Schedule of Events
Science Showcase: Poster Session
Soiland Recreation Center
Students from disciplines in the Natural Science Division will present their results in an interactive poster format. The featured research comes from honors and Capstone projects, class assignments, and faculty-directed collaborative efforts.
Student Abstracts
Towards an Improved Synthesis of DNA Dye Molecules Pd-Catalyzed Amination with 2º Amines
Dimethylaminonaphthylpyridinium iodide is an ionic compound that can be used as a fluorescent dye molecule for routine biological staining. Similar to the known intercalator ethidium bromide (EB), the dye shows high affinity for DNA. Currently, the salt can be prepared in three steps on a multigram scale, but the commercial starting material 6-bromo-2-naphthalenamine is expensive. My aim was to test a “greener” entry to 6-bromo-N,N-dimethyl-2-naphthalenamine. In the original synthesis, product was prepared by double SN2 methylation of the free amine. The reaction gives a high yield, but it requires high temperature and affords a monomethylated byproduct. The mixture of the desired dimethylaniline and monomethylated byproduct must then be separated by column chromatography. The unwanted byproduct is then resubjected to the same reaction conditions in order to push it to the desired dimethylated product. The entire process is tedious and generates significant amounts of solvent waste. To achieve a “cleaner and greener” synthesis with a one step amination a new starting material was chosen, and Pd-catalyzed amination methodology was tested. The substrate used was 2,6-dibromonaphthalene, which was coupled with dimethylamine. The reaction conditions included using Pd(dba as the precatalyst, (tBu)XPhos as the ligand, toluene as the solvent, and KOtBu as the base. The mixture was put into a hot oil bath at 95 ºC and left to run for 11-27 hours. Optimization of stoichiometry was required due to the low boiling point of the amine. Success was achieved, and a hallmark of my findings is that no over-amination is observed.
Student(s):
Hasmik Adetyan
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jason Kingsbury
Utilizing EPOC Brain Computer for ALS Patients: Promising Method of Communication and Movements
Voluntary and involuntary actions in our bodies are mediated through the nervous system; which functions go beyond sending and receiving signals. It basically controls the whole body and reacts to the environment. Nerves can be manipulated with electricity since they use it to communicate. Thus, applying electricity to nerves causes the muscles to twitch; a quick contraction followed by a relaxation. This is very beneficial for patients suffering from damaged neurons causing gradual paralysis as in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease. In general, a nerve impulse, known as the action potential (AP), is generated in the axon hillock and passed through the axon. However, in this study, a detected brain signal is redirected through EPOC Headset – with the aid of a software platform – into an electrical signal that is sent over external wires to either a robot or a target muscle, substituting AP in the axon of damaged motor neurons. This would have great impact in easing the life of ALS patients and their families; since it would provide a new patient-dependent manner to move and communicate.
Student(s):
Fatma Alsaif
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
The Effect of 3T3 Mouse Fibroblast Cells on IL-10 Production in Jurkat T Cells
Stroma is comprised of a diverse group of cell types and extracellular matrix components that provide physical and functional support for hematopoietic cells. The mechanisms stromal cells employ that affect T cell regulation have not been extensively studied, but research has shown that co-culturing stromal cells with T cells increases IL-10 secretion and a subsequent decrease in T cell proliferation. In this study, we observe the effects of 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells on IL-10 production in Jurkat T cells to better understand the effects stromal cells have on T cell proliferation and regulation. Using 3T3 fibroblast cells as surrogate stromal cells to mimic physical cell-cell contact, Jurkat T cells and stromal cells were co-cultured on 6 well plates under various conditions. Cytokine production will be analyzed using ELISA assays. Understanding the role of stromal cells will help generate treatments that target diseases that commandeer these interactions, notably the growth of cancerous cells, or help develop strategies for tissue and/or bone regeneration therapy.
Student(s):
Karla Aviles, Andria Criego
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Chad Barber
The Effects of Interval Strength Training on Stress Levels in Physically-Inactive College Females
Previous research has identified variables that can affect stress. These variables consist of sleep, mindfulness, physical activity, perceived stress, and self efficacy. Although there have been many studies that have shown the inverse relationship between physical activity and stress, experimental research has not yet proven the duration it takes to reduce stress levels. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a two-week interval exercise strength program on stress levels exhibited in physically-inactive female college students. Eight participants ages 18-21 years old participated in this study. The Five-Facet Mindfulness questionnaire, Pittsburg Sleep Quality index, and the Perceived Stress scales were answered by the participants prior to the study. Heart rate(HR), blood pressure (BP), weight, and height were obtained. Following the surveys, the participants followed a two-week exercise program presented by Casey Ho’s YouTube workout series, Blogilates. This exercise program is a blend of Yoga and Pilates. Analysis of variance was used in order to examine the moderating effects of physical activity. In addition, the T-test was used to asses changes from pre to post-test.
Student(s):
Liona Barrett
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Steve Hawkins
Lower Extremity Mechanics of the Back Squat Using Barbells and Dumbbells
The back squat is one of the most widely used and most effective exercises in resistance training (Gullett et. al, 2009). It involves many muscle groups, requires balance and coordination. Because the two sides of the body move in conjunction with each other, physical asymmetries or differences in motor recruitment patterns between the right and left sides may become visually apparent during the exercise (Laske et al., 2011). Muscular imbalances have been the cause of poor performance and injury for athletes and common fitness enthusiasts (Newton et. al, 2006). The use of a single weight (barbell) versus two separate weights (dumbbells) may influence the movement due to a difference in balance demands. The purpose of this study was to investigate lower extremity mechanics of the back squat using dumbbells or barbells. Eligible subjects were between the ages of 18 and 25, female, recreationally trained, and without injuries during the past year. Twelve subjects were recruited for this study. Participants performed three trials each for the dumbbell and barbell conditions, each with a mass of 22.7 kg (50 lbs). The weight(s) were placed on participants’ shoulders by the investigators to prevent unnecessary fatigue. Two Kistler force plates collected 3-dimensional ground reaction forces for each foot (1200 Hz) and six Vicon cameras collected 3-dimensional kinematic data (120 Hz). Joint angles and joint torques of the pelvis, hip, and knee were obtained using Nexus software. Joint torques were computed using inverse dynamics. Multiple dependent, paired t-test were computed using SPSS version 22 (p<0.05).
Student(s):
Michael Bassette, Hillary Wagener, Lindsey Wyatt, and Jazmine Osborne
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michele LeBlanc
Mechanical Properties of the Patellar Tendon Using Tendon Elongation and Acoustoelasticity Methods
Two recent methodologies use ultrasound images to measure tendon strain in vivo. Tendon Elongation (TE) method measures distances between a fixed anatomical landmark and a marker on the images (Malliaras et al., 2013). Acoustoelasticity (AE) utilizes an algorithm to track the pixels in an ultrasound video and generates a strain value over time (Kobayashi et al., 2010). The purpose of this study is to compare the strain values using the TE and AE using Echosoft software (Echometrix, Madison, WI). Eight male participants were strapped into a Biodex System 3 isokinetic dynamometer to isolate preferred leg knee extension. A thin aluminum strip was affixed approximately 30 mm distal to their inferior patellar apex as a reference marker. Subjects completed a set of eight 3-second ramp-up maximum knee extension isometric contractions with ultrasound video (Terason 3200 at 25 Hz) collected simultaneously. TE values were determined using MicroDicom software while AE strain values were computed using Echosoft. The mean percent strain values were significantly different between methodologies: 8.9%, 15.2%, 16.8%, 17.3% measured by TE and 4.1%, 6.2%, 7.9%, and 9.6% measured by AE at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% peak strain, respectively (p<0.05). There was a significant relationship in mean strain percentages between TE and AE at 25% of peak strain with TE being longer (r=0.655, p=0.006) and a trend at 50% of peak strain with TE being larger (r=0.479, p=0.0603). The differences in these methods likely relate to AE investigating a region of interest while TE computes using an overall length.
Student(s):
Elise Brady
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michele LeBlanc
Characterization of the cytokine A20 in U937 monocytes infected with the human Hepatitis C Virus
The Human Hepatitis C Virus is a worldwide problem that affects millions of people each day. With nearly 170 million people infected worldwide and 350,000 annual HCV-related casualties, the search for an HCV vaccine is an ongoing priority. Thus, it is important to obtain as much knowledge as possible on how HCV infections are expressed in infected cells. Previous research has demonstrated the importance of cytokines, which are intercellular proteins that act as signals between immune cells like monocytes. To this end, the Revie lab has focused on quantifying cytokine expression in monocytes infected with HCV. By comparing infected and uninfected samples, the lab has been able to analyze differences in upregulation and downregulation of about 25 genes. Six of those genes (TAF1L, TNF, A20, TAX1BP1, PAK2, and API5) showed at least two-fold up-regulation in infected samples. All of these genes except TAF1L have been demonstrated to be anti-apoptotic genes. In this ongoing project, we aim to characterize the upregulation of A20 protein in HCV-infected cells. Due to its role in the inhibition of the apoptosis through the TNF-dependent NF-kB pathway, we believe A20 to be a crucial component for HCV persistence in patients. The Revie lab has focused on employing the CRISPR/Cas9 system to knockout A20 in order to properly characterize A20’s function. Current experiments have been aimed at optimizing the CRISPR gene knockout to maintain healthy transgenic cell lines. Further work will be done to acquire more results.
Student(s):
Salvador Brito
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Dennis Revie
In Search of Novel Antibiotics to Target Staphylococcus aureus
Multidrug-resistance in a group of bacteria known as the ESKAPE pathogens is a growing issue and major threat to human health, as the introduction of new antibiotics cannot compete with this rise in resistance. Staphylococcus aureus, an ESKAPE pathogen commonly found on skin and in nasal passages, is generally harmless, but can cause life-threatening infections if introduced into the bloodstream. Strains of S. aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), are resistant to many antibiotics resulting in increased use of “last resort” antibiotics, such as vancomycin. Most antibiotics in medicine today were originally derived from soil microbes that produce antibiotics to compete with other microbes for resources. Microbial diversity in soil has yet to be fully investigated; therefore, soil remains a potential reservoir for discovery of novel antibiotics. We joined a collaborative research effort, The Small World Initiative, in search of novel antibiotics that inhibit growth of multidrug-resistant pathogens. We collected soil surrounding the roots of the Heavenly Bamboo plant and cultured microorganisms by plating soil dilutions onto various microbiological growth media. We isolated over 200 colonies and screened for antibiotic production that inhibited Staphylococcus cohnii, a non-pathogenic relative of S. aureus. There were many isolates that inhibited the growth of S. cohnii, including isolate KB20. Through chemical and biological assays, the unknown antibiotic was successfully extracted from KB20 culture media, and we are currently purifying the antibiotic in order to perform future structural analysis to determine if we have, in fact, isolated a novel antibiotic.
Student(s):
Katrina Brown
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Theresa Rogers, Dr. Jason Kingsbury
Is Bigger Better? Interpreting the Role of Male Ventral Patch Size in S. occidentalis Lizards
Sceloporus occidentalis, the western fence lizard, is considered a territorial lizard because it has the following traits or behaviors: it has site fidelity, it defends that site, and it holds a near exclusive use of that site. However, physical combat, which may be used to defend their site, carries significant risks. As a result, species often use displays to establish social dominance without physical confrontation, such as push-up behavior that displays blue ventral patches. We proposed that male S. occidentalis lizards with larger ventral blue patches would be in closer proximity to females, be more distant from other, rival males, and have stronger competitive traits, like bite force and sprint speed. We collected lizard locations from Mt. Clef with a Trimble GeoXH GPS unit accurate to 10 cm. We collected data for 16 males and 12 females from June-August 2014 and March-August 2015, including sprint speed, morphology, bite force, and photographing their ventral patches. We also recorded spectral properties of each ventral patch with a spectrometer. Using these data, we found no significant relationship between body size-corrected ventral patches and size-corrected bite force or sprint speed. However, given our sample size of only 16 lizards, we did see a positive trend between size-corrected bite force and size-corrected patch size. It may be that a positive relationship exists and would be detectable with larger sample sizes, or it may indicate that relative (size-corrected) variables are not as important as absolute patch size and bite force.
Student(s):
Luis Burgos
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Kris Karsten
Violence By and Against Police: A Simultaneous System of Equations
In the last few years, the media has been flooded with violent interactions with the police. While the police have the legal power to use force, citizens are starting to question the legitimacy of the amount of force used. Though the media focuses on the violence that police commit, this issue is not properly described without talking about both sides of the issue: violence by and against police. Police use excess force because there is violence used against them. The literature regarding violence by and against police generally focuses on one direction of violence or the other. We believe that these two variables are codependent and as one moves so will the other. We also believe that they are significant enough predictors that the exclusion of which will make the regression model inaccurate and potentially give the regression model a bias. We are proposing a different way to model the violent interactions between the public and the police. Violence by and against police create a simultaneous system of equations. To solve this, we are representing violence by police with unique identifiers in the violence against police regression. This eliminates the bias and allows us to look at both dependent variables simultaneously to see if there is any causal effect between the two. This econometric model has not been used to describe this issue before. We hope that this model will give policy makers a more holistic view on the problem and give them the tools to try to solve it.
Student(s):
Victoria Butsky
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Kirk Lesh
Injectable Cleft Palate Treatment
Approximately 3% of children born in the US are born with birth defects, and of this 3%, an estimated 2,651 children are born with a cleft palate. A cleft palate occurs when the tissues making up the mouth do not completely fuse together during development, and unfortunately, children who suffer from these orofacial clefts often have self-esteem issues secondary to the defect, difficulty eating and speaking properly, dental issues, etcetera. Fortunately, at this time, there is treatment for this deficit, surgery, which is usually recommended within the first 18 months of the child’s life. Although there is already a treatment for children born with a cleft palate, that treatment involves surgery at a young age, which is expensive and comes with inherent risk. An alternative to surgery, in the form of an injectable scaffold onto the palate, provides a universal solution for all children, whether in the US or anywhere else in the world, including any third world country. The main goal is to develop a scaffold with the proper cells that would proliferate and fuse to the already existing deformed palate, effectively replicating the normal palate. This process includes choosing the best material for a scaffold, choosing the cells that would be working within the scaffold to create the palate in the mouth, and determining how to properly inject the final product.
Student(s):
Kaleigh Byrnes
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Effects of Exercise Environment on the Ability to Reach Maximal Anaerobic Power
Mirror feedback in exercise has had mixed results and minimal research has been conducted in the area. Factors such as levels of physical activity and self-efficacy may influence the importance of mirror feedback in exercise for individuals. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of exercise environment on the ability to reach maximal anaerobic power. 24 recreationally trained participants took part in the study (12 males; 12 females, mean age = 21) who were required to perform the Wingate test on a Monark 894E cycle ergometer in two different exercise environments. Half of the participants performed the first trial in a non-mirrored environment while the rest performed their first trial in a mirrored environment to eliminate order effect. Relative peak power (RPP), relative mean power (RMP), and fatigue index (FI) means were compared across mirrored and non-mirrored trials using one-way repeated measure ANOVA’s. No significant differences were found among RPP, RMP, nor FI across the different exercise environments (p > 0.05). More research is needed to explore the differences in exercise environment amongst different levels of exertion and PA participation.
Student(s):
Mason Cleek
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Steven Hawkins
Using Scaffolds to Retrain Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Experiments have shown it is possible to induce pluripotent stem cells to undergo differentiation through the use of scaffolding alone. This experiment's mission was to verify that claim. If that research could be duplicated it would show that stem cells may be much easier to manipulate and use for our purposes than previously thought. Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells was going to be cultured in various scaffoldings, most importantly the nanofiber scaffolding that was previously shown to induce differentiation by Carl G. Simon Jr's lab. After building up the cell line the cells were to be incubated for a minimum of four weeks and analyzed to determine if any differentiation took place. Unfortunately in the process of building up the cells many were lost. Because of this it is very likely that not enough cells will be cultured to perform the experiment; at least in its original capacity. The cells were lost in the process of using trypsin to count and split them to perform our first pass. The manual's recommended RPM's for centrifuging the cells down to form a pellet did not seem adequate. It is believed that in that process many cells remained within the discarded media. Fortunately at least one run of the analysis ought to still be able to be performed.
Student(s):
Connor Copeland, Rebecca Drake
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Candace Kelman, Dr. Craig Reinhart
A Compositional Approach to Statistical Graphics
As demand grows for interpretation of data, flexible ways to visualize large and varied data sets have become desirable in both academic and industry settings. Common graphics-generating software tend to have a rigid approach, limiting flexibility. Therefore, a flexible and expandable system is desired. By building on Hadley Wickham's existing work in R called ggplot2, this work aims to develop a system of composable graphics. By using different combinations of independent components, new or specialized graphics can be created. These individual parts of graphics are divided into different categories, the key ones being geoms, stats, and scales. Geoms are the geometric objects, the actual shapes that are plotted for each observation in the data. Stats are the statistical transformations made on the data. Scales are transformations to the data that occur to fit the visual representations of the data to the viewing window. Components of a category are independent from those of other categories, and so there exists little restriction on which can be used with which. A bar graph and a histogram may both use a rectangle geom, but utilize different stats to display the same data differently. For this implementation, JavaFX is used for its support for hardware acceleration and portability to web or mobile platforms. The various categories of components are written such that any future component that meets the requirements of the category can be successfully added to the system. Thus, the system is a fast, flexible, and expandable way to generate visualizations of data.
Student(s):
Clayton Craig
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Graham Matthews
A Comparison of Encryption Methods
Whenever information is transmitted, it is at risk of being intercepted and read by unwanted individuals. Encryption is the process of transforming this information into codes that need to be deciphered, ideally only by the desired parties. Different methods of encoding information have different drawbacks and vulnerabilities, each with the goal of providing a method to safely transmit data. We examine two methods of encryption, RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), to understand how they keep our information safe while also comparing their strengths and drawbacks.
Student(s):
Clayton Craig
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Graham Matthews
A Comparison Between Body Weight Squats With and Without a Resistance Band
Squats are a functional exercise often incorporated in training programs to strengthen the muscles of the lower body. The squat movement pattern is essential for everyday activities including sitting, standing up, and lifting objects. Squatting is arguably one of the most critical fundamental movements necessary to improve sport performance, to reduce injury risk, and to support lifelong physical activity (Meyer, et al., 2014). When analyzing the mechanics of a squat, it is common to see poor technique, in particular, forward migration of the knees and valgus collapse. Using a resistance band placed two inches above the knees is often used to influence gluteal muscle activation (Cambridge, et al., 2012), prevent and or rehabilitate ACL injuries (Benjaminse, et al., 2015), and influence overall power output (Wallace, et al., 2005). The purpose of this study was to compare lower extremity kinetics and kinematics of a bodyweight squat with and without a resistance band. 15 recreationally active females performed three sets of five bodyweight squats. The first and the third set of squats were performed without the elastic band and the second set was performed with the elastic band above the knees. Ground reaction forces were measured with each foot on a Kistler force plate (1200 Hz) while six Vicon motion capture cameras (120 Hz) collected 3-dimensional coordinate data for 16 reflective markers placed on lower extremity anatomical landmarks. Joint angles and joint torques were computed using Nexus Software. Statistical significance was determined using dependent t-tests with SPSS version 22 (p < 0.05).
Student(s):
Brittany Davis, Briana Sanchez, Kaity Carter, Devyn Lerner
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michele LeBlanc
Evaluation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Interleukin-10 on Fibroblasts
The immune system plays a crucial role in determining the success of implantation of a tissue-engineered construct. In the case of rejection, the body's immune response is largely responsible. The system first works to recognize the construct, which is labeled as non-self, and then develop an appropriate response, typically an inflammatory response, which cascades into the rejection of the construct. Recently, attention has been turned toward suppressing the rejection of antibodies through the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and enhancing the integration of tissue-engineered constructs with native tissue by using growth factors. Here, the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10)--a substance that has previously shown an ability to promote cell proliferation and a known anti-inflammatory drug, respectively--were examined using 3T3 fibroblast cells. It is expected that when tested in tandem, VEGF will promote cell proliferation, while IL-10 will have no effect on overall cell growth and will not demonstrate cytotoxicity to the cells though it is also expected that in the event of an inflammatory response the drug should function as a suppressant. Further studies can be used to examine the effect of VEGF and IL-10 on fibroblasts with integration into a scaffold and further study the ability of the cells to integrate with native tissues in the body.
Student(s):
Rebecca Drake
Faculty Mentor:
Ms. Candace Kelman
The Potential Social and Biomechanical effects of tail Loss on Sceloporus occidentalis
Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) can voluntarily lose their tails to avoid predation, but because they store fat in their tails, this may lower the lizards’ survivability. And because they are territorial, tail loss may also carry social costs: in some other lizards, the loss of tails in males lowered their social status among potential mates. We conducted this study to determine if tail loss in males affects social status or running biomechanics. We collected data from males and females from May to August in 2014 and 2015. We marked them for identification in the field and collected a GPS point each time one was found. We mapped individual territories using these points in GIS software. In total, we found points for 29 males and 22 females. In June of 2015, we brought seven males into the lab. We measured their bite force, sprint speed, and morphology, and took high-speed videos of each lizard sprinting. We removed tails from four of the males and measured and video recorded their sprint speed again. Afterwards, we returned all lizards to their original locations. Our sprint data suggest that the males who had a high initial sprint speed run slower after tail loss (possibly a social cost in defending territories), but those who did not run as fast before tail loss were not affected. Initial analysis of high-speed video revealed that after tail loss, lizards appeared to shift their center of mass forward, presumably because of the lack of counterweight in the tail.
Student(s):
Katherine Dubsky
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Kristopher Karsten
Canine Tumor Gene Isolation and Mutation Identification
Tumors typically have several mutations that cause the cancerous phenotype. Through dog tumors acquired from local veterinarians, we are looking at several genes of interest-EGFR, MTOR, TRAF3, BRAF, TP53, and PTEN- to see to what extent they are mutated in the canine tumor through gene sequencing. These genes play a strong role in cancerous phenotypes, such as abrogation of tumor suppressor function and increased mitotic, apoptotic, and kinase activity. The purpose of this research is to determine what genes are mutated in a given dog tumor, which will indicate the prevalence of these genes being mutated in canine tumors, and thus ideal gene targets for mammalian cancer therapy. This investigation required identifying primers for specific exon regions of DNA associated with high mutation levels. DNA was purified by lysing cell membranes and isolating DNA, and the gene regions of interest were amplified by using the identified primers through PCR. Agarose gel electrophoresis was utilized to visualize the regions of amplified DNA, and served as an indication of DNA purity. Once sufficiently amplified, the DNA primers have to be removed and the DNA sequenced to compare to non-mutated segments. To date, canine BRAF, TP53, and PTEN genes have been amplified and await sequencing, with the remainder of genes requiring further PCR in order to obtain higher DNA concentrations.
Student(s):
Joseph Enders, Taylor Beacham; Preston Warren; Sean Grewal
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Chad Barber and Dr. Dennis Revie
Reaction Conditions for Quaternary Carbon Synthesis via Deboronation-Alkylation
The purpose of my research was to explore reaction conditions that may allow for the transformation of a tertiary organoboron to an all-carbon-substituted, quaternary chiral center. Achieving this goal would offer new reaction methodology relevant in carbon-carbon coupling, which can streamline the synthesis of new compounds despite extreme steric hindrance. Previous research has identified successful conditions for cross-coupling hindered secondary organoborons, and tertiary boronic esters can be prepared from geminal diborons via deboronation and alkylation steps. This investigation required multi-step synthesis to get from commercial starting materials to the tertiary organoboron starting materials. Some of the precursor reactions necessary to pursue my research goal were quite sensitive, including reagents that had to be added under nitrogen and products that had to be immediately stored at -40°C. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) of the reaction mixtures after extraction indicated purity by showing how many products existed and their relative proportions. NMR spectroscopy was essential to confirm which spot on a TLC plate was the desired product and its final purity. Impurities were removed by subjecting the mixture to a silica column that separated components based on polarity. Conditions for the sterically hindered cross-coupling reaction were not discovered in my research to date; however, several ways of improving the reaction methodologies for access to the precursors were developed and optimized. Some reactions yielded diazo compounds that are novel, first time syntheses, and a number of secondary organoborons have been purified for use as “control” substrates for quaternary cross-coupling in future studies.
Student(s):
Joseph Enders
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jason Kingsbury
The Relationship Between Foot Strike Patterns and Lower Limb Kinematics in Treadmill Running
The modern running shoe was only created in the 1970’s and running has changed drastically since (Lieberman et al. 2010). Typically, runners land with a forefoot or mid foot-strike (FFS/MFS) while barefoot, because this area provides the most cushion on the foot. When the modern running shoe grew popular, many runners developed a rear foot strike (RFS) because of the added cushion and elevation supplied beneath. The aim of the present study is to determine if the lower limb kinematics of typically shod treadmill runners differ between self-selected shod running, forefoot strike shod running, and barefoot running. 6 males and 6 females between the ages of 18-25 were recruited from California Lutheran University to participate in this study. The participants ran for 4 minutes on the treadmill at whatever pace they felt comfortable with as a warm up that doubled as an acclimation period to the treadmill. 16 reflective markers were placed on each participant before they were asked to complete 3 one-minute running conditions each at 7.4 mph: shod, barefoot, shod mimicking barefoot running. When they reached a steady state, 3-dimensional coordinate data of 10 strides were recorded using the six Viocn MX40 motion capture cameras. An independent t-test was used to calculate the differences between the shod, barefoot, and shod mimicking barefoot conditions.
Student(s):
Heidi Ferkranus
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Louise Kelly
Do Schools Indirectly Manipulate SAT Scores
Are high schools able to manipulate the SAT scores of their students? Putting aside the possibility of the national cheating scandals that occasionally plague the headlines, how might schools take steps to improve the scores that their students achieve on the most widely accepted college admissions test in the country? This research looks at over 150 schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District to shed some light on this topic. An introductory discussion on past literature regarding this topic helps to illustrate the motivation behind this project and leads into an empirical study of this subject. Several regression equations are presented and analyzed, as well as an explanation as to how and why these equations are built. I did find some evidence that suggests that some schools may be manipulating their SAT scores.
Student(s):
Jade Flores-Henderson
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Dan Hamilton
Analyzing Cell Kinetics and Integrin Expression in Canine Tumors
Tumors are a result of a rapid cellular proliferation that can be triggered by various internal and external factors. Many tumor cells rely on cell surface receptors called integrins for their growth and survival. This study explores integrins as a potential target for therapy in canine tumors. It is expected that various types and levels of integrins will be expressed on various canine tumors. It is also expected that canine tumors with a greater concentration of integrins will exhibit increased proliferation compared to other tumor cells. It was found that exposure of 125U/mg collagenase for 2.5 hours resulted in the highest level of living and culturable in vitro cells from murine (mouse) organs. Utilizing similar methods, cells from four canine tumor samples were acquired and maintained at 37ºC and 5% CO2 in complete DMEM. It was shown that cells from two epithelial tumors, a mammary tumor and a lipoma proliferated 1.6 fold, 3.3 fold, 1.6 fold and 10 fold in 4 days, respectively. After sufficient outgrowth, these cells will be stained with fluorescent anti-integrin antibodies and analyzed for expression of specific integrins using flow cytometry. Furthermore, it is planned to introduce integrin antagonists in vitro to measure inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis. This experiment aims to demonstrate the importance of integrins in cell growth and the potential of using anti-integrin strategies to inhibit proliferation of canine tumors.
Student(s):
William Frem
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Chad Barber
Android Fitness Tracker
Both beginning and veteran fitness enthusiasts experience a plateau during their muscle building or weight loss ventures. This event occurs when our bodies start to adapt to the strain and demands that we place upon them. During these plateaus we experience a decrease in muscle growth or weight loss if we continue with the same routines. My Android Fitness Tracker is designed to reduce the frequency of these plateaus. By inputting data specific to the user, the user is able to monitor where they are currently at, see how far they have come and provide a slight mental boost to go a little further in their fitness endeavors. While designing this application, I set out to make the user interface as simple as possible as a means to make the application friendly to all users. The application is also built around Android 4.1 which will make it available to over 90% of all Android users. I have plans to include other fitness related additions to the application including a calorie tracker and tutorials to exercises to increase the versatility of the application. The Android Fitness Tracker is just the beginning of what is to become an all-encompassing fitness application.
Student(s):
Grant Garnica
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Hand Prosthesis
Losing a limb is a devastating and life changing moment in someone’s life. Whether the losswas related to military injury, birth defect, or accident it generates the need for prosthetics.The main goal of this study is to create prosthetic hand that utilizes an embedded system withan Arduino microcontroller and a three dimensional printed prosthetic hand to mimic the endUser’s left hand. The system will utilize servomotors, flex sensors and other hardware. Oncethat goal has been reached an aspect of creativity will be introduced. The end user will be ableto play “rock, paper, scissors” with the printed hand. In this process there will be debugging ofthe written software that operates the hardware.
Student(s):
Paul Gray
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
The Effect of Torque Development Rate on the Mechanical Properties of the Patellar Tendon
Ultrasound has been used to assess mechanical properties of tendon during ramped isometric contractions. Contraction duration has been reported to affect patellar tendon strain; however, the extremely slow contractions (10 sec) studied by Person et al. (2007) are not representative of functional contraction speeds. The purpose of this study was to use acoustoelasticity methods to determine if the rate of torque development affects patellar tendon strain. Nine recreationally active males were recruited. Subjects were strapped in an isokinetic dynamometer to isolate preferred leg knee extension. After completing conditioning contractions, they performed a set at regular (2-3 s), fast (1-2 s), and slow (4+ s) ramp up speeds. A Terason 3200 ultrasound collected tendon images during the isometric contractions. Echosoft software (Echometrix, Madison, WI) used DICOM files to compute strain within a region of interest. One-way ANOVA was used to determine the effect of contraction speed (p < 0.05). Time to peak torque for regular, slow and fast contractions were significantly different (3.36 ±0.33 s, 4.90±1.02 s, 2.63±0.85 s, respectively; p< 0.001) and peak torque values were not different (270±66 Nm, 265±78 Nm, 281±76 Nm, respectively). Peak strain values did not differ due to contraction speed (10.3±2.2%, 10.4±3.5%, 9.5±2.6%, respectively), however the time to the peak strain did differ with the slow trials taking longer to reach peak strain (4.49±0.65 s vs 3.37±1.17 s; p < 0.05). It appears that the rate of torque development affects peak strain values only when the rates differ more significantly than the current study speeds.
Student(s):
Allyson Hadley
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michele LeBlanc
Magnetically Driven Ball-In-Socket Wheel Design
One of the top priorities of car manufacturers in our time is not only to create a safe vehicle, but to produce a vehicle that efficiently uses energy. This can be done by creating a highly efficient engine, using hybrid technology, going fully electric, or by doing what is said not to do, redesign the wheel. I have chosen the later of these. There are many benefits to a ball-in-socket wheel design which include but are not limited to control of the vehicle, reduction of total parts, but most importantly a decrease in overall weight. The greatest hindrance of fuel efficiency is the bulk of modern day cars. This is not a new issue and has been addressed by the use of different alloys and polymers in the production of cars in order to reduce weight. By thinking outside of the box, rather than making the vehicle out of newer materials or stretching the efficiency of the engine, why not just remove what is not needed and isolate all mechanical components of the car to four ball-in-socket wheel compartments. This will dramatically reduce the weight and in turn increase the efficiency of the vehicle. By using a program called Solid Works, I have created a model that will hopefully demonstrate the feasibility of a ball-in-socket wheel. To test this model I am using steel balls of various sizes as well as a microwave transformer which I have converted into a high powered electromagnet to be used as my driving force.
Student(s):
Jordan Helus
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. John Deisz
Superconductivity in Strontium Ruthenate
Experiments and research on strontium ruthenate have puzzled scientists since its superconducting state for temperatures below 1.5K was discovered in 1994. Results from previous studies suggest that strontium ruthenate has properties that are atypical of superconductors although some of the evidence appears to be contradictory. For example, there has been some, but not always consistent evidence of a change in phase of reflected polarized light within the superconducting state, magnetic flux quantization at atypical values, and the breaking of time reversal symmetry. The inconsistent behavior of this material is what I intend to understand via computer simulations. I performed this research computationally through a quantum simulation, using techniques from linear algebra and a momentum space model, which greatly contributes to the accuracy of the results, and the speed at which I obtain them. Through simulations we can make it easier to understand, define, and visualize what is happening physically while using different methods, models, and techniques. Our initial work has focused on determining the origin of flux quantization that appears to be occurring at unconventional values. We show that while our model reproduces the conventional flux quantization values expected for a superconductor and other aspects of the calculations are in agreement with the first principles study by Mazin and Pavarini, we have not yet been able to reproduce the flux quantization at the unconventional values through two different mechanisms, which might plausibly be present in strontium ruthenate.
Student(s):
Pierce Hening
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. John Deisz
The Effects OF Ribavirin And Interferon Alpha On HCV Infected U937 Monocytic Cells
Humans infected with Hepatitis C virus may experience long term damage to liver cells, which can lead to liver diseases, including cancer and cirrhosis. Interferon alpha and ribavirin were used in this experiment and are broad-spectrum medications that aid the body in combatting the illness. The main goals were to determine the effects of ribavirin and alpha interferon on monocytes alone, in combination, and to determine the ideal amounts of each medication required in producing the highest yield of inhibition in vitro. It is expected that both inhibitors combined would yield greater successful rates of inhibition and the treatment of Ribavirin alone will have no significant lowering of the cDNA in the culture supernatants. U-937 monocytes were infected via serums from patient’s HCV-infected blood. After allotting time for viral transmission into the cells, the viral RNA was purified. Viral RNA was converted to cDNA using reverse transcriptase, then amplified using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Once the cells were infected and viral replication occurred, they were given interferon alpha and ribavirin individually, and then treated in combination. Real-time PCR was used to quantify the amount of virus produced by the cells and served as a proxy to measure viral activity inhibition. Cells infected with HCV for at least fifteen days were used for the experiments. Ribavirin and alpha interferon were both found to inhibit viral replication. Further testing and repeated trials are needed to ensure the inhibition and determine 50% inhibitory concentrations [IC50].
Student(s):
Jayce Jaynes
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Dennis Revie
Electro-Optical Control
Everyday devices such as TVs, cell phones, computers are becoming smarter. Devices are now able to determine situations and react with less user input. There is plenty of technology that is readily available that is not “smart.” This project investigates the possibility of making cheap, already existing technology smarter by incorporating an electro-optical input device such as a video camera. The input from the camera is received and pixel color information is extracted. The image is then processed for the color orange and a location is determined based on the center of mass formula. Once the center of orange color is determined, commands are sent to motors to move relative to the orange object. This loop is then repeated until the orange color is placed in the correct region of the image by moving the robot. This research developed an orange color detection algorithm that can be used to control multiple motors through an Arduino microcontroller. This research has determined that an Arduino microcontroller is not the solution to making readily available devices smarter due to the significantly limited processing power and lack of ability to store an image on the board but, this research has served as a proof of the concept that simple color detection, along with this control algorithm, is a valid way to track an orange object through subsequent video frames.
Student(s):
Christopher Jelloian
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. John Deisz
Voting Paradoxes at California Lutheran University
A weighted voting system consists of a collection of voters each of whose vote may count for a different amount, similar to how the weight of a stockholder’s vote depends on the number of stocks owned. The project “Voting Paradoxes at California Lutheran University” studies the dynamic of voting power between various academic units at California Lutheran University, where the weight of each unit’s vote is determined by its number of faculty. In such a system, the voting power of a voter can be measured using the Banzhaf Power Index. We look for the existence of counter-intuitive results in voting power, known as voting paradoxes, which can occur when changes to the system are made. We analyze known paradoxes geometrically to explain why they occur, and apply these results to look for paradoxes that may occur with changes in the size and distribution of CLU’s faculty.
Student(s):
Devyn Jeska
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Karrolyne Fogel
Determining the Structure of Synthetase DesD Using X-ray Crystallography
A lack of iron leads to secretion of siderophores (small molecule metal chelators) by bacteria. Siderophores have high affinity for iron outcompeting host chelators, and making them virulence factors in infection. Some siderophores (of particularly virulent pathogens) are assembled via an NRPS-independent siderophore (NIS) pathway. Understanding the structure of NIS siderophore biosynthesis enzymes may lead to the design of specific antibiotics to fight pathogenic bacteria.The Hoffmann lab is using x-ray crystallography to determine the protein structure of NIS synthetase DesD, from Streptomyces coelicolor. DesD makes the siderophore desferrioxamine B, requiring three iterative bonds and a macrocyclization event. DesD is one of the best biochemically characterized NIS synthetases so far, and this structure is solved as a model for the rest. The goal of this project is to solve the x-ray structure of DesD bound to substrate and ATP, as well as apo (empty of substrate) structures, in order to characterize the conformational changes that may occur with binding. DesD crystalizes in 20% PEG 8,000, 15% glycerol, and 15% ethylene glycol conditions, and crystals diffract to 2.48 Å with good statistics. Using the programs CCP4i v. 7.0 and Coot, the structure of DesD has been solved, built, and refined. This structural information may allow for the design of an inhibitor that will prevent the binding of substrate in future work.
Student(s):
Kimya Karimi, Caroline R. Amendola, Katherine M. Hoffmann
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Katherine Hoffmann
The Effects of Pre-Competition Routines on the Performance of Swimmers and Their State-of-Mind.
Warming up before a competition is essential for a swimmer to compete to the best of their ability. An appropriate combination of in-water as well as dry-land routines, together with management of pre-race preparation routine, may aid in increasing a swimmer’s overall performance. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a swimmer’s performance or state of mind is affected when given a different pre-competition routine from the swimmer’s customary routine. Each participant performed one of two different warm-up routines before a competitive swim with one day’s rest in between. One consisted of their own routine that they use before every competition. The other warm-up consisted of 1500 total yards of freestyle swimming, segmented into laps of decreasing distance, but increasing intensity. The warm-up also included performing two dry-land exercises (3 medicine ball throw downs and 3 box jumps). The dry-land exercises were performed twice, with 10 seconds rest between each. After each warm-up the participants swam 100 yards at maximal speed. Upon completing both swims, each participant was asked a series of questions to gauge their perception of each performance. It was hypothesized that the swimmer may feel more confident in their race after their own customary performance, but may actually perform at a higher level with a more intensely structured warm-up.
Student(s):
Kathleen Kochalko
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Steven Hawkins
Myc, FOXC2, USH2A, BMAL1, CDK12, KRAS, RAD51C, BRAC2, and APC Mutations in Canine Tumors
In particular cancer types, there are specific genes that are commonly mutated. Studying these mutations in a model homologous to humans, such as the organism Canis lupus familiaris,will allow a greater understanding in cancer behavior. A canine carcinoma taken from the eyelid was analyzed for mutations in the genes: Myc, FOXC2, USH2A, BMAL1, CDK12, KRAS, RAD51C, BRAC2, and APC, which are known to be mutated in various types of cancer. KRAS, Myc, and APC were also analyzed in the human cells lines U937, U87, and Jurkat, respectively. In order to determine if mutations were present in both the human cell lines and the canine tumor, DNA purification, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and gel electrophoresis were performed. A comparison of the PCR bands present in gel electrophoresis will show the correlation between the mutations found in human tumors and dog tumors. In addition, the carcinoma from Canis lupus familiariswas cultured in effort to create an immortal cell line that can be used for future studies. The hope of this experiment is to better understand the genes of interest and the relationship between the mutations that occur in dogs as well as humans; allowing for an expansion in cancer therapy.
Student(s):
Amy Lai, Jayce Jaynes, Sarah Marroquin, Tiyana Rogers, Ashley Cruz, Khristina Shad
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Dennis Revie
Differences in Energy Allocation in Mytilus californianus Mussels Based on Shell Size
In this experiment the shell sizes of Mytilus californianus mussels were compared to gonadal development. Eighty-six mussels were divided into three groups that included small, medium, and large, based on shell length. These groups were compared based on size, gonadal mass, and visceral mass percentages. It was expected that the smaller mussels would allocate more energy toward visceral mass development, while the larger mussels would allocate more energy toward gonadal development. This delay in reproductive development in smaller mussels is the result the stressful conditions that they face within their habitat, making it more important for them expend energy growing larger in size to withstand the environment and predation. Our experimental findings were not consistent with previously published literature because the amount of gonadal development showed high variation within each group, and several of the smaller mussels showed a higher degree of gonadal development than expected. The development of gonadal tissue was first seen at a shell length of 21 millimeters (mm), and the largest gonadal mass percentage was seen in the medium size range, and began to decrease in the larger size range.
Student(s):
Bailey Likewise, Rajvir Sandher, Hashandeep Singh
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Andrea Huvard
Interactive Hand
Prosthetics is an ever improving field of study, constantly growing and changing with time and when new challenges presents its self. New technology makes this field very interesting to be a part of. Even some of the more basic and easier devices can be very intriguing and useful to create. Take for example the arm extension tool. By pulling the trigger it causes the two tips to come together. Just like the idea for my interactive hand. The main focus for this project was to recreate a hand were people can interact with it by simply pulling on a string which would cause the hands fingers to bend/curl just like a real hand. The hand was created using a 3D printer. Each part was made individually then assembled together as one. The sting is inserted inside the fingers and comes out through the base of the hand. That way any individual can pull one or multiple strings at a time.
Student(s):
Rachelle Loehner
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Analysis of Anticipated and Unanticipated Lateral Cutting Maneuver After a Box Drop Landing
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in sports that require sudden changes in direction, deceleration, or landings (Beaulieu et al., 2009). There has been some suggestion that there are differences in biomechanical strategies when an athlete makes an agility movement that is unanticipated versus anticipated (Spiteri et al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to compare the lower extremity kinematic and kinetic characteristics of unanticipated versus anticipated cutting lateral cutting maneuvers after a box drop landing. Ten collegiate male athletes (members of an intercollegiate sports team) performed a 90° lateral cutting maneuver following a box drop. The subjects were either informed of the direction they would be cutting prior to the drop landing, or light cues indicated the direction as the subject dropped from the box and interrupted a laser sensor. The subject was required to land with one foot on each of two Kistler force plates (1200 Hz) and to make a lateral cutting maneuver to reach a target 2 m away from the force plates in the requested direction as quickly as possible. A six-camera Vicon motion capture system (120 Hz) collected 3-dimensional kinematic data during the maneuver, utilizing 16 reflective markers attached to lower extremity bony landmarks. Ground reaction forces (vertical, anteroposterior, mediolateral), knee joint torques (flexion/extension and varus/valgus), and angular kinematics were compared between the two landing conditions. Statistical significance was determined using dependent t-tests with SPSS version 23 (p < 0.05).
Student(s):
Marisa Loo,
Michael Fernandez, Trever Wood
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michele LeBlanc
Computer Simulations of Magnetic and Nematic Ordering in Superconductors
Several experimental studies have revealed that atomic-scale striped structures appear in several superconducting compounds. Despite extensive work by many researchers, there is still no accepted explanation for why stripes appear and whether these stripes are accidental or central to superconductivity. The aim of my work is to address this issue via computer simulations. Using C++ I created a model of a superconductor. I created the ability to nudge the model in different striping patterns and used that to test which type of striping patterns that the model reacted to most strongly. This hopefully tells us what type of striping patterns that the physical superconductors might actually be experiencing. I found that striping the magnetization in oscillating directions had the most potential to be part of the striping pattern in physical superconductors. Secondly, we have found that two distinct stable solutions appear in our computational results. We are exploring the nature of these solutions and their relationship to stripe ordering, a study made difficult by the weeks or even months of computing time needed to obtain conclusive results. We will also explore other potential striping patterns that might explain the striping observed in superconductors.
Student(s):
Dominic Lunde
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. John Deisz
The Investigation of Mutated Genes in Canine and Human Tumors
The topic of this research project is an investigation into the correlation of mutations between the genes of Canis lupus familiaris (the domestic dog) and Homo sapiens. It was proposed that the frequency in mutations of certain genes are positively correlated with expressing a cancerous phenotype in both canines and humans. It can be difficult to connect specific genes to cancer because there is potential for many genes to be actively involved in the development of a tumor. In this experiment, we studied the genes for PI3KCA and HER2, that are commonly seen mutated in human cancers, in both canine tumors and human cell lines. These genes were chosen based on their frequent mutations found in human tumors. The genomes of both dogs and humans are similar, so it is important to study them both in order to better understand human cancer and potentially make advancements in treatments. In order to conduct this study, we selected primers for the specific genes studied in both species, purified and amplified the genomic DNA, and ran the DNA through gel electrophoresis. We intend to send our samples for sequencing for further analysis and comparison.
Student(s):
Kimberly Mehl, Jenna Miles, Kaelen Kay, Ana Sophia Campos
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Chad Barber
Flux Quantization in Two Dimensions
Superconductors are materials that exhibits a few exciting properties when cooled to below a certain critical temperature. One of these properties is the expulsion of magnetic flux during the transition of the material into its superconducting state. Arranging atoms in geometric structures, such as thin rings, allows us to investigate some unique aspects of superconductivity. Using the C++ language to model how atoms and electrons behave in a superconductor, I first started with developing a simple code that represented where the atoms and electrons existed in a superconductor. By implementing a range of mathematical and physical parameters to demonstrate real properties of superconductors, I assured the accuracy of my code with the output of certain physical quantities. We hope that investigating superconductors at an atomic level will help us understand the underlying principles of superconductivity, and contribute to the possibility of one day using superconductors at ambient temperatures. I contributed to the development of a new method of measuring the superfluid density in the modeling of a superconductor. Instead of accounting for all physical locations of the atoms and electrons, I was able to group them and use their momentums to indirectly keep track of the atoms, which ultimately meant fewer calculations. My data supported the fact that the flux values are quantized, and that the energy per atom in my system charted a periodic function with the expected period of one.
Student(s):
Noah Meisner
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. John Deisz
Pyrite and 3D Topography as Evidence for Hypostomal Position in Agnostid Arthropods
The hypostoma, a ventral mouthplate in trilobites with implications for feeding mode, is rarely preserved in agnostid arthropods. Because of rarity of preservation, disturbance during preservation, or variation among genera, there are conflicting reports about hypostomal position, size, and muscle attachments. We present two new indirect sources of information on these mouthplates in Middle Cambrian specimens from the Wheeler Shale of Western Utah: euhedral pyrite crystals on the dorsal exoskeleton marking the position of anterior wings of the hypostoma beneath the carapace;and rectangular collapsed areas on the glabella immediately posterior of, and in some cases slightly overlapping with, the transglabellar furrow. Spacing of euhedral pyrite crystals closely approximates the distance between anterolateral and posterolateral edges of preserved hypostomas. Rectangular collapse structures closely approximate a direct estimate of the hypostoma on specimens where it is directly preserved on ventral surfaces. Locations of both crystals and collapse structures cluster around a hypostomal position that slightly overlaps the transglabellar furrow but primarily occupies space beneath the posterior lobe of the glabella, supporting a more posterior position than is commonly reported for the hypostoma in these animals. Slight angular variations from this position are presumed to be artifacts of movement during ecdysis or slight agitation of the exoskeleton at the time of deposition.
Student(s):
Miguel Miguel
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Linda Ritterbush
Wind Turbine with Adjustable Pitch Angle
Wind turbines constantly regulate the pitch angle of the blades depending on wind speed to obtain desired RPM and power output, where pitch angle is the angle the wind turbine blade makes with the plane of rotation. The goal of this research is the design, construction, and testing of a small model wind turbine with an adjustable pitch angle to optimize power. The optimal pitch was found thorugh Matlab simulations where RPM, wind welocity, and blade profile were taken into consideration. The physical model has parts design with Solidworks and are 3D printed to efficiently be able to change the angle of the blades. During testing the power output is measured with the wind turbine running with different pitch angles.
Student(s):
Christina Muren
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. John Deisz
Color Blindness Simulation
Color is perceived by different people in different ways. This is not subjective – due to their biological make up, some people cannot see certain colors, or get two colors confused. For those of us that have lived our lives being able to see all colors “properly”, it can be difficult to even comprehend what it would be like to struggle differentiating two colors. This study focuses on creating a non-immersive simulation of color blindness. The project provides an experience where the colors from a given camera feed are altered to simulate color blindness. Primarily, this was done by only filtering out the reds, blues, or greens from a photo. The goal is to create procedures to filter the colors from the camera feed in such a way as to allow a person with “normal vision” to experience color blindness in a realistic manner. The simulation was written in the Java programming language using a Logitech web cam. An open source software package called OpenCV was used to capture the camera feed to the Java program, which then performed the processing and display. Charts representing color absorption of the eye were referenced to approximate simulations of various types of color blindness.
Student(s):
George Nasr
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Modeling a Computational Simulation of a Fluid Droplet
This research focuses on a design for a live simulation of the physics of a droplet of fluid hitting the ground, bouncing and sloshing around, as if it was a droplet of water interacting with a large flat surface of water in slow motion, or gelatin hitting the ground.
The model was assumed to be in two-dimensions, to be later expanded to m dimensions. A particle system was used to design the physical interactions that dictate the motion of the droplet. The particles were represented as corners on an n-sided regular polygon (n-gon). In order to simulate interactions between particles, forces were defined. Specifically, there were three forces utilized: the force of gravity (pulling all particles in a particular direction), the force of particles pushing on one-another (with the magnitude dependent on the distance between particles), and the force of neighbors (keeping the distance between all particles that share an edge on the n-gon the same as the desired length of sides of the n-gon). Newtonian physics was used to determine the acceleration from the sum of forces acting on each particle. Then, the Runge-Kutta fourth order numerical integration technique was used to approximate the position at each time step. The simulation was created in Java, including a graphical user interface, which allows for live visibility of the droplet, interactions between user and the droplet (external forces), and the manipulation of system parameters (such as the number of particles, the magnitude of gravity, and more).
The model was assumed to be in two-dimensions, to be later expanded to m dimensions. A particle system was used to design the physical interactions that dictate the motion of the droplet. The particles were represented as corners on an n-sided regular polygon (n-gon). In order to simulate interactions between particles, forces were defined. Specifically, there were three forces utilized: the force of gravity (pulling all particles in a particular direction), the force of particles pushing on one-another (with the magnitude dependent on the distance between particles), and the force of neighbors (keeping the distance between all particles that share an edge on the n-gon the same as the desired length of sides of the n-gon). Newtonian physics was used to determine the acceleration from the sum of forces acting on each particle. Then, the Runge-Kutta fourth order numerical integration technique was used to approximate the position at each time step. The simulation was created in Java, including a graphical user interface, which allows for live visibility of the droplet, interactions between user and the droplet (external forces), and the manipulation of system parameters (such as the number of particles, the magnitude of gravity, and more).
Student(s):
George Nasr
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Assessing and Mitigating Farm Workers Exposure to Pesticides
In 2013, the California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that California produces approximately half of all nuts, fruits and vegetables grown in the U.S. The success of California's agricultural industry is in part due to the widespread use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. According to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, 194 million pounds of pesticides were reportedly used in 2013. The focus of this research is to develop an environmental monitoring approach for assessing pesticide exposure in these environments and provide recommendations for improving relevant public policy. In this research a chemical analysis was done of urine samples using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer that identified pesticides, pesticide residues and metabolites. This allowed for a focus on specific data concerning pesticides in the community. This data was then statistically analyzed looking at demographic factors. A review of legislation, statistical analysis and chemical identification inform the following public policy recommendations: 1) Increased education for the communities exposed to pesticides is necessary to create an informed dialogue about pesticide use; 2) Improvements for regulations that mitigate the dangerous exposure constituents are faced with; and, 3) Organize appropriate oversight measures to ensure that farms are compliant with the improved regulations. Additional research examining legislation would allow for a more specific approach to policy recommendations, focusing on specific improvements that can be made to current legislation as well as future laws and regulations. Furthermore, access to a platform where these recommendations can be shared with policy makers and constituents would create the opportunity for significant progress in legislation.
Student(s):
Audrey Neilan
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Haco Hoang and Dr. Grady Hanrahan
Latency Testing and Variation Analysis
Latency is commonly referred to as the bane of technology and electronics since it is not avoidable just reducible. Increasing our understanding of what causes latency allows us to better figure out how to reduce the problem. With my research I want to get a better understanding of how latency affects a simple circuit and possible ways to minimize the time it takes to complete an action. I ultimately want to implement this research for Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality devices. I am using a Boebot with a Basic Stamp 2.5 microprocessor hooked up to a 555 timer to gather multiple data points quickly and efficiently.
Student(s):
Trevor Olsen
Faculty Mentor:
Mr. Robert Rumer
The Effect of Electric Stimulation VS. Foam Rolling in Strength Recovery of the Quadriceps
Elite athletes perform at high-intensity and high-volume during training and in competitions, leading to neuromuscular fatigue and/or delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). In order to prevent a decrease in physical performance there are a wide variety of recovery modalities. Electric stimulation being one of interest, to enhance muscle blood flow and wash out metabolites to accelerate recovery. Self-myofascial release performed by the individual using a foam roller has also been utilized to reduce DOMS. Yet, a product has yet to be identified in consistently relieving DOMS caused by eccentric exercise. In order to compare the effects of electric stimulation and foam rolling on strength recovery of the quadriceps, participant’s maximum voluntary isometric muscle torque was tested through the use of a Biodex dynamometer. Participants then performed a 10x10 back squat to induce DOMS. Electric stimulation using a Marc Pro device was applied to the right leg for fifteen minutes and the foam roller was used on the left leg. Average peak torque was tested again post 24 hours to assess strength recovery. Muscle soreness was also assesed for each leg using a numerical rating scale. It is expected that electric stimulation will be more effective in reducing DOMS and allow for greater strength recovery in the quadriceps than foam rolling. Literature has shown that electric stimulation has been more effective in reducing DOMS and other parameters of athletic performance.
Student(s):
Maritza Otero
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Steven Hawkins
Do Sports Help Women in Business?
Within the Fortune 1000 there are only 54 female CEOs. That is, women make up less one percent of the total CEOs in this population. This study examines the effects of collegiate athletic careers on women in the business world. Particularly the impacts of playing college sports on women's pay, individually as well as relative to men with similar positions. The research is based on data collected through a paper survey sent to CEO’s (all 54 women and a random sample of 200 men) as well company and financial websites. From there a linear regression was developed to outline the factors that most effected the wage gap between men and women at the level of CEO. The final betas included gender, years with a company, age (as well as age squared), and graduate degrees obtained and a few dummy variables. My findings suggest that sports do not play a significant role in the wages of women. However, their gender does. Female CEOs represent a small subset that have been able to break through the glass ceiling. This would imply that they are part of an extremely elite group that possess characteristics that even their male counterparts may not. For this reason the significance level of gender is not surprising. If a female can somehow breakthrough the business world and reach the top, they must be particularly good at what they do and thus would be worth more money as employees.
Student(s):
Hannah Purdy
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Dan Hamilton
Creating Sports League Schedules through Graph Theory
For many people, sports league schedules are created through the brute force method, a time consuming trial-and-error process. To avoid this method, the goal of the project is to create an optimal schedule through graph theory. A graph is a set of points, vertices, connected by a set of lines, edges, and here the vertices represent teams and the edges represent games. A schedule might be considered optimal if it meets the required criteria and is considered fair between teams, such as all the teams playing each other twice where each team has the same number of breaks and byes. Breaks, where a team has 2 consecutive home or away games, and byes, where a team does not play in a certain round, are seen as undesirable. By analyzing many articles, the project investigates the Edge Coloring Algorithm, which creates a single round robin tournament for an even number of n teams. By updating the algorithm, the efficiency of the expanded algorithm creates a double round robin tournament for an even or odd number of n teams such that each team has no more than two breaks. A proof is presented that for any round robin tournament with n teams, at least n-2 teams have breaks. The expanded algorithm was tested on some CLU sports teams schedules. After applying it to the 2016 men’s football and men’s water polo schedules, the number of breaks for each team went from 2-3 to only one, in turn, creating more optimal schedules.
Student(s):
Sherise Jayna Requiestas
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. John Villalpando
Using Cellular Automata to Populate a Simulated World
Simulations are an integral part of society and allow people to imitate conditions to review specific events or predict future ones. This project aims to use cellular automata, a system where conditions of surrounding cells influence the state of one cell, to simulate population growth in an uninhabited area. Using the geography of cells, this simulation using cellular automata is somewhat predictive in its behavior to colonization of an area. Populations will colonize areas that are easier to live in unless no other conditions exist, thus we can observe how a population colonizes the world based on the geography layout of the world. This project aims to achieve a simulation where the population will begin to colonize areas of the world where humans normally inhabit, in addition to areas humans sometimes will inhabit merely because they are able to. In our simulated world, we generate a world of hexagonal tiles and randomly assign a geography to each space. Each geography type (forest, desert, grassland, etc) that has a food value and a difficulty of living value. One tile will start the simulation colonized and will spread over each time step towards less difficult tiles or tiles high in food availability. Currently the simulation has been mostly constructed and testing is being done to ensure there are few bugs. Further work is required, but results are expected in the near future.
Student(s):
Nickel Revie
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Assessing the Viability of a Drone Patrol Craft for University Security
Drones are used widely around the world. Predator drones in use by the United States military are the most familiar drones, but there are also companies who use drones to complete tasks such as Parrot for consumer entertainment and Amazon is working on developing drones to deliver packages. This project aims to simulate an artificial intelligence with target recognition so autonomous drones can patrol an area on a university campus to identify parking stickers and assessing whether a real drone patrol craft is viable for use by security. Drones can allow security to focus on other tasks or reduce the frequency of patrols. The program that controls the drone in this project will be able to move around campus in a pre-programmed route, hover, scan cars, and take a picture of the parking sticker. The drone will then identify the sticker, flag any incorrect sticker, and continue along its pre-programmed path until it detects another car. Currently, the simulation correctly performs the tasks specified. While the drone can perform the tasks, there are case errors where the drone will incorrectly move or not perform a command, disrupting the simulation. With commercial-grade hardware and software, we believe this simulation already demonstrates the ability for a drone to perform these tasks in a real world environment. Autonomous drones could be a great complement to existing systems and might open doors for security on university campuses.
Student(s):
Nickel Revie
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Chang-Shyh Peng
Virtual Reality Game Programming
This year marks the entry of virtual reality headsets into the mainstream market. As such, many game developers will begin to produce games specifically designed for these devices. With this shift in focus of game development, it is now imperative for prospective game programmers to immerse themselves with knowledge about this bleeding edge technology. The purpose of this project is to develop a game with the use of the Oculus Rift VR headset in mind, in order to develop skills that will shortly become mandatory in the game development industry. This project will involve both the creation of a game using the Unity development engine and also integrating functionality of the Oculus Rift headset into the game. The programming for the game will be done in the C# language and will incorporate the Oculus SDK built for Unity. The project requires a firm knowledge of scripting in the Unity development environment.
Student(s):
Tyler Roach
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Limiting Air Pollution in an Indoor Industrial Environment
Air pollution is a major problem for the planet, and it receives the concern it deserves. Due to the extreme attention it gets, other types of pollution can be overlooked. One victim of this is indoor air pollution, which directly affects many industrial workers around the world. The problem is many solutions to reducing industrial debris are not practical for small to mid-size companies because of the cost. Known symptoms of pollutant inhalation abound, yet very little has been done to help prevent this in an industrial setting. In this study, different techniques of varying cost of reducing industrial indoor air pollution were analyzed to determine the most practical solution for keeping workers safe. Depending on the size and financial commitment to worker safety of the company, different techniques will be recommended.
Student(s):
Aaron Roth
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
BIEN490 - Engineering Design: Marble Machine Project
The BIEN490 class conceived, designed and implemented a continuously looping marble machine as their semester project. Each student developed their own module which was then integrated into the overall machine. Students used micro controllers, 3D design, 3D printing, and programming to create automated modules which moved marbles in creative fashion while using the Engineering Design Process.
Student(s):
Various students
Faculty Mentor:
Mr. Bob Rumer
Effects of Hamstring Flexibility on Anerobic Power Production
There is limited research on how flexibility affects athletic performance. The present study connects flexibility to a specific mechanism contributed to success in many sporting competitions. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of hamstring flexibility on anaerobic power production in 20 recreationally trained college males. A standard sit and reach test was used to determine flexibility levels in the participant’s hamstrings. A standard 30 second Wingate test was used to calculate relative anaerobic power produced by the lower extremity. The participant’s fatigue index was also calculated using relative peak power and the lowest recorded power interval. Correlation analysis was performed with a statistical significance level of p<0.5. A statistical trend may exist when comparing flexibility levels in the hamstring muscles to anaerobic peak power output. Additional studies should be conducted using a larger sample size to determine if significance exists between flexibility and sport performance.
Student(s):
Tyler Schnorf
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Louise Kelly
A Microsatellite Analysis of Local Fish Product
An ever-changing climate combined with a world population that is increasing on an exponential scale yields the need for resource security. One such resource that is in jeopardy now more than ever is the world’s fish stocks. Overfishing and pollution have made the need for conservation of the utmost importance, and one vital aspect of conservation that can often be overlooked is the proper identification of fish catch. Catch misidentification not only hurts the species at hand, but also hurts the consumer.
This study will attempt to identify mislabeling of Salmon or Tuna species at southern California retailers using DNA microsatellites. These microsatellite regions allow for reliable identification of Salmon and Tuna species that is not possible using physical comparisons alone. In order to accomplish proper identification this study began by collecting fish samples from local grocers and performing DNA extraction protocols on them. Following this, PCR was run comparing the label of the fish with previously published microsatellites for that species. While this study is still ongoing, results so far have shown that all products have been properly labeled. This is somewhat surprising considering previous research on the subject has shown these species to be often mislabeled.
This study will attempt to identify mislabeling of Salmon or Tuna species at southern California retailers using DNA microsatellites. These microsatellite regions allow for reliable identification of Salmon and Tuna species that is not possible using physical comparisons alone. In order to accomplish proper identification this study began by collecting fish samples from local grocers and performing DNA extraction protocols on them. Following this, PCR was run comparing the label of the fish with previously published microsatellites for that species. While this study is still ongoing, results so far have shown that all products have been properly labeled. This is somewhat surprising considering previous research on the subject has shown these species to be often mislabeled.
Student(s):
John Sheets
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Bryan Swig
Progress Towards Gram-Scale Catalytic Diazoalkane-Carbonyl Homologation Reactions
Non-carbonyl-stabilized diazoalkanes are a powerful and versatile class of reagents in organic synthesis, as they undergo formal C-H and C-C bond insertion with readily available carbonyl compounds. With the aid of standard Schlenk line and glove box techniques, the Kingsbury group has been screening anhydrous Sc (III) salts as catalysts for gram-scale diazoalkane-carbonyl homologation reactions. We are using heretofore untested reagents and representative aldehyde and cycloalkanone acceptors. General results for a number of transformations have established a broad substrate scope for this catalytic diazoalkyl insertion chemistry. As more specific examples, a mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) probe bearing a spirocylic, all-carbon-substituted α-quaternary carbon center has been synthesized in high yield by efficient ring expansion of cyclobutanone with a diazo compound derived from dibenzosuberone. Moreover, we are investigating a method for direct aldehyde prenylation via formal C-H insertion of (β,β-dimethylvinyl)diazomethane with piperonal as a model substrate. The utility of this aldehyde homologation reaction may be demonstrated in a biomimetic synthesis of davanone by means of direct prenylation of lilac aldehyde. In addition to these synthetic applications, our work highlights continued improvements in the scale-up and safe-handling of α,β-unsaturated and sterically-hindered diazo compounds. With a focus on reducing the time between the genesis of diazoalkanes and their consumption via carbonyl homologation, our procedures speak to the potential for in situ generation of the least stable of these compounds. We hope that by minimizing the challenges posed by handling diazo compounds, diazoalkane-carbonyl homologation will prove to be an industrially-relevant, complexity-generating synthetic process.
Student(s):
Brittany Smolarski
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jason Kingsbury
Hepatitis C Virus Core and NS5A Colocalization in U-937 Monocytes
Hepatitis C, caused by the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), affects approximately 150 million people worldwide. HCV infects hepatocytes, liver cells, and causes liver cirrhosis and may even lead to liver cancer. Currently, there is no vaccine available for HCV and minimal information is known about the virus. The purpose of this project is to gain a greater understanding of the replication process of HCV, particularly to determine important sites of viral production. U-937 monocytes, which are cultured and infected by Dr. Revie, are used for this project. The monocytes are stained with various fluorescent dyes that attach to the nuclei, lipid droplets, and HCV proteins, if present in the samples. The stained samples are then analyzed with a fluorescence microscope that excites the dyes to fluoresce in their respective wavelengths, or colors. This allows for visualization of colocalization, spatial overlap between the organelles and viral proteins. Colocalization indicates the presence of HCV proteins on or in the host cell organelles and is represented as a different wavelength. The data collected so far suggests that there is colocalization of HCV core with nuclei and lipid droplets. Further analysis will be conducted on HCV core and NS5A and their associations with host cell organelles and other viral proteins by comparing uninfected and infected samples. If sites of HCV replication are established in monocytes, the information gathered from this research can potentially contribute to advancing antiviral treatments and developing a vaccine for HCV.
Student(s):
Diana Tecson
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Dennis Revie
Procedural Generation
Procedural generation is an algorithmic technique used to create pseudo-random data. It differs from random data because given the same starting value, called a seed, procedural generation will produce the same data while random data is unpredictable. Its two main uses are building seemingly random worlds in videogames and in generating patterns for computer graphics. The main goal is to better understand how the algorithms behind procedural generation work. To test this, I will program a simple game, Conway's Game of Life, and then add a way to procedurally generate a starting position for the game. I will develop different versions of the game {i.e. move from a 2D board to a 3D board} to demonstrate how procedural generation can scale to multiple dimensions.
Student(s):
Derick Toyota
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Craig Reinhart
Investigating the Effects of Extra-eye Mutation on JAK-STAT Signaling in Larval Drosophila
Signaling pathways that take part in the initiation of transcription play a critical role in cancer, and therefore are potential targets for anti-cancer therapeutic agents. Key elements of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway are important in the regulation of chromatin structure, cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. The use of Drosophila melanogaster in genetic studies has revealed the role of this pathway in regulating several developmental phenomena. Previous work has suggested an important role of JAK-STAT signaling in controlling the size and number of developing eye fields during embryogenesis. The present study was undertaken to investigate the possibility that extra-eye (ee) mutation elicits over-proliferation of eye tissue due to up-regulation of the JAK-STAT pathway during development. In order to test this hypothesis, we crossed ee and control flies to a stock bearing an in vivo reporter gene, Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), under the control of STAT regulatory sequences (STAT-GFP). Data obtained to date indicate that the ee mutation does indeed cause increased JAK-STAT signaling, as revealed by GFP fluorescence observed in the larval proventriculus. We found degree of penetrance of ee mutation to be directly correlated with intensity of GFP expression.
Student(s):
Soumya Unnikrishnan, Carmen Wheeler
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. David Marcey
Investigating the Effects of Mutations on JAK-STAT Signaling in Tissues of Larval Drosophila
Signaling pathways that take part in the initiation of transcription play a critical role in cancer, and therefore are potential targets for anti-cancer therapeutic agents. Janus Kinases (JAK) and Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT) constitute key elements of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway that is important in the regulation of chromatin structure, cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. The JAK-STAT pathway is present in diverse animal phyla, including mammals and insects. The use of Drosophila melanogaster in genetic studies has revealed the role of the pathway in regulating stem cell proliferation, eye development, hematopoiesis, and other developmental phenomena. The present study was undertaken to investigate the possibility that ee elicits overproliferation of eye tissue due to upregulation of the JAK-STAT pathway during development. In order to test this hypothesis, we crossed ee and control flies to a stock bearing an in vivo reporter gene, Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), under the control of STAT regulatory sequences (STAT-GFP). We predicted that higher levels of GFP fluorescence would be measured in the experimental tissues compared with controls. Data obtained to date indicate that the ee mutation does indeed cause increased JAK-STAT signaling, as revealed by GFP fluorescence observed in the larval proventriculous. Results from further work aimed at extending and quantifying these results as well as testing the effects of a known STAT inhibitor (AZD1480) on ee penetrance will be presented.
Student(s):
Carmen Wheeler, Soumya Unnikrishnan
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. David Marcey
Who killed the Music Industry?
From 1999 to 2009, music sales were cut more than half in just a decade, and this period was referred to as the “lost decade of music”. This project focuses on the relationship between the rise of the internet and the decline of the music industry. It examines whether or not the development of digital distribution has decreased the revenue for major record labels in the music industry. The author uses regression analysis with time series data from 1973, and the result shows a rejection of the initial hypothesis. It suggests evidence that the introduction of digital distribution helps record labels to generate revenue. Beyond the primary finding, the paper also finds the death of Elvis Presley caused a boost in music sales in 1977 and 1978.
Student(s):
Yili Zhao
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Dan Hamilton
Hydrogeochemical and Ecological Investigation of Desert Pupfish Habitats and Ecosystems
The Desert Pupfish is an endangered species that inhabits small ponds and springs in the Amargosa River Basin (ARB) and other areas proximal to Death Valley. The sources of water for the pupfish habitats are derived from groundwater aquifers. One aquifer is a deeper, regional carbonate aquifer. The second groundwater source is comprised of numerous shallow, silica-rich alluvial aquifers. Little is known about the relative contributions of the deeper versus shallower aquifers to the ponds and springs that the desert pupfish inhabit. A conflict arose when a solar facility was proposed in the area by a German company, Solar Millennium. The operation of the solar facility would require extraction of groundwater not only to produce electricity, but also for use by the personnel working at the facility. However, given the uncertainty in the source or sources of water feeding the pupfish habitats, extraction of groundwater could seriously impact this endangered species of fish as well as local ecosystems and people living/working in the region. The objective of the present study was to integrate isotopic and major element geochemical analyses of pond and spring waters in order to further:
•Assess the relative contributions of the deeper carbonate versus shallower silica-rich alluvial aquifers to the pupfish habitats; and
Evaluate the amount of mixing among groundwater in the Amargosa River Basin.
•Assess the relative contributions of the deeper carbonate versus shallower silica-rich alluvial aquifers to the pupfish habitats; and
Evaluate the amount of mixing among groundwater in the Amargosa River Basin.
Student(s):
William Zimmerle
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Richard Hurst