Outstanding Poster Presentations
Scholars Week 2023
Individual Presentations
Title: Study of MCI-Induced Melting of Complex Plasma Crystals Using GPU-accelerated N-body Simulations
Author: Jorge A. Martinez-Ortiz
Mentors: Dr. Lorin Matthews and Dr. Truell Hyde
Department: Department of Physics
Plasma is generally created by increasing the temperature of a gas to the point where electrons separate from atoms in a process called ionization. As a result, electrons and positively charged ions are free to interact with external electric and magnetic fields. In a dusty, or complex, plasma, micrometer- to nanometer-sized particles are introduced into the ionized gas, and each dust grain acquires an overall negative charge due to the collection of electrons on its surface. Under the right conditions, dust particles in an experimentally confined dusty plasma can self-arrange into a highly organized structure known as a complex plasma crystal. The vibration of dust particles in the crystal can be in the direction of propagation of a wave (longitudinal) or perpendicular to it (transverse). Experimentally observed melting of the plasma crystal is theorized to occur due to the mode-coupling instability (MCI). The coupling between the transverse and longitudinal wave modes occurs due to the interaction of dust particles with ion wakes, the non-homogenous regions of positive charge located downstream of each grain. We present our work on reproducing the MCI-induced melting of a plasma crystal using a GPU-accelerated N-body simulation that implements a simplified point-charge model of the ion wakes. The simulation and ion wake parameters as a function of plasma power and pressure can be modified in real-time by the user, and they adapt dynamically to simulate the conditions inside a GEC RF reference cell used in experiments to confine the dusty plasma.
The authors gratefully acknowledge support for this work from the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences award number DE-SC-0021334, and NVIDIA Corporation’s Applied Research Accelerator Program.
Title: Novel Participant Reporting System in Vitamin D Intervention Clinical Trial
Author: Sudili Fernando
Mentor: Dr. Leigh Greathouse
Department: Department of Human Sciences and Design
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of mortality worldwide. Due to the high prevalence and increased rate of diagnosis in those under 50, a better understanding of the causes and risk factors for CRC is needed. One risk factor for CRC is low serum vitamin D levels. Research demonstrates that serum vitamin D can reduce cancer risk by improving immune function, inhibiting cell proliferation and differentiation, and regulating intestinal barrier integrity. While studies have suggested a protective action of serum vitamin D against CRC, the exact mechanism of these actions is still unknown. It has been hypothesized that the gut microbiome could play a role in these mechanisms. To investigate this question, a randomized double-blind control study with 42 participants was designed to examine the impact of a 12-week vitamin D supplementation (4000 IU/d) intervention on the gut microbiome. Daily stool samples and dietary habits (24-hour recalls) for the first fourteen days of the trial and the last day were collected. Blood samples were collected at baseline and study end to measure changes in serum 25(OH)D using ELISA. To disseminate the results to participants, a novel reporting system was created to report data about their microbiome health, vitamin D status, and diet quality in an educational and accessible format. These reports included healthy eating index, relative microbiome abundance, human gut microbiome index, and vitamin D level data. Each visualization included a short but detailed explanation of the figure along with individualized interpretations and recommendations. This novel reporting system provided participants data and recommendations about their microbiome and dietary health. Overall, this reporting system could be used in future studies to allow participants to make informed life decisions to promote microbiome and dietary health to reduce their risk of CRC.
Team Presentations
Title: Do freeze-thaw cycles effect diagnostic marks on bone?
Authors: Vincent Dao, Cadyn Feller, Sulema Jaramillo, Sarah Kraut
Mentor: Dr. Katie Binetti
Department: Anthropology
Analyzing the effects of freeze/thaw cycles on sites of skeletal trauma is an important area of study for forensic and biological anthropology. The potential for freeze/thaw cycles to obscure diagnostic marks on bones may result in interpretation errors for anthropologists. Human skeletal remains exposed to multiple freeze/thaw cycles are of particular interest because physical changes to the bone may hinder the identification of diagnostic marks that may be relevant in forensic or evolutionary contexts. This is of particular concern as season temperature fluctuations are becoming increasingly unpredictable and drastic with the global climate change crisis that we are experiencing. Our research considers the effects of freeze/thaw cycles on known diagnostic marks made on bovine metapodial bones. The marks were made using known instruments on 6 different specimens and exposed to a dark colored dye to differentiate the mark from the underlying normally colored skeletal tissue. Group 1 (3 specimens) was submerged in 3050g distilled water, and Group 2 (3 specimens) was submerged in 1177g neutral pH moist potting soil. The specimens were frozen in a chest freezer with an average temperature of -22°F and, subsequently thawed on a lab bench with an ambient temperature of 70°F. Observations have been recorded after each freeze/thaw cycle. Each group was subjected to 12 cycles of freeze-thaw over a period of several weeks. Modifications to the bone surface throughout the process were documented, and photos were taken following each cycle. Observed changes in the general appearance of the bone surface were recorded as were any observed changes to the diagnostics marks themselves. Here we present our observations and compare the differences between the marks subjected to the two different freezing media (water and soil respectively).
Title: Relationships Between Cerebral Blood Flow and Body Composition
Authors: Brandon Arnold, Alexandra Blades, Jose M. Moris, Ryan Curtis, Christian J. Chang, Vineet K. Paidisetty, Garett Petty
Mentor: Dr. Yunsuk Koh
Department: Human, Health Performance, and Recreation
Assessment of peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is utilized to examine for ICA stenosis in stroke-symptomatic individuals. While a sedentary lifestyle is a common risk factor for ICA stenosis, a deeper understanding of how body composition affects ICA blood flow could provide insights prior to being symptomatic.
PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between body composition variables and the ICA blood flow.
METHODS: ICA blood flow was assessed in eight healthy males (21.88 ± 2.25 years) on three different days to control for possible diurnal variability that could affect blood flow. Participants abstained from physical activity and caffeine for a minimum of 12 hours prior to each visit. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess body fat percentage (BF%) and visceral fat area (VFA). Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) was used to assess body water percentage (BW%), metabolic age (MetA), and visceral fat rating (VFR). Participants rested supine with eyes closed for 5 minutes prior to assessment of ICA. B-mode doppler ultrasound sonography (7.5 MHz linear transducer) was used to measure PSV, end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistance index (RI), and vessel diameter on the right ICA after 2 minutes of continual scanning with a 60° insonation angle. The relationship between ICA blood flow and body composition variables was examined via Pearson correlation analysis.
RESULTS: BF% was positively correlated with ICA PSV (r = 0.416, p = 0.043) and ICA EDV (r = 0.669, p < 0.001) but negatively correlated with ICA diameter (r = -0.424, p = 0.039). VFA was positively correlated with ICA EDV (r = 0.505, p = 0.012). BW% was negatively correlated with ICA PSV (r = -0.417, p = 0.043) and EDV (r = -0.620, p < 0.001). MetA was positively correlated with ICA EDV (r = 0.630, p < 0.001) but negatively correlated with ICA RI (r = -0.509, p = 0.011) and diameter (r = -0.513, p = 0.010). Similarly, VFR was positively correlated with ICA EDV (r = 0.644, p < 0.001) but negatively correlated with ICA RI (r = -0.511, p = 0.011) and diameter (r = -0.496, p = 0.014).
CONCLUSION: Body composition presents a greater correlation with EDV than PSV, suggesting that adiposity-related factors can describe ICA blood flow. Similarly, BIA might offer a solid and easy-to-attain procedure to indirectly assess ICA blood flow that warrants further research.
Title: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Morphological and Behavioral Abnormalities Induced by Glyphosate, Copper, Lead, and Equipotent Tri-exposures
Authors: Luke Sullivan, Reed Hildenbrandt, Mohamed Maragen, Calvin Piepenburg, Jack Wolsky, Muhammad Abbas
Mentor: Melinda Coogan & Dinny Stevens
Department: Environmental Sciences
As the Earth continues to become more polluted, concentrations of contaminants in ecosystems continue to rise. Furthermore, certain compounds and pesticides, like glyphosate, one of the most commonly used herbicides in agriculture today, can be prone to runoff. However, not only glyphosate can contaminate bodies of water, since most aquatic ecosystems are a mixture of numerous chemicals and compounds. This creates an unknown risk for organisms and humans today, as the effects of the chemicals when in the presence of other chemicals are largely unknown. This study used zebrafish (Danio rerio) to examine the toxic effects of lead, copper, glyphosate, and tri-exposures of the three chemicals. Zebrafish were used due to their genetic similarity to humans and ease of use in the lab, which make them beneficial for toxicological studies. The toxicities of the chemicals were studied by exposing zebrafish embryos to environmentally relevant concentrations of the compounds and quantifying morphological and behavioral endpoints throughout their development. Zebrafish embryos develop into larvae at approximately 3-4 days post fertilization (dpf), and this study continued observation through 11 dpf. The endpoints measured began with embryonic emergence rates at 2-5 dpf, then during the larval stages from 6-9 dpf. The larvae’s spinal angle, ocular distance, body length, and swim bladder area were also measured. Finally, each protocol concluded with a behavioral assay at 10 – 11 dpf. Data analysis showed statistically significant differences in the exposed fish for all chemicals and combinations. Reductions in body length, spinal angle, and ocular distance along with decreased swim bladder area, were observed throughout all protocols. These findings conclude that ongoing research is needed to determine potential synergistic effects among environmental toxicants such as herbicides and metals.
Title: CRISPR-Cas9 mutation and characterization of integrin homolog pat-3 in C. elegans
Authors: Alexa Sokhon, Alysia Martinez, Jacob Cunningham
Mentor: Myeongwoo Lee, Josh Bumm
Department: Biology
This study investigates the manipulation of pat-3, a c. elegans gene orthologous to the human ITGB1. Both genes encode for the beta subunit of integrin, a heterodimeric transmembrane cell surface receptor that facilitates cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion. Integrins are responsible for the regulation of cell growth, proliferation, migration, and signaling. Therefore, they are key mediators in cell communication, migration, and proliferation. Mutations in the pat-3 gene lead to several defects in cell-to-cell adhesion, migration, and worm’s movement ability. To further study the effects of this gene, we edited the pat-3 integrin gene and induced a Y792F gene mutation using the CRISPR-Cas 9 system. The mutant genes were analyzed by motility, touch sensitivity, and egg-laying assays. Results indicated weaker locomotion in the touch sensitivity and thrashing assays compared to the N2 wild-type C. elegans. In the egg-laying assay, the pat-3 mutant C. elegans are less sensitive to serotonin stimulation. These results may indicate the critical role pat-3 plays in muscle contraction, sensation, and reproductive health. Given the orthologous relationship of pat-3 to human ITBG1, this research can contribute to understanding integrin function in critical areas of human health such as tumorigenesis, immune response, and embryological development. Further experimentation on C. elegans with impending egg-laying assays may open new interest in specific applications of pat-3 manipulation.
Title: The Barriers to Mental Health Treatment for United States Military Veterans
Author: Ann Pham, Abby Eystad, Megan Broyles, Maritza Gonzalez, Lauren Donovan
Mentor: Dr. Marion Kopulos
Department: Nursing
Background: Although research has shown that United States military veterans have higher rates of mental health disorders than the general population, limited research and work has been done to overcome the barriers that allow for proper utilization of mental health services.
Purpose: The purpose of this research is to synthesize the evidence regarding the barriers to mental healthcare services among military veterans in the United States.
Methodology: Two trustworthy databases, EBSCO host and Scopus, were employed to find our research. Keywords including U.S. veterans, mental health, barriers, access, healthcare, and usage, aided in finding research relevant to our topic. To ensure credibility and relevancy, we filtered articles within the past five years, excluded any reviews, and used studies conducted in the U.S.
Results: The most prevalent concepts found throughout all five articles utilized were stigma against mental health, recognition for the need of treatment, and the lack of known accessibility to treatment. Both problem recognition and beliefs that veterans hold about using mental health services require intervention as they greatly influence mental health utilization.
Implications for Nursing: To increase the use of mental health services by U.S. military veterans, we must find ways to overcome the barriers that stand in the way. Three ways that can help make overcoming barriers successful include: nurses who work closely with veterans should receive special training tailored to the trauma veterans hold, a screening program for veterans should be implemented within the healthcare setting, and the availability of telehealth resources should be increased.