Schedule of Events

Chronic ethanol consumption contributes to the global prevalence’s of cardiovascular disease by mechanisms involving an inflammatory response and consequent lipid peroxidation. Cytochrome p450 is a part of the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) and can utilize iron complexes and the reductant NADPH to catalyze the breakdown of acute/chronic ethanol consumption. However, efficacy of MEOS to prevent cardiovascular burden induced by ethanol consumption is not clear. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the response of the cardiovascular system in response to the oxidative metabolic breakdown of ethanol via MEOS. An extensive literature search provided data to develop a mechanistic model of the metabolism of chronic and low volume ethanol consumption. Artificial neural networks were utilized to construct a colormap of correlation coefficients between ethanol consumption and markers of inflammation and lipid peroxidation. The model showed that 3.5 standard drinks (50g of alcohol) were sufficient to increased levels of malondialdehyde and C Reactive Protein. These data indicate that ethanol consumption to a level equal to or above 3.5 standard drinks is sufficient to induce cardiovascular stress through increased reactive oxygen species and consequent inflammation, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative stress. The results also provide the foundation for targeted preventative or therapeutic interventions to enhance MEOS that may reduce the cardiovascular burden of alcohol consumption.

In the search for a Grand Unified Theory, which seeks to combine the four known fundamental forces into one theory, many models rely on supersymmetry. Our research seeks experimental evidence of minimum supersymmetric (SUSY-MSSM) particles. Specifically, we are searching for stop-antistop pairs decaying into dilepton events at CERN’s CMS experiment. We cannot directly detect stops/antistops at the CMS detectors since they are expected to quickly decay. Instead, we studied the kinematical variables of the decay particles and developed an algorithm that seeks to distinguish between our signal and expected background processes. The Standard Model top anti-top quark decays almost identically to the process we are looking for, except for two additional decay supersymmetric neutralinos, and as a result, is one of our main sources of background noise. We will present our work in the filtering of simulated signal (MSSM) and main background events such as Standard Model tt, WW, WZ, ZZ, and Drell-Yan. We will also present the result of the neural network algorithm we developed and trained on the simulations to maximize the statistical separation signal and background. This artificial intelligence method uses the kinematical variables of daughter decay particles to successfully separate MSSM SUSY (signal) events from background noise events. Our ultimate goal is to apply this trained algorithm to CMS experimental data and see if we can find evidence for this yet unobserved new type of particle phenomena.

Previous research has provided conflicting results regarding interjoint coordination during a squat jump for young and old adults.  In particular, researchers have noted if a proximal-to-distal sequencing (PDS) pattern, characterized by hip, then knee, then ankle movement, was utilized.  Additionally, previous research has identified greater asymmetry in lower extremity strength tests in older adults with a fall history when compared to older adults without a history of falls and to younger adults (Perry et al., 2007).  The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of joint power (PDS patterns and symmetry) during squat jumps in younger and older adults (males and females). Thirty five subjects including 20 young adults (10F and 10M) between 18-25 years old and 15 older adults (9F and 6M) between 65-75 years old who were healthy, injury-free, and moderately active participated.  Subjects performed squat jumps while three-dimensional body coordinates and ground reaction force data were collected using motion capture and force plates, respectively. Dependent t-tests identified differences in peak joint powers (PP), the timing of peak joint powers, and mean joint powers (MP) between the right and left hip, knee and ankle for each sex and each age group. The degree of PDS for each trial (both leg, one leg, neither leg) was determined and Chi-squared was run to determine associations between sex and age with degree of PDS. Significance was determined by p < 0.05.

RNA thermometers (RNATs) are functional RNAs that change structural conformation in response to temperature changes, allowing them to regulate gene expression. A specific type of RNAT is the FourU thermometer, an RNAT class that is distinct because they have four uracil residues across from the Shine-Dalgarno sequence, which may block the binding of a ribosome. An increase in temperature causes melting of this secondary structure, allowing ribosomal access and translation initiation. Using RNARobo, a bioinformatics structural search tool, a potential FourU thermometer sequence was identified upstream of a protein responsible for cell lysis, N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (blyA).  The identified sequence maps to the genome of Bacillus subtilis 168 prophage SPβ, suggesting that lytic activity of this virus may be regulated by heat shock on the RNA level. This putative FourU thermometer sequence was integrated into a plasmid upstream of reporter gene, BgaB, a heat-stable β-galactosidase enzyme so that expression of the reporter protein could be measured in response to changes in heat. Plasmids were cloned into E. coli, and a β-galactosidase assay was carried out comparing activity of this blyA thermometer sequence to a housekeeping gene (gyrase) and a known FourU thermometer in Salmonella, AgsA. Our results indicate there is a significant induction of gene expression at high temperature (42°C) compared to low temperature (25°C), indicating that lytic activity in this bacteriophage is regulated by a FourU RNA thermometer. These results are significant in allowing us to understand the mechanism for the regulation of the lysogenic cycle of a bacteriophage.

Experiencing online learning changed education for students and for teachers, and the classroom dynamic has shifted in ways that some consider for the better. This includes being able to use technology to enhance the learning process, making learning material more accessible to students so they can learn at different times and places, and improving teaching practices that reach students of varying abilities. Flipped learning, although not specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a pedagogy that has gained increased interest since classes went virtual. It addresses the sought out changes mentioned above but lacks research on its use and effects. This research aims to gain a better understanding of flipped learning and how this practice can be applied in high school mathematics classrooms to benefit students' retention of material, increase student engagement, and increase students' skill development. This research also aims to learn more about teaching practices that benefit students with learning disabilities and if or how such practices relate to teaching practices that utilize flipped learning. In order to do this, data from studies on the use of flipped learning in mathematics classrooms as well as data on studies on teaching practices for students with learning disabilties was anaylzed for effectiveness. Studies on present barriers were also used to determine current challenges students face in classrooms. Effect practices were determined based on student and teacher feedback, class performance, and reasonability of resources required for the practice. 

Racing Stripe (RS) is a novel expression pattern of a white+ (w+) transgene in Drosophila melanogaster, provided by Dr. Catherine McElwain (LMU). The RS phenotype presents as w+ low-level expression throughout the eye with a stripe of high-level expression along the D-V midline (equator), an important signaling center during eye development. We are mapping the genomic coordinates of RS since the w+ reporter may identify a pattern of expression of a developmentally important gene near the site of insertion. Prior to recovery of genomic sequences flanking the RS insertion via Inverse PCR, we have undertaken a forensic analysis of the RS construct using PCR primers that can distinguish between two common versions of the w+ gene used in transgenesis. Our results show that RS harbors a full-length white gene inserted into the right arm of chromosome 3. Analysis of sequences flanking the RS insertion site will be described.

In this research we determine how glacial-interglacial cycles play a role in the preservation of marine microfossils, specifically foraminifera, which are organisms with calcite tests (shells) used in paleoclimate science. The preservation state is important in generating high-quality paleoclimate data. Recent research has developed the Foraminifera Preservation Index (FPI) to create a more defined criteria for the preservation stages. It defines tests in a category of either glassy (well-preserved), pseudo-glassy (moderately-preserved), or frosty (poorly-preserved). The foraminiferal genus Cibicidoides is used when generating paleoclimatic data, therefore this research focuses on Cibicidoides found in sediment cores from IODP Site 846 (Pacific Ocean)ranging in age from ~36 to 113 thousand years ago. It is expected that Cibicidoides from a warminterglacial section will show overall lower FPI scores represented by significantly more frosty tests compared to cold glacial sections. I present preliminary FPI scores, total abundance of Cibicidoides per gram of sediment, and grain size analyses. Processing the sediment samples includes weighing the sample (before and after drying), washing the sample through a 63µm sieve to remove fine silts and clays, drying, and reweighing. All Cibicidoides specimens were removed under a microscope, each test was categorized by preservation state, and each sample was assigned a FPI score. Going from older to younger samples, there is an overall increase in the total number of Cibicidoides per gram in both sub-size fractions (150-250µm and >250µm) and an overall increase in the percentage of sand. Preliminary FPI scores range from 24.6 to 9.9.