5:50pm

Jodi Jin (Biomedical Sciences)

Systemic Immunosuppression Alters the Cutaneous Wound Microenvironment

Solid organ transplant recipients require long-term systemic immunosuppression to prevent rejection, which increases cancer risk, However, its effects on wound healing remain unclear. This study compared cutaneous wounds at Day 0 and Day 14 in immunosuppressed and control patients using qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence. PCR showed differential VEGF and IL-1B regulation. Protein analysis demonstrated decreased PDGFA, VEGFA, and VEGFC, with increased IL-10, at Day 14. These findings indicate that systemic immunosuppression modulates wound-healing pathways at transcriptional and/or translational levels. Additional analyses are ongoing.

143

4:50-5:50pm

Madison Kafka (Microbiology)

LOX-1-dependent regulation of Dectin-1 may result in differential susceptibility to fungal pneumonia.

Rationale: 

Pneumonia is the leading cause of infection-related mortality worldwide. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the first line of defense against lung pathogens. LOX-1 and Dectin-1 are both C-type lectin receptors expressed by AMs. LOX-1 protects against inflammation while Dectin-1 elicits an immune response to fungal pathogens. Previous work showed that inhibition of LOX-1 results in Dectin-1 downregulation. Therefore, the goal of this project is to determine if LOX-1 regulates the response to fungal infection through receptor co-regulation. 

Methods: 

MH-S (AMs) cells were treated with oxLDL and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24h. Expression of LOX-1 and Dectin-1 were assessed by flow cytometry. MH-S and bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) were stimulated with heat-killed Candida albicans for 24h to assess receptor and cytokine expression by RT-qPCR. 

Results: 

Treatment of MH-S cells with oxLDL and LPS led to downregulation of both intra- and extracellular LOX-1 and Dectin-1. IL-6 induction was measured in MH-S cells post-LPS, while HKCA led to an increase in IL-1 expression and a small increase in IL-6. However, LOX-1 is significantly induced in both AMs and BMDMs following exposure to HKCA, with no change in Dectin-1 expression, indicating that LOX-1 induction may need to occur prior to Dectin-1 activation. 

Conclusion:   

While LOX-1 and Dectin-1 have a well-established roles during lung infection, our data suggest that LOX-1 and Dectin-1 are co-regulated. Future work will determine the specific pathways that lead to LOX-1-dependent regulation of Dectin-1 in macrophages and subsequent response to fungi.

144

4:50-5:50pm

Juarez Lagunas-Juarez (Health Promotion, Business Management)

Medical Record Collection and Adverse Event Documentation in the Efficacy of Diet on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis (EDQ-MS

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease of the central nervous system characterized by the demyelination of the brain and spinal cord. This condition often results in a wide range of symptoms, including extreme fatigue, visual impairments, muscle spasms, stiffness, and cognitive changes. This project is part of the Efficacy Diet on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis (EDQ-MS) study, a two-year clinical trial examining the effects of varying dietary patterns on individuals with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). A critical component of this research is the systematic documentation of adverse events (AEs) to ensure participant safety and maintain data integrity.  Adverse events may be influenced by pre-existing health conditions, lifestyle, medical care, and dietary factors. The project focuses on the collection and review of medical records and AE data. Participant surveys regarding healthcare appointments, significant life events, and changes in health are reviewed and documented. Relevant medical records, including progress notes, laboratory results, and MRI reports, are obtained and managed using RED Cap to support ongoing safety monitoring and regulatory compliance. The longitudinal collection and review of medical records provide vital insights into clinical outcomes and the safety profile of dietary interventions. By documenting how medical and life changes influence the disease course, this work supports a deeper understanding of the relationship between lifestyle factors and overall health of individuals with MS.

145

4:50-5:50pm

Adysen Lander (Exercise Science)

The Effect of Footplate Stiffness on Foot Loading within Carbon Fiber Custom Dynamic Orthoses

Introduction: Carbon fiber custom dynamic orthoses (CDOs) are provided following traumatic lower limb injuries to improve function, reduce pain, and alter foot loading. CDOs consist of a cuff just below the knee, a strut along the back of the leg, and a full-length footplate. During gait, the footplate acts as a lever arm to transmit forces around the injured foot and ankle to the limb within the cuff. However, the effect of footplate stiffness on foot loading remains unclear. This study was conducted to determine the effects of footplate stiffness on foot loading.

Methods: 12 unimpaired individuals (7 Female, 23.1(1.4)yrs, 1.7(0.1)m, 69.0(11.8)kg) with no history of limb trauma completed testing without an orthosis (NoCDO), with a CDO (CDO), and with a CDO plus one (CDO1) or two (CDO2) additional carbon fiber insoles used to simulate increased footplate stiffness. Foot loading was assessed using Loadsol insoles, which measured peak force and force impulse under the forefoot, midfoot, hindfoot, and total foot.

Results: CDO use decreased peak forefoot force and forefoot impulse and increased peak midfoot force, midfoot impulse, and hindfoot impulse. No difference was observed between CDO conditions.

Discussion: A stiffer footplate was expected to result in a more effective lever arm and further reduce forefoot loading beyond the effect of the CDO. However, additional carbon fiber insoles did not significantly affect foot loading across any region of the foot. These findings indicate that while CDOs alter foot loading, adding carbon fiber insoles does not enhance CDO related changes.

146

4:50-5:50pm

Eleana Lemus (International Relations, Spanish)

Transit-Countries use of migration of foreign policy.

As migration policies in Western destination countries become increasingly restrictive, transit countries have emerged as critical actors in managing global migration flows. Traditionally defined as states through which migrants pass en route to their intended destinations, transit countries are now frequently transformed into de facto host states due to tightened border controls and limited migrant mobility. This paper argues that transit countries leverage their geographic position and control over migration routes as a strategic foreign policy tool to influence destination countries. Through an analysis of migration governance in the European Union and the United States, and case studies of Turkey, Mexico, and Morocco, this study demonstrates how transit states utilize migration control to secure financial aid, trade benefits, and political concessions. The paper situates this phenomenon within broader shifts toward the externalization of border control, whereby destination countries outsource migration enforcement to neighboring states. Findings suggest that the effectiveness of migration as leverage depends on key factors, including geographic control over migration chokepoints, the scale and urgency of migration flows, domestic political pressures in destination countries, and preexisting economic and security relationships. This research highlights the transformation of transit countries from passive corridors into strategic actors, reshaping power dynamics in international relations and redefining migration as a tool of foreign policy.

147

4:50-5:50pm

Joaquin Leon (Mechanical Engineering

In Vitro Mucociliary Clearance Using Resin-Printed Cilia

Our project involves understand how we can modify ciliary diameter, length, and density to causes changes in ciliary propulsion and mimic mucociliary clearance (MCC). The cilia we are using to conduct the research are limited to the mechanical properties of the flexible resin that we are using and must use a force proportional to these mechanical properties to mimic biological conditions including ciliary beating.

Once the cilia are printed with a specific diameter, length, orientation, and density, they are then adhered to a controlled environment that is filled with water and fluorescent particles to act as the periciliary layer (PCL) and mucus layer. The controlled environment is then actuated using oscillatory motion of a DC voltage generator and a haptic actuator to induce ciliary motion. This ciliary motion, with ideal cilia dimensions, will cause directional flow of the water and fluorescent particles to mimic clearance of the trachea and pulmonary system.

148

4:50-5:50pm

Jessie Li (Neuroscience)

Quantification of PCB52 Metabolites in the Brain of Female Sprague-Dawley Rats Exposed to 2,2′,5,5′-Tetrachlorobiphenyl-4-ol via Polymeric Implant

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are ubiquitous in the environment. PCB exposure has been linked to cancer and multisystem toxicity, including endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, and neurotoxicity. Among the 209 PCB congeners, 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB52) is one of the most frequently detected congeners in both the environment and humans. 2,2',5,5'-Tetrachlorobiphenyl-4-ol (4-OH-PCB52) is a human-relevant PCB metabolite that has been shown to be more toxic than PCB52. To investigate the neurotoxicity of 4-OH-PCB52, female Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to 4-OH-PCB52 via polymeric implants at total loading concentrations ranging from 0%, 1%, 5%, and 10% of the implant (w/w) for 28 days. Behavioral assessments, including the Y-maze, hole board test, open field test, and elevated plus maze, were performed to evaluate behavioral outcomes. After 28 days of exposure, the rats were sacrificed, and tissues were collected for analysis of PCB metabolites. In this subproject, 4-OH-PCB52 and its metabolites were extracted using a liquid–liquid extraction method and analyzed by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Preliminary data indicate that 4-OH-PCB52 and its metabolite, 4,4'-diOH-PCB52, were detected in brain tissue. Further investigations into their association with behavioral outcomes are ongoing.

149

4:50-5:50pm

Siqi Li (Computer Science and Engineering

Unpacking the Transformer: From Synthetic Grammars to Geometric Manifolds

How does a machine learn the "shape" of data? In the Generative Models Toy Lab, we explore this through the "Generative Quartet"—a comparison of GAN, VAE, Diffusion, and Transformer architectures. This project focuses on the Transformer, investigating its ability to recover 1D manifold topology through autoregressive density estimation. We introduce a two-phase forensic approach. First, we utilize the "K-Index" toy problem—a sequence-fetching task designed to determine if the model is learning a logical "grammar" or simply memorizing a lookup table. We contrast two tokenization strategies: a 20-word "Abstract Map" and a 10-digit character-level approach. Through Generalization Stress Tests—testing on unseen sequence lengths—and attention-map visualizations, we demonstrate how the model "invents" numerical relationships and internalizes relative positioning. Finally, we transfer these insights to a 2D manifold consisting of three rings with non-zero width. By treating coordinate space as a discretized grid, we prove that attention mechanisms can effectively "imagine" complex distributions. Our findings highlight the transition from implicit pattern-making to explicit understanding in generative systems.

150

4:50-5:50pm

Paige Liebrecht (Environmental Science, Bioscience)

Potential for flood reconstruction along the Iowa River using white oak (Quercus alba) tree rings

The 2008 Midwest floods were among the most severe disasters of the 21st century, impacting eastern Iowa and causing substantial socio-economic losses. While this event is widely recognized as a record-breaking flood in areas such as Iowa City, little is known about the intensity and frequency of flood events prior to the instrumental period. This lack of long-term context limits the understanding of hydrologic variability and its drivers. To address this gap, we investigate the potential of oak tree rings along the Iowa River to reconstruct flood history over the past several centuries. We sampled trees from the shoreline and upland at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area. While most trees were established after the 1870s, the oldest individual exceeds 270 years. We find that radial tree growth at both sites is positively correlated with May–August lake level measured at Coralville Lake Reservoir MET Station between 1960 and 2025, with a substantially stronger relationship at the shoreline (r = 0.54, p < 0.001) than in the upland stand (r = 0.28, p = 0.021). Growth during the 1993 and 2008 flood years was notably anomalous since 1900. These results suggest that white oak tree rings, especially along river shores, can effectively record flood signals, highlighting their potential for reconstructing long-term flood variability in the Midwest.

151

4:50-5:50pm

Clare Loussaert (Elementary Education, Spanish)

Academic Achievement of Elementary Students in Dual Language Education in the Rural Midwest: A Mixed Methods Study

I examined the academic achievement of dual language students in the rural Midwest using a mixed methods study. My research seeks to answer the following primary question: In what ways does academic achievement differ and/or remain the same for students in the Dual Language program and for students receiving English-only instruction? These questions guide my study: What do classroom observations reveal about the effectiveness of Dual Language and English-only instruction for fourth graders? What qualities of instruction (small group, individual instruction, whole group) support student language and literacy achievement? Based on the premise that during Spanish instructional time teachers and students will speak only Spanish, under what conditions does this occur (or not occur)? I measured "academic achievement" with standardized tests scores from the ISASP and FAST tests. I completed classroom observation to examine how instruction might affect academic achievement. This work adds to a body of literature regarding dual language education and fills a crucial gap of being in a rural and elementary setting.

152

4:50-5:50pm

Cecilia Martel (Pre-law)

Effect of Extending Postpartum Medicaid Coverage on Maternal Health Outcomes

In 2022, the American Rescue Plan Act enabled states to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months, aiming to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce mortality. This study examines whether early adoption of this policy was associated with changes in maternal mortality rates. Using a comparative design, states that adopted the extension in 2022 were analyzed against non-adopting states by assessing changes in maternal mortality between 2021 and 2023. Statistical significance of policy adoption was assessed using mean differences and t-tests. Findings indicate that early adopters experienced a greater reduction in maternal mortality rates compared to non-adopters when excluding pandemic related deaths. However, these differences were not statistically significant. When deaths related to COVID-19 were included, no meaningful differences were observed between groups. These results suggest that while there may be a directional improvement associated with expanded postpartum coverage, the short evaluation window and confounding effects of the pandemic limit the ability to detect significant impacts. The findings highlight the complexity of addressing maternal mortality, which is influenced by broader structural factors, including healthcare access, racial disparities, and social supports. Although postpartum Medicaid extension may improve access to care during a critical period, it alone may be insufficient to produce immediate, measurable reductions in mortality. Continued evaluation with longer-term data and broader policy considerations is necessary to fully assess the effectiveness of this intervention.

153

4:50-5:50pm

Joe McCleary (Chemical Engineering)

Dispersion of Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilms in Liquid Media

Bacterial biofilms are resistant to traditional antibiotic treatments, but applying thermal shocks to these biofilms has shown to be a promising way to kill them. However, this may also disperse them into surrounding tissue to evade the shock. To better understand this dispersion, Staphylococcus aureus biofilms were grown on microscopy slides and exposed to liquid media in two forms: a beaker, and a flow-cell designed to reduce re-adhesion. These experiments have shown rapid equilibrium forming between bacteria on the biofilm and the bacteria that disperses into surrounding media, which provides a baseline for future experiments involving thermal shock.

154

4:50-5:50pm

Riley McCoy (Biomedical Sciences)

Prenatal poly(I:C) exposure leads to social deficits and hypoactivity of brain network regulating social behavior

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a well-established risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia, some of which show a strong male bias in prevalence. To model the effects of a gestational viral infection on brain function and behavior, we employed an MIA paradigm using polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), a synthetic double-stranded RNA analog. Pregnant C57BL/6J dams received a single dose of poly(I:C) (5 mg/kg, i.v.) on gestational day 9. At postnatal day 66, male mice underwent a social interaction test, and their brains were fixed 2 hours later for iDISCO processing. Behavioral analysis revealed reduced social interaction time in poly(I:C)-exposed mice compared with controls, indicating impaired sociability following MIA. The brains then underwent tissue clearing and immunolabeling for c-Fos, an immediate early gene and biomarker for neuronal activity. Brains were imaged with light-sheet microscopy and analyzed via the ClearMap algorithm. Using metrics of both cell count and density, we observed reduced c-Fos expression in six brain regions linked to sociability, including the insular cortex, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, globus pallidus, thalamus, subiculum, and visceral cortex. Processing of social behavior involves activity of a broad brain network. Our data indicate that prenatal poly(I:C) exposure results in hypoactivity of multiple brain regions in this network, associated with social deficits shown in adult male mice. The results pave the way for future circuit-based studies to unravel neural mechanisms underlying social withdrawal in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders linked to MIA.

155

4:50-5:50pm

Maddie McFatridge (Criminology

The Flint Water Crisis Public Archive: Navigating & Organizing Email Records of the Crisis

The Flint Water Crisis: The Flint Water Crisis is an ongoing public health disaster in Flint, Michigan that began in 2014 when the city temporarily switched to a new water source. In 2016, the state of Michigan released a collection of approximately 445,000 pages of emails from government officials and their correspondents relating to Flint's water. Beyond researching the history of the crisis, undergraduate research assistants worked on filling out and further developing methods to organize a spreadsheet of 1,248 names gathered from the emails. The data compiled from the spreadsheets will be used to create an email archive which contains half a million pages of emails. This publicly available archive will be easily accessible and contain information about all involved members

156

4:50-5:50pm

Camryn McIlravy (Speech and Hearing Science)

Effects of Articulator Awareness Training on Oral Somatosensory Acuity in Children With and Without Speech Sound Disorders

Children with speech sound disorders (SSDs) often demonstrate reduced accuracy in articulator placement, which may be related to differences in somatosensory feedback (i.e., sensory information about the position and movement of the speech articulators). Although prior research has examined somatosensory processing using static assessment approaches, less is known about children's ability to learn and improve somatosensory awareness when provided with structured support. The present study set out to develop a new task to assess children's stimulability and learning potential in somatosensory acuity and pilot the responsiveness to articulator awareness training in children with and without SSD. Data collection is ongoing with children aged 5-8 participating in a pre-/post-test design. The protocol included tongue region identification and shape discrimination tasks using 3D-printed tongue depressors. Stimuli were developed through successive adaptations: initial 5 mm shapes were adjusted to 8 mm after observing limited discriminability, then refined to 10 mm shapes for younger children. The training task paired textured stimuli with visual and verbal feedback. The discrimination tasks were then repeated. Accuracy was recorded in both pre- and post-training phases, and changes in accuracy were analyzed to assess somatosensory learning and stimulability. The results provide a proof-of-concept of the new method for assessing lingual somatosensory acuity and responsiveness to training, which can inform clinical assessment and intervention approaches for children with SSD. Specifically, results may support the inclusion of somatosensory-based strategies, such as articulator awareness training, in individualized treatment plans.

157

4:50-5:50pm

Alexi Michanicou (physics and astronomy)

Extracting Luminosity Metrics from Pulsating Aurora

Pulsating aurora is an energetic long-lasting aurora caused by energetic electrons carrying few hundred KeV characterized by its pulsating appearance, each pulsation averaging 8-10 seconds. To better understand why it occurs, we look at the luminosity of the aurora, and at the pitch angle and energy of the precipitating electrons causing it. The Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) all-sky imagers (ASI) located across Canada and Alaska. The imagers take images of the aurora every 3 seconds which can then be put together into a mosaic-map to see the aurora as it occurs across Canada (Donovan 2006). The energetic particle detector on the Electron Losses and Fields Investigation (ELFIN) satellite measures electron data from 50 keV to 5 MeV in 16 different channels and measures their pitch angles and the counts of how many electrons are in each energy range (Angelopoulos 2020). With python we are able to create a video that shows a bounding box that following the path of the satellite across the mosaic and collects luminosity data in term of photon counts and connects that to the electron data collected by ELFIN. Future work involves comparing luminosity metrics to the data collected by the REAL and TRACERS satellites.

158

4:50-5:50pm

Nour Mohamed Nour (Electrical Engineering)

Mission HAMMR: A multidisciplinary Exploration of Earth's Magnetosphere Through Immersive Art

Mission High Altitude Magnetic Resonance is a high-altitude ballon project designed to investigate Earth's magnetosphere through a combination of instrumentations and immersive art. Designed to launch from Iceland, this payload carries a magnetometer, barometer, and a temperature sensor to collect data on the magnetic field behavior, atmospheric pressure and thermal conditions across varying altitudes. Simultaneously, a 360-degree camera captures the full launch experience with footage to be integrated into a virtual reality experience that brings the mission to a broader audience. The first launch will happen in July initially and will be repeated again in August during the solar eclipse to compare the dramatically different solar conditions to examine how changes in solar radiation influence magnetospheric behavior and provide a different perspective. At its core, mission HAMMR sits at the intersection of engineering, physics, art and education which demonstrates that the most compelling science is not measured only, but is a story to be told.

159

4:50-5:50pm

Ella Morgan (Microbiology)

Mutations in the HIV-1 CA C-terminus reduce the efficiency of virus production

The HIV-1 capsid protein (CA) plays distinct roles in particle assembly and maturation. During particle assembly, the C-terminus of CA and the adjacent spacer peptide 1 (SP1) form a six-helix bundle (6HB) with five neighboring copies of the Gag polyprotein, stabilizing the immature Gag lattice and driving virus production. Upon release, the virion undergoes maturation, in which Gag is cleaved into individual proteins. The liberated CA protein then assembles into the capsid, concealing and protecting the viral genome for subsequent infection. In this mature state, the CA C-terminus is unstructured and without a clear functional role. However, a recent study demonstrated a CA C-terminus mutant that results in a structurally defined C-terminus and enhances the efficiency of capsid assembly. To study the effect of the CA C-terminus on capsid assembly, we sought to identify mutants capable of particle assembly. Because the CA C-terminus plays a crucial role in particle assembly, mutations in this region generally ablate  virus production, preventing the study of subsequent steps in the viral replication cycle. To circumvent this issue, we tested the addition of the T8I mutation in SP1 with several C-terminus mutants due to its stabilizing effect on the 6HB and ability to restore virus production to assembly-incompetent mutants. Our results showed that virus production efficiency was rescued by T8I only for the mutant P224A, underscoring the importance of the C-terminus on particle assembly and demonstrating that the ability of T8I to reverse virus production defects is not ubiquitous.

160

4:50-5:50pm

Jasper Murphy (Majors: Psychology, French; Minor: Linguistics)

Proficiency and Figurative Language: Processing French Idioms in L2 Learners

An idiom is a common phrase where you cannot decipher its meaning from the words alone. A very classic example is the phrase, “Spill the beans.” A native speaker would tell you that it means to tell someone a secret. But someone who's new to English would be very confused, as the words literally mean to spill beans onto something. This study explores how second language proficiency affects how we process idioms. Specifically, native English speakers studying French at the university level. This study looks at two different kinds of idioms: those that exist in both English and French (congruent) and those that are unique to French (incongruent). The hypothesis is that native English speakers who have a higher French proficiency will process congruent idioms the fastest.

161

4:50-5:50pm

Ava Nollen (Japanese, History)

Polar Opposites and Twin Flames: Sono Ayako and Takahashi Takako's Expressions of Japanese Catholicism through Literature

My essay argues that the authors Sono Ayako and Takahashi Takako, while incredibly different both in their writing careers and their personal life, both strongly interact with Japanese Catholicism in their literary works. What connects the elusive Takahashi and the outspoken Sono is that their unique Japanese Catholic faith bleeds through the text to provide a new perspective on Japanese society. In the essay, Takahashi’s novel The Wasteland and her collection of short stories Lonely Woman as well as Sono’s novels Watcher From the Shore and No Reason For Murder are analyzed, compared, and contrasted against one another as well as the author’s shared religion for a comprehensive understanding of how both women reckoned with pertinent societal issues such as morality, abortion, and sexism.

162

4:50-5:50pm

Nina Osborne (Geographical and Sustainability Science; Environmental Policy)

Bur Oak Physiological Response Across Temperature and CO2 Treatments using Leaf-Level Spectral Reflectance

Climate models increasingly rely on spectral reflectance to track physiological shifts in forests under changing environmental conditions because it provides faster analysis through minimal sample preparation. However, these models can perform well only when trained on a range of scenarios and conditions, and they may not capture critical individual-level variability during stress events. Here, we examine the response of Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak) saplings to prolonged heat stress and elevated carbon dioxide over a 10-week growth period. Saplings were grown in six controlled chambers representing distinct climate scenarios, combining varying temperatures (ambient, +3 °C, +6 °C) and CO2 concentrations (ambient 425 ppm, elevated 800 ppm). Leaf- level spectral reflectance (350 - 2500 nm) was tracked to analyze variance in structural shifts, with a focus on Chlorophyll B productivity (460 nm absorption feature), nitrogen concentration (1510 nm), and water content (1950 nm).  Within these features, all chambers exhibit low variance until Week 6, where responses diverge. At equal temperatures, the 425ppm group demonstrates a stronger heat-dependent response as compared to the 800ppm group across all features, though this effect is strongest within the Chlorophyll B feature. In Week 10, carbon impact lessens, where both +6 °C chambers exhibit extreme stress through heightened reflectance and variance.   As trees are facing increasing pressures, we need to develop better tools and technology for monitoring their health across landscapes. This work will establish a foundation for monitoring of bur oak physiological status using remote sensing across a growing season.

163

4:50-5:50pm

Brooke Paasch (Political Science and International Relations)

The influence of civic nationalism and ethnonationalism on individuals' attitudes toward immigrants.

Using statistical analysis, I examine the relationship between ethnonationalism and civic nationalism and assess how these orientations shape individuals' attitudes toward immigrants. Drawing on data from the American Values Survey, I develop and support these conclusions.

164

4:50-5:50pm

Maria Pronina (Biochemistry B.S. with Pre-Med track)

Cardiovascular Outcomes of Doxorubicin vs. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Breast Cancer Patients

Introduction: Doxorubicin remains a cornerstone of breast cancer treatment but is known to cause cardiotoxicity. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly used in patients with breast cancer, but reports of ICI-associated cardiovascular toxicities have raised concerns regarding their relative cardiovascular safety. We compared cardiovascular outcomes in patients with breast cancer treated with doxorubicin versus ICIs.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX Research Network, including more than 300 million patients from over 200 healthcare organizations worldwide. Cohorts were created for patients with breast cancer treated with doxorubicin only and for those treated with pembrolizumab, nivolumab, ipilimumab, durvalumab, or atezolizumab without doxorubicin. Assessed outcomes were mortality, arrhythmia, pericarditis, acute myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, heart failure. Risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each ICI cohort versus the doxorubicin-only cohort.

Results: All ICIs studied were associated with a higher risk of death versus doxorubicin. Pembrolizumab, nivolumab, ipilimumab, and atezolizumab treatment was associated with higher risk of pericarditis. Acute myocardial infarction risk was higher with pembrolizumab, durvalumab, and atezolizumab. Arrhythmia risk was higher with pembrolizumab, ipilimumab, durvalumab, and atezolizumab. Ischemic heart disease risk was higher with pembrolizumab and atezolizumab. Nivolumab was associated with a lower risk of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Conclusions: These findings warrant further investigation into possible differences in disease stage or underlying cardiovascular risk factors that could explain associations between ICIs and cardiovascular complications. Studies of doxorubicin and ICI treatment of other cancers will reveal if these associations generalize beyond breast cancer.

165

4:50-5:50pm

Abdul Quraishi (Chemistry B.A.)

Exploring the Development of Science Practice Skills in Two Different Learning Environments

Proficiency in core science practice skills is essential for student success and forms the foundation for future scientific work.  Understanding how these skills are accomplished is critical for effective STEM education. This project explores how students develop science practice skills in different laboratory environments. The goal is to see what patterns in their assessment scores emerge when students are provided opportunities to engage these skills and are graded on them. In this study, we explore two lab courses - Organic Chemistry for Sophomores and Synthesis & Measurement for Seniors. We first review the student expectations (learning objectives), opportunities provided for engagement, and the assessment tools to see how the courses are structured to support the development of these critical competencies. We then analyze student assessment scores to see what patterns emerge. We will share the outcomes of this analysis with implications for teaching and future research.

166

4:50-5:50pm

Nicole Ramker (Environmental Sciences BS (Biosciences Track))

Analyzing Spatial Distributions of Plant Biodiversity at Ashton Prairie

A large portion of Ashton Prairie, the University of Iowa's native constructed prairie project, was seeded at the end of 2021. It takes multiple years to fully establish a new prairie from seed. In its fourth growing season, over the summer of 2025, our research team systematically collected plant biodiversity data of Ashton Prairie. Using nested quadrats, we surveyed 183 plots to gather both species densities and frequencies. We observed over 100 different plant species - including seeded and volunteer species of both native and nonnative status. This project aims to create a baseline dataset for Ashton Prairie, as it reaches maturation, that can be used to determine best management practices based upon spatial distributions of observed plant species.

167

4:50-5:50pm

Malia Rasavanh (Human Physiology

Investigating the Transgenerational Effects of Excess Neonatal Testosterone Treatment in Wild-type Mice

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) arise from complex interactions between heritable, environmental, and hormonal factors, exhibiting strong sex bias in males. During a critical period of permanent brain organization, a surge in testosterone occurs that masculinizes the male brain. Excess testosterone during this critical period may disproportionately affect males because they already display elevated endogenous levels, providing a possible mechanism for underlying male sex bias vulnerability in NDDs. Previous work by the Ferri lab showed excess testosterone (T) on the day of birth in wild-type mice, induced male-specific social and fear-memory deficits compared to vehicle-treated (Veh) controls. Given that NDDs are heritable, we investigated transgenerational effects by breeding the parental (F0) generation and evaluating the untreated offspring (F1). To assess fertility effects within T-treated mice, four breeding paradigms were established to track fecundity, mating-to-birth latency, litter size, mortality, and inherited behavioral traits. All paradigms showed successful reproductive capacity, but not all were able to produce viable offspring. Veh- and T-treated males successfully bred with Veh-treated females; however, Veh- and T-treated males bred with T-treated females had fewer viable offspring. Estrous cycling revealed that T-treated females spend less time in estrus, suggesting decreased ovulation and a disrupted fertile period. Our findings suggest that despite reproductive impairments in the F0 generation, the F1 generation did not demonstrate inherited social or fear-memory deficits. This highlights that males and females can experience different outcomes from the same hormonal dysregulation, in our model, inducing NDD-relevant phenotypes in males while disrupting reproductive function in females.

168

4:50-5:50pm

Emily Roberts (Microbiology and Music Performance)

The Role of Calprotectin in Nutritional Immunity: Zinc Sequestration During Campylobacter Infection

C. jejuni is a highly motile, foodborne pathogen that is a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Campylobacter infection is unique because pathology is tied to the host’s innate immune response, as opposed to specific bacterial toxins or effectors. During Campylobacteriosis, neutrophils are recruited to the site of infection and significantly contribute to damage to the gastric epithelium. Neutrophils possess various mechanisms to eliminate bacterial invaders, one being the antimicrobial protein calprotectin. Calprotectin is a highly abundant, neutrophil-associated protein that sequesters transition metals from bacterial pathogens, limiting their ability to grow. After undergoing structural changes dependent on calcium concentration, two distinct metal-binding sites in calprotectin are formed that sequester zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and nickel. Given the link between Campylobacteriosis and neutrophils, we were interested in how calprotectin impacts C. jejuni. We started by identifying the calprotectin dose that inhibits wild-type Campylobacter growth by 50%. Next, we sought to explore which calprotectin-binding metal is most important and found that zinc supplementation restored Campylobacter growth during calprotectin treatment, suggesting zinc limitation as the mechanism of bacterial inhibition. We further found through RT-qPCR that C. jejuni upregulates znuABC during calprotectin-induced zinc limitation. We then used a mutant in the high-affinity zinc transporter to illustrate attenuated growth during calprotectin treatment. Fluorescent microscopy was used to correlate elevated calprotectin in tissue following Campylobacter infection, and RT-qPCR revealed that calprotectin transcripts are elevated during wild-type infection in mice. All together, this work highlights the importance of studying how transition metal nutrients impact bacterial virulence.

169

4:50-5:50pm

Heaven Ross (Speech and Hearing Science)

Using Ultrasound to Examine Motor and Phonological Processes in Children with SSDs

Producing accurate speech sounds requires precise control and coordination of mouth and tongue movements. Some children, particularly those with speech sound disorders (SSDs), have more difficulty to produce accurate speech sounds, but this can have different reasons. For example, children with childhood apraxia of speech, a subtype of SSD, struggle to consistently move their tongue and lips correctly, while children with subtype Phonological Disorder struggle with the speech sound system. Understanding these differences may help researchers and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) develop more effective methods for assessing and treating SSD.

This study examines lingual movement control using a newly developed ultrasound task. Specifically, it investigates how children with SSD shape their tongue during speech, comparing the variability in productions of the same speech sounds with the variability in contrasts between sounds. This comparison aims to establish whether speech difficulties originate from motor or phonological planning. Data collection is currently ongoing. The task asks participants to repeat three pairs of speech sounds that form minimal phonological contrasts: pairs that differ only in tongue placement while remaining the same in all other aspects: /asa/–/a?a/, /ata/–/aka/, and /ala/–/ara/. Speech productions are analyzed in two ways: the size and variability of the difference between the sounds and the production and variability of each sound separately, based on both acoustics (sound characteristics) and articulation (tongue shape). This approach aims to better understand articulatory stability and variability in children with SSDs, with the goal to inform more precise, physiology-based assessment and intervention strategies. 

170

4:50-5:50pm

Frederick Schultz (Computer Science)

From Geometry to Language: Assessing the Utility of Adversarial "Sculpting" in Manifold Learning

In modern medical imaging, complex data distributions are often conceptualized as points lying on a high-dimensional manifold. To investigate the mechanisms by which AI architectures learn these structures, we utilize a 2D "Toy Dataset" consisting of three concentric rings (annuli) with non-zero widths. This study presents a three-pillar comparative analysis to evaluate the necessity of adversarial mechanics and the feasibility of semantic control. First, we establish a baseline "Ablation Case" using a standard Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), hypothesizing that without a "Critic" to judge distribution authenticity, the model will fail to capture the continuous width of the rings. Second, we implement a Conditional GAN (cGAN) where a Critic model actively "sculpts" the Generator’s output. Through the "Warping Assay"—visualizing the deformation of a uniform latent grid—and Critic Scalar Field heatmaps, we demonstrate that adversarial interplay is essential for capturing smooth probability distributions. Finally, we introduce a "Semantic Bridge" by interfacing the cGAN with a Large Language Model (LLM). This "Language-to-Geometry" pipeline enables a user to navigate the learned manifold via natural language prompts, representing a shift from standalone generative models to instruction-following agentic systems.

171

4:50-5:50pm

Lauren Schultz (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology)

Macrophages as Potential Mediators of JC Polyomavirus Trafficking and Pathogenesis

JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) is a circular double-stranded DNA virus present in approximately 80–90% of the global population. Following asymptomatic infection, JCPyV establishes latency in the kidneys and can reactivate under immunosuppression, leading to central nervous system (CNS) infection and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a demyelinating disease with high mortality. The mechanism by which JCPyV traffics from peripheral sites to the brain remains poorly understood. Monocytes, circulating immune cells that cross the blood–brain barrier, can differentiate into macrophages and may serve as a vehicle for viral dissemination into the CNS. This study investigates the susceptibility of human monocyte-derived macrophages to JCPyV infection and their potential role in viral trafficking. Human monocytes were isolated from blood and differentiated into macrophages, with a subset infected with JCPyV in vitro. Cells underwent non-specific protein blocking followed by immunofluorescent staining using antibodies targeting the viral VP1 capsid protein and T-antigen. Quantitative analysis was performed by normalizing fluorescence signal area to DAPI staining to compare infected and uninfected cells. Immunofluorescent staining was also performed on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) human brain tissue from PML patients and JCPyV negative controls. This enabled the detection of JCPyV-infected CD163+ CD68+ macrophages in the brains of individuals with PML. Our results demonstrate that human monocyte-derived macrophages can be infected with JCPyV experimentally, supporting their potential role in viral dissemination. These findings suggest that macrophages may contribute to JCPyV transport across the BBB and subsequent CNS infection. Future studies will include immunohistochemical analysis of PML brain tissue to identify JCPyV-infected macrophages.

172

4:50-5:50pm

Yatharth Sirohi (Physics)

Probing Lepton Number Violation and Neutrino Mass via Particle-Antiparticle Oscillations

Heavy Neutral Leptons (HNLs) are hypothetical particles that could explain the origin of neutrino masses. HNLs couple to Standard Model particles only through their mixing with active neutrinos, with interaction strengths suppressed by small mixing angles, resulting in “weaker-than-weak” interactions. As a result, HNLs can be long-lived and travel measurable distances before decaying inside neutrino detectors. By applying a small Majorana mass in the HNL mass matrix, mass splitting occurs between two nearly degenerate states. This allows for detectable oscillations as the HNL oscillates between itself (N) and its antiparticle (N?). In this work, we use this Quasi-Dirac model and apply it to computational frameworks below the kaon mass. We analyze the detection of N and N? oscillations through the unique decay signatures of each particle. These frameworks are applied to existing and future detector experiments to determine the parameter constraints and sensitivity for detecting lepton number-violating oscillations. In future work, we will refine the detector geometry and computational framework through the implementation of Monte Carlo modeling and constraint checks against existing experimental and phenomenological literature.

173

4:50-5:50pm

Dylan Thompson (Biology)

Fascin is a novel regulator of the nucleolus during Drosophila oogenesis

The nucleolus, located inside of the nucleus, is a critical organelle for cellular function. The nucleolus has many functions, including ribosome biogenesis, regulation of the cell cycle, heterochromatin organization, and coordination of the cellular stress response. It is well documented that there is a close relationship between nucleolar function and morphology; disruptions in nucleolar function causes changes in nucleolar morphology. While the functions of the nucleolus are well understood, cellular factors that regulate the nucleolus remain unclear. To identify these cellular regulators of the nucleolus, the Tootle lab uses Drosophila oogenesis as a model. Using this model, we identified Fascin, an actin bundling protein, as a novel regulator of nucleolar function. Within cancer research, Fascin is known to be critical in cancer development, being aggressive in high quantities. Prior work in our lab demonstrated that loss of Fascin leads to a decrease in nucleolar function and dispersed nucleolar morphology, but it is unknown what the impact of too much Fascin is on the nucleolus. Utilizing the GAL4/UAS system to overexpress Fascin in the germline cells of the ovary, I performed experiments through staining both the nucleus and cytoplasm, which was used to differentiate morphological features of the nucleolus and its light intensity assessing nucleolar functionality in ribosome biogenesis. I found that overexpression of Fascin leads to an increase in nucleolar function. We hope this work allows for greater understanding of the cellular mechanisms that control the nucleolus, and how these mechanisms may become disrupted in different diseases such as cancer.

174

4:50-5:50pm

Meredith Sloat (Neuroscience)

Sleep Disorders in Genetically Defined IDDs Across Rural and Urban Populations: An EHR Study from a Large Academic Healthcare System

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) typically have high rates of sleep disturbances which may exacerbate symptoms and worsen functional outcomes. Individuals in rural areas may be particularly at risk due to decreased access to specialized healthcare. The University of Iowa Health Care (UIHC) system provides care across the state, allowing for examination of sleep diagnoses in a relatively untapped rural population. Accordingly, the present study’s objective was to focus on IDDs with known genetic causes (Fragile X, Angelman, Prader-Willi, and Rett Syndromes) and compare utilization of sleep-related procedures and sleep medicine diagnoses between rural and urban residences. 342 total cases were identified utilizing UIowa TrinetX resources. Across IDDs, 130 individuals (38%) were diagnosed with 1+ sleep disorder, with no significant difference between urban (37.9%) and rural (38.3%) groups (?²=.005, p=.95). OSA (18.7%) and insomnia (11.4%) were the most prevalent specific sleep disorders, and number of diagnosed cases did not differ between urban and rural residences (OSA: ?²=1.88, p=.17; insomnia: ?²=0.43, p=.51). Individuals in rural and urban residences were equally likely to utilize sleep-related procedures (?²=.01, p=.91). However, individuals from urban residences were more likely to be prescribed sleep aids (30.6% vs. 19.1%, ?²=4.52, p=.03). These results support the growing literature that sleep disorders are prevalent in genetically-defined IDDs. The present sample demonstrates that sleep disorder diagnoses and procedures were not significantly different between rural and urban areas. Future work should focus on understanding barriers to comprehensive sleep care and evaluating the appropriateness/effectiveness of pharmacological/behavioral interventions across settings.

175

4:50-5:50pm

Michael Spies (Music Therapy)

Comparing Asynchronous and Synchronous Telehealth Music Therapy to Develop Best Practices

Clinicians continue to shift towards telehealth music therapy (TMT). However, there is a dearth of evidence-based research on which delivery method, synchronous (live, interactive) or asynchronous (pre-recorded, self-guided), best supports an older adult population in a palliative or hospice care setting. The purpose of this project was to (a) compare synchronous and asynchronous telehealth for older adults in end-of-life care settings, (b) identify client-specific factors for consideration within each modality, (c) develop a recommendation guide for decision-making for music therapy clinicians, and (d) create an example session video recording according to best practice guidelines. I completed an iterative review of the literature, and an interview with a board-certified music therapist with extensive telehealth clinical experience with the population, and synthesized these to create a mock session recording to demonstrate best practice for the asynchronous modality. Literature revealed that synchronous TMT is feasible and beneficial for older adults in palliative care, providing interpersonal connection, emotional support, and opportunities for legacy work. However, success depends critically on client hearing status, level of alertness, and the presence of trained in-person facilitators. Additionally, challenges such as limitations in mobility, isolation, motivation and technology can complicate access to services. Asynchronous TMT, while offering flexibility, presents significant challenges related to reliance on understaffed facilities for accurate client reporting and the inability to adapt interventions in real time. Expert findings confirmed these patterns, with the clinician noting that synchronous sessions were preferred for motor and relaxation goals, while asynchronous was considered for social, cognitive, and reminiscence goals.

176

4:50-5:50pm

Kelsey Taylor (Microbiology)

Campylobacter jejuni Transposon Library (TnShrink)

Transposons are mobile genetic elements that insert themselves into regions of a bacterial genome and disrupt the genes they insert into. Transposon libraries are a collection of singular transposon insertions across the entire bacterial genome, allowing screenings to identify genes with specific functions, regulation, and survival. We started with 8,640 individual Campylobacter strains from a previous mariner transposon mutagenesis. We sought to confirm and organize these individual strains into an ordered library of less than 1,000 strains that can be easily utilized. Annotation of each transposon hit was mapped to individual genes by comparing the position of the hit to the known sequences. We found 963 genes with transposon insertions, accounting for 58% of the Campylobacter genome, with an average of 4 insertions per gene. Intergenic regions, accounting for 10% of the hits, along with strains that had two transposons, were deleted. This left 905 unique hits and 3574 total insertions, representing 55% of the bacterial genome. Isolations were done for two insertions of each gene. A universal primer and gene-specific primer were created, and genomes were PCR amplified. Gel electrophoresis was used to confirm the expected transposon hit, and the strain was organized into an ordered library for future screens. We plan to use this transposon library to investigate genes required for neutrophil infection, cold/milk survival, nitric oxide stress, and more. These assays will hopefully help determine genes involved in the spread and pathogenicity specific to such environments, potentially having broader implications for the food and health industry.

177

4:50-5:50pm

Alexis Winkel (Political Science)

Understanding the Different Drivers Behind Left- and Right-Wing Populism: A Text Analysis of European Populist Parties

While right-wing populism has quickly become a powerful force in American and European politics in recent years, left-wing populism has not had nearly the same level of success in these countries. While many researchers have investigated the rise of right-wing populism in the US and Europe and whether it is economic or cultural insecurity that creates a populist electorate, few have researched the extent to which populist parties themselves are economically or culturally driven. This study expands the current data by doing a text analysis of the political rhetoric of left- and right-wing European populist parties and measuring to what extent these parties are driven more by economic or cultural issues.

179

4:50-5:50pm

Misyuk DeBoef-Misyuk (Social Work)

Religious Undertones in "Jennifer's Body"

This project is an analysis of the religious elements in the movie "Jennifer's Body" and how they intersect with feminism and queerness.

180

4:50-5:50pm

Ellie Wojcikowski (Neuroscience)

A Psychometric Evaluation of Heart Rate Variability to Index Social-Emotional Functioning in Schizotypy

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological marker of heart function, flexibility, and adaptive capacity. HRV is considered a metric of the body's physiological regulation, that which supports an individual's greater self-regulation (e.g., emotion composure, sociability). HRV is associated with social cognitive abilities, like emotion perception and emotion regulation (Holzman & Bridgett, 2021; Quintana et al., 2012). HRV is reduced in schizophrenia (Benjamin et al., 2021), a condition characterized by impairments in social cognition and social functioning. Little is known about HRV along the psychosis continuum, including schizotypy (SZY), characterizing subthreshold psychotic-like experiences associated with reduced social functioning. Undergraduate students with elevated SZY (n = 44) completed a resting state electrocardiography (ECG) assessment and the Brief Social Skills Inventory (B-SSI), a self-report measure of emotional intelligence and social competency, including expression of emotion (‘Emotion Expression’), higher-level regulation and management of one’s emotional states (‘Emotion Control’), perception of emotional states of others (‘Emotion Sensitivity’), and social adeptness (‘Social Control’). HRV was quantified and derived for each participant. Associations between HRV and the B-SSI indices were tested with correlations, and direct and indirect relationships among the variables were tested with bootstrapped regressions. This study indicates encouraging results, that HRV supports emotional intelligence and social competency in emerging adults with elevated SZY. This novel study points to HRV as a modifiable target, with the future potential as an intervention target to enhance social skills in this SZY.

181

4:50-5:50pm

Ellie Vierkant (B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Russian)

Sleep-dependent consolidation of visuospatial memory and the relationship between sleep, metamemory, mood, and memory performance

Memory consolidation is a complex process influenced by sleep, self-evaluative beliefs, and emotional states; however, how these factors interact remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether memory performance differs following wake versus sleep intervals, whether metamemory (beliefs about one’s memory) predicts memory performance, and how anxiety and depression symptoms correlate with memory. Eighty-three freshman students were randomly assigned to either a sleep condition where they completed a learning task and an initial test followed by sleep and a delayed test in the morning, or a wake condition where they performed the learning task and initial test in the morning followed by wakefulness and the delayed test at night. Participants also completed questionnaires assessing metamemory, depression, and anxiety. We found a decline in memory performance in the wake group from immediate to delayed testing (t(75)=3.86, p<.001), which was not observed in the sleep group. Task-specific metamemory was significantly related to memory performance, meaning participants who predicted better performance performed better (r=.49, p<.001). This relation was not observed with general metamemory. Lastly, depressive symptoms were negatively associated with memory performance when included in the model alongside group (b = ?0.33, t = ?2.1, p = .04). Taken together, this study replicates the importance of sleep between learning and testing for memory consolidation. We demonstrated that individuals can accurately predict their memory performance for a specific task, but their general beliefs do not always generalize across tasks. Lastly, depressive symptoms were associated with poorer memory, suggesting that depression may impair memory processes.

182

4:50-5:50pm

Christina Yu (Neuroscience)

The emergence and development of sleep-related ocular activity in infant rats

Sleep consists of two primary states: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. REM sleep derives its name from the presence of fast, discrete eye movements (REMs). The adoption of the REM/non-REM terminology for these sleep states illustrates the importance of REMs as a defining characteristic of sleep. Nonetheless, even though sleep predominates in early life, little is known about the development of these saccade-like eye movements and their functional significance. In addition, there is another eye-related phenomenon that concerns state-dependent changes in pupillary size: In adults, the pupils are dilated during wakefulness and constricted during REM sleep. Changes in pupillary size act as a behavioral marker for sleep-wake states. Similar to REMs, little is known about the development of this phenomenon. Thus, the current project was designed to assess the development of these two sleep-related eye phenomena. Using infant rats at postnatal day (P) 8 and P12, we measured the behavioral onset of REMs and changes in pupillary size. At P8, rats exhibit little evidence of REMs and also exhibit a relatively small (10%) change in pupillary size across the sleep-wake cycle. In contrast, at P12, prominent REMs are reliably observed along with a large (70%) constriction of the pupil during REM sleep. This study provides a foundation for investigating the changes in brain function that mediate these developmental transitions in the expression of REMs and pupillary activity during sleep.

183

4:50-5:50pm

Malika Khurana (Public Health)

Isabella Jimenez Rodriguez, Neuroscience, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Utilizing a Youth Participatory Action Research Approach to Co-create and Pilot a Mental Health Promotion Intervention

From Summer 2023–Fall 2025, a group of Iowa teens collaborated with the College of Public Health to co-create a teen mental health promotion intervention. From 2025-2026, we worked to refine the curriculum, recruit, and pilot Project Creating Responsive Action Through Empowering Resources and Strategies (CRATERS). Recruitment included sending flyers to parents/guardians in the Iowa City Community School District via Peachjar, via virtual backpacks (e.g., Cedar Rapids Community School District), emailing to youth-serving organizations, and posting flyers at community facilities. To date, 24 parents/guardians have consented for their youth to participate, and 10 youth have assented and completed the curriculum. All participants complete a pre-questionnaire that collects demographic information and assesses mental health literacy (Campos et al., 2016). Immediately after completing the intervention, participants complete an evaluation questionnaire (Dagenais et al., 2011). Data from initial pilot participants (n = 10) provide encouraging evidence of acceptability. Participants rated items related to meeting expectations, receiving useful information, and engaging in activities that supported learning as “agree” to “strongly agree”. Open?ended responses highlighted two strengths: (1) facilitator expertise and engaging delivery (e.g., “commentary and experience was really great”), and (2) interactive, activities including role?playing, case studies (“I liked the part where we acted out case studies”), collaborative whiteboard exercises (“I like that we go to… share out”). When asked what they liked least, participants most frequently noted the length of the training. Suggestions for improvement centered on adjusting the session duration or dividing it across two days.

184

4:50-5:50pm

Rose Bilicki (Political Science, Secondary Social Science Education)

Harrid Siraj, Political Science

Addressing Mental Health Support in K-12 Schools

Iowa’s K-12 school system is confronting growing youth mental health challenges, with rising rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation placing pressure on schools and support staff. Persistent shortages of school-based mental health professionals severely limit a school’s ability to intervene early and effectively, eventually contributing to staff burnout, growing wait lists for student services, and high turnover rates. This presentation evaluates the state of Iowa’s existing legislative efforts and further assesses various alternative policy approaches implemented in other states using cost, effectiveness, and feasibility as our evaluation criteria. Based on our analysis, we recommend expanding Medicaid reimbursement for school-based mental health services while simultaneously reducing bureaucratic barriers through simplified and streamlined licensure transfer. We also propose preventative measures such as mandated mental health screening policies. Together, these policies leverage federal funding, expand the pool of qualified professionals, and shift schools toward earlier identification and prevention. Through this presentation, we hope to offer a cost-effective and feasible strategy to strengthen Iowa’s school mental health workforce and improve the overall well-being of young students across the state.

185

4:50-5:50pm

Allison Orozco (BS Biology: Cell and Developmental)

Keratinocyte Extracellular Matrix Composition and Deposition

Collective cell migration is fundamental to wound healing, cancer metastasis, and organism development. During migration, cells will often reorganize surrounding extracellular matrix by secreting proteins or remodeling existing proteins. One step in skin wound healing is re-epithelialization, during which epidermal epithelial cells, called keratinocytes, migrate to cover the wound and repair the tissue. Fibroblasts secrete fibronectin and collagen I in response to skin wounding, and keratinocytes replace the fibronectin and collagen I with laminin and collagen IV. The matrix secreted by cells will affect the amount of scarring produced post-wound, where more fibronectin and collagen I in skin would result in more likelihood of scarring. I hypothesized that keratinocytes would increase the amount of fibronectin secreted as they grew across bare glass dishes, when compared to growing on collagen IV and laminin. We compared protein production between cells seeded on collagen IV and laminin-containing matrix to cells seeded on bare glass bottom dishes. We observed greater amounts of fibronectin and Collagen IV produced by the cells seeded on the bare glass dishes, demonstrating that fibronectin production may increase in response to a lack of collagen IV and laminin. We also seeded cells on collagen IV and laminin, collagen I, and fibronectin for 36 hours and measured the extracellular matrix produced using immunofluorescent staining and confocal microscopy. We concluded that the keratinocytes secrete more Collagen I and Collagen IV. The results of these experiments will have implications for wound healing and scarring, as well as other processes of collective cell migration.

187

4:50-5:50pm

Susie Smith (English and Creative Writing, Screenwriting)

The Satanic Panic: How the Death of a Movie Star Led to the Fear of Dungeons and Dragons.

In this presentation, we will go through the history of the Satanic Panic, understanding its origins, its consequences, and how it evolved from 1960-1990. We will be looking at serial killers, the McMartin trial, movements happening at the time, child welfare, and Dungeons and Dragons. Later, we will talk about the Panic's continuous influence and how it affects us now.