Digital Commons Network^™

Orientation Preferences In Birds, Lessette Magnotta

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Most bird species have a dark dorsum and lighter ventrum. A possible explanation for such a color pattern could be countershading, which makes a bird less conspicuous to predators. The level of conspicuousness depends on the orientation of the bird with respect to the sun. In order for the bird to successfully camouflage itself, it must face its dorsum towards the sun when the sun is at low elevation. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether countershaded and non-countershaded birds do in fact orient with respect to the sun. A goniometer was used to measure angles of perches …

Why Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus Polyglottos) Face The Sun: An Evaluation Of Thermoregulation And Countershading Explanations Using Orientation During Overcast Conditions, Nicole Russo

Undergraduate Student Symposium

When the sun is near the horizon, Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) show a strong tendency to orient their lighter-colored ventral surfaces toward the sun. It is unclear whether the function of this orientation is visual conspicuousness, thermoregulation, or regulation of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. However, all three of these potential functions would not apply when sunlight is blocked by dense cloud cover. Thus, mockingbird orientation during overcast conditions should be random. To test this prediction, 50 mockingbirds were found during overcast but otherwise calm conditions and the compass orientations of their ventra were recorded. Compass orientations were strongly …

Using An Optimization Method To Determine The Parameters Of The Accommodative System Of The Eye, Yuliya Poberezhnyak

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Abnormal binocular vision occurs in a broad range of disorders including strabismus, amblyopia, heterophorias, large fixation disparities, and anomalous refractive conditions. The examination and treatment of these problems are the major tasks in optometry clinics. However, the concepts and parameters used in clinic are not closely related to the parameters in the interactive model of the accommodative and vergence systems (Hung and Semmlow, 1980; Jinag, 1997). In this study, we used a mathematical optimization method (Zheng, et al., 1978) to determine these parameters for patients with normal and abnormal binocular vision and compare the results in the estimated parameters to …

The Wonders Of Mathematica, Linda Sher, Claudia Cortes

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mathematica is a powerful software that has the ability to solve small or large scale computations, graph, plot, analyze data, matrices, produced animated movies and much more. Matematica combines symbolic and numerical calculations into a unified, interactive environment easy to use for students, engineers, scientists and mathematicians. Mathematica is a calculator and a computer algebra software program that uses a high-level programming language. While working through math calculations, a notebook document keeps a report of : inputs, outputs, and graphics in an typeset form. You are able to edit, typeset equations that were entered in the notebook. Mathematica is copyright …

The Highly Active-Antiretroviral Thearpy (Haart) For Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids), Raquel Appa

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The objective of this literature research project is to analyze how the highly active- antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for Acquired Immune Deficiency Disorder (AIDS) has decreased AIDS mortality by interfering with the reproduction of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) inside human cells, particularly helper T-cells. Once inside these cells HIV binds to CD4, the membrane protein characteristic of helper T- cells. Then the viral enzyme reverse transcriptase synthesizes a complementary strand of DNA. Once this DNA is incorporated into the cell’s genetic material the infected cell synthesizes viral protein. The HAART treatment uses a combination of three drugs (Protease Inhibitors, Nucleoside …

School Violence: Are There Ways To Prevent It?, Chad Nochimson, Michael Briante, David Landry

Undergraduate Student Symposium

School violence is reported in the media almost everyday. It occurs mainly at the middle and high school levels and covers a range of violent acts perpetrated by students against other students. Violent acts have run the gamut from bullying all the way to shootings and stabbings. Some of the major causes may include social status among peer relations, economic level of the family and inter-family relationships. Other factors that play a role in the increases in violent acts could include the principal’s role, school environment, and discipline. Moreover, it is often not the children who openly show signs of …

The “Silent Killer” And Its Accomplices In Lung Cancer, Abigail A. Williams

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this literature review project is to examine some of the causes and molecular mechanisms associated with cancer, particularly lung cancer. Cancer, better known as “the silent killer”, occurs when the growth and differentiation of cells becomes uninhibited and unbalanced. While no two cancers are genetically identical even in the same tissue type, there are relatively few ways in which normal cell growth can be disturbed. One of the most common ways that cancer occurs is by the alteration of a gene, which ultimately stimulates hyperactive cell growth. This altered gene is known as an oncogene. The Ras …

Role Of Beta-Amyloid (Aβ) Protein In Alzheimer’S Disease, And The Controversy Surrounding Pib-Pet Imaging, Roselynn Bugayong

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a highly complexed, enigmatic disease that affects nearly 4 million Americans. Surprisingly, over 99% of those affected have sporadic or late-onset AD (SAD), whose causes are unknown. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s disease has no clear cause-and-effect relationship: like unsolved murders, an enormous body of evidence must be collected that can trace steps in order to form hypotheses or to form a consensus in the medical community.

This literature review project focuses on describing recent scientific research into beta- amyloid (Aβ) plaques as a potential cause of AD and methods of observing these plaques in the living human brain. …

Racial Attitudes: The Effects Of Segregation On College Students, Micaela Mercado

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This study focused on racial segregation experienced in high school by college students and their subsequent attitudes toward race. Kenneth Clark in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka clearly demonstrated that psychological inferiority as a result of segregation greatly affected children’s self-esteem and self-image. In the present study, differences in racial behaviors and attitudes in relation to gender, ethnicity, and level of segregation in high school were explored in 52 undergraduate college students. Findings indicated differences of racial attitudes among male and female students. In one comparison between the genders, females exhibited less racial discomfort in relation …

Project X: The Design And Development Of An Amateur Rocket, Jason Fraser, Dennis O'Leary, Erin Ostroff

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The goal of this project is to research, design, and develop a launch vehicle capable of lifting three eggs to over 150 meters and return them intact to earth using commercially available, non-certified rocket engines, namely, A-G class engines whose total integrated impulse does not exceed 160 Newton-seconds. The construction of the vehicle conforms to the safety code of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR).

L-Selectin And Its Probable Effects On Embryonic Development, Nancy Phillipe

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The intent of this literature review project is to summarize research that provides a new way to look at properties which dominate and regulate the molecular mechanisms that determine whether an embryo will implant itself or not. The main quest of this research was to determine if L-selectin is used by the trophoblast as an adhesion factor at the beginning of embryonic implantation. Maternal uterine epithelia was examined further to see if it produces L-selectin ligand during the same time period at which the trophoblast exhibits the L-selectins. The primary role of selectins is to promote the rolling and adhesion …

Exploring The Self-Esteem Of Dually-Diagnosed Homeless, Nicole Russo

Undergraduate Student Symposium

According to the 1997-1998 annual report from the United States Department of Children and Family Services the steady increase of homelessness in our nation is astonishing (U.S. Dept. of Children & Families, 1997-1998). Among the homeless population, 26% are mentally ill as well as substance abuse problems and they are classified as dually- diagnosed. Dually-Diagnosed Homeless Individuals are an extremely vulnerable subgroup with poorly understood needs (Drake, Osher, & Wallach, 1991). There has been paucity in research focusing on personality characteristics on dually-diagnosed homeless, especially in the area of self-esteem. The implications of a dually-diagnosed homeless individuals' self-esteem and how …

Doing Math With Mathematica, Bini Anchery

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of the poster will be to introduce Mathematica to those who are unaware of the topic and explain its capabilities.

It is a powerful tool that combines graphics, programming language, numeric and symbolic computations to other applications. It has a wide range of uses such as handling complex calculations that involve thousands of terms, giving technical presentations and seminars and doing numerical simulations that range from finding the derivative to chemical reactions.

As the individual works through the problems, a notebook keeps a complete report of the input and output, etc.

Symbolic programming is the basis for Mathematica. …

Discovering And Analyzing The Patterns Of Tripepetides, Jessica Jirani, Yuliya Poberezhnyak

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A tripeptide is a peptide containing three amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Like DNA and RNA, proteins are synthesized as linear polymers (chains) composed of smaller molecules, in this case amino acids. Unlike DNA and RNA, in which there are four nucleotides from which to choose, proteins are constructed from at least 20 amino acids having a variety of sizes, shapes, and chemical properties. Each amino acid has a backbone consisting of an amino (NH₂) group, an alpha carbon, and a carboxylic acid (COOH) group.

The order of the amino acids in a …

Adhesion Of Transferrin To Fda Group I Contact Lenses, Eun (Tina) Baek, Tehsin Siddiqui

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Contact lenses are widely used to correct vision. The adhesion of tear proteins to contact lenses contributes to lens deterioration, and may lead to vision problems and ocular pathology. Tears contain a large number of proteins, among them being lysozyme, albumin, transferrin, lactoferrin, immunoglobulins and tear lipocalin. Here we report studies of the adhesion of transferrin to FDA group I (low water non-ionic polymer) contact lenses. Lenses were incubated in a solution of transferrin for 1, 2, 3, and 4 days, and transferrin adhesion was determined using the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. Transferrin adsorbed to the Group I lenses in …

A Researched Review On Cooperative Learning And Jigsaw, Amanda Bergamasco, Ann Marie Hernandez, Sharon Vizcaino

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The topic of this literature review is to understand the effectiveness of the cooperative learning model and one strategy, jigsaw. The goals of the review are to identify the population for which the model and strategy are used, whether or not the use of this model is successful in the classroom, and to understand what successful outcomes are possible with the model and strategy. Additionally, the instructional cycle for cooperative learning and jigsaw are explored. Our review concludes that the use of cooperative learning and jigsaw can be used with varying age groups successfully. Proper teacher planning, instructing, monitoring, and …

Inverse Correlation Between Water Temperature And The Presence Of Florida Manatees (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) At Port Everglades, Fl., Lindsey Fulcher

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Florida manatees are known to be intolerant of cold water. Prolonged exposure to cold water will cause a pathological cold stress syndrome. For this reason, during the winter months, manatees tend to aggregate at sources of warm water, such as springs and power plants, or to migrate south to find warmer waters. Port Everglades, the port of Fort Lauderdale, FL, is a well-established manatee refuge during the cold weather months. The presence of manatees and the temperature of the water near the Florida Power and Light electricity generating plant were monitored for calendar 2003. Water temperatures in other parts of …

Microarray Analysis Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Exposed To Various Conditions, Michelle Jaffe, Stephen Berkowitz, Daveda Maharaj, Gelin Fils-Amie Jr, Roxana Ruyani

Undergraduate Student Symposium

DNA microarrays offer the ability to produce genome-wide gene expression profiles, which can be used to identify genes that may play an active role in various biological processes. The well-studied organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used in an attempt to utilize DNA microarrays in order to examine the gene expression profiles of yeast exposed to varying conditions: aerobic versus anaerobic environments, glucose versus lactose media, weak versus dense cell cultures, and non-UV-C versus UV-C light exposure. After growth reached an optimum optical density, yeast cells in each culture were lysed and the RNA was isolated and transformed to cDNA. Finally, the …

Friendships Across The Lifespan, Jennifer Haselberger, Greta P. Zuniga, Jennifer Odige

Undergraduate Student Symposium

During infancy we begin to develop social skills and learn how to deal with the people around us, especially family and friends. During infancy, we develop different types of attachment styles. Studies show that about 70% of infants acquire a secure attachment style, in which the infant uses the mother as a secure base, but ventures off to explore the surroundings. About 10% develop a resistant style, in which the infant remains near their mother but resists physical contact with her and may even hit or kick her. This infant is wary of strangers. Another 15% develop an avoidant style, …

Dna Microarrays And Pharmacogenomics, Daveda Maharaj

Undergraduate Student Symposium

DNA microarray technology applied to the field of pharmacogenomics will provide for a better analysis of drug responses and drug efficacy in treating individuals with varying genotypes. DNA microarray technology is useful in the detection of various Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that have a propensity to inhibit or complement drug efficacy in individuals using particular medications. Since microarrays allow for the study of groups of genes expressed or repressed among various environments, this technology has allowed for the fields of pharmacogenetics as well as pharmacogenomics to flourish by studying individuals administered medications for their particular illness. While the field of …

Caffeine Effects On The Predatory Behavior Of The Orb-Weaving Spider, Argiope Argentata, Regina L. Vesci, Nicole J. Russo

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Argiope argentata are orb-weaving spiders--meaning that their webs are a sticky spiral wound around radii extending from a central hub. A. argentata have poor vision and depend on vibrations in their web for detection of prey. A. argentata are large spiders; the female is 25mm and the male is 10 mm. They build webs that are approximately 80cm across. Research thus far on spiders and drugs have focused on web-building behavior after depressants or hallucinatory substances have been administered. Research on stimulants and predatory behavior has not been addressed. The proposed research is an exploratory study investigating the effects of …

Application Of Openmosix Computer Clusters For Acceleration Of Distributed And Parallel Computational, Denis Voitenko

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The openMosix is an Open Source extension to the Linux kernel. This kernel extension turns a network of ordinary computers into a supercomputer for Linux applications. Such cluster has proven to be extremely low maintenance yet very useful in solving computational problems in the areas of distributed and parallel computing such as compression, cryptography, mapping and neural network algorithms. The presentation will attempt to explain the basic configuration and the inner workings of such cluster.

Chaperoning Disease Treatment Into The 21st Century, Maria Farrell

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Chaperones function as the cell’s quality control system in a number of different ways. Simply put they are protein complexes that help fold new proteins into their working form, refold proteins that have been damaged, protect against protein aggregation, and tag severely damaged proteins for degradation. Because they most notably respond to damaged proteins caused by cellular environmental stresses such as proteotoxic heat shock, they are often called heat-shock or stress proteins and are classified by their molecular size, cellular compartment and function (e.g. Hsp 90). The chaperones are ligand specific, cylindrical protein complexes that make life and death decisions …

Adhesion Of Transferrin To Fda Group Iv Contact Lenses, Po-Jui (Bryan) Lin, Tehsin Siddiqui

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Contact lenses are widely used as a replacement for eyeglasses to correct vision. The adhesion of tear proteins to contact lenses contributes to lens deterioration, and may lead to vision problems and ocular pathology. Tears contain a large number of proteins, among them being lysozyme, albumin, transferrin, lactoferrin, immunoglobulins and tear lipocalin. Here we report studies of the adhesion of transferrin to FDA group IV (high water ionic polymer) contact lenses. Lenses were incubated in a solution of transferrin for 1, 2, 3, and 4 days, and transferrin adhesion was determined using the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. Transferrin adsorbed to …

Com Outlook Spring 2004, College Of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

The Alumni Network, Spring 2004 (Vol. Xviii No. 2), Nova Southeastern University

Alumni Network Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Using Active Learning To Shift The Habits Of Learning In Health Care Education, Yolanda Griffiths, Kristina Ursick

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

In order to prepare competent health care professionals, changes in health care education are necessary. Professionals must be more self-directed and ready to apply knowledge in a dynamic manner. Learning by doing and utilizing an active learning approach can be a successful avenue to meet the challenge of cultivating higher order thinking and application of knowledge. This article discusses the use of active learning as a promising method for increasing the effectiveness of teaching and learning within any professional health care curriculum.

The Knight Volume 14: Issue 14, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Genomically Intact Endogenous Feline Leukemia Viruses Of Recent Origin, Alfred L. Roca, Jill Pecon-Slattery, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

We isolated and sequenced two complete endogenous feline leukemia viruses (enFeLVs), designated enFeLV-AGTT and enFeLV-GGAG. In enFeLV-AGTT, the open reading frames are reminiscent of a functioning FeLV genome, and the 5′ and 3′ long terminal repeat sequences are identical. Neither endogenous provirus is genetically fixed in cats but polymorphic, with 8.9 and 15.2% prevalence for enFeLV-AGTT and enFeLV-GGAG, respectively, among a survey of domestic cats. Neither provirus was found in the genomes of related species of the Felis genus, previously shown to harbor enFeLVs. The absence of mutational divergence, polymorphic incidence in cats, and absence in related species suggest that …

Development Of A Prototype Computer-Based Instruction Module: Foundational Neuroscience For Physical Therapy Students, Gilbert M. Willett

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

This paper details one faculty members approach to developing a prototype module for a computer based instruction (CBI) course in foundational neuroscience for physical therapy students. The process was based on the generic instructional systems design model, ADDIE. ADDIE is an acronym for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Each step has an outcome that feeds the subsequent step or results in modification of the prior step in order to reach the desired outcome. The analysis section summarizes the state of the global academic environment in health professions education and the environment at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) …