Digital Commons Network^™

Why Are There Microscopes In The Art Room?, Joyce Symoniak

Professional Learning Day

During this presentation we will explore how working cross curriculum enhances learning within the visual arts, science and mathematics. We will discuss how the visual arts curriculum can be created in order to bond with STEM courses for student success. Through exploration we will discuss how collaboration within these courses can be used to solidify cross curriculum understanding and learning. Attendees are asked to bring a sample project or lesson.

E2: Equity And Excellence Framework, Adrienne Coleman

Professional Learning Day

Considering there is a national and global equity focused call to action, IMSA engaged in a process to institutionalize and operationalize Equity and Excellence to address educational inequities. This included policy development, capacity building to engage in equity work, an inclusive and comprehensive data collection methodology, data meaning making, as well as an equity and excellence plan and scorecard development. This presentation will provide participants with an understanding of educational equity, share tools to assist in drafting datainformed policy/plans, and provide a framework to score and measure progress in advancing equity. It will share how to approach equity and excellence …

I'M Tired Of Punnett Squares, But Genetics Is Still My Jam, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll

Professional Learning Day

As STEM educators, it can be hard to keep up with what’s happening in our fields outside of the classroom because we have to prioritize the content and skills we share with the students in front of us. But we teach what we do, hopefully, because we love it, and part of our professional development should be to keep that love alive. In this session, we will share ideas for how to stay current, excited and engaged in your own field and in STEM as a whole, when your classroom content only covers the basics that repeat every year. Bring …

Identifying And Strengthening Existing Support For Students On A Research To Publication Pathway, Connie James-Jenkin, Sowmya Anjur, Jean Bigger, Amberly Carter, Raven Mckelvin '24

Professional Learning Day

Participants will 1) learn how IMSA is generating and disseminating scholarship and incorporating students on a Research to Publication pathway, 2) discover classroom activities that support and promote an understanding of scientific inquiry and the nature of research, 3) discuss student work in IMSA’s repository and student portfolios, 4) hear how we are engaging and supporting our CLED students, like Raven McKelvin ’24, who will share her experience as an Intern and student liaison.

Advancing Health Equity In The Us Military, James D. Mancuso, John Young, Jennifer Rusiecki, Shauna Stahlman, Natasha Schvey, Toya Randolph, Candy Wilson, Catherine Witkop, Patrick Hyde, Althea Green, Patcho Santiago, Donald Shell, Tracy Sbrocco

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity are central to US national health objectives and the Military Health System’s “quadruple aim,” which has readiness as its core aim. Because military service members enjoy universal eligibility for health care, it is sometimes assumed that health disparities do not exist in the Department of Defense (DoD). However, while some studies have shown that disparities have been attenuated or eliminated in the DoD, others suggest that significant disparities remain. Reasons these disparities may remain include that universal eligibility for care does not necessarily result in equal to access to care, and that equal …

Beliefs About Race Differences In Pain Vs. Actual Race Differences In Pain: An Experimental Investigation., Lauren E. Mehok, Samantha M. Meints, Megan M. Miller, Leslie Ashburn-Nardo, Adam Hirsh

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: Race differences in pain are consistently reported, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This study examined how beliefs about race differences in pain are related to actual differences in experimentally induced pain between Black and White individuals.

Methods: Black and White participants completed questionnaires (demographics, pain-related beliefs, pain coping, and mood) and a cold pressor task (CPT) in the laboratory. Beliefs about race differences in pain were tested as potential moderators of the relationship between race and pain tolerance on a CPT.

Results: Participants reported beliefs that White people are more pain sensitive (i.e., less pain tolerant) …

Revisiting The Energetics Hypothesis: Can Accelerometer Monitoring Reveal Hidden Variation In The Movement Patterns Of Snakes?, William L. Tillett Ii, Dominic L. Desantis

Graduate Research Showcase

Historically, predators have been classified into two categories based upon how they search for and acquire prey. Active foragers move through the environment in search of prey, while ambush foragers “sit-and-wait” in selected positions for prey to pass. This difference in energetic demands is expected to correlate with disparities in the time species allocate to various behaviors. According to this energetics hypothesis, ambush foragers should exhibit reduced movement and space use relative to co-occurring active foragers. Snakes represent traditionally overlooked model organisms for exploring these associations, particularly the interplay between movement, foraging mode, and thermal preferences. Radio telemetry is the …

Genetic Stop Signs: Nontraditional Sequences That Terminate Rna Production, Christina Iverson, Samuel Scott

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

3rd place open house

Gene expression can change everything about the identity of a bacterial cell. This process begins when the protein RNA polymerase reads a DNA strand and produces, or transcribes, a matching messenger RNA sequence. This RNA sequence will then be read by a protein-building complex which builds a protein encoded by the RNA. When RNA polymerase finishes producing the RNA sequence, the RNA polymerase will fall off the DNA strand, known as transcription termination. Currently, there are two known mechanisms for transcription termination. We believe that there may be more unknown mechanisms for termination.

Isolating Highly Specific Antibodies Against Cancer Target Hprt, Austin J. Hansen, Christopher J. Haynie, Kiara V. Whitley, Michelle Townsend, Abby Johnson, Hunter Lindsay, Laura Baird, Kim L. O'Neill

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Effective immunotherapeutic targeting of cancer cells requires identification of specific antigenic differences between cancerous and healthy cells. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) is a cytoplasmic enzyme involved in the salvage pathway for DNA synthesis. Certain cancers (e.g., prostate and breast) upregulate and express HPRT on the cell membrane, making HPRT a potential cancer biomarker for cancer immunotherapies. Antibodies specific for unique cancer proteins are critical to develop targeted cancer immunotherapies. Using a yeast display library and cell sorting, we selected for high-affinity human single-chain (scFv) antibodies against HPRT that can be utilized in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies and antibody-dependent …

Phage Host Interactions In Fhua Dependent Bacteriophages, Ian W. Baeten, Jessica M. Lewis, Kathryn E. Janda, David E. Kotter, Julianne H. Grose, William R. Mccleary

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Bacteriophages are the natural enemy of bacteria. They infect and kill bacterial cells similarly to how animal viruses infect and kill our (eukaryotic) cells. Being viruses, bacteriophages need to get inside of their host to be able to replicate and survive. To do this, phages use receptor binding proteins (RBPs) to bind to various molecules on the surface of bacterial cells, which allows them to attach and initiate the first step of infection. Several novel bacteriophages were isolated from sewage samples across the Wasatch Front of Utah that infect Escherichia coli strain MG1655 and are being used to gain greater …

Flipped Versus Online Instruction: A Comparative Analysis Of Student Performance, Noah Emery, Jamie L. Jensen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

The need for improved modes of online instruction has rapidly increased within the last decade. But whether online instruction is beneficial or as effective as in-person remains inconclusive (McCutcheon et al., 2015). Evidence would suggest that there are knowledge gaps with students who enroll in online courses (Jensen et al., 2022).

We designed and tested various models of an online introductory biology course for non-biology undergraduates in order to determine which method of online instruction would most improve student performance and close these knowledge gaps. We hypothesized that including instructor scaffolding (instructor organization and support), instructor feedback, and peer collaboration …

Higher Incidence Of Parasitic Copepods In Female Host Rockfish Species Call For Improved Restoration And Commercial Management Strategies, Alyssa Walters, Mark C. Belk

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Host-parasite interactions are key components in shaping ecosystem and community structure. In parasitism, the host maintains the life of the parasite and can have its fitness influenced as a result. This can be especially problematic for commercial fish projects, as well as species management.

New Species Discovery In Eriastrum (Polemoniaceae) In The Californian Red Mountains, Kaitlyn Pankratz, Leigh Johnson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Characterized in the flowering plant family Polemoniaceae by wooly hairs on the calyces and bracts associated with the flowers and found in dry areas of western North America (1).

Staphylococcus Aureus Readily Shares Antibiotic Resistance Genes Via Transformation In Co Cultured Biofilms, Brooklyn Jones, Ashley Ball, Emillee Augenstein, Thompson Jared, Austin Wright, Brad Berges

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a pathogenic bacterium which affects both humans and livestock, primarily affecting the blood, lungs, and soft tissues The CDC estimates 700 000 current deaths per year in the USA that are associated with antibiotic resistance (AR) infections, rising to 10 million/year by 2050 if no action is taken. SA can gain AR by obtaining a resistance gene from another organism, however, the process of such is not well understood The purpose of this project is to elucidate the process of gaining AR genes in SA strains SA strains can form biofilms an exterior, structural film, which …

Influences Of Post-Fledging Protein Supplementation In Adults And Juveniles On Growth And Reactive Stress Response In Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia Guttata), Gabrielle Morris, Mary Lindley Tharp, Carley Craig, Woods Young, Mathew Thibodeaux, Belinda Bagwandeen, Lainy B. Day

Honors Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium

Protein is important in adult and post-nestling juvenile diets with consequences for growth and metabolism.

An Investigation Into The Common Problems Of Lagoon Wastewater Treatment In Kentucky, Kaylee A. Jones

Honors Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium

Objectives: This project aims to identify and provide solutions for the ongoing problems in Municipality A Wastewater Treatment Plant (MAWWTP) in Kentucky. Research conducted in this study provided numerical data to find trends that identified the issue with the treatment methods.

Engineering And Characterization Of Antibodies Against Cancer Biomarker Thymidine Kinase 1, Joshua Bennett, Kiara V. Whitley, Christopher J. Haynie, Kim O'Neill

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Engineered antibodies used in immunotherapies have been increasingly successful due to their ability to uniquely target cells expressing specific cancer antigens Thymidine Kinase 1 (TK 1 is a DNA salvage enzyme typically found in the cytosol However, in certain types of cancer, TK 1 is surface expressed, making it a unique cancer biomarker By identifying antibodies with a high binding affinity for TK 1 we can target cancer cells expressing TK 1 on their surface Using cell sorting and a yeast display library expressing 109 human single chain antibody fragments, we have isolated ten unique single chain antibodies scFvs that …

The Effects Of Initiating A Fast With A High Fat Or A High Carbohydrate Shake On Mcp-1, Tnfa And Il-6 Levels, Gage Jensen, Landon S. Deru, Bruce Bailey

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, heart disease and diabetes all rank among the leading causes of death in the United States, particularly among the elderly. While many behavioral and pharmacological strategies have been employed to reduce the incidence of these conditions, increasing evidence indicates that entering a mild to moderate state of ketosis through fasting or a very low carbohydrate diet can improve the prognosis for these conditions.1-4 Our aim is to see the extent that carbohydrate composition in an initiatory meal has on inflammatory marker proteins in our participants. This study assessed the impact that pre-fast meals have on Monocyte chemoattractant …

Figures In Biological Journal Articles Are Often Unfriendly To People With Color Vision Deficiencies, Harlan Stevens, Arwen Oakley, Stephen Piccolo

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

8% of men have red-green color vision deficiencies (CVD).

We focused on deuteranomaly and deuteranopia (deficiency in seeing green) since it is by far the most common CVD.

Colorblind unfriendly figures hinder equity in research and discourage individuals with CVD from pursuing science.

To determine how often researchers use colorblind-unfriendly figures, we classified and labeled 5000 images.

Our annotated dataset will be freely available in the hope that it will prove helpful to other researchers.

We created a computer vision model using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to classify images as colorblind-friendly or not.

Myzus Fataunae Shinji (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Pilea Aphid, New To North America, Susan E. Halbert, Jade S. Allen, Matthew R. Moore, Katherine E.O. Fairbanks, Masakazu Sano, Gary L. Miller

Insecta Mundi

Minute aphids belonging to the species Myzus fataunae Shinji (Hemiptera: Aphididae) were found at a nursery in Seminole County, Florida. Morphological and molecular data support this determination. The Florida population only colonized species of Pilea Lindl. in our host range experiments. It did not colonize Fatoua villosa. Nakai. Likewise, it did not colonize tested common Florida species of Urticaceae other than Pilea spp. Myzus fataunae is adventive, and it appears to be established in the United States.

Urban Ecology Of Birds In Mexico City, E. Elias Johnson, Byron J. Adams, Jerald B. Johnson, J. Jaime Zuniga-Vega

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

How organisms persist under extreme conditions has received a lot attention in ecology. Some extreme environments are natural and pristine (e.g., Antarctica or the Atacama Desert), while others are highly impacted by humans (e.g., large cities). Unfortunately, we know little about the ecology of species that live in urban environments relative to those in pristine environments.

Detecting And Characterizing Multisensory Integrating Optic Tectum Neurons In Zebrafish, Adeline Hamilton, Karianne Jex, Erika C. Marks., Suehelen A. Garcia, Jordan T. Yorgason, Tracianne B. Neilsen, Arminda Suli

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

The superior colliculus (SC) is a mammalian midbrain structure involved in multimodal sensory integration and is implicated to have a role in neurodevelopmental disorders. Although the presence of multisensory integrating neurons (MINs) in the SC has been well documented by electrophysiology techniques, little is known about their morphological or molecular characterization. To identify and study MINs, we utilized SC’s non-mammalian homologous structure–the optic tectum (OT)–in the genetically tractable model organism zebrafish. In this process, we generated transgenic lines that allowed for fluorescent detection of neuronal activity by expressing the genetically engineered calcium indicators: cytoRGECO and H2B-jRGECO1a, respectively in mechanosensory hair …

Volume Cxlii, Number 16, March 3, 2023, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

A Bitter Taste Receptor As A Novel Molecular Target On Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Jessica Hung, Samantha M. Perez, Siva Sai Krishna Dasa, Sarah P. Hall, Danielle B. Heckert, Brian P. Murphy, Howard C. Crawford, Kimberly A. Kelly, Lindsey T. Brinton

Hematology/Oncology Articles

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) execute diverse and complex functions in cancer progression. While reprogramming the crosstalk between CAFs and cancer epithelial cells is a promising avenue to evade the adverse effects of stromal depletion, drugs are limited by their suboptimal pharmacokinetics and off-target effects. Thus, there is a need to elucidate CAF-selective cell surface markers that can improve drug delivery and efficacy. Here, functional proteomic pulldown with mass spectrometry was used to identify taste receptor type 2 member 9 (TAS2R9) as a CAF target. TAS2R9 target characterization included binding assays, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and database mining. Liposomes conjugated to a TAS2R9-specific …

Participant Engagement To Develop Report-Back Materials For Personal Air Monitoring, Patrick H. Ryan, Chris Wolfe, Allison Parsons, Cole Brokamp, Ashley Turner, Erin N. Haynes

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Studies that measure environmental exposures in biological samples frequently provide participants their results. In contrast, studies using personal air monitors do not typically provide participants their monitoring results. The objective of this study was to engage adolescents who completed personal air sampling and their caregivers to develop understandable and actionable report-back documents containing the results of their personal air sampling.

Methods: Adolescents and their caregivers who previously completed personal air sampling participated in focus groups to guide the development of report-back materials. We conducted thematic analyses of focus group data to guide the design of the report-back …

Heterochronic Parabiosis Causes Dacryoadenitis In Young Lacrimal Glands, Kaitlin K Scholand, Alexis F Mack, Gary U Guzman, Michael E Maniskas, Ritu Sampige, Gowthaman Govindarajan, Louise D Mccullough, Cintia S De Paiva

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aging is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress in the lacrimal gland (LG). We investigated if heterochronic parabiosis of mice could modulate age-related LG alterations. In both males and females, there were significant increases in total immune infiltration in isochronic aged LGs compared to that in isochronic young LGs. Male heterochronic young LGs were significantly more infiltrated compared to male isochronic young LGs. While both females and males had significant increases in inflammatory and B-cell-related transcripts in isochronic and heterochronic aged LGs compared to levels isochronic and heterochronic young LGs, females had a greater fold expression of some of these …

The Power Of Algorithms And Big Data: A Marketing Perspective On Consumer Manipulation In Business, Jordan C'Rene Reuille-Dupont

University Honors Theses

In marketing, predictive analytics molds big data into tools that can create demographics, target pleasurable neuromodulator chemicals like dopamine, and influence individual and societal behavior patterns. Professionals and scholars alike can use machine-based computation to transform big data into usable knowledge that accurately represents and tracks human behavior. In the past couple of decades this has led to the acceleration of the attention economy and has fueled the age of information. It has pushed countries to not only enforce new laws and regulations, but also race to secure control over data science technologies. The research for this thesis will ultimately …

Examining Mesopredator Detections In The Portland Metropolitan Area, Hunter Storm

University Honors Theses

Mesopredators--medium-sized predators such as coyote (Canis latrans), common raccoon (Procyon lotor), and Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana)--are well established in cities and live closely with humans. However, we still know relatively little about these animals' habitat selection and behavior as they navigate urban space.

In collaboration with the nationwide Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN), we established 27 monitoring sites spanning 50 km of the Portland metropolitan area. Using motion-triggered camera traps active during spring 2022 we collected presence and absence data for three non-domestic mesopredator species: coyote, raccoon, and opossum. Using 40 landscape and sociodemographic …

Navigating The Transition: Strategies For Supporting The Success Of At-Risk Youth From Middle School To High School And Beyond, Jessica L. Hlavinka

University Honors Theses

It has been demonstrated that small class sizes are beneficial for at-risk students transferring to high school. With fewer students, teachers are better able to give personalized attention and assistance, which can encourage students' engagement and motivation to study. Small class numbers can also foster a feeling of community and belonging, which is essential for at-risk students who may feel alienated at school. Also shown to be successful in assisting at-risk adolescents with the transition to high school are mentoring programs. High school students can get assistance and support from mentors as they negotiate the obstacles of the academic environment. …

Pilot Study Of The Association Between Microbiome And The Development Of Adverse Posttraumatic Neuropsychiatric Sequelae After Traumatic Stress Exposure, Abigail L. Zeamer, Marie-Claire Salive, Xinming An, Stacey L. House, Francesca L. Beaudoin, Jennifer S. Stevens, Donglin Zeng, Thomas C. Neylan, Gari D. Clifford, Robert A. Swor

Articles

Background Patients exposed to trauma often experience high rates of adverse post-traumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae (APNS). The biologic mechanisms promoting APNS are currently unknown, but the microbiota-gut-brain axis offers an avenue to understanding mechanisms as well as possibilities for intervention. Microbiome composition at the time of trauma exposure has been poorly examined regarding neuropsychiatric outcomes. We aimed to determine whether baseline the gut microbiomes of trauma-exposed emergency department patients who later develop APNS have dysfunctional gut microbiome profiles and discover potential associated mechanisms.

Methods We performed metagenomic analysis on stool samples (n=51) from a subset of adults enrolled in the Advancing …