Fall Undergraduate Research Symposium Featuring Student Research In All Fields!
Family Weekend Friday, October 26, 2012 and Saturday, October 27, 2012 Friday, 3:00pm-5:00pm Saturday, 11:00am-12:30pm Dobbs Unversity Center sponsored by
SCHOLARLY INQUIRY
&
RESEARCH AT EMORY
Emory College of Arts & Sciences
Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
All posters will be displayed from 3:00 pm Friday afternoon until 9:00am Monday morning. Each presenter will be available for questions and comments at their posters on Friday from 3:00pm – 5:00pm and Saturday 11:00am – 12:30pm:
Humanities/Creative & Performing Arts: Kang, Hyeok Hweon Kim, Jee Young Owens, Samantha
Ashton, Max Cooper, Robert Henry, Christopher
Perez, Romana Teissler, Madelina
Social Sciences: Albor, Lauren Ali, Sonya Chopra, Samira
Gupta, Pritika Holmes, Morgan Jiang, Sandy Kang, Apollonia Wenting
Natural Sciences:
Accorsi, Emma Bisignano, Anthony Carroll, Kristen Chou, Danielle Cross, Kristen Dukkipati, Saihari Shekar Fricker, Gregory Fried, Ian
Morris, Emery Subramanian, Sindu Woodward, Kerri
Gates, Cymone Giridharan, Nisha Ho, Justin Jiang, Victoria Lee, Yoojin Ma, Heidi Mahadevan, Pranav Pennington, Whitney
Pinard, Kerry-‐‑Ann Prunty, Megan Shagarbi, Shezza Sharma, Abhinav Sood, Akhil Udawatta, Milan Zhang, Billy
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
HUMANITIES / CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS
Ashton, Max Abbreviated Middle English Psalters: The Medieval Layman'ʹs Biblical Digest Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Morey, Department of English, Emory University
Abstract: The abbreviated Psalter is a traditional reduction of the book of Psalms dating back to Saint Jerome (c. 347 -‐‑ 420), who created, in Latin, the most widely used and recognized model for this practice. His version was in turn translated into the vernacular tongues of peoples all over Europe. There are currently six extant translations of Jerome'ʹs abbreviated Psalter in Middle English, the spoken language of England from the 11th to 15th century. It may be assumed that these would have been read by lay English folk in the 14th and 15th centuries. The six versions are very similar, but they occasionally make unusual choices in their translations which do not reflect the original Latin. To discover a source for these discrepancies, I turned to the Biblical exegeses of St. Augustine, Cassiodorus, Gilbert of Poitiers, Peter Lombard, and Richard Rolle. If any one of these translations is obviously influenced by any one of these commentaries, it will expand our knowledge of what was the most influential ecclesiastic scholarship in late Medieval England. One of these translations appears in Huntington Manuscript 501 and is immediately preceded by a seventh unique abbreviated Psalter. While the other six were likely translated by the scribes themselves and closely follow St. Jerome’s model for the purposes of Psalm and verse selection, this unique abbreviated Psalter copies the John Wycliffe translation of the Bible and its verses are organized in a seemingly random order. By looking at the same commentaries, particularly that of Cassiodorus, I was able to find some design in its construction, revealing a document of unique significance. _________________________________________________________________________________
Cooper, Robert Marcel Prawy: A Chapter in Viennese-‐‑Jewish Musical Culture
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Peter Hoeyng, Department of German Studies, Emory University Abstract: During my summer in Vienna I became one of the first to explore the newly established and unusually rich Marcel Prawy archive in the Wienbibliothek in Vienna, Austria. My method for collecting data was originally going to be examining correspondence, musical manuscripts, and other documents on the spot, but the archive was so large that I had barely enough time to simply photograph all of the material I collected, and organize it when I came back to the US. While in Vienna from June 1-‐‑21, I maintained weekly meetings
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
with my professor and Honors Thesis mentor, Dr. Peter Höyng, to report, review, and discuss my findings. Through our discussions, I fleshed out possible topics for my Honors Thesis, which will focus on Marcel Prawy as a paradigm of the rich and complex Viennese-‐‑ Jewish musical history. Prawy'ʹs personal story is rare because unlike the vast majority of the Jews in Vienna before World War II, he returned to Vienna in 1955 and became successful in bringing the American Musical to the European continent. While I originally entered into the Wienbibliothek thinking that I would find material concerning Prawy'ʹs Jewish identity, I instead found that he was not particularly Jewish in a religious sense, and like many other Jews, he had had the identity of being Jewish imposed on him by the Nazi regime. My research on Prawy will play a crucial role in my examination of Jewish musical figures from pre and post World War II Vienna in my Honors Thesis. _____________________________________________________________________________
Henry, Christopher
Writers in Revolt: The Changing Imagery of the Beat Movement Faculty Mentor: Dr. Walter Kalaidjian, Department of English, Emory University Abstract: I will look at the development of the images presented in the literary journals of the Beat Movement in the United States in the Mid-‐‑Twentieth Century. This will be accomplished by using archival materials from Emory'ʹs Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Book Library.
Kang, Hyeok Hweon
Performing Military Knowledge in Korean Armies: Late Chŏson Military Reforms and East Asian Transnationalism Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tongsoon Lee, Department of Music, Emory University Abstract not available. _____________________________________________________________________________
Kim, Jee Young
Changjak Gugak as a Modern Symbol of Traditional Korea Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tongsoon Lee, Department of Music, Emory University Abstract:
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
Changjak gugak, (“creative traditional music”), was actively developed in South Korea in the 1960s when traditional gugak was declining and western culture was novel and favored. Artists wanted to create something new that reflects the tradition and Korean cultural identity. Adopting western concept of ‘composition’, musicians applied western musical aspects into traditional gugak to expand their musical vocabulary and began to modernize traditional gugak to create the genre of changjak gugak. While efforts were made to maintain the integrity of traditional gugak in this new art form, modifying instruments and adopting western equal temperament system, among other creative methods initiated by musicians resulted in changjak gugak having a different aesthetic value system from traditional gugak. As a result, changjak gugak has been criticized for not being sufficiently traditional. In my presentation, I show how Changjak gugak represents the development of culture and social history at the end of the 20th century in Korea. I suggest that changjak gugak should not be seen merely as a new musical genre introduced as a result of external influence, but as an extension of traditional gugak, in response to the rapid social changes in Korea during the end of the 20th century.
Owens, Samantha
Developing a Site Conservation Plan for the Western Hill of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods in Samothrace, Greece Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bonna Wescoat, Department of Art History, Emory University Abstract: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the island of Samothrace, Greece, is a remarkable example of Hellenistic Greek sacred architecture, with a rich history and archeological presence. The Nike of Samothrace (also known as the Winged Victory), now in the Louvre, is one of the most well known ancient Greek sculptures that once figured prominently in the landscape of the sanctuary. In 2012, a site conservation plan was created for the monuments on the western side of the Sanctuary, to aid the Greek Ministry of Culture in maintaining and improving the condition of this significant site. The plan outlines areas of the region that need to be restored, stabilized, or repaired. The plan will be submitted to the Greek Ministry of Culture for approval and implementation. Thirteen structures were studied this season; the condition of each structure was assessed and they were photographed to document any significant changes that had occurred since the time of excavation. A team of conservators then proposed treatments for any areas of damage. In
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addition to protecting the buildings on site from further deterioration, the goals of this plan are to create pathways for visitors to move more easily throughout the site while protecting the monuments, to stabilize several ancient and modern retaining walls, and finally, to install a cast of the Nike in its original position in the sanctuary. This site conservation plan will greatly help to improve and preserve this important historic site. _____________________________________________________________________________
Perez, Romana
British Missionary Attitudes to Food and Related Culture Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eric Reinders, Department of Religion, Emory University Abstract: In the past, researchers of British missionaries have looked mainly at religious implications of their work and travel. We proposed to look at the cultural aspect of eating and growing food as a way to learn more about missionary life and the cultural implications it had. We chose food to look at since eating is something people can’t go without and is one thing that when traveling, you can’t always take with you. The British missionaries that went to teach the Gospel kept their clothes, language, and manners, but had to eat and experience foreign food. Our research was based on creating an archive of food related articles and discussion from the Church Missionary Gleaner, an Anglican publication from 1841 until 1921. We found that food and eating habits did influence the missionaries’ perspectives on the culture of the different countries they went to. The missionaries often related food to the religion of each location as well as a general marker of cultural advancement and kept ‘European’ and ‘native’ food as separate realms. We also found that the missionaries not only brought back home eating experiences, but influenced the natives themselves and introduced new foods and eating habits such as using utensils or growing a certain crop. We believe our findings and future findings from this archive will give a broader and more complete idea of what missionary life was like and the cultural implications their travels had, for both the places they went to and where they came from.
Teissler, Madeline Shakespeare on the International Stage: The Transcendence of Language at the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Shelia Cavanagh, Department of English, Emory University Abstract: The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the largest celebration of culture in the history of the modern Olympic Games. After finding out that the culmination of the festival would be
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dedicated to international productions of Shakespeare, I decided, with help from SIRE and the World Shakespeare Project, to attend the festival in order to explore the striking paradox of staging an international festival around a playwright who is best known for his use of the English language. My research took me to three different festivals (both virtually and in person) within the Cultural Olympiad: the Globe to Globe festival (virtually presented by thespace.org), The World Shakespeare Festival, and the Edinburgh Fringe. After attending multiple shows, I was able to discern distinct “categories of translation” by which the international theater companies presented their interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays, either by translation, “tradaptation,” or adaptation. I then recorded how different types of translations succeeded or failed in their interpretation by means of production values not included in the text. The elements together demonstrated that language does not have to be a central barrier in an international theater festival because theater is performative, not just staid text on a page. The transcendence of the very thing Shakespeare is famous for, his language, happened at the London 2012 Festival when the production values of a piece aligned with the passion and hard work of his translators, transadaptors, and adaptors, reminding audiences why Shakespeare is the world’s most produced playwright. _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Albor, Lauren
Development of a Semi-‐‑Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire and Nutrition Education Materials in Reproductive-‐‑Age Women in El Alto, Bolivia
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Juan Leon, Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Co-‐‑Authors: Jennifer K. Frediani, Erin M. Keyes, Paulina A. Rebolledo Esteinou Abstract not available.
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
Ali, Sonya
Chronotype, interpretation of facial emotion and social relationships in college students Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hillary Rodman, Department of Psychology, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Eli Recht, Department of Psychology, Emory University
Abstract not available.
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Chopra, Samira, Pritika Gupta, and Morgan Holmes
Economic Activity in a macro-‐‑economy: The effect of unemployment and federal funds rate on economic activity from 1970-‐‑2012 Faculty Mentor: Dr. Latika Lagalo, Department of Economics, Emory University
Abstract not available.
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Jiang, Sandy
A comparison of Taiwanese and Chinese food strategies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cassandra Quave, Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University Abstract: Background: Local knowledge systems are important to cultures because indigenous people maintain local knowledge which preserves biodiversity. Ethnobotany is the study of how people use foods for medicinal benefits. This study focused on food strategies between Taiwanese and Chinese Americans living in metro Atlanta by comparing medicinal foods in their home country and in the US. It surveyed 50 individuals and is an ongoing project that will include more individuals. Methods: interviews were held, snowball sampling techniques were used to gather subjects for the interviews, data analysis was done on the data to draw conclusions. Specimens were collected for analysis and for the herbarium. Conclusions: taiwanese were more likely to plant gardens, use eastern medicine, eat more medicinal foods, and believe in the concept of Ying and Yang. More sophisticated methods will be used to further analyze the data.
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
Kang, Apollonia Wenting
Reggio Emilia'ʹs Potential in Supplementing the Current Methodology Used to Educate Autistic Children
Faculty Mentor: Dr .Christine Ristaino, Department of French and Italian Studies, Emory University Abstract: The number of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder has rapidly increased by 78% over the past decade. Educators have found that one-‐‑on-‐‑one, behavioral therapies, if properly executed, can effectively help autistic children in acquisition of social communication skills, while the tremendous time investment, costs and resource input coming along make the education of autistic children inaccessible to many schools and families. The improvement, therefore, to make the education of autistic children more economical and accessible becomes necessary and urgent. There are a few major paradigms currently in use to assist the education of autistic children, with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) being one of the most empirically supported among them, but there seems to lack an overarching principle in guiding parents, teachers and therapists. This study attempts to bridge the educational philosophy called “Reggio Emilia” with the education of autistic children in the hope that it can address a few aspects of ABA that can do better at. The Reggio philosophy with features including 1) a strong image of children, 2) an inquiry-‐‑driven curriculum, 3) teaching tailored to suit children’s interests, 4) physical documentation in various media and 5) democracy in classrooms may have the potential to serve as a uniting ideological framework to enrich the ABA methodology. The Reggio philosophy should not replace the ABA paradigm completely, because the scientific techniques and theories involved in the ABA approach are indeed effective; instead, Reggio should be considered as a complementary supplement that adds to the effectiveness of the ABA intervention. __________________________________________________________________________
Morris, Emery
Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) as a Potential Mediator of the Association Between Depression and Parenting Behavior Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sherryl Goodman, Department of Psychology, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Matthew H. Rouse, M.S.W., M.A. Abstract: Depression changes the ways in which mothers interact with their infants and the relationships they form with each other. Depressed mothers show less sensitivity to their children’s needs (Lovejoy et al., 2010). The purpose of the current research was to investigate ways that depression might influence parenting.] Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia
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(RSA) is defined as the change in one’s heartbeat that occurs during breathing. When we inhale, heart rate increases and when we exhale, heart rate decreases. People with higher tend to display not only generally more social behaviors, but also more positive parenting behaviors (Porges & Carter, 2011). Depression is also linked to RSA in that depressed people display lower baseline RSA and different RSA patterns than non-‐‑depressed people when facing stressors. This study examines RSA as a possible mediator for the relationship between depression and parenting behaviors. Seventy-‐‑five mothers, both depressed and non-‐‑depressed brought their infants to a lab setting for both playful and stressful procedures. The results of this study imply that we may be able to better understand the relationship between depression and parenting behaviors. RSA as a mediator allows us to examine the physiological aspects of depression and their effects on parenting. With this, we are better able to understand the system of depression and parenting interactions.
Subramanian, Sindu
Social learning ability in chimpanzees using novel actions, familiar actions, and tool use actions Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lisa Parr, Yerkes National Primate Research Institute, Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Sindhu Subramanian, Emory University 2014; Erika Burgess, Emory University 2015; Erin Hecht, BS Emory University; Lauren Murphy, BS Emory University; David Gutman, MD PhD Emory University; Lisa Parr, PhD Emory University Abstract: To measure the social learning ability of four individual chimpanzees in order to determine whether there is a correlation with their neuroimaging results, various trials were performed in the categories of tool use, novel actions, and familiar actions. An object was presented to the chimp in a baseline trial without a demonstration of its use as a control. In the demonstrations, the chimpanzee was shown how to use the object in five trials to see if the chimpanzee could copy the use of the object. Objects ranged from backscratcher brushes to locks and keys. The videos of data were coded to determine which chimpanzees were most effective at social learning and compared to neuroimaging results to see if there was a relation between the two. Two of the chimps were trained to imitate in a 1995 study by Custance, Whiten and Bard and it was observed whether they retained improved social learning abilities. Preliminary results show that the chimpanzees that had better copying ability also had more brain activation in the mirror neuron system during the neuroimaging experiment. Also, the chimps that were trained to imitate in 1995 have the most aptitude at the task and the most brain activity. _____________________________________________________________________________
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
Woodward, Kerri
Distress Symptoms in Australian Children Following Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Admission
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robyne Le Brocque, Social and Behavioral Sciences, CONROD, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Deb Long, Sam Keogh, & Justin Kenardy, Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Queensland Abstract: Introduction: The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a stressful environment, with over half of admitted children experiencing distress symptoms. Thus, research is needed to establish more effective psychological treatments. Method: We investigated age differences in specific symptoms experienced by 261 children following PICU discharge using a parent-‐‑report questionnaire. Results Children were divided into three age groups relative to developmental period; Kruskal-‐‑Wallis tests of differences between groups showed that younger children expressed more anxiety (p<.001), anger (p<.001), and intrusion (p=.011) symptoms than older children. At a 6 month follow-‐‑up (N=111), group differences remained for anger symptoms (p=.004). Conclusion: With this knowledge on distress symptoms following PICU admission, there is a need for more age-‐‑appropriate psychological treatment approaches. _________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
NATURAL SCIENCES
Accorsi, Emma
Differentiation of Toxic Cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa and Aphanizomenon flos-‐‑aquae Spectra
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Sherry Palacios, Ocean Sciences Department, University of California Santa Cruz and Dr. Raphael Kudela, Ocean Sciences Department, University of California Santa Cruz Abstract not available.
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Bisignano, Anthon
Electron Transfer on a Cross-‐‑B (Beta) Scaffold
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Lynn, Department of Chemistry, Emory University Co-‐‑Authors: Kareem Al-‐‑Mulki, Neil R. Anthony, Anil K. Mehta, and Keith Berland Abstract not available.
Carroll, Kristen
A New One-‐‑Pot Synthesis for N-‐‑Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes Faculty Mentor:Dr. Christoph Hubbert, Heidelberg University Co-‐‑Author: Dr. Stephen Hashmi, Heidelberg University Abstract not available.
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Chou, Danielle
Optimization of Quantitative Telomere Length Assay
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bradley Pearce, Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Co-‐‑Authors: Dr. Myfanwy Hopkins, Emory University Abstract not available. _____________________________________________________________________________
Cross, Kristen
Health Assessment of the Cross-‐‑river Gorilla Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Gillespie, Department of Environmental Studies, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Abstract not available.
_______________________________________________________________ Dukkipati, Saihari Shekar
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Investigating the Development of Inhibition in Neural Networks: Evoked Responses in Chick Embryonic Motor Neurons Faculty Mentor: Dr. Peter Wenner, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Emory University Abstract: Several mechanisms exist in regulating intracellular chloride levels in neural networks, which are important for excitability. It has been shown that there is an increase in intracellular chloride after neuronal injury. One of the ways we are investigating the mechanisms that underlie the regulation of chloride levels is by evoking potentials in chick lumbar motoneurons and testing the evoked response under the presence of various pharmacological agents. This technique provides a way to confirm what transporters and co-‐‑transporters are involved in this regulation process. _____________________________________________________________________________
Fricker, Gregory
Horizontally acquired symbiosis of Burkholderia and Anasa tristis and its effects on host fitness. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nicole Gerrado, Department Biology, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Justine Garcia, Ph.D. Candidate, Emory University Abstract: Symbiotic interactions are extremely common in many insect models, most notably for this study the infraorder Pentatomomorpha. Such interactions result in a variety of effects on the host, evidenced by certain symbionts providing essential amino acids and others utilizing host resources, decreasing fitness. Of particular interest are endosymbiotic relationships in which symbionts convey pathogenic resistance. Burkholderia species, bacterial symbionts of squash bugs that are members of Pentatomorpha, are known to positively affect the fitness of its host. RHOD, a strain of Serratia marcescens and pathogen to squash bugs, disintegrates the tissues of its host. Serratia are found throughout the gut, a portion in which Burkholderia are known to live, a possible method of interaction. We hypothesize that Burkholderia convey pathogenic resistance to their host. The fitness benefits of Burkholderia to hosts post-‐‑RHOD infection will be tested. Eggs of Anasa tristis were sterilized and grown in artificial environments. Each clutch of eggs was divided into Burkholderia positive and negative bug cups. During the second instar, Burkholderia positive squash bugs will be exposed to Burkholderia through vacuum-‐‑infiltrated squash cubes. During the 5th instar, all squash bugs will be exposed to RHOD from RHOD vacuum-‐‑infiltrated squash cubes. After infection, the status of the individual will be
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assessed through dissection, infected or uninfected. We aim to detail the locations of Serratia and Burkholderia in the gut of squash bugs, and to show that Burkholderia provides for increased fitness of squash bugs by comparing the survival and infection rates of squash bugs post-‐‑infection with Serratia.
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Fried, Ian
Epidemiology of Giardia in and around Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Gillespie, Department of Environmental Studies, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Co-‐‑Authors: Sarah Zohdy, Chris Wegner, Rachel Kearns, and Patricia Wright Abstract not available.
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Gates, Cymone Tropism and Preference for Bacteria in a Drosophila melanogaster Animal Model
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Andrew Neish, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Emory University Co-‐‑Authors: Cymone Gates, Abstract: Most multicellular eukaryotic organisms have an associated prokaryotic microbial flora. As part of this “commensal microbiota”, nonpathogenic bacteria thrive in the human gut and are seen as beneficial to human health. The trillions of bacteria that occupy and coexist in our gastrointestinal tract are known to play many important functions. However, comparatively little is known of the role that many of these commensals play in our bodies. This proposal aims to address one aspect of how drosophila larvae sense different kinds of bacteria using a simple model system. We isolated commensal bacteria from a model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, and investigated their effectiveness in eliciting a cellular response from fly gastrointestinal cells. In previous studies, the laboratory of Professor Andrew Neish has discovered that the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in gut cells is connected in a positive way with beneficial commensal bacterial colonization. We characterized one native commensal bacterium in the fly gut that elicits the same ROS response as does the human commensal, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG); this bacterium is Lactobacillus plantarum. We have identified the effect certain commensals have on Nrf2 up-‐‑regulation and thus cytoprotective ability. Our goal is to determine if drosophila larvae and adults have a preference for a certain type of bacteria
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and if so whether it is connected to the bacterium’s cytoprotective capability or some other positive benefit.
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Giridharan, Nisha
Elucidating a Mechanism for Targeted Gene Silencing through Crystallographic Studies Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ben Luisi, University of Cambridge Co-‐‑Author: Kasia Bandyra, University of Cambridge Abstract: Many bacterial species utilize the RNA degradosome, a large multi-‐‑enzyme assembly, to control gene expression in response to specific developmental and environmental stimuli. The RNA degradosome targets mRNA for degradation, allowing for gene regulation and quality control as well as fine-‐‑tuning of protein levels based on cellular needs. In E. coli, the assembly is composed of a protein that cleaves mRNA known as RNase E and three other proteins that bind to its C-‐‑terminus. Several studies have sought to determine the crystal structure of different components of the assembly. In this study, an inactive and truncated version of RNase E bound with the protein RhlB, involved in RNA metabolism, was crystallized. The protein complex was crystallized with RNA to understand how the assembly folds in its presence. From x-‐‑ray diffraction patterns collected at a 4 Å resolution, a three-‐‑dimensional model of the structure was built. Preliminary data showed that the crystal contained only the RNase E catalytic domain and that it assumed an open conformation with some RNA bound. This study provides greater structural evidence for the RNA degradosome’s complex regulatory function.
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Ho, Justin
Selective Nuclear Import in Multinucleated Muscle Cells is Not Differentiation-‐‑ Dependent
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Grace Pavlath, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Emory University Abstract: Skeletal muscle accounts for approximately 50% of body mass and is critical for locomotion, breathing and metabolism. Proper muscle function depends on gene expression within multinucleated myofibers, which is controlled by regulatory proteins that require facilitated import to enter muscle nuclei. Studies in vitro and in vivo reveal that regulatory proteins can gain access to some nuclei but not others within the same myofiber. The
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mechanisms regulating nuclear selectivity are, however, unknown. We hypothesize that selectivity in the protein accumulations among nuclei in a myofiber is due to differences in the nuclear pores, which are channels through the nuclear envelope through which all import into the nucleus occurs. We examined nuclear import of a fluorescently-‐‑labeled cargo protein containing a classical nuclear localization sequence (cNLS) in multinucleated mouse muscle cells in vitro at different stages of differentiation. Our data demonstrate selectivity in the fluorescently-‐‑labeled protein accumulations among nuclei in early stage undifferentiated muscle cells and in late stage multinucleated muscle cells. Future experiments will utilize myofibers isolated directly from muscle tissue at different physiologic states. Discovering the mechanisms of nuclear selectivity in multinucleated myofibers can give insights into how individual muscle nuclei regulate gene expression during stress, injury, and aging.
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Jiang, Victoria Microwave-‐‑assisted Substituted Indole Synthesis via Heterogeneous Pd-‐‑ Catalyzed Borrowing Hydrogen Methodology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Maurizio Taddei, University of Siena Abstract: Microwave-‐‑assisted organic synthesis is a newly emerging technique that has served to be useful in materials, medicinal and organic synthesis. The dielectric heating allows for faster reaction rates, lessened reaction wastes, lowered reaction temperatures and selective reaction mechanisms as compared to traditional oil/sand baths. Optimization of the Fischer indole synthesis is observed and characterized in a wide range of reaction conditions using both traditional heating and microwave assistance. Alkylated hydrazines were subjected to varying catalysts substrates including primary, secondary, and tertiary amines. The reaction proceeds by utilizing the borrowing hydrogen methodology by abstracting the H from the amine substrate and forming a conjugated hydrazone intermediate. The heterocyclic formation is optimized by short activation of Pd using microwave irradiation. Overall, the utilization of microwave irradation allows the simplification of the reaction conditions with remarkable reductions in time and temperature. _________________________________________________________________________________
Lee, Yoojin
Effect of force on the mechanical properties of fibroblasts
Faculty Mentor: Kay Gottschalk, PhD candidate, Universität Ulm Co-‐‑Authors: Fenneke KleinJan, Institute of Experimental Physics at Universität Ulm
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Abstract: In many important biological processes like motility and differentiation cells both respond and apply forces to their surrounding (the extracellular matrix). These processes are highly regulated and the protein integrin plays a central role in this force detection. Integrins form a bidirectional linkage between the extracellular matrix, where they bind to matrix macromolecules like fibronectin and the cytoskeleton inside the cell. On the cytoplasmic side, a large signaling machinery, the focal adhesions, can be formed. Focal adhesions contain many adaptor and signaling proteins, including actin-‐‑associating proteins like talin. In this way, cells can respond to forces applied to the cell by rearranging the cytoskeleton filaments. The high structural heterogeneity in cells makes it necessarily to investigate the mechanical response at a local level. Our main method to measure these properties is microrheology, where the mechanical properties are extracted from the motion of micron-‐‑ sized beads embedded inside the complex fluid. _____________________________________________________________________________
Ma, Heidi
Tufted Deer Habitat Selection in the Motianling Land Trust Reserve, Sichuan Province, China
Mentor: Dr. Lance Gunderson, Department of Environmental Studies, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Heidi Ma, Emory University, Li Sheng, PhD Peking University Abstract: Tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus) are a species of small forest ungulates that are found in central and southern China. Anecdotal sightings by villagers and hunters indicate that they were once abundant but experiencing decline with rapid habitat loss. However, scientific research on the distribution, behavior, and ecology of tufted deer in the wild has never been conducted before. This project is a pilot study for future long-‐‑term monitoring of tufted deer in the Motianling Land Trust Reserve. Field work was conducted in this newly established reserve in Pingwu County, northern Sichuan Province, China. We used deer feces as an indicator of habitat occupation. 20 by 20 meter square plots were created in the forest to characterize canopy, shrub, and herbaceous layers. We then compared the forest structure of plots with deer-‐‑presence to those without. Preliminary results suggest that tufted deer may not select habitats based on specific forest structure characteristics, indicating that they may be foraging generalists and a rather versatile species in this area. This study has important implications on the primary understanding and field research methodology for this poorly studied species. Baseline data with much larger sample sizes are needed. Furthermore, practical lessons learned in the field and in the surrounding rural communities shed light on biodiversity conservation in southwestern China. _____________________________________________________________________________
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Mahadevan, Pranav Comparison of real-‐‑time methods to track intrinsic excitability dynamics of cortical neurons
Mentor: Dr. Steven M. Potter, Georgia Tech University Co-‐‑Author: Riley Zeller-‐‑Townson, Georgia Tech BME Department Abstract: Both synaptic modification and intrinsic excitability dynamics contribute to the complex processes underlying neuronal plasticity, but only the latter has been well-‐‑characterized in the literature (Purves et al. 1986, Bliss and Lomo 1973). Excitability dynamics refers to neuronal mechanisms for excitability that include ion channel densities and conductances and generally exclude mechanisms involving synaptic modification. Recent work on this question (Gal et al. 2010) turned up unstable scale-‐‑free excitability dynamics not previously seen on shorter timescales, significantly increasing the complexity of single-‐‑neuron firing activity and overturning any notion that dynamics on shorter timescales could be extrapolated to longer ones. Given these recent findings, we decided to explore methods to continuously track changes in long-‐‑term dynamics over days of experimental time, furthering our ability to characterize them. These methods include combining waveform and temporal information from spikes to track directly-‐‑evoked action potentials (dAPs) using techniques from both spike sorting and image processing. We show that combining these techniques allows separation and tracking of individual dAPs with the hope that in the future, we can construct closed-‐‑loop protocols in which we control electrical stimulation in response to these excitability dynamics. This would lead to deeper insight and a more complete treatment of complex brain processes that underlie plasticity, development, and learning. _____________________________________________________________________________
Pennington, Whitney A Descriptive Study of Salmonella in Passerines of Urban Atlanta Mentor: Dr. Gonzalo Vazquez-‐‑Prokopec, Department of Environmental Studies, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Emily W. Lankau DVM, PhD, CDC Abstract: Salmonella enterica is a gram-‐‑negative, zoonotic bacterium with over 2300 known serotypes. Though a leading cause of foodborne illness in humans S. enterica infection is of particular concern in birds. Field studies have found S. enterica background carriage rate to be as high as 7.1% in populations of passerines (songbirds) that are gregarious and live near livestock or urbanized sites. In these urban settings, it is widely accepted that feeding stations are associated with an increase of Avian Salmonellosis, specifically wintertime
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
Salmonella enterica outbreaks; however, there is concern that a trend towards year-‐‑round feeding at these stations is altering the background carriage rate of S. enterica in backyard birds overall. This study seeks to quantify this background carriage rate by capturing and collecting feces from songbirds captured by mist net across four sites in urban Atlanta (Fulton and Dekalb counties). We expect that birds that visit bird feeders will have a higher background carriage rate than those that do not visit feeders. Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data on background carriage may shed light on the impact of feeders on carriage in general and also on the need for education surrounding proper management of residential bird feeders. Here we will present and describe the cohort of passerines captured between June and October 2012. Specifically, we will describe the cohort of passerines captured and outline the association between S. enteric infection and selected environmental, ornithological, and epidemiological risk factors. _____________________________________________________________________________
Pinard, Kerry-‐‑Ann
Do plasmacytoid dendritic cells activate T-‐‑cells via indirect antigen presentation?
Mentor: Dr. Edmund Waller, Department of Hematology/Oncology, School of Medicine, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Dr. Cynthia Giver, Emory University Abstract: An allogeneic bone marrow transplant (alloBMT) is a procedure performed to replace defective or damaged bone marrow with the healthy bone marrow and stem cells of a genetically different member of the same species. Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) is one of the most frequently occurring complications of an (alloBMT). Donor T-‐‑cells attacking the recipient’s various bodily organs and tissues causes GVHD. The development of GVHD can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms that in some cases are fatal. The T-‐‑cell that cause GVHD, however, cannot simply be removed from the graft as they also contribute to the success of engraftment and promote beneficial graft versus leukemia (GvL) effects after an alloBMT. We are interested in developing a method to manipulate the content of donor immune cells in the graft to maximize positive effects like GvL and minimize GVHD. Data from our lab suggests that plasmacytoid dentritic cells (pDCs) play a role in directing the proliferation of T-‐‑cells that contribute to GvL, and that addition of supplemental pDCs to the graft can improve anti-‐‑tumor effects and alloBMT outcome in mice. The experiment presented here aims to study the immunological mechanism for this role. Our hypothesis is that donor pDCs use indirect antigen presentation of recipient-‐‑type antigen to activate donor T-‐‑cells that can only be activated to proliferate via antigen presentation, in combination with pDCs and the recipient-‐‑type antigen. _____________________________________________________________________________
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
Prunty, Megan Characterization of STZ-‐‑induced Diabetes in Rats Mentor: Dr. Silvia Giatti, Università degli Studi di Milano Co-‐‑Authors: Donato Calabrese and Roberto Melcangi, Università degli Studi di Milano Abstract: For over half of all patients with diabetes mellitus, symptoms of peripheral diabetic neuropathy can significantly hinder their quality of life. At present, no adequate treatment is available for the axonal changes and sensory loss that occur secondary to diabetes. As researchers work to determine an adequate therapy for these changes, streptozotocin (STZ), a toxin that selectively kills pancreatic β-‐‑islet cells, is often used to induce diabetes through intravenous or intraperitoneal injection. The resulting diabetes produces painful diabetic neuropathy and sensory deficiency at consistent time points after the injection and has become the most common model for diabetes research. As research on pain, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy continues, it will become increasingly critical to understand the changes that occur because of STZ-‐‑injection. Through this experiment, the functional and biochemical disparities between non-‐‑diabetic controls and STZ-‐‑induced diabetic rats were determined. _____________________________________________________________________________
Shagarabi, Shezza Contribution of M1 and M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors to object recognition memory Mentor: Dr. Joseph Manns, Department of Psychology, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Claire R. Galloway, Department of Psychology Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University; Evan P. LeBois, Department of Psychology Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University Abstract: Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are a family of five (M1-‐‑M5) G-‐‑protein-‐‑ coupled receptors expressed in brain areas important for learning and memory, such as the hippocampus. Previous work has shown that drugs selective for M1 or M4 receptor
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
subtypes may provide a viable option for enhancing memory, while limiting the side effects that would occur with non-‐‑selective mAChR activation. In order to begin examining the contribution of M1¬ and M4 to memory processes, we assessed the effects of the positive allosteric modulators BQCA (M1 PAM) and VU0152100 (M4 PAM) in rats (n=12) using an object recognition task. Animals were randomly injected subcutaneously 30 minutes prior to testing with either saline, BQCA or VU0152100. The testing paradigm consisted of a study and test phase in which rats explored a total of 24 objects, separated by a 5 minute delay. Preliminary data suggests rats that received the lowest dosages of BQCA (1 mg/Kg), and VU0152100 (3 mg/Kg), had significantly higher discrimination indices compared to rats that received saline alone. These findings suggest that selective M1 and M4 activation may effectively enhance object recognition memory in rats. This work may therefore offer critical insight into viable ways of treating memory disorders. _____________________________________________________________________________
Sharma, Abhinav
Characterization of biomarkers in breast cancer cells with quantum dots and detection of brain tumor cells using SpectroPen
Mentor: Dr. Shuming Nie, Coulter Department of Bioengineering, School of Medicine, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Dr. Brad Karidolf, Emory University Abstract: My project employs the principle of fluorescence in using quantum dots to characterize and quantify clinically-‐‑relevant, diagnostic biomarkers in different breast cancer cell lines, as well as to detect U87 MG cells (of glioblastoma tumors) using a handheld spectrometer, or SpectroPen. I hypothesized that multiple antigen biomarkers, stained different colors with bioconjugated quantum dots, in BT-‐‑474 and ZR-‐‑75-‐‑1 breast cancer cells could be visualized simultaneously due to the multiplexing capability of quantum dots, as opposed to more traditional stains. I also hypothesized that the U87 MG tumor cells would emit fluorescence following the cells’ incubation with 5-‐‑ALA dye and excitation with violet light, and that there would be a direct relationship between the number of cells emitting fluorescence and the sensitivity of the SpectroPen in detecting the fluorescence. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to stain the clinically-‐‑relevant biomarkers in the breast cancer cells; the quantum dots were bioconjugated to a secondary-‐‑antibody, which was “anti” to a primary antibody that was attached to the antigen of interest. DAPI staining was first used to locate the nuclei of the cells. The U87 MG cells were incubated with 5-‐‑ALA that was converted to protoporphyrin-‐‑ix, which was “excited” by shining 405 nm LED light on the cells. The cells emitted a red light at 630 nm, which was picked up by the pen and mapped onto a corresponding spectrum to quantify tumor cell “detection.” In both instances, my hypothesis was correct. The quantum dots provided sensitive staining results and the SpectroPen was able to detect as low as ~1000 U87 cells. Future testing will involve the
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Fall 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium October 14th & 15th 2011
creation of artificial tissue biomarker controls for patient sample comparison and photodynamic therapy with the SpectroPen. _____________________________________________________________________________
Sood, Akhil
Role of YEATS Domain in Histone Recognition Mentor: Dr. Xiaobing Shi, MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Co-‐‑Author: Daisy Martinon, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and Danni Peng, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Abstract not available. _____________________________________________________________________________
Udawatta, Milan
Determining gene flow and dispersal order in monarch butterflies Mentor: Dr. Jacobus De Roode, Department of Biology, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Amanda A. Pierce Abstract not available.
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Zhang, Billy
Early life manipulations of the oxytocin system and the tracking of social behavior
Mentor: Dr. Larry Young, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Emory University Co-‐‑Author: Catherine Barrett Abstract not available. _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
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