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2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum March 24, 2011 coordinated by The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs East Tennessee State University ____________ Centre at Millennium Park • Johnson City, TN Table of Contents Schedule of Events........................................................................................ 1 Keynote Presentation .................................................................................... 2 ASRF Task Force Members ......................................................................... 3 ASRF Judges................................................................................................. 4 ASRF Sponsors ..........................................................................................5-6 Student Artwork on Display ......................................................................... 6 Exhibitors ...................................................................................................... 7 Abstracts (poster presentations) Division I – Undergraduates Biomedical Sciences ................................................................... 8 Natural Sciences &Mathematics .............................................. 13 Arts & Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences ............ 17 Division II – Graduate Students, 1 – 2 years Biomedical Sciences ................................................................. 27 Natural Sciences &Mathematics .............................................. 32 Arts & Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences ............ 40 Division II – Graduate Students, more than 2 years Biomedical Sciences ................................................................. 53 Arts & Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences ............ 56 Divisions IV, V and VI – Medical Students, Medical Residents and Post-Doctoral Fellows Bench Research......................................................................... 63 Clinical Research and Cast Histories........................................ 68 Abstracts (oral presentations) Biomedical Sciences ......................................................................... 79 Natural Sciences & Math and Social & Behavioral Sciences .......... 83 2010 Award Winners .................................................................................. 90 Index of Authors ......................................................................................... 95 TBR No. 170-064-10 .2M Schedule of Events March 23 – 24, 2011 The Centre at Millennium Park Johnson City, TN Wednesday, March 23, 2011 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm Check-in and Poster Set-Up 2nd floor Thursday, March 24, 2011 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Poster Judging 2nd floor 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Poster Viewing 2nd floor 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Vendor Exhibition 2nd floor 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Oral Presentations: Biomedical Sciences Nat. Sci. & Math and Social & Behavioral Sci. Room 137A Room 137B 12:00 – 1:30 pm LUNCH 2nd floor 1:30 – 2:30 pm Keynote Address Room 137B “From Agriculture to Neuroscience Designer Plants for the 21st Century” Dr. Richard A. Dixon Senior Vice President, Professor, and Director of the Plant Biology Division Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Ardmore, Oklahoma 2:30 – 4:00 pm Awards Ceremony & Reception 2nd floor ** Posters should be removed by 4:30 pm** 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 1 Keynote Presentation “From Agriculture to Neuroscience Designer Plants for the 21 st Century” Dr. Richard A. Dixon Senior Vice President, Professor, and Director of the Plant Biology Division Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Ardmore, Oklahoma Richard A. Dixon also holds Adjunct Professorships at Rice University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Oklahoma. He received his Bachelor’s and Doctoral degrees in Biochemistry and Botany from Oxford University (UK), and postdoctoral training in Plant Biochemistry at Cambridge University (UK). He was awarded the Doctor of Science degree for his research achievements by Oxford University in 2004. His research interests center on molecular biology and metabolic engineering of plant natural product pathways. He has published over 380 papers on these and related topics, and has been named by the Institute for Scientific Information as one of the 10 most cited authors in the plant and animal sciences. Professor Dixon is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal BioEnergy Research, and a member of the Editorial Boards of four other international journals. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and was elected to Membership of the US National Academy of Sciences in 2007. Keynote Address Abstract From Agriculture to Neuroscience - Designer Plants for the 21 s t Century The successes of agriculture and medicine in the latter part of the 20th century have resulted in a population explosion in the less developed countries and ageing populations with new health care challenges in the developed countries. Throughout history, plants have provided food for humans, feed for livestock, shelter and fuel (eg. timber), clothing (fibers), and medicines. The combination of increasing population pressure and climate change is threatening the sustainability of crop production to meet many of these important needs, and changing uses for traditional crops (eg fuel versus feed) provide additional challenges. This talk will provide examples of how plants can be re-designed to meet some of these global needs and challenges, with a focus on traits such as forage quality, biofuel processing ability, and delivery of nutritional components for age-related disorders in humans. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 2 ASRF Task Force Dr. Dhirendra Kumar, Chair Biological Sciences Dr. Russ Brown Dr. Ranjan Chakraborty Psychology Health Sciences Dr. Scott Champney Ms. Dinah DeFord Biochemistry & Molecular Biology McNair Program Dr. William R. Duncan Dr. Lee Glenn Vice Provost for Research Professional Roles/Mental Health Nursing Dr. Gary Henson Physics, Astronomy & Geology Dr. Cecilia McIntosh Dr. Foster Levy Undergraduate Research/ Biological Sciences Dr. Louise Nuttle School of Graduate Studies and Biological Sciences Research and Sponsored Programs Dr. Mike Ramsey Dr. Mitch Robinson Kinesiology, Leisure& Sport Sciences Biomedical Graduate Program Ms. Christine Skalko Ms. Barbara Sucher Research and Sponsored Programs Continuing Medical Education Ms. Carole Thomason Dr. Michael Whitelaw Research and Sponsored Programs Geosciences 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 3 Judges We express our appreciation to the following ETSU faculty members who are giving their time and efforts to serve as Judges for the poster and oral competitions. Alok Agarwal Michael Kruppa Jeffrey Ardell Chad Lakey Chris Ayres Hadii Mamudu Beth Bailey Tricia Metts Ginette Blackhart Arpita Nandi Sharon Campbell Kerry Proctor-Williams Catherine Chen Victoria Ramsauer Donna Cherry Priscilla Ramsey Andrea Clements Kathleen Rayman Dennis Defoe Mitchell Robinson Brajesh Dubey Antonio Rusinol Thomas Ecay Nancy Scherer Jameson Hirsch Robert Schoborg Donald Hoover Eric Sellers David Hurley Krishna Singh David Johnson Deborah Slawson Thomas Jones Ningfeng (Peter) Zhao Debra Knisley Florence Weierbach Jeff Knisley 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 4 Forum Sponsors Philip D. Cooper Memorial Research Trust Fund, Inc. East Tennessee State University The Office of Research & Sponsored Programs The Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program and TRIO The Office of the Vice President for Health Affairs The College of Arts & Sciences Office of the Dean Department of Biological Sciences Department of Chemistry Department of Literature & Language Department of Math & Statistics Department of Physics and Astronomy Department of Psychology The College of Business & Technology Office of the Dean The Clemmer College of Education Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis The College of Nursing Office of the Dean CON Graduate Programs Center for Nursing Research 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum The College of Clinical & Rehabilitative Health Sciences Department of Audiology and SpeechLanguage Pathology Department of Physical Therapy The Quillen College of Medicine Office of the Dean Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Department of Microbiology Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology Department of Pathology Department of Pediatrics Department of Pharmacology Department of Physiology Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Department of Surgery The Gatton College of Pharmacy Office of the Dean Medical Education Assistance Corporation Page 5 Special Thanks The 2011 Student Research Forum Task Force would like to recognize and offer a special thanks to The East Tennessee State University Center for Community Outreach and Family Services for their generous support of this year’s Student Research Forum, without which this event would not have been possible. Student Artwork on Display in the Atrium Artist Title Advisor Allen, Mathew “Weather and Gravity“ Michael Smith Bridges, Laken “The good shepherd“ Ralph Slatton Farley, Amber “The valley“ Michael Smith Hagy, Ashely “Passages of time“ Michael Smith Hathaway, John “Shook Branch“ Michael Smith Ingram, Jake “Family portaits“ Anita DeAngelis Milstead, Amanda “Photographs“ Andrew Dunn Moore, Amber “Part one: Welcoming the death owl“ Scott Contreras-Koterbay Norris, Taylor “Foundations in painting work“ Mira Gerard Roberts, Brandon “On location“ Michael Smith Scott, andrew “Defining the tree streets“ Michael Smith Sheffield, Felicia “Appalachian photographs“ William Duncan Sheffield, Katie “Along the Clinchfield Railroad“ Michael Smith 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 6 Exhibitors 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 7 Poster Presentation Abstracts Division I – Undergraduates Biomedical Sciences ACTIVATION OF HOST CELL SIGNALING PATHWAYS BY CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS/ HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE II CO-INFECTION IN RESPONSE TO VIRAL ATTACHMENT/ ENTRY Marissa Bambino, J. Vanover Hall, J. Kintner, and R.V. Schoborg, Department of Microbiology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Chlamydia trachomatis is a chronic, asymptomatic sexually transmitted infection that if untreated can cause successive complications in the genitourinary tract such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. In the United States alone, the bacterial pathogen is responsible for more than 4 million infections per year. Chlamydiae are obligate, intracellular, Gram-negative bacteria that attach to host cells when existing extracellularly as infectious elementary bodies (EBs). Once the EBs enter the cell, they differentiate into larger, non-infectious reticulate bodies (RBs), which form an inclusion, or a modified vacuole, in the cell. The RBs in the inclusion will replicate and condense to form new, infectious EBs, which are subsequently released from the cell. When deprived of essential nutrients or faced with adverse environmental conditions, RBs will enter a reversible state known as persistence, such that the bacteria maintain viability without developing into cultivable, infectious EBs. While there are antibacterial drugs available to treat chlamydial infections, in0vitro studies demonstrate that persistent chlamydiae are resistant to killing by antibiotics. Notably, Herpes Simplex Virus type II (HSV-2), can induce persistence when introduced into a cell infected with Chlamydia trachomatis. Previous reports demonstrate that during viral attachment, interaction of the HSV-2 viral envelope glycoprotein D (gD) with the host cell co-receptor nectin-1 stimulates C. trachomatis to become persistent. As an obligate intracellular pathogen, chlamydiae rely heavily on host pathways for requisition of nutrients and energy; thus, any alteration in host signaling has the potential to be detrimental to chlamydial development. It is postulated that during C. trachomatis/HSV-2 co-infection, HSV-2 gD interaction with host co-receptors activates a novel antimicrobial response and stimulates chlamydial persistence by altering signaling pathways, demonstrated by the increase or decrease in phosphorylation of signaling proteins. To begin addressing this hypothesis, coinfected cells were examined to determine the phosphorylation state of several host signaling proteins known to be activated by HSV attachment (JAK, JNK, PI3K, Src and AKT), or required for normal chlamydial development (ERK and cPLA2). HeLa tissue cultures were mock-, C. trachomatis- or C. trachomatis/HSV-2 co-infected. Protein samples from infected cultures were collected at 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours post-HSV-2 infection and examined by Western blot analysis. The results indicate that HSV-2 attachment/entry during co-infection increases phosphorylation of AKT, JNK, JAK, PI3K and ERK while decreasing activation of Src (6h) compared to C. trachomatis infection. The knowledge gained in this study will provide extensive insight into C. trachomatis-host cell interactions and persistence, thus lowering the likelihood of complications due to recurrent and/or persistent chlamydial infections. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 8 EFFECTS OF MICROGRAVITY ON MUCIN PRODUCTION AND MUCIN PRODUCING CELLS OF THE URINARY BLADDER IN MIC Brandon T. Farmer and Allan D. Forsman, Department of Health Sciences, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The effects of the microgravity of spaceflight are largely unexplored with regard to biological tissues. One particular area of interest is the possible effects microgravity could have on the production of mucins. This study compares the mucin production and mucin secreting cells of the urinary bladder between three experimental sets of animals. To determine the possible effects of microgravity on mucin production, we examined the transitional epithelium of the urinary bladder from female mice that were flow on the space shuttle Endeavour for 12 days in August, 2007. This study utilized three sets of female mice, with each set consisting of 12 animals. The three sets were designated as Flight, Ground Control, and Baseline. The flight animals were flown in the Commercial Biomedical Testing Module-2 (CBMT-2) which was housed in the shuttle’s mid-deck locker area. Ground control animals were also housed in CBTM-2 units which were kept in environmentally controlled rooms at the Space Life Sciences Lab at Kennedy Space Center. These units were on a 48 hour delay in relation to the flight CBTM-2 units. Baseline animals were also housed at the Space Life Sciences Lab but were housed in standard rodent cages with ambient temperature and humidity, with a 12/12 light dark cycle. Bladder tissue was paraffin embedded, sectioned, mounted, and histologically stained an Alcian Blue Periodic Acid Schiff staining procedure. The bladder tissue is being qualitatively analyzed for amounts and types of mucins produced. Comparisons are being run between all three sets of animals. To date the study indicates a decrease in mucin production in Flight tissue compared to the Ground Control and Baseline tissues, however further study is needed to confirm these findings. EXPRESSION OF RECOMBINANT NATIVE AND CODON OPTIMIZED HUMAN MAST CELL CHYMASES IN PICHIA PASTORIS Karie Hodges, Eliot Thomas Smith, and David A Johnson, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Chymase is a serine protease enzyme stored in and released from human mast cell granules. Chymase catalyzes the cleavage of proteins at the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. Various functions have been attributed to human chymase including roles in cell and tissue damage, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Although this lab and others have previously produced recombinant native human chymase, the current work is designed to improve expression levels and produce a more easily purified enzyme. DNA coding for native human chymase was cloned into the pPICzα vector which was then used to transform Pichia pastoris, a yeast that can grow on methanol as the only carbon source. In the transformation process the chymase gene combines with the yeast genome in the region coding for the alcohol oxidase gene promoter that is induced when methanol in the carbon source; consequently, growth on methanol induces the expression of chymase. The pPICzα vector provides Zeocin antibiotic resistance for selection of transformed E. coli and Pichia pastoris. Separately, the gene for human chymase was codon optimized for yeasts and modified to remove potential N-linked glycosylation sites because glycosylation had been found to complicate the purification process. The modified version was also used to transform Pichia pastoris. Both expressed chymases were linked to yeast alpha mating factor that is responsible for the signaling of secretion of proteins through the yeast secretory pathway. Kex2 removes the alpha factor domain at the Kex 2 cleaveage site. Kex2 cleavage during secretion results in the secretion of enzymatically active chymases. Positive colonies were replated and screened for enzyme production based on enzyme activity in the expression media after methanol induction. Several positive clones of Pichia pastoris were isolated for both variants, native and optimized. Pichia expressing normal and optimized chymase were grown in shaker flasks at room temperature for 5 days with methanol induction. The secretion of these active human recombinant chymases is being compared to see if codon optimization improves expression. It is also anticipated that the optimized chymase will be easier to purify. Supported by NIH grant 1R15HL091770 and ETSU Honors Program Student Faculty Collaborative Grant 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 9 THE EFFECT OF ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT ON DNA DAMAGE REPAIR IN HUTCHISONGILFORD PROGERIA SYNDROME AND NORMAL PRIMARY FIBROBLASTS McKayla Johnson1, Nahid Mehraban2, Benjamin Hilton3, Yue Zou3, Phillip Musich3, 1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2 Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 3Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) cells display a rate of aging up to ten-times that of normal human fibroblast cell lines (BJ). HGPS cells inefficiently convert prelamin-A to lamin A, producing an abnormal progerin protein. Accumulation of progerin causes abnormal chromatin structures and premature aging, as well as an accumulation of DNA damage due to inefficient repair. Since fibroblasts from aged normal individuals also show an accumulation of progerin, HGPS cells serve as a useful model for human aging. On earth, we are exposed to far more ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280-315 nm) and ultraviolet-A (UV-A, 315-400 nm) than UV-C (100-280 nm) radiation; the latter is filtered-out by the atmospheric ozone layer. We hypothesized that aging HGPS cells would have a decreased ability to repair DNA damage from UV-B irradiation and a lower viability than would normal cells such as those of the BJ cell line. A further hypothesis is that these differences would be greater as the HGPS cells age in culture. Because the relative sensitivity of HGPS cells to ultraviolet radiation (UV), a typical DNA damaging agent, is unknown, the rate and efficiency of DNA repair was compared between HGPS and normal BJ cells after UV radiation. A Cell-Titer Blue Viability Assay (Promega) was used in both short-term and long-term studies to determine the overall viability effects of UV-B and UV-C in cells of various tissue culture ages (increasing passage number) for HGPS, BJ and A549, a human lung carcinoma cell. A third hypothesis was that the translesion synthesis protein, pol-η, and several other transcription- and repair-related proteins also would be altered in the HGPS cell line, both before and after UV-induced DNA damage, as compared to the BJ cell line. Western immunoblotting was used to quantify these proteins in BJ and HGPS following UV exposure. The viability assay revealed no significant difference between the growth rates of BJ and HGPS, reflecting similarities in their repair abilities on the cellular level; however, ELISA assays completed by Nahid Mehraban reflected a significant difference in DNA repair at the molecular level. Western immunoblotting revealed differences in several repair-related proteins activated following UV exposure (i.e., pol-η, RRM-2). These differences may indicate some of the underlying deficiencies of DNA repair found in HGPS following UV exposure. Further research into understanding the role and mechanism of DNA repair can advance our knowledge of premature aging, the common aging processes and its relationship to DNA damage and repair, and lend promise to future therapies for HGPS patients. ANALYSIS OF NOVEL VIRULENCE FACTORS IN P. AERUGINOSA Nathan K. Kahre and Dr. Christopher Pritchett, Department of Health Sciences, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterium that is responsible for both chronic and acute infections throughout the United States and the world. This pathogenic bacterium causes infections in the lungs, urinary tract, and kidneys as well as infections in burn victims and contact lens users. More importantly Pseudomonas aeruginosa also causes a chronic infection in the lungs of Cystic Fibrosis patients which leads to the eventual demise of the patient. Pseudomonas infections are difficult to treat owing to their ability to form biofilms and intrinsic antibiotic resistance. A better understanding of Pseudomonas pathogenesis will alleviate morbidity and mortality due to pseudomonas infections. It is our goal to identify novel virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and discover the mechanisms by which these factors influence overall virulence. A transposon mutant library was constructed and then screened in a virulence assay with Dictyostelium discoideum amoeba. This model system provides a cost effective way to screen many mutant strains. An initial screen for biofilm formation and twitching motility, two phenotypes associated with virulence, identified a trigger factor (TF) mutant as a possible interest. Our screen in the Dictyostelium model revealed the TF mutant was attenuated. Further characterization of the TF mutant may provide a new target for chemotherapeutics. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 10 NUCLEAR TRANSLOCATION OF FOXO3 TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR DURING PRELAMIN A INDUCED CELL CYCLE ARREST IN 3T3 CELLS Jessica Keasler¹, Christina Bridges², and Antonio Rusiñol, Ph.D.² ¹Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN ²Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN As the so-called “Mother ship of the Human Genome,” the cell nucleus must keep all vital genetic information safe, but accessible, inside a strong protective envelope. The inner membrane of the nuclear envelope is lined by tough but adaptable proteins called lamins. While lamins polymerize into fibrous structures that hold up the “walls” of the nucleus, they also serve as an internal scaffold for the complex machinery involved in DNA replication and gene expression. It is in this later role that we have been looking for clues to premature and possibly to normal aging. One type of lamins, Lamin A is made through an unusual pathway involving a lipid dependent cleavage of a larger precursor called prelamin A. The functional significance of this processing pathway is that prelamin A cannot assemble and is inhibitory of proper lamina formation. Pathological cases of immature lamin A accumulation include HutchinsonGilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) or Progeria, characterized by premature aging, and Restrictive Dermopathy (RD), a lethal prenatal disease. We have previously shown that accumulation of prelamin A leads to cell cycle arrest and drastic changes in expression of genes involved in cell cycle control, among those, several members of the FoxO family of transcription factors. The goal of this study was to determine the mechanisms by which prelamin A activates FoxO-mediated cell cycle arrest. Cells expressing an uncleavable form of Lamin A in an inducible manner were used to determine subcellular distribution of FoxO 3 upon accumulation of prelamin A. This was done by indirect immunofluorescence and Western blotting. The proliferation rate of these cells and controls expressing wild type Lamin A was also determined by measuring the incorporation of BrdU into DNA. Over expression of prelamin A lead to redistribution of FoxO 3 from the cytoplasm of the cell to the nucleoplasm. Expression of FoxO3 target genes was accordingly increased, leading to a decrease in cell proliferation. The information obtained could not only be of interest in broadening our knowledge of the mechanisms of quiescence, but also could inform the discussion of the use of several therapeutics for the treatment of Progeria and other diseases that result from accumulation of prelamin A. THE EFFECTS OF SPACEFLIGHT ON MUCIN PRODUCTION IN MOUSE UTERINE TISSUE Heath A. Nier and Allan D. Forsman, Department of Health Sciences, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The effects of microgravity on biological tissues are relatively unexplored, especially in regard to human reproductive tissues. To begin to ascertain some of the effects of microgravity on the female reproductive system, we examined the uterine tissue of female mice that were flown on NASA shuttle mission STS-118 for 12 days. Three sets of female mice, each consisting of 12 animals, were utilized in this study: flight animals, ground control animals, and baseline animals. The flight animals were housed in the Commercial Biomedical Testing Module-2 (CBMT-2) which was a part of the payload of the shuttle’s mid-deck locker. Ground control animals were housed in ground based CBMT-2 units which were kept in a room specifically designed to mimic the environmental conditions of the flight CBMT-2 units with regard to temperature, humidity, and light/dark cycles. These ground control units were operated at a 48 hour delay with regard to the flight units. Baseline animals were housed in standard rodent cages at ambient temperature and humidity and a 12/12 light dark cycle. The uterine tissues were paraffin embedded, sectioned using a microtome, mounted, and stained using an Alcian Blue Periodic Acid Schiff staining procedure. The uterine tissue was then qualitatively analyzed for amounts and types of mucins produced. Comparisons are being run between all three sets of animals. To date the study indicates that there could be changes in the density of surrounding tissue, in the number of mucin secreting goblet cells, and in the basal cells around the apical surface of the uterine tissue, however, further observations are necessary. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 11 AN ENZYME HISTOCHEMICAL APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CARDIAC CHOLINERGIC INNERVATION IN MICE Anuj A. Patel and Donald B. Hoover, Department of Pharmacology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Neural control of cardiac function is accomplished through the opposing actions of cholinergic and noradrenergic nerves, which supply pacemaker and contractile tissues of the heart. These nerves emanate from neurons located in distinct thoracic ganglia. The development of cardiac noradrenergic neurons, noradrenergic innervation of the heart and control of this process by neurotrophic factors has been studied extensively, but very little is known about development of the cardiac cholinergic nervous system. We propose that neurotrophic factors regulate cholinergic development. The purpose of this study is to characterize the formation of cardiac cholinergic ganglia and the temporal and spatial patterns of cholinergic innervation in the mouse heart. An enzyme histochemical method was used to identify the localization of cholinesterase (ChE), a cholinergic marker. Hearts were collected from C57BL/6 mice at postnatal (P) days 0.5, 3.5, 7.5 and 21 and frozen on dry ice. Thirty-two micron, short-axis, serial sections of the hearts were prepared using a microtome/cryostat. They were then stained for cholinesterase activity using the Koelle technique. Cholinesterase staining of epicardial ganglia was present at P0.5, but only a few ChE-positive nerve fibers were seen, primarily around the atrioventricular (AV) junction. Major growth of ChE nerves took place between P3.5 and P7.5. By P21 stained nerves were evident throughout the atria, including dense staining of the sinoatrial (SA) node, AV node, and bundle of His. Cholinesterase positive neurons in the cardiac ganglia showed substantial growth over the same interval. These findings correlate closely with results from parallel immunohistochemical studies, which targeted another cholinergic marker, the vesicular acetylcholine transporter. Collectively these data suggests that the first two to three postnatal weeks is the ideal time to identify neurotrophic factors which control cardiac cholinergic development. DISORDERLY IMMUNE SURVELLIANCE AND CANCER OCCURRENCE IN COMMON VARIABLE IMMUNE DEFICIENCY (CVID) Ryan Sahni1, George Youngberg, M.D.2, and Guha Krishnaswamy, M.D.3, . 1College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Pathology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 3Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Patients can develop malignancies due to various reasons including genetic factors, chemical carcinogens, radiation, and defects in their immune system. The immune system is postulated to carry out routine surveillance for malignancies and when such a malignancy is found, the immune system focuses on destroying the tumor. Patients who have defective cell mediated immunity (CMI-such as HIV-AIDS) can develop lymphomas, skin cancer, and sarcomas. However it appears that patients with defects in antibody production (humoral immunity) are also susceptible to malignancies due to complicated underlying mechanisms. These include defective immune responses to cancer-causing bacteria, viruses (transforming viruses), and other defects (such as concomitant defects in CMI). CVID is characterized by an acquired inability to make antibodies. Defective B and T cell responses have been described. In some cases, a genetic basis is sometimes observed, though in the majority, the disease is sporadic. Deficiency in antibody production results in an increased susceptibility to infectious illness. However, a disorderly immune response in CVID (immune dysregulation) also leads to autoimmune complications and possibility to malignancy. The treatment of CVID involves infusion of replacement doses of immunoglobulin, either intravenously (IGIV) or subcutaneously (SCIG). However, it is unclear whether adequate replacement of immunoglobulins is sufficient to quell the increased incidence of malignancies in this disease. We present two cases of unusual solid tumors complicating CVID. Patient records were obtained after approval by the IRB (dated July 7, 2010). Pathology reports, operative findings, clinical results, laboratory reports, and other demographic data were collected. Patient #1 was a seventy three year old male with CVID who developed an invasive anorectal tumor which was characterized pathologically as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with malignant features. This patient also portrayed immunophenotypic features of an extramedullary myeloid tumor with monocytic differentiation. He had received intravenous 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 12 immunoglobulin (IGIV) for several years as replacement therapy. The treatment was monitored by measuring trough levels of immunoglobulin G. Patient #2 was a sixty three year old female who developed a high grade poorly differentiated adenosquamous tumor of the colon with invasion of the muscularis mucosa and regional lymph nodes. Tissue histology also demonstrated elements of a mucinous carcinoma. Both patients died following the complications of the malignancy. In this study we will also review the world literature for other malignant complications of CVID and postulate mechanisms that may be involved indigent to this disease. We will also review the role of replacement immunoglobulin and discuss cancer screening in these high risk individuals. Natural Sciences & Mathematics SPATIAL EVOLUTIONARY PRISONER'S DILEMMA Sharon Cameron1 and Ariel Cintron-Arias1,2, 1Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, and 2 Institute for Quantitative Biology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Prisoner’s Dilemma is a game theory model used to describe altruistic behavior seen in various populations. Biologically, Prisoner’s Dilemma is important in describing why a seemingly unsuccessful strategy does persist and spread throughout a population, although it seems to not benefit the player. Spatial Prisoner’s Dilemma brings to light certain requirements that must be met in order for the Cooperating or altruistic strategy to spread throughout the network used to model a population. Using Matlab to simulate both the network and the Prisoner’s Dilemma game, results have been obtained that support these requirements. However, it is now logical to play Prisoner’s Dilemma game on a real life network. In this case, a snapshot of the California Institute of Technology Facebook social network (as of 2005) is what we are using as a representation of a real life network. Using a model of a real network to play Prisoner’s Dilemma can give us greater insight to the dynamics and underlying principles of this counterintuitive strategy and why it persists throughout different populations, including humans. HEAT TOLERANCE, TEMPERATURE ACCLIMATION AND CANALIZATION OF HEMOGLOBIN EXPRESSION IN DAPHNIA Kenneth Dick, Patricia Williams, and Lev Yampolsky, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Daphnia is a widespread freshwater zooplankton species, which is both a classic and emerging new model for research in ecological physiology, ecotoxicology and evolutionary biology of adaptation to novel environments. Heat tolerance in Daphnia is known to depend both upon evolutionary history of a genotype and on individuals’ acclimation to elevated temperature and to correlate with the level of hemoglobin expression. We demonstrate the existence of north-south gradient of heat tolerance in North American D. pulex, which is not associated with any parallel changes in hemoglobin expression. Northern and southern clones differ in their hemoglobin production response to heat shock, but that difference does not fully explain the latitudinal cline is heat tolerance. Likewise, the effect of acclimation to sub-stressful temperature is independent from and cannot be fully explained by hemoglobin expression changes during acclimation. Heat shock affects two hemoglobin absorption maxima differently, possibly due to independent changes in expression of different hemoglobin paralogs. Hemoglobin expression during heat shock, measured as absorbance at 576 nm, has an effect on heat tolerance in Daphnia acclimated to 28oC, but not in to 18oC, consistent with the notion of hypoxia-mediated heat stress. Relative absorbance at 414 nm showed no measurable correlation with heat tolerance. The comparison of hemoglobin expression in resistant and tolerant clones acclimated to different temperatures indicates that tolerant clones exhibit canalization of hemoglobin expression, possessing high level of hemoglobin even at non-stressful temperatures. We discuss the evolutionary biology of adaptation and acclimation to elevated temperatures in an ecologically important component of freshwater ecosystems in the context of global climate change. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 13 CLASSIFYING HUMAN ABC TRANSPORTERS USING A GRAPH-THEORETIC MODEL Cade Herron and Dr. Debra J. Knisley, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN ABC transporters utilize the energy created by ATP hydrolysis to transport various substrates across cellular membranes. These ABC transporters’ function within eurkaryotic organisms (those whose cells contain a cell wall) encompasses the export and extraction of drugs and various toxins out of the cell. Of the 49 human ABC transporters, 33 of these contain a nucleotide binding domain. Using the amino acid sequence of the nucleotide binding domains within each of these 33 human ABC transporters, a 3dimensional predicted structure of each domain is obtained from I-Tasser, a computational protein structure prediction tool. Given the predicted three-dimensional coordinates of each amino acid in the sequence of the domain, we determine a proximity graph for each domain. Each vertex of the graph represents an amino acid in the sequence and if a given amino acid is within a radius of 7 angstroms (7 * 10^-10 m) of another amino acid, an edge exists between the corresponding vertices. Molecular descriptors derived from selected, modified graph-theoretical invariants are then computed to measure each graph. We then classify the domains by a statistical analysis of these measurements. This classification is then compared to the existing classification of ABC transporters to see if novel associations are revealed. STAR FORMATION IN THE INTERACTING GALAXY ARP 107 Ryen Lapham and Beverly Smith, Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN In this study we present GALEX UV, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and Spitzer infrared imaging, along with an optical H-alpha map of the interacting galaxy pair Arp 107. IRAF photometry was used to analyze 29 star forming regions identified in previous work done with Spitzer colors. Further analysis of the clumps of newly formed stars was done by creating Spectral Energy Distribution plots to sort the clumps as quiescent or starburst. Color – color plots were used to estimate the ages and extinctions of the clumps by comparing magnitudes to stellar population synthesis models. Results have been compared to older work, and indicate a sequence of increasing age around the galaxy arm. BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH: A STUDY OF MORTALITY AMONG SARCOPHAGA CRASSIPALPIS Anthony Lundy, Kelley Cross, Veronica Fregoso, Xinguo Lu, Mark Philips, Dr. Darrell Moore and Dr. Karl Joplin, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Inevitably all creatures die. However, modern science has not fully explained the process of death or exactly why it occurs. Despite the lack of knowledge on the subject, understanding mortality trends in model organisms provides a valuable insight into the lifespan dynamics of the specific organism and the subject of mortality in general. Knowing mortality trends helps create a reference for the time and scale of a lifespan against which experimental designs and data interpretation may be based. In addition to giving insights into the ontology of various attributes in the model organism, such knowledge also allows us to compare events within the life history of a fly, for instance, to those of humans. To better understand the trends of mortality in the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis under different conditions, experimental replicates were conducted and mortality was measured at regular intervals. Among the parameters explored were the effects of gender and nutrition quality on mortality. Isolating groups of 100 flies into separate cages, and counting the number of dead twice daily, enabled us to measure the effects of these factors on longevity. The results show that female flies, when reared separately from male flies, live longer on average than male flies. Flies given a two day protein supply as young adults also live longer, regardless of sex. Further experimentation is currently in progress to determine the influence of other factors on mortality in flesh flies. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 14 ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCES IN INTERACTING GALAXIES Olivia Miller and Beverly J. Smith, Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Ultraluminous x-ray sources (ULXs) are astronomical x-ray point sources with luminosities greater than 10^39 ergs/s. There are two models for ULXs: intermediate-mass black hole and beamed emissions from black hole binary systems. By locating ULXs their nature can be better analyzed. We therefore located ULXs on galaxies in the Arp Atlas for peculiar galaxies so we could investigate their nature. To locate ULXs we first searched through the Chandra telescope archives for galaxies in the Arp Atlas for peculiar galaxies and retrieved these images. Next we searched through the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to obtain optical images of the peculiar galaxies with Chandra data, and we also searched through the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) to obtain ultraviolet (UV) images of the peculiar galaxies with Chandra data. We then reduced the Chandra data, which allowed us to find the point sources. By overlaying these Chandra X-rays onto the SDSS and GALEX images of the peculiar galaxies we could analyze where specifically the ULXs are on the galaxies. So far we have located a total of 1,478 point sources, 897 of which are with the SDSS images and the other 581 are with the GALEX images. With locating these ULXS we will continue our research by analyzing the statistics on the ULXS in tidal features of galaxies versus the ULXs in the disks of galaxies. Also we will further investigate the nature of ULXs by comparing the locations of the ULXs with the optical and UV colors so as to analyze the location of the point sources in old versus young stellar populations. COMPETITION IN A SIMPLE POND: AN AGENT BASED APPROACH Emil Montano and Dr. Istvan Karsai, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts of Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN If two species are competing for a limited resource, the species that uses the resource more efficiently will eventually eliminate the other. This is known as the principle of competitive exclusion developed by Georgy Gause who studied competition among three species of Paramecium. To determine the effect of this competition, we created a simple three-dimensional model of a pond in which two species competes for a single source of energy (algae). The model is based solely on the conservation of energy that flows through the ecosystem where the only source of energy is from primary production. We demonstrate the effect of the following scenarios: (1) the competing species have identical life histories therefore, we predict that one of the species will become extinct, (2) study how the speed of extinction depends on the energy input of the lake; (the amount of energy the algae gains varies based on the amount of sunlight that reaches the aquatic ecosystem). We predict a higher rate of population cycles of both numbers of prey and predator in a higher energy input environment. We also predict that there is no correlation between primary production rate and the time it takes one competitor to drive the other to extinction. Furthermore, we study the effect in the change of life histories between the competitors. We will demonstrate that slight changes in the life history can cause large differences in survival. The simulations will include changing speed, size, energy consumption, and energy loss due to movement of one of the competitors to predict its effect in surviving against its competitor. Our final goal is to study if one species under certain parameters competing against another species with different parameters may be more successful under a certain environmental condition and less successful under other conditions. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 15 THE EFFECTS OF BIOGENIC AMINES ON AGGRESSIVE INTERACTIONS IN THE FLESH FLY, SARCOPHAGA CRASSIPALPIS Mark Phillips, Veronica Fregoso, Kelley Cross, Xinguo Lu, Anthony Lundy, Karl H. Joplin, and Darrell Moore, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN This study examines the effects of density and biogenic amines on interactive aggression in the flesh fly model organism, Sarcophaga crassipalpis. Previous studies have demonstrated that male S. crassipalpis show a territorial behavior in the wild and that this can be modeled in a minimal environment in the lab. Aggressive interactions show an ontogeny development with these behaviors rapidly increasing on day 3 after emergence, concurrently with sexual maturity. This study began by examining the effects of rearing density on aggression levels. I filmed individual fly pairs from density housing groups of 1, 6, and 25 on day 4 when aggressive behavior has occurred. The fly’s aggressive interactions were scored from the video. Data suggests that aggression is reduced in a dose response manner with increasing rearing density, with density 1 flies more aggressive than density 25 flies and aggression from density 6 in between. This data suggests that the aggressive behavior changes depending on the rearing density of the flies. The question now is what causes this effect? We are beginning to examine whether biogenic amines have an effect on this behavior. Biogenic amine levels will be measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and paired with the aggression levels for different housing densities. This data will be used as baseline data to apply increased levels to the flies to test their effect on behavior. The biogenic amines that have had effects in other invertebrates on behaviors include octopamine, dopamine, serotonin, and tyramine. After the amines have been administer with DMF the flies aggressive behavior will be scored and compared to the baseline data. FIRE EFFECTS ON FOREST ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS Byron Roland1 and Istvan Karsai2, 1Department of Computer Science, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Forest ecosystems are affected in many ways, but one of the most important impacts among them is fires. These fires affect trees directly through burning and the fires also affect animals both indirectly and directly. Direct effects mean killing the organism via contact or severe harm (smoke, heat) and indirect effects relate by altering their habitats (destroying the trees). These engagements between agents are what we want to reenact using agent based modeling and simulations (ABMS). We are expressly interested in measuring how the strength and frequency of fires affects the survival of the animal populace. In this study the interesting dynamics between the plants, animals, and fires were mimicked as well as the consequences of forest destruction. A simple model was developed in Netlogo, an ABMS environment, to simulate a simple ecosystem and the life of the forest animals. The detrimental effects of the fires were modeled by the random occurrence of yearly fires. The dispersion of these fires is dependent upon the place of initiation and the total fuel supply available there, correspondent to the density of the trees. The life history is assumed to be birth, growth, reproduction, and death of the forest animals as well as birth, reproduction, and death of trees. In this Netlogo model system we conducted numerous parallel simulations using the technique of parameter sweep to predict the direct and indirect effects of forest fires. We monitor the number of trees, animals and fires numerically through time and we use statistics to analyze and compare the different predictions of the model. This study shows that the fires have considerable effects on the forest ecosystem. These fires resulted in strong population size decrease in both trees and forest animals and sometimes drove one or both of the populations to extinction. The fires caused large habitat destruction when the trees reached a certain density level. Though these fires are so very detrimental to the forest habitat they are also the key to the coexistence of trees and forest animals. Survival of the forest habitat is dependent upon the density of the trees, the life of the animals, and the occurrence of random fires. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 16 DEVELOPMENTAL EXPRESSION AND LOCALIZATION OF CALCIUM TRANSPORTING PROTEINS IN THE CHORIOALLANTOIC MEMBRANE OF A PLACENTOTROPHIC LIZARD Haley K. Stinnett1, James R. Stewart1, Tom W. Ecay2, Rebecca A. Pyles1, and Michael B. Thompson3, 1 Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Physiology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 3School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Viviparity (live birth) and placentation have evolved in more than 100 lineages of squamate reptiles. However, highly placentotrophic species in which embryos receive the majority of nutrients for development via maternal transport across a placenta are rare. Pseudemoia pagenstecheri is a viviparous Australian scincid lizard with extensive placental transfer of nutrients. For example, 90% of neonate calcium is received via placental transfer. This species has a regionally differentiated chorioallantoic placenta distinguished by an elliptical-shaped region, the placentome. The placentome is characterized by hypertrophied uterine and embryonic epithelial cells supported by dense vascular networks. The remainder of the chorioallantoic placenta is also highly vascularized but epithelia are thin. The histological structure of the placentome suggests it is specialized for nutrient transport. P. pagenstecheri provides a remarkable opportunity to study mechanisms of nutrient transfer in a complex chorioallantoic placenta. We used immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting to test the hypothesis that the chorioallantoic placenta has discrete functional specializations for calcium transport. Calcium uptake by extraembryonic membranes of squamates is correlated with expression of the intracellular calcium binding protein, calbindin-D28K. Immunohistochemistry was used to localize calbindin-D28K expressing cells in the chorioallantois. Immunoblotting for calbindin-D28K and the plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA, an additional marker for active calcium transport) was used to assess changes in protein expression levels through development. We found support for our hypothesis because calbindin-D28K was expressed in the chorionic epithelium of the placentome, but not in the remainder of the chorioallantoic placenta. In addition, calbindin-D28K was expressed in all embryonic stages studied, which encompassed both early and late development. Immunoblotting data show that calbindin-D28K expression was detectable at low levels in early stages of development and increased significantly prior to birth, when embryonic calcium demand peaks. Expression of PMCA also increases significantly throughout development, though less dramatically. Expression of calbindin-D28K and PMCA protein by the chorioallantoic placenta parallels the accrual of calcium in the embryo. These data suggest that placental calcium secretion occurs over an extended interval of gestation, with increasing activity as embryonic demand escalates in late development. In conclusion, our results support our original hypothesis that the structurally elaborate placentome is functionally specialized for calcium transport to the embryo during development. Arts & Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences IDENTIFICATION OF CHOPMARKS ON BONE: USING LOWER PALEOLITHIC TOOLS Tosha Ayers, Catelyn Pate, and William N. Duncan PhD, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN There is general agreement between anthropologists that cutmarks on human and animal remains exhibit a distinctly V-shaped profile. However, there is significantly less agreement on what defines chopmarks in the archaeological record. Chopmarks are the result of a sharp implement being applied perpendicularly on remains and thus combines blunt and sharp force trauma. Chopmarks may be defined by: shape of the kerf floor (the shape of the bottom of the chopmark), chattering (ripples on the cut surface where the weapon is being scraped across), hinging (when the bone has been broken but small pieces still hold it together), splintering (when small shards of bone are present), and the direction of the chopmark. The presence or absence of any of these signatures may reflect the influence of a variety of factors including tool type, raw material, amount of force, and the amount of soft tissue at the point of impact. Because of the number of 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 17 factors that can influence the morphology of chopmarks, forensic anthropologists have had considerable success in using experimental studies to connect specific weapons with their resulting chopmarks. However, there is no agreed upon list of criteria characterizing chopmarks that may be applied across archaeological contexts because of the tremendous variability in tools used across space and time. This study attempts to distinguish between chopmarks that might be made by different tools within a single cultural time period and region; the Lower Paleolithic of Europe. Paleolithic tools will be used to make cutmarks and chopmarks on pig limbs. A hatchet will be used to create a control group for both cutmarks and chopmarks to determine if we can replicate other studies’ signatures associated with hatchet marks. The research aim is to determine which of the criteria that have been found useful for identifying chopmarks in other studies is useful in discerning tool types in the Lower Paleolithic. Doing so will allow us to propose criteria as guidelines for future analyses of chopmarks in this context. LOOKING UP: SURRENDER AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE ACROSS RACIAL GROUPS IN SOUTHERN APPALACHIA JorDon Caldwell and Dr. Andrea Clements, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN There are differences in the importance of religiosity among racial groups. High spirituality and religiosity has been linked to lower amounts of depression, anxiety, and stress (Dailey 2007) and is, therefore an important variable to study. Surrender, a specific aspect of religiosity has been studied very little. A sample of undergraduate college students took the Surrender Scale (SS, Wong-McDonald & Gorsuch, 2000) and the BMMRS (Fetzer Institute, 1999). Surrendering to God may be found to predict health just as other forms of religiosity have. My interest in this study was to determine whether Surrender and church attendance vary among racial groups in Southern Appalachia as has been found in other geographic areas. REDUCED HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN OVERWEIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS RESIDING IN SOUTHERN APPALACHIA Kristen Carlosh1, Jessica Smith1, Dr. William T. Dalton, III1, and Dr. Karen Schetzina2 1Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2 Department of Pediatrics, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction. Previous research shows overweight children report poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL), primarily in the areas of physical health and social functioning. These relations may be especially important to understand in rural populations characterized by poorer health behaviors and limited access to healthcare resources. Objective. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relation between HRQoL (overall, physical, and social) and weight perception as well as actual weight status in middle school students residing in Southern Appalachia. Methods. 397 middle school students participating in Winning with Wellness, a school-based obesity prevention study, completed a written survey including the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Results from a question on self-perceived weight were used to assign students to 1 of 4 weight-perception groups (underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese). Actual body mass index (BMI) percentile data collected by the schools was available for a subset of 152 students and used to classify students’ actual weight status according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Results. Students who perceived them self to be overweight or obese reported significantly lower overall as well as lower physical and social HRQoL compared to students who perceived them self as a healthy weight. In the sub-sample with actual weight data, students whose actual weight status was obese reported significantly lower overall HRQoL than students whose weight status was in the healthy weight range. Conclusion. Our findings with students in Southern Appalachia are consistent with previous research documenting poorer HRQoL in overweight children and substantiate the need for more inclusive programs that target psychosocial well-being. The understanding of the role of weight perception in addition to actual weight may also inform future efforts at prevention and intervention. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 18 RISING NUMBER OF ATV INJURIES AND DEATH Sarabelle Carter, Department of Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Sciences, Clemmer College of Education, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN In 2006 alone, there was an estimated 750 ATV deaths in the United States, of which 139 were children under the age of sixteen. In 2007 the number of ATV-related Emergency Room-treated injuries was 150,900, and 40,000 of those were children under the age of sixteen (Howell & Streeter, 2008). This number is increasing with the popularity of ATV and OHV use for recreational purposes. This is a cause of concern among users as well as both direct and associated providers. All-Terrain Vehicles (commonly called Four Wheelers) are much more than just tools; they have become a common pastime and are not without great risk. They are now much more than occupational tools for farmers and ranchers, they are a means of thrill for young children and teenagers alike as their use has evolved into a phenomenal dare-devil form of recreation, and it is steadily gaining in popularity. While there have been numerous studies in the past focused on the reasons that people ride and their riding locations, very little has been done to discover what safety procedures are practiced, and what effect it has on the steadily rising number of ATV related injuries and deaths. The purpose of this research project was to examine the safety habits of riders in a southern Appalachian region by conducting on-site surveys and interviews at numerous riding locations, on both public and private property. IDENTIFYING AND ANALYZING THE LANGUAGE OF MONGOLIA'S "FLYING" DEER Luke Champouillon, Department of Philosophy and Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Across Mongolia, researchers have discovered many occurrences of rock art and archaeological features including standing stones and burial mounds. Research concerning these is vital to characterizing and charting cultural connections among peoples of prehistoric Mongolia in the late Bronze and early Iron Ages (circa 3000-300BCE). One cultural motif stands out; Mongolian deer imagery connects mentioned features, promising insight into cultural transmission that will “expand understanding of…the early peoples who impacted a region that is quickly becoming recognized as a crucible of cultural development, technological advancement, artistic elaboration, human dispersal, and empire building for thousands of years” (Kortum & Fitzhugh 2010). Focusing on Mongolian deer, I do the following: (1) By detailed observation, I identify linguistic elements of vocabulary (the deer’s parts), grammar (composition and arrangement among other images), and syntax (spatial orientations); (2) By comparing imagery from different sites I develop a system to classify formal variations; (3) Using satellite photography and topographic maps created by Chen & Cole (2010-2011), and Kortum’s GPS data (2004-2009), I map the locations of deer imagery at one major rock art complex, Biluut; (4)Using the same data from 3, I map chronologies/cultural periods of imagery at Biluut; (5) I create a chart to coordinate data from 1-4; and (6) On the basis of 5, I provide preliminary analyses that correlate variations in Mongolian deer imagery, spatial orientations, and cultural periods. My research focuses on the Biluut Rock Art Complex because it contains the highest known concentration of Mongolian petroglyphs (literally “rock pictures”), boasting over 8200 images on three high hills, including Mongolian deer. In this highly stylized form, the deer’s body stretches from a round hind along a smoothly-contoured underside which blends into the head. One large circle represents an eye, and an exaggerated muzzle narrows into a bulbous, opened mouth. Two small antlers protrude forward, while one larger rack—sometimes as large as the deer itself—flows like waves over the back. A triangular hump comes to a point forming a withers (raised spinal ridge). Beneath the belly, undersized legs fold as if reclining, or stretch out as if standing. Often, they shrink into vestigial appendages. To some scholars, folded legs indicate flight, with antlers serving as wings and the muzzle a bird’s beak, hence one favored interpretation as “flying” deer. As a result of my research, I have created: (a) a means for better identifying this style through a representational language; (b) a system to classify the many variations of the deer’s form and language; and (c) maps that show the precise locations and ages, or cultural periods, of Biluut’s Mongolian deer imagery. This will enable researchers to carry out more specific analyses concerning cultural transmission across space and time. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 19 DO PARENTAL INFLUENCES OR SELF-EFFICACY AFFECT STUDENTS GPA OR ACADEMIC ASPIRATIONS? Druery, R.C., Gibson, B., Randall, P., and Dula, C.S., Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN While factors within the classroom no doubt play a major part in students’ academic achievement, there is growing interest in psychosocial factors’ influence on student academic performance and perceptions. Bandura (1997) stressed the importance of self-efficacy arguing many underestimate its effects, and that low self-efficacy could be detrimental to one’s perceived and actual capabilities. Further literature has linked self-efficacy with perceived career goals, indicating students with low levels of self-efficacy often lack successful long-term careers (Lent, Brown, & Larkin, 1986). Family support, motivation, and selfefficacy account for 44% of the variance in Grade Point Average, indicating the importance of family support in predicting academic and career success (Cassidy, 2009). Finally, D'Allegro (2010) revealed a positive correlation between a parent’s academic completion and the academic aspirations of their children, highlighting how parental influences can effect a student’s achievement. We hypothesized GPA and academic aspirations are effected by self-efficacy, family support, and parent education. Participants included 1,283 6th and 7th grade students from rural schools in the Southeastern United States. Participants were asked to report on a variety of topics, including measures of demographics, self-efficacy, and perceived academic plans. If these variables are found to influence academic success, future research is recommended with a larger sample size, including more schools and a wider age range. PROVIDER PERCEPTIONS ON PARENT-LED ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION (PLAN) FOR HEALTHY LIVING STUDY TARGETING CHILD OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY Alicia Flanery1, Nicole Holt, MPH2, William T. Dalton, III, PhD1, Karen E. Schetzina, MD, MPH3, Fred Tudiver, MD4, and Tiejian Wu, MD, PhD2,4, 1Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of ‘Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 3Department of Pediatrics, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 4Department of Family Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Childhood overweight and obesity rates have grown immensely in recent years in the United States, especially in rural areas. The current study evaluated health care providers’ perceptions of training and implementation of a cluster-randomized clinical trial, Parent-Led Activity and Nutrition (PLAN) for Healthy Living, for treatment of overweight and obesity in children 5-11 years of age. Five physicians (3 in a pediatric clinic and 2 in a family medicine clinic) were trained in (1) brief motivational interviewing techniques for individual visits with parents, and (2) the National Institutes of Health (NIH) We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) Curricula to lead group sessions with these same parents aimed at providing them with the tools necessary to aid in changing their family’s eating and physical activity behaviors. Upon completion of the 10-week intervention, physicians (N = 4) participated in focus groups with research staff to discuss their experiences with the study. Based on the individual visit training in brief motivational interviewing, the principle of supporting self-efficacy was used by all providers during individual visits and was determined to be of most help. One physician commented that individual sessions would likely be more effective with families that are well-known by the provider, and several physicians believed that longer-term follow-up visits conducted by a registered dietician or nurse are feasible. Findings revealed that physician preparation time for a group session with parents was within the range of 15-90 minutes, with all providers believing this time was well-spent. The provider ratings of group session effectiveness were very high, approximately a 6 on a 7 point scale. Several providers felt the group visits were more effective than the individual visits. Additionally, some providers suggested continuing the group sessions on a monthly basis for long-term support. The collective data suggests that physicians view PLAN as an acceptable and feasible approach to the treatment of child overweight and obesity. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 20 BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE: PROVIDING A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE LOCKED-IN STATE IN ALS AND BRAIN STEM STROKE Hauser, C. K., Armstrong, J. A., Frye, G. E., and Sellers, E. W., Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Case studies have suggested that a brain-computer interface (BCI) can provide a means of communication for people “locked-in” by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or brain stem stroke, and significantly enhance quality of life for these individuals. However, research has yet to investigate how ALS disease progression affects BCI performance or if BCI use is possible with users suffering a brain stem stroke. We present preliminary findings from a study using a longitudinal design to examine P300-based BCI use throughout disease progression. We aimed to: 1) examine the relationship between BCI performance and ALS/FRSr scores (a standard measure of general health status in ALS), 2) examine changes in the eventrelated potential (ERP) component structure across time, and 3) provide the first instance of P300 BCI use in a man suffering from a brain stem stroke. Five participants diagnosed with ALS (El Escorial clinically definite), at varying stages of disease progression, two experiencing a “locked-in condition,” have been enrolled in the study to date. Preliminary results suggest that while ALS/FRS scores may decrease after six months of data collection, BCI performance accuracy can remain above 90%, also suggesting that the P300-Speller can maintain an effective means of communication even after the overall health of the individual declines. Results of a principle components analysis revealed high a variance component stable across time points at 234 ms, suggesting the brain mechanism(s) responsible for producing the largest contribution of variance to the P300-BCI response remains intact while other measures of health decline. AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTE Sarah Hoover, Dr. Melissa Schrift, and Dr. Anthony Cavender, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN It has been found that there is a lack of knowledge on perceptions in Southern Appalachia about mental health, and a study of the Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Marion, Virginia will assist in increasing that knowledge. The goal is to conduct research in Marion and surrounding areas in order to collect data about perceptions of mental illness and treatment, past and present. In doing so, we wish to investigate the question of whether or not there is such a thing as a unique Appalachian culture in regards to mental health treatment. We hope to do this by focusing on the attitudes of the people living in Southern Appalachia; the relationship of the institute to the people; the views of former and present institute staff; and the challenges of providing treatment to the people of Appalachia. Our methodology includes both the investigation of the archives of the institute in Marion and the interviewing of past employees of the institute. The archives being studied are from the time period of 1887 (the year the hospital was opened) to roughly 1940. Most of the interviewees we have spoken with worked at the hospital after that time period. Both of these sources of information, the archives and the interviews, are coded and analyzed in order to find recurring themes and answer the question about the influence of a distinct Appalachian culture. As our research thus far has revealed, treatment at this institution shows no sign of being any different in terms of cultural influence than any other state mental hospital in the United States. Coding of the interviews is ongoing, as is further investigation of hospital archives. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 21 RELATIONSHIP DECISION FACTORS, SELF-ESTEEM, AND PERCEIVED STIGMA AMONG ABUSED WOMEN David Hutsell, Kevin Hyatt, Desta Taylor, and Dr. Stacey Williams, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University , Johnson City, TN Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects a large number of women annually across both the United States and internationally. Studies have focused on a wide range of topics, including reasons why abused women stay or leave their relationships. To build upon past research, this study aimed to determine in a sample of low-income women: 1) what factors women consider in decisions to stay or leave an abusive relationship; 2) if self-related beliefs (self-esteem, mastery, perceived stigma) contribute to relationship decision factors; 3) if public stereotypes contribute to women’s self-related beliefs and relationship decision factors. Thus the present study examined whether there was a relationship between relationship decision factors, selfesteem, and perceived stigma. Past research has found several factors that contribute to an abused woman’s decision to stay/leave a relationship: economic independence (Kim & Gray, 2008; Strube & Barbour, 1983); fear, with higher levels contributing to a lower likelihood of leaving (Kim & Gray, 2008); selfesteem, with higher levels indicating a higher chance of leaving. Other self-related perceptions have been examined less frequently, and no studies have examined perceived stigma specifically. However, one study did focus on beliefs held by victims of IPV of how others (friends, family, professionals, etc.) perceive abused women. The single qualitative study was of 15 African-American Women, Morrison, Luchok, Richter, and Parra-Medina (2006) found that 14 of the women believed the African-American community perceived women in abusive relationships to be stupid/foolish for staying in an abusive relationship. They expressed that their friends and family held this same belief (Morrison et. al., 2006). These negative perceptions may translate into negative self-beliefs. In the current study, data was collected from women seeking income services at a Department of Health and Human Services in northeast Ohio. The sample was composed of 177 low-income women who had experienced some form of partner violence (i.e., psychological or physical). Data collection consisted of face-to-face interviews with each participant. Decision factors of staying/leaving a relationship was calculated using a 33-item scale that included questions such as: “I fear harm to my family,” “I fear loss of income,” and “I fear what people would say.” Preliminary findings showed that both self-esteem (M=3.14, α =0.51) and perceived stigma (M=1.41, α =0.99) correlated with decision factors of staying/leaving an abusive relationship (M=2.49, α =0.75). Decision factors in leaving a relationship were less important when women reported higher self-esteem (r=.334, p<.01) and more important when women reported higher perceived stigma (r=.390, p<.01). With these results, there is now further evidence that supports self-esteem being a factor in deciding to leave/stay an abusive relationship. For the first time in research, this study found that perceived stigma plays a role in staying/leaving an abusive relationship. Overall, with these results, there can be a greater ability to help victims of IPV. INFLATION: IS IT REALLY A MONETARY PHENOMENON? Ryan Mills, Department of Economics and Finance, College of Business and Technology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN While the current literature and the discussion among policymakers consists of a pessimistic view of growth in output and employment coupled with the fear of deflation, inflation has not been mentioned as a concern for quite some time. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether current massive amounts of bank reserves in the United States will potentially turn into money and cause inflation. The quantity theory of money builds upon the equation of exchange to demonstrate that there is a direct proportional relationship between the nominal supply of money and the price level in the long-run. A simple bivariate regression model was used to quantify the monthly effects of changes in total bank reserves on the M2 money supply from 1980-2005, ceteris paribus. The coefficient multiplying total reserves from this regression model, which was found to be 62.32, is an estimate of the money multiplier (MM), which is defined as the change in the money supply per change in the monetary base. The MM value was then used to demonstrate the potential percentage effect of the recent jump in reserves on the M2 money supply. The estimated potential effect on M2 was found by calculating the product of the estimated money multiplier 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 22 and current excess reserves held by depository institutions (DIs). If DIs were to release the total amount of reserves on hand, which currently stands at approximately $1.037 trillion, M2 would expand by $64.623 trillion, or 868.92%. The potential inflation rate then is the potential change in M2 minus a "normal" growth rate. The "normal" growth rate was estimated by calculating the sample average growth rate of real GDP from 1980-2005, which was found to be 3.15%. Thus, the potential inflation rate is equivalent to 865.77%. Such a figure warrants serious attention for policymakers and, perhaps most importantly, for the American people. Despite several “tools” created by the Federal Reserve to deter future inflation, the hard truth is that they have never dealt with a similar predicament with regards to high levels of excess reserves. Whether the Federal Reserve can control inflation in the short-run is not disputed, but whether they have the capacity to control long-run inflation is of paramount concern. If depository institutions decide to drain their excess reserves in an abrupt time span, the United States faces a significant inflationary dilemma. Long-run inflation is indeed a monetary phenomenon. KNUCKLE DOWN AND BUCKLE UP: A STUDY OF PREVALENT SAFETY BELT USE Spencer L. Oatts, Kimberly F. Perry, Lawrence S. Shults, Laesha M. Bewley, and Chris S. Dula, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN In 2009, 30,797 people were killed in vehicle collisions (NHTSA). Sa¬fety belt use has been effective in reducing mortality in automobile accidents (Derrig, 2002). Specifically, the Tennessee “Click It or Ticket” program has effectively lowered vehicle collision fatalities by 20% state-wide (Tennessee Department of Transportation, 2007). Many different factors affect safety belt use such as time of day, vehicle type, road type, population density, and sex (Solomon, Cahudhruy, Preusser, 2007). Recent reviews have documented that the sexes differ in a variety of social behaviors including aggression helping, nonverbal behavior, and safety behaviors. Recently, researchers have explored different interventions that may increase the prevalence of safety belt use. For example, Farrell, Cox, and Geller found that men were more likely to wear their safety belt when prompted by females holding signs (2007). Further investigation into the effects of sex differences on safety belt use may lead to more successful interventions thus increasing the likelihood of safety belt use. The data for this study was collected at a rural southeastern university. Subjects varied from students to commuters passing through. Researchers recorded color of vehicle, type of vehicle, safety belt use, cell phone use, sex, race, passengers, and age range. Two-trained field observers and one cameraman were equipped with a high definition camera to record video data, while the field observers recorded data manually via data collection sheets. Later, the data on the disc in the high definition camera was transferred onto a computer. Next, two new trained observers watched the video and recorded any observations onto similar data collection sheets. A verbal cue was used to notify the video coders of the specific targeted vehicle. Once all four observers collected their data, the data collection sheets were compared and statistical analyses were conducted. There was no communication between observers to prevent any confounding variables. Results from the study show us that an intervention may increase safety belt rates and with better technology, video coding is a more reliable method for collecting field data. NATURE CONNECTIVITY IN YOUNG ADULTS Cheyenne Peavler and Jodi Polaha, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Past research has demonstrated that people who engage in more frequent contact with nature report higher levels of well-being. However, apathy towards environmental issues has been detected in national samples of adolescents in research spanning over three decades. Previous studies have provided evidence of the relationship between nature relatedness and well-being , but have not fully explored types of factors which contribute to the enhancement of nature connectivity. This study attempts to examine various dimensions of nature connectivity and well-being. Participants were 846 college students between the ages of 18 and 30. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 23 Participants responded to an online survey which analyzed environmental attitudes oriented towards environmental concern, pro-environmental behaviors, knowledge of sustainability, nature relatedness, level of technology use, attitudes towards technology, and well-being. Correlations between these variables were examined to determine if the presence or absence of each factor is related to an individual’s relationship with the natural environment. Results were consistent with past research with correlations between nature relatedness and life satisfaction at .082 and between nature relatedness and hopelessness at -.090. These were significant at the .05 and .01 levels, respectively. Pro-environmental behaviors were negatively correlated with technology use and technology attitudes with technology use at -.125 and technology attitudes at -.131. Both were significant at the .01 level. Nature relatedness was positively correlated with pro-environmental behaviors, sustainability knowledge, and positive environmental attitudes at .526, .311, and .510, respectively. These were significant at the .01 level. AFFECT AS A MODERATOR OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS, ALCOHOL USE AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS Catherine Rowe, Kristin Walker-Robison, M.A., Priya Loess, B.S. and Jameson K. Hirsch, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Depression is a significant public health problem, and college students may be at particular risk. Negative life events, such as developmental stressors, as well as increased exposure to and usage of alcohol may contribute to increased vulnerability for depressive symptoms. Potentially, protective individual-level characteristics, such as mood, may act as a buffer of the effects of substance use and life stress on depressive symptoms. Affective experience is conceptualized as an individual’s experience of feeling or mood, and may play an important role in the exacerbation or amelioration of the effects of risk factors for depressive symptoms. We hypothesized that greater levels of negative life events and alcohol use would be significantly positively associated with depressive symptoms, and that affect would moderate these relationships, such that individuals reporting higher levels of positive affect would report lower levels, while individuals reporting higher levels of negative affect would report higher levels of depressive symptoms associated with these life stressors. Our sample of 349 participants (65.9% female; 86.0% Caucasian; Mean Age = 23.08 [SD = 11.33]) was recruited from a rural Southeastern university, and completed the following self-report questionnaires: Life Events Scale (LES), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). In our analyses, only the LES negative life events subscale was used. Hierarchical linear regression techniques were used to conduct moderation analyses. In partial support of our hypotheses, positive affect significantly moderated the relationship between negative life events and depression (t=-3.56, p=.001, UnB=-.03 [SE=.01]); individuals with greater positive affect were less likely to report symptoms of depression associated with life stressors. Negative affect exerted a main effect, contributing to risk for depressive symptoms, but was not a significant moderator. Positive affect was also a significant moderator of the association between alcohol use and depressive symptoms (t=-2.39, p=.02, UnB=-.01 [SE=.003]); negative affect was not a significant moderator, but did exert a main effect. Respondents with greater positive affect were less likely to report depressive symptoms associated with alcohol use. Our novel findings suggest the relative robustness of positive affect as a buffer of the experience of depressive symptoms associated with negative life events and alcohol use. Positive affect may facilitate redefinition or reframing of a stressful life circumstance, thereby enhancing perceived ability to cope. Limitations of our study include use of cross-sectional data, which precludes the examination of causality. Our findings indicate that for students experiencing depressive symptoms related to negative life events or excessive alcohol use, promoting positive affect may be an effective treatment strategy. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 24 EDUCATING RURAL PSYCHOLOGISTS: AN ANALYSIS OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS Savannah Simpson and Jodi Polaha, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN In rural areas, the lack of psychologists available makes it difficult for patients to receive the care they need. The lack of psychologists available perpetuates the stigma that it is not “normal” to go to a psychologist. Also, working in rural areas is difficult for psychologists because there is a need for special training and instruction and there is not enough funding for training in rural psychology. This study aims to describe the current educational practices of graduate counseling and clinical psychology programs and post graduate internship and fellowship programs in preparing professionals to serve rural populations. Surveys created to assess rural professional training programs were sent to internship/fellowship programs and graduate programs in the United States identified as having a rural focus. Surveys were completed by 33 doctoral programs (21% response rate) and 61 internship/fellowship programs (19% response rate). Then, the responses from both types of programs were compared and contrasted. The three main barriers to educating psychologists to serve rural populations as indicated by the internship/fellowship programs are lack of interest of students working in rural areas, lack of employment opportunities in rural areas, and lack of third party reimbursement for counseling services provided. For the doctoral programs, the top three barriers are lack of qualified supervisors, accreditation requirements not allowing students enough electives to take a course related to rural mental health, and a tie between lack of employment opportunities and distance of university from rural areas. Results were also analyzed for the educational approaches to educating rural psychologists and the steps being taken to address the barriers to educating rural psychologists. The main action taken to overcome barriers by fellowship programs is providing didactic experiences related to providing behavioral health services for rural populations 55% and for graduate programs 53.8% chose integrating content related to providing behavioral health services to rural populations in required courses. Also, recommendations were made for enhancing rural training, improving internship and fellowship experiences, and addressing policy issues for graduate and post graduate programs. Both the graduate programs and fellowship programs agree that students are not as interested in going to rural areas. This could be because lack of funding in rural areas, lack of employment opportunities, and lack of third- party reimbursement for services provided by the graduate student or intern. Rural training should include educating students about rural areas by allowing students to take courses in rural psychology, placing students in rural areas, greater funding for training psychologists in rural areas, possible tele-health training to make working with rural patients easier if the location is distant from university or internship, ways for students to have an internship available after graduate school and a job after the internship, and teaching students ways to reduce the stigma of psychology in rural areas. Integrating psychology into primary care would help rural patients not worry as much about the stigma associated with seeing a psychologist and seeing a psychologist would not require an extra co-pay. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILDHOOD CONFLICTS AND ADULT DEPRESSION Susan Steffey and Dr. Chris Dula, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Depression is one of the most debilitating clinical disorders in the world and is responsible for consuming 83 billion dollars of annual healthcare costs. In adults, depression is the most common outcome of exposure to childhood sexual abuse. Research indicates that childhood sexual abuse is associated with adult depression with more common occurrences in woman than men, at a rate of 13 to 5. This study seeks to examine the relationship between childhood conflicts (including physical, sexual and mental abuse) and depression in a sample of college students. It is hypothesized that there will be a positive relationship between childhood conflicts and depression and that females will have a significant frequency difference compared to males. Participants were recruited utilizing a convenience sample from various psychology classes from a rural Southeastern university in the United States which included 207 students. Via an online database (SONA) each participant will login to the survey via a 5-digit number; therefor anonymity will be guaranteed. Participating is voluntary and participants will receive extra course credit. A demographic 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 25 questionnaire is used to gather self-reported information on age, gender, ethnicity, and relevant data. The Childhood Trauma questionnaire (CTQ) short form will be used to measure childhood maltreatment. This includes a 28-item self- report that measures 5 types of maltreatment: emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and emotional and physical neglect. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), a short self- report will be used to measure depressive symptoms in the general public. There are limitations to this study; a college sample was used, where as a more diverse sample may produce different results. Future research might consider the additive effects of other variables on childhood conflicts and may also consider the Diathesis-Stress Model which illustrates the dynamic between a diathesis and an individual's stress and how the effects of this dynamic can influence an individual's behavior. WHAT ARE THEY ON? AN INVESTIGATION BETWEEN ANXIETY AND MOOD NOTATION IN PRIMARY CARE PATIENT’S CHARTS Stoss, Y., Miesner, M.T. and Dula, C.S., Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Anxiety and Mood disorders are two of the most prevalent diagnostic classes seen in the mental health profession. A wide range of drugs have properties that can be beneficial in treating both types of disorders, whereas many other mental illnesses have a narrower range of effective drugs used in their treatment. Patients treated for these ailments may be prescribed multiple medications which can cause side effects or more serious repercussions, such as dependency on the medication. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine what types and how many medications are typically prescribed for patients who have mood or anxiety issues. Data was collected from an integrated primary care clinic. All data was collected from a sample of 100 patient charts. Data were recorded pertaining to the number of drugs a patient was prescribed, the types of drugs prescribed, and the relation of drug prescription to mental health conditions noted in patient’s charts. Drugs discussed in the data set include: Benzodiazepines, Tricyclics, SSRIs, Antipsychotics, Anticonvulsants and non-opiate pain medications. Data was matched up with the categories for mental illness types to see if any relation presented itself between the existence of a particular kind of mental disorder and the number of types of drugs a patient was prescribed. A positive relationship was detected between the number of drugs patients were prescribed and Anxiety/Mood disorder diagnoses or chart notations. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical test was used in this investigation. ANOVA test showed a significant relationship only between number of drugs prescribed and mood disorders and chart descriptions, F (1, 96) = 8.771 p =.004. When conducting this research, it was discovered that a number of patients were prescribed drugs from overlapping categories, and it was unclear on why such drugs were prescribed in some cases. Patients with anxiety or mood disorder noted in their charts were more likely to be on a greater number of drugs than those with other mental illness diagnoses and those without mental illness diagnoses. This study does not delve into whether or not fewer medications would be more effective for treatment, but it does provide evidence that patients with anxiety and mood disorders are often treated with a large number of drugs whose side effects in tandem are potentially more dangerous than alone. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 26 Division II – Graduate Students 1-2 Years Biomedical Sciences ERYTHROMYCIN BINDING KINETICS TO 50S RIBOSOMAL SUBUNITS AND THE 50S PRECURSOR PARTICLE IN Escherichia coli J. M. Beach and W. S. Champney, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Background: Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic that inhibits mRNA translation as well as 50S ribosomal subunit assembly in bacterial cells. In cells the antibiotic can bind to a mature subunit and prevent translation or it can bind to a precursor particle and prevent assembly. The strength and duration of binding to the precursor particles can indicate how effective inhibition of assembly by this antibiotic can be. For this reason, it is important to know any similarities or differences for the association and dissociation rate constants for precursor binding from that of the binding to mature subunits. Methods: For these binding assays, mature subunits and the relevant precursor particle were isolated as substrates for antibiotic binding. Mature 30S and 50S subunits were collected from sucrose gradients of E. coli cells grown in the presence or absence of erythromycin. In binding assays of the precursor particle, the 30S subunit region was used and any 32S precursor it contained was measured as a fraction of the total recovered. For these binding assays, commercially available 14C-erythromycin was used in a filter-binding assay to mature 50S subunit association and to the 32S precursor formed in vivo. Results: The binding stiochiometry of erythromycin for 50S and 32S precursor particle is the same, and the kinetic parameters for precursor association-dissociation have been determined. Saturation binding was measured with 50S subunits having a Kd of 0.64 μM and 32S precursor particle having a Kd of 1.54 μM. The half-life for dissociation of erythromycin from the 50S subunit was 110 minutes and was 6 minutes for dissociation from the precursor. Conclusion: The stronger binding affinity for erythromycin by the 50S subunits and slower dissociation rate when compared to that of the 32S precursor particle suggests less effectiveness for the inhibition of assembly by erythromycin and a stronger inhibition of translation. These results provide information needed for the design of more effective antibiotics. EFFECTS OF DEXAMETHASONE ON BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN 7 (BMP7) EXPRESSION IN VITRO Jessica D. Crawford, Michelle Chandley, Attila Szebeni, Katalin Szebeni, and Gregory A. Ordway, Department of Pharmacology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP7) belongs to the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family of proteins that are involved in growth, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. BMP7 is a major factor involved in differentiation of cells during development. Emerging research suggest that BMP7 is active in the adult brain where it exhibits neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and neuro-reparative properties. Interestingly, we recently found that BMP7 gene expression is downregulated in the postmortem brains of subjects that suffered premortem major depression, a stress-related psychiatric disorder. In this study, the possibility that depression-related reductions of BMP7 gene expression might be related to stress-induced increases in cortisol, a stress hormone that signals through the glucocorticoid receptor. This initial study examined the potential effects of dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid agonist, on BMP7 gene expression using three in-vitro cell models, neuroblastoma (SK-N-BE(2)C), astrocytoma (STTG), and glioblastoma (U138) cells. Quantitative PCR was used to measure changes in gene expression between drug exposed and control groups. Exposure of cells to dexamethasone (10 nM) produced a significant decrease in the level of 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 27 BMP7 mRNA expression in U138 cells. This decrease in mRNA expression was blocked using mifepristone, an antagonist of the GCR. In contrast to U138 cells, exposure of STTG cells and SK-NBE(2)C cells to dexamethasone did not reduce BMP7 gene expression. The effects of dexamethasone on two related BMP proteins, BMP2, another member of the BMP growth factor family, and BMP receptor II, a receptor for BMP7 were also examined. BMP2 gene expression was increased by dexamethasone exposure in STTG cells only, while gene expression of the BMP receptor II remained unchanged in all three cells lines. These data demonstrate BMP7 gene expression is regulated differently in different cells, and that it is regulated independently of other members of the BMP family and its receptors. Collectively these findings link BMP7 modulation in U138 cells to the glucocorticoid pathway, but whether this pathway is active in specific brain cells will require further work with primary cell cultures or in vivo studies. CONTRIBUTION OF ACIDOSIS TO ANTI-PNEUMOCOCCAL FUNCTIONS OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN Toh B. Gang, Sanjay K. Singh, David J. Hammond, Donald A. Ferguson Jr., and Alok Agrawal, Departments of Pharmacology and Microbiology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN C-reactive protein (CRP) protects mice from lethality following infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. It is assumed that CRP functions through a pathway in which CRP binds to phosphocholine groups present on the pneumococcal cell wall, the liganded CRP activates the complement system, and bacteremia is reduced by complement-dependent lysis of the pathogen. This pathway, however, does not fully explain the mechanism of CRP-mediated killing of pneumococci because pneumococci are able to recruit factor H on their surface to escape attack by complement. Factor H is an inhibitor of complement activation which normally protects host cells from complement attack. The aim of this study was to investigate whether, under certain conditions, CRP can mask the inhibitory effect of factor H. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of pH 5.0 on the binding of fluid-phase CRP to immobilized factor H because acidic pH is a component of the sites of inflammation and abscesses. First, we found that pH 5.0 by itself was not bactericidal. Second, CRP did not bind to factor H at pH 7.0, but, at pH 5.0, CRP efficiently bound to factor H. Third, the phosphocholine-binding property of CRP was retained at pH 5.0. These findings raise the possibility that if factor H is deposited on pneumococci and if the pH of the surrounding environment is acidic, then CRP can bind to factor H and facilitate complement-dependent lysis of otherwise complementresistant factor H-coated pneumococci. We propose that the factor H-binding capability of CRP at acidic pH may contribute to anti-pneumococcal functions of CRP. XPA PLAYS A ROLE IN PROTECTING CELLS FROM APOPTOSIS INDUCED BY DNA DOUBLE STRAND BREAKS IN HUTCHINSON-GILFORD PROGERIA SYNDROME CELLS Benjamin Hilton, Yiyong Liu, Antonio Rusinol, Ji Liu, Youjie Wang, Phillip Musich, Michael Sinesky, Yue Zou, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder that is characterized by the phenotypes of accelerated and premature aging. It has been shown that HGPS is caused by mutations in the lamin A gene resulting in production and accumulation of an uncleavable form of farnesylated prelamin A protein (progerin or Δ50) in cells. We previously reported that progerin induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in cells, including HGPS cells. In the present study, we show that cellular accumulation of progerin induces apoptosis likely due to the accumulation of DSBs. Interestingly, xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA), a major nucleotide excision repair (NER) factor, appeared to affect the apoptotic process casued by progerin/DSBs. Although progerin induced only DNA double strand breaks, we demonstrate that the 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 28 progerin-induced apoptosis is inhibited in XPA cells complemented with wild-type XPA as compared with XPA-deficient cells in a caspase 3-based apoptosis assay. Consistently, similar results were obtained from Western blot analysis in which the levels of apoptosis markers of degraded lamin A and PARP were significantly reduced in XPA-WT cells compared with XPA-/- cells expressing progerin. Our results suggest that XPA may play a role in preventing apoptosis in HGPS cells due to the progerin-induced DNA double strand breaks. THE TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR 9 LIGAND, CpG-ODN, DECREASES MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIC INJURY VIA ACTIVATION OF PI3K/AKT SIGNALING Chen Lu, Zhijuan Cao, Yulong Hu, Xiaohui Wang, Tuanzhu Ha, Jim Kelley, John Kalbfleisch, Race Kao, David Williams, and Chuanfu Li, Department of Surgery, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, NT Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the USA. It is estimated that 785,000 Americans have a first heart attack every year. Heart attacks cost the United States $316.4 billion in 2010. At present, there are no effective therapeutic approaches for treatment and management of heart attack patients. This is due, in part, to our incomplete understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate injury in heart attack. Increasing evidence suggests that innate immune and inflammatory responses contribute to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury (heart attack). However, the mechanisms have not been elucidated entirely. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in the induction of innate immune and inflammatory responses. Indeed, we have demonstrated that either TLR4 deficiency or modulation of TLR2 protected the myocardium from ischemic injury. TLR9 is localized in cellular endosomes and endoplasmic reticulum and recognizes unmethylated DNA. Recent studies reported that the TLR9 ligand, CpG-ODN, improved cell survival through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. We hypothesized that the TLR9 ligand, CpG-ODN, could protect the heart from I/R injury. Methods: To critically evaluate our hypothesis, we treated male C57BL/6 mice (n=10) with CpG-ODN (10 µg/25 g body weight) one hr prior to induction of myocardial ischemia (60 min) followed by reperfusion (4 hrs). Control ODN were administered to mice (n=10) that served as CpG-ODN control. To examine the effect of TLR9 inhibition on myocardial I/R injury, mice (n=10) were treated with inhibitory CpG-ODN (iCpG-ODN) one hr before myocardial I/R. Untreated mice were subjected to myocardial I/R and served as I/R control. Infarct size was determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) straining. Cardiac function was examined by echocardiography before and 3 and 7 days after myocardial I/R. To examine the mechanisms by which CpG-ODN induces protection, we harvested hearts and isolated the nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins for analysis cellular signaling pathway activation. Results: CpG-ODN administration significantly decreased infarct size by 31.4% compared with untreated I/R mice. Neither control-ODN nor iCpG-ODN decreased I/R-induced myocardial infarction. CpG-ODN treatment increased ejection fraction and fractional shortening by 23.5% and 26.72%, respectively 3 days after myocardial I/R compared with untreated I/R mice. CpG-ODN also attenuated I/R-increased cardiac myocyte apoptosis. Western blots showed that CpG-ODN increased the levels of phospho-Akt/Akt and phospho-GSK-3β/GSK-3β in the myocardium. In addition, CpG-ODN administration prevented I/R-decreased Bcl2 and decreased I/Rincreased Bax in the myocardium. In-vitro data suggested that CpG-ODN administration increased the levels of Akt phosphorylation, induced TLR9 tyrosine phosphorylation, and promoted an association between TLR9 and the p85 subunit of PI3K. PI3K inhibition by administration of LY924002 or Akt deficiency in vivo abolished CpG-ODN-decreased myocardial infarction. Conclusions: Our data suggest that administration of a TLR9 ligand, CpG-ODN, induced protection against myocardial I/R injury. The mechanisms involve activation of the PI3K/At signaling pathway. We conclude that modulation of TLR9 by its ligand would be a potential therapeutic approach for heart attack patients clinically. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 29 INTRACEREBROVENTRICULAR LEPTIN DEPLETS ABDOMINAL FAT TO SUPPRESS BODY WEIGHT: AN INSIGHT IN THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY SYNDROME Brittany Moore1 and Effiong Otukonyong2, 1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Health Sciences, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Leptin is a product of obese gene and is secreted from white fat cells. Leptin is currently thought to probably be the hormone that could be useful in treating obesity. The exact mechanism by which leptin exerts its metabolic effect in the control of energy and body weight homeostasis has not been exhaustively investigated. We tested the hypothesis that insufficiency of leptin restraint in the brain feeding center (hypothalamus), is responsible for promoting weight gain and adiposity after consumption of high-fat diet or any food consumed in large amount. And that, reduction of abdominal white adipose tissue (WAT) in particular, could be achieved by delivering enough recombinant leptin into the hypothalamus, and could probably represents one of the mechanisms by which leptin acts to control body weight. All the animals used in this study were stereostaxically implanted with permanent stainless steel cannula into the third cerebroventricle and kept in a controlled, specific pathogen-free room. Food and water were made available ad libitum. Female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-250 grams were weight-matched and divided into two treatment groups. One group was fed high-fat diet (HFD) and the other group given normal rat chow diet (RCD). Body weight and food intake were measured twice weekly. After two weeks on HFD, some rats gained weight rapidly and were designated obesity prone (OP), and others gained weight slowly just as those on RCD and were designated obesity resistant (OR) and were dropped from the study. Some OP rats (n=5) were injected with 5 µl of pure recombinant leptin for 7 days while the control groups OP (n = 5) and RCD (n = 6) were injected with 5 µl of saline for the same period. Another control group (n=5) was pairfed with the same amount of food consumed by leptin-treated ones. The animals were observed for 6 weeks after which they were sacrificed by decapitation. Blood was collected and blood glucose estimated. White adipose tissue (WAT) was dissected out and weighed. Brain, plasma and brown adipose tissue (BAT) were harvested to be used for other analysis. Body weight and abdominal WAT decreased in OP leptin-treated group while in the OP ones treated with saline body weight and abdominal WAT actually increased. The leptin-treated animals ate less food in grams/24 h although the total kilocalorie (Kcal) did not differ from those of the control. Blood glucose levels did not differ in all the groups. Abdominal WAT was low in both the pair-fed and RCD control groups. Results of this study suggest that reduction in abdominal white fat could represent an important mechanism utilized by leptin in the regulation of body weight and energy intake. RELATIONSHIP OF STRENGTH AND POWER CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGIATE WEIGHTLIFTERS Christian R. Carter, Ethan M. Owens, Ambrose J. Serrano, William G. Hornsby, Dr. Hugh S. Lamont, and Dr. Michael H. Stone, Department of Kinesiology, Leisure, and Sports Sciences,, Clemmer College of Education, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Weightlifting is comprised of two lifts: the snatch and clean and jerk. Peak forces, jump heights, and power outputs for elite senior level weightlifters are greater than elite junior level or untrained populations. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between peak forces, jump heights, peak power outputs, rates of force development, and Sinclair totals in collegiate weightlifters, and between these variables and their potential to predict performance. Nine competitive male weightlifters read and signed informed consent documents pertaining to the long-term athlete monitoring program, and testing procedures according to the guidelines of ETSU’s IRB. Height was measured using a stadiometer, bodymass was measured on a calibrated and certified digital scale. Body composition was determined with air displacement plethysmography. Athlete jump height was determined from flight time of countermovement jumps (CMJ) and static jumps (SJ) with loads of 0kg, 11kg, 20kg performed on a force plate. Strength characteristics were measured by an isometric mid-thigh pull on an isometric rack placed over a force plate. Isometric peak force (IPF), IPF allometrically scaled (IPF/bodymass2/3), and rate of force development (IRFD) from 0-200ms and 0-250ms were measured by force-time curve analyses using 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 30 customized signal processing. Relationships between variables were assessed using Pearson correlations. Hopkins rankings for correlations were used to assess the relative strength of the correlations. The increases in power outputs at heavier loads with many of the weightlifters do not conform to what is normally found in weaker athletes and trained weightlifters. Further testing should investigate CMJ and SJ power outputs with heavier loads in this trained population to see if an increase in power at heavier loads continues. Absolute values of IPF do not correlate as strongly with jump heights because they do not take into consideration the athletes’ body mass. The heavier the weightlifter, the higher their absolute IPF, but this is not the case for IPFa. However, IPF is strongly correlated with peak power in all jumps and loads. The reverse trend is seen in IPFa where stronger correlations exist with jump height and weaker correlations with absolute power outputs. When power outputs are allometrically scaled the same as IPF (divided by bodymass2/3), we notice very strong correlations regardless of bodyweight. These findings indicate that, among weightlifters, isometric strength characteristics are related to dynamic measures. Stronger athletes jumped higher and produced more power than weaker athletes. Support for this idea can also be found in the strong correlations between measures of strength characteristics (force and RFD) and the Sinclair totals. Consideration should be given to IRFD from 0-250ms as a better predictor of performance than 0-200ms because of a longer application of force in weightlifting movements and stronger correlations with Sinclair totals and other variables listed above. We can gather from this information that stronger weightlifters are more explosive and can jump higher. MARKED FACIAL AND TONGUE ATROPHY: A NOVEL FEATURE IN ANTI-ACETYL CHOLINE RECEPTOR POSITIVE MYASTHENIA GRAVIS Peiris, E.D., Copeland, R.J., Guha, B., Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a potentially life threatening autoimmune neuromuscular disease. Several distinct subtypes of MG including anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody positive (anti-AChR) and antimuscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase antibody positive (anti-MuSK) exist. Anti-AChR antibody positive is the most common form, but tongue atrophy is extremely rare. This study reports a patient with pronounced and distinctive facial drooping and tongue atrophy with positive anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. A 72-year-old female diagnosed with MG underwent thymectomy with clinical improvement several decades ago but elected to maintain a tracheotomy. Past medical history include systemic lupus, steroid induced diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis. Her MG has been stable without respiratory compromise or bulbar dysfunction since her initial treatment. Patient remains on Glipizide, Lispro insulin, alternate day Prednisone, Pyridostigmine, vitamin D and Calcium. Physical examination was remarkable for marked atrophy of her tongue and drooping of her facial muscles. Lingual atrophy was most marked laterally, creating appearance of bilateral central ridges resulting in a unique appearance. The tongue had no fasciculation but had reduced mobility without clinical evidence of a hypoglossal nerve lesion. Laboratory parameters indicated well-controlled diabetes with normal renal and hepatic function. MG is associated with weakness and fatigability of voluntary muscles. Positive anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies are very specific and are found in 80+% of patients. Atrophy of facial musculature and/or tongue is seen in about 1 % of patients with MG and is more commonly linked to anti-MuSK positive antibody status. AntiMuSK antibody positive MG accounts for half of the Anti-AChR antibody negative patients. This group experiences more pronounced bulbar weakness, facial and tongue atrophy. Respiratory, neck, and shoulder involvement is more common whereas ocular weakness is rare. Anti-MuSK antibody positivity is typically more severe with a higher incidence of respiratory crisis that anti-AChR antibody positive MG. To our knowledge, this is the first report of marked tongue atrophy and facial muscle wasting in a patient with positive anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. The distinctive atrophy of the tongue creating bilateral central ridges is a unique appearance previously unreported in Myasthenia gravis. This manifestation should alert clinicians that the patient might be at risk for oropharyngeal and respiratory compromise. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 31 EXPOSING A HIDDEN FUNCTIONAL SITE OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN BY SITE-DIRECTED MUTAGENESIS Avinash Thirumalai, Sanjay K. Singh, David J. Hammond, Antonio E Rusinol, David A. Johnson, and Alok Agrawal, Department of Pharmacology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN C-reactive protein (CRP) is a cyclic pentameric protein comprised of five identical subunits. Previously, we reported that, at acidic pH, CRP bound to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). The ox-LDL-binding site in CRP, which is hidden at physiological pH, was exposed by acidic pH-induced structural changes in CRP. This was an important finding because both CRP and ox-LDL are present at the atherosclerotic lesions, pH is often acidic at the sites of inflammation including atherosclerotic lesions, and CRP, by capturing ox-LDL, may be able to prevent atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to expose the hidden ox-LDL-binding site by site-directed mutagenesis of CRP. We targeted those amino acids for mutagenesis which participate in inter-subunit interactions in the pentamer and are buried. Substitution of Glu-42 with Gln in CRP reduced the requirement of acidic buffer by more than one pH unit and enhanced the avidity of binding of CRP to ox-LDL more than 10-fold compared to native CRP. These data support our approach of mutagenesis to generate a CRP molecule that would fully expose the ox-LDL-binding site and bind to oxLDL without the requirement of acidic pH. Our goal is to generate a CRP mutant that binds to ox-LDL at or near physiological pH. Such a CRP mutant will be more useful than native CRP to investigate the functions of CRP in murine models of atherosclerosis because native CRP binds to ox-LDL only at acidic pH and mice may not have sufficient acidosis in the artery during the development of atherosclerosis. Natural Sciences & Mathematics LOW COMPLEXITY ALGORITHMS GENERATES COMPLEX PATTERNS Fadel Adoe1, Istvan Karsai1 and Chris Wallace2, 1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Computer and Information Sciences, College of Business and Technology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Many models have been developed to explain the process of self organization—the emergence of seemingly purposeful behaviors from groups of entities with limited individual intelligence. Selforganizing systems are characterized by their subunits’ ability to acquire new, emergent properties that cannot be ascribed solely to their constituent subunits. We examine wasps’ nest building behavior and develop low complexity building scripts to simulate the nest building process of wasps. Our study focuses on testing how these low complexity building algorithms are performing and how closely they generate life like structures. Four rules postulated to be functions of wasps’ building behavior were developed. First is the random rule, in which there is no constraint per the choice of site to be chosen. The second is the 2-cell rule where only sites with at least two ready walls are initiated. Third, the maxWall rule ensures only sites with the maximum number of ready walls are initiated. Last is the ageBased rule, where sites with the oldest age are first initiated. This work provides better insight and visualization through simulation into wasps building behavior. This acquired knowledge can be applied to robotics and distributed optimization processes. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 32 IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PLANTS RESISTING METAL TOXICITY IN EAST TENNESSEE Nkongho Collins Binda1, Foster Levy1, Chu-Ngi Ho2, Ray Mohseni2, and Dhirendra Kumar1, 1 Department of Biological Sciences, and 2Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Toxic dumps and soils enriched in metals present threats to the health of plants and humans, and have been linked to several diseases. Metallophytes are plant species which are able to thrive in these soils while most plant species are unable to thrive in these toxic soils. The metal tolerance ability of these plants is exploited in phytoremediation; the use of plants to remove pollutants from the soil, air and water. Understanding the way these plants function can also give us insight on treatments for heavy metal pollution in humans, and new methods of improving on plant nutrient efficiency. The mechanisms by which metallophytes resist metal toxicity are genetically-based. Metallophytes are generally able to resist metal toxicity either by excluding the uptake of heavy metals at the level of the roots, or by taking up high concentrations of the metals and sequestering them in safe locations, rendering them harmless to the plants. It has been shown that genes and proteins are associated with the way these plants function. Although several plants in this category have already been identified, there might still be some species waiting to be identified. The aim of this study is to identify such plants, and characterize new genes associated with the heavy metal tolerance in these plants. In the first stage of this study several plant species were collected from two separate sites; one of them a mining site which has been shown to have high concentrations of nickel and chromium among other heavy metals, and the other site having normal levels of these metals which acted as the control for the experiment. The metal content of the dry plant tissue from these two sites was analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The nickel content of the plants from the control site were within the range which is considered to be normal in plants, while those plants which were harvested from the mining site showed high levels of nickel, about tenfold higher than what is considered to be normal. This high nickel content was mainly displayed in the roots of the plant species, suggesting that these plants accumulate most of the metal at the level of the roots and prevent its transport to above ground tissue. The experiment is being repeated to confirm the findings. Seeds collected from plants growing on the control and metal enriched sites are being grown in a hydroponic system to determine if these plants have acquired this metal tolerance capacity, or if it is a constitutive characteristic of the plant species. ISOLATION OF A RHODOCOCCUS SOIL BACTERIUM THAT PRODUCES A STRONG ANTIBACTERIAL COMPOUND Ralitsa B. Borisova and Bert C. Lampson, Department of Health Sciences, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Members of the genus Rhodococcus are characterized as aerobic, Gram positive, non-motile, mycolate-containing bacteria which can fragment into rod-shaped or coccoid-shaped cells. They have been isolated from many different sources such as soils, rocks, groundwater, marine sediment, animal droppings, the guts of insects, and from healthy and diseased animals and plants. The rhodococci are notable for their ability to degrade or otherwise bioconvert a huge variety of both natural and xenobiotic compounds via oxidations, hydroxylations, dehalogenations, desulfurizations, hydrolysis reactions, and so on. Interest in Rhodococcus has increased in recent years due to the discovery of a large number of genes for secondary metabolism, which may be involved in the synthesis of siderophores, cell signaling molecules, pigments, and antibiotics (McLeod et al. 2006). Only a few secondary metabolites have thus far been characterized from the rhodococci (these include 3 recently described antibiotics). We are, therefore, interested in exploring the potential of this bacterium to produce novel antibiotic compounds. Bacteria from soils collected from local sites in East Tennessee were isolated using defined basal medium with acetonitrile as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, which had the ability to select for bacteria, such as Rhodococcus, containing a nitrile hydratase/amidase system. Organisms identified as Rhodococcus via 16S rRNA analysis were then screened for antibiotic production using a growth inhibition assay. One strain, MTM3W5.2, produced a large zone of inhibition when tested against Rhodococcus erythropolis strain IGTS8. The Ribosomal Database Project analysis indicated that strain MTM3W5.2 is 90% similar to Rhodococcus opacus; however, additional tests are currently in progress to determine more closely the species type. Extracts of the compound produced by strain MTM3W5.2 are currently undergoing purification and characterization. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 33 ROLE OF SABP2 IN TOBACCO NON-HOST RESISTANCE Pavan Chigurupati and Dr. Dhirendra Kumar, Department of Biological sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Pathogens of plants are a significant and growing threat to crop production worldwide causing dreadful diseases leading to substantial losses. The goal of producing crops with enhanced and durable resistance to a spectrum of diseases is a major focus in plant research. A plant species susceptible to a given pathogen is referred to as the ‘‘host’’ for that pathogen and resistance exhibited by the plant towards this pathogen is called host resistance. Resistance exhibited by a given plant species to most strains of a pathogen is a phenomenon known as non-host resistance. A pathogen that cannot cause disease on a non-host plant is referred to as a non-host pathogen. Host resistance results in the activation of signaling molecules followed by the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes resulting in the localized cell death. One of those signaling molecules is the key plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) which is synthesized from methyl salicylate (MESA), a reaction catalyzed by Salicylic Acid Binding Protein2 (SABP2). SABP2 is critical for R-gene mediated resistance (gene-for-gene resistance) response in tobacco plants in which specific resistance genes (R-genes) in a host species confers resistance to specific strains of pathogen based on the recognition of pathogen avirulence (avr) gene products. Does SABP2 play the same role in non-host resistance as in R-gene mediated resistance? This is being tested by inoculating wild type tobacco plants (C3, containing empty silencing vector) and SABP2-silenced tobacco plants (1-2) with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci (host pathogen) and Pseudomonas syringae pv.phaseolicola (non-host pathogen). Leaf samples were collected 24 h, 72 h, 120 h, 144 h post infiltration. Samples were homogenized and serial diluted using sucrose (0.1 M) and plated on King’s B medium agar plates and incubated at 28⁰C for 36-48 hrs. Bacterial colonies were counted to determine resistance level of the inoculated plants. It was found, there is a 2 to 3 fold difference in the growth of P.s. pv. phaseolicola between C3 plants and 1-2 plants. This shows that SABP2 may play an important role in non-host resistance. The growth of P.s. pv tabaci (host pathogen) in C3 and 1-2 plants is currently being analyzed. Besides directly studying growth of pathogen, non-host resistance could also be monitored using gene expression analysis. Expression of nonhost related or cell death-related genes Nt-CDM1 (Nicotiana tabacum-cell death marker1), Nt-hin1 (Ntharpin induced1) and Nt-hsr203J (Nt-hypersensitive response related 203J) genes could be analyzed in C3 and 1-2 plants infected with non-host and host pathogens. Besides bacterial plant pathogens, non-host fungal pathogen, Pythium sylvaticum is being used to access role of SABP2 in fungal non-host resistance. HETEROLOGOUS EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RECOMBINANT PUTATIVE PGT3 FROM GRAPEFRUIT, CITRUS PARADISI Deborah Hayford1, Daniel Owens1 and Cecilia McIntosh1,2, 1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2 School of Graduate Studies, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The grapefruit plant, Citrus paradisi, tends to accumulate high levels of flavonoids such as flavanones and flavones. Flavonoids have a vast array of important functions in plants and also in humans. Most naturally occurring flavonoids exist in glycosylated forms and this suggests that glycosylation is a key part of plant biochemical processes. Flavonoid glycosides are formed by the attachment of sugars to the flavonoid aglycone. When the sugar that is transferred is glucose (i.e., from UDP-glucose), the reaction is called glucosylation and the enzymes catalyzing the reaction are referred to as glucosyltransferases (GT’s). In our pursuit to study the structure and function of flavonoid GT’s, we have used molecular approaches to identify, clone, express and functionally characterize the enzyme. The establishment of GTs in recombinant expression systems and characterization of the resultant proteins has been shown to be an effective way to characterize these enzymes. In this work, putative PGT3 was obtained through EST mining of a directionally cloned young grapefruit leaf cDNA library. PGT3 has been modified and cloned into E.coli expression vector pCD1 and also into Pichia pastoris expression vectors pPICZA and pPICZAα. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 34 Expression of recombinant PGT3 has been confirmed with the E.coli expression system, however the majority of the protein was found in insoluble inclusion bodies. Expression with Pichia pastoris, a eukaryotic is expected to overcome the challenge of inclusion bodies. Results of cloning into pPICZA/ pPICZα vectors and transformation into Pichia pastoris are presented. After induction, soluble recombinant PGT3 protein will be purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography and tested for flavonoid GT activity. DOES SABP2 EXIST AS A DIMER? Mir Hossain, Michael Davis, and Dr. Dhirendra Kumar, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Salicylic acid (SA) is an important plant hormone, which induces downstream defense response to develop the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) against a broad range of pathogen. Salicylic acid binding protein 2 (SABP2) is one of the key enzymes in SA mediated plant defense pathway. SABP2 is a 29 kDa protein, extremely low abundance in plant and is a member of α/β hydrolase super family which has both esterase and lipase activity. SABP2 catalyzes the conversion of the signaling molecule Methyl Salicylate (MeSA, a volatile ester) into SA. Although, it has been shown that 6x His-tagged SABP2 over expressed in E. coli is a homodimer, but its exact conformation in planta is still unknown. Therefore, we proposed to determine if SABP2 exist as a dimer and/or monomer in tobacco plant. In order to investigate the conformation of SABP2 in plant, the wild type tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi NN) plants were infected with TMV and the total protein was separated on 12% SDS-PAGE. Immunoblot analysis showed that SABP2 migrates as two different species with one species around 29 kDa (the regular monomer) and the other as higher oligomeric form. To verify the exact conformation of native SABP2 protein, purification of SABP2 from tobacco plant was undertaken. Wild type tobacco plants were homogenized in protein extraction buffer and SABP2 was fractionated in 50-75% ammonium sulfate. The presence of SABP2 was confirmed by immunoblot analysis with SABP2 polyclonal antibody. In denaturing gel electrophoresis SABP2 was detected as a 29 kDa (monomer) but in non-denaturing gel electrophoresis (Native-PAGE) SABP2 migrates as higher oligomers, indicating that SABP2 exists as a dimer. Therefore, further purification of SABP2 from 50-75% ammonium sulfate fraction using conventional chromatographic techniques is currently being done. Size exclusion chromatography coupled with native-PAGE will be used to determine the conformation of purified SABP2. If SABP2 is purified as a dimer than an enzyme assay will be performed to verify the activity and specificity for its substrate (MeSA). Studies on SABP2 conformation will give us insight to the structure and function of this protein in SA mediated disease resistance pathway. IDENTIFICATION, RECOMBINANT EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PUTATIVE SECONDARY PRODUCT GLUCOSYLTRANSFERASE CLONES FROM CITRUS PARADISI Zhangfan Lin1, Daniel K. Owens1, and Cecilia A. McIntosh1,2 . 1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2 School of Graduate Studies, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Flavonoids are a class of plant secondary metabolites that fulfill many functions including UV protection, pigmentation, antipathogenic properties and feeding deterrents. Glucosylation helps flavonoids perform their in planta roles, e.g. easier transportation of hydrophobic flavonoids. These reactions are catalyzed by glucosyltransferases (GTs). Our research focuses on flavonoid metabolism and structure/function analysis of secondary product GTs. Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) is used as the model plant since it is active in flavonoid metabolism with a variety of secondary product GTs. Part of the project is designed to test the hypothesis that putative GT 10 (PGT10) is a flavonoid GT. PGT10 was heterologously expressed in E.coli under optimal culture conditions (chemical induction at 10 ̊C for 18 hours) after multiple attempts using different approaches for improving the protein solubility. Screening assays for detection of GT enzyme activity were done using 14 representative flavonoid substrates on PGT10 protein with and without 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 35 recombinant fusion tags. No activity was detected with these substrates. Efforts to identify the reaction catalyzed by PGT10 continue by screening for activity with simple phenolic compounds as substrates. Candidate compounds were identified from the literature reporting on phenolic contest of plant extracts after acidic hydrolysis (indicating potential presence of glycosides in vivo). Due to the water solubility of those compounds, reverse phase-HPLC detection was employed and the reactions are currently under analysis and results will be reported. A second part of the project is designed to test the hypothesis that the multiple bands of PGT 5/6 found in root cDNA by RT-PCR contain a set of homologous genes. According to the previously identified gene pieces, new primers were designed and used in RACE PCR. So far, 4 more homologous fragments and a 5’ extended fragment with an ATG in-frame were found. Work will be carried on further to achieve the full-length genes. RACIAL DISPARITIES IN CARDIOVASCULAR FACTORS AMONG DIAGNOSED HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS Meng Liu and Xuefeng Liu, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Background: Racial disparities in cardiovascular disease have become a matter of national concern. However, racial disparities in cardiovascular risk factors among diagnosed hypertensive patients have not been examined. Methods: 4,758 diagnosed hypertensive patients aged 18 years or older were identified from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2006. Racial differences and trends in glycosylated hemoglobin, high-dimensional lipoprotein, plasma C-reactive protein, plasma homocysteine , albuminuria and other risk factors among Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks were analyzed by conducting multiple logistic and multiple linear regression models. Results: Compared with non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks were more likely to have uncontrolled BP (Hispanics-odds ratio (OR):1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21-2.07; blacks-OR: 1.42, 95% CI: .211.67), elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (Hispanics-OR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.89-3.87; blacks-OR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.70-2.77) and albuminuria (Hispanics-OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.71-3.27; blacks-OR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.472.20), and less likely to have central obesity (Hispanics-OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51-0.91; blacks-OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.58-0.84) . Blacks had lower risks of elevated serum cholesterol (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67-0.98) and low HDL (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.61-0.94) than whites. The risk of high serum homocysteine was lower in Hispanics and higher in blacks compared with whites (Hispanics-OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.46-0.90; blacksOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.14-1.63). Conclusion: Racial disparities in cardiovascular risk factors are prevalent among diagnosed hypertensive Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks. More efforts need to be addressed to improve the cardiovascular health of Hispanics and blacks. LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY OF SARCOPHAGA CRASSIPALPIS IN DIFFERENT NUTRITIONAL CONDITIONS Xinguo Lu, Veronica Fregoso, Mark Phillips, Anthony Lundy, Kelley Cross, Alicia Bray, Darrel J Moore, and Karl H Joplin, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Locomotor activity is a component of almost all organismal behaviors. The current research uses the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis , as a model system to study locomotor activity in different conditions. The parameters of sex and nutritional effects on the timing and activity levels of fly locomotor activity over adult development time after eclosion have been examined. The addition of a protein source to the flies’ diet was expected to increase locomotor activity in response to the extra dietary nutrients. Alternately, depriving female flies of a liver source could increase their locomotor activity, due to their necessity of a protein meal for egg production. Female flies are known to require a protein meal (beef liver) to produce viable eggs. An infrared detective monitor (TriKinetics Inc., MA) was used to collect activity data of the flesh fly. Four groups of flies were separated into different cages and kept in light dark (12:12) conditions on the day of their emergence; females fed liver (FL), females non-fed liver (FNL), males fed liver (ML), 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 36 and males non-fed liver (MNL). After two days, individual flies were transferred into individual tubes, put into activity monitors, and locomotor activity was recorded for a week. The experiments were repeated three times. The results show that female, but not male, flies have significant nocturnal activity, and that activity has dramatically different patterns between the FNL and FL. FNL has much more diurnal activity up to day 6, but the nocturnal activity increased after day 6, while FL has stronger nocturnal activity than diurnal activity on day 4 and day 5, and then diurnal activity started to dominate. ML and MNL both have more activity during the light period, but ML have higher activity than MNL. IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FRESH WATER MICRO ALGAE FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION IN EAST TENNESSEE Amukta Mayakoti1, Ismail Kady2, Ekaterina Kaverina1, Dhirendra Kumar1, 1 Department of Biological Sciences, , 2Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Biodiesel is a renewable energy source which can replace fossil fuels. Microalgae are one of the best sources of Biodiesel because they double their biomass in 24hrs and can be harvested batch-wise nearly all-yearround. Their oil content can be used as CO2 neutral fuel which means that algae utilize CO2, which is one of the important green house gases, for photosynthesis. The algae are harvested for biofuel, which releases CO2 when utilized. The released CO2 can then be used by growing algae. Algal systems, which are incorporated into waste water treatment, improve the water quality of the effluent by reducing the nutrients and metal loads. The objective of this study is to identify and characterize fresh water microalgae from East Tennessee and determine if they are suitable for biodiesel production compared to known marine microalgae. Algae synthesize and accumulate lipids, and based on their growth rates and availability, those lipids can be used for Biodiesel production. Several samples of microalgae were collected from ponds and other water bodies around Johnson City and are being grown and their growth patterns are being checked. Lipids will be extracted from unknown local algae and compared with known species to see if their lipids are suitable for biodiesel production. Growth conditions play a very important role in enhancing lipid accumulation in algal cell. The higher the lipid content, the higher the biodiesel yield. Based on this, the lipid content can be increased by changing parameters like light, temperature and CO2. Algae will be grown under different light (200 - 800 µmol/m2*sec), temperature (4ºC- 25ºC) and CO2 (4-8mL/min) conditions to determine their growth patterns, and their lipids will be extracted to see the change in their lipid content. NANOECOTOXICOLOGY AND HUMAN HEALTH: WHERE DO WE STAND? Lok R. Pokhrel and Brajesh Dubey, Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Globally rising applications of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs)—materials with ever-smaller dimension (1100nm)—necessitate better understanding of their characteristics, which render them unique compared to their bulk counterparts, because of their higher potential for environmental release and associated risks to the ecosystems and human health. Rapid advancement in material science, including ENMs and their novel use, has left concerned regulatory agencies far behind from mitigating potential hazards upon exposure to ENMs. Minute particle size, higher surface area, and surface charge are features of ENMs which are generally thought to impart the toxicity to various life forms. Besides several in-vitro studies conducted in a variety of human cell lines, toxicity of ENMs on both aquatic and terrestrial organisms has also been explored. However, there is yet no consensus on how ENMs should be regulated, handled, or disposed of. Toxicity varies not only with the size, shape, and surface charge of the particles, but also with the methods of synthesis, functionalization with capping agents, as well as with the solvent chemistry. This review poster offers the state-of-the-art of ecotoxicity and human health effects upon exposure to nanomaterials, highlights the research gaps and needs for better understanding biologically and environmentally significant near-realend points, and makes recommendations on how the current shortcomings in nanotoxicology should be addressed in order to determine whether nanotechnology should be envisioned as a potent tool for sustainability or a potential environmental liability for humankind. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 37 A PREDICTIVE MODEL WHICH USES DESCRIPTORS OF RNA SECONDARY STRUCTURES DERIVED FROM GRAPH THEORY Alissa Rockney and Debra Knisley, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 1) The secondary structures of ribonucleic acid (RNA) have been successfully modeled with graphtheoretic structures. In some instances, each nucleotide is represented by a vertex, and edges represent proximity. In other models vertices are used to represent motifs, such as internal loops and hairpins, and edges represent stems. In this research a multi-graph representation of secondary RNA was used, in which the vertices are stems and the internal motifs are the connecting edges. Given the expanding library of secondary RNA motifs, this novel method may provide a tool to help identify new structures and can also guide the rational design of RNA molecules. 2) Novel graphical invariants are defined to quantify the multi-graphs and obtain characteristic descriptors of the secondary structures. These descriptors are analyzed using a statistical method called principal component analysis (PCA). These descriptors are then used to train an artificial neural network (ANN) to recognize the characteristics of secondary RNA structure. This allows for the classification of the graphical structure as either RNA-like or not RNA-like. In addition, given a specified number of vertices and edges, a combinatorial enumeration scheme is used to determine all possible multi-graphs which can now be classified as either RNA-like or not. 3) The principal component analysis shows which invariants are responsible for the majority of the variance in the data set consisting of all of the graphical invariants. The artificial neural network was first trained using twelve invariants (prior to PCA) for each of twenty RNA dual graphs of order four (ten RNA-like and ten not-RNA-like), and then again after performing PCA. The ANN was able to accurately predict the RNAlikeness of the majority of the remaining RNA dual graphs of order four. Thus, graphical invariants derived from dual graphs are indicative of the RNA-likeness of those dual graphs; it seems that this new method is a useful tool to help identify new structures of dual graphs which can be used to model RNA secondary structures. AN ESTIMATION OF CONTRIBUTION OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS TO GLOBAL METHANE PRODUCTION T. U. Silva and Dr. Brajesh Dubey, Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Majority of plastics we use today are synthesized materials extracted from crude oil, coal and natural gas. Property of high persistency (very slow biodegradation rate) of this material has raised concerns of proper disposal and end of life management of these materials. To overcome these environmental problems many different types of biodegradable plastics (BDPs) have been successfully produced and have been available in the market as packaging materials, surfactants, in biomedical applications and in the agricultural sector. At the end of the service life, these bio plastics will be managed as part of the existing waste disposal systems (e.g., compost plants, landfills), potentially producing methane, which is one of the greenhouse gases being regulated and monitored very closely around the world. Biodegradable plastics are synthesized using plant extracted polymers or/and microorganisms. BDPs with tailored properties by chemical modifications and polymer blends have given rise to various types of BDPs with a broad range of beneficial characteristics. After the first invention of BDPs in the year 1990, it has been used in various applications such as packaging materials, surfactants, biomedical materials and agricultural compounds. There’s an upsurge in manufacture of BDPs globally with an estimated global growth of 38% from 2003-2007. And in 2007, it was 0.3% of overall petrochemical plastic production. Most feasible and economic way of the end of life option of BDPs is landfilling. Landfilled BDPs will ultimately undergo anaerobic biodegradation, where materials are disintegrated into large and small organic/inorganic molecules, including methane gas. Methane gas is a well-known and important by product which public attention has turned as a global warming gas and also as an economically viable biofuel. The study is a preliminary attempt to investigate the levels of additional methane gas released, if end of the life option is chosen to be landfilling using commonly available types of BDPs globally, with different biodegradability levels. Literature was reviewed related to brand names, quantity, polymer types incorporated and biodegradability (especially in 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 38 terms of methane production) of BDPs commonly found in the global market. Landfill methane production levels were estimated based on the methane production data published so far for the individual polymer substances. Estimated theoretical global methane production in year 2007 was 7.58 x105m3 and global contribution was 0.012%. According to PROBIP (Product overview and market projection of emerging biobased plastics, 2009) estimations, during maximum BDP substitution over petrochemical plastics (90%), calculated methane release was 1.52% of global methane production. This was 118% of the total landfill methane generation in year 2006. However, the percentage of experimental methane emission was 3.14.1% of the theoretical value. Even though currently BDPs have not much influenced to the global methane release, is likely to appear as a one of the major methane contributor in the future. PERSISTENT AND RETICENT FORAGING BEHAVIORS IN HONEY BEES (APIS MELLIFERA) Ashley E. Wagner1, Caddy N. Hobbs2, Cayce Harper1, and Darrell Moore1, 1 Department of Biological Sciences, 2Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Classical experiments on honey bee time-memory showed that foragers trained to collect food at a fixed time of day will return the following day with a remarkable degree of time-accuracy. Based on prior work, we have found that not all time-trained foragers visit the training station on an unrewarded test day immediately following the last day of time-training. Rather, the trained foraging group appears to be comprised of two sub-groups: “persistent” bees and “reticent” bees. Both sub-groups cluster on the dance floor in anticipation of the training time, and persistent bees then leave the hive to reconnoiter their food source. Reticent bees, however, will not make reconnaissance flights to the training station until they observe a recruitment dance from another bee confirming the availability of their source. Two extinction experiments were carried out to examine this pattern of behavior in order to determine what factors during training days were significant determinants of behavior on subsequent unrewarded test days. This entailed training forager bees in an observation colony to a sucrose feeder and allowing them to forage from it for a restricted period of time at the same time every day for multiple days. Immediately following these training days, three test days were carried out, during which the feeder was unrewarded. Observations were made at the training station and the colony itself on both training and test days, and a video camera was positioned at the hive entrance on test days. Data analysis revealed a positive correlation between persistence on test days and the number of rewards a forager received at the training station as well as the number of days of experience at the feeder. However, the significance of these correlations decreased with each subsequent test day. Our results suggest that our initial definitions of persistent and reticent foragers are inadequate. Rather, each of these groups includes a subgroup of foragers that appear to be working another food source while retaining a time-memory for the previously rewarded experimental feeder. The proportion of these “extracurricular” flights relative to total flights from the colony increased with each subsequent test day. The adaptive significance of these various foraging subgroups remains to be determined. CLONING, HETEROLOGOUS EXPRESSION IN YEAST AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF RECOMBINANT PLANT SECONDARY PRODUCT GLUCOSYLTRANSFERASE 9 FROM CITRUS P. Anye Wamucho1, D.K. Owens1, and Cecilia A. McIntosh1,2, 1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2 School of Graduate Studies, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The wide diversity of plant secondary products is due to the different modifications they undergo after synthesis of the main backbones. Glucosylation of plant secondary metabolites increases their bioavailability, solubility, stability and also affect their organoleptic properties. There is still a lot to understand about the pathways and processes by which these plant secondary metabolites undergo these modifications. Due to low sequence homology between plant secondary product glucosyltransferases (GTs), it is difficult to ascribe function based on sequence only. It is therefore important to identify the 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 39 putative enzymes that may be involved in these processes, clone, express them heterologously and biochemically characterize them. Grapefruit has been shown to accumulate high levels of glucosylated flavonoids predominantly flavanones, flavones and flavonols. Eleven putative GT clones have been identified in Citrus paradisi and some have been biochemically characterized. This work is designed to test the hypothesis that PGT9 is a plant secondary product GT. PGT9 was identified from the harvEST database using the plant secondary product glucosyltransferase (PSPG) box which is a conserved motif shared by GTs and was later amplified from young grapefruit leaf cDNA using specific primers. It was cloned into E.coli and successfully expressed but was packed as insoluble proteins making it impossible to test for enzyme activity. PGT9 has been cloned into Pichia pastoris using pPICZA and pPICZAα vectors with zeocin resistance for selection. The expression of recombinant PGT9 in Pichia pastoris is currently being optimized after which purified recombinant PGT9 protein will be assayed for secondary product GT activity with a suite of substrates in order to test the hypothesis. SUB-CELLULAR LOCALIZAION OF SALICYLIC ACID BINDING PROTEIN 2 IN TOBACCO PLANTS Leonard Yenwong Fai, Yutika Patel, Arianna Ingram, and Dhirendra Kumar, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Salicylic Acid Binding Protein 2 (SABP2) is a 29 KDa protein present in extremely low amounts in tobacco plants. SABP2 is a member of the α/β hydrolase superfamily of enzymes with esterase activity, showing substrate preference to methyl salicylate (MeSA). SABP2 catalyzes the conversion of MeSA to SA. SA is required for inducing the expression of pathogenesis related (PR) proteins in local and systemic acquired resistance in plants resisting microbial infection. SABP2 silenced plants show suppressed local resistance to tobacco mosaic virus infection, the inability to induce PR gene expression in local tissues, and the inability to develop systemic acquired resistance. SA synthesized in plastids is converted into MeSA, which diffuses out of the chloroplast. MeSA encounters SABP2, and SA is again made available in the cytoplasm by the esterase activity of SABP2 to induce expression of PR genes. The precise cellular localization of SABP2 is unknown. SABP2 lacks any putative cleavable signal peptides suggesting that it may be localized to the chloroplast. Data presented in this study suggests that tobacco SABP2 is localized to the chloroplast. Biochemical and immunological studies using antibodies against SABP2 show that SABP2 is localized to the chloroplast and associates with chloroplast envelope membranes. Chloroplast import assays confirmed that SABP2 is associated with the chloroplast envelope membrane. However, alkali and salt treatment of chloroplast fractions suggest that SABP2 associates to the chloroplast envelope membranes by weak hydrophobic and ionic interactions. Precise cellular localization of SABP2 will be important from a metabolic engineering standpoint to enhance plant’s own natural immune system against microbial pathogens. Arts & Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences PROGRAM EVALUATION OF GEAR UP Benjamin A. Martin1, Desta A. Taylor2, Benjamin W. Gibson2, and Chris S. Dula2, 1 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, and 2Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences; East Tennessee State University; Johnson City, TN Graduation and college attendance rates are excellent indicators of school performance (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2010). According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Tennessee had one of the highest dropout rate percentages at 5.8% in 2009 (U. S. Department of Education, 2010). Project GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded program focused on encouraging disadvantaged youth to raise their academic expectations, decrease high school drop-out rates, and enroll in college prepatory classes. A 6-year $21 million GEAR UP grant in the 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 40 state of Tennessee funds academic and student support services students and their parents. The program follows the students for 6 academic years; this report evaluates the effectiveness of the program by analyzing the progress over a 3 year period. A “baseline survey” was administered to incoming 8th graders and their parents; a subsequent follow-up survey was administered when the same students reached the 10th grade. Participants included 1,283 students from rural Southeastern United States public schools. Participants were excused from one class period and asked to complete a brief survey. Grades were attained directly from the schools’ offices with consent of the parents and assent of the students. Results indicate a decrease in overall GPA for students involved with the GEAR UP Program. However, students reported increase knowledge of how to get into college as well as familiarity with financial aid. Interestingly, results for academic aspirations were inconsistent. In conclusion, while GEAR UP is increasing knowledge about college preparation, students’ GPA slowly declines over the years. Future research should assess motivation among students as a possible factor of the inconsistency. A SLIDE IN MEDIATED PERCEPTIONS: PIT BULLS AND COLLATERAL FALLOUT IN THE VICK TRIAL Brandon Bouchillon, Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN How does a widely syndicated media event affect the particular subjects drawn into coverage? More specifically, does an inherently negative media event affect the related subjects in a negative way? These questions directed this research into the “average” newspaper depiction of pit bulls in related years of coverage. The years of coverage were chosen due to their relation to the Michael Vick trial in 2007. This analysis predicted a shift in the coverage of pit bulls from 2006 to 2009, moving to more negative, more violent depictions, theoretically due to the negative coverage pit bulls endured during the trial. This research aims to provide a working definition of how mediated depictions build social perceptions in regards to a particular issue, and how quickly these depictions can shift. As a study in media effects, this research analyzes how one specific news story can alter the mediated depiction of a related “brand” (in this case, the pit bull “brand”) both before and after the containing news story. From this theoretical standpoint, that pit bull coverage should become more violent and more negative in the wake of the Vick trial, a content analysis was conducted of “pit bull” mentions in the years 2006 and 2009. A simple random sample was utilized, and the LexisNexis database was used to compile mentions. The first year was intended to provide a control for this study, documenting the pit bull’s mediated depiction before the Vick trial. Mentions from 2009 represented the aftermath of this trial, pinpointing its effects on the breed’s mediated depiction during this period. Specific mentions were coded for tone, for story topic, and for any violent links contained in the mention. Stories containing pit bull mentions were categorized by year and by region of coverage for further analysis. Tonal mentions of the breed moved from 40.6% negative before the Vick trial to 56.9% after. Violent mentions shifted during this period also, accounting for 37.1% of mentions before the trial, but increasing to 58.3% of mentions in the post-trial sample. In 2006, pit bull attacks were the most common story topic, comprising 35.6% of coverage. In 2009, the coverage of pit bull attacks swelled to makeup 44.5% of topical coverage, still the most prevalent topic by a margin of nearly 25 percentage points. Southern and western newspapers were shown to be the most negative in tone and the most violent in describing pit bulls across both sample years. This research proposes a theory of collateral fallout for mediated subjects, in which unassuming subjects can be drawn into undesirable negative coverage simply due to their proximity with a breaking news story. Pit bulls, as a brand, have suffered from this collateral fallout, stemming from the Vick trial. This study begins to quantify the scope of this perceived fallout. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 41 TENNESSEE NON-SMOKERS PROTECTION ACT: A STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS OF ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STATEWIDE SMOKE-FREE POLICY Sumati Dadkar1, Hadii Mamudu1, Sreenivas P. Veeranki2, and Yi He1, 1Department of Health Services Administration, and 2Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: The health and economic burden as a consequence of tobacco use in the U.S. are tremendous. Regardless, the tobacco producing states in the southeastern U.S. lagged behind in development of tobacco control policies. In June 2007, Tennessee, the third largest tobacco producer in the country, enacted the Non-Smokers Protection Act (NSPA), making most enclosed public places 100% smoke-free, but with ten exemptions and a “super preemption.” A stakeholder analysis was conducted to determine why and how the diverse interests in the state collaborated to develop the policy and identify gaps in implementation as well as opportunities for future improvements. Methods: A qualitative research approach that combined interviews of 24 informants, including legislators, government officials, and representatives from health organizations, restaurant associations, the farm bureau and businesses, with archival documents and media reports was utilized for the analysis. The documents and interviews were coded using Nvivo qualitative research software to find strategic relationships, cross-cutting issues, and themes in the policy development and implementation process. The coded data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS. Results: In 2004, a group of students in the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, who were exposed to excessive secondhand smoke, started advocating for a policy that would make dormitories on campus smoke free thus, becoming a catalyst for the development of the NSPA. In 2005, Campaign for Healthy and Responsible Tennessee (CHART), a smoke-free coalition of health and community organizations initiated the movement towards supporting a legislation that made state buildings smoke-free. In 2006, while CHART began grassroots mobilization for smoke-free policy (SFP) across the state, a window of opportunity for a statewide policy opened when the governor expressed commitment to SFP during an inauguration of smoke-free public buildings. CHART immediately sought an alliance with the governor’s policy advisors and Department of Health to push for a statewide SFP. While activities by CHART such as intensive lobbying, media advocacy, grassroots campaigns, finding legislative champions played role in the development of the NSPA, the favorable political circumstance, strong support from the public, limited opposition from tobacco interests, and the breakdown of the old iron triangle were the main reasons for the policy adoption. The trade-offs between either having a policy or not, resulted in the exemptions and a “super-preemption”. Conclusions: The study provides an insight into development and implementation of SFP in a tobacco-producing state, showing how favorable political circumstances created an opportunity for different interests in the state who collaborated to achieve success. This analysis can provide framework for stakeholders in other tobacco producing states and countries interested in developing a SFP. ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR ASSESSMENT OF CONVERSATIONAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT: USE IN CLINICAL POPULATIONS Rebekah Edgar, B.B.A., Rachel Farmer, B.S., Felicia Engebrecht, B.A., Andrea Gianniny, B.A. and Dr. Nancy Scherer, Ph.D., Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Language samples have been an invaluable tool in assessing the acquisition of language for clinical populations. However, language sampling is very time consuming and the sample may not be representative of the child’s use of language in everyday activities. Traditional language sampling provides a recording of the child’s utterances that the examiner must then transcribe and code for analysis. The analysis provides measures of vocabulary and syntactic development that can be used for normative comparisons. A new method for collecting and analyzing language has been developed. The Language Environment Analysis (LENA) is a recorder which is worn by the child in special clothing and provides up to 16 hours of recorded language. The sample is obtained during the child’s natural everyday activities. It is then downloaded and automatically analyzed using computer software. The measures that LENA provides are comparable to those obtained by traditional language sampling. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, two samples of LENA, collected on weekend and weekday, were compared to assess the validity of 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 42 the two samples. Second, data collected using a traditional language sample, which was analyzed using Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT), was compared to data collected and analyzed using the LENA device and software. Methods: The participants included 19 children, ranging in age from 13 to 36 months, with cleft lip and/or palate. Traditional language samples were collected using a standardized protocol and compared to weekend and weekday LENA samples. Measures of vocabulary and syntax were compared between the samples. Results: The results showed that there were no significant differences between LENA weekend and weekday samples although there were large standard deviations for all measures. There was no significant correlation between total number of words (SALT) and child vocalization count (LENA), although it approached significance. The relationship between language sample and LENA measure indicated that for vocabulary, the two were related for children over 30 months of age but not for younger children. There was a significant correlation between Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) from SALT and Estimated Mean Length of Utterance (EMLU) from LENA. Discussion: LENA does provide an alternative method for assessing language development in naturalistic environments, particularly syntactic development. However, this study suggests that vocabulary measures are not particularly reliable with traditional language sample methods until after 30 months of age. LENA is a promising tool to streamline the collection and analysis of language, though more research is needed to compare LENA measures to our traditional assessment methods. WESTERN MEDIA USE OF THE 'THIRD WORLD' CONSTRUCT: A FRAMING ANALYSIS OF ITS VALIDITY James T. Fiske, Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN This study endeavored to provide a clearer understanding of the construct, Third World, which may seem not to have a consensus meaning. This is because its perceived definition, which is linked, first to feudalism and then to the socio-politico conditions that existed during the period leading up to and immediately after the cold war means that its conceptual metamorphosis should have ceased once these periods were relegated to the annals of history. Whether and how contemporary definitions of Third World have changed since then should be of interest to scholars and was the focus of this study. This is because anecdotally speaking; the media have reframed this construct in a manner that recreates, so called, Third World nations into the three categories of very Third World, somewhat Third World, and not at all Third World. Prompted by the inconsistency in the terminological usage of Third World, a decision was made to conduct a twopronged research approach. On the first level, the emphasis entailed conducting a quantitative analysis but which allowed for the listing of geographic locations (referenced or not) that were being discussed in the newspapers - as a first step before their quantification. Information for providing answers to the hypotheses and exploratory questions were obtained from the Lexis Nexis data base. Third World usage in 2009 was selected because it was the most recent year prior to 2010, the year of this study. The period January 01, 2009 to December 31, 2009 was entered into the Lexis Nexis power search engine using Third World as the search term, and 'major world newspapers' as the source for the search. The program yielded a newspaper population of N=984 for that period. It is this number that was subsequently subjected to a simple random sample process in order to obtain the data set for analysis. In line with the prescription of Neuendorf (2002), the sample size of n=384 was determined in order to ensure a sample error of +/-5% and confidence level of 95%. After the completion of the quantitative approach, a subsequent qualitative compilation of the quantified data was carried out to provide qualitative definitions of the concepts Third World was associated with in the newspaper texts consistent with the grounded theory approach (Taylor, 2002, p. 219). This second approach was merely an addition to help provide clarity on two important points - how to narrowly define Third World and how to geographically conceptualize its broader application. The unit of analysis for this study was every published mention of Third World in the newspapers. The assumption was that this terminology would be associated with a range of ideas such as the lack of industrialization, illiteracy, low agricultural productivity, and lack of trained manpower (Mittal, 1995). What this study revealed, is that the designation of nations as first, second and third worlds are misleading colloquialisms. And Third World has been reframed by the media as a comparative pejorative to discuss socio-economic conditions and not necessarily post-cold war non-aligned movement. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 43 TRAIT HOPE AS A MODERATOR BETWEEN PERCEIVED RACISM AND SUICIDAL IDEATION Foster, A.D., Walker, K.L., Collette, K., Jeglic, E.J., and Hirsch, J.K., Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death on college campuses, and the rate of suicide for young adults (age 18-25 years old) is 11.9 per 100,000. Individuals from non-White ethnic and racial groups are also at increased risk for suicide perhaps due, in part, to sociocultural stressors such as racial discrimination. Racism is the “personal experience of discrimination or stress experienced because of witnessing discrimination toward other members of one’s racial/ethnic group.” Previous research suggests an association between the experience of racism and poor mental health, hopelessness, and suicidal behavior. Not all who experience racism, however, become suicidal, suggesting the existence of individual-level coping characteristics that buffer against the effects of discrimination. One such characteristic, trait hope, is conceptualized as “a positive motivational state that is based on an interactively derived sense of successful agency and pathways.” Agency is the identification of appropriate and attainable goals, whereas pathways involves the ability to plan and gain resources that facilitate goal achievement. We hypothesized that perceived racism would be associated with an increase in suicidal behavior, and that trait hope would significantly moderate this relationship; those with greater hope will be less likely to report suicidal behaviors associated with racism. Our ethnically diverse sample (41.5% Hispanic, 25.4% African American, 18.4% Caucasian) of 384 participants (70% female; mean age = 19.60 [SD = 3.12]) were recruited from an urban, Northeastern university. Participants reported whether or not they had experienced racism, and completed the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire (SBQ) and Trait Hope Scale (THS). In independent analyses, pathways (t=-2.766, p=.006, UnB= -.283 [SE=.10]) was significant, agency was not, suggesting that goal identification may be less of a buffer of the effects of discrimination than the capability and resources to actually attain goals. In a combined model, neither agency or pathways were significant, suggesting shared variance; however, in a model with agency and pathways summed to create a Total Hope Score, significant moderation occurred, t=2.061, p=.040, UnB= .321 [SE=0.156]. This pattern suggests that it is the combined effect of agency and pathways that is critical, rather than their independent effects. Students reporting high levels of total hope reported fewer suicidal behaviors associated with perceived racism. Our findings may have translational implications. Racism, whether at the individual or institutional level, may involve goal frustration and decreased perceptions of opportunities. When working with students impacted by racism, instilling hope, particularly pathways (e.g., skills and resources to attain goals), may be an effective means of suicide prevention. EFFECTIVE MODEL OF TOBACCO CONTROL IN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM: A SURVEY ON 100% TOBACCO-FREE CAMPUS POLICY OF EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY Yi He1, Hadii M. Mamudu1, Sreenivas P. Veeranki2, Sumati Dadkar1, 1Department of Health Services Administration, and 2Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Tennessee is the third largest tobacco producing state in the U.S. Tennessee’s smoking rate is above the national average (22.1% vs. 17.9% for adults; 30.8% vs. 21.8% for 18 and 24 years adults), and sixth worst in the country. In the U.S., people aged 18-24 years develop smoking habits and one-third continues to become addicted to smoking. The majority of college and university students are between 18 and 24 years old. These students are exposed to risky behaviors, peer pressures and tobacco companies’ marketing and promotions. In August 2008, East Tennessee State University (ETSU), which is located in the Northeastern part of the state where the adult smoking rate was 28.9% in 2007 (24.3% TN average) implemented a 100% tobacco-free policy (TFP) that banned tobacco use (smoke and smokeless) on all its premises or property, except in private cars. Two years after implementation of the policy, a study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge about tobacco use among the personnel of ETSU and analyze their attitudes and behaviors toward the 100% TFP. Methods: In April 2010, 2,318 ETSU employees were invited to participate in an anonymous internet-based survey. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 44 analysis were performed using SAS 9.2. Results: Of the 2,318 university employees who participated in the survey, 58% of them responded. Overall, tobacco use among the ETSU personnel (9% smoking; 2.7 users of other tobacco products) was lower than the state average (22.1% in 2009). Additionally, the number of female current smokers (64.2%) was nearly twice that of male (34.0%). An overwhelming number of the respondents (82%) favored the ETSU tobacco–free policy (68.0% strongly favor; 13.6% favor). However, gap in compliance was identified, because 86% of respondents reported that they had noticed others using tobacco products out of their private car on campus (reporting others), mostly on the road curbs (34%) and lower level of Culp Center (15%). It was also found that between August 2008 and April 2010, the ETSU tobacco-free policy motivated 20% of the university employees to either quit smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes smoked. Although 31% of respondents felt comfortable to report violations of the policy, 26.4% of them indicated they did not know where to report violations of the policy. Conclusion: The study provides a useful way to understand an effective tobacco-free campus policy. It suggests that ETSU tobacco-free policy, in spite of the problems with compliance, reporting, and enforcement, provides motivation for people who want to quit or reduce smoking and protects non-smoker from exposure to secondhand smoke. The study also suggests that while the ETSU policy provides an effective model of TFP for colleges and universities in the higher education system in Tennessee and nationwide, it shows that a strong TFP with limited or no enforcement and reporting mechanisms leads to high rates of noncompliance. THE INSPIRATIONAL CHRISTIAN WRESTLING ALLIANCE: REGIONAL AND GENDERED STEREOTYPES IN YOUTH-ORIENTED EVANGELICAL EVENT Catherine Jo Janssen, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Clemmer College of Education, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN In August of 2009, the Inspirational Christian Wrestling Alliance of Johnson City, Tennessee was born. The group, also known as the ICWA, was conceived by a group of long-time wrestling enthusiasts and Christian ministers who were searching for a new method of evangelizing the youth of the Tri-Cities area. What began in an open-air ring at a local church picnic soon moved indoors to the Keystone Recreation Center. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to detail how the format of a pro-wrestling tournament was being used to draw youth audiences to an evangelical event. It was hypothesized that the wrestlers would be performing in the guise of biblical characters. The study was conducted over the course of three ICWA tournaments held between the months of February and March 2010. The wrestlers’ presentation of themselves as characters – complete with costumes, entrance music, and banter between themselves and the crowd – were observed. The audience’s responses, both verbal and physical, to those various characters were recorded. The crowd consisted of both children and adults, with the children composing the majority of the crowd. In addition to the observations made and informal interviews conducted with wrestlers and audience members during the event, two of the performing wrestlers were interviewed between and after the matches. It was found that the wrestlers considered the most entertaining performances to be those that occurred between characters that were clearly and immediately perceived as either “good” or “bad”, or, as they are referred to by the wrestlers themselves, as “babies” or “heels.” This belief was confirmed by the audience’s reaction to the wrestlers. Both children and adults cheered loudly for the “good guys” while hailing the “bad guys” with oral and gesticulated insults. Contrary to the hypothesis, the wrestlers were not performing as biblical characters. Instead, they were found to be entering the ring as characters that represented regional or gendered stereotypes. In cases where those stereotypes were regional, characters such as the “Southern Superman” and the “Redneck Kid” were crowd favorites. These wrestlers represented their characters materially via camouflage and multiple confederate flags affixed to their costumes. Meanwhile, wrestlers appearing as effeminate males – wearing pastels, sequins, and feathers while affecting feminine walks and gestures – were unfailingly received as “bad guys.” As such, they were taunted by both child and adult members of the audience. These findings raise many questions about the confluence of the area’s evangelical drive and its confluence with regional and gendered stereotypes. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 45 CHILD TEMPERAMENT, COMMUNICATIVE INTENT, AND PARENTAL RESPONSIVITY Jessica Qualls, Nicole Vaughn, Angelica Wiggins, and Dr. Kerry Proctor-Williams, Ph.D., Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The present study attempts to determine the specific interrelationship between a child’s intentional communicative act rate, maternal responsiveness and child temperament to help give further insight into the nature of the interaction. This present study also aims to determine the unique contributions of a child’s communicative act rate, parental responsiveness, and child temperament to a child’s later vocabulary size. Given the growing evidence that a child’s use of communicative acts has an effect on the rate of adult responses (Vallotton, 2009; Tamis-LeMonda et al., 2001) we predict that there will be a positive reciprocal relationship between a child’s communicative act rate at 7, 10, 13, and 20 months and the rate of parental responsiveness to the communicative act. The researchers also propose that individuals who are considered temperamentally difficult will exhibit slower language development than those with easy temperaments. As far as the unique contributions of the 3 areas to children’s vocabulary size, this particular research question is incomparable to any other in that it seeks to decipher the unique contributions of each. Twenty-two participants were selected from a larger sample of 70 children who were part of a previous study, which connected temperament and language acquisition at 7, 10, 13, and 20 months. To measure vocabulary, the MacArthur Communication Development Inventory: Sounds and Gestures was administered to the subjects of this study. The mothers were asked to complete the MCDI and to report about their children’s vocabulary comprehension at 7, 10, 13, and 20 months and production at 10, 13, 20 months. To measure a child’s communicative act rate, video samples were gathered from 22 mother and child pairs during play and book-reading at each of the four ages during a play and a book-reading activity as part of their original study. Individual sample times were used to calculate rates of communicative acts and canonical vocalizations. Each potential communicative act received codes to indicate: the means of communication, direction of the behavior toward the caregiver, and the purpose of communicative act. Each maternal response was coded using the following operational definitions: on-topic response, off- topic response (with or without linguistic mapping), and no response. According to our findings, child communicative act at 10 months is correlated to vocabulary production totals at 13 and 20 months. In addition, a child’s communicative act rate is highly correlated with parental linguistic mapping at 10 months. Parental responsiveness, defined as on topic linguistic mapping, was found to be positively correlated with a child’s word production totals at 13 and 20 months. Our findings support previous research examining parental responsiveness and child communicative act rate and their relationship to a child’s later vocabulary. The results of this study also determined that temperament did not correlate with a child’s prelinguistic communicative act rate, parental responsiveness, or later child vocabulary comprehension or production at the first linguistic stage (13 and 20 months). Results from previous studies have indicated a relationship between temperament and the aforementioned variables; however, our findings negate these earlier findings. NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS AND HAZARDOUS USE OF ALCOHOL: THE MODERATING ROLE OF ACADEMIC MOTIVATION TO ACCOMPLISH Sheri A. Nsamenang, Kristin Walker, Alison L. Barton, and Dr. Jameson K. Hirsch, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Hazardous alcohol use is a major health concern on college campuses. In a national study, 44.8% of college students were classified as binge drinkers and they were more likely to heavily drink than non-college students. Experiencing negative life events (NLEs) may increase engagement in risky health behaviors, and college students experiencing stressful life events tend to consume more alcohol. Individual-level characteristics such as meaningful life goals, cognitive coping style, and motivation may buffer the harmful link between NLEs and hazardous drinking. Self Determination Theory posits two types of motivation: extrinsic, or engagement in activities as a means to an end, and intrinsic, or the drive to engage in activities for satisfaction. Specifically, intrinsic academic motivation consists of drive to attain knowledge, accomplish, and experience stimulation. For college students, presence of academically-focused intrinsic motivation may serve as a catalyst for goal-directed, rather than risk behaviors. In general, intrinsic 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 46 motivation is related to decreased health-risk behaviors. We hypothesized that greater levels of NLEs would be associated with problematic drinking, and that academic motivation to accomplish would moderate this relationship. Our sample of 349 college students (66% female; 86% Caucasian; Mean Age = 23.08 [SD = 11.33]) was from a rural Southeastern university. Participants completed the Life Events Scale, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the Academic Motivation Scale. Age, gender, and ethnicity were covariates in our hierarchical, multivariable linear regression analyses. At the bivariate level, NLEs were significantly positively associated with hazardous alcohol use, r=.21, p<.001. In multivariate analyses, academic motivation to accomplish significantly moderated the association between NLEs and hazardous alcohol use, t=-2.06, p=.04, β=2.84, such that respondents with greater accomplishment-motivation were less likely to report problem drinking associated with NLEs. Subscales assessing intrinsic motivation to know and experience stimulation were not significant moderators. Our results suggest that intrinsic academic motivation to accomplish may weaken the association of NLEs to problem drinking. Motivation to accomplish may serve as a self-regulatory coping strategy, perhaps reducing the impact of stressors by redirecting toward adaptive emotions and behaviors. For college students who experience NLEs, the presence of intrinsic academic motivation to accomplish may divert maladaptive coping behaviors, such as problem drinking, into more functional ones, such as increased studying. Our findings may have vital therapeutic implications. Clinicians working with students who experience NLEs, and who may be at risk for problem drinking, should consider promotion of academic motivation, specifically goal accomplishment, as a prevention strategy to reduce hazardous drinking. SPIRITUALITY AS A MODERATOR BETWEEN NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR Sheri A. Nsamenang, Carl Hall, Arienne Johnson, Kristin Walker, Dr. Jameson Hirsch, and Dr. Jon R. Webb, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN As the 3rd leading cause of death, suicide is a major public health concern among college students. Negative life events (NLEs), including relationship and academic pressures, are common among college students, and may be risk factors for suicidal behavior. But, not all individuals who experience difficult stressors become suicidal. Perhaps individual-level protective factors buffer against the effects of NLEs. One such factor is spirituality, conceptualized as a search for the sacred/transcendent. Spirituality is related to better coping abilities, and lower levels of suicidal behavior. Little research, however, has focused on health and the effects of the subcomponents of spirituality, which include: ritualistic, engaging in religious activities or a structured connection with deity; theistic, a non-structured connection with deity; and existential spirituality, a non-theistic search for meaning and purpose. We hypothesized that NLEs would be associated with suicidal behavior, and that each of the components of spirituality (ritualistic, theistic, and existential spirituality) would moderate this relationship, thus weakening the association between NLEs and suicidal behavior. Our sample of 349 college students (66% female; 86% Caucasian; Mean Age = 23.08, SD = 11.33) was from a rural Southeastern university. Participants completed the Life Events Scale, the RiTE Measure of Spirituality with ritualistic, theistic, and existential spirituality subscales, and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. Age, gender, and ethnicity were covariates in our hierarchical, multivariable linear regression analyses. In bivariate analyses, NLEs was significantly positively associated with suicidal behaviors, r=.11, p=.02. In partial support of our hypothesis, theistic spirituality significantly moderated the association between NLEs and suicidal behavior, t=2.13, p=.034, β=.78. Participants that experienced NLEs and were more theistically spiritual were less likely to endorse suicidal behaviors. Ritualistic and existential spirituality failed to reach significance as moderators. Our results suggest that theistic spirituality may weaken risk for suicidal behavior associated with NLEs. Individuals that believe in spiritual processes, and in a deity as a creator, may be more likely to respect the plan that a deity has for their life; suicidal behavior may be perceived as interfering in a life path set by their creator. The absence of ritualistic and existential spirituality as moderators suggests that organized religious practices and a search for meaning and purpose may be less salient as buffers. Perhaps, during difficult life situations, when feeling “out of control” is likely, believing that a higher power is in control of one’s life, may ameliorate suicide risk. One implication of our finding is that, when appropriate, clinicians working with students who have experienced NLEs and are suicidal may want to utilize a spiritually-focused treatment approach. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 47 STROKE BELTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND UNITED KINGDOM: ROLE OF SCOTTISH MIGRATION Sucheta Raghavendra, Timothy Aldrich, and Sreenivas P Veeranki, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (US) accounting for 137,000 deaths annually and $68.9 billion in health care costs. When compared to rest of the US, the stroke mortality rate is higher in the southeastern US designated as the “Stroke Belt”. Within this stroke belt around 153 counties have 2 times excess risk of stroke mortality, hence designated as “Stroke Buckle”. Similarly, Scotland and northern England have high stroke mortality, distinguishing it as “Stroke Belt of the United Kingdom (UK)”. Age adjusted mortality rate due to stroke in the stroke belts (56.6 and 37.1 per 100,000 in southeastern US and Scotland) is high when compared to that of the US and UK (46.6 and 26.3 per 100,000 in US and UK) respectively. This research study compares the 2 stroke belts in US and UK and delineates key contributing factors for high mortality rates. The hypothesis for this research study is the effect of migration of Scottish people as a contribution to elevated mortality rates in the Stroke Buckle. Methods: A critical literature review of archival documents was conducted to determine the similarities and differences in demographics of stroke belts in the US and UK. A descriptive analysis of publicly accessible hospital data was conducted to compare the stroke mortality rates. Additionally, a multivariate analysis is performed to delineate the differences for stroke mortality rates in the 2 stroke belts and establish geographical relationship. Results: While research studies exist which considered socioeconomic status, race, place of birth, regional geographical difference as causes, there has not been significant scientific evidence which provided explanation for high stroke mortality rates in the Stroke Belt. The hospital data revealed stroke mortality rates in Scotland as 37.1 per 100,000. The regions of Lanarkshire (40.2), Forth Valley (44.7), Borders (41.7), Aran and Ayrshire (39.8) had higher mortality rates than the national average. Also, the origins of majority of the emigrants who migrated into Stroke Belts are primarily in the Lowlands of Scotland. The multiple predictor analysis predicts the common determinants for both stroke belt regions as genetic, lifestyle and cultural factors, thereby attributing migration status responsible for high stroke mortality rates. Conclusions: This comparative research study is one of the first studies to seek an association between stroke belt regions of two continents. This research study will not only help us to understand the key determinants of stroke, but also advance the understanding of effects of migration on persons at high risk for stroke between the two continents. The establishment of geographical relationship facilitates exchange of care, quality of treatment and protocols, prevention activities and stroke registries between the stroke belts, thereby providing ideas and directions for detecting geographical relationship for other registries. MEASURING THE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN TENNESSEE: A CASE OF COMMUNITY HOSPITALS Rupesh M Shirore1, William Hudson2, Mona Olaimi2, and Dr. Chul-Young Roh2, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, and 2Department of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 1 Hospital competition and managed care have affected the hospital industry in various ways. The United States (U.S.) hospital industry has become increasingly subject to tighter budget constraints with the implementation of the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS), and the growth of the managed care. In the current health care environment, competition has negatively affected hospital costs: when a hospital is located in a competitive area, the hospital tends to slow down the rate of increase in its cost. Thus properly measured hospital performance has become important to evaluate the impact of policies on the hospital industry. This study assessed the influence of hospital governance on hospital’s economic performance and efficiency, and it also attempted to systematically address the issue of ‘whether participation by insider and outsider business community stakeholders on the hospital governing board is related to hospital’s economic performance’. The study was focused on 144 community hospitals in Tennessee; those provided general and acute care services from 2000 to 2006. An input-oriented and output-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) using multiple input and output variables, which is non-parametric, flexible, and a mathematical programming approach for 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 48 the performance assessment was used to measure the efficiency by estimating the optimum level of output, conditional upon the mix of inputs. It was found that urban community hospitals were relatively more efficient than rural community hospitals, and smaller community hospitals were relatively more efficient than their larger and medium-sized counterparts. Interestingly, the results revealed that small-sized urban hospitals were relatively more efficient than any other community hospital type. From a management and policy perspective type, the study indicates that both rural and large community hospitals may use urban or small community hospitals as models in areas such as following: to improve efficiency by downsizing the scale of the hospitals, to adopt new marketing strategies, and to change the cost structure of facility operations. Results of this work can be useful for guidance to hospital CEOs and administrators, creditors and bondholders, health care consultants, public finance and public accounting researchers, public policy analysts, and the government; to gain insights of this issue of hospital’s economic performance along the above mentioned variables. It will be helpful to CEO and other administrative staff of the community hospitals who devote themselves to the factors that influence hospital performance. It will also guide the public policymakers to gain insights into possible effects of public policy decisions on the hospital industry. We are also comparing the differences between the Appalachian and Non-Appalachian community hospitals, so that we can get lead to what policy changes can be done to improve the efficiency in the Appalachian hospitals. COMPARISON OF CHANGE HEALTH BEHAVIORS BETWEEN APPALACHIAN AND NONAPPALACHIAN POPULATION IN TENNESSEE FOR HEART DISEASE IN YEAR 2008-2009 Rupesh M Shirore, MBBS, MPH(Candidate) and Dr Timothy Aldrich, MPH, PhD., Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Background: Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death in United States (US) according to data provided by CDC. It has been proved in literature in the past that high Blood Cholesterol, Diabetes has strong association with the heart Disease. These conditions can be prevented by healthy behaviors such as increased exercise or physical activities resulting in decrease in Body Mass Index (BMI), increased screening and testing for blood cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels. If these behaviors can be assessed in the community, then it can give us an idea of change in healthy behaviors and future trends of the deaths due to Heart Disease. Objectives: Comparison of Appalachian and Non-Appalachian population along following variables 1. Prevalence of high blood cholesterol in the above two populations 2. Prevalence of Diabetes in the above two populations 3. Prevalence of Overweight (BMI >25 and < 30), and Obese (BMI=>30) people in the population 4. Prevalence of change in weight on purpose in the population along different levels of BMI. Method: The study was conducted using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey for year 2008 and 2009 for the state of Tennessee. The odd’s ratio was compared using SPSS software, between Appalachian and Non-Appalachian population in Tennessee for High Blood Cholesterol, Diabetes, and BMI. The change in the behavior e.g. change in body weight (decreased) compared to the one year ago on purpose was analyzed along different levels of BMI, and was compared between the Appalachian and Non-Appalachian population. Results: The result of the study showed that the prevalence of the high blood cholesterol in Appalachian population surveyed was approx. 38% compared to approx. 37% in Non Appalachia, and among the people who had high blood cholesterol level in both regions, approx. 58 % were from Appalachia. Out of the total that had high blood cholesterol in last year, approx. 57% were from Appalachia compared to Non-Appalachia. But the study showed that the prevalence of checking of blood cholesterol is also higher in Appalachian population. On the contrary we found that there are more people with normal BMI in Appalachia than Non Appalachia, and less with higher in the range of overweight and Obese. Also we found that the percentage of people who has reduced their weight compared to their last year’s weight intentionally, is more in people with normal BMI and Obese, but less in Overweight; compared to Non Appalachia. Conclusion: From these results, we can conclude that even though the prevalence of high blood cholesterol, high BMI, and Diabetes is more in Appalachia, but the prevalence of changes towards healthy behaviors is more compared to Non Appalachia. If this persists for longer duration, then the deaths due to heart Disease can be decreased more in the Appalachia compared to their counterpart. This can help to guide for the intervention activities in the state to reduce the Heart disease prevalence and deaths due to it. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 49 THE COLLEGE STUDENT STIGMA STUDY Desta Taylor, Stacey L. Williams, Ph.D., Daniel McKelvey, James Garland, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Previous literature has documented the devastating effect stigma has on individuals (Fife & Wright, 2000; Link, 1987). Living with a stigmatized identity has shown to be related to a myriad of impairments including higher levels of psychological distress, diminished academic success/performance, and decreases in life satisfaction (Brown & Pinel, 2003; Markowitz, 1998; Pinel, 1998; Quinn & Chaudoir, 2009). Many factors, both environmental and personal, are associated with how stigma will affect an individual (Major & O’Brien, 2005; Quinn & Chaudoir, 2009). The impact of stigma may be felt not only in discrimination and prejudice, but also in the fear of anticipated occurrences of stigma (Major & O’Brien, 2005). This study sought to assess the perceptions of stigma in a college sample as well as to explore the variety of stigmatizing characteristics or identities found on a college campus. Participants included 388 students (M age =20.66, SD=4.2), from a Southeastern university in the United States. Data were collected using an online survey system where participants were asked to think of a personal trait or characteristic that they found to be negative and answered questions regarding that situation. They then were asked to complete a survey that assessed their perceptions of self and anticipated stigma. Additional characteristics were assessed, such as how much they tried to keep the characteristic a secret and how salient the characteristic was in daily life. Results revealed that college students reported a variety of identities and characteristics we classified as stigmatized (e.g., abortion; sexual orientation) and non-stigmatized (e.g., negative life events). A series of t-tests were conducted to assess differences in perceptions of stigma based on the type of characteristic reported. Results indicated greater salience in those with characteristics that were considered stigmatized rather than just negative events (t=-2.53, p<.01). Similarly, among those with stigmatized characteristics there was a greater desire for secrecy (t=-2.86, p<.05) and a greater negative perception of their situation (t=-4.87, p<.01). Among those reporting a stigmatized characteristic, a Pearson correlation revealed that perceptions of stigma (self-stigma and anticipated stigma from others) are positively correlated with the perceived visibility of the stigma (r=.27, p<.05). Results suggest college students encountering stigma do perceive stigma, perceive their situation more negatively than their nonstigmatized counterparts and have an increased desire to retain secrecy. These findings will be discussed in the context of the harmful mental health implications of concealing identity, and additionally how results might be relevant for college campuses, given students are reporting a range of stigmas and therefore encountering potentially harmful psychological implications. U.S. NEWSPAPERS COVERAGE OF THE 2009/10 HEALTHCARE REFORM DEBATE: A CONTENT ANALYSIS Dinah A. Tetteh, Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson, City, TN Healthcare is an issue of major concern to policymakers and the masses alike in the United States. This is reflected in the amount of money the federal government commits to the health sector annually and the role the issue played in the 2008 presidential election. As the information gatekeepers of society, the U.S. media are expected to dedicate enough time and coverage to explaining national issues that affect all citizens, including the recent healthcare reform debate. However, research has shown that the bulk of media coverage of the healthcare reform was about the arguments and protests (chatter) surrounding the issue and not the substance of the reform bill. This study, therefore, examined the extent to which U.S. newspapers covered the chatter surrounding the healthcare reform debate at the expense of the substance, and how this might have influenced public opinion of the reform bill. Also of importance was how the political leanings of newspapers influenced the coverage they gave the issue, in terms of tone and page/story prominence. Newspaper endorsement data for the 2008 presidential election were used to determine the political leanings of U.S. newspapers. Newspaper articles related to the topic were retrieved from the Lexis-Nexis database and content analyzed. The results showed that overall, the healthcare reform debate received 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 50 substantial coverage in U.S. newspapers; but the major part of the coverage was dedicated to the arguments, debates and thoughts of people concerning the issue (90.3%) rather than the substance (9.7%)— thus, confirming earlier research findings. Moreover, the overall tone toward the issue was non-political: newspaper mentions that associated the healthcare reform to the Democratic Party or President Obama were fewer (5%) than those mentions that did not associate the issue to a political party (95%). The results of this study will help shed more light on the role U.S. newspapers are playing in informing the public about issues and policies of national interest and what needs to be improved. The results also indicated that the political leanings of newspapers do not affect their gatekeeping role in any significant way. In line with media dependency theory, the U.S. public appeared confused about the content of the healthcare reform bill probably because newspapers covered the chatter rather than the substance of the issue. These findings will help media practitioners, researchers and communications scholars in developing strategies to help the mass media better serve society. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERAMENT AND DISFLUENCIES UNDER DELAYED AUDITORY FEEDBACK IN FLUENT ADULT SPEAKERS Eden Treadway, Tyler McMurtry, Brittany Zarse, Bernelda Thomas, Elizabeth Yeager, and Vijayakumar Guntupalli, PhD., Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) is a phenomenon wherein a speaker hears his or her own speech with a temporal delay. Previous research has shown that DAF not only increases fluency in individuals who stutter, but also creates disfluencies in fluent speakers. This "artificial stuttering" is generally characterized by speech errors, changes in speech rate, increased vocal intensity, and prolonged voicing. However, there is considerable variability in individual response to DAF and factors responsible for this variability are not clearly understood. Researchers have hypothesized that personality and temperamental variables can play a role in individual’s differences to DAF. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to systematically evaluate the relationship between individual susceptibility to DAF and temperamental profiles. Methods: 24 typically fluent participants (8 males, 16 females) performed both a conversational and reading task under 0, 100, 200, 400 ms of DAF. Using videotaped samples, stutter-like disfluencies (e.g. prolongations, mono-syllabic word repetitions, and silent blocks) were then measured at 0ms, 100ms, 200ms, and 400ms DAF for each participant. Each participant also completed the Adult Temperamental Questionnaire (ATQ) (Derryberry & Rothbart, 1988). Results and Conclusions: Of four temperament dimensions measured by the ATQ (Negative Affect, Effortful Control, Orienting Sensitivity, and Extraversion), negative affect exhibited a significant negative correlation (r = -.469, p = .05) with the number of stuttering-like disfluencies produced at 200 ms delay. Specifically, a subscale of negative affect, discomfort, showed a significant negative correlation with the frequency of disfluencies (r = -.532, p = .01). However, in contrast to the previous hypothesis, individual’s attentional control was not significantly correlated with the amount of disfluencies. (p >0.05). The ability to predict a fluent speaker's performance on tasks under DAF based on temperament profile may eventually provide insight to the prediction of treatment effects of DAF in people who stutter. The findings of the present study should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size and uneven numbers of males and females. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 51 PARENTS' RESPONSIVENESS AND TODDLERS' EARLY VOCABULARY ACQUISITION Erin Lowe, BS, Emily Barding, BS, Casey Bacon, BS, Donise Williams, BSW, and Kerry Proctor-Williams, Ph.D., Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Parents’ responsiveness to their children’s prelinguistic communicative acts is hypothesized to facilitate acquisition of first words. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to specifically examine the relationship between mothers’ linguistic mapping of their children’s communicative intent and the children’s vocabulary acquisition. Participants included 22 mothers and their children with typical language development at 7, 10, 13, and 20 months. Based on brief unstructured play and book-reading samples, the mother’s immediate responses to their child’s prelinguistic communicative act were categorized as on-topic with linguistic mapping, on-topic without linguistic mapping, off-topic or no response. Children’s vocabulary size was determined using the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (Fenson et al., 1991). The results indicate statistically reliable correlations with medium to large effect sizes between the children’s expressive vocabulary sizes at 10, 13, and 20 months and rates of mother’s linguistic mapping at 7, 10, and 13 months. Correlations between other forms of maternal responsiveness and expressive vocabulary did not reach statistical significance. These results suggest that both the rate and type of maternal response affect vocabulary acquisition in children with typical development. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 52 Division III – Graduate Students more than 2 Years Biomedical Sciences RACIAL DISPARITY IN ALBUMINURIA AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH HYPERTENSION PREVALENCE Tracy Holt, Meng Liu and Xuefeng Liu, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State university, Johnson City, TN Albuminuria and hypertension are two major risk factors for cardiovascular and renal diseases; however racial difference in albuminuria and its association with hypertension prevalence have not been fully studied. Cross-sectional data of 24,949 participants aged 18 years or older were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2008 conducted by the NCHS. Weighted multiple logistic regression models were conducted by considering sampling design and weights to examine the associations between albuminuria and hypertension in different racial groups. Average age of participants in the study sample was 45.8±0.25 years. 51.0±0.30% were women, 13.7±1.09% were Hispanics, and 11.8±0.86% were non-Hispanic blacks. After adjustment for age, the risk of hypertension increased for participants with older age, higher BMI, diabetes and albuminuria across all three ethnic groups. Microalbuminuria significantly increased the hypertension risk by 1.45 (95% CI [1.17, 1.79]), 2.05 (95% CI [1.49, 2.82]) and 2.78 (95% CI [2.03, 3.82]) times in whites, blacks and Hispanics, respectively; and macroalbuminuria increased by 3.76 (95% CI [2.01, 7.06]), 11.02 (95% CI [4.59, 26.46]) and 4.74 (95% CI [2.29, 9.78]) times. Further analysis showed that the effects of microalbuminuria are significantly higher in blacks and Hispanics than in whites and the effects of macroalbuminuria were not found significantly different among racial groups. There were racial differences in the association between microalbuminuria and hypertension risk among Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks. More efforts should be made in hypertension care for Hispanics and blacks with microalbuminuria. AMINOGLYCOSIDE HYPERSENSITIVITY OF RIBONUCLEASE MUTANTS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI A. D. Frazier and W. S. Champney, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Background: Aminoglycoside antibiotics inhibit both translation and ribosome formation in E. coli cells. Strains deficient in several RNase have been shown to be hypersensitive to the macrolide, azithromycin. It is now shown that four RNase mutants are hypersensitive to aminoglycosides. Methods: Seven RNase deficient E. coli strains were grown in broth in the presence or absence of 7µg/mL of neomycin or paromomycin. Viable cell counts were determined after two cell doublings. The synthesis of 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits in aminoglycoside treated cells was determined by sucrose gradient centrifugation of 3H uridine labeled cell lysates. RNA from these cells was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and Agilent chip analysis. Results: Both aminoglycosides reduced the viability of wild type E. coli cells by more than 50%. Synthesis of 50S subunits from wild type E. coli cells was reduced by more than 20% in the presence of neomycin or paromomycin. Mutant strains deficient for RNase III, E, G, or R were found to be hypersensitive to the inhibitory effects of neomycin or paromomycin. RNase R deficient strains displayed the largest increase in hypersensitivity to neomycin and paromomycin followed by RNase III deficient strains. Strains deficient for RNase E or G behaved in a similar manner to RNase III deficient cells. Viable cell numbers in these RNase deficient mutant strains were reduced by more than 75%. Inhibition of the synthesis of the 50S subunits in the hypersensitive cells was found to be more than 30%. Agilent chip and agarose gel analysis showed a large increase in the breakdown of 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA for RNase R and RNase III deficient cells in comparison with the wild type control. This breakdown in ribosomal RNA in the hypersensitive RNase deficient E. coli mutants lead to an increase in the quantity 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 53 of smaller fragmented RNA. Conclusion: RNases involved in the turnover of aminoglycoside stalled subunits have been identified and compared with enzymes needed for ribosomal RNA turnover in azithromycin treated cells. Turnover of immature subunits in aminoglycoside inhibited cells is reduced in E. coli strains deficient for RNase III, E, G or R. This work identifies the pathways for turnover of ribosomal RNA in antibiotic inhibited E. coli cells. HORMONE AND ADIPOKINE ALTERATIONS ACROSS 11 WEEKS OF TRAINING IN DIVISION 1 COLLEGIATE THROWERS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY William G. Hornsby1, Chris R. Carter1, G. Gregory Haff2, Michael W. Ramsey1, Andy Dotterweich1, N. Travis Triplett3, Charles A. Stuart4, Margaret E. Stone1, Michael H. Stone1, 1Departrment of Kinesiology, Leisure, and Sports Sciences, Clemmer College of Education, East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN, 2Division of Exercise Science, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, 3Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, and 4Department of Internal Medicne, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Conceptually, it is important to understand the underlying physiological mechanisms of any training program model. This understanding aids the coach/sport scientist in making better choices in manipulating variables in formulating the training model. These underlying mechanisms can be associated with training variable manipulation, fatigue management aspects and the overall health of the athlete. Hormone and cytokine concentrations can be linked to alterations resulting from the manipulation of training variables and to subsequent alterations in performance. For example, alterations in the testosterone: cortisol ratio (T:C) has been associated with alterations in training volume as well as physiological aspects such as lean body mass, fat content and strength/power performance. Although cytokine production is part of the adaptive process, markedly increased/excessive cytokine production has been related poor fatigue management and over training. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the alterations and relationships among training variables, and physiological variables. Subjects: Nine (9) D-1 collegiate throwers and 4 control subjects participated in the study. Methods: The throwers participated in an 11week periodized resistance training and throws program. Volume load was recorded throughout the study. Hormone (testosterone and cortisol (C), and adipokine (adiponectin, leptin, and resistin) measurements were taken at weeks 1, 7, and 11 for the throwers. Results: Hormone values did not exhibit statistically significant changes across time; however, there were trends across time for C, the T:C ratio and adiponectin. Conclusions: Based on the hormonal and adipokine data, it appears that the training program produced some positive effects. These effects indicate a reasonable degree of fatigue management in that C decreased and the T:C ratio was increased as volume load decreased. Literature supports the idea that increases in adiponectin may be a positive outcome of a sound training protocol (Smith et al., 2000). The present observation indicates that adiponectin increased in concert with decreases in C and increases in the T:C. ratio. Considering the effects of these hormones and cytokines, these alterations over time indicate a lesser degree of obesity related inflammation and a higher degree of “fitness” and preparedness. DEVELOPMENT OF AN ASSAY FOR HIGH-THROUGH-PUT SCREENING OF FUNGAL MUTANTS FOR NOVEL ANTIBACTERIAL COMPOUNDS Cory A. Leonard, Donald A. Ferguson, Jr., Stacy D. Brown and J. Russell Hayman, Department of Microbiology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Drug resistant microorganisms are a serious problem facing our medical community and our society. Development of new drugs to combat an increasing host of drug resistant bacteria, fungi, and parasites is essential. Recent studies have shown that mutations in microbes can activate silent gene clusters, regulating enzyme activity and resulting in the production of undescribed metabolites, some of which exhibit antimicrobial activity. The objective of these experiments is to develop a high-through-put screening assay to identify antibacterial metabolites that arise from mutagenesis. To determine “proof-ofconcept”, the environmental fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, which is known to produce several bioactive metabolites, will be used. Under our current culture conditions A. fumigatus does not produce antibacterial 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 54 compounds. We hypothesize that mutagenesis of A. fumigatus will result in the production of metabolites exhibiting novel or known antibacterial activity. The production of bioactive metabolites will be tested against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In the assay, the culture supernatants of A. fumigatus and the closely related A. niger independently grown in 96-well plates are transferred to corresponding 96-well plates containing Luria-Bertani (LB) media and MRSA inoculum. A positive control for MRSA growth (LB media plus MRSA) and a negative control for MRSA growth (LB media with 10 µg/ml Tetracycline plus MRSA) are included in each plate. The plates are incubated overnight and MRSA growth in the presence of fungal culture media is evaluated. MRSA growth is visible as a “button” of bacteria in the bottom of the wells. The preliminary results show that A. fumigatus does not produce compounds that are active against MRSA, however, A. niger clearly exhibits anti-MRSA activity in this assay confirming that the assay is useful for the detection of antimicrobial compounds released into fungal culture media. To mutate the DNA, the fungal spores are treated with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). Spore viability assays show that ~50% of the spores remain viable when treated with 1600 µg/ml EMS at 37oC with overnight incubation. The assay described herein will be used to address our hypothesis and evaluate EMS-mutated A. fumigatus for novel antibacterial compounds. It is our long-term goal to adapt this assay for investigating the potential antibacterial activity of the many unique environmental fungi and bacteria of Appalachia. RECOMBINANT EXPRESSION OF HUMAN NEUTROPHIL ELASTASE IN THE YEAST KLUYVEROMYCES LACTIS Eliot T Smith, Jessica Pugh, Haley Klimecki, and David A Johnson, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN It is hypothesized that wild-type and mutant variants of properly folded, active human neutrophil elastase (HNE) can be produced as recombinant proteins in yeast and that this expression system will enable detailed studies of structure, regulation, and C-terminal processing of HNE. Neutrophils, the most abundant type of white blood cells and the body’s first line of defense against infections, kill pathogenic bacteria. Neutrophils use the enzyme HNE to catalyze the cleavage of bacterial proteins at amino acid residues valine and isoleucine. In the lungs of chronic smokers and people with alpha-1-antitrypsin (α1AT) deficiency, HNE released from neutrophils is not properly inhibited due to insufficient α1-AT; consequently, active HNE is free to damage elastin-rich alveoli over time, causing emphysema. Patients with congenital neutropenia, a genetic disease characterized by low neutrophil counts, do not correctly process HNE to remove a carboxyl-terminal peptide. This aberrant HNE is anchored to the neutrophil cell membrane while wild-type HNE is stored in azurophil granules inside the cells. Studies addressing the structure, regulation, and C-terminal processing of HNE require sufficient quantities of active enzyme. Currently, HNE must be purified from human blood, which is a biohazard. HNE from human blood cannot be used for mutational analyses. Addressing this problem, full-length recombinant HNE was expressed in the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis (NEB). A gene encoding recombinant HNE (rHNE) was bioengineered to include an upstream hexahistidine-Cytochrome B5 (6His-CytB5) fusion partner domain, linked by the enterokinase cleavage target and FLAG-tag sequence DYKD4K. An amino-terminal linked alpha-mating factor domain was included to direct secretion of the protein into the growth media. To reduce the isoelectric point (pI) of this construct, select arginine residues were changed. Glycosylation sites were disrupted to further ease expression and purification. The engineered gene, CytB5-rHNE, was codonoptimized for K. lactis and cloned into the plasmid pKLAC1 which, when used to transform yeast, places the gene under transcriptional regulation by the galactose-inducible LAC4 promoter in the yeast genome. Transformed yeast only express the gene when fed galactose. The fusion protein was purified by nickel affinity chromatography and followed by light absorbance measurements at 280 nm (total protein) and 410 nm (CytB5). Western blot analyses confirm CytB5-HNE identity using 6His and HNE antibodies. Purified protein, when treated with enterokinase, released active rHNE. Enzyme activity was confirmed using assays with the synthetic substrate methoxy-AAPV-para-nitroanilide (MeO-AAPV-pNA). This is the first report of the expression of active recombinant HNE. The work will facilitate future studies of HNE structure and function and may lead to a safer commercial product. Supported by NIH grant 1R15HL091770 and ETSU Honors Program. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 55 THE TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR 3 LIGAND, POLY I:C, ATTENUATES CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION INJURY Xia Zhang1, Tuanzhu Ha1, Jim Kelley2, John Schweitzer3, Race Kao1, David Williams1, and Chuanfu Li1, 1 Department of Surgery, 2Department of Internal Medicine, and 3Department of Pathology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Stroke is the third leading cause of mortality in the United States. Approximately 700,000 strokes occur each year. Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability with more than 4 million stroke survivors in the United States alone. It is estimated that the total cost of stroke to the United States is ~$43 billion/year. Attempts at developing effective therapies for stroke have proven to be exceedingly difficult. This is due, in part, to our incomplete understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate injury in stroke. Recent evidence suggests that innate immune and inflammatory responses are involved in the pathophysiology of stroke. However, the mechanisms are unclear. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in the induction of innate immune and inflammatory responses. We have previously reported that either TLR4 deficiency or modulation of TLR2, decreased cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury (stroke). TLR3 is located in intracellular endosomes and recognizes double-stranded RNA. The TLR3mediated signaling pathway directly stimulates production of interferon-β. It has been reported that local injection of interferon-β decreased cerebral I/R injury. We hypothesized that modulation of TLR3 with Poly I:C ligand, will induce protection against cerebral I/R injury. Methods: To evaluate our hypothesis, we treated male C57BL/6 mice with the TLR3 ligand, Poly I:C (n=8, 75 µg/25 g body weight) or placebo (n=8) by i.p injection one hr before the brains were subjected to cerebral ischemia (60 min) followed by reperfusion (24 hrs). Untreated-mice (n=8) subjected to cerebral I/R served as controls. We also treated TLR3 knockout (TLR3-/-) mice with Poly I:C one hr prior to cerebral I/R. Infarct size was examined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Morphology of neurons in brain sections was examined by Nissl staining. Nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins were isolated for analysis of cellular signaling pathway activation. Results: Poly I:C treatment significantly decreased infarct size by 55.9% compared with untreated I/R mice. Morphologic examination showed that there was less neuronal damage in the hippocampus of Poly I:C treated mice compared with untreated I/R mice. Poly I:C-induced protection was abolished in TLR3-/- mice. Western blot analysis showed that cerebral I/R increased the levels of Fas by 28.2%, FasL by 54.1%, phospho-ASK-1 by 52.0%, phospho-JNK by 64.3%, and NF-kB binding activity by 32.1%, respectively, in untreated mice compared with control mice (n=5/group). In contrast, Poly I:C administration significantly attenuated I/R-increased levels of the components in the Fas-mediated apoptotic signaling pathway. Conclusions: Poly I:C treatment induces protection against cerebral I/R injury through a TLR3-dependent mechanism. TLR3 ligand-induced protection involves a decrease in the I/Ractivated Fas-mediated apoptotic signaling pathway. We conclude that modulation of TLR3 by its ligand could be a potential approach for treatment and management of stroke patients clinically. Arts & Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences A DUAL PROCESS MODEL OF PATHOLOGICAL TANNING BEHAVIOR Katie Baker, MPH1, Joel J. Hillhouse, PhD1, Robert Turrisi, PhD2, Alan Shields, PhD3, Shashank Jain, MD1, and Ian Longacre, BS4, 1Department of Community Health, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 3PRO Consulting®, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and 4 Emory University, Atlanta, GA The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified indoor tanning (IT) to its highest cancer risk category, “carcinogenic to humans.” Still, recent studies reveal high rates of IT use among female adolescents and young adults. Of particular concern are individuals who tan frequently even after receiving information about tanning’s serious harmful effects. This may be indicative of pathological behavior, often termed tanning dependence. Initial explorations of this concept, using a modified version of a common alcohol screening questionnaire, the CAGE, have reported prevalence rates ranging from 12- 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 56 55%. Such unrealistic high prevalence rates point to this measure lacking specificity. Our laboratory has developed an alternate measure of this construct, the tanning pathology survey (TAPAS), which has good reliability and better evidence for validity. This measure conceptualizes tanning pathology as related to reactions to endogenous opiate release that occur when skin is exposed to UV radiation. The current study uses the TAPAS to explore a theoretical model of tanning based on the theory of reasoned action. The modified model, the dual process model of addiction, predicts that addiction-related stimuli are processed outside the cognitive paths that reflect rationale decision-making. In this model, pathological motives should impact behavior independently of behavior intentions. Participants were 296 students from a southeastern US city (Mage = 21.8, SD = 5.85, 93% were 30 years old or younger). Participants completed baseline assessments (TAPAS together with IT intention, attitudes and norms items) in the fall. Six months later, participants were reassessed for their IT use in the previous 6 months. Internal reliability of the TAPAS was excellent (α = .97). Our conceptual model was evaluated using structural equational modeling (SEM). The fit of the data was excellent and consistent across fit indices. Examination of the path coefficients revealed statistically significant unique effects for IT intentions (r = .51) and tanning pathology (r = .21) with 6-month IT frequency as predicted by the dual process model. Tanning pathology had a significant negative effect on IT intentions (r = -.13) indicating the more pathological motives for tanning the less that rational decisions are impacting the actual behavior. IT attitudes (r = .77) and norms (r = .15) significantly predicted IT intentions. A measure of opiate-like reactions to IT significantly predicted tanning pathology (r = .38). Lastly, IT norms significantly predicted tanning pathology (r = .20), perhaps providing evidence that individuals with pathological tanning motives are more likely to associate with each other. The dual process model of tanning fit the data quite well, indicating that it is a plausible model for tanning behavior. It provides further support for the idea that for some individuals, pathological tanning is an important motivator that should be considered when designing educational campaigns and interventions. CANCER MORTALITY DISPARITIES: TRENDS IN THE FIRST TENNESSEE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT David Blackley1, Megan Quinn1, Bruce Behringer2, and Toni Bounds1, 1Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Office of Rural and Community Health and Community Partnerships, Division of Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Appalachia suffers high rates of cancer mortality relative to the United States. The eight-county First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) of northeast Tennessee is located within Appalachia. FTDD includes both rural and urban counties, and little is known about district cancer mortality rate trends. Nationally, all-cancer mortality rates have decreased since the early 1990s, but it is unknown whether this is the case in FTDD, or if a disparity between national and district mortality exists. We calculated cancer mortality rate trends in FTDD and U.S. for 1970-2006 using SEER*Stat 6.6.2. We determined whether disparities exist between FTDD and U.S. by comparing mortality rates and calculating relative risks for 1) all cancer sites 2) cancer of lung/bronchus and 3) three cancers potentially amenable to screening (female breast, prostate, colorectal). These sites contribute to over half of the all-cancer mortality burden in FTDD and U.S. All rates were per 100,000 and age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Standard Population. Mortality data were available through the National Center for Health Statistics. Relative risks were considered significant at p<0.05. In the early 1970s, the all-cancer mortality rate in FTDD was significantly lower than that in U.S. [167.2 (158.3-176.5) vs. 198.8 (198.4-199.2)]. In subsequent years, the magnitude of ageadjusted rate increase was higher in FTDD than U.S. FTDD overtook U.S. in all-cancer mortality rates by the early 1990s, and the disparity gap has consistently grown larger, with recent data showing a significantly elevated relative risk of 1.14 (1.11-1.16, p<0.00). Considering cancer sites included in analysis, the increase in the all-cancer mortality disparity between FTDD and U.S. can largely be attributed to the widening lung cancer mortality gap. By 2006, there was a 33% higher risk of lung cancer death for FTDD residents compared to U.S. [RR=1.33 (1.27-1.39, p<0.00)]. FTDD mortality rates for female breast, prostate and colorectal cancer were significantly lower than U.S. rates throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s, with gaps narrowing and becoming negligible in recent years. As of 2006, any apparent disparities in female breast, colorectal and prostate cancer mortality were not statistically significant. The growing disparity in all-cancer mortality between FTDD and U.S. emerged in the early 1990s. Of the cancer sites included in analysis, this disparity is driven by the significantly higher lung cancer mortality in FTDD vs. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 57 U.S. Age-adjusted lung cancer mortality for U.S. peaked in 1991, and has since steadily declined. Conversely, recent data suggest lung cancer mortality for FTDD may be at an all-time high. According to most recent data, the two populations have similar rates for female breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. Since the vast majority of lung cancer deaths (about 90% in men, nearly 80% in women) in U.S. are attributed to smoking, we recommend increased emphasis on smoking cessation and on prevention of smoking initiation within FTDD. Given the long latent period between smoking and lung cancer, regional leaders should be prepared to make sustained commitments to smoking reduction in order to address this disparity and protect the health of future generations. NORMATIVE DATA OF THE DYNAMIC VISUAL ACUITY (DVA) TEST FOR VESTIBULAR SCREENING Sarah Cappelmann1, Faith Akin, Ph.D.1,2 , Owen Murnane, Ph.D.1,2, and Stephanie Byrd, Au.D.2, 1 Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Ptahology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Vestibular Research Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, TN The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) produces compensatory eye movements to keep gaze steady during head motion. The Dynamic Visual Acuity (DVA) test (NeuroCom International, Inc.) is a clinical test of VOR function that measures visual acuity during natural head movements. The purpose of this project was to determine normative data and test-retest reliability for the computerized Dynamic Visual Acuity test in the vertical, horizontal, and roll planes. Twenty-five young adults (18-30 years of age) with normal hearing and no history of neurological disease, middle-ear pathology, open or closed head injury, cervical injury or audiovestibular disorder were enrolled in this study. Static and dynamic visual acuity was measured with best corrected vision. For static visual acuity, the subjects were positioned 10 feet from a computer screen, instructed to keep their head stationary, and visual acuity was measured by displaying sequences of the optotype E in random orientations. The size of the optotype was reduced until the orientation of the optotype could no longer be determined by the subject. Static visual acuity was determined by the smallest optotype that the subject could correctly identify at least 3 to 5 times. To determine dynamic visual acuity, a motion sensor was attached securely to the subject's head and the subject was positioned 7 feet from the computer screen. Subjects were instructed to rotate their heads at target velocities in the horizontal, vertical, and roll planes. The motion sensor determined the subject's head velocity during each test condition (plane of head movement) and the optotype was not displayed unless the target velocity was reached (100 °/s in the horizontal and vertical planes; 70 °/s in the roll plane). Dynamic visual acuity was measured using the same method described above for static visual acuity. The test order (horizontal DVA, vertical DVA, roll DVA) was randomized, three trials were performed for each of the 3 test conditions, and a rest period was offered between each test. To determine the DVA loss, dynamic visual acuity was subtracted from the static visual acuity. To determine test-retest reliability, the DVA was re-tested within 1 to 2 weeks. The results revealed that the mean DVA loss during session 1 was 0.19 ± 0.09 logMAR in the horizontal plane, 0.19 ± 0.09 logMAR in the vertical plane, and 0.24 ± 0.09 logMAR in the roll plane. Test-retest reliability was good for all 3 conditions. There were no significant effects (p ≥ 0.05) of trial for any condition. INJURY RATES AMONG DIVISION I BASEBALL PLAYERS WITH AND WITHOUT SPEC PROGRAM GUIDANCE Jeremy A. Gentles, Brian D. Johnston, William G. Hornsby, Christopher J. MacDonald, Robert J. Elbin and Michael H. Stone, Department of Kinesiology, Leisure, and Sports Sciences, Clemmer College of Education, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Athlete monitoring and proper strength and conditioning should serve not only to manage fatigue and increase athletic performance but decrease injury rates as well. In cooperation with the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Sport Science Program, the Sports Performance Enhancement Consortium (SPEC) provides athlete monitoring and strength & conditioning services to ETSU Athletics. Since October 2008, the SPEC program has provided evidence based monitoring and strength and conditioning (S&C) 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 58 services to ETSU baseball. This represents the first investigation of the potential for the SPEC program to influence injury rates among Division I athletes at ETSU. The number of spring season game-time injuries and athletic exposures were determined for ETSU baseball during the 7-year period from 2004-2010. Injuries were classified as Game-Time Injury (GTI) and/or Training Related Game-Time Injury (TRGTI). In order to qualify as a GTI, the injury must have occurred during and as a direct result of playing in a game. GTIs include contact and non-contact injuries. Injuries that may have been influenced by the strength and conditioning program were classified as TRGTI. During spring seasons from 2004-2010, these injuries included strains, sprains, dislocations (non-contact), inflammation, and impingements. Classification as a TRGTI required all of the following criteria to be fulfilled, 1) the injury must have occurred during and as a direct result of playing in a game, 2) the injury must not result from contact, 3) the injury must have been potentially related to and/or prevented through training. For the purposes of this investigation, only injuries sustained during spring season games were considered. A single athletic exposure (A-E) was defined as 1 athlete participating in 1 competition where the potential for injury existed and was not dependent upon the length of time an athlete participated in the competition. For the purposes of this investigation, only A-Es occurring during spring season games were considered. A-Es for practice sessions were not available. Injury rate is defined as the number of injuries divided by the number of A-Es. In this investigation, injury rate is expressed at injuries per 100 A-Es. Since ETSU Baseball injury data is available for the last seven spring seasons, and only two seasons have included SPEC involvement, a description of total injuries and injury rates can be provided. Of the 7 seasons reported, the 2009 and 2010 spring seasons were associated with the lowest GTI, TRGTI and game-time injuries (total injuries and training related injuries) and lowest injury rates (total injury rate and training related injury rate). During the spring 2010 season, not a single TRGTI was reported. If significant injury reductions can be achieved through the SPEC program over a broad range of sports, it may suggest that programs similar to SPEC could be used in sport at a variety of levels to increase performance and reduce injury rates and decrease the costs associated with the treatment of sport related injuries. PILOT STUDY TRACKING SESSION RPE TRIMP DURING AN NCAA D1 MEN’S SOCCER SEASON WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON PRACTICAL APPLICATION Howard S. Gray, Satoshi Mizuguchi, Henry B. Nowell, Dr. Michael W. Ramsey, Dr. Jason B. Winchester, and Dr. Michael H. Stone, Department of Kinesiology, Leisure and Sport Sciences, Ckenner College of Education, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Training in team sports is often applied haphazardly with random increases in intensity, volume, and frequency of training. This approach can lead to sub-optimal performance and may also result in overtraining and injury. In order to improve training practice, the first step the sport scientist or coach must perform is to monitor what the athletes are currently doing. This can be hard to do in NCAA sports, such as soccer, due to the many different training modalities performed, along with a lack of money for equipment such as heart rate monitors. Use of the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) as a monitoring tool has been found in the literature to be valid for a wide range of exercise types such as resistance training and soccer. Session RPE training-impulse (TRIMP) is a cost effective method of athlete monitoring and is a product of the athletes’ perceived exertion for a training session and the total training duration. Following each session and game during the two phases (pre-season & in-season), players were asked to rate the difficulty of their workouts.The session RPE and the training duration were used in the following formula to create the session RPE TRIMP: TRIMP = Session RPE x Training Duration. Heart rate monitoring (HRM) data was recorded throughout all training by a Polar Team2 system. When session RPE TRIMP was compared to the previously proposed Edwards HRM method during pre-season, a significant correlation was found (r = 0.880). The absolute values of the session RPE Trimp was higher than that of the Edwards training load. In conclusion, the session RPE TRIMP method seems to be a useful way of monitoring training for an NCAA Division 1 men’s soccer team. It is cost-effective, and requires minimal time to record and analyze findings. Once a period of training has been tracked by this method, the sport scientist or coach can look to analyze the data in an effort to identify how athletes are responding to certain levels of training load and when injuries are occurring. After this process, changes to the training program can be made, and a more detailed periodized plan can be put in place in an effort to improve performance and limit the incidence of injury and illness. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 59 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN JUMP CHARACTERISTICS OF COLLEGIATE FEMALE ATHLETES COMPETING IN DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES Christopher J. MacDonald1, Hugh S. Lamont1, John C. Garner2, Jeremy A. Gentles1, Ashley A. Kavanaugh1, and Michael H. Stone1, Department of Kinesiology, Leisure and Sport Sciences, Clemmer College of Education, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS For strength and conditioning professionals, the monitoring of athletic variables is a pertinent part of the evaluation process of the athletes for which they are responsible. Jump heights and attributes the athletes exhibit during jumps (power, velocity, force, etc.) may provide valuable information that could be used to analyze the quality of their training program and how to develop future training programs. Jump analysis is also a very practical method of measuring athletic performance and improvements. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationships between peak power, peak force, peak velocity (each during a static jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMVJ), and depth jump (DJ)), and jump height (SJ and CMVJ) on female Division I athletes. A secondary purpose of this work was to analyze any difference between the athlete type (the sport in which they participate) on the measures of peak power, peak force, and peak velocity (during SJ, CMVJ, and DJ). Seventeen female NCAA Division I athletes (19.59 ± 1.12 yrs; 170.89 ± 6.52 cm; and 69.90 ± 12.22 kg) who presently competed in soccer (n = 10; 19.40 ± 1.17 yrs; 167.07 ± 4.24 cm; 66.02 ± 8.57 kg) or volleyball (n = 7; 19.86 ± 1.07 yrs; 176.35 ± 5.22 cm; 75.44 ± 15.08 kg) participated in the study (athletes read and signed written informed consent). Jump performances were determined using a Myotest Triaxial Accelerometer (Myotest, Inc., Sion, Switzerland). Relationships between variables were assessed using Pearson’s correlation. Between group differences were assessed using a series of one-way ANOVA’s. A significance level of p ≤ 0.05 was set a priori. There were strong (r ≈ 0.75) to very strong (r ≥ 0.80) correlations between the following relationships, for all subjects: Peak Velocity during CMVJ and Peak Power during CMVJ; Peak Velocity during SJ and Peak Power during SJ; Peak Power during CMVJ and CMVJ Height; Peak Velocity during DJ and CMVJ Height; Peak Power during SJ and Peak Force during SJ; Peak Power during CMVJ and Peak Force during CMVJ; Peak Velocity during CMVJ and CMVJ Height; Peak Power during CMVJ and Peak Velocity during DJ; CMVJ Height and SJ Height; and Peak Velocity during CMVJ and Peak Force during CMVJ. Additionally, there was a significant difference between soccer and volleyball players with respect to CMVJ height (p = 0.032) with the volleyball athletes have a greater max jump height than the soccer players. Results from the current work show that there are relationships and differences between the characteristics of different types of jumps not only with one athletic population but across sports. This should encourage strength and conditioning professionals to incorporate various types strength-power and speed-power protocols, especially with athletes that have an anaerobic component to their sport. Additionally, there can be some training effect and carry-over of the sport discipline relayed in the results. INVESTIGATING A PERCEIVED CANCER CLUSTER: PEDIATRIC CANCERS IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA Megan Quinn1, David Blackley1, Marcela Popescu2, Marinda McConnell3, Timothy Aldrich1, Toni Bounds1, and Jacqueline Meier4, 1Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Pediatrics, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 3Niswonger Children’s Hospital, St. Jude Tri-Cities Affiliate, Child Life Program, Johnson City, TN, and 4Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Perceived cancer clusters are periodically reported through clinical observations or concerned community members. Clinical observation of a large number of pediatric cancer cases from southwest Virginia prompted this cancer cluster investigation. A perceived cancer cluster is more likely to be a true cluster if it meets several of the following criteria: 1) three cases of the same cancer type 2) a rare cancer 3) suspected risk of five or greater 4) cases occur in a short time period and 5) a proposed environmental hazard. This study’s objective was to determine if the large number of reported pediatric cancer cases in southwest Virginia was consistent with a cancer cluster. Data were obtained from southwest Virginia pediatric cancer cases receiving treatment at Niswonger Children’s Hospital, St. Jude Tricities Affiliate in Johnson City, TN. This hospital is a leading pediatric cancer treatment facility that services a large geographic population 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 60 including northeast Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and western North Carolina. City, county, and type of cancer were acquired for each case. A total of 71 pediatric cancer cases were reported. The large number of cases (25) in Wise County, VA appeared greater than expected for that area, prompting further investigation. Analysis of the Wise County cases revealed three cases of Ewing’s sarcoma, a type of cancer in the Ewing’s Family of Tumors (EFT). The EFT are a rare family of cancers diagnosed in roughly 250 children and adolescents each year in the United States. Incidence rates of EFT were obtained from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and adjusted to the Virginia and Wise County populations, eliciting expected cases of 6 and 1.5, respectively. The relative risk for EFT in Wise County was calculated (RR=2), showing that children living in Wise County have approximately two times greater risk of developing a type of EFT than expected. The observation of EFT in Wise County shows some characteristics of a cancer cluster. Further investigation of individual case history to determine gender, age, and year of diagnosis must be conducted to conclude if cases are similar and indicative of a true cancer cluster. Obtaining state specific expected cases of EFT from the Virginia Cancer Registry and individual interviews from cases would aid in determining cancer cluster characteristics. Many observed cancer clusters do not supply causal understanding for the abundance of cases and merely indicate that closer surveillance must occur. However, cancer cluster investigations provide a platform to raise awareness about cancers, teach individuals about specific cancer risk factors, and to recognize the signs and symptoms of cancer. MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF BMI IN TENNESSEE SCHOOL CHILDREN: ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY Kasie Richards, MS, Deborah Slawson, PhD, RD, Xuefeng Liu, PhD, Rebecca Johns-Wommack, EdD, and Jean Jacques Maury, Department of Community Health, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 17% of all children in the U.S. were defined as overweight by 2004.1 Currently, adulthood obesity is increasing at a slower rate than childhood obesity.2 The purpose of this analysis was to determine which environmental and demographic indicators are associated with overweight and obese in Tennessee’s children. This is a secondary data analysis of Tennessee Coordinated School Health (TNCSH) Body Mass Index (BMI) for its first year of full implementation 2007-2008. Multivariate analysis of BMI category by urbanicity, controlling for social capital, designated regions of economic distress, grade (2,4,6,8) and gender, to determine the risk of overweight and obesity in Tennessee children associated with these variables, then stratified by gender. Analysis was conducted using SAS software (Cary, NC). Overall (N = 91,527), four variables significantly increased the risk of overweight and obesity in Tennessee school children. Living in a micropolitan county increased the risk of a child being overweight or obese by 10.6% (OR = 1.106; CI (1.07 – 1.141)) when compared to metropolitan counties. Living in a rural county increased the risk of being overweight or obese by 12.9% (OR = 1.129; CI (1.086 – 1.174)). Living in either the Delta Region, or the Appalachian Region of Tennessee increased a child’s risk a child being overweight or obese by 7.1% (OR = 1.071; CI (1.026 – 1.118)) and 4.3% (OR = 1.043; CI (1.009 – 1.079)) respectively when compared to the central region of Tennessee. Compared to 2nd grade children, grade 4th, 6th and 8th grade children had a significantly increased the risk of being overweight or obese by 20.9% (OR = 1.209; CI (1.166 – 1.253)) in 4th grade, 31.6% (OR = 1.316; CI (1.268 – 1.365)) in 6th grade and 22.4% (OR = 1.224; CI (1.180 – 1.271)) in 8th grade. Being female decreased the risk of being overweight or obese in Tennessee children by 13.4% (OR = 0.866; CI (0.844 – 0.889)). Many factors increase the risk of overweight and obesity in children. Compared with 2nd grade children, 4th, 6th and 8th grader are at a greater risk for being overweight or obese, with the greatest risk occurring in 6th graders. This displays the importance of early intervention and prevention strategies for school aged children. Less densely populated the counties are, the greater the risk of children being overweight or obese for all Tennessee, with the greatest risk occurring in those counties designated as rural. Those children residing in the Delta and Appalachian region are also at a greater risk of being overweight or obese that those who reside in the central region. These variables may compound upon one another to further increase the risk of overweight and obesity in children. 1Savoye, M., Shaw, M., Dziura, J., Tamborlane, W.V., Effects of a weight management program on body composition and metabolic parameters in overweight children: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 2007; 297:24. 2Rodearmel, S.J, et.al. (2007). Small Changes in Dietary Sugar and Physical Activity as an Approach to Preventing Excessive Weight Gain: The America on the Move Family Study. Pediatrics, 120(4), e869 – e879. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 61 PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FACTORS FOR SMOKING IN PREGNANT WOMEN IN RURAL APPALACHIA Jessica H. Turner, M.A.1, Jennifer A. Correll, M.A.1, Kristen Carlosh1, Beth Bailey, Ph.D.2, and William T. Dalton, III, Ph.D.1, 1Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, and 2Department of Family Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Objective. Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of death, and rates tend to be higher in Southern states and rural areas. Of particular concern is the number of women who smoke during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked with not only health consequences for the mother but also premature birth, low birth weight, and numerous poor physical and mental health outcomes for the child exposed in utero. Research demonstrates a variety of psychosocial concerns contribute to smoking initiation and maintenance among adults. Some of these risk factors include mental illness including attention difficulties, anxiety, and depression; low self-esteem; high stress levels; and the presence of weight concerns. Little attention has been paid to pregnant populations in rural areas with high rates of smoking. This exploratory study sought to examine psychosocial risk factors for smoking in pregnant women in Southern Appalachia. Method. As part of a large-scale pregnancy intervention project, 222 pregnant women were recruited at entry to prenatal care and assessed to delivery. Participants completed measures of smoking behavior; weight concern (Weight Concern Scale); body image (Body Image Concern Inventory); eating disordered behavior (Eating Attitudes Test-26); depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression Scale); attention difficulties (Current Symptoms Scale); stress, two forms of social support, and self-esteem (Prenatal Psychosocial Profile); and a demographics questionnaire. One hundred ninety-one participants with complete records on variables of interest were retained for analyses. The participants ranged in age from 15-42 years with a mean age of 24 years. Forty-five percent of the sample were married. The majority of participants were high school graduates (42%) with 63% reporting a high school education or less. Almost half (47%) were unemployed and almost one-third (31%) worked full-time. More than half (56%) reported having smoked while pregnant. Results. T-tests were conducted to compare smokers and non-smokers. Smokers reported lower weight concerns, support from both partners and others, and self-esteem, as well as higher attention difficulties, depression, and stress as compared to non-smokers (p<.05). A stepwise logistic regression was conducted with smoking status as the dependent variable and all the significant measures from the t-tests as predictors. While each variable independently was predictive of smoking status, stress entered the equation first and correctly classified 71% of smokers (R2=.168). Support from others entered the equation on the second step and this model correctly classified 75% of smokers (R2=.197). The remaining variables were non-significant. Discussion. These findings hold implications for reducing smoking behavior during pregnancy. Specifically, stress and social support are important variables to assess and address as part of smoking cessation interventions with pregnant women in Southern Appalachia. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 62 Divisions IV, V, and VI – Medical Students, Medical Residents and Post-Doctoral Fellows Bench Research THE EFFECT OF LONG-TERM METHYLPHENIDATE (RITALIN) EXPOSURE ON NEUROGENESIS IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS Whitney Anderson, Crystal Brown, Carrie Dickenson, Jarrett Whitson, Angela Shepherd, Karen Carver, and Brooks B. Pond, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder thought to affect about 5% of the world's population. The most commonly used psychostimulant for treatment of ADHD is methylphenidate (MPH; Ritalin®). Current therapy with methylphenidate typically begins in early adolescence and continues for several years. During this time, the adolescent brain is in its last critical phase of development. However, the effects of such long-term exposure to this psychostimulant are unknown. In this study, we investigate the effects of long-term MPH exposure on the rate of neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Neurogenesis, or the “birth” of new brain cells in adulthood, is known to be altered by psychoactive medications including antidepressants (Santarelli et al, 2003), narcotics (Eisch et al, 2000), nicotine (Opranashuk et al, 2001), and the stimulants cocaine (Yamaguchi et al, 2004) and methamphetamine (Teuchert-Noodt et al, 2000). Neurogenesis occurs at two major sites of in the adult brain, the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampus. Changes in neurogenesis in the SGZ of the hippocampus may have long-term effects on behavior such as changes in mood, response to reward, and cognitive function. In this study, male Swiss-Webster mice received twicedaily intraperitoneal injections of MPH (1 or 10 mg/kg) or saline for 30 days, from 25 to 55 days of age. A 1 mg/kg dose in mice has been shown to produce plasma levels typical of clinical doses in children (unpublished observations), and the 10 mg/kg dose may closely resemble MPH misuse/abuse. Neurogenesis was analyzed 2 days after drug treatment using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry. BrdU is a synthetic thymidine analog that gets incorporated into the DNA of cells that are dividing. Therefore, antibodies against BrdU that are conjugated to fluorescent markers can be used to label these cells, providing visual evidence of cell division. In addition, brain tissue was immunostained for NeuN, a neuronal-specific nuclear protein that is abundant in the hippocampus. Immunopositive cells in the SGZ were counted, and the ratio of BrdU+ cells/NeuN+ cells in each group was compared. UPREGULATED HER2 INTRACELLULAR TRAFFICKING MECHANISM Daniel Asongwe ,Julie Kirkham and Hei Man Tsui, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Standard chemotherapy is usually targeted at all rapidly dividing cells resulting in serious collateral damage to healthy cells. Targeted therapy is designed to specific molecular targets in neoplastic cells resulting in less toxic effects. Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2) is a protein normally found on the basolateral surface of human cells. HER2, a member of the HER family of tyrosine kinase signalling molecules, is over-expressed in breast cancer and other types of neoplasias. This amplification results in apical translocation of HER2 and consequential tyrosine mediated signalling for cancer cell proliferation and survival. Given the significance of targeted therapy to cancer treatment and patients quality of life, we set out to study the pathway by which HER2 translocates to the apical surface of the cell. This is important 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 63 because when Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody against HER2, is applied to the basolateral surface, it lacks effectiveness at controlling carcinogenic signalling at the apical surface. Magnetic assisted DNA transfection was used to transfect CaCo2 cells with HER2 cDNA clone. CaCo2 cells were biotinylated on the basolateral surface to tag HER2 that translocates to the apical surface. The positive control was biotinylated at the apical surface. The negative control was biotinylated at the basolateral surface but was not transfected. All the apical membranes were exposed to mouse antibodies against HER2. Thus HER2 molecules at the apical surface that originate from the basolateral membrane will carry both tags. Antimouse antibody on magnetic beads was used to bind apical HER2 after the cells were lysed. Apical HER2 was separated via magnetic immunoprecipitation and analyzed by gel electrophoresis and western blot. Streptavidin a strong binder of biotin, was used to detect the presence of biotin at 185KD, the molecular weight of HER2. The presence of HER2 was confirmed using anti-HER2 on the same membrane. The results suggest that HER2 first docks at the basolateral membrane before translocating to the apical surface. This translocation only occurs when there is overexpression at the basolateral surface, as no HER2 was detected in the negative control. Consideration of subcellular localization of HER2 in therapy design may result in increased effectiveness in the treatment of cancers associated with overexpression of this receptor. TOCOTRIENOLS INHIBIT AKT AND ERK ACTIVATION AND SUPPRESS PANCREATIC CANCER CELL PROLIFERATION BY SUPPRESSING THE ERBB2 PATHWAY Kanishka Chakraborty1, Victoria P. Ramsauer1,2, Sonyo Shin-Kang1, Janet Lightner1, William Stone3, Sharon Campbell4, Shrikanth A. G. Reddy5, and Koyamangalath Krishnan1, 1Division of HematologyOncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 3Department of Pediatrics, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 4Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN,, and 5Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Alternate strategies to treat and prevent this cancer are urgently required. In this regard, novel therapeutic agents that can inhibit signaling pathways implicated in the proliferation and survival of pancreatic cancer cells are of immense interest. Tocotrienols are members of the Vitamin E family but, unlike tocopherols, possess an unsaturated isoprenoid side-chain that confers superior anti-cancer properties. The ability of tocotrienols to selectively inhibit the HMG CoA reductase pathway through post-translational degradation of HMG CoA reductase and to suppress the activity of transcription factor NFkB could be the basis for some of these properties. Data: Our studies indicate that γ- and δ-tocotrienol have potent anti-proliferative activity in pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-28, MIA PaCa-2 and BXPC-3). Indeed both tocotrienols induced cell death (> 50%) by the MTT cell viability assay in all three pancreatic cancer cell lines. We also examined the effects of the tocotrienols on the Akt and the Ras/Raf/MEK/ ERK signaling pathways by Western blotting analysis. γand δ-Tocotrienol treatment of cells reduced the activation of ERK MAP kinase and that of its downstream mediator RSK (ribosomal protein S6k) in addition to suppressing the activation of protein kinase, Akt. Suppression of activation of Akt by g-tocotrienol led to down regulation of pGSK-3b, and upregulation accompanied with nuclear translocation of Fox-03. These effects were mediated by the down regulation of Her2/ErbB2 at the messenger level. Tocotrienols but not tocopherols were able to induce the observed effects. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the tocotrienol isoforms of vitamin E can induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells through the suppression of vital cell survival and proliferative signaling pathways such as those mediated by the PI3/Akt and ERK/MAP kinases via downregulation of Her2/ErbB2 expression. The molecular components for this mechanism are not completely elucidated and needs further investigation. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 64 TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR-3 DEFICIENCY ATTENUATES CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION IN SEPTIC MICE Ming Gao1, Xia Zhang1, Xiaohui Wang1, Tuanzhu Ha1, Jim Kelley2, Krishna Singh3, Race Kao1, David Williams1, and Chuanfu Li1, 1Department of Surgery, 2Department of Internal Medicine, and 3Department of Physiology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Myocardial dysfunction is a major consequence of sepsis/septic shock and contributes to the high mortality of sepsis. In the United States, 750,000 patients per year develop sepsis syndrome and the overall mortality rate in these patients is 28.6% (~215,000 deaths/year). Attempts at developing effective therapies for sepsis/septic shock have proven to be exceedingly difficult. This is due, in part, to our incomplete understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate injury in sepsis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in the pathophysiology of sepsis/septic shock. We have previously reported that either TLR4 deficiency or modulation of TLR2 significantly improved cardiac function and increased survival of septic mice. TLR3 is located in intracellular endosomes and recognizes doublestranded RNA. We hypothesized that TLR3 played a critical role in cardiac dysfunction during sepsis/septic shock. Methods: To critically evaluate our hypothesis, we examined cardiac function in TLR3 knockout (TLR3-/-) and wild type (WT) mice following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis. TLR3-/- (n=12) and age-matched WT (n=12) mice were subjected to CLP. Cardiac function was examined by echocardiography before and 6 hrs after CLP. Sham surgery operated mice served as sham controls (n=4/group). To examine the mechanisms by which TLR3 contributes to cardiac dysfunction during sepsis/septic shock, we harvested hearts and isolated nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. NFB binding activity was determined by EMSA in the nuclear protein preparations. The levels of the components in death receptor-mediated apoptotic signaling were examined by Western blot. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and neutrophil infiltration into the myocardium were examined. Results: CLP-induced sepsis caused significant cardiac dysfunction as evidenced by decreased fractional shortening by 29.8% and ejection fraction by 25.7% compared with base line. However, cardiac function in TLR3-/- mice was maintained at baseline levels following CLP-induced sepsis. CLP also significantly increased the levels of Fas by 40.7%, FasL by 42.9%, and Bax by 26.3%, respectively, compared with sham control. In contrast, CLP-increased levels of these proteins were significantly attenuated in TLR3-/- mice. In addition, TLR3 deficiency significantly attenuated CLP-increased myocardial MPO activity by 29.4%, neutrophil infiltration by 55.6%, and NFB binding activity by 46.2%, respectively. Conclusions: These data suggest that TLR3 plays a deleterious role in cardiac dysfunction of CLP sepsis. The mechanisms involve activation of apoptotic signaling, promoting neutrophil infiltration, and stimulation of NFB mediated inflammatory responses. We conclude that TLR3 could be a therapeutic target for treatment and management of septic patients clinically. SPECIFIC CELL CYCLE EFFECTS OF A MUTANT p27 GENE IN INDIVIDUAL MOUSE CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL CELLS David J. Harris, III, Preston D. Moore, Theresa A. Harrison, and Dennis M. Defoe, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The corneal endothelium is a single layer of specialized cells that keeps the cornea transparent by pumping excess fluid out of the tissue. The ability of the endothelium to carry out this role depends on maintaining a sufficient minimum density of cells. However, once formed, adult endothelial cells do not divide and, thus, the inevitable loss of cells with age, as well as in certain diseases, can lead to compromised function. Previous studies have shown that “knock-out” mice completely lacking the p27 gene exhibit a 50% increase in total endothelial cell number. This is consistent with the protein acting as a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor to arrest the cell division cycle. However, p27 also controls the activity of the small G protein Rho, which could influence cell proliferation indirectly. These experiments were designed to determine if the effect of p27 on endothelial cell number is specifically due to its cell cycle-related function. First, a mouse “knock-in” strain (hereafter, p27CK-) was examined in which four amino acid substitutions in the encoded protein of the p27 gene prevent its acting as a CDK inhibitor, but leave its 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 65 other functions intact. Corneas from wild-type and p27CK- mice were stained to reveal cell boundaries, flat-mounted and visualized by confocal microscopy. We found that endothelial monolayers from p27CKanimals, similar to those of p27 knock-out mice, exhibit approximately a 60% increase in cell density relative to wild-type monolayers. To determine whether the effects of gene mutation are restricted to the affected cell itself, or extends to surrounding unmutated cells, we made use of mosaic analysis with double markers (MADM), a technique that allows gene knockout or mutation in single cells. For MADM, two mouse lines, each with reciprocally chimeric transgenes consisting of partial coding sequences for green and red fluorescent proteins (GFP and RFP), separated by an intron-embedded loxP site, were interbred with a Cre recombinase-expressing strain. The p27CK- allele was introduced distal to the MADM transgene cassette via meiotic recombination. In the offspring of this cross, the Cre recombinase can occasionally mediate interchromosomal recombination during mitosis so that functional GFP and RFP genes are reconstituted. This results in each marker being expressed in one of the two daughter cells, with green cells being homozygous mutant and red cells homozygous wild-type. In these animals, the ratio of green to red cells ranged from 2.5-5.0, indicating a dramatically greater expansion of mutant cells compared to wild-type cells. Overall, the results show that p27 influences endothelial cell number primarily through its action as a CDK inhibitor, and that these effects are restricted to affected cells. The difference between tissue-wide versus mosaic expression of the mutation indicates that there are global size control mechanisms that ultimately limit the extent of any proliferative change. MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF CHLORINATION TREATMENT ON ANTIBIOTIC CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER Tyler C. Melton and Stacy D. Brown, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Pharmaceutical compounds are rapidly emerging as the new environmental contaminant. Unfortunately, there are few available methods capable of quantifying parent pharmaceutical compounds and their subsequent structural analogs resulting from chlorination processes used for water treatment. The purpose of this study was to develop a method that would enable researchers to detect and quantify the most prevalent antibiotic compounds found in U.S. drinking water. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) extensively classified several antibiotic compounds collected from drinking water in 2000 and 2001. These studies reported the prevalence of several antibiotics, including sulfamethoxazole (prevalence of 23.4 % and 2.7 %), enrofloxacin (6.8 %), trimethoprim (6.8 %), lincomycin (5.4 %), and sulfamethazine (2.7 %) The designed method employed combined liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) instrumentation (Shimadzu LC-IT-TOF system with Shimadzu XR HPLC ) utilizing a mobile phase consisting of 80 % water and 20 % acetonitrile with 0.1 % formic acid starting at a flow rate of 0.200 mL/min for 7 minutes, along with a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column. Gradient separation was used over several minutes to ramp up 20 % acetonitrile mobile phase to 70% before sample analysis could occur. Calibration curves were constructed using data acquired from the analysis of each antibiotic solution mentioned above at concentrations of 10 µg/mL, 7.5 µg/mL, 5 µg/mL, 2.5 µg/mL, 1.0 µg/mL, 0.75 µg/mL, 0.5 µg/mL, 0.25 µg/mL, 0.1 µg/mL, and 0.05 µg/mL using 50% MeOH and H2O solvent solution. Percent relative standard deviation was collected for three days to reflect experiment reproducibility. Chlorination experiments mimicked common water treatment practices with a chlorine concentration of 2 mg/L. Ten µg/mL lincomycin and sulfamethazine standards were exposed to 380 µmol/mL free absolute chlorine (FAC) achieved by dilution of 5 % sodium hypochlorite reagent. These solutions were vortexed for 10 seconds within amber vials. Lincomyin and sulfamethazine chlorination reactions were halted through the addition of sodium sulfite. Limits of detection were extrapolated from collected for chlorinated lincomycin and sulfamethazine. Changes in parent drug concentration (lincomycin and sulfamethazine) were monitored for over time. Also, molecular formula assignments were made to parent drug structural analogs generated during the chlorination reactions. Additionally, experimenters wish to examine the structural change that occurred in lincomycin and sulfamethazine upon exposure to chlorination conditions. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 66 STABILITY OF LANSOPRAZOLE ORAL SUSPENSION AT TWO TEMPERATURES Jordan Morrison, PharmD1 (Candidate), Stacy Brown, PhD2, Jim Thigpen, PharmD3, and Ralph Lugo, PharmD3, 1Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2 Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, and 3Department of Pharmacy Practice, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The purpose of this study was to investigate the stability of a lansoprazole suspension that is commonly used in hospitals. Lansoprazole is a proton-pump-inhibitor and it decreases the amount of acid produced by the stomach and helps with conditions like heartburn. Adults are often prescribed 30mg capsules of lansoprazole, but the dose and formulation may not be appropriate for many pediatric patients. The stability, or shelf-life, of the lansoprazole suspension is unknown and so the intention of the study is to determine the stability. To perform the study, six bottles of a 3mg/mL lansoprazole suspension were formulated following the guidelines of the US Pharmacopeia. The resulting suspension was the same as that formulated and commonly used in the hospitals. After making the suspensions, samples of 0.6mL were drawn up in amber-colored oral syringes. Half of the syringes were kept at room temperature and half were refrigerated, representing three replicates at each condition. The samples were then removed at predetermined times and the amount of lansoprazole remaining was measured. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique was used to determine the lansoprazole concentrations. All samples were tested using the LC-MS technique and were also weighed, to correct for any potential differences in density given the fact that a suspension is a non-homogeneous sample. Besides determining the concentration of lansoprazole remaining, the pH of the samples was also checked since lansoprazole is notoriously unstable at acidic pH. The results of the study indicate that the lansoprazole suspension is stable (defined as retaining >90% of the original concentration) for 72hours when stored at room temperature and for 8 days under refrigerated conditions. In conclusion, it may not be appropriate for the suspension to be left at room temperature for more than a few days and at refrigerated temperatures for over a week. MECHANISMS OF ACTION OF TWO FLAVONE ISOMERS ON CANCERS OF THE PANCREAS AND THE COLON Laura Beth Parsons1, Jarrett Wyatt1, Ruben Torrenegra2, Oscar Gonzalez2, and Victoria Ramsauer1, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales, Bogota, Colombia 1 Pancreatic and colon cancers are two of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the United States. Alternate strategies to treat these cancers are urgently required. This research project is intended to determine the mechanism of action of two flavone compounds on selected pancreatic and colon cancer cell lines. Compounds A and B are flavone isomers extracted from plants in the Compositae family native to the Andean region of South America with known medicinal properties. Previous studies by the MTT cell viability assay have shown that these compounds have potent anti-proliferative effects. In this project, the two compounds were tested against pancreatic and colon cancer cells lines and found to have different efficacies. Compound A is cytotoxic to pancreatic adenomcarcinoma (Panc-28) and colon adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) while Compound B is cytotoxic to pancreatic epithelial carcinoma (MIA-Paca) and colon carcinoma (HCT-116). The two flavones appear to work on different pathways within the cell. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot were used to compare active cell pathways after the addition of the flavones. Immunoflorescence confirmed these inhibited effector proteins as well as the decreased viability. Our studies indicate that both flavones affect survival and proliferation pathways within the cells. However, the exact mechanism differs between flavones and cell lines. Their direct effects appear to depend on both the flavone chemistry and the type of cell line. Further research is needed to investigate this relationship. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 67 QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF LANSOPRAZOLE FOR STABILITY STUDY IN ORAL SUSPENSIONS USING LCMS-IT-TOF Nicholas Smallwood, Justin Connor, Stacy Brown, and Ralph Lugo, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Purpose: To develop and validate an LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of lansoprazole in oral suspension samples using omeprazole as an internal standard and to apply the method to the study of lansoprazole stability in the oral suspension. Methods: This method involved a 3 minute separation of lansoprazole and omeprazole (internal standard) in oral suspension samples using the Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (1.7 micron, 2.1 x 100mm). Compounds were eluted using an isocratic method with 60% water/40% acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.200 mL/min on the Shimadzu XR HPLC system. Mass spectrometric detection was achieved using the Shimadzu IT-TOF system. Routine data acquisition utilized a direct MS/MS method where the transitions specific to the analyte and internal standard were monitored (m/z 370 è 252 and m/z 346 è 198 for lansoprazole and omeprazole respectively). Calibration standards were prepared in 50/50 water/methanol. All calibration and suspension samples were filtered using a 0.22 micron syringe filter prior to injection. Results: The suspension formulation was tested for matrix effects, but none were observed during the retention times of the analyte and internal standard (2.35 and 1.85 minutes respectively). The method was validated over four days using a five-point calibration curve (6 mg/mL – 25 mg/mL). The validation data was collected for five different points on the calibration curve (n = 5 for each day) and yielded acceptable precision (< 10% inter-day and intra-day) and accuracy (< 10% inter-day and intra-day). The limit of detection for the method was 2 ng/mL. The validated method was used to study the stability of lansoprazole in the suspension formulation over a period of 90 days. Conclusions: The developed LC-MS/MS method for lansoprazole quantification was fast, accurate, and reproducible over the calibration range and could be successfully used to study the stability of lansoprazole in a suspension formulation. Clinical Research and Case Histories AN UNUSUAL CAUSE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY Parthiv Amin, MD, Sumit Kalra, MD, and Costy Mattar. MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN INTRODUCTION: Presenting an unusual case of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) induced by Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). LEARNING OBJECTIVES: o consider the possibility of atrial fibrillation in at risk patients undergoing ECT. CASE: A 62 year old male, known case of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and major depression was admitted to Psychiatry facility for ECT. He had undergone ECT several times over a period of 7 years for depression. During ECT this admission, the cardiac monitor recorded atrial fibrillation with fast ventricular rate of 150/min. The patient was hemodynamically stable. Initially Verapamil was given intravenously, but due to persistent high ventricular rate injectable Metoprolol was given. The rate stabilized. Three sets of cardiac enzymes were sent, which were negative. There was no electrolyte abnormality or hypoxia noted on labs. Patient reverted to normal sinus rhythm within 24 hours. Echocardiography done did not reveal any abnormalities except diastolic dysfunction. Patient was discharged on Warfarin for three months considering his risk factors for stroke. Patient is being followed up for further episode of arrhythmia. DISCUSSION: Atrial Fibrillation is a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia characterized by disorganized atrial electrical activity and subsequent electromechanical dysfunction. It is one of the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia encountered. Underlying cardiac disease is the most common cause of AF. Electroconvulsive therapy is a treatment modality used in major depression and other severe psychiatric diseases not controlled by medications. It is associated with various cardiovascular complications like ischemia and arrhythmia. AF is a rare complication associated with ECT. ECT is related to major changes in hemodynamics. Bradycardia or asystole can occur from the time of giving 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 68 stimulus to the onset of seizures due to increased vagal tone. Subsequently, due to sympathetic surge during and after the seizure, various tachyarrhythmias can occur. Arrhythmias associated with ECT include premature atrial contraction, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter and fibrillation and rarely ventricular tachycardia. Most of the arrhythmias are transient. These complications occur more commonly in patients with hypertension, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction and abnormal baseline ECG. Depression is a common comorbidity in elderly especially in those with multiple diseases. This puts them at an increased risk for the complications associated with ECT. Our case focuses ECT as an unusual cause for AF, which is very important to keep in mind while evaluating such patients. One should consider anticoagulation in patients with AF undergoing ECT to decrease the morbidity associated with embolic stroke. We have come across very few case reports in literature of AF precipitated by ECT. A CASE OF MYCOPLASMA-ASSOCIATED MYOPERICARDITIS Parthiv Amin, MD; Tariq Haddadin, MD, FACC; and Bhuvana Guha, MD;, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN INTRODUCTION: Presenting a case of Mycoplasma-associated Myopericarditis. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. To explore myopericarditis as a cause of chest pain in a susceptible patient. 2. To consider extra pulmonary manifestation of Mycoplasma pneumonia, including rare systemic presentation such as myopericarditis. 3. To demonstrate the importance of early diagnosis of this treatable entity , which is often under recognized and would result in pronounced morbidity in the absence of treatment. CASE: A 55 year old hypertensive female presented with right sided chest pain of acute onset, 6/10 in intensity, aching and occasional stabbing type, non radiating, exacerbated on cough and leaning forward. It was also associated with dyspnea, diaphoresis, dry cough and fatigue. Pulmonary embolism was ruled out with CT scan chest. Considering her risk factors for coronary artery disease, myocardial perfusion stress test was done which showed perfusion defects in anterior and lateral segments of myocardium. Subsequently she developed high grade fever, pericardial rub, rising cardiac enzymes as well as sinus tachycardia, ST segment elevation and PR segment depression on electrocardiogram in all leads except aVR. Echocardiography done showed absence of large pericardial effusion and CT scan chest showed bilateral minimal pleural effusion with atelectasis. Ig M titer of Mycoplasma antibody showed a significant rise and other infectious etiologies were ruled out. She was treated with intravenous Azithromycin and steroids following which she improved over a week. Her electrocardiogram normalized to baseline level and cardiac catheterization done subsequently revealed normal coronaries. She was discharged on oral Azithromycin and tapering steroids. DISCUSSION: Myopericarditis is defined as an inflammation of pericardium as well as myocardium. One of the major etiological factors is infectious cause. Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the smallest self-replicating organism in both cellular dimension and genome size, is a mucosal pathogen primarily responsible for atypical pneumonia. This organism however, produce extra pulmonary manifestation in about 25 percent of patients, which may occur before, during or after pulmonary infection, as well as in the complete absence of any respiratory symptoms. Extra pulmonary manifestations include central nervous system, cardiac, hematological and dermatological disorders. M. pneumoniae infection has been serologically associated with myocarditis, pericarditis, myopericarditis, hemopericardium complete heart block, congestive heart failure and death. We are aware of very few previously reported cases of myopericarditis associated with M. pneumoniae. Frequently we fail to consider the possibility of Mycoplasma-associated pericarditis. Newer widely available serological tests with good sensitivity & specificity aid in diagnosis of Mycoplasma antibody. Mycoplasma infection should be suspected in patients with or without pulmonary infiltrates who have systemic symptoms or fever and evidence of other organ involvement. Our case demonstrates that ongoing systemic infection with M. pneumoniae can result in pronounced morbidity and persist until appropriate treatment in initiated. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 69 EVERY CARDIAC ISCHEMIA IS NOT ATHEROSCLEROSIS Parthiv Amin, MD, Mechleb Wissam, MD, and Christopher Downs, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN INTRODUCTION: Presenting a case of anomalous origin of coronary artery. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: To consider anomalous origin of coronary arteries as cause of ischemia. CASE: A 60 year old male, known case of hypertension and dyslipidemia was admitted with chest pain on exertion of recent onset. On admission, ECG showed ST segment depression in anterior leads. Three sets of cardiac enzymes were sent. Troponin was 1.12 ng/ml (normal<0.04 ng/ml). Considering his risk factors for c, Coronary Angiography (CAG) was performed. Anomalous origin of left main coronary artery (LMCA) from right coronary cusp was found with minimal atherosclerosis. The patient was referred for Cardiac CT Angiogram to delineate the course of the artery. CT showed anomalous origin of left main from right coronary cusp and its further course between aorta and pulmonary artery. The patient was explained the risks associated with the anomaly and advised for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) and given medical management. DISCUSSION: Anomalous origin of coronary artery is a rare anomaly occurring in 0.6 to 1.3% of general population. It can lead to recurrent ischemia, congestive heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Coronary arteries arise from Sinuses of Valsalva which are dilations of ascending aorta above the aortic valve. Normally each coronary artery originates from their respective right and left cusps. Aberrant origin of left coronary artery from the right coronary cusp is the rarest of all these anomalies. This anomaly is more common in males. Four variants of this anomaly are described based on the further course of LMCA. (1) Anterior: LMCA turns anteriorly in front of the right ventricular outflow tract. (2) Inter-arterial: LMCA lies between aorta and pulmonary artery as in our patient. (3) Septal: LMCA has an intramyocardial septal course. (4) Posterior: LMCA courses behind aorta in infero posterior direction. Myocardial ischemia occurs due to decreased coronary flow reserve and abnormal mechanics of ostium due to aberrant course of arteries. Of all the variants, inter-arterial variant carries the highest risk of sudden cardiac death estimated to be more than 50% due to kinking of the coronary artery between the great vessels. CAG is considered to be the investigation of choice for diagnosis; however MRI and CT angiogram can be used to correctly define the course of LMCA. Treatment options are limited and depend on the anatomy of the arteries. CABG should be considered in patients with inter-arterial variant of anomaly due to high risk of sudden cardiac death. Anomalous origin of coronary artery is a rare presenting cause of myocardial ischemia. Due to its rare incidence and risk of sudden cardiac death one should be vigilant in the diagnosis. A PARADIGM: PERIPARTUM CARDIOMYOPATHY Parthiv Amin, MD; Tariq Haddadin, MD, FACC; and Bhuvana Guha, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN INTRODUCTION: Presenting a case of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: To consider the diagnosis of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy in patients with unexplained cardiac failure symptoms in peripartum period. CASE: A 25 year old female, gravida1 para 1, presented with exertional dyspnea since few weeks, 6 weeks postpartum. She had no history of alcohol abuse or cardiovascular disease in past. On examination she was hypertensive, pale and had III/VI systolic murmur at the mitral area. She was found out to have severe iron deficiency anemia, which was treated with total iron infusion. However the symptoms persisted and echocardiography of heart showed dilated chambers with severe systolic dysfunction (EF~35%). She was started on Beta blockers as well as ACE inhibitors considering she was not breastfeeding her child. Left heart catheterization concluded normal coronaries. Diagnosis of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy was made in the absence of other etiologies for her new onset symptomatic cardiomyopathy. Patient improved dramatically with treatment and subsequent echocardiography after 4 months showed marked improvement in the systolic function. DISCUSSION: Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a life threatening disorder of unknown etiology presenting in previously healthy females. It is defined as a form of dilated cardiomyopathy presenting as heart failure in the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months of delivery. It has an estimated incidence of 1 of every 3000-4000 live births in the United States. The prognosis of women who develop PPCM varies, with an alarmingly high mortality rate of 20-50%. Although it is a disorder of unknown etiology, various theories have been 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 70 proposed. A few of them include viral infection, autoimmunity caused by chimerism of hematopoietic lineage cells from the fetus to the mother and maladaptive response to the hemodynamic stress of pregnancy. Along with the typical symptoms of heart failure it can also present as thromboembolism, cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Diagnosis of PPCM is made in the presence of echocardiographic findings of decreased LV ejection fraction and increased end systolic diameter in peripartum females without any identifiable cause of heart failure or significant past cardiovascular history. Treatment comprises of reduction in preload, afterload as well as increase in inotropy. Patients with evidence of systemic embolism, with severe left ventricular dysfunction or documented cardiac thrombosis, should receive anticoagulation prophylaxis. Prognosis depends on cardiac dimensions and ejection fraction at the time of presentation. PPCM is a rare but potentially life threatening disease. It is responsible for 4% of maternal deaths. Early diagnosis and treatment is important to improve the morbidity and prevent mortality in young females. Even with effective treatment, PPCM may lead to rapid clinical deterioration and even death. ISOLATED INTESTINAL PERFORATION AND NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS: A COMPARISON OF CASE PRESENTATION AND MANAGEMENT Aaron Beckwith1, Lindsay Beckwith2, and Lesli Taylor, MD3 1Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, and 2Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 3Department of Pediatric Surgery, Johnson City Medical Center and Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN Spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are gastrointestinal complications that typically occur in very low birth weight and extremely low birth weight premature infants. Spontaneous intestinal perforation is a single intestinal perforation usually found at the terminal ileum of premature infants, but has also been reported in the jejunum and colon. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a disorder manifested by ischemic necrosis of the intestinal mucosa and is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in the newborn infant. These two conditions result in significant morbidity and mortality, which can be markedly reduced by early identification and treatment. Since the management of these two disorders may differ, it is important to distinguish between SIP and NEC. Spontaneous intestinal perforation is a separate clinical entity from necrotizing enterocolitis; NEC is the most severe gastrointestinal complication of premature infants. Therefore, the similar and contrasting elements of these two processes were investigated in three different cases (2 of SIP and 1 of NEC). After reviewing the cases it was concluded that the differentiation between the two disorders is usually based upon the clinical manifestations and abdominal radiographic findings, although there is considerable overlap between the two conditions. The management was also found to be similar, but differed depending on the severity of the disease. CREOG: TEACHING THE TEST Charles D. Cesare, Jr., M.D., Brooke Foulk, M.D., and Erica Smith, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine methods employed by residents and residency programs to ensure success while taking CREOG. Methods: A survey was created on surveymonkey.com. The survey was sent to OBGYN residents nationwide via email. The participants were given one week to complete the survey. The survey is ten questions long. The participants were asked to indicate their level of training. They were also asked if their program has a formal CREOG review and if they review for CREOG on their own time. If so, they were asked which methods they used for CREOG review and which methods they felt were most helpful. If they do not have a formal review, they were asked which methods they think will be helpful for the following year. The results from the survey were then analyzed statistically. Results: Participants of varying training levels participated in the survey. The statistical analysis demonstrates residents' current study behaviors for CREOG and what they found to be helpful. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 71 Also, the study will demonstrate how residency programs can help residents to be more successful on future exams. Conclusions: CREOG is the annual in-service exam for all levels of OBGYN residents. It is used to assess residents medical knowledge and to evaluate weakness in training. There is no standardized curriculum for CREOG review. The survey allows us to demonstrate current study practices and may offer solutions to improve performance in the future. GENERALIZED LYMPHADENOPATHY AS THE ONLY PRESENTING SIGN OF SECONDARY SYPHILIS Chemchirian Hrak, MD and Kuriacos Reena, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The objective of this presentation is to be aware of the various forms of presentation of syphilis. this is a case of a 22 year old male who presented with swelling in his neck and jaw. He denied any weight loss, fevers or chills. His vitals were normal and exam was significant for generalized lymphadenopathy varying in size from 1 to 3 cm with firm, rubbery consistency. Lab findings were significant for RPR titer 1:32, reactive FTA-ABS and negative HIV. CT scans confirmed physical findings along with periaortic lymph nodes without any mediastinal or mesenteric lymphadenopathy or hepatosplenomegaly. The diagnosis of secondary syphilis was made and on further questioning, patient admitted to practicing unsafe sex with multiple partners . He denied any oral or genital lesions or rash. Patient received 2.4 million units of intramuscular benzathine penicillin and shortly after the lymphadenopathy resolved with a repeat RPR of 1:16. Syphilis is a chronic infection caused by Treponema Pallidum, notorious for its many presentations often resembling other diseases. Recent statistics suggest incidence of about 3 cases per 100,000 with 64% occurring in homosexual or bisexual men. Primary syphilis is characterized by the chancre, a painless ulcerated lesion at the site of inoculation. Approximately 25% of patient with untreated primary syphilis will develop secondary syphilis which has a variety of presentations, among which is generalized lymphadenopathy. In most cases this feature is associated with other signs notably a characteristic rash. Patients often initially present with signs of secondary syphilis since the painless chancre may easily go unnoticed. Penicillin G remains the antibiotic therapy of choice against syphilis with excellent results even in most cases of tertiary syphilis. RECURRENT FEVERS WITHOUT AN INFECTIOUS SOURCE Michael Derrick1 and Demetrio Macariola, Jr., MD2, 1Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, and 2Department of Pediatrics, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Fever in a patient is typically attributed to an infectious etiology. However, patients with a periodic fever syndrome or an autoinflammatory disease may present with recurrent febrile episodes triggered by a wide range of events. In order to increase awareness in the medical community, one periodic fever syndrome will be explored through a case study of a five-year-old female with a two year history of fevers occurring every six to eight weeks. Recently, after an initial fever of 103ºF for one to two days, she complained of oro-anal blisters/ulcers which resulted in decreased oral intake. Physical exam revealed vesicles on her face and perianal area, crusted lesions on her lips, and dryness of her oral mucosa. She was admitted to the hospital for treatment of her suspected herpetic lesions with intravenous acyclovir and for her dehydration. Laboratory data during her hospital course revealed cold agglutinin titers, Epstein-Barr virus antibodies, antinuclear antibodies, Smith antibodies, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, and anti-double stranded DNA antibodies were within normal limits. Other lab results included thrombocytosis (825 K/uL) and leukocytosis (22.8 K/uL with 82% neutrophils and slight variant lymphocytes) in addition to an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (90 MM/HR), complement levels (C3-169 mg/dL, C4-60 mg/dL), and Immunoglobulin D level (IgD-549 mg/L). A previous IgD value from approximately two weeks before was also elevated at 579 mg/L. A herpes simplex virus culture was negative. Follow-up laboratory data used to verify diagnosis approximately one month from initial labs yielded elevated IgD (585 mg/L) 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 72 and Immunoglobulin A (IgA-10,830 mg/L) levels. The suspected diagnosis of Hyperimmunoglobulin D Syndrome (HIDS) was confirmed. In its classic form, HIDS is an autosomal recessive disorder due to a mutation in the mevalonate kinase gene. Diminished activity of this enzyme results in increased serum and urine levels of mevalonic acid. The direct relationship between the enzyme deficiency, increased levels of IgD (>141 mg/L or >100 U/mL), and episodic fevers has yet to be determined. Patients with HIDS typically experience their first febrile episode, which can last from three to seven days, at less than one year old. Episodic symptoms can include cervical lymphadenopathy, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, apthous ulcers, macular-papular or petechial rash, arthralgias or arthritis, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly. Lab studies reveal persistently elevated IgD and, commonly, IgA levels. Additionally, acute phase reactants increase during an episode. Severe episodes may also reveal increased urinary mevalonic acid levels. An increased awareness and understanding of such a periodic fever syndrome and its presentation can aid with correctly diagnosing affected patients. ADULT ONSET HENOCH SCHONLEIN PURPURA Warit Jithpratuck, M.D.1, Yasmin Elshenawy, M.D.2, George Youngberg, M.D.3, and Guha Krishnaswamy, M.D.1, 1Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Case 1: A 56 year old man presented with a 2 week duration history of a worsening skin eruption over the lower extremities. This was accompanied by crampy lower abdominal pain and hematuria. No fever, weight loss, diaphoresis, or arthralgia were noted. He denied a history of a preceding upper respiratory infection. Examination of the patient demonstrated a palpable purpuric rash over the lower extremities. Urinalysis revealed protein > 100 mg/dl and moderate blood (6 rbc/hpf). Other laboratory results were negative/normal, including hepatitis testing and serologies, with the exception of a serum IgA elevation of 787 IU/ml(70-400). A skin biopsy showed an inflammatory infiltrate around superficial blood vessels with associated nuclear dust and focal fibrinoid necrosis, consistent with leukocytoclastic vasculitis, accompanied by deposition of IgA on vascular walls on direct immunofluorescent staining. Case 2: A 57 year old African American man presented with a one week duration blistering rash on both ankles ascending to his groin area, and involving his hands. This was associated with swelling in both hands and feet without any abdominal pain or upper respiratory tract infection. Examination revealed edema and a vesiculobullous rash in both hands and feet. Urinalysis revealed hematuria with 3 rbc/hpf and proteinuria >300 mg/dl. Spot urine protein-creatinine ratio was 3.7 which confirmed the diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome. Other laboratory results were unremarkable, including hepatitis testing and serologies, with the exception of an elevated CRP level of 220 mg/L(0-9.9). A skin biopsy and renal biopsy were obtained. The skin biopsy revealed the presence of a perivascular inflammatory infiltrate in the superficial dermal blood vessels, with nuclear dust and focal fibrinoid necrosis, consistent with leukocytoclastic vasculitis, accompanied by the deposition of IgA on vascular walls detected by direct immunofluorescent staining. Renal biopsy revealed focal segmental endocapillary proliferation with positive immunofluorescence testing for mesangial IgA. These findings are consistent with adult-onset Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP), a rare disorder compared to its more frequent occurrence in children. Adults with HSP carry a different prognosis, and the development of hematuria may be a harbinger for more serious complications such as nephritic, nephrotic syndrome. HSP is a small vessel vasculitis mediated by IgA immune complex deposition and characterized by the clinical tetrad of non-thrombocytopenic palpable purpura, abdominal pain, arthritis and renal involvement. Ninety percent of cases occur in children with a favorable outcome. Only 3.4 to 14.3 cases per million are reported in adults, with a different natural course compared to children. These adult cases illustrate the importance of keeping Henoch-Schonlein purpura in the differential diagnosis in adult patients who present with purpura rash and renal involvement. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 73 RELATIONSHIP OF VITAMIN D STATUS TO CARDIAC VALVULAR DISEASE IN VETERANS Joshi, H., Bailey, B., and Peiris, A.N., Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Vitamin D deficiency has reached pandemic proportions and has been closely linked to coronary and peripheral vascular disease. Moreover, vitamin D replacement may play a role in improving ejection fraction with the potential to influence cardiac valvular function. To investigate this relationship further we studied 32 veterans without a diagnosis of coronary artery disease. A retrospective study evaluated veterans with both a 25(OH) D determination and an echocardiogram. The echocardioraphic parameters were identified through chart review. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly "(P< 0.05)" associated with mitral insufficiency, aortic sclerosis and pulmonary hypertension as shown in the table below. Mitral Regurgitation % Vitamin D deficient Absent 23 Present* 56 Aortic Sclerosis % Vitamin D deficient Absent 32 Present* 61 Pulmonary Hypertension % Vitamin D deficient Absent 32 Present * 67 * is P<0.05. To our knowledge, this represents a novel association between vitamin D deficiency, cardiac valvular function and pulmonary Hypertension. The possibility of modulating cardiac valvular structure and function through achieving a vitamin D replete state is an exciting area for future research. Affiliation: Mountain Home VA and ETSU Departments of Internal Medicine and Family Medicine A CASE OF A WRONGLY TAKEN ‘PERC’ Hetvi Joshi, MD, Somi Rikhye, MD, and Reena Kuriacose, MD, FACP, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN INTRODUCTION: Accidental intra-arterial Oxycodone injection leading to loss of an extremity. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Abuse of intravenous drugs can be complicated by accidental intra arterial injection leading to thrombus formation and subsequent loss of limb. CASE: A 35 years old female with past history of IV drug abuse presented to the ER with acute onset of pain, tingling and numbness in the right upper extremity, after attempting to inject IV Oxycodone. On examination the right hand was tender, pale, cold, radial artery pulsation was present but without capillary refill. Mobility of the hand was restricted. Brachial, radial, ulnar and deep superficial palmer arch pulses were present on Doppler. Patient was given IV fluids, IV heparin, steroids, analgesics, nitroglycerin paste and measures to keep the hand warm. Fasciotomy was done the day after admission for compartment syndrome. Blood cultures grew Streptococcus Mitis and Streptococcus Salivaris in one set each and vancomycin was given. Patient was discharged on day 8 on plavix and followed up with the surgeon. The forearm developed marbling and mottling, with black discoloration and atrophy of the tips of digits. After 15 days of the triggering event, patient underwent below elbow amputation. Pathology confirmed ischemic necrosis. DISCUSSION: It is well known that IV drug abuse can cause many local and systemic complications. Accidental intra-arterial injection can also cause its own problems leading to limb ischemia presenting with acute pain distal to the injection site, inability to move fingers, loss of sensations, edema with variable amount of cyanosis, marbling of the skin, compartment syndrome and infection. Treatment is targeted to control the pain and vasospasm, promote vasodilatation, restore blood flow and prevent thrombosis. In one study during the period of 2002-2006, 15 of the 24 patients involved underwent amputation despite adequate medical and surgical management. It is important to recognize inadvertent intra-arterial IV drug injection as a cause of limb ischemia, to be prompt in treatment and to consider amputation when required to prevent further deterioration and possible death of the patient. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 74 INCIDENCE OF HPV VACCINATION IN EAST TENNESSEE POPULATION Jessica Keller, D.O. and Martin Olsen, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson city, TN More than 9700 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year, resulting in about 3700 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. Approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers are by HPV types 16 or 18. The Merk-manufactured vaccine, Gardasil, is a three-shot series that provides protection against four prominent HPV types: 16 and 18, as well as 6 and 11, which are responsible for approximately 90% of genital warts. The ACOG Committee on Adolescent Health Care and the ACOG Working Group on Immunization recommend the vaccination of females aged 9 - 26 years against HPV. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of HPV vaccination in 18 - 26 year old females at East Tennessee State University Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic. Experimental Design, Methods, and Results - At East Tennessee State University Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic, 18 - 26 year old female subjects were given a 6 question anonymous survey during their visit. The first question asked if they had received the Gardasil series. The second question asked if they were offered the Gardasil series. Four additional questions were asked to gather more information. Who offered the Gardasil series? How did you hear about Gardasil? If you received Gardasil, were there any side effects? If you refused, what was the reason for refusing?. The survey was conducted over a 3 month period. Conclusions - This study serves as a quality control measure for the clinic. The incidence of vaccination at ETSU OB/GYN will be compared with national data. We expect to benefit from an awareness of any deficiency in offering and administering HPV vaccinations to patients. URINALYSIS: TO CULTURE OR NOT TO CULTURE Rebecca C. McCowan, D.O., Erica L. Smith, M.D., and Brooke E. Foulk, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the common practice of when physicians send urine samples for culture based on urinalysis results performed during pregnancy. Methods: A survey of eight questions was created on surveymonkey.com. The survey was sent to ob/gyn residents, fellows, and attendings nationwide via email. The participants were given two weeks to complete the survey. The first question asked the participants to indicate their level of training. The remaining questions presented sample urinalysis results from an asymptomatic pregnant patient. The participants were asked to determine if they would send each urinalysis sample for culture. These questions were answered in the yes or no format. The results from the survey were then analyzed statistically. Results:Participants of varying training levels participated in the survey. The statistical analysis will demonstrate current patterns in interpretation of urinalysis results. It will also demonstrate the common practice of when physicians send a urinalysis for culture in asymptomatic pregnant patients. The statistical analysis will also allow us to evaluate the difference in practice among training levels. Conclusions: Bacteriuria occurs in 2 to 7 percent of pregnancies. It has been associated with an increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and perinatal mortality. The diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria should be based on culture results of a urine specimen. Better guidelines need to be developed to dictate when a urine sample should be sent for culture in an asymptomatic pregnant patient. The survey allows us to demonstrate the current practices of physicians in their interpretation of urinalysis results, when physicians send a urine sample for culture, and if their training level influences their practice. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 75 DYSGEUSIA AS A PRESENTING SYMPTOM OF BRAIN METASTASIS Adam L. Sipe, MS31, Lance Klostermann, MD2, and Bhuvana Guha, MD3, 1Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State university, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Radiology/Interventional Radiology, Mountain Home Veterans Administration Hospital, Mountain Home, TN, and 3Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, , Johnson City, TN Metastatic disease to the brain usually presents with common symptoms such as headache, vomiting or neurological deficits. Occasionally functional defects may be a presenting symptom, depending on the location of the metastatic lesion. Taste is detected by nerve pathways traveling from 4 types of taste bud cells located on the tongue. The impulses travel via the VIIth, IXth, and the Xth cranial nerves, that pass through the medial lemniscus to terminate in the posterior medial ventral nucleus of the thalamus. In general, the chorda tympani branch of the facial nerve (VII) carries taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue while the glossopharyngeal (IX) carries taste from the posterior third. Fibers may also spread to the frontal cortex, the amygdala and the hippocampus. This is sometimes referred to as the trigeminal-ponsbrainstem-facial nerve pathway. Lesions along this pathway or certain drugs and nutrient deficiencies can induce altered taste perception- which can present as either altered taste (dysgeusia) or no taste (ageusia). We report on a 59 year old male patient who presented with recent onset dysgeusia. Surprisingly, he denied headaches, fever or weight loss. The patient’s records, physical findings as well as the radiological manifestations were appropriately recorded. A Mini Mental Status Examination was carried out as was a careful evaluation of the cranial nerves. Blood levels for folic acid and zinc were also measured. Vision, hearing and touch were evaluated as well with no significant findings, while dysgeusia was present and demonstrable. Due to worsening neurological symptoms such as progressive loss of memory, the patient was referred to the hospital, where magnetic resononace imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated multiple lesions consistent with metastatic disease. In searching for a primary focus, computerized tomography of the chest was carried out-this demonstrated a possible primary lesion in the lingular lobe of the left lung. Biopsy confirmed non-small cell lung cancer. The patient is currently undergoing radiation therapy and has responded to therapy. Dysgeusia when combined with even subtle neurological symptoms such as memory impairment need aggressive evaluation. Even though the prognosis is poor for this patient, early diagnosis may improve quality of life and influence palliation and terminal decision making for the patient and the family. Simple bedside tests, a high degree of suspicion combined with appropriate radiological or invasive procedures (tissue biopsy) can rapidly yield the diagnosis in these cases. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN THE ERA OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS - A RESIDENT SIMULATION Erica L. Smith, M.D. and Martin E. Olsen, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN The purpose of this exercise is to improve understanding of current guidelines for ethical behavior among physicians and to discuss physician responsibility when using electronic communications. Methods: Residents were engaged in a patient simulation where the patient’s chief complaint was vaginal pain. The patient reports that she is postpartum day 21 and upon further questioning the patient volunteers that her pain began 4 days earlier after her friend brought to her attention a posting on a social networking site. The posting included a picture of the patient’s infant in the arms of a medical student with the caption “The first baby I delivered”. The patient informs the resident that she did not give consent for the picture to be taken and would have refused a medical student’s involvement in the delivery if she had realized this would happen. The residents were then expected to manage both the patient encounter and proceed with appropriate actions to remove the picture from the social networking site. A survey of Obstetrics and Gynecology residents, attendings, and medical students was conducted. The participants were obtained by circulating a link to the survey through obstetrics and gynecology coordinators. The survey was then posted on surveymonkey.com. The participants were asked to indicate their level of training, if their program had a policy on electronic communications, and then determine if the presented postings were appropriate to be posted on social networking site. After one month, the survey was collected and the data analyzed. The resident and student responses were compared using Fisher’s exact test and two tailed p values. A 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 76 significant p value was determined to be <0.05. Results and Conclusions: Participants of varying training levels participated in both the survey and the simulation. After the simulation, performance was assessed in a debriefing session. Current guidelines at our institution were discussed and contrasted with those set forth by other institutions. Resident and student responses to the survey were then analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. Three questions were found to have significantly different answers with p values <0.05. In all three instances medical students were more likely to respond that the post was inappropriate. With the growth of the electronic community, physician behavior while online becomes more important. Studies have shown that medical schools and their students are using social media. The need to educate future professionals about the appropriate use of social networking sites is clearly demonstrated both with the resident and student answers to the sample posts on networking sites exhibited in the survey. The three significant values demonstrate that perhaps medical schools are beginning to address conduct on social networking sites, but further education is necessary and needs to be continued into residency training. A CASE REPORT OF A PATIENT WITH CHRONIC GRANULOMATOUS DISEASE AND MANNOSE-BINDING LECTIN DEFICIENCY 1 Eunkyung Song1, Gayatri Jaishankar1, Emma Peiris2, Michelle Altrich3, and Guha Krishnaswamy4, Department of Pediatrics, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 3ViraCor Laboratories, Missouri, and 4Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Rationale: CGD is characterized by recurrent life-threatening infections with bacterial and/or fungal pathogens and granuloma formation. This is caused by defects in the phagocyte NADPH oxidase systems. Deficiency of MBL caused by mutations in the coding part of the MBL2 gene is associated with increased risk and severity of infections and autoimmunity. Combined deficiencies of MBL and NADPH oxidase have not been described commonly, and we report one such case. Methods: The patient records were reviewed, and laboratory data collected. Genetic mutation analysis for MBL2 gene was done at IBT laboratory while CGD mutation analysis is pending. Results: A 2 y/o Caucasian male presents with an intermittent fever for several weeks with an enlarging blister in the right anterolateral thigh. The patient had a history of recurrent pneumonias. Chest CT demonstrated prominent interstitial markings with pulmonary nodules. Lung Biopsy revealed multifocal nodular necrotizing granulomas. Neutrophil Oxidative Burst Test was consistent with X-linked CGD (Patient 14.3/Control 1375.5). The serum level of MBL was 25ng/mL (N=>500). MBL genetic analysis showed LXPA/LYPB (the latter being the defective haplotype). Elevated CRP and polyclonal hyperglobulinemia were consistent with previous report in CGD. The patient was treated with itraconazole, bactrim and interferon gamma with consistent improvement. Conclusions: The role of MBL deficiency in this patient with severe necrotizing granulomatous disease of the lung is unclear. However it seems likely that MBL defects will contribute to worse infections in patients with phagocyte malfunction. The true prevalence of MBL defect in CGD needs to be studied. CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF A PATIENT WITH CELIAC DISEASE AND RHINOSINUSITIS: A CASE REPORT Sara Wilgenbusch1, Karthik Venkataraman2, Shivram Kumar2, George Youngberg3, and Guha Krishnaswamy2, 1Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2 Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, and 3Department of Pathology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Celiac disease is an immune-mediated enteropathy triggered in individuals with a genetic predisposition. In patients with celiac disease, tissue transglutaminase binds to gliadin derived peptides at the gut level and deamidates certain glutamine residues in these peptides. The antigen presenting cells that express HLA DQ2 or DQ8 then present the gliadin- tissue transglutaminase complexes to the CD4+ T cells. The T cells 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 77 help activate B cells to produce antibodies against the gliadin and tissue transglutaminase antigens through epitope spreading. The inflammatory response causes proximal small intestine mucosal damage including villi blunting and lymphocytic infiltration. The gold standard test of confirmation of celiac disease is loss of symptoms and restoration of villi following removal of dietary gluten products. Patients diagnosed with celiac disease present with abdominal pain, weight loss, diarrhea, and nutritional deficiencies. In this case presentation, a 33 year-old woman presented with symptoms consistent with celiac disease and chronic rhinosinusitis. We believe this case report to be the first to link celiac disease with rhinosinusitis and suggest there may be a correlation in an innate immune deficiency causing presentation of both disease processes. This retrospective case report was performed at the ETSU Physicians and Associates Medical Group. The patient’s file, lab test values, and biopsy samples from the proximal small intestine obtained for diagnostic purposes were reviewed for this report. The patient presented with abdominal pain, herpetiform lesions, rhinosinusitus, and aphthous ulcers. Laboratory tests indicate slight anemia, B1 deficiency and borderline iron deficiency. Serologic tests for celiac disease indicate elevated antigliadin IgG directed against gliadin, an immunogenic protein of gluten breakdown, and elevated tTg IgA directed against the autoantigen, tissue transglutaminase. Celiac Associated HLA-DQ typing reveals the presence of DQ Alpha 1 (0103, 0501 MCR) and DQ Beta 1 (0201, 0603 MCR), the genetic haplotypes represented serologically as DQ2, a marker for celiac disease. Pathology shows loss of proximal small intestine villi and increased lymphocyte infiltration suggesting gluten sensitive enteropathy. Following the removal of dietary gluten products, a follow-up proximal small intestine biopsy reveals no villi blunting and normal mucosa indicating no evidence of gluten sensitive enteropathy. The restoration of the intestinal mucosa following treatment confirms the diagnosis of celiac disease, as this is the gold standard diagnostic test. Also, the patient presents with recurrent sinus infection, and we believe this to be the first report to present rhinosinusitis secondary to celiac disease. Celiac disease is an immune-mediated process. Possibly, an underlying immune deficiency contributes to the concurrent development of the disease processes, or perhaps the celiac disease first presented as rhinosinusitis. Also, the presentation of aphthous ulcers and herpetiform lesions suggest an underlying immunologic cause linking the symptoms. We believe this report suggests a link between the clinical presentation of the autoimmune condition of celiac disease with chronic rhinosinusitis, which can be caused by autoimmune or immune deficient processes. Further studies and patient reports must be identified before a causative link can be established, but we believe this report may prove helpful for diagnosis of future patients. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 78 Oral Presentation Abstracts Biomedical Sciences FUNGI ARE FROM MARS, BACTERIA ARE FROM VENUS: A SCREEN FOR GENETIC MEDIATORS OF POLYMICROBIAL INTERACTIONS Sean Fox and Michael Kruppa, Department of Microbiology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Microorganisms inhabiting the human body outnumber human cells ten to one. Keeping this in mind, it is understandable that this large number of microorganisms, living in such close quarters, will unavoidably interact and communicate with each other. How these polymicrobial communities communicate has recently become of great interest to scientific research and medical treatment. However, our understanding of the pathways, genes, and molecules involved is severely limited. Our research is centered on bacterialfungal interactions, particularly those involving Candida albicans. The opportunistic polymorphic fungus, C. albicans, is frequently isolated as a hospital acquired infection, which causes severe disease in immunosuppressed individuals (i.e. AIDS patients, individuals undergoing cancer treatment). A key virulence trait of C. albicans is its unique ability to change morphology from a budding yeast to an invasive hyphae. A number of environmental factors control C. albicans morphological shift including a form of communication called quorum sensing (QS). QS in C. albicans is mediated through a molecule called farnesol, which prevents the ability of C. albicans to transition from a yeast to a hyphal form. In addition, bacteria produce a variety of QS molecules including homoserine lactones (Gram negatives) and peptides (Gram positive) that also can inhibit C. albicans filamentation. We therefore hypothesize that C. albicans has mechanisms in place that recognize and respond to these bacterial metabolites. To address this, a C. albicans transposon insertion library, consisting of 18,144 C. albicans strains, was screened for candidates that filament in the presence of three bacterial species (Staphyloccous aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli). From the genetic screen, 836 candidates filamented in the presence of bacteria. Of these, 295 (35.3%) filamented in the presence of all three bacterial species, suggesting that there are common genetic elements that C. albicans uses to communicate with multiple bacterial species that affect its ability to filament. In addition, 271 (32.4%) candidates filamented in the presence of two of the three bacterial strains and 270 (32.3%) in the presence of only one of the three bacterial strains. This could indicate that there are other specific pathways that C. albicans uses with some bacterial strains that regulate its ability to filament. We have sequenced 68 of the candidates and from the Candida Genome Database have identified 36 different genes. The insertion sites fell into five different categories: 1) within a promoter, 2) within a divergent promoter, 3) within a protein coding gene, 4) within a non-protein coding gene, and 5) within a non-coding functional region of the genome. Results from our research may aid in the understanding of interspecies communication, control of C. albicans virulence, and lead to new targets for antimicrobial pharmaceuticals. THE VANADYL RIBONUCLEOSIDE COMPLEX INHIBITS RIBOSOME SYNTHESIS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI A. D. Frazier and W. S. Champney, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Background: Ribosome biosynthesis is an antibiotic target in E. coli cells. Ribosome formation requires ribonuclease processing of immature RNAs. It was shown that an RNase inhibitor, vanadyl ribonucleoside complex (VRC), acts to increase antibiotic sensitivity of wild type E. coli cells by promoting ribosome assembly inhibition. Methods: E. coli cells were grown in broth in the presence or absence of 5mM VRC or with paromomycin or azithromycin at 5µg/mL. Ribosome synthesis was measured by sucrose gradient centrifugation of 3H-uridine labeled cell lysates. Translation was measured by 3H-amino acid incorporation 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 79 and cell viability was determined by colony counting. Results: VRC did not affect protein synthesis rates when used alone or in combination with either of the two antibiotics. VRC was found to inhibit 30S and 50S ribosomal subunit synthesis alone and was found to potentiate the inhibitory effects of aminoglycoside and macrolide antibiotics. Growth with paromomycin led to a 30% inhibition of 50S subunit synthesis in wild type E. coli cells. In the presence of paromomycin and VRC, 50S assembly decreased by 70%. Growth with VRC and paromomycin caused 30S assembly to decrease by 57%. VRC and azithromycin reduced 50S assembly in E. coli cells by 72% compared with a 57% reduction in 50S subunits in cells treated with azithromycin alone. The VRC effects on subunit assembly inhibition seems to be additive with the effects of the antimicrobials alone. Conclusion: The RNase inhibitor, vanadyl ribonucleoside complex, inhibits ribosomal subunit assembly and potentiates the inhibitory effects of aminoglycosides and macrolides on ribosome synthesis in E. coli. CONTRIBUTION OF ACIDOSIS TO ANTI-PNEUMOCOCCAL FUNCTIONS OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN Toh B. Gang, Sanjay K. Singh, David J. Hammond, Donald A. Ferguson Jr., and Alok Agrawal, Departments of Pharmacology and Microbiology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN C-reactive protein (CRP) protects mice from lethality following infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. It is assumed that CRP functions through a pathway in which CRP binds to phosphocholine groups present on the pneumococcal cell wall, the liganded CRP activates the complement system, and bacteremia is reduced by complement-dependent lysis of the pathogen. This pathway, however, does not fully explain the mechanism of CRP-mediated killing of pneumococci because pneumococci are able to recruit factor H on their surface to escape attack by complement. Factor H is an inhibitor of complement activation which normally protects host cells from complement attack. The aim of this study was to investigate whether, under certain conditions, CRP can mask the inhibitory effect of factor H. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of pH 5.0 on the binding of fluid-phase CRP to immobilized factor H because acidic pH is a component of the sites of inflammation and abscesses. First, we found that pH 5.0 by itself was not bactericidal. Second, CRP did not bind to factor H at pH 7.0, but, at pH 5.0, CRP efficiently bound to factor H. Third, the phosphocholine-binding property of CRP was retained at pH 5.0. These findings raise the possibility that if factor H is deposited on pneumococci and if the pH of the surrounding environment is acidic, then CRP can bind to factor H and facilitate complement-dependent lysis of otherwise complementresistant factor H-coated pneumococci. We propose that the factor H-binding capability of CRP at acidic pH may contribute to anti-pneumococcal functions of CRP. THE TRANSLOCATION OF OVER EXPRESSED ERBB2 IN POLARIZED EPITHELIAL CELLS Julie Kirkham and Daniel Asongwe, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN ErbB2 is a growth factor normally present in human cells, and its functions are associated with numerous developmental processes and tissue repair. In healthy cells, ErbB2 is mainly found on the basolateral membrane, and cells undergo normal cell growth, proliferation, and death. However, in cancer cells, ErbB2 becomes over expressed and begins to translocate to the apical membrane. The presence of ErbB2 on the apical membrane is associated with later stage malignancies, thus poorer prognosis. This translocation also results in altered cell signalling creating both an increase in cancer cell proliferation and cancer cell survival. However, the mechanism by which this translocation occurs is not known. Current therapy, such as Herceptin, can easily target basolateral ErbB2, and is of limited use in advanced stage breast cancer. It has been hypothesized that Herceptin, an antibody that binds the extracellular domain of ErbB2, is unable to reach apical ErbB2. Unveiling of the translocation mechanism may lead to new therapy strategies. The hypothesis is that ErbB2 proteins first dock on to the basolateral membrane before translocating to the 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 80 apical. This experiment was designed using polarized CaCo2 and MDCK cells, transfected with human full length ErbB2 cDNA clone. The polarized, transfected cells were then biotinylated on the basolateral membrane. At this point, the apical membrane was exposed to a mouse antibody against ErbB2, which then binds all apical ErbB2 such that only ErbB2 proteins which were first expressed on the basolateral membrane then translocated to the apical membrane contain both binders. The cells were lysed and the lysates were exposed to anti-mouse antibodies attached to magnetic beads in order to bind the apical ErbB2, as all apical ErbB2 possesses the mouse antibody. A magnet was used to immunoprecipitate the apical ErbB2. The immunoprecipitates were then analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot. Since streptavidin strongly binds biotin, it was added to show the presence of biotin at 185 kD, which is the molecular weight of ErbB2. To confirm the presence of ErbB2, the membrane was stripped and reprobed with an antibody against ErbB2. The results show the presence streptavidin-biotin bound ErbB2 bands at 185 kD, as well as confirmation of these results using anti-ErbB2 on the same membrane. These results suggest that in the process of ErbB2 transport to the apical membrane, ErbB2 first appears on the basolateral membrane and is then translocated. Based on this information, the over expression of ErbB2 may cause the basolateral membrane to become saturated forcing ErbB2 to translocate. Early detection of over expression of ErbB2 in neoplastic cells by analysis of the localization of the receptor and its differential signaling, may lead to better treatment therapies. CANNABINOID RECEPTOR TYPE 2 (CB2) DEFICIENCY ALTERS ATHEROSCLEROTIC LESIONS IN MICE Courtney D. Netherland, Theresa G. Pickle, Alicia Bales, and Douglas P. Thewke, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Macrophage apoptosis is an important process in atherosclerosis having differing roles dependent upon the stage of the disease. Macrophage apoptosis slows lesion formation early on, while contributing to plaque instability in advanced stages. CB2, the primary macrophage cannabinoid receptor, is present in atherosclerotic lesions and known to modulate macrophage processes associated with ongoing atherosclerosis in vitro. In mice, some cannabinoids induce regression of atherosclerosis via CB2-dependent mechanisms. Still, the function of CB2 receptors in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis is unclear. We observed that macrophages lacking CB2 receptors are resistant to apoptosis induced by oxidized low density lipoproteins, a potent apoptotic inducer within atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, we hypothesized that CB2 influences atherosclerosis, in part, by modulating lesional apoptosis. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effects of systemic CB2 gene deletion on atherosclerotic lesion formation and lesional apoptosis in low density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr) null mice. Methods and results: CB2 null mice were mated with Ldlr null mice to produce CB2/Ldlr double knockout mice. At 8-weeks of age, groups (n≥8) of male CB2-/-/Ldlr-/- (CB2-/-) and CB2+/+/Ldlr-/- (control) mice were fed a high fat, high cholesterol diet for 8 or 12 weeks. Evaluation of serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as lipoprotein profiles, revealed no differences between CB2/- and control groups. Computer-assisted morphometric analysis of aortic root serial cross sections stained with oil-red O showed no difference in the mean size of atherosclerotic lesions in CB2−/− and control mice after 8 or 12 weeks on the atherogenic diet. Immunohistochemical staining of macrophage and smooth muscle cell (SMC) markers showed no significant difference between control and CB2−/− lesions after 8 weeks, however; after 12 weeks, CB2−/− lesions displayed significantly increased macrophage (86.6±4.1 vs 75.2±7.5%, P < 0.05) and SMC content (11.1±5.1 vs 4.2±2.4%, P < 0.05) compared to controls. In situ TUNEL analysis revealed equivalent apoptosis in early lesions of both groups, but a 2-fold reduction in apoptosis in more advanced lesions of CB2−/− mice. Additional histochemical staining revealed reduced collagen content and increased elastin fiber fragmentation in CB2−/− lesions after 12 weeks, which was associated with a significant increase (~57%) in matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) levels. Zymography confirmed that CB2−/− macrophages secrete ~1.8-fold more MMP9 activity than control macrophages. Conclusions: Systemic CB2 deficiency in Ldlr null mice reduces lesional apoptosis, increases macrophage and SMC content and alters the ECM of more advanced lesions without affecting their size. These results imply that CB2 may be a novel target for therapies aimed at stabilizing advanced rupture-prone atherosclerotic lesions. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 81 A DOSE-RESPONSE ANALYSIS OF NICOTINE LOCOMOTOR SENSITIZATION AND ACCUMBAL DOPAMINE OVERFLOW IN ADOLESCENT RATS NEONATALLY TREATED WITH QUINPIROLE Marla K. Perna1 and Russell Brown2, 1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University. Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University. Johnson City, TN Studies from our laboratory have shown that neonatal quinpirole treatment produces long-term increases in sensitivity of dopamine D2-like receptors, consistent with psychosis. Individuals suffering from psychosis are four times more likely to smoke cigarettes than the normal population, and nicotine use typically begins in adolescence. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were given a single daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of either quinpirole (1mg/kg) or saline from P1-21. All animals were habituated to a locomotor arena prior to behavioral testing (P30-32). For locomotor sensitization, rats were given an i.p. injection of either saline or nicotine (0.3, 0.5 or 0.7 mg/kg free base) every other day from P33-49. Rats neonatally treated with quinpirole and administered nicotine, regardless of dose, demonstrated more robust locomotor activity as compared to rats neonatally treated with saline. There were several sex differences that were revealed including a more robust response to the 0.3 mg/kg dose of nicotine in adolescent males neonatally treated with quinprole, and males neonatally treated with quinpirole also demonstrated a more robust acute locomotor response to the 0.5 mg/kg dose of nicotine. Male and female rats neonatally treated with quinpirole and given the 0.7 mg/kg dose of nicotine demonstrated a significant increase in the locomotor response to nicotine as compared to rats neonatally treated with saline and given the same dose of nicotine after initial administration at P33 as well as after subchronic administration at P49. One week after behavioral testing, microdialysis probes were surgically implanted into the nucleus accumbens (Acb) core and dialysate levels were collected following systemic administration of either nicotine (using a cumulative dose curve) or saline. Preliminary microdialysis data shows robust systemic nicotine induced increases in accumbal dopamine concentration in rats neonatally treated with quinpirole versus rats neonatally treated with saline. These results suggest that an increased propensity for nicotine abuse in this population may be due to increased dopaminergic activity in the nucleus accumbens, which may lead to increased positive reinforcement as a result of nicotine use in this population. ANAPHYLACTIC REACTIONS TO OLIGOSACCHARIDES: A NEW AND EVOLVING SYNDROME Hana Saleh and Guha Krishnaswamy; Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN INTRODUCTION: Allergic responses have traditionally been considered as secondary to IgE responses to protein antigens. However, Chung et al recently reported on anaphylactic reactions to cetuximab, related to IgE response directed towards galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), an oligosaccharide also present in beef, pork and lamb. In many cases, historical evidence of tick/chigger bites has been reported. Here we report on a 48-year old Caucasian male with presumed anaphylactic reactions to alpha-gal. METHODS: The patient records were reviewed, and laboratory data collected. A PubMed search was conducted with MeSH terms: Beef, pork, allergy, anaphylaxis and galactosyl-(1,3) galactose. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The patient presented with 2-year history of delayed recurrent urticarial eruptions and dyspnea after red meat ingestion, requiring steroids. These followed tick/chigger bites. Total IgE was elevated at 208 U/mL (N=<100). RAST demonstrated low-level positivity to pork and beef (surprisingly) but showed strong reactions to lamb, peanut, soy and alpha-gal (33.00 IU/mL, with normal <0.35: 4+). Tryptase levels were in the normal range. The patient now avoids red meat products, and his symptoms seem to be well controlled. A review of the world literature demonstrated 24 reported cases in the United States and 49 other cases elsewhere. This patient represents a true case of anaphylactic reactions to beef mediated predominantly by IgE to alpha-gal, an oligosaccharide. Uniquely our patient had low levels of specific IgE to beef and pork, foods responsible for most of his allergic symptoms. This suggests that a population of allergic individuals might respond to alpha-gal rather than meat proteins. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 82 COMPARISON OF POSTMORTEM VITREOUS HUMOR ETHYL GLUCURONIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN HUMANS AND SPRAGUE DAWLEY RATS FOLLOWING INGESTIONS OF ETHANOL Wright, Trista H. and Ferslew, Kenneth E., Department of Pharmacology, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City TN Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a minor ethanol (Et) metabolite that confirms the absorption and metabolism of Et after oral or dermal exposure. Human data suggests maximum blood EtG concentrations are reached between 3.5 and 5.5 hours post oral Et administration (Hosieth, 2007). Keten et. al. (2009) determined that vitreous humor EtG (VHEtG) was detectable in 19 postmortem cases by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and that there may be a relationship between VHEtG and urine EtG (UEtG) concentrations. Our study was undertaken to determine if EtG is detectable in the VH of the Sprague Dawley (SD) rat, as well as, the onset and magnitude of VHEtG detection after a single high oral Et dose. Blood, urine, and VH were analyzed for Et by gas chromatography and EtG by enzyme immunoassay. Preliminary investigation was performed using female, SD rats gavaged with a high dose of Et (4g/kg) followed by euthanization from 0.25 to 3 hours post Et administration. While Et was detectable in blood, urine and VH within 0.25 hours of administration of Et, VHEtG was first detected at 1 hour post administration of the high dose of Et and not consistently detected over the duration of the experiment with a limit of detection of 15 ng equivalents/mL. Based on preliminary findings in the female SD rats, thirty male SD rats were gavaged a high Et dose (4g/kg) and placed in metabolic cages to determine the onset and magnitude of EtG distribution into VH and the extent of Et to EtG biotransformation and urinary excretion. The frequency of positive VHEtG concentrations in rats increased as Et was biotransformed to EtG after a single oral ethanol dose, resulting in positive VHEtG concentrations in 2 of 6 after 1 hour, 4 of 6 after 2 hours and 6 of 6 after 3 hours. Maximum blood Et (BEt), urine Et (UEt), and vitreous humor Et (VHEt) concentrations were reached at 2 hours while maximum BEtG, UEtG, and VHEtG were reached after 6, 4, and 3 hours, respectively. BEt, UEt, and VHEt concentrations were 243 ± 18 mg/dL, 255 ± 44 mg/dL, and 250 ± 30 mg/dL while BEtG, UEtG, and VHEtG concentrations were 1038 ± 344 ng equivalents/mL, 774 ± 251 ng equivalents/mL, and 80 ± 18 mg equivalents/dL (X ± SEM). We analyzed 25 autopsy cases for Et and EtG. Our autopsy and rodent data were then compared with the data by Keten to determine if there was a relationship between biological EtG concentrations and consequently the ability to predict EtG concentrations in unavailable postmortem specimens. Our data corroborates previous blood and urine EtG pharmacokinetic studies (Kharbouche, 2010; Wright, 2010) and has shown the SD rat to be a viable investigative model for postmortem toxicology of EtG. Natural Sciences & Math and Social & Behavioral Sciences BRIDGED SILSESQUIOXANES AS PROSPECTIVE ADSORBENTS FOR CO 2 CAPTURE Guannan Zhou, Ojo Kolada, and Aleksey Vasiliev, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciecnes, East Tennessee State University, TN The work is devoted to development of novel highly efficient adsorbents for post-combustion capture of greenhouse gases from industrial sources. Existing technologies are based on absorption of carbon dioxide by monoethanolamine solutions. However, capacity of such absorption units is relatively low while cost of regeneration is high due to high heat capacity of such solutions. Solid mesoporous adsorbents are more attractive materials for CO2 capture, however to present time adsorbents with sufficiently high adsorption capacity on CO2 were not reported. Incorporation of large contents of organic phase containing adsorption sites for CO2 resulted in collapse of mesoporous structure and formation of useless non-porous solids. We increased the stability of mesoporous structure of such silica hybrid materials by use of bridged 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 83 trialkoxysilanes for the materials synthesis. These trialkoxysilanes have a secondary or terciary amino group in the bridge able to serve as adsorption sites for CO2 and provide high adsorption capacity of obtained materials while their bridged structure prevents loss of porosity. The adsorbents were obtained by catalytic polycondensation of trialkoxysilanes in presence of surfactants. On these adsorbents, molecules of CO2 reversibly react with organic amine groups on a silica surface providing their retention in the filter. The effect of reaction conditions and catalyst on the characteristics of obtained materials was studied. Highly porous adsorbents were obtained at base-catalyzed polycondensation in the presence of surfactant. The chemical compositions of the materials were determined by elemental analysis, FT-IR and solid state NMR spectroscopy. It was confirmed that they contain covalently bonded both organic and inorganic phases. Splitting of signals in NMR spectra proved a conformational heterogeneity of the structure. Studies of the adsorbents by programmed thermodesorption method with MS spectrometry showed that CO2 eliminates from the adsorption sites in the range 65-110ºC while the materials remain stable up to 250ºC. Porosity studies using N2 adsorption confirmed mesoporous structure. It is interesting that the adsorbent with tertiary amino groups has a higher pore volume. It might be attributed to their lower ability to form hydrogen bonds. Average particle size of the adsorbents depended on the catalyst nature. In all experiments bimodal character of particle size distribution was observed. Studies of their structural characteristics by low-angle XRD showed two-level fractal structure. At the first structure level, mass fractals of 6.5-10.5 nm with rush surface are formed. On the second level they form aggregates into surface fractals of larger size. Expected large-scale application of the developed materials will result in reducing CO2 emissions from industry and transport. NOVEL MESOPOROUS ADSORBENTS ON THE BASE OF PILLARED CLAYS Mary Addy, Bradley Losey, and Aleksey Vasiliev, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Novel efficient adsorbents for clean-up of contaminated water from heavy metals are reported. The most common metals impacting Tennessee waters include mercury, iron, lead, etc. In particular, sections of ten rivers have been posted for dangerous levels of mercury. Conventional chemical treatment methods, including ion exchange, precipitation/filtration, oxidation/reduction, electrochemical recovery, membrane separation and other techniques, may be ineffective or uneconomical when the heavy metal ion concentrations in the polluted environment are in the range of 10-100 ppm or less. Thus, inorganic adsorbents able to immobilize heavy metal cations were extensively studied. Examples of such adsorbents are natural zeolites, phosphatic clays, hydroxyapatite or modified charcoal. However, inorganic surface complexes of heavy metals are relatively unstable and sensitive to pH. Another disadvantage is the necessity of large contact time of the solution with adsorbent that makes the process slow. More stable chelate complexes can be formed by some organic ligands such as EDTA. However, they are water-soluble and do not provide elimination of heavy metals from solution. We suggest using chelate ligands immobilized on the surface of solid porous materials, such as clays, that combine insolubility of heavy metals with high stability of surface metal complexes. We used montmorillonite and kaoline as starting materials for synthesis of the adsorbents. Natural clays have small micropores that limits their modification by bulky organic molecules. Using pillaring technique the clays were converted to mesopores with significantly higher pore volume. The pillaring by ferric oxide and silicon oxide was carried out by treatment of clays by Fe(NO3)3+Na2CO3 solution and Si(OC2H5)4, respectively. Then the clays were treated by the ligand N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine triacetic acid. The pillared clays showed much higher capacity on the ligand. Thus, contents of the ligand immobilized on non-modified clays did not exceed 0.5% while pillaring by ferric oxide increases this amount to 2-3%. However, the most effective pillaring was carried out by silicon oxide: obtained adsorbents contained 12-15% of the ligand. Increase of the pore volume was confirmed by N2 adsorption. Study of the modified clays by Thermogravimetric Analysis showed their high thermostability. The adsorbent containing the highest contents of the ligand (silica-functionalized montmorrilonite) was tested in clean-up of water solutions of single heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd and Pb) and their mixtures. Contents of heavy metals in water before and after clean-up were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The initial contents were 4 ppm while after clean-up no metal ions were detected. The adsorbent was successfully tested in clean-up of industrial contaminated water collected from local sources. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 84 COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY Ashley M. Browning, B.S., Department of Sociology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Across the nation, there has been an influx in the abuse of prescription drug abuse (Leukefeld et. al 2007). Rural regions, predominantly those in southern Appalachian, have experienced this influx perhaps the most harshly. In order to understand the perceptions of residents living within these communities, it is important to first understand the beliefs, views, and problems that burden them and drive them to addiction in the first place. These problems include lack of drug abuse/misuse education, lack of adequate treatment facilities, and the stigma attached to receiving help in southern Appalachia. Distinct values, goals, and lifestyles create the subculture aforementioned, and also attribute to the problems experienced by the population (Spradley 2000). The researcher has the following goals for this study: 1. To explore the perceptions of prescription drug education, abuse, and treatment among members of eastern and southeastern Kentucky communities, and 2. To address the need of specialized prescription drug abuse education and rehabilitation in Appalachia. Once the cultural factors surrounding addiction have been outlined, it will be possible to explore the extent to which prescription drug abuse affects eastern Kentucky communities. The researcher has outlined three research questions to help guide this process: 1. Do community members experience high levels of boredom? If so, does this boredom lead to experimentation with prescription drug abuse? 2. Do community members experience high levels of prescription drug abuse (either firsthand or otherwise)? 3. Do community members experience prescription drug abuse before the age of 18 (either first-hand or otherwise)? With these three questions guiding the way, the researcher uses personal interviews to explore the extent to which prescription drug abuse actually exists in Pike and Letcher counties within eastern Kentucky and what community members suggest in efforts to control it. OH MY GOD! INVESTIGATING CHURCH ATTENDANCE, FAMILY CONFLICT, AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTION WITH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT Benjamin A. Martin1, Desta A. Taylor2, and Dr. Chris S. Dula, Ph.D.2, Department of Sociology and Anthroplogy, and 2Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 1 While factors within the classroom undoubtedly play a key role in students’ academic achievement, there is a growing interest in the influence of various factors outside the classroom. Previous research has shown that participation in extracurricular activities is associated with an increase in self-efficacy as well as academic achievement (Cooper, Valentine, Nye, & Lindsay, 1999). Church attendance has also been shown to be positively related to self-efficacy as well as academic achievement (Milevsky & Levitt, 2004; Oh, 1998). While research on family conflict has been linked to family problems such as divorce, relationships between overall family conflict, extracurricular activities, and church attendance have not been thoroughly examined. This study seeks to assess the relationships between family conflict, extracurricular activities, church attendance, and academic achievement. It is hypothesized that academic achievement will have a positive relationship with participation in extracurricular activities as well as rate of church attendance. It is also hypothesized that academic achievement will have a negative relationship with levels of family conflict. Furthermore, It is hypothesized that church attendance will be negatively related to reports of family conflict. Since there is a lack of literature regarding family conflict and extracurricular activities, exploratory analyses will be conducted to investigate the possible relationship between these variables. Participants included 1,283 young adults from two rural Southeastern United States public high schools. Results showed a positive relationship between academic achievement and extracurricular activities (r = .350, p < .001) as well as academic achievement and church attendance (r = .161, p < .005). A negative relationship was found between academic achievement and level of family conflict (r = -.207, p < .001) as well as church attendance and family conflict (r = -.274, p < .001). Exploratory analyses showed a negative relationship existed between extracurricular activities and family conflict (r = -.144, p < .005). The implications of these results will be discussed, including suggestions for future research. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 85 GUILT AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR: THE MODERATING ROLE OF BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS Sheri A. Nsamenang and Jameson K. Hirsch, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN A significant public health concern, suicide is the third leading cause of death among young adults (15-24 years old). One risk factor for suicide, guilt, is a cognitive-emotional experience involving the negative and self-critical evaluation of a perceived violation of moral standards. Not all individuals who experience feelings of guilt, however, engage in suicidal behaviors, perhaps due to individual-level characteristics such as fulfillment of basic psychological needs (BPNs). According to Self-Determination Theory, BPNs are necessary components for psychological health and consist of autonomy, or active participation in behavioral choices; competence, a desire to be behaviorally effective; and relatedness, an inclination for connectivity to others. Feelings of autonomic choice may help to overcome seemingly hopeless situations, whereas competence may be associated with the confidence to solve difficult life problems and relatedness may be a marker for a strong social support network, characteristics associated with reduced suicide risk. We hypothesized that greater guilt would be associated with increased suicidal behaviors and fewer BPNs, and that BPNs would be associated with less suicidal behaviors. We also hypothesized that BPN’s would moderate the relationship between guilt and suicidal behavior. Our sample of 439 college students (71% female; 91% Caucasian; Mean Age = 21.02, SD = 6.11) was recruited from a rural Southeastern university. Participants completed the 3-item guilt subscale of the Multidimensional Health Profile – Psychological Functioning Index, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, and the Basic Psychological Needs Scale. We co-varied age, gender, and ethnicity in our hierarchical, multivariable linear regression analyses. Supporting our hypotheses, guilt was significantly positively associated with suicidal behaviors, r = .23, p < .001, and negatively related to overall BPNs, r = -.42, p < .001. A significant negative relationship existed between overall BPNs and suicidal behavior, r = -.40, p < .001. Overall BPNs significantly moderated the association between the experience of guilt and suicidal behavior, t = -3.42, p = .001, β = .15. In independent models, competence, t = -3.36, p = .001, β = -.15, and autonomy, t = 3.85, p < .001, β = .17, were significant moderators; relatedness failed to reach significance. Our results indicate that greater levels of BPNs, particularly competence and autonomy, may mitigate risk for suicidal behavior associated with feelings of guilt. Attainment of competence or autonomy may serve as an intrinsic motivational resource for regulating feelings of guilt rather than considering suicide. Competence may contribute to confidence in one’s ability to overcome negative emotions, and autonomous behavior may provide a sense of control over emotions. A competent and autonomous individual might be better able to develop and implement alternatives for relieving feelings of guilt, by engaging in cognitive, emotional and behavioral efforts. Interestingly, relatedness was not a significant moderator. Feelings of relatedness may have less effect because guilt is an intrapersonal conflict arising from internalized moral standards. Clinical suicide prevention efforts that support individual decision making and bolster self-efficacious behavior may weaken the association between guilt and suicidal behavior, perhaps via cognitive-behavioral or Motivational Interviewing techniques. ASSESSMENT OF AQUATIC TOXICITY OF METAL NANOPARTICLES USING METPLATE™ BIOASSAY AS A RAPID SCREENING TOOL Lok R. Pokhrel and Brajesh Dubey, Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Nanotoxicology being an emerging field of nanotechnology, current understanding on potential toxicity due to exposure of aquatic microbiota to engineered nanoparticles (NP) is limited for risk assessment and management. Rapid screening test such as MetPLATE™ bioassay could be a promising tool for screening potential toxicity resulting from NPs exposure to microorganisms in the aquatic systems. We used four types of metal NPs (i.e., nAg, nZnO, nTiO2, and nCdSe Quantum Dots) to screen for variability in toxicity using MetPLATE™ bioassay, which is a simple, rapid, and cost effective test that uses a mutant strain of Escherichia coli assay - the enzymatic activity of which is measured as percentage inhibition compared to the negative control. Toxicity of NPs was also compared with their corresponding ionic counterparts. NPs 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 86 were characterized for their physical and chemical properties using dynamic light scattering (DLS) method, UV-Vis Spectrophotometry, and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results showed that ionic Ag, Zn, and Cd were highly toxic than their corresponding NPs suspensions. However, both nano- and ionic-particulates of TiO2 were non-toxic at concentration as high as 2.5 g/L. Fractionating nAg using 10 KD hollow fiber diafiltration membranes allowed us to distinguish nAg-specific toxicity from ionic-Ag toxicity. We found that nAg toxicity was 140-fold lower than ionic-Ag toxicity to E. coli. Data also showed that freshly synthesized nAg suspensions were more toxic than aged suspensions. The observed nanotoxicity is explained based on the particle size distributions (PSD), zeta potential values, and sedimentation of the particles in the suspensions. Although we found that the tested NPs are relatively less toxic than their ionic forms, we caveat to disposing NPs into the receiving waters as physicochemical properties of NPs may change with changeable water chemistry which may promote NPs toxicity. PROMOTING 100% TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT IN TENNESSEE: A SHIFTING VENUES SYSTEMS’ APPROACH Sreenivas P Veeranki1, Hadii M Mamudu2, Yi He2, and Sumati Dadkar2, 1Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, and 2Department of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Introduction: Smoking prevalence in Tennessee (TN) is higher than the national average (22.1% vs. 17.9% in 2010 for adults; 28.9% vs. 23.4% for adults between 18 and 24 years old), accounting for over 9,700 deaths and around $5 billion in medical expenditures and lost productivity. In October 2007, TN enacted the Nonsmokers Protection Act (NPA), banning smoking in most enclosed public places with few exceptions. However, the policy prevents local governments from making stronger laws. This “superpreemption” rule provides ways to research on other sources such as school and workplaces’ based tobacco-free policies. In January 2010, American Lung Association identified East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and Milligan College as the two colleges in TN with 100% tobacco-free policies. In August 2008, ETSU enacted the tobacco-free campus policy prohibiting smoking and usage of other tobacco products on its premises/property except in private vehicles. An in-depth understanding of the two polices, NPA and ETSU tobacco-free policy, not only helps us to determine the differences in implementation, enforcement and compliance of the policies at two levels of system-the state and education system, but also addresses the limitations of the NPA, with emergence of new approach, “Shifting Venues Systems’ Approach,” to tobacco use prevention. Methods: A mixed-methods approach is used to understand the “Shifting Venues Systems’ Approach” in detail. The qualitative analysis using Nvivo 8 is conducted to evaluate the strength of ETSU tobacco-free policy and other college based tobacco-free policies in TN. The School Tobacco-Free Policy Index (STPI) developed by CDC (2009) is used for this approach. Quantitatively, in April 2010, an internet-based survey was conducted to understand the knowledge, attitudes and support for tobacco-free policy among ETSU personnel. Results and Conclusions: Although ETSU has 100% tobacco-free policy, it scored only 22 out of 40 on the STPI due to weakness in enforcement, compliance and communication of the policy. This result was supported by the internet-based survey, which found that around 82% of respondents favored the policy, but also 86% have noticed others smoking on campus. Additionally, it was found that since the policy was implemented, about 20% of respondents who smoked had quit or reduced the volume of cigarettes smoked, which implies that improvements in enforcement, compliance and communication shall not only make ETSU a better campus, but also a paradigm for the shift of statewide system policy (NPA) to the higher education system. The new “Shifting Venues Systems’ Approach” provides an opportunity for policy advocates to move the issue to where they are likely to succeed, and the ability for those with limited resources to challenge entrenched stakeholders, such as the tobacco industry and also increase the development of better and effective policies to deal with any health or social issue in TN and nationwide. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 87 PROBLEM SOLVING AS A MEDIATOR OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAIT ANXIETY AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR IN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN Kristin L. Walker-Robison, M.A.1, Jameson K. Hirsch, Ph.D.1, Edward C. Chang, Ph.D.2, and Nadine J. Kaslow, Ph.D.3, 1Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA During the past decade, there has been a focused effort to understand and prevent suicidal behaviors among African American women in particular, as they are more likely to attempt suicide than their male counterparts. Additionally, the rates of non-fatal suicide attempts are higher in African American females compared to other ethnic groups. There are several risk factors for suicidal behaviors in this population including anxiety. Endorsing greater levels of anxiety places an individual at risk for negative mental health outcomes, including suicidal behaviors. Research has shown that individuals with higher levels of trait anxiety, a relatively stable and enduring characteristic, are at an increased risk for suicidal ideation and attempts. However, not all individuals with trait anxiety endorse suicide behaviors. Individual-level characteristics, such as problem-solving ability, may serve as a buffer of the association between trait anxiety and suicidal behaviors. Problem-solving ability is often reduced in individuals who experience anxiety. Deficits in such areas may result in difficulty coping with life stressors that are contributing to feelings of anxiety. It was hypothesized that trait anxiety would be significantly positively associated with suicidal behaviors, and that problem solving ability would mediate the association between trait anxiety and suicidal behaviors. Participants (n=65) were recruited after seeking emergency care at a large, urban hospital for a suicide attempt. Mean age was 36.40 years old (SD =10.20), and all participants endorsed at least one suicide attempt within the last year. Participants completed the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), and the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS). In regression analyses, trait anxiety significantly predicted problem solving ability (t=3.517, p=.001; UnB=.974 [SE]=.277) and suicidal behaviors (t=3.343, p=.001; UnB=.436, [SE]=.131). When problem solving was included as a mediator, the relationship between trait anxiety and suicidal behaviors decreased significantly (Sobel=2.25, p=.024), but not to zero, indicating partial mediation (t=2.072, p=.043; UnB=.124, [SE=.060]. Our results suggest that problem solving ability partially explains the relationship between trait anxiety and suicide ideation and attempts, whereby individuals with trait anxiety exhibit reduced problem solving skills, which in turn, may increase risk for suicidal behaviors. These findings may have important clinical implications for reducing suicide risk in African American female suicide attempters, particularly those of low socioeconomic status. Previous suicide attempts are one of the most robust risk factors for suicide. It is imperative to develop and deliver effective interventions that reduce future suicide risk. Our results indicate that problem-solving ability is an important area to address to help manage anxiety as well as potential suicidal behaviors. EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON SALICYLIC ACID BINDING PROTEIN 2 (SABP2) AND PLANT DEFENSE Joannes Yuh, Alisha Dotson and Dhirendra Kumar, Department of Biological Sciences, Colleg eof Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Plants react to pathogen infection by inducing Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR), a state of heightened defense throughout the plant. Salicylic acid (SA) has been shown to mediate plant defense mechanisms. SABP2 from tobacco has been identified to display a high affinity for SA and methylsalicylate (MeSA) and plays a role in the activation of SAR. Biochemical studies suggest that SABP2 has strong esterase activity with MeSA as substrate converting it to SA which is also a potent inhibitor of this catalysis. Crystal structures show that SABP2 belongs to the α/β hydroxylase superfamily of enzymes. It has recently been shown that TetraFA (tetra fluoroacetophenone), a synthetic analog of SA competitively inhibits the esterase activity of SABP2 and blocks SAR development in TMV-infected plants. This study confirms the importance of SABP2 and MeSA for SAR development in plants. A common agricultural practice is the application of pesticides on plants to keep them healthy and pest free. Pesticides are not target specific, hence affecting life processes of both target and non-target organisms (plants, insect pest and humans). 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 88 These pesticides inhibit Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which converts acetylcholine to choline. AChE inhibiting pesticides include; organophosphates (OP) (irreversibly bind AChE) and carbamates (temporarily inhibit AChE). About 70% of insecticides used in the United States are OP pesticides. Both AChE and SABP2 belong to the α/β hydrolase superfamily of enzymes and have esterase activities. We hypothesize that inhibitors of AChE may inhibit the esterase activity of SABP2, preventing MeSA conversion to SA. Plant may become more susceptible to further pathogen infection. In-vitro studies using fluorescence spectroscopy showed that SABP2 activity is inhibited by pesticides. Currently we are trying to determine if pesticide treatment also blocks SAR development in TMV-infected plants. Three sets each of 6-8 wks old wild type tobacco plants were used, one set being the negative control labeled (A), the other; the test plant-Pesticide treated (B) and last, positive control plant (C). The three lower leaves of plants A, B and C were treated with 20mM phosphate buffer, 0.45µg/ml TMV and 0.45µg/ml TMV respectively. At 48hp1ºi (hp1ºi: hours post primary inoculation), two upper leaves (systemic leaves) of ‘A’ and ‘B’ was sprayed with 450µM pesticide (Paraoxon, malathion) while the two upper leaves of plant C received buffer only. At 144hp1ºi, the upper leaves were all challenged with 0.45µg/µl TMV and lesion sizes measured after 6 days of secondary TMV inoculation. If pesticide treatment inhibits SABP2 activity in plants then these plants will fail to develop SAR which is usually measured by little or no decrease in TMV induced lesion sizes. This research will have implications for the agricultural sector where large quantities of pesticides are used to protect plants from insect pests. Future emphasis when developing/choosing pesticides should be on the effects of pesticides on the microbial defense of the plant. 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 89 2010 ASRF Award Winners Poster Presentations Division I – Undergraduates Arts & Humanities and Biomedical Sciences First Place: Erich Lutz, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Greg Ordway, Dept. of Pharmacology REGULATION OF BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN (BMP7) GENE EXPRESSION IN HUMAN GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS Second Place: Daniel Phillips, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Priscilla Wyrick, Dept. of Microbiology ACIDIC MUCOSAL pH DECREASES CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS SEROVAR E ATTACHMENT AND ENTRY IN HEC-1B CELLS IN VITRO Natural Sciences & Mathematics First Place, Group A: C. Alissa Manz Hinkle, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Aleksey Vasiliev, Dept. of Chemistry DISPERSIBILITY OF COATED NANO-SILVER IN ORGANIC MEDIA Second Place, Group A: Rachel Conde, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Arpita Nandi, Dept. of Geosciences ESTIMATION OF SHALE PETROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES: A STUDY FROM SEVIER SHALE First Place, Group B: Ashley Wagner, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Darrell Moore, Dept. of Biological Sciences PERSISTENT AND RETICENT FORAGING BEHAVIORS IN HONEY BEES (APIS MELLIFERA) Second Place, Group B: Whitney Ross, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rebecca Pyles, Dept. of Biological Sciences PATTERN OF SKELETAL DEVELOPMENT IN AN OVIPAROUS SNAKE Social & Behavioral Sciences First Place, Group A: Rose Bell, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Chris Dula, Dept. of Psychology GOOD GOD, MY GPA IS AWESOME: RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHURCH ATTENDANCE, ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 90 2010 ASRF Award Winners (cont.) Second Place, Group A: Benjamin Hughes, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Russ Brown, Dept. of Psychology LOCOMOTOR SENSITIZATION TO METHYLPHENIDATE IN RATS: SEX DIFFERENCES AND EFFECTS ON BDNF First Place, Group B: Catherine Rowe, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jameson K. Hirsch, Dept. of Psychology DISPOSITIONAL OPTIMISM AND TRAIT HOPE AS MEDIATORS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ETHNIC IDENTITY AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS Second Place, Group B: Ashley Strong, UVA-Wise Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James Horton, Dept. of Social Sciences DIFFERENTIAL HEMISPHERE ACTIVATION IN MALES AND FEMALES FOR DEDUCTIVE LOGIC USED IN SUDOKU PUZZLES EMPHASIZING DIFFERENT STIMULI Division II – Graduate Students, 1-2 Years Arts & Humanities and Biomedical Sciences First Place: Sean Fox, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Kruppa, Dept. of Microbiology A GENETIC SCREEN TO IDENTIFY GENES IN C. ALBICANS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN CROSS-SPECIES INTERACTIONS Second Place: Preston Moore, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dennis Defoe, Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology MOSAIC ANALYSIS WITH DOUBLE MARKERS (MADM) AS A METHOD TO MAP CELL FATES IN ADULT MOUSE TASTE BUDS Natural Sciences & Mathematics First Place: Joannes Yuh, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dhirendra Kumar, Dept. of Biological Sciences EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON SALICYLIC ACID BINDING PROTEIN 2 (SABP2) AND PLANT DEFENSES Second Place: Nagababu Chinnam, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Zulfigar Ahmad, Dept. of Biological Sciences DIFFERENTIAL INHIBITION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ATP SYNTHASE BY DIETARY BIOFLAVONOIDS Social & Behavioral Sciences First Place: Joshua Hatfield, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jameson K. Hirsch, Dept. of Psychology IMPULSIVITY AS A MODERATOR OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANGER AND SELF-HARM IN AN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE SAMPLE 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 91 2010 ASRF Award Winners (cont.) Second Place: Katie Baker, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Joel Hillhouse, Dept. of Community Health UNDERSTANDING ACCESS AND DESCRIPTIVE NORMS TO IMPROVE SKIN CANCER INTERVENTIONS Division III – Graduate Students, more than 2 Years First Place: Moises Serrano, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Yue Zou, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RPA-p53 INTERACTION AND ITS PHOSPHORYLATION-DEPENDENT REGULATION AND SIGNIFICANCE IN DNA REPAIR AND DNA DAMAGE CHECKPOINTS Second Place: Theresa Pickle, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Douglas Thewke, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology CANNABINOID (WIN 55,212-2)-INDUCED APOPTOSIS IN PANCREATIC TUMOR CELLS INVOLVES UP REGULATION OF PRO-APOPTOTIGENES AND DOWN REGULATION OF ANTI-APOPTOSIS GENES Third Place: Andrea Edge, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Darrell Moore, Dept. of Biological Sciences TRULY BIRD-POLLINATED? EVIDENCE FOR BEE-POLLINATION IN CAMPSIS RADICANS (BIGNONIACEAE) Divisions IV and VI – Medical Students and Case Histories First Place: Blair Abelson, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karen Schetzina, Dept. of Pediatrics VIDEO INTERVENTION TO PROMOTE BREASTFEEDING IN A PRIMARY CARE SETTING Second Place: Lesley Bundun, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dennis Defoe, Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology TURNOVER OF CORNEAL EPITHELIUM VISUALIZED USING MOSAIC ANALYSIS WITH DOUBLE MARKERS (MADM) Third Place (tie): Brian Nyberg, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Hetal Brahmbhatt, Dept. of Internal Medicine EFFUSIVE-CONSTRICTIVE PERICARDITIS MASKED BY VE WITH DILATED AORTIC ROOT: AN UNUSUAL PRESENTATION FAILURE Third Place (tie): Stewart Stancil, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Demetrio Macariola, Dept. of Pediatrics IT TAKES 2 TO TANGO: S PYOGENES AND S PARASANGUINIS CO-INFECTION IN AN 8 YEAR OLD 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 92 2010 ASRF Award Winners (cont.) Division V – Medical Residents & Post-Doctoral Fellows First Place: Camile Marsh, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kevin Breuel, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology THE ACCURACY OF CURRENT THYROID FUNCTION SCREENING IN PREGNANCY Second Place: Melissa Snyder, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gayatri Jaishankar, Dept. of Pediatrics SYSTEMIC ONSET JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS AND CYSTIC LYMPHATIC MALFORMATIONS IN A TODDLER - A PUZZLING COINCIDENCE? Third Place: Brooke Foulk, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Howard Herrell, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology CALCULATION OF UTERINE WEIGHT BASED ON TRANSVAGINAL ULTRASOUND MEASUREMENTS Oral Presentations Graduate Students First Place, Group A: Kristin Walker, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jameson K. Hirsch, Dept. of Psychology SELF-HARM AND SUICIDE BEHAVIORS IN COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE MODERATING ROLE OF SOCIAL PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY Second Place, Group A: Diwaker Tripathi, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Dhirendra Kumar, Dept. of Biological Sciences FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF DISEASE RESISTANCE INDUCED BY ACIBENZOLARS-METHYL IN PLANTS First Place, Group B: Denise Koessler, ETSU Faculty Sponsors: Drs. Teresa Haynes and Debra Knisley, Dept. of Mathematics A PREDICTIVE MODEL FOR SECONDARY RNA STRUCTURES: A GRAPH THEORETIC APPROACH FOR CATALOGING SECONDARY RNA STRUCTURES Second Place, Group B: Junior Tayou, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Zulfigar Ahmad, Dept. of Biological Sciences REQUIREMENT OFDELSEED-MOTIF OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ATP SYNTHASE IN PEPTIDE BINDING 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 93 2010 ASRF Award Winners (cont.) Medical Residents and Post-Doctoral Fellows First Place: Jennifer Vanover Hall, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Priscilla Wyrick, Dept. of Microgiology MEMBRANE-ASSOCIATED ESTROGEN RECEPTORS CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS INFECTIONS IN THE HUMAN ENDOMETRIAL ISHIKAWA CELL LINE Second Place: Mariah Pate, ETSU Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Guha Krishnaswamy, Dept. of Internal Medicine MANNOSE BINDING LECTIN (MBL) MUTATIONS, IMMUNE DEFICIENCY ASSOCIATIONS AND HUMAN DISEASE 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 94 Index of Authors Addy, Mary .................................................. 84 Adoe, Fadel .................................................. 32 Agrawal, Alok .................................. 28, 32, 80 Akin, Faith .................................................... 58 Aldrich, Timothy .............................. 48, 49, 60 Altrich, Michelle .......................................... 77 Amin, Parthiv ............................. 68, 69, 70, 70 Anderson, Whitney ....................................... 63 Armstrong, J. A. ........................................... 21 Asongwe, Daniel .................................... 63, 80 Ayers, Tosha ................................................. 17 Bacon, Casey ................................................ 52 Bailey, Beth ............................................ 62, 74 Baker, Katie .................................................. 56 Bales, Alicia ................................................. 81 Bambino, Marissa ........................................... 8 Barding, Emily ............................................. 52 Barton, Alison L. .......................................... 46 Beach, J. M. .................................................. 27 Beckwith, Aaron ........................................... 71 Beckwith, Lindsay ........................................ 71 Behringer, Bruce .......................................... 57 Bewley, Laesha M. ....................................... 23 Binda, Nkongho Collins ............................... 33 Blackley, David ...................................... 57, 60 Borisova, Ralitsa B. ...................................... 33 Bouchillon, Brandon .................................... 41 Bounds, Toni .......................................... 57, 60 Bray, Alicia .................................................. 36 Bridges, Christina ......................................... 11 Brown, Crystal.............................................. 63 Brown, Russell ............................................. 82 Brown, Stacy D. ......................... 54, 66, 67, 68 Browning, Ashley M. ................................... 85 Byrd, Stephanie ............................................ 58 Caldwell, JorDon .......................................... 18 Cameron, Sharon .......................................... 13 Campbell, Sharon ......................................... 64 Cao, Zhijuan ................................................. 29 Cappelmann, Sarah....................................... 58 Carlosh, Kristen ...................................... 18, 62 Carter, Christian R. ................................. 30, 54 Carter, Sarabelle ........................................... 19 Carver, Karen ............................................... 63 Cavender, Anthony ....................................... 21 Cesare, Charles D. ........................................ 71 Chakraborty, Kanishka ................................. 64 Champney, W. S. .............................. 27, 53, 79 Champouillon, Luke ..................................... 19 Chandley, Michelle ...................................... 27 Chang, Edward C. ........................................ 88 Chemchirian, Hrak........................................ 72 Chigurupati, Pavan ....................................... 34 Cintron-Arias, Ariel ...................................... 13 Clements, Andrea ......................................... 18 Collette, K..................................................... 44 Connor, Justin ............................................... 68 Copeland, R.J,............................................... 31 Correll, Jennifer A. ....................................... 62 Crawford, Jessica D. ..................................... 27 Cross, Kelley .................................... 14, 16, 36 Dadkar, Sumati ................................. 42, 44, 87 Dalton, William T. ............................ 18, 20, 62 Davis, Michael .............................................. 35 Defoe, Dennis M........................................... 65 Derrick, Michael ........................................... 72 Dick, Kenneth ............................................... 13 Dickenson, Carrie ......................................... 63 Dotson, Alisha .............................................. 88 Dotterweich, Andy........................................ 54 Downs, Christopher ...................................... 70 Druery, R.C................................................... 20 Dubey, Brajesh ................................. 37, 38, 86 Dula, Chris S................... 20, 23, 25, 26, 40, 85 Duncan, William N. ...................................... 17 Ecay, Tom W. ............................................... 17 Edgar, Rebekah ............................................. 42 Elbin, Robert J. ............................................. 58 Elshenawy, Yasmin ...................................... 73 Engebrecht, Felicia ....................................... 42 Farmer, Brandon T. ........................................ 9 Farmer, Rachel.............................................. 42 Ferguson, Donald A. ......................... 28, 54, 80 Ferslew, Kenneth E....................................... 83 Fiske, James T. ............................................. 43 Flanery, Alicia .............................................. 20 Forsman, Allan D. .................................... 9, 11 Foster, A.D, .................................................. 44 Foulk, Brooke E. ..................................... 71, 75 Fox, Sean ...................................................... 79 Frazier, A. D. .......................................... 53, 79 Fregoso, Veronica ............................. 14, 16, 36 Frye, G. E...................................................... 21 Gang, Toh B. .......................................... 28, 80 Gao, Ming ..................................................... 65 Garland, James.............................................. 50 Garner, John C. ............................................. 60 Gentles, Jeremy A................................... 58, 60 Gianniny, Andrea.......................................... 42 Gibson, Benjamin W. ............................. 20, 40 Gonzalez, Oscar ............................................ 67 Gray, Howard S. ........................................... 59 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 95 Guha, Bhuvana ........................... 31, 69, 70, 76 Guntupalli, Vijayakumar .............................. 51 Ha, Tuanzhu ..................................... 29, 56, 65 Haddadin, Tariq ...................................... 69, 70 Haff, G. Gregory .......................................... 54 Hall, Carl ...................................................... 47 Hall, J. Vanover .............................................. 8 Hammond, David J. .......................... 28, 32, 80 Harper, Cayce ............................................... 39 Harris, David J. ............................................. 65 Harrison, Theresa A. .................................... 65 Hauser, C. K. ................................................ 21 Hayford, Deborah ......................................... 34 Hayman, J. Russell ....................................... 54 He, Yi ............................................... 42, 44, 87 Herron, Cade ................................................ 14 Hillhouse, Joel J. .......................................... 56 Hilton, Benjamin .................................... 10, 28 Hirsch, Jameson K. ......... 24, 44, 47, 46, 86, 88 Ho, Chu-Ngi ................................................. 33 Hobbs, Caddy N. .......................................... 39 Hodges, Karie ................................................. 9 Holt, Nicole .................................................. 20 Holt, Tracy.................................................... 53 Hoover, Donald B......................................... 12 Hoover, Sarah ............................................... 21 Hornsby, William G. ........................ 30, 54, 58 Hossain, Mir ................................................. 35 Hu, Yulong ................................................... 29 Hudson, William .......................................... 48 Hutsell, David............................................... 22 Hyatt, Kevin ................................................. 22 Ingram, Arianna............................................ 40 Jain, Shashank .............................................. 56 Jaishankar, Gayatri ....................................... 77 Janssen, Catherine Jo .................................... 45 Jeglic, E.J...................................................... 44 Jithpratuck, Warit ......................................... 73 Johnson, Arienne .......................................... 47 Johnson, David A. .............................. 9, 32, 55 Johnson, McKayla ........................................ 10 Johnston, Brian D. ........................................ 58 Johns-Wommack, Rebecca........................... 61 Joplin, Karl H, .................................. 14, 16, 36 Joshi, Hetvi ............................................. 74, 74 Kady, Ismail ................................................. 37 Kahre, Nathan K. .......................................... 10 Kalbfleisch, John .......................................... 29 Kalra, Sumit.................................................. 68 Kao, Race ......................................... 29, 56, 65 Karsai, Istvan .................................... 15, 16, 32 Kaslow, Nadine J. ......................................... 88 Kavanaugh, Ashley A................................... 60 Kaverina, Ekaterina ...................................... 37 Keasler, Jessica ............................................. 11 Keller, Jessica ............................................... 75 Kelley, Jim ........................................ 29, 56, 65 Kintner, J. ....................................................... 8 Kirkham, Julie ........................................ 63, 80 Klimecki, Haley ............................................ 55 Klostermann, Lance ...................................... 76 Knisley, Debra J. .................................... 14, 38 Kolada, Ojo................................................... 83 Krishnan, Koyamangalath ............................ 64 Krishnaswamy, Guha............ 12, 73, 77, 77, 82 Kruppa, Michael ........................................... 79 Kumar, Dhirendra ........... 33, 34, 35, 37, 40, 88 Kumar, Shivram............................................ 77 Kuriacose, Reena .......................................... 74 Lamont, Hugh S. ..................................... 30, 60 Lampson, Bert C. .......................................... 33 Lapham, Ryen ............................................... 14 Leonard, Cory A. .......................................... 54 Levy, Foster .................................................. 33 Li, Chuanfu ....................................... 29, 56, 65 Lightner, Janet .............................................. 64 Lin, Zhangfan ............................................... 35 Liu, Ji ............................................................ 28 Liu, Meng ............................................... 36, 53 Liu, Xuefeng ..................................... 36, 53, 61 Liu, Yiyong................................................... 28 Loess, Priya .................................................. 24 Longacre, Ian ................................................ 56 Losey, Bradley .............................................. 84 Lowe, Erin .................................................... 52 Lu, Chen ....................................................... 29 Lu, Xinguo ........................................ 14, 16, 36 Lugo, Ralph ............................................ 67, 68 Lundy, Anthony ................................ 14, 16, 36 Macariola, Demetrio ..................................... 72 MacDonald, Christopher J. ..................... 58, 60 Mamudu, Hadii M. ........................... 42, 44, 87 Martin, Benjamin A. ............................... 40, 85 Mattar, Costy ................................................ 68 Maury, Jean Jacques ..................................... 61 Mayakoti, Amukta ........................................ 37 McConnell, Marinda ..................................... 60 McCowan, Rebecca C. ................................. 75 McIntosh, Cecilia A. ......................... 34, 35, 39 McKelvey, Daniel ......................................... 50 McMurtry, Tyler ........................................... 51 Mehraban, Nahid .......................................... 10 Meier, Jacqueline .......................................... 60 Melton, Tyler C. ........................................... 66 Miesner, M.T. ............................................... 26 Miller, Olivia ................................................ 15 Mills, Ryan ................................................... 22 Mizuguchi, Satoshi ....................................... 59 Mohseni, Ray ................................................ 33 Montano, Emil .............................................. 15 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 96 Moore, Brittany ............................................ 30 Moore, Darrel J........................... 14, 16, 36, 69 Moore, Preston D. ........................................ 65 Morrison, Jordan .......................................... 67 Murnane, Owen ............................................ 58 Musich, Phillip ....................................... 10, 28 Netherland, Courtney D................................ 81 Nier, Heath A. .............................................. 11 Nowell, Henry B........................................... 59 Nsamenang, Sheri A. ........................ 46, 47, 86 Oatts, Spencer L. .......................................... 23 Olaimi, Mona................................................ 48 Olsen, Martin E. ..................................... 75, 76 Ordway, Gregory A. ..................................... 27 Otukonyong, Effiong .................................... 30 Owens, Daniel K. ............................. 34, 35, 69 Owens, Ethan M. .......................................... 30 Parsons, Laura Beth ...................................... 67 Pate, Catelyn ................................................. 17 Patel, Anuj A. ............................................... 12 Patel, Yutika ................................................. 40 Peavler, Cheyenne ........................................ 23 Peiris, A.N. ................................................... 74 Peiris, Emma .......................................... 31, 77 Perna, Marla K. ............................................ 82 Perry, Kimberly F. ........................................ 23 Philips, Mark .................................... 14, 16, 36 Pickle, Theresa G. ........................................ 81 Pokhrel, Lok R. ...................................... 37, 86 Polaha, Jodi ............................................ 23, 25 Pond, Brooks B............................................. 63 Popescu, Marcela.......................................... 60 Pritchett, Christopher.................................... 10 Proctor-Williams, Kerry ......................... 46, 52 Pugh, Jessica................................................. 55 Pyles, Rebecca A. ......................................... 17 Qualls, Jessica .............................................. 46 Quinn, Megan ......................................... 57, 60 Raghavendra, Sucheta .................................. 48 Ramsauer, Victoria P. ............................. 64, 67 Ramsey, Michael W. .............................. 54, 59 Randall, P. .................................................... 20 Reddy, Shrikanth A. G. ................................ 64 Reena, Kuriacos............................................ 72 Richards, Kasie ............................................. 61 Rikhye, Somi ................................................ 74 Rockney, Alissa ............................................ 38 Roh, Chul-Young ......................................... 48 Roland, Byron .............................................. 16 Rowe, Catherine ........................................... 24 Rusinol, Antonio E. .......................... 11, 28, 32 Sahni, Ryan .................................................. 12 Saleh, Hana ................................................... 82 Scherer, Nancy ............................................. 42 Schetzina, Karen E. ................................ 18, 20 Schoborg, R.V. ............................................... 8 Schrift, Melissa ............................................. 21 Schweitzer, John ........................................... 56 Sellers, E. W. ................................................ 21 Serrano, Ambrose J....................................... 30 Shepherd, Angela.......................................... 63 Shields, Alan................................................. 56 Shin-Kang, Sonyo ......................................... 64 Shirore, Rupesh M. ................................. 48, 49 Shults, Lawrence S. ...................................... 23 Silva, T. U..................................................... 38 Simpson, Savannah ....................................... 25 Sinesky, Michael .......................................... 28 Singh, Krishna .............................................. 65 Singh, Sanjay K. ............................... 28, 32, 80 Sipe, Adam L. ............................................... 76 Slawson, Deborah ......................................... 61 Smallwood, Nicholas .................................... 68 Smith, Beverly J. .................................... 14, 15 Smith, Eliot Thomas ................................. 9, 55 Smith, Erica L. .................................. 71, 75, 76 Smith, Jessica................................................ 18 Song, Eunkyung............................................ 77 Steffey, Susan ............................................... 25 Stewart, James R........................................... 17 Stinnett, Haley K. ......................................... 17 Stone, Margaret E. ........................................ 54 Stone, Michael H. ................. 30, 54, 58, 59, 60 Stone, William .............................................. 64 Stoss, Y. ........................................................ 26 Stuart, Charles A........................................... 54 Szebeni, Attila .............................................. 27 Szebeni, Katalin ............................................ 27 Taylor, Desta A........................... 22, 40, 50, 85 Taylor, Lesli.................................................. 71 Tetteh, Dinah A. ........................................... 50 Thewke, Douglas P. ...................................... 81 Thigpen, Jim ................................................. 67 Thirumalai, Avinash ..................................... 32 Thomas, Bernelda ......................................... 51 Thompson, Michael B. ................................. 17 Torrenegra, Ruben ........................................ 67 Treadway, Eden ............................................ 51 Triplett, N. Travis ......................................... 54 Tsui, Hei Man ............................................... 63 Tudiver, Fred ................................................ 20 Turner, Jessica H. ......................................... 62 Turrisi, Robert .............................................. 56 Vasiliev, Aleksey .................................... 83, 84 Vaughn, Nicole ............................................. 46 Veeranki, Sreenivas P. ................ 42, 44, 48, 87 Venkataraman, Karthik ................................. 77 Wagner, Ashley E. ........................................ 39 Walker-Robison, Kristin L. .. 24, 44, 46, 47, 88 Wallace, Chris .............................................. 32 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 97 Wamucho, Anye ........................................... 39 Wang, Xiaohui........................................ 29, 65 Wang, Youjie................................................ 28 Webb, Jon R. ................................................ 47 Whitson, Jarrett ............................................ 63 Wiggins, Angelica ........................................ 46 Wilgenbusch, Sara ........................................ 77 Williams, David................................ 29, 56, 65 Williams, Donise .......................................... 52 Williams, Patricia ......................................... 13 Williams, Stacey L. ................................ 22, 50 Winchester, Jason B. .................................... 59 Wissam, Mechleb ......................................... 70 Wright, Trista H. .......................................... 83 Wu, Tiejian ................................................... 20 Wyatt, Jarrett ................................................ 67 Yampolsky, Lev............................................ 13 Yeager, Elizabeth.......................................... 51 Yenwong Fai, Leonard ................................. 40 Youngberg, George .......................... 12, 73, 77 Yuh, Joannes................................................. 88 Zarse, Brittany .............................................. 51 Zhang, Xia .............................................. 56, 65 Zhou, Guannan ............................................. 83 Zou, Yue ................................................. 10, 28 2011 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 98
