Kentucky Academy of Science

2022 Annual Meeting Program
November 11-12, 2022

Welcome to the 108th Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting at Morehead State University & the 90th Anniversary meeting of the Kentucky Junior Academy of Science

Welcome to Morehead State University

Morehead State is at the forefront of STEM education in the Commonwealth

Morehead State University has served generations of students and families through hands-on education and continues to prepare students for the workforce with its selection of cutting-edge STEM programs. Students in all degree fields have opportunities to incorporate STEM into their studies through unique programs and initiatives designed to prepare them for 21st-century careers. Here are just some of the unique offerings available at Morehead State:

Our program of distinction, the Bachelor of Science in Space Systems Engineering, is one of only a handful of such programs in the nation, with graduates working at aerospace firms, defense contractors and NASA.
Students in our space systems engineering programs receive hands-on skills and experience in designing, planning, building, and monitoring CubeSats and nanosats, small satellites used for space exploration. One of our CubeSats, Lunar IceCube, is included in NASA's Artemis I mission to the moon.
The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics is a dual-credit academy for academically exceptional Kentucky students interested in pursuing STEM degrees. The Academy recently launched the Center for STEM+eXcellence, a summer enrichment program that offers STEM-based educational camps and activities to K-12 students throughout Eastern Kentucky.
The Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State encourages future educators to pursue STEM through its Volgenau Scholars program. The renewable scholarship is offered to students pursuing math or science-related teaching degrees.
The MSUTeach program offers students in STEM fields the opportunity to expand their career readiness by earning a bachelor's degree in their chosen field and a Kentucky teaching certification simultaneously.
Students at MSU have the opportunity to conduct groundbreaking scientific research as early as their freshman year with our Undergraduate Research Fellowship program. The program partners students with faculty members actively engaged in scientific research and provide them with valuable practical skills that give them an edge in the job market. Students also gain networking opportunities by presenting their findings at local, state, national and international conferences.
Our nursing program has a reputation throughout Kentucky for producing competent, capable nurses skilled in-patient care. Our programs boast consistent 100% job placement rates. Our students learn in state-of-the-art lab facilities equipped with mannequins that mimic a range of ailments and symptoms.

Dr. Jay Morgan, President, Morehead State University

All events are at Adron Doran University Center, 400 E. Second St., Morehead, Ky 40351 unless otherwise noted

Table of Contents
Welcome the Junior Academy
Code of Conduct
Special Accommodations
Campus Map & Floor Plan
Parking
WiFi at Morehead
Food

Sponsors
Exhibitors
Photo Contest

Thursday Science Night for Teachers
Aquaculture Workshop
DNA in Color Workshop
Thursday Junior Academy Kickoff "Ad Astra" at Space Science Center

View Friday Schedule Grid
View Saturday Schedule Grid

Friday morning November 11
Adron Doran University Center, 400 E. Second St., Morehead, Ky 40351

Cellular & Molecular Biology Oral presentations
Physics & Astronomy Oral presentations
Science Education Oral presentations
Undergraduate Research Forum

Friday afternoon November 11
Adron Doran University Center
Science Advocacy Workshop
Junior Academy Catered lunch - Button Auditorium

Chemistry Oral presentations
Environmental Science Oral presentations
Agricultural Sciences Oral presentations
Health Sciences (feat. Psychology) Oral presentations

Networking Sessions: Health & Biomedical, Agriculture, Chemistry, Environmental Science & Geology, Ecology Botany & Zoology, Engineering Math & Computer Science, Physics & Astronomy, Science Education

Friday Poster Session
Agricultural Sciences Posters
Cellular & Molecular Biology Posters
Chemistry: Analytical & Physical Posters
Chemistry: Organic /Inorganic Posters
Computer & Information Sciences Posters
Ecology Posters
Environmental Sciences Posters
Engineering Posters
Geography Posters
Geology Posters
Health Sciences Posters
Mathematics Posters
Microbiology Posters
Physics & Astronomy Posters
Physiology & Biochemistry Posters
Psychology Posters
Science Education Posters
Zoology / Botany Posters

Friday evening November 11
KAS evening at the Space Science Center
Happy Hour at Sawstone Brewing

Saturday morning November 12
Adron Doran University Center
Engineering Oral presentations
Microbiology Oral presentations
Ecology Oral presentations
Geology & Geography Oral presentations

Saturday Keynote: Professor Andrea Armani - Button Auditorium

KAS Business Meeting & Lunch - Button Auditorium

Saturday afternoon November 12
Adron Doran University Center

Saturday Teacher Workshops
Tree Rings
Color Mixing with Glow Sticks
Amgen Biotech Experience
Geology Field Trip

Cancer Oral Presentations
Zoology/ Botany Oral Presentations
Mathematics Oral Presentations
Computer & Information Sciences Oral Presentations
Climate Science Oral Presentations

Thank you to our Sponsors

Junior Academy Sponsors

Thank you to our Platinum Level Sponsor

Thank you to our Gold Level Sponsors

Thank you to our In-Kind partners

Thank you to our Field Trip Presenters:

and Kentucky Paleontological Society

Visit Our Event Exhibitors

Kentucky Association for Environmental Education
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
KY- INBRE at University of Louisville
Taking Flight Next Level
Eastern Kentucky University Center for Outdoor Education and Research
Kentucky State University
University of Louisville Department of Geographical & Environmental Science
Peace Corps
University of Kentucky: Kentucky Geological Survey
ASRC-Michelin
Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation / Advance Kentucky
University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Optometry and Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 9

Thank you our Local Arrangements Team at Morehead State University

Dr. Elizabeth Thomas
Dr. Melissa Mefford
Dr. Jen O'Keefe
Dr. Kevin Adkins
and Thank you Taunya Jones, MSU Special Events Planning Manager

Thank you to our Kentucky Junior Academy Planning team at the Center for STEM+eXcellence

Jen Carter
Kristin Beighle
Ryan Arney
Brenda Porter
Karen Cornett

Thank you to KAS Officers
President Jon Dixon
President - Elect Julie Reizner
Vice President Noel Novelo
Past President Trent Garrison

Thank you to our Program Coordinator and Kentucky Junior Academy Director
Melony Stambaugh

Thank you to Our 2022 Section Leaders & Session Chairs
Agricultural Sciences
Shreya Patel, IvyTech Indiana

Anthropology and Sociology
Ann Kingsolver, University of Kentucky
Timothy Hare, Morehead State University

Cancer
Julia Carter, Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory
Courtney Martin, University of Kentucky

Cellular and Molecular Biology
Mahavir Singh, University of Louisville
Sarah Andres, University of Louisville

Chemistry: Analytical/ Physical
Emmalou Schmittzehe, Morehead State University
Laura Rowe, Eastern Kentucky University

Chemistry: Organic / Inorganic
Elizabeth Thomas, Morehead State University

Computer and Information Sciences
Jerzy Jaromczyk, University of Kentucky
Muzaffar Ali, Bellarmine University

Ecology
John Starnes, KCTCS
Ben Brammell, Asbury University

Engineering
Aaron Daley, US Army Corps of Engineers
Seyed Allameh, Northern Kentucky University

Environmental Science
Marvin Ruffner, Asbury University
Jennifer Adler, KCTCS

Geography
Christopher Day, University of Louisville
Charlie Zhang, University of Louisville

Geology
Dan Phelps, Kentucky Paleontological Society
Sarah Arpin, University of Kentucky

Health Sciences
Avinash Tope, Kentucky State University
Louisa Summers, Berea College

Mathematics
Doug Chatham, Morehead State University

Microbiology
Bill Staddon, Eastern Kentucky University

Physics and Astronomy
Marilyn Akins, Bluegrass Community and Technical College
Kevin Adkins, Morehead State University

Physiology and Biochemistry
Amanda Hughes, Georgetown College
Michael Guy, Northern Kentucky University

Psychology
Ilsun White, Morehead State University
Matthew Shake, Western Kentucky University

Science Education
Shreya Patel, Ivy Tech Indiana
Darla French, University of Pikeville
Wilson Gonzales-Espada, Morehead State University

Zoology / Botany
Jeremy Gibson, Kentucky Wesleyan College
David Hayes, Eastern Kentucky University

Thank you Jon Dixon for Cover Design
Thank you Jade Doellman for Graphic Design & Program Layout

2022 KAS Annual Meeting Online Program

Junior Academy Collaboration

Greetings!

You may have noticed that some of the scientists attending the KAS meeting this year look a bit younger than what we usually see. The good news is that the Kentucky Junior Academy of Science students are now joining with us as we have combined the KJAS spring meeting with the KAS fall meeting. This is a great opportunity for middle and high school students to see college students and faculty in action and help to guide them in their future scientific research.
We have been assisted this year by Morehead State University’s Center for STEM+eXcellence in making new connections to local middle and high school students and teachers. Many of the workshops this year are a direct result of this amazing partnership. We at KAS are so grateful to Jen Carter and her dedicated team for developing a fantastic program for our Junior Academy scientists!
We want to thank everyone who is supporting the Junior Academy and encourage you to make them feel welcome.

Melony Stambaugh Jen Carter
Director, Kentucky Junior Academy of Science Director, Center for STEM + eXcellence
Program Coordinator KAS

KAS Code of Conduct
The Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting is an interdisciplinary professional environment that cultivates scientific discovery and understanding.
Thank you for contributing to our advancement of science by behaving professionally, respectfully and collegially at all times.

Special Accommodations
We want to make this meeting welcoming and accessible for you! Please let us know what you need.

Gender Neutral restrooms are available on the first floor of the ADUC building
A Mothers' Room is available in room 319 of ADUC
A Practice Room is available for presenters most of the day Friday, and Saturday morning in room 320
A Quiet Room is available in Room 322.

Getting Around

Morehead Campus Map
ADUC floor plan

Parking

Please place your KAS parking pass in your front window and park in one of the designated areas on the parking map

KAS Parking Map

Connecting to MSU Wireless
Instructions for macOS or iOS

Food
If you ordered box lunches, they will be available Friday in ADUC on the 3rd floor, and Saturday in Button Auditorium.
The ADUC 2nd floor Food Court is open Friday for lunch.
There is a Starbucks on the 1st floor of the ADUC building.
The Rock Dining Hall is open Thursday until 10pm; Friday 7-10am, 11am-3pm, 4-8pm; Saturday 11am-8pm. Breakfast - $7.50 Brunch, Lunch, Dinner - $9. The Rock is about a10 minute walk from ADUC.

Photo contest

Share your creativity in the Annual Meeting photo contest!

With a phone in every pocket, we’re all photographers now! Please help us share the excitement and action during the 2022 KAS Annual Meeting and let your creativity shine by sharing your conference photos to social media.

You’ll win $50 if your photo is judged as the meeting’s best! You can join the contest by posting photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #KASMeeting2022 . Post them by 8 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13.

You’ll find KAS on Twitter with the handle @Kyscientists. On Instagram, we’re kentuckyscience. Find us on Facebook under: Kentucky Academy of Science.

Thursday, November 10, 2022 5:00pm - 8:00pm

"Ad Astra" Junior Academy Kickoff

MSU Space Science Center

5:00 – 5:10 Rotunda
Greeter: Jen Carter, Director, Center for STEM+eXcellence

Welcome to the Space Science Center
5:10 – 5:20 Star Theater
Presenter: Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, Executive Director, Space Science Center

Introduction to the Kentucky Junior Academy of Science Annual Meeting and How to Network
5:20 – 5:45 Star Theater
Presenter: Melony Stambaugh, Director Kentucky Junior Academy of Science

Introduction of Aerospace Professionals and Space Systems Engineering and Astrophysics Students
5:45 – 6:00 Star Theater

Catered Dinner and Professional Networking Experience with Aerospace Scientists and Engineers
6:00 – 7:00 SSC Rotunda

Networking Experience: Exhibits and tours led by Space Science Center staff and students
7:00 – 8:00 Space Science Center
Spacecraft Design and Integration Facility tour
Deep Space Station -17 Mission Operation Center and 21 Meter Space Tracking Antenna tour
Space Engine demonstration by the Astronomy Club
Optical telescopes operated by the Astronomy Club

Thursday, November 10, 2022 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Science Night for Teachers

Thursday, November 10, 2022 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Teacher Workshop: Aquaculture

Room 325

Teachers, Please join us for dinner with scientists before the workshop, beginning at 5pm.

This workshop is for high school teachers. Dr. Kenneth Thompson of Kentucky State University will introduce Kentucky State University's new Aquaculture Teacher Manual which will be available for free (hard copy) to teachers who participate in the workshop. The manual is designed to increase secondary teachers‘ awareness and knowledge of this exciting agriculture STEM field. Several schools throughout the state of Kentucky have already implemented this curriculum and it is aligned with the NGSS. Dr. Thompson will share lesson plans connected to this manual, and will bring prototypes of a mini-aquaponics system that can be used in the classroom. Dr. Thompson will also share funding resources to explore for purchasing the equipment.

Thursday, November 10, 2022 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Teacher Workshop: DNA in Color

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

Presented by Dr. Elizabeth Thomas of Morehead State University

Teachers, Please join us for dinner with scientists before the workshop, beginning at 5pm.
The content of this lab quantifies DNA damage through a colorimetric assay. The lesson will primarily be targeted to advanced or high school level chemistry and biology students and is designed for a 24-person classroom, to be accomplished in a 75 minute class.

Friday, November 11, 2022 7:55am - 7:00pm

Registration

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

Check in to get your nametag, and a printed program if you requested one. Coffee will be available 8:00 - 11:00 am

Friday, November 11, 2022 8:00am - 7:00am

Quiet Room Available

Room 322

This room will be in use for a networking session 2:45-3:45 but is otherwise available all day.

Friday, November 11, 2022 8:00am - 7:00pm

Practice Room available

Room 320

This room will be in use for a networking session 2:45-3:45 but is otherwise available all day if you'd like to practice your presentation.

Friday, November 11, 2022 8:59am - 12:00pm

Oral Presentations Friday morning

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

Friday, November 11, 2022 9:00am - 12:00pm

Cellular & Molecular Biology

Room 310

Chair: Mahavir Singh

Secretary: Sarah Andres

9:00 - Assessment of Reactive Oxygen Species Levels and GST Activity in AdoMet Synthatase Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

First Author

Elisabeth Goodin

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Warunya Panmanee

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Erin Strome

Northern Kentucky University

Previous studies showed that absence of the sam1 or sam2 genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was linked to chromosome stability changes. Specifically, we have found that loss of sam1 results in increased AdoMet levels and increased chromosome stability while loss of sam2 results in decreased AdoMet levels and decreased chromosome stability. The SAM1 and SAM2 genes encode the enzyme that produces S-Adenosyl-Methionine (AdoMet) as part of the methyl cycle. This cycle also produces homocysteine. Homocysteine is upstream of glutathione (GSH) production. GSH is an electrophilic acceptor used by glutathione-S-transferase (GST) as a protection mechanism against Reactive Oxygen Species induced damage. We first sought to characterize ROS levels in our sam1 and sam2 mutant strains. Our work indicates that ROS levels are increased in sam2-deficient cells. Next, we explored the activity of the GST enzymes in our mutants to determine how they might be impacted by changes in these pathways. No significant increase in GST activity has been observed, within our current limited data, and additional experiments are on-going. If these results hold, we hypothesize that without a counteracting increase in GST activity, the increase of ROS in sam2-deficient cells is likely to produce increased cellular damage, which could be linked to the previously observed decreased chromosome stability.

9:15 - Characterization of glis3 during zebrafish development

First Author

Caleb Harsin

Murray State University

Co-author

Gary ZeRuth

Murray State University

The Krüppel-like transcription factor, Gli-similar 3 (Glis3) has been implicated in several human pathologies including neonatal diabetes, congenital hypothyroidism, and polycystic kidney disease. Numerous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have additionally identified Glis3 as a risk locus for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our previous data suggest possible roles for Glis3 in endocrine pancreas specification in mice but despite its clinical significance, much remains unknown about the role(s) Glis3 plays during development. In this study, we have characterized developmental expression of glis3 in the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Whole-mount in situ hybridization experiments revealed that glis3 was activated downstream of shh signaling and was detectable within the endoderm by 34 hpf. Similarly, morpholino knockdown of glis3 had no discernible developmental effect at 24 hpf but resulted in a decreased endocrine pancreatic volume by 48 hpf. Collectively, these data suggest that glis3 may play a role in the specification of the ventral pancreatic anlage or the subsequent maturation and expansion of the pancreatic islets. To further characterize the role of glis3, a transgenic knockout line has been generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and will be used to elucidate glis3 function in later stages of development.

9:30 - Exposure to Dechlorinated PCB126 is Less Potent Than Exposure to PCB126 with Regards to Offspring Obesity and Diabetes

First Author

Hannah Greenhill

Georgetown College

Co-author

Sara Ngo Tenlep

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Neena Kirlew

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Madeline Oakley

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Dibakar Bhattacharyya

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Kevin Pearson

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Hollie Swanson

University of Kentucky

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that are made up of multiple chlorine atoms on two benzene rings. PCBs can negatively affect glucose homeostasis and body composition if offspring are exposed in utero.
This study had two aims: 1) to test whether exposure to biphenyl (no chlorine substitutions) is less potent than exposure to PCB126 (5 chlorines) for the negative effects on offspring glucose intolerance and body composition, and 2) to determine the effects of perinatal exposure to biphenyl or PCBs on the expression of certain genes.
Ninety female mice were split into three treatment groups, vehicle, biphenyl, and PCB126. The dams were exposed via oral gavage three times throughout the study at 72 hours before mating, gestational day seven, and postnatal day seven. Offspring body weight, lean mass, fat percentage, and glucose tolerance were monitored as they aged. Mother and offspring livers were harvested to quantify the expression of three targeted genes.
Biphenyl exposure was less potent than PCB exposure for the male offspring where the PCB group showed higher body weight and fat percentage but lower lean mass when compared to the biphenyl group. The PCB group also showed higher glucose levels. However, the female offspring showed no differences across any of the treatment groups. The exposure to PCB126 affected the expression of the targeted genes while biphenyl exposure did not differ from vehicle controls. These data suggest that PCB dechlorination may be an effective remediation in the environment.

9:45 - Relative Gene Expression of Astrocyte-Specific Genes in the Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn in Response to Tissue Damage in Neon

First Author

Abigail Keeton

Georgetown College

Co-author

Elizabeth Serafin

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Co-author

Mark Baccei

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Relative Gene Expression of Astrocyte-Specific Genes in the Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn in
Response to Tissue Damage in Neonates
Many infants undergo surgeries or other injuries during their first few weeks of life. However, most pediatric pain is left untreated and can lead to increased or chronic pain in adulthood. The mechanisms underlying the neonatal pain pathway are not clear and need to be investigated to create effective treatments or therapies in the future. Astrocytes have recently been found to modulate pain sensitivity in adults after tissue damage but their response during the neonatal period have not been studied. As a result, the present study investigates whether astrocyte-specific genes are upregulated or downregulated in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in response to a hind paw incision at postnatal day 3 (P3). Mice were harvested at post-incision day 1, 4, and 7 and the tissue was used to obtain cDNA to perform qPCR for each target gene (Kir4.1, Slc1A2, Slc1A3, Aqp4, Thbs1, Thbs4). The results showed a significant effect of time related to relative astrocyte gene expression except for one gene, but no effect of incision. These results do not provide support for a broad transcriptional reprogramming of spinal astrocytes following surgical injury, but further research should be conducted to examine other astrocytic genes and time points.

10:00 - Regional Control of Hairless and Hair Bearing skin: with DKK2 Wnt/B-catenin Signaling Pathways with the LEF/TCF Family

First Author

Divya Naidugari

Western Kentucky University

The majority of our body regions contain hair follicles of varying density, length, and thickness, however, some areas of our body are entirely hairless. Examples of this in human anatomy include the ventral wrist, underside of toes, soles of feet, and the palms of hands. Basic laboratory mice contain the exact genetic coding for hairless regions including the plantar epidermis and the eccrine gland-bearing footpads. This skin in the footpads, however, contains a wide mixture of hair follicles in many different mouse strains.There are many families of secreted inhibitors that work to limit the activity of the Wnt/ꞵ-catenin pathway - specifically, DKK and SOSTDC1. Hair follicle regeneration signaling pathways play important roles in how each follicle is spaced, specifically the Wnt/ꞵ-catenin signaling. Mice (Mus musculus) were kept and conserved. They were kept in a standard light-dark cycle and litters of the same sex were randomly assigned to many different groups.. Tissue samples of dorsal, plantar, and dermis skin were taken and used to perform DNA Extraction, in situ hybridization, immunostaining, PCR/ MasterMixes, gel electrophoresis, and dissections. In this project, we analyzed skin phenotypes in DKK2 null mice to address this question. Our data set indicated that altered specification of hairless versus hairy skin in different mammalian species may be partially controlled by evolutionary changes in the regulation of DKK2 expression. By manipulating the genes that cause hair follicle growth, we can begin to scratch the glass on creating fast replicating hair follicles for ongoing diseases, specifically alopecia.

10:15 - Investigation of intracellular ATP levels in sam1- and sam2-deficient cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

First Author

Men Tran

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Warunya Panmanee

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Erin Strome

Northern Kentucky University

Full Title: From RNA-Sequencing data: Investigation of intracellular ATP levels in sam1- and sam2- deficient cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Alterations in genome stability have been observed due to changes in AdoMet levels in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. SAM1 and SAM2 are paralogs that encode the same enzyme that produces AdoMet. Interestingly, their removal has been found to alter the amount of AdoMet in opposite ways as well as change genome stability in inverse manners. Our lab aims to understand the different changes that might explain why the loss of sam1 increases AdoMet levels and genome stability while the loss of sam2 decreases AdoMet levels and genome stability. Bioinformatics tools were used to explore Differentially Expressed Genes (DEG), from RNA-Sequencing experiments on these strains to more globally understand changes occurring as a result of these mutations. Results from these studies suggested that sam1 and sam2 loss might lead to differences in pathways that synthesize and utilize ATP. ATP and methionine are the components of the AdoMet synthesis process. Next, we are completing an experiment to measure intracellular ATP concentration alterations due to these gene mutations. This ATP assay will give us a direct measure of ATP levels that we then may be able to tie back to our DEG data to show the mechanisms of variation.

10:30 - Expression and Function of the Phagocytic Receptor, Jedi-1, in the Meninges

First Author

Tenzin Wangmo

Berea College

Co-author

Cierra Nelson

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Bruce Carter

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

The meninges surrounding the brain have long been thought of as simply a protective layer beneath the skull, but in the last decade, research has shown that they are responsible for many other functions, such as regulating cortical development and contributing to inflammation in various pathological conditions. Meningeal cells have also been shown to be phagocytic, capable of engulfing ?-amyloid (the accumulation of which causes Alzheimer's Disease) and bacteria that cause meningitis. Previously our laboratory demonstrated that meningeal cells express the phagocytic receptor Jedi-1 (also known as PEAR1 or MEGF12), which contributes to the clearance of apoptotic neurons in the developing Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG). Using an in vitro engulfment assay, we found that meninges of wild-type mouse were more efficient in phagocytizing beads, which mimic apoptotic cells, compared to meninges from Jedi-1 knock-out mouse To determine which of the 3 layers of the meninges Jedi-1 is expressed, we immunostained for the different layers (p75 for pia, Raldh2 for arachnoid, and Foxc2 for dura) as well as for Jedi-1, in cultured primary cells from perinatal mouse brain and tissue section. Efforts are currently underway to optimize the immunostaining and determine the localization of Jedi-1. Future goals will be to understand the role of Jedi-1 in meningeal cells in vivo with potential therapeutic implications for diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease.

Friday, November 11, 2022 9:00am - 12:00pm

Physics & Astronomy

Room 325

Section Meeting to follow presentations

Chair: Marilyn Akins

Secretary: James Adkins

9:00 - Nope! It did not do it again - No new Flare in IC 3599

First Author

Dirk Grupe

Northern Kentucky University

I will report on our most recent follow-up monitoring observations of the Seyfert 1.9 galaxy IC 3599 with the NASA Neil Gehrels Swift Mission. IC 3599 was discovered as one of the brightest Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) during the ROSAT All-Sky X-ray Survey (RASS) in 1991, but observations years later showed that its X-ray flux had decreased dramatically. One of the suggested models at the time was that a star coming too close to the central black hole was tidally disrupted by the black hole's tidal forces. However, Swift discovered in 2010 that IC 3599 had flared again. One explanation was that this maybe from the debris of the disrupted star orbiting the central black hole. Alternatively these flares can be explained by accretion disk instabilities which increase the accretion rate dramatically from time to time. The debris model predicted that IC 3599 would exhibit another flare in 2019/2020. Our Swift monitoring, however, revealed that this was not the case, arguing for the accretion disk instability model.

9:15 - Long-term Swift monitoring of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy RX J1117+6522

First Author

Riley Wolsing

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Dirk Grupe

Northern Kentucky University

I will report on X-ray and Ultraviolet/Optical observations of the Narrow Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy RX J1117+6522. This NLS1 has been observed by the NASA Neil Gehrels Swift observatory since 2006 and has exhibited strong flux and spectral variability. In particular RX J1117+6522 has shown strong changes in the optical to X-ray spectral slope alpha-ox. This slope describes the strength of the accretion dis to the accretion disk corona. The strong changes in alpha-ox in RX J1117+6522 may suggest a weakening and build-up again of the accretion disk corona. However, the variability see in the Ultraviolet may suggest the presence of a variable (partial covering) absorber.

9:30 - Comparing Efficiency of One- and Two-Dimensional Parallel Tempering Simulations of Coarse-Grained Homopolymers

First Author

Matthew Williams

Murray State Universy

One-dimensional parallel tempering simulations are an important tool used to understand the thermodynamics of many different physical systems. The efficiency of such simulations can vary greatly depending on the free energy landscape of the system. In this talk, I will present a two-dimensional parallel tempering scheme that offers greatly improved efficiency over the traditional one-dimensional approach. This efficiency increase is achieved by exchanging polymer structures between difficult-to-simulate models and easier-to-simulate analogs. The approach is highly flexible and can be applied to many different models. In this work, the two-dimensional parallel tempering scheme is used to analyze a coarse-grained helical homopolymer model.

9:45 - CXBN-3: Toward An Improved Understanding of Diffuse Emission Produced by High-Redshift Active Galactic Nuclei

First Author

Breno Pontes

Morehead State University

Co-author

Brannon Jones

Morehead State University

Co-author

Thomas Pannuti

Morehead State University

The Cosmic X-ray Background Nanosatellite 3 (CXBN-3): Toward An Improved Understanding of Diffuse Emission Produced by High-Redshift Active Galactic Nuclei

The Cosmic X-ray Background (CXB) is the diffuse emission of hard X-rays (3-300 keV) that is observed across the whole sky. The general consensus for the sources of the CXB (particularly at higher energies) are heavily obscured active galactic nuclei located at a moderate redshift. To explore the properties of the CXB further (such as whether flux variations are present at different angular scales), the Space Science Center at Morehead State University is developing CXBN-3 (Cosmic X-ray Background Nanosatellite 3), the successor to the nanosatellites CXBN-1 and CXBN-2, both of which had a very similar objective: to measure the intensity of the CXB within the energy range of 30-50 keV with an uncertainty of less than 5%. The CXB peaks with an intensity of ~30 keV, and by resolving this peak we can better constrain current models of the obscured AGN population and develop an accurate understanding of the temporal evolution of AGNs over a large fraction of the age of the Universe.

This presentation will summarize the previous work done on this subject, analyze the data obtained by past missions, and relate this previous work to the CXBN-3 mission objective. This work is crucial not only in the development of CXBN-3 (as it will establish the requirements for its subsystems and instrumentation), but also for advancing the technology of resolution of astronomical observations conducted at X-ray energies.

10:00 - Detection of X-ray Emission from the Galactic Supernova Remnant G340.6+0.3

First Author

Thomas Pannuti

Morehead State University

Co-author

Walker Hartman

Morehead State University

Pointed observations of Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) as conducted at multiple wavelengths and with leading modern observatories (such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope) have revealed many new insights into both SNRs themselves as well as the interstellar medium (ISM) with which these sources are interacting. We are currently investigating the multi-wavelength (chiefly X-ray and radio) properties of poorly studied SNRs that have been readily detected in the infrared to help improve our understanding of the interplay between SNRs and their surrounding ISM. To illustrate this work, we present an analysis of an archival pointed observation made of the Galactic SNR G340.6+0.3 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The high angular resolution image reveals a shell-like morphology that closely (but not precisely) matches the radio morphology of the SNR. In addition, spatially-resolved spectroscopy of the SNR using standard thermal plasma models reveals a curious asymmetry in the spectral properties of the rim. While enhanced (relative to solar) abundances of elements such as silicon are indicated from fits to the spectrum of the X-ray luminous northeastern rim (indicating that the X-ray emitting plasma at this site is ejecta-dominated), the measured abundances of elements at other locations of the SNR are consistent with solar, indicating that the plasma at these sites are dominated by swept-up ISM. From spectral fits and our adopted distance to this SNR of 15 kiloparsecs, we also estimate a median electron number density of the X-ray-emitting plasma to be 0.20 per cubic centimeter and the swept-up X-ray emitting mass of the plasma to be approximately 50 solar masses. Initial results will be presented and discussed.

10:15 - Searching for Azimuthal Variations in Cosmic-Ray Acceleration by the Galactic Supernova Remnant G330.2+1.0

First Author

Tithi Patel

Morehead State University

Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) with X-ray spectra dominated by synchrotron radiation are crucial for the study of the phenomenon of cosmic-ray acceleration by SNRs. High angular resolution (about 1 arcsecond) observations conducted by the Chandra X-ray Observatory
facilitate spatially resolved spectroscopic analyses at small angular scales of these sources. These observations allow the search for variations in cosmic-ray acceleration conditions (if present) at different sites along the leading rims of these SNRs. We present a spatially resolved spectroscopic analysis of archival Chandra observations made of G330.2+1.0, a Galactic SNR known to feature almost exclusively synchrotron radiation in its X-ray spectrum. Our initial fits with simple power law models produce photon indices ranging from 1.9 to 2.5, consistent with a synchrotron radiation. We are also using radio data of this SNR to apply more stringent synchrotron-based models to obtain estimates of the maximum energies of cosmic-ray electrons at different radio-bright regions of G330.2+1.0. Initial results will be presented and discussed.

10:30 - Impact of Dust Depletions on BPT Diagrams for Star-forming Regions in Galaxies

First Author

Chamani Gunasekera

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Xihan Ji

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Marios Chatzikos

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Renbin Yan

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Gary Ferland

University of Kentucky

Elements condensing into dust grains is an important physical process that occurs in the interstellar medium. Through studies on extinction, scattering, heating, and depletion of elements out of gas-phase, it has long been known that grains have a major effect on observed spectra of galaxies. The most recently published model of element depletions onto dust grains is characterized using a generalized depletion strength F* for any line of sight. This study streamlines the calculation of post-depleted element abundances within Cloudy, to explore the effects of varying F* on spectral line ratio predictions from a photoionization model. First, we use the Orion Nebula as a test case, then expand the study to a more generalized H II region model. Finally, we select a sample of H II regions from the spatially resolved data of the e Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey and aim to constrain F* by comparing them with the Cloudy model for a range of F* values. Our analysis of the BPT (Baldwin, Phillips, and Terlevich) diagrams and temperature profiles resulting from Cloudy reveal that depletion strength has a non-trivial effect on predicted emission lines, the thermal equilibrium, and the structure of the ionized cloud. Our BPT diagrams also reveal that an F* value close to 0.5 gives a good representation of the majority of the H II regions in our MaNGA sample.

10:45 - Analysis of Astronomical Objects Using the Using the Object-Brightness Analyzer for Rubin Observatory (OBARO)

First Author

Jordan Dowdy

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Ethan Colbert

Purdue University

Co-author

Matt Golden

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Akhtar Mahmood

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Fuat Yelkenci

Istanbul University Institute of Science

We have developed an updated version of the Object-Brightness Analyzer for Rubin Observatory(OBARO) Big Data software written in Python using the Gaussian Model Mixture(GMM) machine learning(ML) algorithm that can automatically detect and calculate the brightness of all astronomical objects from the PhoSim Rubin(LSST)-Survey-#1 data sets that were generated using BU's Tier2 Grid Supercomputer for the LSST-Dark Energy Science Collaboration(DESC) and from Rubin Observatory's Data Preview (DP 0.2) simulation data sets. The OBARO software uses statistical analysis and machine learning to plough through and scan all the astronomical objects and calculate the mean pixel value, mean pixel value error, surface brightness, surface brightness error, area, pixel count for both the object and its background and calculates flux and magnitude for the astronomical object. Once the OBARO software runs all the FITS files in each Seed# produced by PhoSim, it will produce an XML file as its output for analysis. Using the OBARO software that can run on a PC or laptop, we can automate the cumbersome task of manual analysis of FITS images and do this task quickly and accurately. We will describe the OBARO software and present the results of brightness studies of astronomical objects in some of the PhoSim Rubin (LSST) Simulated Survey #1 data sets using Phosim versions 5.1.7, 5.3.23 as well as the Data Preview 0.2 data sets.

11:00 - Constraints on Dark Energy Cosmological Models Using Observational Data

First Author

Matthew Golden

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Narayan Khadka

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Akhtar Mahmood

Bellarmine University

Bellarmine University is part of the Kentucky Association for Research with LSST (KARL) consortium and has been a member of the Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) since 2017. Dark Energy appears to be the dominant component of the physical Universe, yet there are no compelling theoretical explanations for Dark Energy. The nature of Dark Energy ranks among the most compelling problems in science and understanding the nature of dark energy is one of the key objectives in cosmology. We have used the Hubble parameter (H_z) from observational data which spans the redshift range 0.07 < z < 1.965 to determine constraints on cosmological parameters in the ΛCDM Dark Energy model. We have written code in Python and have conducted analyses by using the Markov Chains Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm that is in the emcee package. We have determined the values of the matter density parameter (Omega_m0) to be 0.328 and Hubble constant (H_0) to be 67.728. These values are consistent with those determined from BAO (Baryon Acoustic Oscillations) and CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background) observational data.

11:15 - Exploring Cathodoluminescence Evident Features of WS2, MoS2, and W-S-Se

First Author

Nathan Mayer

Bellarmine University

Cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy can be used to characterize the quantum optical behaviors of two-dimensional nanostructures. Imaging using CL can demonstrate features of the underlying structure and behavior of nanoscale materials that would otherwise not be evident in the secondary-electron surveys used by traditional scanning electron microscopy. Other studies have shown that CL images can identify point defects in hexagonal boron nitride. This finding led us to search for evidence of related behavior in monolayers of tungsten disulfide (WS2) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten-sulfide-selenide Janus structures (WSSe). Flakes of WS2, MoS2, and WSSe were mounted on a silicon dioxide (SiO2) substrate and analyzed under both high vacuum and low H2O vacuum conditions using a scanning electron microscope. CL and secondary-electron images of the samples were captured at multiple electron-beam energies and currents (5 keV to 30 keV, and 0.5 nA to 5 nA, respectively). A range of beam currents and energies were used to maximize image resolution while minimizing beam-induced sample damage. The images were initially subjected to nonnegative matrix factorization and principal component analysis processing to identify and isolate areas of unique quantum optical behavior across various wavelengths. Preliminary results showed evidence of non-uniform CL emission across flakes of WSSe and WS2. Greater emission was observed at the edges of flakes, compared to the center of the flakes, despite their supposed uniform, two-dimensional composition.

11:30 - Safe Solar Observing Today As Preparation for Upcoming Eclipses

First Author

Richard Gelderman

Other

We argue that making solar observing a commonplace activity will be critical for widespread safe observing experiences for upcoming eclipses, especially the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse. Most K-12 schools near the path of totality for the 2017 total solar eclipse ended up cancelling class on the day, so those students and their families were left to deal for themselves with how to safely enjoy observing the event. A trigger for this situation was the letter sent to school districts "offering" a liability release form that all students must sign for that district to avoid being held responsible for the damage their students would incur while viewing the eclipse. Having safe solar observing be introduced as a regular activity for students can be the key to preventing such sad situations for future solar eclipses.

Friday, November 11, 2022 9:00am - 12:00pm

Science Education

Room 329

Section Meeting to follow presentations

Chair: Shreya Patel

Co-chair: Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

9:00 - Attrition or persistence in STEM undergraduate degrees: What is the role of personal and school socioeconomics?

First Author

Riley Hicks

Morehead State University

Co-author

Wilson Gonzalez

Morehead State University

Even though children in the U.S. have the right to receive a quality education, many published reports have raised concerns about disparities in school funding, facilities, and resources between different counties within a state. This "zip code effect" causes some students to be "predestined" to receive a poor education, while other students can achieve a good education and well-remunerated careers, depending on their physical address. Because high school science and mathematics (STEM) classes require lab space, materials, equipment, and specialized teachers, disparities in school funding are critical if students want to major in STEM at the college level. In this study, the researchers determined to what extent socioeconomic characteristics, such as high school size (number of students enrolled), yearly school spending per pupil, and family income (Pell grant receivers), could affect STEM degree attainment. Original majors of interest included biology, chemistry, physics, earth/space sciences, mathematics, and computer science. The researchers will discuss preliminary findings and their implications for the support of STEM-interested students in Kentucky.

9:15 - Career persistence of female Puerto Rican scientists a decade after earning doctoral degrees: A literature review

First Author

Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

Morehead State University

Co-author

Joan Roque-Peña

University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus

Co-author

Yolanda Machado-Escudero

University of North Florida

Women of color are underrepresented across all STEM levels, from college to careers. A 2019 National Science Foundation report called Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering indicated that about 8% of all science and engineering doctoral degrees are awarded to minority females, despite the fact that they are about 36% of the female U.S. population. Their representation is alarmingly low in quantitative disciplines. Three issues further complicate the understanding of women of color in STEM. First, most studies focus on undergraduate and graduate STEM pipelines, not on STEM professionals. Second, the umbrella term "Women of Color" may mask potential advantages and hindrances to successful STEM careers for specific groups, such as Latinas, and sub-groups like Puerto Rican women. Finally, little research has been done specifically with Puerto Rican female STEM professionals as participants. This study will use a case study approach to better understand the professional status of 8-12 mid-career Puerto Rican women who completed their Ph.D. in STEM at the University of Puerto Rico, and to explore implications for STEM-interested undergraduate Latinas. A dialogue with female scientists in the audience will be encouraged to explore additional avenues of inquiry with the participants.

9:30 - Getting Your Hands Dirty: Service Learning In and Out of the Classroom

First Author

Amanda Skidmore

Morehead State University

Today's graduates are expected to come into their careers equipped with the skillsets and experiences needed to be successful and competitive. However, with limited time in the classroom, educators must develop teaching methods that not only communicate core concepts, but also proved opportunities to develop career skills through high-impact experiences. Historically, the Soil Conservation course offered Morehead State University focused on developing hands-on skills in soil conservation for students within the College of Science. Student taking the course would complete a small conservation project throughout the semester. To improve students' experiences, the course underwent a re-design for the Fall 2022 semester to add opportunities for on service learning and teamwork development. The new design of the courses focuses on selecting soil conservation projects that use teamwork to develop solutions for real-world soil conservation problems, cultivate community buy-in, and provide opportunities for service-oriented work with community partners. Students who complete the course not only add credits to their transcripts, but will have career-specific experiences, completed products, and 60+ hours of community service added to their resumes. This talk will focus on the processes of overhauling courses and the steps needed to increase student engagement and leveraging of resources within higher education.

9:45 - Best Practices in Designing Professional Development Workshops for K-12 Science Teachers

First Author

Katherine Bulinski

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Alan Goldstein

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Professional development workshops are required of K-12 teachers to maintain teacher certification and meet district and state requirements for teacher training. Anecdotally, teachers report that these workshops are often dull, forgettable, and mostly focus on pedagogy, not content. We have found that teachers are hungry for more content-driven trainings that would allow them to bring exciting, engaging science education to their classrooms.

Since 2010, the authors have been providing paleontology and earth science-focused professional development workshops to teachers in Indiana and Kentucky. Over that time, we learned some best practices in delivering workshops that translate to real results in the classroom and can be enjoyable for teachers.

Our approach has varied over the years, but what we have found most successful involves A) hands-on in-person engagement with participants, B) ongoing post-workshop engagement C) the delivery of resources and supplies for direct classroom use, and D) partnership with other organizations like parks, museums, and businesses. While not essential, modest external funding (including an education and outreach grant from the Kentucky Academy of Science) made a noticeable difference in what we could provide to participants and enhanced what the teachers were able to bring back to their own classrooms.

Professional scientists and educators have an opportunity to launch their own successful professional development workshops with the model presented here, as a vehicle for enhancing science education across the commonwealth. Working with K-12 teachers has a multiplying effect, in that by reaching teachers means that you will also, by extension, impact their students, year after year.

10:00 - Collaborative Teaching across colleges - observations and reflections

First Author

Jerzy Jaromczyk

University of Kentucky

Collaborative teaching and mentoring are essential for effective interdisciplinary education, where students benefit from multiple perspectives offered by each educator's expertise and individual experience. Our teaching collaborations represent a variety of educational models and dimensions: from jointly taught graduate and undergraduate courses for many semesters or just a few lectures to co-advising Ph.D. students, Honors students, and mentoring high school students. Computation and software development are on one side of these collaborations, while the other academic disciplines are life sciences, verbal communication, pedagogy, library services, linguistics, and data science, among others. Although the overarching goal is to provide the best learning experiences for students, as a side effect, co-teaching also facilitates an environment where teachers and learners learn from one another.
The teaching collaboration reinforced our understanding of our disciplinary and knowledge limitations and emphasized the need to rely on those with the appropriate expertise. This presentation discusses our observations and reflections we gleaned from joint educational endeavors.

10:15 - Hockey Players, Students, and Research Design

First Author

Melony Stambaugh

Northern Kentucky University

Designing research for use in a dual credit course creates specific issues for the researchers and the participants. Considerations and action items vary based on the age of the researchers and their level of research. This paper looks at some of the important points to manage in a semester level project and the possible outcomes.

10:30 - Identifying degree programs susceptible to STEM attrition at the U.S. Air Force Academy through major flow analysis

First Author

Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

Morehead State University

Co-author

Maj Daniel O'Keefe

U.S. Air Force Academy

Co-author

Lt Col David Meier

U.S. Air Force Academy

In increasingly technological civilian and military worlds, STEM professionals are essential. To what extent postsecondary institutions are providing quality support to STEM-interested students is subject to debate, but the consensus is that STEM attrition at the college level is problematic and is a topic of intense study. As a consequence, reducing STEM attrition is important for military undergraduate institutions like the U.S. Air Force Academy. In this study, the researchers identified which STEM majors experience the most and least attrition, by sheer numbers and as percentages of total initial enrollment. In terms of the raw number of cadets, the top three STEM majors where cadets switched to nonSTEM the most were Biology, Computer Science, and Aeronautical Engineering. The top three STEM majors where cadets switched to nonSTEM the most per capita were Cyber Sciences, Data Science, and Computer Science. The researchers proposed strengthening math proficiency across the board, reducing the course load of STEM-interested first-year cadets through virtual instruction prior to matriculation, and interviewing cadets to obtain first-person accounts of factors that contributed to STEM attrition. This research was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Faculty Fellowship Program®, FA8750-15-3-6003 and FA9550-15-0001.

10:45 - Implementing a flipped classroom strategy in introductory chemistry at a Hispanic Serving Institution

First Author

Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

Morehead State University

Co-author

Betzaida Castillo-Cruz

University of Puerto Rico Humacao Campus

Co-author

Rolando Tremont

University of Puerto Rico Humacao Campus

Co-author

Lilliam Casillas-Martinez

University of Puerto Rico Humacao Campus

Co-author

Josee Vedrine-Pauleus

University of Puerto Rico Humacao Campus

General Chemistry is an important component of STEM degrees and is considered a bottleneck course where students struggle with understanding the required content knowledge and skills. Students' negative experiences may result in decreased enrollment, pessimistic attitudes towards the discipline, and low retention and graduation rates in STEM. In response, the University of Puerto Rico Humacao Campus has been exploring ways to implement a 'flipped classroom' instructional strategy in introductory chemistry, where the students actively study the conceptual information at home while classroom time is dedicated to active learning, inclusion-based activities, and problem-solving. A pilot study from Spring 2022 indicated a 7% decrease in D/F grades and a 3% increase in course retention (W grade) when compared with students from the traditional sections. In this follow-up study, the researchers statistically compared the academic performance and classroom experience of traditional and flipped classroom sections of introductory chemistry. Preliminary results and implications for student learning will be discussed.

11:00 - Implementing Wolfram Mathematica into Kentucky High School Curriculum

First Author

Noah Cooley

Morehead State University

Technology is a constant topic of debate in K-12 schooling, especially within the mathematics curriculum. Research literature suggests that the implementation of computer algebra systems (CAS) in high school and collegiate education can greatly impact students' understanding of mathematics and enthusiasm about learning mathematics.

In this undergraduate capstone project, Wolfram Mathematica was explored as a means of enhancing understanding of mathematics. Upon reaching familiarity with Mathematica and the Kentucky Academic standards, the CAS was used to develop lesson plans based upon these Kentucky Academic Standards, including complex numbers. These lesson plans include demonstrations from the Wolfram Demonstrations Project, intended for use in education and research. In addition, a reflection about the applicability of Mathematica to the standards and the viability of CAS use in the classroom is included.

11:15 - Assessing the Effectiveness of a Physics-Based Light Pollution Curriculum

First Author

Abigail Fagan

Morehead State University

Co-author

James Adkins

Morehead State University

Co-author

Jennifer Birriel

Morehead State University

Co-author

Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ashley Peters

Morehead State University

Light pollution is the brightening of the natural night sky due to artificial light sources. We will briefly discuss the forms of light pollution and its negative effects. One potential way to minimize light pollution is to educate school students and the public about its causes and effects. We developed a weeklong, exploration-based curriculum to be implemented in middle and high schools in Northeastern Kentucky. The explorations focus on the physics of light pollution and possible solutions. Participating students completed an identical diagnostic survey before and after completing the curriculum activities. We will present an overview of the curriculum implementation and statistics from the diagnostic survey for the four groups that participated during spring of 2022.

11:30 - Inspiring STEM Student to Pursue a Career in STEM Teaching: Summer Internship in STEM Education at the KY Science Center

First Author

Akhtar Mahmood

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Kristin Cook

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Cody Nygard

Bellarmine University

Fewer STEM students are entering the K-12 STEM teaching profession, and school districts. The number of certified Kentucky high school STEM teachers has been declining since 2010. To inspire undergraduate STEM students to pursue a career in K-12 teaching, as a part of an NSF funded project, we formed a partnership with the Kentucky Science Center. The NSF Noyce grant provided a one-month summer internship at the Kentucky Science Center for ten STEM majors to conduct hands-on, inquiry-based science activities with students from grade levels ranging from Pre-K to Grades 7-8 to develop their STEM teaching skills and to determine if such interactions with younger students could have an impact on the STEM interns' interest in pursuing a career in STEM teaching. Under the supervision of a Kentucky Science Center staff, these interns facilitated all lesson plans for up to 25 students for each summer camp. The interns used the Engineering design processes, inquiry-based learning, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to conduct these summer camps. Additionally, these interns provided guidance to camp counselors and volunteers in the classroom. The interns took part in multiple surveys that were collectively used to determine their interest in pursuing a career in STEM teaching. The STEM interns were asked to share their views of their internship experience, and the impact it had on their perception of teaching, that gave insights into additional variables which may influence undergraduate students' interest in STEM teaching as a profession. Results of the survey data will be presented and the relationships between the various forms of data collected, including videos, observations and the student focus group data will be discussed.

Friday, November 11, 2022 9:30am - 10:30am

Junior Academy Research Forum

Room 321

Facilitated by Bruce Griffis, KSU

The Kentucky Junior Academy of Science Research Forum will provide an opportunity for KJAS members to interact with a panel of undergraduate and graduate student researchers. In addition to short discussions of their current research, the panelists will provide individual experiences about making the transition to doing research while working toward their undergraduate or graduate degree.
Panelists will discuss how they found a research mentor, how to fit in research with academics and a social life, what college life is like, and how they have overcome any challenges. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a Question & Answer session with the panelists.

Panelists:
Chase Yost, Bellarmine University
Alina Koch, Morehead State University
Mara Stout, Morehead State University
Michael McLeod, Kentucky State University
JT Dials, Morehead State University

Friday, November 11, 2022 10:45am - 11:45am

Junior Academy Workshop: DNA In Color

Room 321

Presented by Dr. Elizabeth Thomas and Kelsey Heard

This lab quantifies DNA damage through a colorimetric assay, for advanced or high school level chemistry and biology students.

Friday, November 11, 2022 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Lunch on Your Own / Box Lunch Pickup

If you ordered a box lunch, present your ticket to pick it up on the 3rd floor.
The ADUC Food court is open on the 2nd floor and "The Rock" Dining Hall is open

Friday, November 11, 2022 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Science Advocacy Workshop

Room 329

Presented by Rob Weber

KAS Communications and Policy Director Rob Weber will share tips and tools that you can use to help give the science community a strong voice at the State Capitol and everywhere else policy decisions are made. Rob will also review top issues under consideration in Frankfort and offer a brief preview of the Kentucky General Assembly's 2022 legislative session.

A former newspaper journalist, Rob served as the Public Information Manager for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission before coming aboard KAS. He is a graduate of Leadership Frankfort and served as an officer for organizations including the Kentucky Association of Government Communicators, Toastmasters International, and the national Legislative Information and Communications Staff Association.

Friday, November 11, 2022 12:59pm - 2:30pm

Oral Presentations Friday afternoon

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

Friday, November 11, 2022 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Agricultural Sciences

Room 326

Chair: Shreya Patel

1:00 - Influence of temperature on feed consumption, growth, and feed efficiency of fingerling Largemouth Bass

First Author

Uchechukwu Ohajiudu

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Kenneth Semmens

Kentucky State University

Aquaculture production of largemouth bass (LMB) is based on acceptance of feed by fingerling bass. Understanding the influence of water temperature on feed consumption, growth, and feed efficiency will inform practical feeding methods for these fish.
A 6-week study was conducted to evaluate the influence of temperature on production of fingerling LMB. Seven recirculating aquaculture systems with four aquaria per system were randomly assigned a temperature treatment (15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, and 33°C). Each aquarium was stocked with 25 feed trained fish (6.5g ± 0.40/ fish) and fed pellets (45% protein, 20% fat) to satiation twice daily. Water quality was monitored to maintain suitable conditions for LMB growth in each system. At harvest, length, and weight of each fish in each aquarium was recorded.
Temperature significantly affected food consumption, specific growth rate, and feed efficiency. Mean value of 125% for maximum feed efficiency occurred at 24℃, whereas maximum growth rate (3%/day), and food consumption (359g/rep) was greatest at 27℃. Regression analysis revealed best fit for the data with a third order equation and respective R2 values of 89%, 94%, and 94%.
This study generates empirical data for creating a feeding protocol for LMB across wide temperature range.

1:15 - The effects of endogenous vs. exogenous carbon sources and woodchip media in denitrification filters coupled with shrimp

First Author

Mark Johannemann

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Leo Fleckenstein

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Andrew Ray

Kentucky State University

Nitrate accumulation in recirculating aquaculture systems may reduce production and therefore limits water reuse. Denitrification, a process in which facultative anaerobic microbes reduce nitrate to dinitrogen gas, may allow for greater water reuse. However, media and carbon sources for heterotrophic microbes may increase production cost. This study analyzed Low-cost alternatives, including woodchips for media and fermented sludge for carbon using in-line denitrification reactors. The study consisted of six treatments in which either woodchips or no media, and ethanol, sludge, or no carbon added. Each system included a 1 m3 culture tank stocked with 250 shrimp and a 28.7 L denitrification reactor. Results indicate nitrate was significantly lower in the woodchip treatments than in the no-media treatments and in ethanol treatments than in the no-C and sludge treatments. Shrimp survival and average weight were greater in the no media treatments than in the woodchip treatments. The ethanol treatments had greater average weight but lower survival than the other carbon treatments. This experiment suggests a range of implications based on media and carbon types in denitrification reactors. Some factors seemingly benefit water quality but may negatively impact shrimp. Such considerations are important for producers trying to balance nitrate remediation while optimizing production.

1:30 - Investigating the Impact of Biochar and Animal Manures on Ammonia and Nitrate Concentrations in Turnips

First Author

George Antonious

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Eric Turley

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Angel Freeman

Kentucky State University

Nitrogen (N) supplied to plant roots as nitrate (NO3 _) and ammonium (NH4+) ions is required in large amounts due to its greatest impact on plant growth, plant morphology, and nutrient composition. We investigated the impact of four types of animal manures (sewage sludge SS, horse manure HM, chicken manure CM, vermicompost Vermi), and no-manure NM on the concentrations of NH4+ and NO3 - in the roots and shoots of three commercial varieties of turnips, Brassica rapa (Purple Top White Globe PTWG, Scarlet Queen Red SQR, and Tokyo Cross TC). NO3 – levels in variety SQR roots and shoots (edible greens) were higher that varieties PTWG and TC. The concentration of NH4+ averaged 20.2, 12.8, and 8.9 µg g-1 fresh turnip roots, whereas NO3 – values averaged 107.6, 64.1, and 62.9 µg g-1 fresh turnip roots in varieties SQR, PTWG, and TC, respectively. Concentrations of NH4+ in turnip plants (root and shoot) grown in Vermi compost amended with biochar (VermiBio) was significantly (P< 0.05) greater (39.9 µg g-1 fresh tissue) compared to Vermi compost (Vermi) not amended with biochar (23.1 µg g-1 fresh tissue). Regardless of soil amendment type, the concentration of NH4+ in the shoots (44 µg g-1) was greater than the roots (15 µg g-1). On the contrary, NO3 – was higher in the roots (89.4 µg g-1) compared to the shoots (67.6 µg g-1 fresh tissue). Our findings also showed that Inorganic fertilizer, Vermi, and SS amended soil increased NO3 – levels in turnip roots than the shoots of plants grown in NM control treatments. Regarding acceptable daily intake (ADI) for NO3 – none of the three varieties analyzed constitute any NO3 –adverse effects on normal human intake. Similarly, consuming turnips grown in any of the animal manures tested do not represent any hazardous issues.

1:45 - Testing the Effect of Amended Soil on the Yield and Quality of Eggplant, Solanum melongena

First Author

ERIC TURLEY

Kentucky State University

Co-author

George Antonious

Kentucky State University

Eggplant is from the nightshade family and originated in China and India. It is a high-fiber, low-calorie food that is rich in nutrients and has many health benefits. An experiment was conducted to test the impact of soil amendments- sewage sludge (SS), chicken manure (CM), biochar (BIO), chitin (CH), sewage sludge mixed with biochar (SS+BIO), sewage sludge mixed with chitin (SS+CH), chicken manure mixed with biochar (CM+BIO), chicken manure mixed with chitin (CM+CH), and no-mulch soil (NM) - on the yield and quality of harvested eggplant. Mature plants were harvested, weighed, and the number and quality of the fruits were recorded. Chitin alone and CM+BIO treatments produced the highest number of eggplant fruits and total harvest weight (12.8 and 11.3 kg/plot, respectively), while the combination of CM+CH and SS alone produced the least number of fruits and lowest total weight (3.7 and 3.4 kg/plot, respectively). Using the USDA eggplant grades, U.S. #1 produced the greatest total number of fruits compared to U.S. Fancy and U.S. #2. U.S. Fancy produced the greatest total fruit weight compared to U.S. #1 and U.S. #2, with a 68.0% and 796.8% increase, respectively. We concluded that growing eggplants in chitin alone and in CM+BIO treatments improved both yield and quality of the harvested fruits.

2:00 - Replanting Impacted Growth Performance of Lotus in Ponds

First Author

Changzheng Wang

Kentucky State University

At the end of one growing season, lotus leaves die and tubers stay dormant in the mud over the winter. In the following Spring, tubers sprout and grow new plants whether they are left in the mud or removed from the mud and then replanted. The objective of this project was to determine how replanting might affect the growth performance of lotus plants. Lotus tubers were planted (1 tuber/square meter) in 4 ponds in 2021. Tubers in two of the ponds were removed from the mud and replanted. Tubers in the other two ponds were left in the mud without replanting. All the ponds followed the same fertilization schedule and the number of standing leaves, flower buds and flowers were counted weekly in both years. Lotus left in ponds started sprouting two weeks earlier, produced significantly more standing leaves, flower buds and flowers than they did in the previous year. Lotus replanted in the second year produced similar number of leaves, flower buds and flowers as compared to the first year in the same ponds. These results indicate that lotus tubers left in the mud without replanting in the second year had better growth performance overall. Earlier sprouting and extra number of growth tips may explain the improved growth performance in the second year.

Friday, November 11, 2022 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Chemistry

Room 329

Chair, Analytical & Physical Chemistry: Emmalou Schmittzehe	Secretary, Analytical & Physical Chemistry: Laura Rowe
Chair, Organic & Inorganic Chemistry: Elizabeth Thomas

1:00 - Attaching DNA Primers to Slides with Synthetically Modified Glass

First Author

Rebekah Bogle

Asbury University

Co-author

Wilson Shafer

Asbury University

The purpose of this research is to develop a device that allows researchers to take an instrument to bodies of water that contain species of interest. Currently, gallons of water must be transported from the body of water of interest to the researcher's lab, where the eDNA must be multiplied so that its response can be magnified to a point where it is quantifiable. Additionally, eDNA tends to degrade after a certain amount of time in the environment, so having an instrument that would allow for faster analysis would be beneficial. The proposed method will allow for a more cost-effective analysis of small organisms in the water. The proposed instrument will be composed of glass slides treated with 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyl-trimethoxysilane (APTS), then treated with DNA primer specific to species of interests. The APTS and DNA primer have been shown to successfully be bonded to the slides via Fourier Transform - Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Continuing research will involve testing means to qualitatively identify successful eDNA bonding.

1:15 - Predicting the Mechanism and Products of CO2 Capture by Amines in the Presence of H2O

First Author

Zachary Lee

Morehead State University

Co-author

La'Darious Quinn

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Co-author

Christopher Jones

Georgia Institute of Technology

Co-author

Sophia Hayes

Washington University

Co-author

David Dixon

The University of Alabama

The use of aqueous and solid-state amines serves as the current state-of-the-art standard for post-combustion CO2 removal, but the overall mechanisms for these processes as well as the thermodynamics of specific product formation remain experimentally elusive. Reaction coordinates for a series of CO2 capture reactions by various alkylamines and H2O were calculated at the G3(MP2) level in the gas phase with aqueous solution calculations performed at the G3(MP2) level with an additional self-consistent reaction field approach at the MP2 level added for the treatment of solution. The G3(MP2) calculations were benchmarked at the CCSD(T)/CBS level for NH3 reactions. In the gas phase, alkylamines are found to reduce the energy barrier more than catalytic waters for both carbamic acid and carbonic acid formation. In aqueous solution, the barriers to form both carbamate and bicarbonate are further reduced, with bicarbonate formation ocurring if only one amine is present and carbamate formation possible only if multiple amines are accessible. The barriers for proton transfer in each reaction correlate nicely with amine basicity for alkylammonium carbamate (ΔG < 15 kcal/mol) and alkylammonium bicarbonate (ΔG < 30 kcal/mol) formation pathways. These results have implications for CO2 capture by amines in both the gas phase and aqueous solution as well as in the solid state, if enough water is present. This work was supported by UNCAGE-ME, an Energy Frontier Research Center led by the Georgia Institute of Technology funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences.

1:30 - Comparison of the Volatile Compounds in Six Different Pawpaw Cultivars and Correlation to Sensory Analysis

First Author

Mackenzie Roark

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Addison Riel

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Li Li Zyzak

Eastern Kentucky University

Pawpaw fruit is native to Kentucky and have been described as North Americas only native tropical fruit. The flavor of pawpaw has been described as a blend of mango, banana, and pineapple characters into one fruit. Kentucky State University (KSU) has the only pawpaw research program in the world and we have developed a collaboration to investigate the volatile compounds in its different cultivars. We will present data on the Gas-Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of six different pawpaw cultivars. In addition, sensory analysis was also performed on these cultivars and part of this project is to draw correlations between specific compounds and their influence on the flavor of pawpaw fruits. In this work, we identified some key compounds that correlate with specific sensory characteristics of pawpaw fruits and we will share the results we currently have on this project.

1:45 - Novel Discovery Regarding the Aroma of Roasted Coffee

First Author

Joshua Zyzak

Beechwood High School

Coffee is one of the most researched food products of all time. Over the past 50 years, more than 500 volatile molecules have been identified in coffee, and many studies have focused on determining which of these compounds is responsible for the aroma. Most recently, a research group suggested that only 30 compounds are needed to replicate the aroma of coffee. However, these results are not conclusive, and they appear to be missing some additional compounds that have yet to be discovered. Research in our lab has resulted in the discovery of an important aroma compound in dark roasted coffee (trimethylamine). In this presentation, we will share the approach that led to this discovery and also highlight the development of a unique quantitative methodology used to determine the concentration of this compound in various coffee brands. Based on sensory evaluation of various coffees, trimethylamine is a key contributor to the aroma of French Roast and Espresso Roast coffee. By leveraging this new discovery, we are one step closer to recreating the authentic aroma of coffee. This research was recently presented at the 2022 National American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting in Chicago, and a manuscript has been submitted for publication.

2:00 - Predicting Omicron COVID-19 Positivity Using Breath Samples

First Author

Justin Huang

duPont Manual High School

Our research aims to study whether Omicron COVID-19 could produce distinct patterns of volatile organic compounds detectable in the exhaled breath so that a portable breath analyzer can be developed to diagnose COVID-19 noninvasively. I hypothesized that volatile organic compounds in the breath of Omicron COVID-19 patients are significantly different from those in COVID-19 negative subjects. After IRB approval, 46 Omicron COVID-19 positive patients and 20 COVID-19 negative subjects were enrolled starting April 2022. Breath samples were collected using Tedlar bags and analyzed with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Significant differences in multiple volatile organic compounds, including nonanone, nonanal, acetone, and butanal, were identified between Omicron COVID-19 positive and negative breath samples. The importance score is calculated using the minimum redundancy maximum relevance algorithm for 40 features from GC-MS. Random Forest classifier provides the best results of sensitivity and specificity with 4 folds cross-validation. Accuracy was 84.84%, sensitivity was 89.13%, specificity was 75% and the area under the curve was 0.88. In conclusion, an artificial intelligence model can distinguish between Omicron COVID negative and positive patients via breath analysis by GC-MS. Our next step is to develop a GC- photoionization detection (GC-PID) device as a rapid, portable point-of-care tool in Omicron COVID-19 screening.

2:15 - Reactivity and mechanism of chromium(V)-oxo and chromium(IV)-oxo porphyrins in sulfoxidation reactions

First Author

Tristan Skipworth

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Mardan Khashimov

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Iyanu Ojo

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Rui Zhang

Western Kentucky University

Chromium(IV)-oxo porphyrins [CrIV(Por)(O)] (2) (Por = porphyrin) were generated either by oxidation of [CrIII(Por)Cl] (1) with iodobenzene diacetate or visible light photolysis of porphyrin‐chromium(III) chlorates. Subsequent oxidation of 2 with silver perchlorate gave chromium(V)-oxo porphyrins [CrV(Por)(O)] (ClO4) (3) in three porphyrin ligands, including 5,10,15,20-tetramesitylporphyrin(TMP, a), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrin(TDFPP, b), and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (TPFPP, c). Complexes 2 and 3 reacted with thioanisoles to produce the corresponding sulfoxides, and their kinetics of sulfoxidation reactions with a series of aryl methyl sulfides(thioanisoles) were studied in organic solutions. Chromium(V)-oxo porphyrins are several orders of magnitudes more reactive than chromium(IV)-oxo species, and representative second-order rate constants (kox) for the oxidation of thioansole are (0.40 ± 0.01) M− 1 s− 1 (3a), and (2.82 ± 0.20) × 102 M− 1 s− 1 (3b), and (2.20 ± 0.01) × 103 M− 1 s− 1 (3c). The order of reactivity for 2 and 3 follows TPFPP > TDFPP > TMP, in agreement with the electrophilic nature of metal-oxo complexes. Hammett analyses indicate significant charge transfer in the transition states for oxidation of para-substituted thioanisoles by [CrV(Por)(O)]+. A mechanism involving the electrophilic attack of the CrV-oxo at sulfides to form a sulfur cation intermediate in the rate-determining step is suggested. Competition studies with chromium(III) porphyrin chloride and PhI(OAc)2 gave relative rate constants for oxidations of competing thioanisoles that closely match ratios of absolute rate constants from chromium(V)-oxo species, which are true oxidants under catalytic conditions.

Friday, November 11, 2022 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Environmental Science

Room 325

Chair: Vins Sutlive

Secretary: Jennifer Adler

1:00 - Yield and Quality of Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum, Grown in Various Soil Amendments

First Author

Anjan Nepal

Kentucky State University

Co-author

George Antonious

Kentucky State University

Tomato is an important agricultural crop widely used raw or cooked all over the world. It contains 95% water, and a moderate amount of vitamin C. A field experiment was conducted to assess yield and quality of tomato grown in various soil amendments. The study included 63 field plots, representing, 3 tomato varieties Ã?? 3 replications Ã?? 7 different soil treatments. Tomato varieties were Brandywine, Big Beef Plus, and New Girl. The seven soil treatments were sewage sludge, cow manure, chicken manure, biochar, vermicompost, chitin and no-amendment (NA) native soil. At harvest, fruit weight and quality were recorded. Tomato yield obtained from chicken manure, chitin, and vermicompost averaged 139, 132, and 131 g fruit-1, respectively which were significantly (P< 0.05) greater compared to biochar, cow manure and sewage sludge (118, 123, and 122 g fruit-1, respectively). Yield obtained from variety Brandywine was superior (321 g per fruit -1) compared to Big Beef Plus (198 g
Fruit -1) and New Girl (106 g fruit-1). Based on the UDSA tomato grades and the results obtained, we concluded that variety Brandywine grown in chicken manure amended soil is the best candidate for growing tomato.

Key words: Manure, USDA fruit grades, Yield

1:15 - Improving utility of undergraduate data collection of stream water quality through community partnership development

First Author

Martha Carlson Mazur

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Carolyn Waters

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Charlie Combs

Bellarmine University

Monitoring of stream water quality in Kentucky by state and local agencies is a challenge due to over 144,000 km of stream networks. Partnerships between universities and water-quality agencies are valuable not only for giving context to student learning but also in helping agencies meet their mission through data collection and research. In this study, we explored the utility of data collected by first-year undergraduates in decision-making related to water quality in urban streams. We investigated how data quality and student experience could be improved through community partnerships with a local governmental agency and a citizen-science watershed organization. Water-quality data were collected by students in an introductory environmental science course taught by three professors between 2013 and 2019 and compared to data from the two community partners. A temporal and methodological mismatch with the citizen-science organization rendered the data not comparable. Using paired t-tests and regression, student-collected data were analyzed against four government water-quality parameters. Comparisons for specific conductance and temperature indicated that the student data were accurate, whereas discharge and pH indicated an opportunity for improvement in utility. Further advancement in the partnership with the citizen-science organization has led to improved utility through temporal and methodological alignment. These findings suggest that establishing community partnerships with local government and nonprofit agencies can help shape more applicable curricular tools in undergraduate environmental science. Developing classroom methods that are consistent with existing local efforts can produce data that are more viable for use in decision-making, thereby supporting water quality in streams.

1:30 - Boundary Delineation of the Great Onyx Groundwater Basin, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

First Author

Leah Groves

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Elek Olson

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Kathryn Harris

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Cristen Olson

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Chris Groves

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Lee Anne Bledsoe

Western Kentucky University

Mammoth Cave National Park protects extensive cave systems that allow karst groundwater studies. Within the national park, Great Onyx Cave is a smaller cave draining the Great Onyx Groundwater Basin that provides a great location to look at groundwater basin dynamics in more detail. It is an important cave and flow system because of its secluded location deep in the park, allowing for a pollution free environment. Dye tracing with fluorescent dyes is one of the most used techniques when tracking water flow, especially when flow travels underground. The main objective of the research is to study the groundwater system and how it interconnects with the larger groundwater flow systems within the National Park, and to better delineate the boundaries of the Great Onyx Basin. In the research green fluorescein dye was injected into the water at a sinking stream in Three Sisters Hollow to look and determine the water flow routes, and to see if it flows into the Great Onyx Basin or the Pike Spring Basin to the east. The dye flowed both to Great Onyx and Pike Springs, showing that this sinking stream is right on the boundary between the two flow systems.

1:45 - In-Cave Groundwater Tracing in the Great Onyx Groundwater Basin, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

First Author

Elek Olson

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Kathryn Harris

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Leah Groves

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Chris Groves

WKU

Co-author

Lee Anne Bledsoe

WKU

Mammoth Cave is a cave system in North America that has been slowly expanding over the course of its history. Teams have been gathering information in Great Onyx Cave to formally connect it to Mammoth Cave via dyes that can be traced through underground streams found flowing through both caves. While the Great Onyx cave cannot be declared connected to Mammoth Cave until someone physically traverses the passages, research involving charcoal dye tracing has shown that the streams flowing through the cave are, in fact, connected. The charcoal dye bags are placed throughout different stream intervals, such as Cascade and Bizz falls, Cascade river, and Lucy-Kovah river, and capture small amounts of dye that can be detected by a computer system to graph the concentration of dye in the water flow, and prove that streams are connected underground and to outside sources in the park. This research could eventually lead to the lengthening of Mammoth Cave.

2:00 - Evaluating Methods for Underground River Discharge Measurements in Mammoth Cave National Park

First Author

Kathryn Harris

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Elek Olson

Bowling Green High School

Co-author

Leah Groves

Bowling Green High School

Great Onyx Cave is located in Mammoth Cave National Park in southcentral Kentucky. Within the cave, and the associated Great Onyx Groundwater Drainage Basin, is a labyrinth of streams that includes Cascade River, the largest underground stream in the cave's upper levels. In this research, two methods of measuring water discharge, or flow rate in liters per second, in an underground environment like Great Onyx Cave were evaluated. One of the methods employed is salt tracer dilution tests which involve injection of a known volume and concentration of a salt solution at an upstream location in Cascade River (Biz Falls). The passage of which was measured downstream in the river at Cascade Spring using an automatic water sampler and more recently a high-resolution electronic/computer data sonde. It had previously been determined that these are two ends of the same underground stream in different parts of the cave. The other method used was timing flow into a bucket of known volume at Biz Falls, which gives accurate results, with consistent repeatability within a few percent. Our best agreement so far with the two methods is within 10%, and we continue to refine our salt tracer methods, challenging in the cave environment.

Friday, November 11, 2022 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Health Sciences and Psychology

Room 310

Chair, Health Sciences: Avinash Tope	Co-chair, Psychology: Ilsun White
Chair, Psychology: Matthew Shake	Secretary, Health Sciences: Louisa Summers

1:00 - COVID-19 among institutions of higher learning in Kentucky: An observational study

First Author

ZaKylah Bryant

Kentucky State University

COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on higher learning. To investigate the impact by COVID-19 and various factors affecting infection rates, we collected COVID-19 data from institutions of higher learning across Kentucky. We also investigated factors, such as mitigation strategies, student population, housing, etc. We analyzed a subset of data collected from the Spring and Fall semester of 2021, as there was a change from virtual to in-person instruction. On examining multiple institutions located in the same cities or counties, there were several interesting findings. As expected, the total cases for a larger institution, such as University of Kentucky (UK), was higher than a smaller school such as Transylvania University (TU). However, when the cumulative infection rate (cumulative cases per 100,000) was compared, TU had a higher rate than UK. Likewise, reopening resulted in an increased infection rate for TU than UK. These differences were statistically significant. We also included data from Fayette County, of which these universities are located. UK and TU had a lower infection rate than Fayette County, possibly due to demographic differences and vaccination rate. A similar observation was true for the three major universities in Louisville/Jefferson County. By contrast, Kentucky State University (KSU) had a higher cumulative infection rate during the second half of 2021 than Franklin County. Since most KSU students were from out-of-state, likely from states with higher infection rates, suggesting that the student body composition affected the overall infection rate. Our results demonstrate that mitigation strategies should be designed after consideration and balancing various factors, to match the specific needs of a particular institution.

1:30 - Does education about implicit bias change minds? An experimental study

First Author

Jayla Johnson

Centre College

Co-author

Courtney Evans

Centre College

Co-author

Jennifer Goetz

Centre College

Unconscious racial bias is a silent prejudice that negatively affects marginalized communities in significant ways. Many institutions including schools and businesses require their employees to undergo diversity training. Unfortunately, there has been little scientific evidence that diversity training is effective at reducing bias (see Bezrukova et al., 2016). The present experimental study (N = 104) aimed to test whether implicit bias education is effective in changing people's attitudes and future behavior towards targeted groups. In addition, we test whether providing personal feedback performance on the Implicit Association Test (IAT) impacts the effectiveness of the educational training. Our implicit bias education is based on the habit-breaking intervention by Devine & colleagues (2012). Based on the Self-Regulation of Prejudice Model (Monteith, 1993), we hypothesize that personal feedback about bias will elicit negative self-affect such as guilt, which will then motivate rumination and efforts to self-regulate prejudice in the future. We test this in a followup task one-week later. Initial results also suggest that individual differences in motivation to control prejudice play a large role in responses to the training. In this talk, we will discuss the participant's results, how effective training was, and where we see this research going in the future.

1:15 - Effect of glucocorticoids upon microglial responses to chronic sleep fragmentation

First Author

Christian Chelson

Western Kentucky University

Sleep is one of the body's greatest needs, and a lack of sleep leads to a myriad of biochemical alterations. Sleep loss can stem from many different complications, a prevalent one being obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). One effect of OSA is neuroinflammation, defined as activation of microglia cells-the innate immune cell of the brain. Microglia cells change their morphology when they are activated to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and monitor the brain environment. This is interesting because glucocorticoid (cort), a stress hormone that represses inflammation, is also elevated during sleep fragmentation from OSA. To help understand how cort elevation from sleep fragmentation affects neuroinflammation, mice received chronic sleep fragmentation (every 2 minutes for 12 hr/day) for 8 weeks while adjusting cort levels of adrenalectomized mice through supplementation. The morphology of microglia was observed using immunocytochemistry and the chronic effects of sleep loss were compared with controls. This study showed that during sleep fragmentation, microglia morphology is altered in the absence of cort, particularly in the hippocampus. The results suggest that cort, which is a common treatment for inflammation, might have a different role in neuroinflammation than expected.

1:45 - Parents' depression symptoms and interactions with their teens

First Author

Brittany Stidham

Morehead State University

Co-author

Payton Baier

Morehead State University

Co-author

Abby Yates

Morehead State University

Co-author

Griffin Newell

Morehead State University

Co-author

Shari Kidwell

Morehead State University

Depressed parents have been shown to have children with increased emotional and behavioral difficulties (Hagal & Paley, 2020). Parenting is suspected as a primary reason for these findings. Depressed parents have demonstrated decreased availability and sensitivity, as well as increased irritability. However, the vast majority of depression and parenting research involves young children. We examined parental sensitivity and covert hostility in a 10-minute dyadic reminiscing task amongst 21 families in Eastern Kentucky. Parenting behaviors towards their adolescent (average age 16.6 years) were noted every 15 seconds. Specifically, sensitivity was noted as present if a parent behaved in a manner that their teen seemed to see as positive, whereas covert hostility was noted if a parent behaved in a mocking or dismissive manner. Parental depression was assessed separately using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D, Radloff, 1977). Analyses are forthcoming, but we hypothesize that higher depression symptoms amongst parents will be associated with lower rates of sensitivity and higher rates of hostility. If true, this will have important implications for their relationships with their teens, as well as their teens' adjustment.

Friday, November 11, 2022 2:45pm - 3:45pm

Networking Sessions & Career panels

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

ALL participants are encouraged to join colleagues in your subject area to explore career paths and hear stories from STEM professionals. Ask questions, meet fellow scientists, and share your own aspirations.

Room 301: Physics & Astronomy
Room 310: Health & Biomedical Sciences
Room 311: Science Education
Room 320: Psychology
Room 321: Ecology, Botany, and Zoology
Room 322: Engineering, Math & Computer Science
Room 325: Earth & Environmental Sciences
Room 326: Agriculture
Room 329: Chemistry

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Poster Session

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor Ballrooms

Poster presenters should check in at the Ballrooms and put up their poster on Friday morning. Posters will be open to be viewed all day Friday.

The KAS / KJAS poster session includes a reception with hors d'eouvres, and science demonstrations from Morehead State University student organizations. Talk to fellow scientists about their research and chat with our exhibitors and sponsors about career opportunities.
4-7 pm - Mingle, eat, chat with poster presenters
5 pm - Judging will begin for student posters

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Agricultural Sciences

Chair: Shreya Patel

AGR 1 - Organic farming and climate change: Global warming potential of organic strawberry production in unheated high tunnels

First Author

Sean Clark

Berea College

The global food system generates 25-35% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As we develop new agricultural technologies, the outcomes for global warming potential (GWP) should be given high priority. Research indicates that relative to conventional agriculture, organic farming is more efficient in its use of non-renewable energy, maintains or improves soil quality, and is less detrimental to water and biodiversity. Studies have had more mixed findings, however, when examining the impact of organic farming on GWP. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) have indicated that organic farming can result in higher GHG emissions per unit product as a result of lower yields. In this study, GWP of organic strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) grown under high tunnels in Berea, Kentucky, was assessed using LCA methodology and found to be 0.57 kg CO2-eq per kg of strawberries, with the combined impact of the aluminum and plastic manufacturing accounting for 44% of the total and the direct production activities, including labor, accounting for another 28%. The average yields of 18,990 kg/ha of fresh fruit over the two years (2020–2021) were comparable to those reported in the southeastern USA for conventional production but with lower GHG emissions. Future research should measure the GWP of crop output from vertical farming facilities, also referred to as controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems or plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs), for comparison with this simple, high-tunnel method. Research to date suggests these vertical farming facilities have considerably greater GHG emissions per unit of product output due to the construction of the facility and energy consumed for climate control.

AGR 2 - Mobility of Phosphate Ions from Soil to Runoff and Seepage Water

First Author

Angel Freeman

Kentucky State University

Co-author

George Antonious

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Eric Turley

Kentucky State University

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient needed for growth of plants and animals and a common nonpoint-source pollutant contributing to eutrophication of water bodies. We investigated the impact of soil management practices used to promote crop yields and quality on the mobility of P from soil amended with animal manures to runoff water and seepage water following rainfall events on agricultural fields. A field experiment in summer 2021 at Kentucky State University H.R. Benson Research and Demonstration farm was designed to quantify the concentrations of P in runoff, and seepage (infiltration) waters following irrigation and rainfall events. Five soil management practices were investigated: sewage sludge SS, chicken manure CM, Biochar Bio, chitin CH, and no-amendment (NA) native soil used for comparison purposes. Runoff water was collected using tipping bucket apparatus, whereas infiltration water was collected using pan-lysimeters. Results showed that biochar treatment was effective in reducing runoff water down the field slope compared to other soil treatments. The addition of biochar to native soil significantly reduced total P concentration in runoff water by 62% compared to soil amended with CM. Similarly, biochar reduced P concentration in infiltration water by 52% compared to CH treatment. We concluded that application of biochar and routine analysis of P in runoff and infiltration water is necessary for appropriate remediation of P contamination of natural water resources.

AGR 3 - Non-Thermal Food Processing Technologies Used By The Food Industry

First Author

John Khouryieh

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Harlin Saroya

Western Kentucky University

The extent to which the usage of innovative non-thermal food processing technologies is prevalent in the United States is somewhat unknown. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the extent of innovative non- thermal food processing technology usage within the United States. This study investigated technologies currently being used, ones still under development, and what drives the innovation of these technologies within the United States. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to food scientists and food technologists employed by food processing companies. The survey was sent to 5,000 employees in 421 food processing companies. There were a total 223 respondents from various regions of the United States. Of the respondents, 91% of the respondents had either a Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree or Ph D. Thirty-six percent of the participants chose high pressure processing and 20 % chose pulsed electric as the most commonly used non-thermal food processing technologies. Rapidly increasing technologies included cold atmospheric plasma and oscillating magnetic fields. Over 70% believe the main driver to use non-thermal food processing was better nutrient and sensory properties. Over 40% of respondents believed the major limitations in implementing non-thermal food processing technologies was high investment. The results indicated the main drivers for innovation were equipment manufacturers and research.

AGR 4 - Statistical Models to predict crop yield responses to change in Climate

First Author

McKringle Mhlanga

Kentucky State University

Statistical analysis is very essential to determine how climate correlates to output on agricultural output, climate has been notably changing over the years and clearly production on agricultural produce is determined by the climate patterns. There is a growing need to determine the correlation between climate change and agricultural produce and predict the future trends and relations between these two variables
Climate change has been a major concern when it comes to agricultural output such as Soy beans, wheat, tobacco and corn in the State of Kentucky. There is a growing need to determine the correlation between climate change and agricultural produce and predict the future trends and relations between these two variables.
The objective of this paper is to gather, and model data to determine the correlation between the change in climate and change in quantities in agricultural produce. There is obviously several factors that determine the output in agriculture, but this study will be controlled to hold other factors constant and solely study Climate as the only main changing factor that affects the amount of output in agriculture.
To forecast the possible consequences of climate change on agricultural yields, a model of how crops respond to weather is required. Because forecasts from various models frequently differ, understanding the reasons of this disparity is critical to constructing a more comprehensive picture of climate change's potential consequences.
The employment of statistical models trained on historical yields and certain basic meteorological parameters, such as growing season average temperature and precipitation, is a typical strategy. We employ a perfect model technique to investigate statistical models' capacity to predict yield responses to variations in mean temperature and precipitation.

AGR 5 - Effects of soil amendments on yield and quality of three varieties of watermelon, Citrullus lanatus

First Author

Zachary Scott

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Anjan Nepal

Kentucky State University

Co-author

George Antonious

Kentucky State University

The annual production of watermelon in the U.S. is 38 million pounds. We studied the effect of different soil amendments on the yield and quality of three varieties of watermelons used in agricultural production systems. The three varieties (Mama's Girl, Dark Belle, and Black Diamond) were grown in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a silty-loam soil that included 7 soil treatments Ã? 3 varieties Ã? 3 replicates. The seven treatments (sewage sludge, chicken manure, biochar, vermicompost, cow manure, chitin, and native control soil) were planted with watermelon seedlings of 45 d old and drip irrigated as needed. At harvest, fruit weight and quality of fruits were recorded based on the USDA grades (Fancy, US #1, and US #2) of watermelons. Variety Black Diamond averaged 7.7 kg fruit-1, which was significantly greater than varieties Mama's Girl (2.6 kg fruit-1) and Dark Belle (3.1 k g fruit-1). Watermelon fruits graded as 'Fancy' averaged 4.7 kg fruit-1, which was significantly greater compared to USDA grades 1 and 2. Watermelon graded as US #1 (2.4 kg fruit -1) and US #2 (2.2 kg fruit-1) were significantly greater than cull (1.6 kg fruit-1). We concluded that variety Black Diamond produced the greatest fruit weight compared to Mama's Girl and Dark Belle varieties.

AGR 6 - Adding alfalfa pellets at the time of planting resulted in poor growth performance of lotus plants in containers

First Author

Changzheng Wang

Kentucky State University

Lotus plants require large amounts of nutrients for growth of leaves and tubers. Organic fertilizers such as alfalfa pellets may provide not only nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but also other trace minerals. The objective of this project was to determine the effect of adding alfalfa pellets at the time of planting on the growth performance of lotus plants in containers. Plastic containers (18-gallon volume) used in the experiment were filled with garden soil to 40 cm deep and rain water collected from a barn roof was added into the containers to cover the soil to a depth 10 cm below the rim of the containers. Eight containers were each planted a lotus tuber with 3 growing tips in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment. The experimental groups are: 1. adding alfalfa pellets + 5 g fertilizer; 2. addinf alfalfa pellets + 10 g fertilizer; 3. No alfalfa pellets + 5 g fertilizer; 4. no alfalfa pellets + 10 g fertilizer. Two hundred g of alfalfa pellets were added only to the containers in Groups 1 and 2. After at least one standing leave had grown up in each container, 5 g or 10 g of a compound fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium were applied to each container each month. The number of floating leaves, standing leaves, and flowers were counted each week. At the end of the experiment, lotus tubers were harvested from each container. Containers with added alfalfa pellets had smaller number of standing leaves and died earlier. No significant differences were found between 5 g and 10 g fertilizer treatment. These results suggest that addition of alfalfa pellets were detrimental to the growth of lotus plants in containers.

AGR 7 - Optimal Processing Temperature and Time for Producing Jecky from Deboned Asian Carp Meat

First Author

Changzheng Wang

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Gyannella Ortega

Kentucky State University

Increasing consumption of Asian carp meat is one appraoch to encourage removal of Asian carp from Kentucky waters. However, the extramuscular bones are major obstacle for consumers to overcome. Mechanical removal of the bones is very helpful but the deboned meat loses the texture and form a traditional fish fillet presents. The objective of this study was to optimize the processing temperature and time needed to produce jecky from deboned Asian carp meat. Asian carp harvested from Lake Barkley was deboned through a 3mm drum by the Two Rivers Fishery. The meat were thawed in a refrigerator before it was mixed with a marinade and allowed to sit in a refrigerator overnight. The meat combined with marinade was filled into a manual jecky maker, which was squeezed to produce 4 mm thick and 5 cm wide strips directly onto drying tray of a food processor. The strips were dried in the food processor at 145 F and the weight of the strips were measured hourly and the water activity of the jecky produced was determined with a Pawkit water activity analyzer. After 5 hours of drying, moisture content of the products was less 50% with water activity around 0.45. Results from this study suggest that less than two hours of drying may be needed to produce jecky from deboned Asian carp meat.

AGR 8 - Effects of Yeast Culture Supplementation on Ruminal Fermentation Characteristics of Finishing Holstein Steers

First Author

Oluwaseun Odunfa

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Anjan Dhungana

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Anthony Osterman

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Daniel Woods

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Kayla Mccalebb

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Kimberly Cooper

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Yun Jiang

Kentucky State University

Feed additives have the potential to optimize rumen environment and improve feed efficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of yeast culture on ruminal fermentation. Eight rumen-cannulated Holstein steers (body weight (BW) = 466 kg.) were enrolled in a crossover study with 21-day periods. Steers were blocked by BW and assigned to either Control (basal diet only) or YC (yeast culture supplemented) in the first period and changed to the other treatment in the second period. All steers were fed a total mixed ration representing a finishing diet once daily. Liquid yeast culture was dosed into the rumen via the cannula at a rate of 11mL/100 kg BW on day 1, followed by feeding solid yeast culture at 12 g/head/day for 20 days. Rumen fluid was sampled on day 21 to determine rumen pH and concentrations of total volatile fatty acid (VFA) and ammonia-N. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Rumen pH and total VFA concentration were not affected by the treatment. Supplementing yeast culture decreased rumen ammonia-N concentration by 34.75%. Overall, yeast culture supplementation might improve microbial protein synthesis from ammonia, indicated by a reduction in ruminal ammonia concentration.

AGR 9 - An Update on the KSU Pawpaw [Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal] Breeding Program

First Author

Kirk Pomper

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Jeremiah Lowe

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Sheri Crabtree

Kentucky State University

The North American pawpaw [Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal] is a tree fruit native to eastern United States and is in the early stages of commercial production. Pawpaw fruit have a tropical-like flavor with fresh market appeal and processing of pulp for value added products. New high yielding cultivars with excellent fruit quality would assist the growth of the pawpaw industry. The Kentucky State University Pawpaw Program is evaluating wild collected and crosses of current pawpaw varieties or open pollinated seedlings from a range of genetic sources. Some selections that produced high yields and excellent fruit quality have been selected for clonal propagation and field trials. Selections that have shown excellent fruit quality and yields include the selections A3-1, Hy 3-120, G6-120, A6-1, and A4-1. Most of the pawpaw advanced selections had similar budding success and vigor to controls and are in field trials. Average fruit weights for these sections in 2022 were 367g (A3-1), 282g (Hy 3-120), 224g (G6-120), 196g (A6-1), and 186g (A4-1). All these selections show excellent fruit size and potential to be new cultivars. Additional characteristics, such as ease of propagation, tree yield, flavor, and other characteristics, will be evaluated over the next several years.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Botany / Zoology

Chair: Jeremy Gibson

Secretary: David Hayes

BOZ 1 - North American Bluets (Rubiaceae: Spermacoceae) Phylogenomics: Estimating Phylogeny and Assessing Genomic Congruence

First Author

Tia Ariagno

Murray State University

Co-author

Cole Wells

Murray State University

Co-author

Peter Schafran

Boyce Thompson Institute

Co-author

Suman Neupane

Murray State University

American bluets from the coffee family (Family Rubiaceae) roughly comprise 38 species of bluets spread across the genera Houstonia L., Stenaria (Raf.) Terrell, and Stenotis Terrell in North America. Houstonia and its allies within the tribe Spermacoceae are difficult to characterize due to the overlapping morphological traits used to define the generic boundaries. Previous studies (Shanks 2015 and Neupane et al. 2017), based on nuclear (ITS) and plastid (trnL-F, rps16) DNA regions, do not support Stenaria and Houstonia as monophyletic groups. Furthermore, the phylogenetic position of Stenotis with respect to Houstonia and Arcytophyllum was also unresolved. Our study, built across 2021 and 2022, aims to resolve the phylogenetic positions of different groups within the Spermacocee tribe and characterize the monophyletic genera within the tribe. Using the whole-genome plastid data of Spermacoceae members, we: (1) estimate Spermacoceae plastome phylogeny primarily representing north American Spermaoceae members, and (2) investigate the phylogenetic conflict among genes and signal within genes using Bayesian methods. Our work is a part of the ongoing effort with our international collaborators to build a global phylogeny of the large tribe Spermacoceae comprising over 1000 species.

BOZ 2 - Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) regeneration and survival in Lonicera maackii dominated forest understories.

First Author

Abby Garland

Institution

Co-author

Marvin Ruffner

Institution

The invasive shrub, Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) outgrows and outcompetes native flora. As such, the regeneration of Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), a dominant canopy tree which grows on limestone soils in Kentucky forests, is a conservation concern as Q. muehlenbergii regeneration is vital to long-term population viability and longevity. In central Kentucky, forest understories dominated by L. maackii are hypothesized to have produced unfavorable environmental conditions (e.g., low light availability) for Q. muehlenbergii recruitment and survival. Therefore, it is predicted if Q. muehlenbergii seedlings establish in areas dominated by L. maackii, then Q. muehlenbergii seedling survival will be very low as a result of L. maackii dominance effects in the forest understory (i.e., low light availability). In a L. maackii management experimental series established in spring 2022, Q. muehlenbergii seedlings (n = 47) were identified, recorded, and caged to protect from deer browsing (n = 30). In May and September 2022, Q. muehlenbergii seedling height, canopy cover, and survival were measured and recorded. Preliminary results show that Q. muehlenbergii first year survival was highest (85-90% survival) in L. maackii removal plots compared to untreated plots (70%) still dominated by L. maackii. Q. muehlenbergii survival and growth will continued to be studied in this L. maackii management study over time to determine if the presence of L.maackii impacts the regeneration survival of Q. muehlenbergii seedlings in central Kentucky forests. Findings from these studies will provide important information to private landowners and land conservationists to aid the conservation of Q. muehlenbergii in forests of Kentucky and surrounding region.

BOZ 3 - Spiky heads, black bands, and gill rakers, a new guide to Kentucky's herbivorous minnows, the stonerollers (Campostoma)

First Author

David Eisenhour

Morehead State University

Co-author

Matthew Thomas

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife

Co-author

Lynn Eisenhour

Bath County Schools and Morehead State University

The stonerollers (Leuciscidae: Campostoma) are herbivorous minnows that are among the most common and widespread of Kentucky's minnows. Despite a surge in molecular systematic studies of this group over the past 40 years, the distributions and diagnostic characters of Kentucky Campostoma species have remained unclear. Our goals here are to (1) describe the currently known geographic distributions of Kentucky Campostoma, and (2) present morphological characters useful in species identification. We found morphotypes representing three, possibly four, species in Kentucky occupying non-overlapping ranges: C. anomalum (Rafinesque), Central Stoneroller, widespread in northeastern and north-central Kentucky; C. oligolepis Hubbs and Greene, Largescale Stoneroller, in south-central to western Kentucky; C. pullum (Agassiz), Finescale Stoneroller, in extreme western Kentucky; and a form similar to C. anomalum in the upper Cumberland drainage. These species can be distinguished by a combination of breeding male tuberculation, anal fin pigmentation, scale counts, pharyngeal tooth formula, and number of gill rakers. The upper Cumberland form differs from 'typical' C. anomalum in only rarely having a dark anal fin band, usually only 1-2 pairs of internasal tubercles (three pairs in 'typical' C. anomalum), and more gill rakers and lateral-line scales.

BOZ 4 - Male-male aggression resetting in the cricket Gryllus rubens

First Author

Christopher Hall

Murray State University

Co-author

Michael Lindsay

Murray State University

Co-author

Patrick Guerra

University of Cincinnati

Co-author

Oliver Beckers

Murray State University

Male-male aggression resetting in the cricket Gryllus rubens

Males of many field cricket species fight each other in the context of mate acquisition, with previous fights having a carryover effect, i.e., males that lose an initial fight are less aggressive in an immediate subsequent fight ('loser effect'). Previous work has shown that this reduction in aggression can be reversed by motor activity, such as a short bout of flight when the losing male disperses. Gryllus rubens males are flight dimorphic, as males can be flight incapable or capable. We tested if aggression can be similarly reset in flight incapable males by forcing flight motor activity. Preliminary analysis suggests that flight incapable males that lost the previous fight were equally aggressive in the subsequent fight, no matter if they engaged in flight (motor activity) or not. This lack of reduction in aggression after losing might be beneficial to flight incapable males since they cannot avoid aggressive encounters as easily. Thus, in contrast to flight capable males, flight incapable males seem to lack an aggression resetting mechanism. Further analysis will compare aggression levels between flight incapable and capable males.

BOZ 5 - Investigating the Underappreciated Biodiversity of Solenopsis Thief Ants

First Author

Josiah Kilburn

Morehead State University

Co-author

Sean O'Keefe

Morehead State University

This infographic displays some of the fascinating behaviors and morphologies of North American Thief Ants (Formicidae: Solenopsis) using vector illustrations. This infographic also introduces the reasons why this fascinating ant group tends to be overlooked by many myrmecologists in North America. The goal of this infographic is to provide a glimpse into the world of thief ants and inspire further study on their poorly understood taxonomy and biology within North America.

BOZ 6 - Surveying Ant Populations to Assess Local Biodiversity

First Author

Alyssa Turner

Morehead State University

Co-author

Jude Hall

Morehead State University

Co-author

Sean O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Co-author

Charles Lydeard

Morehead State University

To effectively conduct conservation efforts, we can use biodiversity to assess the condition of our environment. Biodiversity has been commonly defined as the variety and variability among living organisms within an area. When our ecosystems are at their best, they clean water, purify air, maintain soil, regulate climate, recycle nutrients, and provide food. Everything within an ecosystem is interdependent, so biodiversity is an important factor and indicator of environmental health. Indicators help us to measure and monitor pressures or threats in land and water use, habitat loss or invasive species, the state of species and ecosystems, the conservation response, and the benefits to people. Many different organisms have been used to assess biodiversity, such as plants, mammals, birds, butterflies, beetles, etc. Ants are a great candidate for biodiversity research, as they are found in many types of habitats, are diverse, extremely numerous, fulfill a variety of ecological roles, are sensitive to environmental change, and are conveniently easy to collect. Our most used method of collection is sorting through leaf litter. We collected leaf litter from three sites in Rowan County: Eagle Lake, Stony Cove, and Rodburn Hollow. We used Berlese funnels to extract the specimens from the litter, organized, identified, and counted them in order to analyze the biodiversity. Over the past three years we have collected almost 7,000 ants, including 18 genera. We plan to use the Shannon and Simpson indices to better evaluate alpha and beta diversity among our three study sites using ants.

BOZ 7 - Group Decision Making Behavior in American Bison (Bison bison) Herd Movements

First Author

Matthew Sapien

University of Louisville

Co-author

Perri Eason

University of Louisville

The American bison, Bison bison, (Cuvier) is the largest mammal in North America and was found in Kentucky and throughout the Midwest until it was hunted to the brink of extinction. The largest wild herd in Kentucky today is the herd found at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Golden Pond, Kentucky. There is little background on how bison make decisions on where to move as a herd, with the research that exists suggesting that they follow dominant matriarchs. Observations of the herd at LBL, and other herds in the Midwest, have shown wild bison that exhibit an alternate approach. Adult bison express their desired direction following rest periods by standing and orienting themselves in their preferred direction, and the group moves in the direction the majority of herd members have oriented themselves in. This resembles behavior recorded with European bison, Bison bonasus, (Cuvier) but has not been reported in American bison. Depending on the observation site, herds follow the majority's preference in 68-89% of post-rest group movement decisions. Besides exploring a rarely observed behavior in an iconic North American mammal, this research can help inform bison herd management practices such as their needed space and member composition.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Cellular & Molecular Biology

Chair: Mahavir Singh

Secretary: Sarah Andres

CMB 1 - Studying KCNE3 Topology in Various Lipid Bilayer Membranes Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations

First Author

Isaac Asare

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Anna Clara Moura

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Antonio Javier Aguado

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Brian Martinez Morales

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Mateo Fernandez Cruz

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Steve Alston

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Andrea Kravats

Miami University

Co-author

Charles Sanders

Vanderbilt University

Co-author

Gary Lorigan

Miami University

Co-author

Indra Sahu

Campbellsville University

KCNE3 is an integral membrane protein involved in regulating the function of several voltage-gated potassium ion channels including KCNQ1. Its malfunction has been shown to be linked to several health related diseases such as cardiac arrhythmia, long QT syndrome, tinnitus, and cystic fibrosis. In this study, we have utilized all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to study the topology of KCNE3 and how different sections of the protein interact with different membrane mimic systems including POPC, POPC/POPG, and DMPC lipid bilayers. The trajectory data obtained from the 105 ns of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations were analyzed to compare the distance from the z-axis (Z-distance) with the center of mass of the membrane bilayer located at Z=0 for all three membrane mimic systems. In addition, the comparison of membrane width of the lipid bilayers obtained for each membrane mimic systems suggested a shorter membrane width values in DMPC when compared to that than in POPC and a mixture of POPC/POPG. Our simulation results are consistent with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experimental results. This study will help understand the interaction of KCNE3 in different membrane mimic systems and complement the experimental biophysical studies.

CMB 2 - Conformational Study of KCNE3 in Lipid Bilayered Vesicle using EPR Spectroscopy

First Author

Conner Campbell

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Matthew Scheyer

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Patrick Williams

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Sebastian Fonseca

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Charles Sanders

Vanderbilt University

Co-author

Gary Lorigan

Miami University

Co-author

Indra Sahu

Campbellsville University

KCNE3 is a single transmembrane protein that modulates the function of several voltage gated potassium channel proteins, such as KCNQ1 and KCNQ4. The structure of KCNE3 has recently been determined in isotropic DHPC/DMPG bicelles by the Sanders group using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. However, the structural dynamic properties of KCNE3 are not fully understood in a native-like membrane environment. In this study, we have applied site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique of double electron electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy to investigate the conformation of KCNE3 in lipid bilayered vesicles. DEER spectroscopy can provide structural information by measuring distances in the range of 20-80 Å between two nitroxide spin labels on membrane proteins/peptides. DEER distances were measured on dual spin labeled mutations of KCNE3 including (S57C/S81C, S57C/I76C, S13C/I76C and L77C/ M102C) in DPC detergent micelles and POPC/POPG lipid bilayers to compare the conformation of the different regions of KCNE3 in different membrane environments. This study will be helpful for further refining the structure of KCNE3 in lipid bilayers.

CMB 3 - Studying Disease-Causing Mutations of KCNE3 Protein in Lipid Bilayer membrane using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

First Author

Patrick Williams

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Conner Campbell

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Matthew Schyer

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Issac Assare

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Sebastain Fonseca

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Peyton Dabney

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Haley Carter

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Gary Lorigan

Miami University, Ohio

Co-author

Indra Sahu

Campbellsville University

KCNE 3 is a single transmembrane protein that helps modulate the potassium ion channel KCNQ1. KCNE3 is expressed in many parts of the body such as the heart, colon, ears, etc. Several mutations in the KCNE3 protein can lead serious health conditions such as Long QT Syndrome, Arterial Fibrillation, Mènière's disease, etc. While membrane proteins are vital to human life, limited information is known about their structural dynamics. A protein vital to human life coupled with the potential for disease intensifies the need to learn more about how it functions in its environment. While some information has been published on the structural dynamics of this protein in micelles, and limited information on it in vesicles, very little of the information exists about the effect of the disease-causing mutations on structural dynamics. This study further explores the disease-causing mutations of KCNE3 in a POPC/POPG lipid bilayer that are associated with Long QT syndrome. Rotational correlation time along with spin label side chain mobility were used to quantify the differences in the dynamic properties between the wild type and disease-causing mutations of KCNE3. To achieve these results, we have optimized the protocol used to prepare the samples and performed continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) experiments on nitroxide spin labeled sites of wild-type KCNE3 and in the presence of disease-causing mutations. Our preliminary analysis of the CW-EPR spectra suggests that there is a distinct difference in the dynamic properties of spin label sidechains between the wild type and disease-causing mutations of KCNE3.

CMB 4 - Depletion of H3.3 and Related Factors Causes Asymmetric Regeneration in Planarians

First Author

James Dials

KY INBRE; Morehead State University

Co-author

John Allen

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Elizabeth Duncan

University of Kentucky

H3.3 is a variant of histone H3 that can be incorporated into nucleosomes independently of DNA replication through the action of the chaperone proteins HIRA and ATRX . The deposition of H3.3 is crucial for DNA repair pathways, and recent research indicates that mutations in human histone H3.3 result in pediatric glioblastoma. To better understand the role of H3.3 in brain development, we leveraged the remarkable regenerative capacity and adult stem cell population of the freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea (S. med.) to examine how depletion of H3.3 and its chaperones affects nervous system development and regeneration. We depleted h3.3, canonical h3, hira, and atrx using RNAi and examined the worms for regeneration defects after irradiation and amputation. We found that depletion of canonical H3 is lethal, while h3.3(RNAi) and, to a lesser extent, hira(RNAi) and atrx(RNAi) causes planarians to have asymmetry in their eye and tail regeneration. Several worms in each experimental group showed phenotypes including cyclopia (the development of only one eyespot) and forked tails in early development, both of which later resolved to a normal morphology. These results suggest that H3.3 and its chaperones have a role in re-establishing bilateral symmetry during regeneration in S. med.

CMB 5 - Confocal Microscopy Reveals that SORLA Mediates Tau Endocytosis

First Author

Jennifer Diaz Sales

Biology Department, Berea College

Co-author

Joanna Cooper

University of Maryland School of Medicine

Co-author

Dudley K. Strickland

University of Maryland School of Medicine

Confocal Microscopy Reveals that SORLA Mediates Tau Endocytosis. JENNIFER DIAZ SALES1, JOANNA M. COOPER2, and DUDLEY K. STRICKLAND2, 1Biology Department, Berea College, Berea, Kentucky 40404 and 2 Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the pathological accumulation of aggregated tau protein in neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid beta plaques. The spreading of the pathological forms of tau occurs from neuron to neuron in a prion-like way that is mediated by receptors such as the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1). However, studies employing cells genetically deficient in LRP1 reveal that other receptors are involved in tau trafficking. We hypothesized that one of these receptors may include sortilin receptor protein 1 (SORLA). SORLA is an extracellular and intracellular receptor that belongs to the VPS10P domain family of neuronal sorting receptors. SORLA is both structurally and functionally similar to LRP1 and can internalize proteins. However, different from LRP1, SORLA can also sort proteins among intercellular components such as early and late endosomes and the Golgi.
The objective of this study was to determine if SORLA is capable of mediating tau uptake and to identify the intracellular compartments SORLA traffics tau to. Methods included passaging cells, transfecting cells, labeling TAU-594 Alexa-Flour 594, Tau-594 incubation, antibody incubation, and imaging slides with confocal microscopy.
Our results indicate that: (1) SORLA transfection increases tau uptake (2) SORLA and tau co-localize in H4 cells (3) some SORLA and tau co-localize with markers of early and late endosomes. Future studies will quantify the extent of colocalization with endosomal markers to identify what intracellular trafficking pathways are operating.

CMB 6 - Frequency of Genetic Variants at the MC1R Locus in a Student Population

First Author

Emma Dowdy

Morehead State University

Co-author

Grace Stubblefield

Morehead State University

Co-author

David Peyton

Morehead State University

The Melanocortin-1 Receptor gene (MC1R) encodes a protein that is associated with pigmentation in vertebrate animals. An extraordinary number of variations in this gene have arisen over time due to the importance of pigmentation in camouflage, photosensitivity, vitamin D production, and other evolutionary factors. Variations in the MC1R gene sequence became important to survival as humans migrated out of Africa and into cooler climates with less sun exposure, where lighter skin pigmentation (and therefore more vitamin D production) was key to survival. These genetic variations continue to exist in modern humans. Recent research into the MC1R gene variations in different human populations shows that variants occur at different frequencies, for example a variant named "R151C" occurs in about 5% of humans of European descent, but is not detected in humans of Asian descent.

For several years in the undergraduate Genetics course (BIOL 304L), students have collected and sequenced a portion of their MC1R gene to identify the presence or absence of variants. The results have been limited to the in-class analysis, and no data from the samples have ever been used in any type of publication or presentation. Here we analyze the de-identified aggregate data from eleven semesters (fall 2011 through spring 2016, representing roughly 500 individual sequences) to discern the frequency of variants in our data. We compare our findings to existing data from other populations and draw conclusions about why we see the frequencies that we do in our student population.

CMB 7 - Assessing the Involvement of a Cathepsin in Tumorigenesis Using Drosophila melanogaster

First Author

Lindsey Fannin

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Ajay Srivastava

Western Kentucky University

Cathepsins are an important class of fifteen proteases with involvement in human tumor progression and tumor metastasis. These genes encode for proteases, or enzymes that break down proteins. To better understand the role these proteases play in human cancers and diseases, a Cathepsin protease in Drosophila melanogaster (the fruit fly) will be analyzed. The fruit fly is a good model organism because many disease-causing genes are conserved among fruit flies and humans. This project will determine if this protease is involved in tumor metastasis in D. melanogaster. To accomplish this, tumor metastasis will be induced in the fruit fly using a genetic system called the MARCM (Mosaic Analysis with a Repressible Cell Marker) System and Flippase/FRT (Flippase-recognition target)-mediated homologous recombination. Once induced, the tumors will be dissected from fruit fly larvae and immunostained with the protease antibody. A confocal microscope will be utilized for image acquisition. Previous studies have shown that cathepsins are expressed in human tumors. Therefore, it is expected that this cathepsin will be upregulated in the induced tumors in D. melanogaster. This information will be useful when attempting to further characterize the role of cathepsins in human cancer progression.

CMB 8 - Betanin, a Beetroot-Derived Food Colorant, Decreases Cr(VI)-Induced Toxicity in Human Lung Epithelial Cells

First Author

Madeline Hamilton

University of Pikeville Department of Biology

Co-author

Riya Patel

University of Louisville Department of Chemistry

Co-author

J. Calvin Kouokam

University of Louisville Pharmacology and Toxicology

Co-author

John Wise

University of Louisville Pharmacology and Toxicology

Co-author

John Lechner

University of Louisville Pharmacology and Toxicology

Hexavalent Chromium Cr(VI) is a known human lung carcinogen found in air pollution. Majority of previous studies utilize soluble hexavalent chromium because it is easier to work with and evenly distributed throughout the cell. However, humans are more commonly exposed to it in its particulate form. Particulate Cr(VI) can enter the cell through anion transporters causing the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS can lead to DNA double strand breaks, chromosome instability and inflammation. Betanin (E162) is a natural food dye found in beetroot which has antioxidant properties. E162 could possibly reduce levels of ROS, in turn reducing inflammation associated with cancer. We used zinc chromate to study if E162 can alleviate symptoms of lung cancer in human lung epithelial cells (BEP2D) cells.
To test this, we first tested the toxicity of E162 and the effect of E162 on chromium uptake. Secondly, we used cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assay to test the effect of E162 on the short term and long-term cell viability of cells treated with zinc chromate. Lastly, we used CellRox assays to test if E162 alleviates Cr(VI) induced cytotoxicity.
E162 did not show any obvious toxicity up to 6mg/ml and does not appear to decrease chromium uptake. Chromium decreases cell viability in a concentration dependent matter, and E162 counters this effect. Chromium also decreases the colony formation ability of cells, which was restored to some extent by E162. Cr(VI) induces ROS production in a concentration dependent manner at up to 0.2 μg/cm2 then drops at 0.3μg/cm2. E162 decreases ROS production after treatment with 0.1μg/cm2. This alleviating effect seems to disappear at higher concentrations.
In conclusion, E162 alleviates the cytotoxic effects of Cr(VI) on lung epithelial cells, by inhibiting Cr(VI)-induced oxidative stress.

CMB 9 - The Effects of V-ATPase on the Air Sac Primordium

First Author

Siheon Im

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Ajay Srivastava

Western Kentucky University

Over the past century, the Drosophila melanogaster has become a common model organism to study various biological processes. This is because most rudimentary biological mechanisms and pathways regarding development were conserved in the evolution of humans and fruit flies. One such conservation is the development of the air sac primordium (ASP), which is analogous to the human lungs in that it supplies the flight muscles oxygen. Genes implicated in early lung development are also needed for early ASP development. As the ASP develops, it invades into a structure called the wing imaginal disc. This invasive function is analogous to the invasion seen during metastasis and therefore has the potential to better understand tumor metastasis. Tissue integrity is often maintained in animals by a specialized extracellular structure called the basement membrane (BM). The degradation of the BM is a hallmark of cancers. Previous studies have shown that V-ATPase, a vacuolar proton pump, was predicted to have connections to degradation in BM and overexpressed in cancer, thus promoting invasion. In this study, the role V-ATPase plays in ASP invasion was studied. Results from this study will be presented.

CMB 10 - Constructing a Fluorescent Plasmid for Tagging Endogenous ITG?5 Locus in Skin Organoid Dermal Papilla Cells

First Author

Jennan Lahamer

Berea College

Co-author

Chann Han

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Co-author

Igor Kogut

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

In translational research, fluorescent proteins are often employed as reporters for proteins of interest in a cell line. Various fluorescent proteins can be excited and detected using different wavelengths of light. Therefore, multiple tagging with different fluorescent proteins in the same cell line is possible. These fluorescent reporters allow scientists to visualize the dynamics, locations, and expression level of the targeted proteins as well as the cells that express them. Furthermore, the development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) along with the advancements of CRISPR/Cas9 technology enable a highly efficient and precise gene editing technology. For this experiment, an important gene called Integrin alpha-5 (ITG?5) was chosen as a marker for a skin-bearing organoid as it is expressed in the dermal papilla cells of a hair follicle. The major isoform of ITG?5 also has a unique sequence at the last exon, thus it is ideal for designing a targeting plasmid as well as sgRNA. A plasmid encoding a nuclear-localized triple mWasabi fluorescent protein (nls 3x mWasabi) was designed and cloned for subsequent targeting of the ITG?5 gene via homology directed repair. In addition, this plasmid contains a selection cassette to eliminate cells population that is not successfully modified. The next stage of the experiment is to perform a nucleofection on an iPSC line with a Cas9 mRNA, a locus-specific gRNA, and the targeting plasmid to generate a new iPSC line which can express a green fluorescent protein from endogenous ITG?5 locus once differentiated into a skin bearing organoids.

CMB 11 - Identifying the effects of drugs on eye size

First Author

Alexandra Firmin

INBRE

Co-author

Peter Mirabito

Universitario of Kentucky

Microphthalmia is a birth defect characterized by having one or both eyes smaller
than usual. Microphthalmia can also be characterized with other ocular defects
such as coloboma and cataracts. In our study we attempted to use Sox4 mutant zebrafish because defects in Sox4 cause microphthalmia as well as coloboma. In our research we attempted to develop a procedure that would determine whether drugs can be applied to
Sox4 mutant embryos and prevent development of small eyes. We proposed to
find conditions where drug treatment would have no effect on wild type embryos
but measurable effects on Sox4 mutant eyes. We chose the drug Ventromorphin 1
(VM1), a BMP agonist, for this study.We were able to show that high concentrations of VM1 had the predicted effects on zebrafish development and we identified a VM1 concentration that had no significant effect on embryo eye size or overall embryo appearance. We also found that Further research is needed to determine
whether VM1 is able to prevent small eyes in Sox4 mutant embryos. More than 1 uM VM1 has an obvious affect on zebrafishdevelopment.We didn't detect small eyes in the Sox4a mutant embryos, therefore we couldn't test our original hypothesis

CMB 12 - Transcriptional downregulation of Glis3 is implicated in beta cell dysfunction

First Author

Abhya Rani Lnu

Murray State University

Co-author

Gary ZeRuth

Murray State University

Transcriptional downregulation of Glis3 is implicated in beta cell dysfunction in response to chronically elevated glucose

Progressive pancreatic ?-cell dysfunction is a principal antecedent to the development of type 2 diabetes, yet little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrated that exposure of the rat insulinoma cell line (INS1 832/13) to chronically elevated glucose levels resulted in ?-cell dysfunction characterized by significantly decreased levels of insulin expression. Change in insulin expression was concomitant with a dramatic reduction in the expression of the Krüppel-like transcription factor, Gli-similar 3 (Glis3). Glis3 overexpression in INS1 cells maintained in chronically elevated glucose partially rescued insulin levels, while CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of Glis3 resulted in a sharp loss of insulin expression. FAIRE and ChIP analyses further indicated that Glis3 expression coincides with significant changes to the chromatin architecture near the insulin promoter. Finally, Glis3 overexpression or knockdown resulted in increased or decreased expression of the ?-cell maintenance factor, v-Maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog A (MafA), respectively. Luciferase reporter assays provided evidence that Glis3 activates transcription of MafA directly through binding to a pancreas-specific enhancer. Collectively, these data identified Glis3 as a critical factor implicit in ?-cell dysfunction and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment or prevention of type 2 diabetes.

CMB 13 - Examining the Role of Post-Translational Modifications in the Regulation of the Oncogene PRL-3

First Author

Matthew Scheyer

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Jeffery Jolly

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Shilpa Sampathi

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Jessica Blackburn

University of Kentucky

The Phosphatase of Regenerating Liver (PRL) family, also known as protein tyrosine phosphatase 4A (PTP4A), are dual-specificity phosphatase membrane-associated proteins. The most well studied of this family is PRL3. PRL-3 has been linked with cancer cell invasion and migration. In patients, it is highly expressed in metastatic cancer, has been correlated with a poor patient prognosis, and increased chances of relapse after curative surgery suggesting its use as a prognostic marker. While there are currently no drugs that can successfully target PRL-3, we were interested in identifying other potential mechanisms of its regulation and identified sites of PRL-3's post-translational modification. Mass spectrometry approaches determined PRL3 was phosphorylated at Serine 143, which we mutated to Alanine so that this amino acid could not be phosphorylated. PRL3(S143A) underwent Scratch, Cell Titer Glow, and Proliferation assays in order to determine the proliferation and migration of the PRL3(S143A) mutant versus Wild Type (WT) in HEK293T cells. The Scratch assay showed that the distance closed by the cells' proliferation and migration was increased in PRL3(S143A) versus WT. The Cell Titer Glow assay found an 8% increase in RFU of PRL3(S143A) when compared to WT. Lastly, the Proliferation assay was preformed to provide an average cell count of PRL3 versus WT cell growth, which found PRL3(S143A) cell count to be slower starting off before surpassing WT. This study suggests that serine phosphorylation may regulate PRL-3 activity and will provide guidance for narrowing the effects of PRL3 site S143 on the metastasis of cells.

CMB 14 - A Survey of WD40 containing genes in Drosophila melanogaster

First Author

Brennan McElfresh

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Ajay Srivastava

Western Kentucky University

WD40 repeat domains are found in many eukaryotic proteins that serve a wide variety of functions. These domains consist of conserved tryptophan(W) and aspartic acid residues(D) with a repeat length of 40 amino acids. In our analysis of protein and fly databases we found that 223 genes in Drosophila melanogaster contain the WD40 domain. Data on the functions of each individual WD40 domain coding gene was collected and tabulated within a spreadsheet. By focusing on the various functions, it is possible to analyze which of the 223 genes containing WD40 are cancerous, or disease associated and which ones are required for normal development. The functions were sorted into the following categories: development, reproduction, transport, metabolic processes, cellular organization, lethal phenotypes, unknown/other, and cancer related. From this collection we have selected two genes which is being analyzed further within the lab. Data from this analysis will be presented.

CMB 15 - Telomerase Activity Enhancement in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

First Author

Mackenzie Neal

Morehead State University

Co-author

Hailey Rietz

Morehead State University

Telomeres are repeating nucleotide sequences located at the ends of eukaryotic linear chromosomes that help protect chromosomal ends from damage. Telomeres cannot be completely copied during DNA replication, leading to gradual shortening during each replication cycle, known as the 'end-replication problem'. To counteract this problem, the RNA-dependent enzyme complex telomerase extends telomeres to prevent shortening. Telomeres and telomerase are heavily involved in the aging process and cancer progression. During aging, telomeres shorten and eventually become so short that cells begin to senese and undergo apoptosis. Most cancers avoid apoptosis by excessively activating telomerase to reduce telomere shortening. The structure and function of telomerase RNA is not well understood, with most past research focused on characterizing loss-of-function mutations. In contrast, we are identifying gain-of-function mutations to understand more about telomerase structure and function. We screened nearly 10,000 colonies containing the mutation for the GOF phenotype and verified 14 mutants. We are currently working to identify the mechanism underlying GOF, which will further enhance our understanding of telomerase RNA function and shed insight on how increasing telomerase activity could affect organismal health.

CMB 16 - ANALYSIS OF Single Nucleotide Variants in G QUADRUPLEX SEQUENCES

First Author

Aryan Neupane

School of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies

Co-author

Dr Julia H. Chariker

University of Louisville

Co-author

Eric Rouchka

University of Louisville

More than six hundred thousand G quadruplex stranded secondary structures have been identified in the human genome. Variations in these genomic structures have the potential to alter their stability thus affecting their functionality. We utilize COSMIC and CLINVAR databases for detecting SNVs present in G4 regions and effect on alteration of G4 structure.
We identified 37515 SNVs in G4 regions using variants in COSMIC catalog and 2115 SNV from CLINVAR. 7236 of the COSMIC variants (19.3 %) and 416 (18%) of the CLINVAR variants likely result in a loss of a G4 structure. We identified 2728 SNVs from COSMIC and 112 SNVs from CLINVAR that have the potential to gain a G4 structure. We find enrichment of the term 'Gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion' with 21 genes in this pathway having at least an SNV that destabilizes the G4. We observe a higher selective pressure in the coding region on the template strand, which has a 3-fold decrease in the number of G4 mutations as compared to the non-template strand using COSMIC database whereas an equal proportion of SNVs were observed among intronic, promoter and enhancer regions across template and non-template strand. Using GO and pathway enrichment analysis, we observe genes with a single variant that is able to cause G4 forming propensity in coding region are enriched for Regulation of Ras protein signal transduction (n=15,N=215, FE=5.5, 2.8E-05 FDR,BP) and Src homology 3 (SH3) domain binding (n=13,N=141,FE=7.3, 1.8E-5, FDR,MF) which are important factors for cell proliferation and cytoskeletal modifications through proline domains.

CMB 17 - Exploring the Impacts of Chloroquine on the Methyl Cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Related to Iron Deficiency

First Author

Vy Ngo

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Kailee Kenwright

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Amila Coric

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Erin Strome

Northern Kentucky University

SAM1 and SAM2 genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae encode S-Adenosyl-Methionine synthetases, which produce AdoMet from methionine and ATP. AdoMet is the most common methyl donor and is important for cell survival. We have previously shown that sam1- and sam2-deficient cells have differences in AdoMet concentrations and are linked to opposite impacts on genome stability. We previously measured the growth of sam1 and sam2 mutant strains and in a variety of conditions. When introduced to chloroquine, the sam1 mutants showed a decreased growth rate, while sam2 mutants show an increased growth rate. Chloroquine is known to cause iron deficiency, and we seek to understand how this impact, in concert with the low AdoMet levels in sam2-deficient cells, leads to an increased growth rate. Using RNA-Sequencing data from our mutants we looked for changes that might explain growth differences. We focused on iron, copper, and zinc homeostasis, to understand the pathways involved and investigate the relationship between iron deficiency and the methyl cycle. We are also investigating pathways related to iron-sulfur clusters and iron-sulfur proteins, for alterations in our mutants. We seek to understand the pathways involved in the observed altered growth to determine contributions to the genome stability effects in our mutants.

CMB 18 - Studying the function of chromatin remodeler Chd7 in zebrafish photoreceptors

First Author

Jett Spivey

Murray State University

Co-author

Ann Morris

University of Kentucky

The Chd7 gene codes for a protein called chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7. The Chd7 gene is expressed throughout embryonic development and regulates transcription by remodeling chromatin at promoters and enhancers of several developmentally important genes. Expression of this gene can be found in multiple areas of the developing body, including the brain, ear, and eye. In particular, Chd7 expression is believed to play a key role in retinal development and dysfunctions in the gene often result in a congenital disorder called CHARGE syndrome, a frequent symptom of which is ocular coloboma. Expression of Chd7 has been found in retinal progenitor cells and particular divisions of post-mitotic retinal cells in developing zebrafish. It was the goal of this study to further characterize the distinct photoreceptor phenotypes and patterns of cell proliferation in the developing retina displayed by loss-of-function mutations in the Chd7 gene. To accomplish this, two zebrafish Chd7 mutant lines were bred and analyzed for retinal impairment. Further analysis of these two mutant lines will include determining whether loss of Chd7 results in a reduction in retinal progenitor cell proliferation in the developing eye.

CMB 19 - Small molecule screening towards identification of novel protein tyrosine 1B, PTP1B, inhibitors

First Author

Chase Yost

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Rahim Shalash

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Jasmine Rodriguez

Georgia Southern University

Co-author

Mark Vincent dela Cerna

Georgia Southern University

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is the founder of the largest phosphatase family encoded by the human genome, the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) superfamily. It is the archetypal member of the PTP family and is the most well-studied and well-characterized phosphatase. PTP1B regulates cellular phosphorylation levels in conjunction with kinases. Most notably, it is involved in the attenuation of leptin and insulin signaling, dephosphorylating the receptors and downstream targets. As such, PTP1B has been identified as an important therapeutic target in diabetes and obesity. Recent studies have also uncovered PTP1B's pro-oncogenic role in breast and pancreatic cancers, among others. Its activity has also been suggested to regulate cell-cell adhesion, anti-apoptotic pathways, and pro-metastatic signaling. This further suggests the need for potent and selective PTP1B inhibitors. While more than 750 experimental compounds have been identified to inhibit PTP1B, there are currently no approved drugs that act on PTP1B. Thus, the present study aims to identify novel inhibitors of this highly important target. Potential inhibitors were identified through high-throughput screening and in vitro assays. These compounds inhibit PTP1B in a dose-dependent manner and are hypothesized to be useful as scaffolds for development of PTP1B-specific inhibitors. Future directions involve structural and biophysical characterization of these inhibitors towards a rational design approach.

CMB 20 - Circularization of Chromosome XV in the eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae

First Author

Caleb Clark

Morehead State University

Co-author

Melissa Mefford

Morehead State University Biology and Chemistry

Prokaryotes have circular chromosomes, whereas eukaryotes have linear chromosomes with ends called telomeres. While the evolution of linear chromosomes in eukaryotes is thought to permit to meiosis and sexual reproduction, telomeres cannot be fully copied during DNA replication and require the enzyme complex telomerase. In an effort to better understand the evolution and function of linear chromosome architecture, we are genetically engineering a simple eukaryotic organism with circular chromosomes. Our approach utilizes two DNA cassettes with selectable marker genes that are inserted into the ends of a single chromosome. The DNA cassettes can recombine to join the ends of the chromosome, eliminating the telomeres and creating a circular chromosome. I chose chromosome XV, and have confirmed successful circularization. Currently I am characterizing various phenotypes and meiosis in the circular versus linear chromosome XV strains. Ultimately, these experiments will allow us to better understand the function and evolution of linear chromosomes in eukaryotes.

CMB 21 - Novel Gain-of-Function Mutations in the Telomerase RNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

First Author

Keenan Conley

Morehead State University

Co-author

Melissa Mefford

Morehead State University

Co-author

Madison Frazier

Morehead State University

Linear eukaryotic chromosomes have specialized regions at their ends called telomeres. During DNA replication, telomeres are not fully copied, which leads to chromosomal shortening that contributes to aging. To counteract this issue, most eukaryotic organisms express the ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase that extends telomeres during DNA replication. Telomerase, however, can cause harm to an organism as increased levels of telomerase enzyme are observed in >85% of human cancers. Despite the crucial role of telomerase, the structure and function of the telomerase RNA component is not completely understood. To better understand telomerase RNA, we developed a genetic approach to identify novel gain-of-function (GOF) mutations. First, we created a library of ~5,000 random telomerase RNA variants. After transforming these mutants into yeast as the sole copy of telomerase RNA, we use the telomere position effect (TPE) to identify yeast with longer telomeres. With TPE, silencing of a marker gene near a telomere is greater with lengthened telomeres, which we can select for by growth on media containing a counter-selectable drug. To date, we identified ~48 putative GOF mutants, 16 of which have been validated as true GOF mutants. We are currently working to measure telomere lengths and the mechanism underlying GOF.

CMB 22 - Studying the Interaction of Membrane Proteins with Lipid Bilayers using EPR Spectroscopy

First Author

Peyton Dabney

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Conner Campbell

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Matthew Schyer

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Patrick L. Williams

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Sebastain Escobar

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Haley Carter

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Indra D. Sahu

Campbellsville University

Membrane proteins perform specific functions in specific situations and hence it is important to understand their structural and dynamic properties in an appropriate solvent condition to understand their proper function. In this study, we have utilized continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) spectroscopy to study the interaction of KCNE3 in a phospholipid bilayer. KCNE3 is a single-span membrane protein that regulates the function of multiple voltage-gated potassium channels, most notably KCNQ1, a leaky channel. Hereditary mutations within KCNE3 are commonly linked to numerous diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Long QT Syndrome. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is a powerful structural biology technique for studying membrane proteins. EPR detects the interaction of an unpaired electron spin with microwave radiation in an external magnetic field. Site-directed spin labeling method is used to generate a stable nitroxide spin label at the specific residue position of the membrane protein. The structural dynamics of the nitroxide spin-labeled sidechain of two amino acid sites G6C in N-terminus and T71C in the transmembrane domain of KCNE3 were studied in POPC/POPG lipid bilayers. Our results suggested reduced motion of the spin-labeled site T71C when compared to that of G6C. These data are consistent with the previous NMR studies.

CMB 23 - A study of two anterior segment marker genes: homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase and si:ch211-251b21.1

First Author

Maame Dei

KY INBRE

The eye is an organ that vertebrates depend on to thrive in their respective habitat. One of the major parts of the eye is the anterior segment. The anterior segment is the front portion of the eye consisting of the iris, cornea, lens, and ciliary body. Its function is to gather and focus light onto the retina. A group of cells known as the periocular mesenchyme forms the anterior segment of the eye. However, there is little known about the molecular underpinnings of the periocular mesenchyme and the anterior segment. It is known that mistakes that occur during the formation of the anterior segment can lead to diseases affecting the anterior segment like glaucoma, which can lead to blindness. Two candidate genes identified through single cell transcriptome analysis may play a role in the formation of the anterior segment. The first gene is hgd also known as homogentistate-1,2-dioxygenase which is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of phenylalanine. The second candidate gene is si:ch211-251b21.1 which is predicted to be a kainate receptor, a subgroup of glutamate receptors. Embryos with hgd and si:ch211-251b21.1 knockout via CRISPR were used to test the effect of the effect pf this knockout on other selected genes. The result of this study suggests that the two candidate genes may play a role in the development of the anterior segment. These findings indicate that more research is needed on these two candidate genes to understand their role in the development of the anterior segment.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Chemistry: Analytical & Physical

Chair: Emmalou Schmittzehe	Secretary: Laura Rowe
Chair: Emmalou Schmittzehe	Secretary: Laura Rowe

CAP 1 - Trace Metal Fingerprints of Periodical Cicadas Collected from Pine and Oak Trees

First Author

Madison Davis

Thomas More University

Co-author

William Wetzel

Thomas More University

Native to the Midwest and Northeastern regions of the United States, periodical cicadas are unique insects that live underground for 13-17 years, depending on the specific brood. While underground, periodical cicadas live as nymphs for most of their lives, surviving on the nutrients of the surrounding tree roots. After they have matured, they emerge in large numbers, molt their shell, and spend the final weeks of their lifetime looking for a mate as an adult. Since they obtain their nutrients from the surrounding tree roots and usually do not travel great distances from their subterranean burrow, their trace metal fingerprint is an indication of the environment present during the majority of their lifetime. In this study, Brood X periodical cicadas were collected on or in the vicinity of pine and oak trees from Burlington, Kentucky in the summer of 2021. The cicada samples (specifically Magicicada Cassini, a 17-year cicada species) were frozen after collection, dried in an oven, digested using microwave digestion, and trace element levels of these cicada samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). Differences and similarities in the trace element fingerprints of the samples from oak and pine trees will be compared and discussed.

CAP 2 - Development and Validation of a Sensitive Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Method for the Determination of Letrozole

First Author

Morgan Delnicki

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Karim Abdelhay

Eastern Kentucky University

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) provides a list of substances banned from athletic competitions. The purpose of this is to ensure that all athletes are competing on an even playing field, without any unfair biological enhancements that may give them an edge over their competitors. The purpose of this research is to evaluate relevant literature and develop a novel method of analyzing drugs used for doping. Having a system in place where athletes can be tested using reliable and accurate analysis methods is crucial to fair gameplay across all sports. In this study, attention will be given to drugs categorized under S4 by the WADA, more specifically, Letrozole. Letrozole is considered a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor and classified under S4 by the WADA along with several other hormone and metabolic modulators. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a fast and sensitive method of analysis for Letrozole using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Letrozole was chosen for this analysis due to its lower molecular weight of 285.30 g/mol in the hopes that the drug will completely volatilize within the temperature range of the GC-MS and result in useable data that will then be statistically analyzed.

CAP 3 - Investigation of Heat-Induced Structural Changes in Fatty Acids

First Author

Ashlei Green

Thomas More University

Co-author

Meenakshi Bansal

Thomas More University

Co-author

William Wetzel

Thomas More University

Studies have shown that consumption of high amounts of trans-fatty acids (TFAs) can raise levels of low-density lipoproteins in the blood, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. TFAs are unsaturated fats that occur naturally in small amounts in meat and dairy products. In addition, these compounds are artificially made during partial hydrogenation of cooking oils, a method commonly used in food processing. Research suggests that excessive or repeated heating of some oils can also generate TFAs. At high temperatures used in cooking, the C=C bond(s) originally present in cis-configuration can convert to trans-configuration. In this study, the effects of temperature and duration of heating on the structure of various TFAs were investigated. To imitate cooking processes, oils were heated to high temperatures (~160-200°C) for various time periods. In some cases, samples were allowed to cool before being reheated to determine the impact caused by successive heating. Raman and Infrared spectroscopy were used to analyze the fatty acids to determine changes in molecular structure. Standards for the most common fatty acids in cooking oils, oleic acid (18:1), linoleic acid (18:2), and linolenic acid (18:3) were also investigated.

CAP 4 - Exploring the structures and properties of mixed transition metal atomic clusters

First Author

Joey Quilliam

Murray State University

Co-author

Jonathan Lyon

Murray State University

Strongly bound atomic clusters are frequently used as ideal models for bulk material. Despite the increased scientific interest in cluster sized particles, open questions remain about the structure, stability, and related properties of specific cluster systems including clusters of mixed elements. We present here recent investigations on clusters containing less than 10 atoms. Theoretically, we utilize global optimization procedures to locate new local and global minima candidates. These structures are further optimized with different density functional and ab initio techniques and electronic, vibrational, and internal bonding properties are explored. Complementary experimental matrix isolation infrared experiments currently being assembled will also be discussed. Specific systems presented here include mixed Au:Ni transition metal clusters as well as others. Items of particular interest with these systems include novel cluster geometries, cluster size/stability relationships, and exohedral to endohedral doped cluster transitions.

CAP 5 - Seasonal Metal Variations in Ohio River Water by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry

First Author

Maria Rice

Thomas More University

Co-author

William Wetzel

Thomas More University

Metals are present naturally in the environment at different levels, but these amounts can also be elevated by anthropogenic sources. The presence of excess metals in the environment can potentially harm plants and animals that live in these environments. Heavy metals are a class of ions that are of particular interest, as low levels of these metals can adversely impact waterways, soils, and sediments, as well as any animals or plants present in that contaminated area and beyond. Because humans rely on waterways for water, food, and recreation, studying the levels of both natural and anthropogenic metals is of significant interest. Previous studies have been conducted to measure the contribution of local sources to heavy metal contamination in waterways. In this study, temporal variations in the elemental profile of water from the Ohio River near Cincinnati, OH were investigated. Water samples were collected from three locations at three-week intervals and metal levels were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry. Trends in the trace metal concentrations at each location over four months were consistent with natural levels previously reported in the Ohio River.

CAP 6 - The Effect of Polymethyl-Methacrylate and Polystyrene Substrates on TiO2-guided Photocatalytic Degradation

First Author

Matthew Nee

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Julian Williams

WKU

Although water pollution has become a serious issue in the modern world, efficient and effective ways to counteract it have become increasingly more prevalent. Despite this, very durable molecular pollutants are resistant to most conventional water remediation methods. With the use of photocatalytic degradation, these persistent pollutants can be converted to harmless gases such as carbon dioxide and oxygen gas in the presence of light. Adding a photocatalyst to the water directly, however, would create a suspension that would prevent the photocatalyst from being separated from the water and from being reused again. Adhering the photocatalyst to a macroscopic polymer substrate would prevent this problem and allow the beads to be reused multiple times over. These polymer beads are created using oil-in-water emulsion polymerization, where the monomer form is encapsulated by micelles and polymerized by a radical initiator. A crosslinker is normally added to the emulsion to give the beads a porous morphology and spherical shape, along with strengthening its physical properties. Potential polymer substrates polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were both polymerized using divinylbenzene (DVB) as a crosslinker, and both formed spherical porous material. Using methylene blue as our model pollutant, we evaluated the effectiveness of the two crosslinked polymers in their ability to aid our photocatalyst to degrade pollutants.

CAP 7 - Dissolved Calcium Concentrations in Streams, Rivers and Lake Waters in Western Kentucky- An Update

First Author

Jeremiah Coughlon

Murray State University

Co-author

Kelsie Meystedt

Murray State University

Co-author

Bommanna Loganathan

Murray State University

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are an exotic and invasive mollusk that are known for their 'biofouling' capabilities costing billions of dollars in their removal from industrial, public, and power plant water supply lines. Calcium is one of the essential elements that contributes to the growth and reproduction of zebra mussels. Calcium concentrations of 20-22 mg/L are considered the threshold for survival and reproduction of zebra mussels. The purpose of this study was to determine if dissolved calcium levels in the lower parts of Kentucky Lake had increased and reached zebra mussels survival and reproduction threshold. Surface and bottom water samples were collected during Kentucky Lake Monitoring Program (KLMP) cruises as well as from selected locations in the Ohio River and two tributary streams. Samples were filtered using 0.45 µm filters, acidified and analyzed for calcium using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. Calcium levels and long-term monitoring data on alkalinity levels in Kentucky Lake were examined for temporal trends. Results revealed that relatively higher concentration of dissolved calcium was found in Ohio River samples than Kentucky Lake. In general calcium levels show seasonal variation with increasing concentration during winter months. The higher levels of calcium recorded are likely from increased use of road deicing brine, of which CaCl2 is a major component. Increasing levels of these calcium ions may play a role in the elevated occurrences of zebra mussels in Kentucky Lake.

CAP 8 - Coal Refuse Composition at a Historic Kentucky Coal Processing Plant

First Author

Cora Wright

Berea College

Co-author

Alicia Rivera

Berea College

Co-author

Holly Peterson

Berea College

Acid rock drainage from mine waste can cause negative environmental impacts, so reprocessing mine waste can be a positive environmental and economical solution to pollution. Coal refuse characterization was completed at a closed coal processing site in Kentucky with an acid rock drainage accumulation to determine whether the refuse would be viable for reprocessing based on the carbon content of the waste in various parts of the site. Composite samples were taken from four spots across the site using the cone and quarter method and then tested to determine total carbon content using loss on ignition gravimetric analysis techniques. Samples contained 21.9% to 34.6% carbon content which is less than the typical carbon content of coal sold commercially (45-86%): therefore, reprocessing is not likely a cost-effective option. From the results of the refuse characterization, it would probably be more effective to carry on with remediation than to try to reprocess coal refuse for traditional use. However, future research could include characterization of the coal refuse for rare earth element extraction, potentially resulting in an economically viable approach to coal reprocessing.

CAP 9 - Analytical Method Development for the Analysis of E-Liquids

First Author

Charlotte Gabbard

Morehead State University

Co-author

Alyssa Roark

Morehead State University

Electronic cigarettes are one of the most commonly used methods of nicotine delivery, especially among the adolescent population. Due to the lack of regulation in manufacturer labeling of refillable nicotine solutions (e-liquids), the actual concentration of nicotine and other additives is variable as compared to the reported values. The objective of this research is to develop reliable analytical methods to study the variations in nicotine levels in e-liquids, and to identify and quantify other potentially harmful additives in e-liquids. In this research, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for identification of compounds, and we used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and GCMS for quantification of compounds. Troubleshooting analytical instrumentation and methodologies is another key aspect of this research. Through critical thinking and adaptive learning as experimentation is done, adjustments are made that will potentially lead to more successful outcomes.

CAP 10 - Use of Carbon dots Nanoparticles in the Storage of Beta-galactosidase Enzyme

First Author

Madison Genslinger

Thomas More University

Co-author

Ashley Green

Thomas More University

Co-author

Maria Rice

Thomas More University

Co-author

Meenakshi Bansal

Thomas More University

Co-author

Shiv Sharma

Thomas More University

Beta-Galactosidase (E.C. 3.2.1.23) is a crucial enzyme that hydrolyzes D-galactosyl residues like lactose or Beta-galactose comprising chromogenic or fluorogenic substrates from oligosaccharides and polymers. Beta-galactosidase has been employed in many food industries to hydrolyze lactose, enhance digestibility, sweetness, solubility, and flavor of dairy products. Carbon dots (CDs) are zero-dimensional carbon-based spherical nanoparticles with diameters less than 10 nm. In this paper, we employed the CDs in the storage of the Beta-galactosidase enzyme. We are all aware of the fact that the isolated enzyme needs to be stored in the freezing environment at the temperature range of -20 oC to -80 oC. The capability of storing of the enzyme in their near native environments will bring transformative impact in its future use and the research. In this work, we showed that Beta-galactosidase can be stored in the room temperature using the CDs. Our technique is facile, cost effective, and reproducible. We hope our study will open many facets of the use of the Beta-galactosidase enzyme in near future.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Chemistry: Organic & Inorganic

Chair: Elizabeth Thomas

COI 1 - Photoinduced Crosslinking Patterns of Synthetic and Natural Phenols for Insight into Tyrosine Crosslinking

First Author

Bineta Doucoure

Virginia Commonwealth University

Co-author

Heather Lucas

Virginia Commonwealth University

Co-author

Niral Patel

Virginia Commonwealth University

Title: Photoinduced Crosslinking Patterns of Synthetic and Natural Phenols for Insight into Tyrosine Crosslinking in α-Synuclein.
The aggregation of N-terminally acetylated alpha-synuclein protein (NAcα-Syn) is a cardinal feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). These aggregates possess a high concentration of dityrosine, which is considered a PD biomarker. The Lucas group has established that dityrosine can form through redox chemistry that occurs following the coordination of copper ions to NAcα-Syn in vitro. To further understand the intrinsic dynamics of NAcα-Syn, the Lucas group has also been examining the photo-initiated crosslinking of NAcα-Syn to determine how copper and iron affect the global protein structure and protein-protein contacts. In 2020, the intrinsic conformational dynamics of NAcα-Syn and the influence of FeIII/II coordination on the structural configurations of this protein were initially reported. Crosslinking events were confirmed to be tyrosine-derived. The goal of this research will be to utilize and investigate the photoinduced crosslinking of the amino acid, tyrosine, in order to quantify the total crosslinks within the protein and to identify the nature of the crosslink. We will also investigate the crosslinking of the substituted phenol, 2-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, for comparison to tyrosine. We will conduct these analyses using fluorescence spectroscopy, HPLC, and LCMS. Through this research, we will provide insight on the fundamental properties that influence protein-derived tyrosine crosslinking.

COI 2 - Oxacalixarenes Possessing Amino Acid Side Chains

First Author

Khuyen Ho

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Olivia Villaflor

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Adrienne Hafley

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

KC Russell

Northern Kentucky University

Oxacalixarenes Possessing Amino Acid Side Chains
Khuyen Ho, Adrienne Hafley, Olivia Villaflor, and KC Russell
The purpose of this work is to prepare either m4- or o,m,o,m-oxacalixarenes that have one or more amino acids on their periphery. Calixarenes, as their name suggests (calix is Latin for cup), are cup-like structures composed carbon-bridiged arenes that are often capable of serving as hosts for small molecules. Oxacalixanes are a subclass were the arenes are bridged by oxygen atoms. Interest in oxacalixarenes has grown significantly in recent years because of their straight forward synthesis. While there are many examples of oxacalixarenes there are none with chiral appendages. The presence of chairal enters on the oxacalixarene periphery may provide opportunity for chiral recognition. Furthermore, the presence of an amino acid creates a location to add additional amino acids using standard synthetic techniques. Our group has focused on either commercially available L-DOPA as a precursor to o,m,o,m-oxacalixarenes or 3,5-dihydroxyphenylalanine as a precursor to m4-oxacalixarenes. This poster will present our progress in the synthesis of both of these oxacalixarenes.

COI 3 - New Palladium Pincer Complexes

First Author

Hira Karim

Berea College

Co-author

Erika Arvizu

Berea college

Co-author

Anes Kovacevic

Berea College

Pincer ligands are popular ligands for organometallic catalysis. A modern definition of a pincer ligand is broadly accepted as a chelator that binds to three adjacent coplanar sites on the metal center. Pincer ligands are especially interesting in homogeneous catalysis since these ligands provide enhanced chemical and thermal stability which decreases metal-ligand decomposition during the catalytic cycle. They are tunable sterically and electronically. This research investigates room temperature reactions of N-(quinoline-8-yl)acetamide, N-(quinoline-8-yl)benzamide and (E)-2-((quinolin-8-ylimino)methyl)phenol with Palladium (II) Acetate to give new Palladium (II) complexes.

COI 4 - Iron-based metal-organic framework for photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide.

First Author

Sean Korner

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Kareena Pansuria

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Carolina Relva

Student

Co-author

Bangbo Yan

Professor

It has been reported that some Fe-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can catalyze the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to formate (HCOO-). However, these materials' photocatalytic CO2 reduction activities are usually low in efficiency. To enhance the photocatalytic properties of the frameworks, we introduced open metal sites and porous features in the structures. Here we report the syntheses of two metal-organic frameworks of iron compounds: [Fe(Hbpc)(H2O)] (1) and [Fe(Hbpc)]DMF (2) (H2bpc=2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid, DMF = N,N-Dimethylformamide). Compound 1 is one-dimensional chain of Fe ions and Hbpc anions, while 2 is a three-dimensional framework with porous structures.

COI 5 - Investigation into the Synthesis of Triazole Derivatives

First Author

Jose Ruiz

Thomas More University

Co-author

Dan Esterline

Thomas More College

Triazoles have become of great interest due to the ability to synthesize them through Click chemistry. Click chemistry involves very straight forward reactions at room temperature, resulting in high yields. These reactions are easily followed by the colorful changes that occur as the reaction progresses. This research group is investigating the reaction of various alkynes with azides resulting in novel triazoles.

COI 6 - Investigation into the Synthesis of N-phenylglycine Derivatives

First Author

Emmanuel Oloo

Thomas More College

Co-author

Dan Esterline

Thomas More College

Sydnones were first synthesized in Sydney, Australia in 1935. When Earl and Mackney treated N-nitroso-N-phenylglycine with acetic anhydride they obtained a novel anhydrous derivative containing both a (+) and (-) charge. Slightly modified analogues of this proposed structure were later synthesized, resulting in a set of structures popularly termed 'sydnones' by virtue of their discovery in Sydney, Australia. All of these aromatic zwitterionic structures include two nitrogens, two carbons, and one oxygen atom within a 5-membered sydnone ring. Novel sydnones are of interest mainly for their biological activity.
The first step of a typical 3-step sydnone synthesis involves aniline reacting with either bromoacetic acid or chloroacetic acid and sodium acetate, resulting in N-phenylglycine. This undergraduate research project involves the investigation of the "best" method for synthesizing various N-phenylglycine derivatives. This first synthetic step is typically heated at 60 degrees Celsius for 14.5 hours. Newly purchased HBN Smart Plugs and an Ipad are being employed to control the starting and stopping of the heating process. This investigation compares chloroacetic acid or bromoacetic acid reacting with either aniline, p-bromoaniline, or p-chloroaniline. Comparing the yields, cost, and product purity will help decide which synthetic method is 'best'.

COI 7 - Polystyrene Beads with Incorporated Photocatalyst

First Author

Kellen Patterson

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Connor Schulte

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Matthew Nee

Western Kentucky University

Oil pollution of water in the environment is an issue that has become even more relevant in recent years especially now since many ecosystems are cornered by climate change, habitat loss, and other human activity. The goal of this project was to create polystyrene beads with an incorporated photocatalyst that use sunlight to degrade pollutants in an aquatic environment. The photocatalyst of choice, titanium dioxide (TiO2), uses sunlight to accelerate the degradation of organic pollutants. Standing alone, it is ineffective in targeting crude oil on the water's surface because TiO2 sinks, therefore, it is incorporated into the surface structure of a buoyant polymer bead. Our group has previously synthesized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) beads that effectively degraded organic material. Similar beads composed of polystyrene rather than PDMS would be a cheaper alternative. The polystyrene beads are a logical steppingstone towards creating cost effective and biodegradable beads in the future. Experiments used a process called dispersion polymerization to synthesize multiple variants of small, porous polystyrene beads. Trials indicated that heating a mixture of the monomer styrene, a cross linker, an initiator, a surfactant, and water was conducive to producing small, porous beads. After achieving the ideal bead structure, further experiments led to successful incorporation of the photocatalyst titanium dioxide (TiO2) into polystyrene beads. Spectroscopy experiments are now being conducted to determine the beads' effectiveness.

COI 8 - Swelling studies of Poly(Ionic Liquids) in different solvents

First Author

Pierson Perdue

Department of Chemistry, Murray State University

Co-author

Ali Alshaikh

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Unive

Co-author

Creighton Balitier

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Unive

Co-author

Jason Bara

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Unive

Co-author

Sourav Chatterjee

Department of Chemistry, Murray State University,

Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) represented a special class of polymers, which comprised of a polymeric backbone and ionic liquids (ILs) species in each monomeric repeating units. PILs has properties that combined the properties of ionic liquids (ILs) (i.e., high conductivity, better thermal and chemical stability, and tailor-made functionality) with the intrinsic properties of polymer (i.e., mechanical stability). This synergistic property makes PILs a good candidate for various applications such as stable-ion conductors, membranes for gas separations and sorbents. In the past, it was shown that PILs are capable of swelling when dissolved in different ILs but there are few literature reported till date that shows swelling behavior of PILs in common neutral solvents. Thus, to see the effect of swelling on PILs in common solvents, a series of simple monomeric ILs were synthesized containing styrene as backbone tethered with imidazolium moiety with different alkyl or ether linkages. This monomers were then polymerized in presence or absence of initiator. Polymers were then placed in different solvents to test their swelling properties. This presentation will show how swelling ratio is affected with change in different side chain (alkyl versus ether), type of solvent, reaction condition (presence or absence of initiator), and solvent polarity with varying dipole moments.

COI 9 - Total Synthesis of Formicamycin H

First Author

Paul Stevens

Georgetown College

Co-author

Rosalie Doerksen

The University of Texas at Austin

Co-author

Brad Hu

The University of Texas at Austin

Co-author

Michael Krische

The University of Texas at Austin

Formicamycin H is a type II polyketide, a class of molecule which has demonstrated significant antibacterial properties. It was first isolated in 2017 from Streptomyces formicae KY5, found on Tetraponera penzigi. Mechanistic studies of structurally similar molecules indicate that formicamycin H may inhibit the FAS II pathway in bacteria via FabF inhibition. The ongoing total synthesis of formicamycin H is reported herein, with emphasis on the synthesis of the two starting fragments and their combination. A benzocyclobutenone (BCB) fragment was first synthesized in 5 steps via aromatic functionalization of 2-iodophenol, followed by triflation, [2+2]-cycloaddition, and ketal hydrolysis. Simultaneously, a ketol fragment was synthesized in 9 steps via alpha-dimethylation of (3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)acetic acid, followed by Weinreb amide synthesis, Grignard ethynylation, Friedel-Crafts-type cyclization, aromatic functionalization, olefin reduction, and Davis oxidation. These fragments were combined via ruthenium(0)-catalyzed [4+2]-cycloaddition. The resulting cycloadduct was further modified to achieve the desired functionalization and stereochemistry. After each reaction, the percent yield was determined, and purified products were analyzed via NMR spectroscopy. In the near future, a previously synthesized arylboronic acid fragment will be attached via atroposelective Suzuki coupling, and the molecule will be deprotected to yield formicamycin H as the product.

COI 10 - The Development of a Colorimetric Assay to Detect Uracil in Monomeric and Oligomeric DNA.

First Author

Mara Stout

Morehead State University

Uracil commonly occurs in ribonucleic acid (RNA) and not in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The typical nucleobases in DNA include adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. However, uracil in DNA arises from the deamination of cytosine, thus chemically transforming cytosine's heterocyclic nucleobase into a uracil nucleobase. Uracil in DNA is one of the most common single-base mutations that often leads to impaired protein function, malignant tumor progression, and cytotoxic cell behavior if left unrepaired. To repair the uracil mutation that occurs in DNA, uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) removes the uracil leaving an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP or abasic) site. This site is then further repaired through the base excision repair (BER) pathway. This pathway is responsible for repairing approximately 10,000-50,000 AP sites per day per cell under typical aerobic conditions. However, if left unrepaired, these DNA lesions leave an AP site resulting from the hydrolysis of the N-glycosidic bond. Herein is described a colorimetric assay that utilizes colorimetric reagents that detect uracil in DNA. Such colorimetric reagents include potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and copper with bicinchoninic acid (BCA). The KMnO4 reacts directly with the N-heterocyclic uracil nucleobase while the copper/BCA detects AP sites generated from the UDG hydrolysis of uracil found in oligomeric DNA. These colorimetric assays produce a chromophore that can be quantified by either using UV-VIS spectrophotometer and/or an iPhone with a colorimetric app along with the application of the Beer-Lambert law.

COI 11 - Amino acid-based metal-organic framework: structure and catalytic properties

First Author

Carolina Relva

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Charles Uland

Western Kentucky University

In its recent report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that reaching and sustaining net zero global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions would halt anthropogenic global warming. Designing and synthesizing new materials that mimic carbonic anhydrases for catalyzing carbon dioxide conversion into carbonate is a crucial technology for carbon dioxide sequestration. This study reports a metal-organic framework compound made from cadmium ions and an amino acid-histidine. Its crystal structure consists of cadmium ions coordinated to histidine, forming a three-dimensional framework. Its biomimetic catalytic properties on para nitrophenyl acetate conversion are also studied.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Computer & Information Sciences

CIS 1 - How Gaming Helps Reduce Stress

First Author

Abdul Agboola

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Richard Maiti

Kentucky State University

The purpose of this research is to explore and look at ways in which games (video or gaming in general) help people, primarily students reduce stress. This study will go into students' stress, how they overcome their stress by playing games, what type of games they play, what device they play games on, does gaming really help reduce stress.

CIS 2 - Using Machine Learning and Behavioral Patterns for the Early Diagnosis of Bovine Respiratory Disease in Dairy Calves

First Author

Enrico Casella

University of Kentucky

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is the second leading cause of death in young dairy calves, and is associated with less
growth, and reduced long-term performance such as less milk production, which makes BRD a financial burden on a farm's
economy. Precision technologies, such as accelerometers, automatic feeders, and cameras have been extensively used to collect,
summarize, and interpret changes in baseline dairy cattle behavior. While some efforts to evaluate the presence of statistical
relationships between calves' behavior and BRD status have been made, there is very little research in pairing such technologies
with manual examinations to improve the accuracy and cost of BRD monitoring. In this paper, we propose a framework for
diagnosis and early prediction of BRD in calves. This framework is composed by a machine learning model as well as by a
cost-sensitive feature selection problem called Cost Optimization Worth (COW). COW maximizes prediction accuracy given a
budget constraint. We show that COW is NP-Hard and propose an efficient heuristic with polynomial complexity. We validate
our methodology on a real dataset of 46 automatic and manually collected features, representing 106 calves observed during the
preweaning period of 50 days. Our results show that our machine learning model can correctly classify a sick cow with a 97%
accuracy and up to 5 days prior to BRD diagnosis, outperforming a recent state-of-the-art approach. Furthermore, our feature
selection results show that in a low-budget scenario, manually collected features are more valuable than automated features in
detecting sick cows. Conversely, in a high-budget scenario, automated features report higher accuracy for the early prediction of
BRD.

CIS 3 - Persistent Homology applied to Single Cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) transcriptomic data

First Author

Jonah Daneshmand

University of Louisville

Persistent Homology applied to Single Cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) transcriptomic data to cluster collections of cell observations by topological features.

Single-Cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and its resulting data (cell-by-gene expression matrices) are valuable tools to gain insight into the transcriptome of cells, and the volume of publicly available data increases constantly. Methods for integration, comparison, and clustering of these datasets thus hold great importance for understanding transcriptomic dynamics of any biological process from a meta-analytical perspective. Persistent Homology (PH) is one possible method for determining the relatedness of datasets (allowing clustering), that comes from the field of Topological Data Analysis (TDA). From a mathematical perspective, PH summarizes the topological features (or "shape") of a collection of cells (or gene expression vectors), in a way that is deformation invariant. Thus, PH should yield relatedness measures (distances) between collections of cells that are informative of differences without respect to batch or possible warping/deforming effects. PH was applied to a prefrontal cortex dataset, with collections of cells from disease and control samples. PH will then be applied to known cell groups from a cell atlas, as well as groups of cells from vastly different tissues. The resulting clusters will be analyzed for biological meaning and correspondence to the group metadata, investigating if it is worthwhile to further pursue the effectiveness of PH clustering.

CIS 4 - A Reinforcement Learning Approach for Shortest Path Selection in Computer Networks

First Author

Xu Tao

University of Kentucky

With the upsurge of traffics in computer networks, low communication latency is becoming a high demand for resource-intensive systems and critical applications, such as virtual reality and automotive. Thus, low-cost and efficient network monitoring is a key enabler of taking full advantage of network capacity. Recent work has introduced network tomography to infer link metrics, such as delay, with limited end-to-end measurements. However, finding optimal paths without prior distribution knowledge of link metrics in network tomography-based communication networks has not been addressed yet. To fill this research gap, this paper proposes a novel approach utilizing reinforcement learning. The network is modeled as an undirected and weighted graph, link delay is modeled as a random variable with prior unknown mean, and a certain number of monitors are randomly deployed into nodes. We exploit network tomography to infer real-time link delay and learn optimal shortest paths among every pair of monitors within Multi-armed Bandits framework, a branch of reinforcement learning. Moreover, we conduct extensive experiments in synthetic and realistic networks, results show that it achieves a high probability of selecting optimal paths and small delay differences from optimal ones instead.

CIS 5 - energyUber: Electric Vehicle-based Joint Ride-sharing and Energy-sharing

First Author

Ashutosh Timilsina

University of Kentucky

There has been a recent surge in sharing-economy-based business models with successful application in ride-sharing (Uber, Lyft) and accommodation-sharing (Airbnb). Recently, researchers have also focused in bringing the sharing modality to energy scene with concepts like Peer-to-peer (P2P) Energy Trading and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G). Growing concerns on carbon emission by fossil fuel vehicles have made the shift towards Electric Vehicles (EV) in future inevitable. Therefore, in this work, we aim at bringing the ride-sharing and energy-sharing together using EV. We design a platform called "energyUber" that uses crowdsourcing mechanism for carrying out ride-sharing and V2G tasks by EV owners. EV owners submit a bid for tasks they want to perform to the platform, which then selects the bids that minimize their overall cost. Finally, we present the algorithm for "energyUber" and conduct experiments on New York City taxi trip datasets and Pecan Street Home energy consumption dataset that show the efficacy of our proposed mechanism.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Ecology

Chair: John Starnes

Secretary: Ben Brammell

ECO 1 - A Meta-Analysis of Collection Methods in Spider Ecological Research

First Author

Joshua Hicks

Morehead State University

Co-author

Eliana Eldridge

Morehead State University

Co-author

Sean O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Quantitative sampling of organisms is a valuable tool used to provide information in ecological studies, monitor populations, and aid in biodiversity projects. Numerous studies of this nature revolve around the sampling of spiders. 207 peer-reviewed journal articles about spider sampling were used to create an initial data set. Of this set, 151 of the articles had information that was deemed valuable to this study we conducted. From these articles, we collected data including country of study, mode of study, trapping techniques utilized, spider diversity reported, and number of specimens collected. Our meta-analysis gathered information from 33 different countries of study. Modes of study were divided into categories of aerial, arboreal, terrestrial, and subterrestrial. From the data gathered, 5% of the articles included aerial trapping, 20% included arboreal trapping, 80% included terrestrial trapping, and 1% included subterrestrial trapping. As terrestrial-dwelling spiders accounted for the majority of studies evaluated in this meta-analysis, terrestrial trapping methods were further examined. Of the papers that employed terrestrial trapping methods, 60% used pitfall trapping, 20% used hand collecting, 15% used sweep netting, and 5% used branch beating.

ECO 19 - Attitudes of Kentucky Residents towards Deer and its Management

First Author

Austin Broughton

Eastern Kentucky University

The White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, is the most common deer species in North America and is also the most heavily hunted deer species. However, the deer populations across the country vary and also within Kentucky. To assess the attitudes of Kentucky residents towards these varying population densities of deer, a survey was administered via social media. We received 351 responses from the four deer management zones as defined by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Of the respondents, 82% were male and 18% were female. 72% of respondents considered themselves to live in a rural area and 75% of the respondents were active deer hunters. Most of the hunters claim that the main reason they hunt is to 'be outdoors' (86%), followed by 'meat for the freezer' (85%). These hunters used Rifle (91%) followed by Archery (71%). In general among all respondents, hunters and non-hunters, 44% of the respondents spent time outdoors on a daily basis while only 3% of the respondents spent time outdoors only 'few times a year'. Regarding their perception on deer populations, 66% of the respondents either Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed with the statement that there were too many deer in the area where they live.

ECO 2 - Upper Thermal Tolerances of the Spiders Leucauge venusta and Pardosa lapidicina

First Author

Faith Boa

Georgetown College

Co-author

Abigail Nienaber

University of Louisville

Co-author

Kane Lawhorn

University of Louisville

Co-author

Stephen P. Yanoviak

University of Louisville

Temperature is a major environmental determinant of poikilotherm distributions ranging from geographic to microhabitat scales. Here, we measured the upper thermal tolerance limits of Leucauge venusta, an orb-weaving spider that inhabits relatively cool forest understory, and Pardosa lapidicina, a ground-dwelling spider that inhabits high temperature microhabitat. We also evaluated the effects of sex, mass, and ramp rate on the critical thermal maxima (CTmax) for these two species. We hypothesized that differences in Ctmax between these species would reflect their habitat preferences. Indeed, P. lapidicina had higher average CTmax than L. venusta, and CTmax increased with mass for both species. By contrast, sex and ramp rate had no effect on average CTmax. These results suggest that spider upper thermal tolerances correspond with their microhabitat preferences. Understanding such potential environmental constraints is essential to predicting the effects of climate change on thermally sensitive organisms.

ECO 3 - Determining Relationships Between Bat Activity and Woody Vegetation in Natural and Constructed Wetlands on the DBNF

First Author

Katie Holmes

University of Dayton

Co-author

Kelly Watson

Eastern Kentucky University Natural Areas

Determining Relationships Between Bat Activity and Woody Vegetation in Natural and Constructed Wetlands on the Daniel Boone National Forest. Katie Holmes and Kelly Watson.
Wetlands provide habitat and critical ecosystem services for a wide range of organisms, including bats. However, much about bats and wetlands is still unknown. This study examined bat activity in Myotis and non-Myotis bat species and woody vegetation in both natural and constructed upland-embedded wetlands on the Daniel Boone National Forest. To test this relationship, we surveyed bat activity and woody vegetative structure at three wetland pairs (three natural and three constructed wetlands) during two data collection periods. We used SM3 bat acoustic detectors and identified bat calls using Kaleidoscope Pro software. The data relationships between basal area, woody vegetation density and dominance, and Myotis and Non-Myotis species activity were analyzed using R studio. The results show Non-Myotis species were more active at constructed wetland sites, and their activity decreased in wetlands with higher tree density and greater basal area. Myotis species were more active at natural wetland sites, and while their activity increased as basal area increased, activity was relatively consistent across tree densities. These findings suggest natural wetlands may provide important habitat for Myotis species, which is useful information for improving management practices as bat populations continue to decline due to white-nose syndrome.

ECO 4 - Changes in Bald Eagle Nesting Distribution and Nest-site Selection in Kentucky during 1986-2019

First Author

David Brown

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Joshua Castle

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Kelly Watson

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Kate Slankard

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

Kentucky's increasing breeding Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) population began recovering with a single nest in 1986 and has since expanded from the state's western portion to the central and eastern regions. We used aerial survey data to describe the spatiotemporal distribution of Bald Eagle nests in Kentucky, to examine changes in nest-site selection relative to natural and anthropogenic features, and to create a nesting habitat suitability model. Our results highlight an increase in Bald Eagle nests near developed areas and demonstrate the colonization by this species of lower-quality habitats in recent years. We further provide predictions of available nesting habitats and data to direct the future monitoring and management of Bald Eagles in Kentucky.

ECO 5 - eDNA detection of northern red, spring, and mud salamanders in eastern Kentucky streams

First Author

Sara Brewer

Asbury University

Co-author

Florene Bell

Asbury University

Co-author

Kenton Sena

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Thomas Maigret

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Chi Jing Leow

Asbury University

Co-author

Angie Flores

Asbury University

Co-author

Ben Brammell

Asbury University

eDNA detection of northern red (Pseudotriton ruber), spring (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus), and mud (Pseudotriton ruber) salamanders in eastern Kentucky streams.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) utilizes DNA that organisms release into the environment to detect their presence and provides an efficient, non-invasive method to determine organism presence/absence. Recent works have emphasized the need for high quality, carefully tested assays for use in species-specific marker studies and the need to validate these oligos in silico, in vitro, and in situ. We developed species-specific qPCR assays for three widely distributed species of semiaquatic North American salamanders: northern red salamanders (Pseudotriton ruber), spring salamanders (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus), and mud salamanders (Pseudotriton montanus). Primers and probes were designed based on sequences obtained from locally collected specimens and were screened in silico (twelve species) and in vitro (six species) for specificity against salamander species that occur sympatrically with the targets in various parts of their range. Water samples were collected from field sites in Robinson Forest in eastern KY (Breathitt and Knott Counties) and analyzed for target species DNA. G. porphyriticus DNA was detected in 10/38 samples, albeit at low concentrations. P. ruber and P. montanus analysis is in progress. This project provides thoroughly vetted tools that should prove useful for future monitoring or range delineation studies of these species.

ECO 6 - eDNA detection of darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae) in central Kentucky streams

First Author

Abigail Fletcher

Asbury University

Co-author

Mary Johnson

Asbury University

Co-author

Cierla McGuire

Asbury University

Co-author

Sara Brewer

Asbury University

Co-author

Malinda Stull

Asbury University

Co-author

Ben Brammell

Asbury University

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has rapidly become a firmly established method for detecting organisms of research and conservation interest and promises to greatly increase the ease, efficacy, and scope of ecological studies. Recent works have highlighted the need for carefully tested assays for use in species specific marker studies and thorough vetting of eDNA primers using as many local sequences as available. We developed species specific primers for use in qPCR eDNA detection of four darter species found in central KY streams: the Rainbow darter (Etheostoma caeruleum), Fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare), Greenside darter (Etheostoma blennioides), and Logperch (Percina caprodes). Primers and probes were designed based on sequences obtained from locally collected specimens and screened for specificity against seven other darter species that occur sympatrically with these species in various parts of their range. Water samples were collected from field sites in which these organisms are known to exist in central and south-central Kentucky for use in field validation of these assays. Although none of the fish in this study are threatened or endangered, Kentucky is home to five species of federally threatened or endangered fish, including three darter species. The results of this study should prove useful in the eDNA monitoring of these and other threatened and endangered fish species.

ECO 7 - eDNA detection of four toed salamanders (Hemidactylium scutatum): significance of mitochondrial genome region in primer

First Author

Brendan Jeffrey

Asbury University

Co-author

Sara Brewer

Asbury University

Co-author

Florene Bell

Asbury University

Co-author

Ben Brammell

Asbury University

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging tool that promises to greatly increase the ease, efficacy, and scope of ecological studies. Recent works have highlighted the need for carefully tested assays for use in species specific marker studies and thorough vetting of eDNA primers using as many local sequences as available. We developed species specific primers for use in qPCR eDNA detection of H. scutatum and tested these primers in silico and in vitro against sympatric species to ensure specificity. Additionally, we tested these primers against H. scutatum species collected in New York and note that they successfully detect specimens from more northern portions of the range of this species. We also shared tissue with a project in which assays were developed to detect H. scutatum from New York state, in this case developed assays failed to detect an eastern Kentucky H. scutatum specimen. Previous research appears to indicate these results are consistent with our understanding of mutation rates in various regions of the mitochondria, cytochrome b versus the intergenic spacer region. Furthermore, they suggest that the mitochondrial region utilized in assay development is crucial in determining the specificity of eDNA oligos.

ECO 8 - Growth and Survival of Salamanders Exposed to Road Salt and Glyphosate-Based Herbicide

First Author

Jerica Eaton

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Jarrett Johnson

Western Kentucky University

Amphibian populations are threatened by increasing levels of environmental pollution resulting from human activities. Areas with mixed land use that include agriculture and urban development experience contamination from surface herbicide and road deicer application. Upon entering water sources, these chemicals disrupt the natural dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of these contaminants on amphibian populations. We used the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) as a model, rearing them from hatching to metamorphosis. We subjected each treatment group to varying levels of herbicide and salt concentrations. Salt concentrations had a stronger effect on larval size at metamorphosis than the herbicide concentration. Neither salt nor herbicide concentration had a strong effect on time to metamorphosis. There was no difference in the lengths of salamanders between conditions. These results indicate that road deicer application negatively impacts amphibian size at metamorphosis more so than surface herbicide application. Treatment groups metamorphosed at similar ages, indicating that salt concentrations and herbicide concentrations did not affect time to metamorphosis. The results revealed that the treatment conditions did not affect length. The results of this study are significant as they give insight into how anthropogenic land use may contribute to the amphibian population decline.

ECO 9 - Assessing the Health and Behavioral Effects of Turtle Racing on Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina)

First Author

Michelle Weaver

Murray State University

Turtle racing involves the public capturing and using largely wild-caught box turtles (Terrapene spp.). Turtle races can be standalone events or a part of larger family events (e.g. festivals). Turtle races are legal in most states because of a lack of regulations and/or funding to enforce regulations that may exist. We lack information on the potential effects (e.g. disease transmission, survival, movements, and general health) of races on the turtles that could help support the implementation of regulations. Our objective is to understand the short-term and long-term health and behavioral effects of turtle races on eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina). We collected 29 box turtles from a race held in Kentucky. We completed physical exams, including collecting blood samples and oral/cloacal swabs, on each turtle. We quarantined the turtles for two weeks and then, following negative PCR test results for ranavirus (FV3), released 19 turtles (weight > 400 g), with attached transmitters, onto a national wildlife refuge in Kentucky. We also captured eight native box turtles from the same release location and followed the same procedure done with the race turtles. Since release, we have been tracking turtles weekly and have completed four total health evaluations. We are currently completing laboratory analyses associated with testing for other diseases besides ranavirus. We present here the preliminary data on health metrics, disease surveillance, movement, and survival.

ECO 10 - Mosquitoes Inhabiting Tires Across Urban and Rural Areas in Northern Kentucky

First Author

Bridget Murray

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Allison Parker

Northern Kentucky University

Discarded tires create a conducive environment for female mosquitoes to lay their eggs and for the resulting larvae to develop. Tires are able to hold sufficient amounts of nutrient-rich water, to keep a constant water temperature, and shelter the developing larvae from harm until they pupate and emerge as adults. This project was conducted to evaluate mosquito species distribution in discarded tires in urban and rural areas. Tires were placed at 12 sites across Northern Kentucky, 6 in rural areas and 6 in urban areas. Every week, mosquito larvae and pupae were collected from the tires and adults were collected in mosquito traps. Collected mosquitoes were brought back to the laboratory for species identification. From June to August of 2021, 9,906 larvae and pupae and 2,193 adults from 10 different species were collected. Aedes japonicus was the most commonly collected mosquito from tires while Culex restuans and Cx. pipiens were the most commonly collected adult mosquitoes. Understanding which mosquito species are found in discarded tires and differences between urban and rural sites allows us to create targeted education campaigns for rural and urban communities on how reducing discarded tires can help reduce a percentage of mosquitoes in the area.

ECO 11 - Relationship Between Habitat Quality and Biodiversity in an Urban Floodplain Ecosystem

First Author

Hanah Carter

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Martha Carlson Mazur

Bellarmine University

Biodiversity is becoming an increasingly important variable in the survival of our planet's ecosystems. In an effort to better understand how urban environments can influence biodiversity in a given area, this study aims to analyze the relationship between biodiversity and habitat quality in order to assess ways in which urban ecosystems can meet the needs of the biodiverse species that inhabit those ecosystems. The study was performed across two urban floodplain ecosystems within a mile of each other located in the heart of Louisville, KY USA-The Passionist Earth and Spirit Center, an 11-hectare natural area, and Joe Creason Park, a nearby 25-hectare city park connected by the riparian zone of South Fork Beargrass Creek. Macroinvertebrate sampling was used to assess diversity on a lower trophic level within the food web. Bird observation and audio and habitat structure were analyzed using ocular estimation to evaluate diversity at a higher trophic level. Birds and macroinvertebrates were chosen due to their capacity to be indicator species of changes within an ecosystem. The findings demonstrated a connection between greater habitat diversity and quality and greater abundance and diversity in both macroinvertebrates and bird populations. This pilot study lays a foundation for further work to be done to evaluate the connection between habitat diversity and biodiversity in an urban environment to assess how urban environments can be shaped to support greater biodiversity.

ECO 12 - Can Increasing Soil Complexity of Freshwater Wetlands Improve Carbon Storage by Minimizing Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

First Author

Isaiah Radford

Murray State University

Co-author

Karen Baumann

Murray State University Department of Biological Sciences

Co-author

Michael Flinn

Murray State University

Co-author

Jessica Moon

Murray State University

Fine-scale incubation studies suggest that increasing soil carbon heterogeneity can lower microbial activity, lowering soil respiration. However, this effect might be dampened at larger spatial scales and when substrate diffusion is allowed. Our goal is to test how altering soil heterogeneity (e.g., micro-topography and nutrient additions) affects soil carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes from wetland mineral soils under varying hydro-logic regimes. Our first experiment was designed to test our methodology; we created wetland mesocosms with four treatments (n=3) varying in spatial complexity (i.e., 100%, 50/50, and quartered treatments) using a wetland and an upland soil. On average, 50/50 and 100% wetland treatments had higher CH4 fluxes than quartered and 100% upland treatments across two trials. However, the results were non-significant (Trial 1: p-value = 0.095; Trial 2: p-value = 0.412) due to high variability among replicates (e.g., Trial 2 100% wetland replicate mean 42.32 +/- s.d. 54.39 nmol CH4 m-2 sec-1). Additional homogenization of soils is reducing variability among replicates within the same treatments. Once resolved, we will resume tests to identify what variables and levels of complexity maximize carbon storage by minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

ECO 13 - The Effects of Flooding on Wildlife in Xero-hydric Flatwood and Bottomland Hardwood Forests

First Author

Evan Barr

Murray State University

Increased disturbances associated with climate change have altered ecosystems and increased their sensitivity to disturbance. Quantifying changes in wildlife behaviors, community dynamics, and diversity during and after disturbance regimes can provide information to land managers and the public about the importance of these disturbances and the necessity for them in areas with a high diversity and abundance of disturbance obligate species. We placed cameras at 85 systematically random points within two systems on the Clark's River National Wildlife Refuge to evaluate the effects of disturbance on mammalian and avian occupancy, abundance, and diversity in areas with diverse flooding regimes. We plan to compare data on a year-to-year basis to monitor and observe any correlations present. Due to the logistical issues associated with camera trapping in regularly flooded areas, very little camera surveillance has taken place in mesic systems. We have collected a large amount of data that will help us better understand the distributions and movements of species within these unique ecosystems that can be used by managers when making management decisions within these environments.

ECO 14 - Investigation on optimal preparation of small marine aquaria for the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus

First Author

Samantha Lyerla

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Roberta Challener

Bellarmine University

Studying live marine organisms is significantly challenging for non-coastal laboratories. A primary concern is new tank syndrome, where chemical build up becomes toxic to organisms. Many marine invertebrates, such as Lytechinus variegatus, excrete ammonia (NH3) which quickly builds up in small aquaria (e.g., 5-20 US gallon or 19-80 liter tanks) and can become lethal. NH3 is broken down into less toxic nitrite (NO2-) and nitrates (NO3-) by nitrifying bacteria. However, it takes time for these bacterial populations to become established. The optimal preparation of sea urchin aquaculture facilities (large-scale) has been researched, but there is little literature about small aquaria specific to sea urchins. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal length of time (6 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 weeks vs no preparation) to prepare small tanks (19 L) with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) for sea urchins. A second objective was to determine whether the addition of live nitrifying bacteria during preparation (4 weeks, 2 weeks) was significantly better for maintaining L. variegatus. Sea urchin righting response (time to right after inverted) will be used as a measure of health status.

ECO 15 - Spatial ecology of Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana Decne. (Rosaceae) in northern Kentucky and southwest Ohio

First Author

Kaitlyn Snyder

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Trey Zinsmeister

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Caitlyn Helton

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Lauren Marie Taylor

Stanford University

Co-author

Rick Boyce

Northern Kentucky University

Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana Decne., (Rosaceae) is a non-native species that has become invasive following its introduction to the United States as an ornamental tree. Previous work has suggested that Callery pear is mid-shade tolerant or shade-intolerant based on its stand structure. The shade tolerance of plants can also be determined by examining their spatial distribution. We selected several stands dominated by Callery pear in northern Kentucky and southwest Ohio. At each site we laid out a 10 m x 10 m grid and recorded the position of each Callery pear tree within the grid. In addition, we measured the diameters. We then determined Ripley's K to look for patterns of distribution and associations among size classes at each stand. In general, Callery pears were randomly distributed, with no association between size classes. This distribution follows the pattern typically seen in shade-intolerant plants with bird-distributed seeds.

ECO 16 - Response of Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii to a Combination of Decapitation and Leaf Blight

First Author

Trey Zinsmeister

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Kaitlyn Snyder

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Caitlyn Helton

Northern Kentucky University, university of Kentucky

Co-author

Lauren Taylor

Stanford University

Co-author

Dr.Richard Boyce

Northern Kentucky University

Response of Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder (Caprifoliaceae) to a Combination of Decapitation and Leaf Blight

Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder (Caprifoliaceae) is shade tolerant and highly resilient invasive plant first introduced to the United States in the late 1800's as an ornamental shrub. Studies have indicated that both mechanical and chemical control efforts have been ineffective, we studied a combination of decapitation and leaf blight infection as a potentially effective control effort. We compared open sites of 20 plants each at the Steffan property and Ravens Run to forested sites of 20 plants each at NKU REFS and Ravens Run.The original diameter was recorded before decapitated and being marked with survey flags, later the sprouts on each plant were labeled with vinyl tree tags. Data for shoot number, shoot length, total leaves, and total blighted leaves was recorded as well as leaf density and fraction of blighted leaves was calculated at each site every two weeks. A simple regression was performed on each data category to original diameter and date of year, when applicable. The data suggests that every data category increased along with diameter. Date of year consistently affected total blighted leaves, increasing at NKU REFS and the Steffan property and increasing then decreasing at Ravens Run.Fraction of blighted leaves saw the same trends as total blighted leaves at the same sites. All sites saw a decrease in leaf density with date of year.

ECO 17 - Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria in Parker Cave, Kentucky and Implications on The Phantom Waterfall Flowstone

First Author

Kendall Wheeler

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Pat Kambesis

Western Kentucky University

In terrestrial ecosystems, primary production is occupied by plants or photosynthetic microbes. However, many bacteria utilize a sulfur-oxidation metabolism and act as primary producers in their ecosystems. Such bacteria have been observed in Parker Cave in Edmonson County, Kentucky, along with hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Most nutrients originate from the surface and thus fluctuate seasonally: chemosynthetic sources do not and it is thought that this provides a minimum to the nutrients present in the system, although further inquiry is needed. Traditionally, H2S in Parker Cave has been thought to occur from manmade oil wells, but more recent studies suggest the opposite. Analyzing Parker Cave and the Phantom Waterfall within could lead to a better understanding of the distribution of
sulfide resources in the Mammoth Cave area and its effect on microbial communities. At present, it is unknown whether sulfur-oxidizing bacteria play a major role in primary production within Parker Cave, however, analysis of the flowstone surrounding the Phantom Waterfall can further illuminate this topic.

ECO 18 - Variation in an important trait among populations of four widespread small mammal species

First Author

Daniel Fleenor

Morehead state

Co-author

Brooks Kohli

Morehead state university

Co-author

Brooks Kohli

University of New Hampshire

Co-author

Brooks Kohli

Ohio University

Variation in functional traits is important for adaptation to local conditions but has been poorly documented. Our goal is to better understand variation in a key mammalian trait, the relative medullary thickness (RMT) of the kidney, which directly relates to an organism's ability to concentrate urine and conserve water. We obtained 201 wild-caught specimens from four widely distributed small mammals (white-footed mouse, deer mouse, southern red-backed vole, and northern short-tailed shrew) from four Midwestern and Eastern US states (Minnesota, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin). We removed kidneys, fixed them in ethanol, and calculated RMT by measuring the kidney's external measurements with digital calipers, then dissected them to take internal measurements. In this preliminary analysis, only the red-backed vole showed significant variation in RMT among populations, according to ANOVA tests . This suggests that RMT may be similar for small mammals across the range of mesic habitats studied. Other water conservation mechanisms or behaviors may be used to respond to subtle variation in water availability. Moving forward we plan to sample additional populations from more arid regions to better determine the effect of environment on RMT within individual species.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Engineering

Chair: Aaron Daley

Secretary: Seyed Allameh

ENG 1 - Impact of Real-Time Weather Factors on Traffic Safety in Kentucky

First Author

Nicholas Abshire

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Carelynn Hartmann

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Leah Bell

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Dylan Jackson

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Kirolos Haleem

Western Kentucky University

This study investigates the impact of real-time weather-related factors on crash severity along Kentucky's Interstate-64 (I-64), Interstate-65 (I-65), and Interstate-75 (I-75). Five-year crashes (2016-2021) along the three interstates were collected. Crashes were merged with real-time weather variables at the time of crash from the Kentucky Mesonet stations. Five weather-related variables were considered; air temperature (0F), relative humidity (%), precipitation (inches), solar radiation (watts/m2), and wind speed (miles per hour). The three interstates were further categorized into different climate zones based on the geographic location in the state. The chi-square test of independence and severity index (i.e., the ratio of percent severe crashes to percent exposure 'or number of days for a specific weather variable threshold') were used in the analysis. The chi-square test results showed that air temperature (on I-75), relative humidity (on I-75), solar radiation (on I-64, I-65, and I-75), wind speed (on I-64, I-65, and I-75), and precipitation (on I-64, I-65, and I-75) had significant correlation with crash severity. The severity indices analyses showed that crash severity increased with increase in temperature, relative humidity, and solar radiation along the three interstates. The study can pinpoint specific weather-related states that could deteriorate highway safety along Kentucky's interstate highways.

ENG 2 - Whole-Body Robotic Skin for Physical Human-Robot Interaction

First Author

Jordan Dowdy

University of Louisville

Researchers at the University of Louisville's Speed School of Engineering have been developing a touch-sensitive skin sensor for the use on robotic devices. These sensors allow for robots to feel and interact with their environment and respond in ways that increase safety and allow intuitive guiding motions. In this project, we attached sensors on the outside of a 6 Degree of Freedom robotic arm and programmed it to move along directions by pushing and pulling that depend on the areas of the sensor you touch as well as its orientation in space. We have also made it respond proportionally to the magnitude of the force you apply to our sensor. Join us as we explain the share our journey to testing and applying our skin sensors to a robotic arm.

ENG 3 - Effects of Collagen crosslinking on articulation-mediated articular cartilage lubrication

First Author

Uriel Gonzalez-Martinez

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating disease of our joints that leads to chronic pain, immobility and reduced ability to complete daily tasks1. A hallmark of OA disease progression is articular cartilage degradation and softening, which is thought to impair load bearing and lubrication during joint motion2. Crosslinking of collagen networks, which are a key component of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), is known to increase ECM stiffness. Thus, preclinical investigations have proposed the use of collagen crosslinking agents such as Glutaraldehyde (GTA)3 and genipin4 to restore arthritic cartilage's mechanical integrity. However, the effects of collagen crosslinking on cartilage lubrication remain poorly characterized. Therefore, the objective of the study was to examine how collagen crosslinking influences cartilage lubrication using an ex vivo model. Osteochondral explants (19mm) were extracted from mature bovine femoral condyles. Indentation testing and tribological characterization were performed at baseline and following exposure to crosslinking agents. A 4mm spherical probe was used to indent the samples at 50µm/s until a force of 150mN was reached, followed by an equilibration period of 600s. Hertz biphasic theory5 was used to calculate the effective contact modulus (Ec) equilibrium contact modulus (Ec0), and unstrained permeability (k0). Tribological characterization consisted of 30min static compression at 7N followed by 15min sliding at 80mm/s. Explants were then crosslinked with 0.60% GTA in PBS for 1 hr or 10mM genipin in PBS for 24hr. After crosslinking, indentation and tribological assessment were repeated. Effects of crosslinking on mechanical properties and tribological outcomes were assessed via paired t-tests with significance at p<0.05. As expected, collagen crosslinking significantly increased Ec0 (p=0.02). However, tissue strain and friction coefficients were significantly elevated following crosslinking. Thus, this preliminary study suggests collagen crosslinking approaches may have deleterious effects on cartilage lubrication.

ENG 4 - Improving Disease Diagnosis: Breath Analysis

First Author

Briana Harness

KY INBRE

Co-author

ZhenZhen Xie

University of Louisville

Co-author

James Morris

University of Louisville

Co-author

Stephanie Mattingly

University of Louisville

Co-author

Sutaria Saurin

University of Louisville

Co-author

Xiaoan Fu

Univeristy of Louisville

Disease diagnosis is an important aspect of medical treatment. In the diagnosis of diseases, accurate, sensitive, and time-conscious methods of analysis are vital to ensure patient health. Breath analysis has been demonstrated as a noninvasive and cost-effective form of disease detection. Through breath analysis, potentially damaging and expensive procedures can be avoided. One important aspect of breath analysis is capture efficiency. Capture efficiency is a system's ability to capture target compounds. By increasing capture efficiency, compounds can be more easily detected in breath allowing for a better diagnosis system. In this study, flow rate's effect on capture efficiency was further investigated. One liter Tedlar bags containing one liter of pure air were spiked with 10nmols of compounds identified as biomarkers. Compounds were run through cartridges containing silicon dioxide coated with a derivatizing aminooxy compound The derivatization agent, selectively binds target compounds through chemical reactions, thus concentrating target in the cartridges. Cartridges were then eluted with a methanol +6% acetic acid solution and analyzed through GC-MS. Through results, it can be interpreted that flow rates between 400 and 600 ml/min are the most optimal to reach the highest possible capture efficiencies. However, margins of systematic error, as well as random error in experimentation, lead to an indeterminant conclusion.

ENG 5 - Development of a PLCs Based Industrial Automation Training Platform

First Author

Wen Liu

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Lauren Williams

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Gang Sun

Northern Kentucky University

The use of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) in industries has gradually grown by each year over the past twenty years. Higher education institutions have paid more attention to developing their PLC classes. Bringing the real industrial environment and equipment to the courses and labs for achieving hands-on experiences is one of the main philosophies for engineering education. However, due to the high cost of industrial PLCs and the limit on the funding. Many institutions have come up with many different solutions.
With the support from Rockwell Automation, Northern Kentucky University Mechatronics lab equip advanced Allen-Bradley GuardLogix 5580 PLCs with RSLogix 5000 programming software, PowerFlex AC drives, and HMIs, etc. Previous research was done on the physical Human-machine interface, a physical control panel was developed to interact with the PLC controller. This research aims to use Easy PLC software to achieve an industrial work environment simulation on the computer with the existing platform. Easy PLC soft allows a real time communication with PLC and its software, we will be able to create a simulated animation on computer that gives input and output feedback based on this platform. We have created two template that represent two most frequently seen industrial environment on Northern Kentucky area: A mix tank simulation and a conveyor factory simulation. Students will able to program the code, PLCs will transmit inputs signal from both programming software and control panel to Easy PLC software. Easy PLC will provide visual animation of the machine operation base on the code.

ENG 6 - Integrated Renewable Energy System for research and education

First Author

Manar Alzaki

Northern Kentucky university

Focus on the renewable energy sources is significantly growing as the demand for electricity consumption increases day by day. Due to weather changes, it is difficult to predict the amount of electricity produced by these renewable energy resources because of intermittent wind speed and insolation. For this reason, the integration of renewable resources including solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and energy storage such as battery and hydrogen-based fuel cells are gaining prominence. However, there are practical challenges to install solar PV and wind turbines for research and educational purposes. Therefore, wind turbine emulators and solar PV emulators were developed to imitate the real-time characteristics of wind turbines and solar panels respectively in a laboratory environment. The goal of this research project is develop energy management strategy to efficiently use the available resources in NI LabVIEW software. The integrated system is tested for various configurations of renewable resources and energy storage. Once the system has been tested through LabVIEW simulations, hardware interconnection of the emulators, energy storage and power converters will be setup for further validation. Moreover, analyzing the performance in different real-time weather conditions is necessary before installing the system at the designated site.

ENG 7 - Solar Based Smart Outdoor Lighting System

First Author

Jacob Vallandingham

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Jose Fonseca

Co-author

Brady Hogan

The amount of electricity currently being used in the outdoor lighting system utilized is making damage to the environment. Due to all of these problems, our research focused on making Northern Kentucky University (NKU) more eco-friendly by installing a solar-based smart outdoor lighting system. Our goal for the research in other words is to convert four existing outdoor lights in Lake Loch Norse at NKU into solar-based lights by positioning solar panels at different locations. One of the solar panels is going to be placed at a certain angle. The second solar panel will be a single-axis solar panel that will move based on the tracking of the sun. Another solar panel will be a double axis one that moves based on the tracking of the sun. The last of the solar panels will be positioned in the shade. All of the solar panels are going to be programmed with a 24-hour counter that will allow them to recognize and keep track of the time throughout the day. For our research, calculations based on when the sunset and sunrise happen to program when the LDR and PIR sensors will be turned on and off. Besides this, a Wi-Fi module is also being installed in the solar panel setup to send information to a webpage where recordings of the solar panel are going to be kept.

ENG 8 - Investigating Best Fit Artificial Assist Device Pump in Univentricular Fontan Circulation Patients

First Author

Gemma Sanders

KYINBRE

Co-author

Mohamed Shehata

Employer - University of Louisville

Co-author

Ayman El-Baz

Employer - University of Louisville

Co-author

Giridharan Guruprasad

Employer - University of Louisville

Univentricular hearts are the fifth most common structural heart defect and account for approximately 10% of all congenital heart defects. The issue with univentricular hearts is the single ventricle is doing the work of two ventricles for the entire body. With only one ventricle pumping, the blood is then lacking too much oxygen to be absorbed by the body. Patients with univentricular hearts must undergo three open heart procedures before the age of three to convert them to a Fontan circulation. The Fontan circulation allows them the single ventricle to pump the blood into the aorta, throughout the body, and to recirculate through the superior and inferior vena cava. In the Fontan circulation, the pulmonary arteries are tied to the vena cava to allow the blood to fill quicker into the heart, creating a plus junction. The Fontan pump is designed to be placed at the junction to increase power and substitute as the missing ventricle. This is achieved by obtaining precise measurements and angles of each patient's unique heart. Through scans and segmentations, the best fit device is then examined and created to help aid in the blood flow throughout the body.

ENG 9 - Assembly and Functionality of Hexapod Robot (FNK0031)

First Author

Anthony Vascotto

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Jyotica Batra

Kentucky State University

The Hexapod Robot is a 6-axis, parallel-kinematics device often utilized for automatic precision positioning and alignment of parts and components ranging from small optics to big panels. The importance of Hexapod Robots has been seen in industries such as automotive, health care, and even agriculture. The Hexapod robot can move and twist its body in addition to moving forward and backward while crawling. Three servos are used to move each leg: one for up/down movement, one for forward/backward movement, and one to bend the leg in the middle. In order to understand its functionality in this project, we will assemble the Hexapod Robot (FNK0031). The assembly kit consists of EMAX ES08AII Servo, Crawling Robot Controller. Freenove Control Board, Freenove Remote Shield, 9V Battery Holder, and NRF24L01 Module.
https://www.amazon.com/Freenove-Raspberry-Crawling-Detailed-Tutorial/dp/B07FLVZ2DN?th=1

ENG 10 - Development of a Mind-controlled Mini Industrial Robotic Arm

First Author

Mahdi Yazdanpour

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Biplov Ale

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Leslie Ferrao

Northern Kentucky University

Integrating the electrical activities of the human brain with mechatronic systems to develop mind-controlled systems has become one of the most cutting-edge research topics in the Human-Robot Interaction and Robotics communities. In this multidisciplinary research project, we designed and implemented a mind-controlled mini-industrial robotic arm that can be controlled by human thoughts.
This project was implemented in two phases. In phase 1, we developed a fully 3D printed desktop industrial robotic arm that can be controlled using the Marlin firmware by receiving the geometry code (g-code) commands from a brain-computer interface (BCI). In phase 2, we designed and developed an electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface which monitors and analyzes human brainwaves captured by an EEG brainwear. The captured brain neuro signals are classified with respect to the topographic patterns of brain rhythm modulations and then converted to meaningful commands to control the robotic arm. Our proposed brain-computer interface enables users to control this desktop industrial articulated arm in different translational directions using the power of their minds. In addition, the BCI created from this research project can be used as a control interface for any robotic system which uses human thoughts or motor imaginations as action drivers.

ENG 11 - American Sign Language (ASL) Gesture-based Translation System

First Author

Stefano Pecile

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Kayleigh Moore

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Mahdi Yazdanpour

Northern Kentucky University

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 5% of the world's population suffers from disabling hearing loss. Approximately 9 million people in the U.S. are either functionally deaf or have mild-to-severe hearing loss. In this research, we design and implement a translation interface which turns American Sign Language (ASL) gestures captured from a pair of soft robotic gloves into text and speech instantaneously.

We use combination of flex sensors, tactile sensors, and accelerometers to recognize hand gestures and to record hand and fingers positions, movements, and orientations. The digitized captured gestures will be sent to our proposed translation interface wirelessly and will be compared with the patterns stored in our dataset using a supervised Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification model. Once the captured gesture matches a predefined pattern, the associated letter, word, or phrase will be shown on an embedded display, and the voice will be generated by a text to speech conversion module.

This project aims to develop an accessible and easy to use solution to help individuals who are deaf or have speech impairment problem to communicate directly to non‐signer people. These gloves can also be integrated with immersive learning technologies to enhance higher education and expand access to active learning opportunities for many underrepresented students.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Environmental Sciences

Chair: Vins Sutlive

Secretary: Jennifer Adler

ENV 1 - A Sustainable Approach to Compostable Package Identification

First Author

Kiera Fehr

MSU

Corrugated boxes labeled with printed ink identification codes and colorful marketing messages are used worldwide to ship, identify, and promote products. These inks are responsible for producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which contaminate our atmosphere and wastewater resulting from the manufacturing and recycling of these boxes. By creating a process consisting of a compostable ink and laser engraving process, I was able to accurately label corrugated boxes that are comparable to current petroleum-based ink labeled boxes on the market. My identification labels can be removed using hot water and directly recycled into a compost pile where no properties will contaminate soil or groundwater. Although the use of chemically added glues and water-resistant coated corrugated liner contribute to a much smaller percentage of contamination, the goal of this project is to completely eliminate all contamination resulting from the production and recycling of ink printed corrugated boxes. The combination of laser engraving, plant based colored ink, and natural glue resulted in a durable and water-resistant corrugated board that introduces an alternative to existing ink printed corrugated boards on the market. The environmentally friendly materials required for production are readily available, renewable, and low cost.

ENV 2 - Soil Loss Analysis of an Eastern Kentucky Watershed Utilizing the Universal Soil Loss Equation

First Author

Buddhi Gyawali

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Maheteme Gebremedhin

Kentucky State University

Soil erosion is the displacement of soil's upper layer(s) triggered by a variation in topography, land use and soil types, and anthropogenic activities. This study selected the Marrowbone Creek-Russel Fork watershed in eastern Kentucky to estimate the mean annual soil loss over eight years (from 2013 to 2020) utilizing the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). We included monthly precipita-tion, soil survey, digital elevation model (DEM), and land cover data to estimate the parameters of the USLE. The mean annual soil loss for the study area ranged from 1.77 to 2.91 Mg haâ??1 yrâ??1, with an eight-year mean of 2.31 Mg haâ??1 yrâ??1. In addition, we observed that developed land cover classes were less erosion-resistant than undeveloped land cover classes over the observation period. The results of this case study in our small watershed that has been historically impacted by the upstream coal-mining activities are comparable to the results from similar studies in other geo-graphic regions. However, we suggest other researchers conduct similar studies using robust data to determine the applicability of the USLE model and validate the results in developing measures to address soil loss issues.

ENV 3 - Contribution of Taxodium distichum 'knees' to greenhouse gas emissions in a bottomland hardwood wetland

First Author

Niklas Klauss

Murray State University

Co-author

Marissa Miles

Murray State University

Co-author

Marshall Thompson

Murray State University

Co-author

Skylar Ross

Murray State University

Co-author

Bassil El Masri

Murray State University

Co-author

Gary Stinchcomb

University of Memphis

Co-author

Benjamin Runkle

University of Arkansas

Co-author

Jessica Moon

Murray State University

While greenhouse gases can be emitted by wetland flora, such as bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), little is understood about what drives variability in their emissions. In this study, we focused on the 'knee' structures of Taxodium distichum and their role in emitting CH4 and CO2. We are measuring gas fluxes on two size classes of knees (i.e., short < 60 cm and tall > 60 cm) at three heights (i.e., 20, 40, and on tall knees 60 cm) within a channel (n = 6) and floodplain (n = 6) stretch of Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge. Initial measurements were collected on the hottest, driest day of 2022 (September 20), ranging from 0.12 to 2.68 nmol CH4 m-2 sec-1 and 0.48 to 6.13 μmol CO2 m-2 sec-1. There was a difference in CO2 emissions on taller knees, with higher rates at 20 cm compared to 40 (p-value = 0.078) or 60 cm (p-value = 0.026). Variation in CH4 emissions could not be explained by knee size, measurement height, or location. CH4 emissions were in line with rates found in a floodplain swamp in Georgia but were significantly lower than emissions found in cypress domes of Florida.

ENV 4 - Does Taxodium distichum 'knee' density affect CO2 and CH4 emissions in bottomland hardwood forests?

First Author

Skylar Ross

Murray State University

Co-author

Jessica Moon

Murray State University

Co-author

Marissa Miles

Murray State University

Co-author

Marshall Thompson

Murray State University

Co-author

Niklas Klauss

Murray State University

Co-author

Bassil El Masri

Murray State University

Co-author

Gary Stinchcomb

University of Memphis

Co-author

Benjamin Runkle

University of Arkansas

Wetland soils and vegetation are significant sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, little has been done to examine the woody root structures ('knees') of Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) trees and the effect their densities (e.g., increased surface area for gas movement) have on greenhouse gas fluxes. We are examining how the density of knees affects CO2 and CH4 emissions. Knee density was surveyed in 120 1m2 plots within a 10 m stretch of Dunn Slough in Clarks River Wildlife Refuge, which contained a source population of Taxodium distichum. Densities ranged from no knees to 24 knees per m2 (mean +/- s.d. = 3.3 +/- 3.6 knees per m2). We selected twenty-four plots with varying knee densities to collect gas fluxes over three-hour periods using large framed chambers. Interestingly, an initial test of a seven knee per m2 plot revealed a net uptake of CH4 and net release of CO2; we suggest this result is related to low water table conditions and highlights the dynamic nature of these systems. Results from this study can be upscaled to provide more accurate flux rates in areas with various densities of cypress knees.

ENV 5 - Renewable Energy Solutions and Their Effects on the Environment

First Author

Donavyn Mosley

Kentucky State University

Carbon emissions have been a cause for concern with climate scientists for well over a century now. Steps to heed those warnings have finally been made within the last few decades. Solar panels to convert solar irradiance into electricity, the movement of wind and water will turn turbines and power a generator, and even atomic level reactions can power generators. Many methods of electricity generation have been studied and applied to turn away from fossil fuels. While efforts have been conducted to preserve our planet, the path to renewable energy may include more complications than anticipated. Besides convincing the naysayers and influential doubters of our current reality, we also must be able to produce the power to replace fossil fuel in a manner that is safe for the environment and is least responsible for climate change. Through my research, I have found that installation of these alternative energy sources provides their own challenge. A popular method of power production are solar panels. An Earth system model created a solar farm in the Sahara desert with enough power to replace fossil fuel. Even offsetting the degradation of the desert and the construction process of this solar farm, this solar farm would cause its own problems. The influence it they would have on climate would be severe. Rainforests would degrade and face droughts, the Sahara itself would see an increase in rainfall and vegetation, and the temperature of the sea and Earth's surface would each see an increase. If we monitor the microclimate of zones in Kentucky before and after solar panel installation, we can map that data in a GIS. In our pursuit of an ultimate solution to renewable energy, we find new roadblocks that force us to approach the problem in a new way. By studying the byproducts of alternative

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Geography

Chair: Christopher Day

Secretary: Charlie Zhang

GEG 1 - Dendrochronological Investigation of Historic Structures in Estill County, Kentucky, USA

First Author

Jordan Sharp

University of Louisville

Co-author

Maegen Rochner

University of Louisville

Dendroarchaeological data are one way to fill spatial data gaps in tree-ring records, informing climate, human, and environmental history where old-growth forests have been removed by logging, agriculture, and other land-use change. The University of Louisville Tree-Ring Laboratory seeks to fill such gaps across the southeastern United States by creating more spatially and temporally extensive tree-ring records through dendroarchaeological research. In Kentucky, only four unique sites are represented on the International Tree-Ring Data Bank. Here, we present results from dendrochronological analyses of three historic structures sampled in March 2022 on the farm and residence of Jack Stickney in Estill County, Kentucky: (1) The 'Jack Stickney Barn' (potentially the oldest structure in the county); (2) The Rogers Brothers Cabin (believed construction by prominent Rogers family); and (3) the 'Jack Stickney' cabin. The objective of the work was to use dendrochronological methods to determine the felling dates of trees and inferred construction dates of these historic structures. Using tree-ring growth patterns, we dated them to the 1840s, 1870s, and 1890s respectively, providing tree-ring records for white oak (Quercus alba L.) and tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) extending back to the 1600s and informing 19th century patterns of settler colonization in central Kentucky.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Geology

Chair: Daniel Phelps

Secretary: Sarah Arpin

GEO 1 - Teaching about landscapes using 3-D printing and numerical models: an example from the Mariana Trench

First Author

Estefania Correa

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Rachel Bosch

Northern Kentucky University

Recent increased wide-spread availability of large geologic data sets means that these data are available to educators at all levels to provide cutting-edge Earth Science opportunities for their students. Using open-source software, we aim to create functional tools to increase the accessibility and participation of underrepresented minorities and low-income populations in Geoscience research and education.

Using data provided from NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) in conjunction with the Landlab Earth Science Modeling Ecosystem, we will create a coupled computational simulation of source-to-sink sediment transport to the Mariana Trench. The program will be created within the Jupyter Notebooks computing platform for ease of access for both educators and students, providing them with the opportunity to gain valuable coding skills and modeling experiences applicable to the Geosciences and related fields.

We have developed Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) through QGIS for 3-D printing, and we present a workflow to share with educators to create a hands-on tool for in-classroom use. This combination of a tangible physical model with numerical modeling is consistent with Universal Design for Learning. Our plan is to bring these products to public schools in the Northern Kentucky area to offer teachers additional tools to increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes.

GEO 2 - Efficacy of a Carbonate Drain for Neutralization of Acid Rock Drainage and Removal of Metals in Water

First Author

Alicia Rivera

Berea College

Co-author

Cora Wright

Berea College

Co-author

Holly Peterson

Berea College Department of Chemistry

Acid rock drainage, a major environmental issue often associated with mining, is often remediated through neutralization. This research aimed to determine the efficacy of a passive carbonate drain in reducing the acidity and metal concentrations of surface water at a historic coal processing site in Kentucky. The site consists of a large main pit, carbonate drain, and multiple smaller treated pits. Water samples and field parameters were taken at six different spots on site, including the main pit, carbonate drain, treated pits, and a groundwater seep. Field parameters included pH, specific conductance, temperature, and dissolved oxygen, and water was sampled for total metals, dissolved metals, and ions. Water samples were analyzed using flame atomic absorbance spectroscopy for iron(Fe), copper(Cu), manganese(Mn), and zinc(Zn). Metal concentrations decreased from the pit to the end of the carbonate drain for most metals. For example, Fe decreased from 206.8 mg/L to 0.185 mg/L. The pH increased from pH 2.32 to pH 3.41. Some metals concentrations were still above EPA freshwater guidelines at the end of the drain, but overall, the carbonate drain is an effective passive remediation technique for this site.

GEO 3 - Improving palynology processing in support of the FiaWW project

First Author

June Lennex-Stone

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ingrid Romero

Morehead State University

Co-author

Jen O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Acid-free processing techniques are critical to ensure the maximum recovery of fungal palynomorphs, as they are far less likely to result in spore destruction or deformation. Safely extracting and isolating these palynomorphs provides the foundation for the FiaWW project, which aims to generate a Miocene fungal distribution database for climate modeling. As such, it is important to choose the most appropriate and efficient method. For this study, we modified the basic O'Keefe and Eble acid-free processing method, which uses 1% Liquinox for sample disaggregation, and is followed by sieving, swirling, and heavy density separation using LST® at a specific gravity of 2.0. As needed for our samples, we modified this method by changing the deflocculant used for disaggregation or adding steps to remove carbonates or excessive organic matter. For example, in fuller's earth-rich samples, 15% sodium carbonate proves to be more effective in deflocculating clays out during the swirling process than straight ethanol or water. Thus, understanding how to accommodate specific sample and their individual roadblocks will help to improve recovery and minimize the risk of having to reprocess a sample due to loss.

GEO 4 - Preliminary examination of Palynology across the K-Pg Boundary in the Jackson Purchase Region of Kentucky

First Author

Maeve Tipton

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ingrid Romero

Morehead State University

Co-author

Gary Stinchcomb

University of Memphis

Co-author

Jennifer O'Keefe

Morehead State University

The Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) Boundary occurred 66 million years ago when a large chondrite crashed into what is now the Yucatan Peninsula and Gulf of Mexico, causing a mass extinction event best known for wiping out the dinosaurs. To date, the K-Pg Boundary in the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky has only been examined geochemically and sedimentologically. In this study, we expect that analyzing presence-absence data for pollen, fungi, spores, and dinoflagellates will indicate both temperature and precipitation in the region before and after the collision and help us determine whether they changed as a result of it. Tandem examinations of pollen and fungi using the Nearest Living Relative (NLR) method have been used in other settings to successfully examine paleoecology and paleoclimate. We will apply NLR to interpret our assemblages across our section of the K-Pg Boundary. Preliminary data suggests a seasonally wet and dry terrestrial climate that is subtropical to warm-temperate. This disagrees with previous ideas that the region was underwater at the time of the collision event. This study will improve the palaeoecological record of the Jackson Purchase region during the K-Pg Boundary and will shed light on the terrestrial ecology of a rarely studied region.

GEO 5 - Preliminary tropical fungal palynology of early-middle Miocene sediments from Northwestern Peru

First Author

Ollie VanderEspt

Morehead State University

Co-author

Christopher Marsh

Morehead State University

Co-author

Liberty Smallwood

Morehead State University

Co-author

Jeremyah Cabrera

Craft Academy For Excellence in Science and Mathematics

Co-author

Ingrid Romero

Morehead State University

Co-author

Noelia Nuñez Otaño

Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Sede Diamante. CONICE

Co-author

Diana Ochoa

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia UPCH

Co-author

Jen O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Fungal communities are a vital part of terrestrial ecosystem functions and understanding how they respond to climate change is necessary for predicting future assemblage dynamics. Sediments deposited during the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO), 18-13 million years ago, provide an opportunity to examine fungal responses to a warming event with CO2 values similar to those today. Few fungal datasets exist for tropical regions during the MCO, and only one uses modern methods to identify fossil fungi and complete paleoecological inferences and paleoclimatological reconstructions using the nearest living relative method. Two past studies examined fungal diversity in northwestern Peru, but did not utilize stratigraphically controlled samples. Without this control, it is impossible to explain how fungal communities changed prior to, during, or following the MCO. For this study, new samples with stratigraphic control were collected in Summer 2022 and are being studied for fungal content. Here we present preliminary results of fungal diversity from the lowermost part of the section to the uppermost. Samples from the lower part of the section contain a sparse, low-diversity assemblage, while the uppermost part of the section contains an abundant, diverse assemblage, suggesting that fungal diversity increased during this period of climate change.

GEO 6 - Preliminary High-latitude fungal palynology... Miocene Climate Optium warming event, Victoria, Australia

First Author

Taylor Horsfall

Morehead State University

Co-author

Alyssa Patel

Morehead State University

Co-author

Laikin Tarlton

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ingrid Romero

Morehead State University

Co-author

Noelia Nuñez Otaño

Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Sede Diamante. CONICET

Co-author

Malcolm Wallace

University of Melbourne

Co-author

Vera Korasidis

University of Melbourne

Co-author

Jen O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Preliminary High-latitude fungal palynology of coals and interseam rocks leading to the Miocene Climate Optium warming event, Victoria, Australia
Fungi are necessary elements in all ecosystems given their role in terrestrial carbon cycling, soil formation, plant growth, and more, and it's critical to understand how they may change with global warming. We know that fungal communities from the middle Miocene in the northern high latitudes vary with shifting climates, however we do not know if this also occurred in southern high latitudes. The analysis of fungal assemblages from lower-middle Miocene sediments during the lead up to and through the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO; 18-13 Ma), especially from the M1B coal, Yallourn Interseam Rocks, and Yallourn Coal in Victoria, Australia, is key to understand these changes. We are examining changes across the MCO because it is a best analog for current and future climate change. Preliminary results indicate that the fungal assemblages of M1B and Yallourn Coal sediments are highly diverse. The Yallourn Interseam, between the two coals, is less diverse. This study is a part of a large-scale international project that is assessing the response of fungal assemblages climate change across temporal and geographical scales. To date, our research suggests that fungal communities are changing in relation to climatic changes previously documented by plant palynology.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Health Sciences

Chair: Avinash Tope

Secretary: Louisa Summers

HES 1 - Investigating the role of estrogen receptor β signaling in regulating re-entrainment of activity rhythms in female mice

First Author

Amro Abd

University of Kentucky (KY-INBRE program)

Jett lag is a phenomenon that occurs when quickly traveling across multiple time zones. Small changes in time zones are potentially disruptive to one's daily activity; however, it is substantial changes that cause severe jet lag. Jett lag symptoms include insomnia, daytime fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems. This occurs because circadian clocks in your tissues are synchronized to your original time zone and have to begin to adjust, or re-entrain, to the new light-dark cycle. In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the main circadian clock that first entrains to signals that it receives from the eye and then coordinates the re-entrainment of peripheral tissues. The neurons in the SCN contain estrogen receptors, including estrogen-receptor beta (ERβ). In this study, we sought to investigate whether ERβ signaling affects re-entrainment in female C57BL/6J mice. WT and ERβ KO female mice were placed in a 12L:12D cycle where they experienced light/dark cycle advance and delay. We measured wheel-running activity. Our preliminary results suggest that ERβ KO female mice have greater variability when re-entraining to a phase advance of the light/dark cycle, while showing no difference in re-entrainment for the phase delay.

HES 2 - SDSL-EPR Spectroscopy used for Studying the Topology of the Different Segments of KCNE3 in Bilayer Membrane

First Author

Afsana Begum

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Conner Campbell

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Matthew Schyer

CAmpbellsville University

Co-author

Patrick L. Williams

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Sebastian Escobar

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Mustakim Hussain

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Peyten Dabney

Campbellsville Unversity

Co-author

Haley Carter

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Indra D. Sahu

Campbellsville University

Site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) is a molecular biology technique used to incorporate an unpaired electron at the specific amino acid residue position of the protein required for electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies. EPR is a powerful biophysical technique for studying structural topology and dynamic properties of membrane proteins/peptides. In this study, we have utilized SDSL in combination with EPR power saturation technique to study the topology of the transmembrane domain (TMD) and N-terminal section of KCNE3 protein in lipid bilayer environment. KCNE3 is a potassium channel accessory protein having an N-terminal amphipathic helix linked to the alpha-helical transmembrane domain and a juxtamembrane helix in C-terminus. KCNE3 interacts with voltage-gated potassium channels to regulate their biophysical properties and physiological roles. Power saturation EPR experiments were performed on spin labeled sites of transmembrane domain (T71C) and N-terminal (G38C) of KCNE3 incorporated into POPC/POPG lipid bilayers to determine the membrane depth parameters. Our results suggested that the TMD site is buried into the bilayer membrane while N-terminal site is outside the lipid bilayer membrane. This study will be helpful for understanding the topology model of KCNE3 in bilayer membrane.

HES 3 - Gene Therapy Approach to Treat Chronic Heart Failure

First Author

Sarah Cayton

Transylvania University

Co-author

Qinghui Ou

University of Louisville

Co-author

Xian-Liang Tang

University of Louisville

Co-author

Riham Aboulesia

University of Louisville

Co-author

Tamer Mohamed

University of Louisville

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, and treatment options are limited.Part of the reason for this is that damage done to the heart is permanent, as cardiomyocytes do not divide after birth. By inducing the cell cycle in these cardiomyocytes, it would be possible to heal damage done to the heart.Our group has previously shown that gene therapy using Cdk1/CyclinB1 and Cdk4/CyclinD1 via adenovirus, known as 4F, can induce the cell cycle in cardiomyocytes, thus improving cardiac function after myocardial infarction (Mohamed et al, Cell; 2018). Recently, our group showed that a novel gene therapy approach to treat acute heart failure in pig and rat models of MI using polycistronic non-integrating lentivirus with 4F under TNNT2 promoter TNNT2-4F-NIL. TNNT2-4F-NIL would promote proliferation of cardiomyocytes at the single cell transcriptomics level (Abouleisa et al, Circulation; 2022). The aim of this study is determine the efficacy of TNNT2-4F-NIL in a chronic ischemic heart failure model.

HES 4 - Discoidin Domain Receptor 1 phosphorylates adaptor protein p66Shc promoting mitochondrial oxidative stress

First Author

Oscar Hanson

Berea College

Co-author

Gema Bolas

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Ambra Pozzi

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Oxidative stress, characterized by an overproduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS), is a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of kidney fibrosis. Moreover, kidney injury can induce mitochondrial damage and dysfunction, leading to a consequential increase in mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production. The adaptor protein p66Shc is well-recognized for its role in promoting mtROS production. Previous work has shown that p66Shc interacts with the Discoidin Domain Receptor 1 (DDR1), a collagen-activated receptor tyrosine kinase that is upregulated in kidney injury and contributes to kidney fibrosis. Upon collagen stimulation, DDR1 undergoes autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues and activates downstream pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory signaling pathways. However, whether DDR1 phosphorylates p66Shc to promote p66Shc-induced mtROS production is yet to be investigated. Here, we show that, upon collagen stimulation, DDR1-expressing human embryonic kidney cells that co-express p66Shc produce more mtROS than cells expressing a mutant form of p66Shc in which the tyrosine residues encoded on the collagen homology 1 domain (CH1) were mutated (Y239F, Y240F, and Y317F). Thus, the DDR1/p66Shc interaction represents a new molecular mechanism by which DDR1 regulates mtROS production contributing to kidney damage and the progression of kidney fibrosis.

HES 5 - Comparison of dynamic properties of side-chain spin labeling probe of potassium channel accessory protein KCNE3

First Author

Mustakim Hussain

Campbellsville University

Co-author

Conner Campbell

Campbellsville university

Co-author

Matthew Schyer

Campbellsville university

Co-author

Patrick Williams

Campbellsville university

Co-author

Afsana Begum

Campbellsville university

Co-author

Sebastain Escobar

Campbellsville university

Co-author

Indra Sahu

Campbellsville university

Comparison of dynamic properties of side-chain spin labeling probe of potassium channel accessory protein KCNE3 inside and outside of the lipid bilayer membrane.

KCNE3, a member of the KCNE family consisting of 103 amino acids, regulates the activity and trafficking of a wide range of voltage-gated potassium ion channels. Our previous biophysical studies suggested that the behavior of the KCNE3 protein in detergent micelles differs significantly from those incorporated into lipid bilayered vesicles in terms of their secondary structural composition and dynamic properties. In this study, we have investigated the dynamic properties of the side-chain spin labeling probes incorporated on the transmembrane domain (inside membrane) and the C-terminus (outside membrane) of KCNE3 reconstituted into the lipid bilayers using site-directed spin labeling and electron spin resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The dynamic parameters such as side-chain mobility and rotational correlation times were obtained from the spectral lineshape analysis of CW-EPR spectra collected on KCNE3 mutants Y60C (probe inside membrane) and S101C (probe outside membrane) in POPC/POPG lipid bilayers. Our results suggested that the dynamic motion of the spin label side-chain is slower for the membrane inside the probe when compared to that for the membrane outside the probe. This study will contribute to developing the structural dynamics model of kCNE3 in lipid bilayers.

HES 6 - Development of 3D-Bioprinted L. rh Containing Silicone Catheters to Treat Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections

First Author

Nicholas Johnson

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Co-author

Anthony Kyser

University of Louisville

Co-author

Mohamed Mahmoud

University of Louisville

Co-author

Hermann Frieboes

University of Louisville

Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) are a serious threat in healthcare. A study by Vicki Parker et al explains that roughly 1.7% of patients catheterized for a minimum of 48 hours contract a UTI. Antibiotics are a possible treatment for CAUTIs, but their use increases risk of antibiotic resistance. Alternatively, using probiotics, pathogenic bacteria can be outcompeted, safeguarding the urinary microbiome. Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, provide a healthy microbiome through release of antimicrobials and a decrease in pH. L. rh-silicone bioink was bioprinted and cured for 24 hours at 50° C to replicate response of a 12 fr female foley catheter. Scaffold integrity and pH response was evaluated in artificial urine media (AUM) for 14 days. Cross sections of scaffolds were imaged under scanning electron microscope (SEM) to demonstrate probiotic viability and proliferation. Scaffold swelling with respect to initial mass had shown a 15% total increase. The pH had shown a decrease to 3.5 by 4 day corresponding to less pathogenic bacteria. Images provide evidence of sustained viability through day 7.

HES 7 - Specific Drugs Illicit Distinct Pathways in Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) Syndrome

First Author

Michael McLeod

Kentucky State University

Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a rare but severe adverse reaction to certain drugs such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and anticonvulsant aromatic medicines. DRESS is a potentially lethal Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reaction (SCAR)and is reported to occur once in every 1,000 to 10,000 drug exposures. DRESS is a T-cell-mediated disease with an extended onset for the appearance of symptoms. A comprehensive review of the literature identified that different drugs elicit distinct pathways for proliferation. Penicillins are shown to demonstrate Hapten/Prohapten capabilities, therefore, express the Hapten/Prohapten model. The Hapten/Prohaptan model focuses on the formation of antigen-presenting cells, and then once recognized by a T-cell receptor, the drug-specific immune response occurs. Abacavir, a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor, demonstrates the altered peptide repertoire mode. The Altered Peptide Repertoire Model suggests that the causative drug forms a non-covalent bond to a human leukocyte antigen (HLA), altering its structure and allowing for T-cell stimulation. After these models occur, the symptoms typically associated with DRESS present themselves. The maculopapular rash is the most distinguished symptom related to DRESS. This meta-analysis was used to determine significant gaps in pathological mechanism research and to raise awareness of a need to understand DRESS better. The primary investigator concludes that the type of drug and their respective proposed pathomechanism results in different severities in the immunologic response.

HES 8 - The Effect of Upper Extremity Blood Flow Restriction Exercises on the Platelet Count in Blood: A Proposed Methodology

First Author

Hayden Sheroan

Georgetown College

Co-author

James Escaloni

Wellward Regenerative Medicine

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training is a growing practice in clinical settings. BFR involves the application of a pneumatic tourniquet to the most proximal area of either the upper or lower extremities in order to compress the vasculature beneath. This vascular compression creates a stressed muscle response that increases blood contents such as platelets, which contain growth factors that are beneficial for tissue healing. Recent speculation suggests that this training method could be beneficial for optimizing current orthobiologic techniques such as platelet-rich plasma injections (PRP). PRP consists of blood plasma that is highly concentrated in platelets, which accelerates healing in damaged tissues. Current research suggests that BFR used on the lower extremities can increase the platelet counts in blood. The following methodology is being proposed to include a standardized exercise protocol that applies BFR to the upper extremities using SmartCuffs, an automated pneumatic tourniquet. Blood draws will occur before exercise, immediately after, and various time points following, then outsourced for a complete blood count (CBC) to compare the changes in platelet counts. This study has potential to revolutionize current clinical practices for injury rehabilitation and improve current orthobiologic techniques in order to help accelerate recovery from orthopedic injuries.

HES 9 - Blood Flow Restriction Exercise and its Effects On Platelet Concentrations

First Author

Noah Steely

Georgetown College

Co-author

James Escaloni

Wellward Regenerative Medicine

Blood Flow Restriction Exercise and its Effects On Platelet Concentrations
The recent popularization of many different orthologic rehabilitation techniques, such as blood flow restriction exercises, has allowed the combined use of several compounding treatments to produce improved patient outcomes. Blood flow restriction (BFR) is an emerging clinical technique used in rehabilitative exercises following traumatic injury to the extremities. Using pneumatic tourniquets, arterial blood flow is partially restricted to a limb in order to anaerobically stress the healing environment surrounding an injury. Previous research shows that this stressed musculoskeletal environment may increase the density of critical blood products in extremities and blood product density in extremities and accelerate healing in patients. One such product, platelets, are a sought after benefit of BFR due to their delivery of growth factors into sites of injury. The authors propose a new methodology using BFR as a means to improve orthobiologic treatments relying on the increase of blood products, such as platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections by optimizing a standardized protocol. This proposed methodology utilizes SmartCuffs, a pneumatic tourniquet, to test BFR's effect on platelet counts before, immediately after, and every 20 minutes following exercise via complete blood count (CBC) blood tests. This should improve the efficacy of orthobiologic treatments and reduce the required blood volume required to produce a similar platelet concentration in PRP.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Mathematics

Chair: Doug Chatham

MAT 1 - Quantum Error Correcting Circuit Based on Classical Reed-Solomon Code

First Author

Joshua Qualls

Morehead State University

Co-author

Reid Johnson

Morehead State University

Mathematical codes play an important role in daily life, from data compression/transmission/storage to cryptography. Due to either noise or malicious interference, information can develop errors leading to issues. Classical error correction employs clever redundancy, but the shift from classical codes to quantum codes poses new problems: copying quantum information is not possible due to the no-cloning theorem. In this talk, we report on our investigations into various quantum error-correcting codes; some are built from classical counterparts, and some involve new constructions. We have created and implemented these codes mathematically and in Python using the Qiskit software package.

MAT 2 - Time Series Analyses of Longitudinally Collected Standard Perimetry Data in Glaucoma

First Author

Carlyn Childress

Murray State University

Co-author

Manoj Pathak

Murray State University

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which damage gradually occurs to the optic nerve, which often leads to partial or complete loss of vision. As the second leading cause of blindness, there is no cure for glaucoma. Early detection and the tracking of its progression is key to managing the effects of glaucoma. Ordinary Least Square Regression (OLSR), the most commonly used methodology for tracking glaucoma progression, is inappropriate as the longitudinally collected perimetry data from the glaucoma patients often appears to be temporally correlated. In this study, time series models that account temporal correlation are built to forecast Mean Deviation (MD), a global indicator of disease status in glaucoma patients.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Microbiology

Chair: Bill Staddon

MIC 1 - Double Trouble: Circularizing Chromosome V in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

First Author

Tanner Hamilton

Morehead State University

Co-author

Melissa Mefford

Morehead State

DNA, the genetic material of organisms, is arranged in structures called chromosomes. Chromosome structure can vary from a single circular chromosome in prokaryotes to multiple linear chromosomes in eukaryotes. The ends of linear chromosomes are required specialized regions named telomeres, which protect the DNA from degradation. However, each time a cell replicates, telomeres become shorter due to the end-replication problem. The goal of our lab is to circularize the linear chromosomes of brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), a unicellular eukaryote with 16 chromosomes. Our genetic engineering strategy involves creating two DNA cassettes and inserting one of them into the left and right arms of a target chromosome. Once the cassettes are integrated, we select for a DNA recombination event that circularizes the linear chromosome. I chose Chromosome V and have successfully made both DNA cassettes. To date, I have confirmed proper integration of the left arm cassette and am currently working to confirm integration of the right arm cassette. Once completed, I will select for the circular chromosome and use various assays to characterize the fitness of yeast containing the genetically engineered circular chromosome. Together, these experiments will shed light on the function and evolution of linear versus circular chromosome architecture.

MIC 2 - Evaluation of Bacterial Contamination and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in the Triplett Creek Watershed

First Author

Taylen Hylton

Morehead State University

Co-author

Josie Howard

Morehead State University

Co-author

Justin Korossy

Morehead State University

Co-author

Devan Herald

Morehead State University

From 2009 to 2012, Morehead State University conducted an analysis of Escherichia coli contamination in 36 sampling sites across the Rowan County Triplett Creek Watershed. Data collected was used to implement best management practices in an effort to improve the health and quality of the watershed, including reducing the bacterial loads. This study is a follow-up, focusing on 12 of the sampling sites, utilizing IDEXX Quanti-Tray/2000 for the detection and enumeration of the bacterial pollutant, E. coli. Water samples were collected from wet and dry events throughout the year. It was determined that in Spring 2022, a wet event, 4/12 of the sampling sites exceeded the limit of 240 E. coli per 100 mL, whereas in Fall 2022, a dry event, only 2/12 recorded an E. coli count over the standard for recreational use, indicating the amount of rainfall is positively correlated to bacterial count. DNA was extracted from enriched bacterial cultures and analyzed by PCR for the presence of antimicrobial resistance. Several of these genes are suspected, including TetW, ereA, SuII, SuIII, and blaCMY. Research will continue to monitor bacterial counts and presence of bacterial resistance genes, as they pose a threat to public health.

MIC 3 - Isolation and characterization of phages that bypass the requirement for RNA-mediated antitermination

First Author

Rodney King

Western Kentucky University

The Escherichia coli rpoCY75N mutation in the zinc-binding domain of the beta prime subunit of RNA polymerase blocks the RNA-based mechanism of transcription antitermination utilized by bacteriophage HK022 and its relatives. This block effectively prevents plaque formation on the mutant host. Here, we describe the characterization of mutant phages that overcome the block imposed by the host rpoCY75N mutation. The phage mutations potentially create new promoters that drive the expression of gene Q, the late gene regulator. This prediction was confirmed by cloning the respective regions from the wild type and mutant phages into a promoter probe vector. Assays of reporter gene activity showed that the sequence originating from mutant phages have significant promoter activity when compared to the equivalent sequence cloned from the wild type phage. Our results suggest that the newly created promoters bypass transcription termination signals and facilitate the expression of phage genes that are essential for growth on the rpoCY75N strain. However, the small plaque phenotype observed on the mutant host suggests that suppression of the rpoCY75N mutation is incomplete. Our results are consistent with similar observations made with bacteriophage Lambda.

MIC 4 - Conditional protein splicing and N-terminal cleavage activated by mild temperature

First Author

Taylor McNeal

Murray State Univeristy

Inteins are translated within host proteins and removed through splicing. The ability of inteins to specifically rearrange peptide bonds has proven exceptionally useful in protein engineering. Thus, methods to control intein activity are of considerable interest. Here, we report an intein variant that performs controllable protein splicing and N-terminal cleavage upon a temperature shift from 15°C to >21°C. These results provide an alternative to previous systems that require an external nucleophile (e.g., dithiothreitol) or prolonged incubation at elevated temperature (>50°C) to stimulate the reaction, controlling intein activity by temperature in a range that is useful for many experimental organisms.

MIC 5 - Using whole genome analysis to predict the role of Exiguobacterium indicum LL15 isolated from a residential urban lake.

First Author

Elisha Redman

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Joshua Cooper

Northern Kentucky University

Identification of novel bacteria in freshwaters is critical for assessing biodiversity and ecosystem function. In this study, we investigate a novel strain of Exiguobacterium indicum obtained from a suburban lake in Northern Kentucky. We used KBase for genome assembly, annotation, and species identification using average nucleotide identity. We investigated the biochemistry and physiology of this novel strain using whole genome analysis and metabolic reconstruction. Using this information, we will hypothesize its potential role in freshwater ecosystems.

MIC 6 - RT-qPCR experiments show regulation by UmuDAb and DdrR of genes repressed after DNA damage in Acinetobacter baumannii

First Author

Mollee Flannigan

Morehead State University

Co-author

Eric Rouchka

University of Louisville

Co-author

Deborah Cook

Morehead State University

Co-author

Janelle Hare

Morehead State University

UmuDAb and DdrR coregulate error-prone polymerases in the multi-drug resistant opportunistic pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii, by repressing their expression until DNA damage occurs. New evidence shows that these proteins also regulate genes that are repressed following DNA damage. We analyzed RNA-Seq data from wild-type, ddrR, and umuDAb mutant strains to examine the expression of genes repressed after DNA damage. This revealed nineteen (CuffDiff) or twenty-nine (DESeq2) genes repressed in wild-type cells that were derepressed after damage in one or both of the mutants. The proteins encoded by these genes include an acetoin metabolism operon, a putative YfbU family member (of the MazF-mediated cell death pathway), RlpA (a septal ring lytic transglycosylase), and a putative cold-shock protein. Previously, we verified the RNA-Seq data from WT and ddrR mutant strains with RT-qPCR. Similar RT-qPCR experiments in the umuDAb mutant validated the previously observed derepression of these genes after DNA damage. We will construct strains containing mutations in these genes to evaluate their growth phenotypes and continue RT-qPCR experimentation on other dysregulated genes. This will help us understand how their downregulation is involved in the pathogen's response to DNA damage-induced stress.

MIC 7 - The Effect of UmuDAb Helices and Dimerization on its DNA Binding Ability

First Author

Belinda Candra

Morehead State University

Co-author

Deborah Cook

Morehead State University

Co-author

Janelle Hare

Morehead State University

Acinetobacter baumannii is a hospital-acquired pathogen that continues to evolve multidrug resistance. After DNA damage, it activates its SOS response, which arrests the cell cycle to allow DNA repair and mutagenesis to occur by inducing error-prone polymerases. A. baumannii employs the non-canonical repressor UmuDAb, a homolog of UmuD, along with its coregulator DdrR to repress its multiple error-prone polymerase operons. Previously, we observed that disruption in the helix-turn-helix (HTH) domain of UmuDAb impairs its repression ability. To investigate if the UmuDAb HTH helices and dimerization are required for DNA binding, we purified wild-type and mutant UmuDAb deficient in their gene repression ability (HTH 1 and HTH2) or dimerization for UmuD (N100D) and LexA (G124D), and in sites that are required for dimerization in the SOS repressor LexA (W192X and R201X). Then, we performed electrophoretic mobility shift assays to observe how these mutations affect UmuDAb's DNA binding ability. We found that wild-type UmuDAb binds with higher affinity than any mutant UmuDAb. We observed that mutants in the second helix of the HTH motif were more impaired for DNA binding than in the first helix, the C-terminus was required for DNA binding, and that G124 was more important for binding than N100.

MIC 8 - Effects of Overexpression of UmuDAb on Cell Length in Acinetobacter baumannii

First Author

Hannah Stanley

Morehead State University

Co-author

Landon Hodge

Morehead State University

Co-author

Janelle Hare

Morehead State University

Co-author

Deborah Cook

Morehead State University

UmuDAb and DdrR co-repress the SOS response to DNA damage in Acinetobacter baumannii. We found that DNA damage treatment caused wild-type (WT), but not umuDAb deletion mutant cells to increase in length. Individual cell lengths were measured with MicrobeJ, a free digital framework. On average, 200 cells were measured from each strain and analyzed by ANOVA statistical methods. Furthermore, the umuDAb mutant cells were longer than WT cells in the absence of DNA damage, showing that a lack of UmuDAb shifted cells into a DNA damage-like state. We tested whether complementation of the umuDAb mutant restored WT cell lengths without DNA damage. A plasmid-based arabinose-inducible promoter was used to drive the expression of UmuDAb. We confirmed that the umuDAb mutant cells now contained the umuDAb-expressing plasmid with PCR analyses and that UmuDAb was expressed using western blotting of cell lysates. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of UmuDAb over-expression on cell lengths. An increase in WT cell length occurred after UmuDAb expression. However, umuDAb mutant cell lengths decreased to be comparable to WT cells not overexpressing UmuDAb. We have begun experiments overexpressing ddrR from the same vector in both strains, but could not confirm DdrR expression with western blotting.

MIC 9 - Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E.coli from wildlife and livestock across various land uses in Appalachian Kentucky

First Author

Olivia Salazar

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Jason Marion

Eastern Kentucky University

Surveillance for antibiotic-resistant E.coli in wildlife feces from areas disturbed by agricultural and residential land uses in Appalachian Kentucky

Microbial communities exposed to antimicrobials can select for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes via processes such as horizontal gene transfer. Increasing antibiotic pressures can enhance AMR gene expression in livestock, wildlife, and environmental flora, which may increase AMR among microbial communities. We aimed to assess correlations between land use types and AMR rates among E.coli in wildlife and livestock. E.coli was assessed due to their ubiquity in animals and waterways. Samples (n=51) from Kentucky roadkill, manure, and scat from roadways, farms, and forested areas were thrice swabbed for E. coli detection. Swabs were incubated in ColiGlow broth tubes containing no antibiotic, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin. After incubation, tubes fluorescing under UV light were presumed E. coli positive and resistant (if from treated broth). Isolates obtained by streak plating on mTEC agar were then plated on general media for loading Microscan® urine panels. Isolates were analyzed for species identification and resistance to 25 antibiotics including ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. The percentage of AMR-positive isolates was positively correlated with agricultural land uses. 100% and 76% of isolates from high-intensity agricultural samples were tetracycline- and ciprofloxacin-resistant, respectively. These results corroborate other studies documenting AMR within agricultural microbial communities impacted by antibiotic use and manure spreading practices.

MIC 10 - Reactive chlorine species reversibly inhibit DnaB protein splicing in mycobacteria

First Author

Daniel Wahl

Murray State University

Co-author

Christopher Lennon

Murray State University

Co-author

Joel Weinberger

Murray State University

Co-author

J.R. Goetz

Murray State University

Intervening proteins, or inteins, are mobile genetic elements that are translated within host polypeptides and removed at the protein level by splicing. In protein splicing, a self-mediated reaction removes the intein, leaving only a peptide bond in place. While protein splicing can proceed in the absence of external cofactors, several examples of conditional protein splicing (CPS) have emerged. In CPS, the rate and accuracy of splicing is highly-dependent on environmental conditions. Because the activity of the intein-containing host protein is compromised prior to splicing and inteins are highly abundant in the microbial world, CPS represents an emerging form of post-translational regulation that is potentially widespread in microbes. Reactive chlorine species (RCS) are highly-potent oxidants encountered by bacteria in a variety of natural environments, including within cells of the mammalian innate immune system. Here, we demonstrate that two naturally occurring RCS, the active compound in bleach, hypocholorous acid, and N-Chlorotaurine, can reversibly block splicing of DnaB inteins from Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium smegmatis in vitro. Further, using a reporter that monitors DnaB intein activity within M. smegmatis, we show that DnaB protein splicing is inhibited by RCS in the native host. DnaB, an essential replicative helicase, is the most common intein-housing protein in bacteria. These results add to the growing list of environmental conditions relevant to the survival of the intein-containing host that influence protein splicing, as well as suggest a novel mycobacterial response to RCS. We propose a model whereby DnaB splicing, and therefore replication, can be reversibly paused when these mycobacteria encounter RCS in nature.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Physics & Astronomy

Chair: Marilyn Akins

Secretary: James Adkins

PHY 1 - Percolative Conduction and Critical Exponents

First Author

Matt Golden

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Joe Straley

University of Kentucky

We are modeling a conductive system as a percolation network to study critical phenomena. In our model of percolation, a network in a square lattice consists of links that represent conductors, with specified conductance; equal to 1 or 0. The boundaries(edges) of the square will either be grounded or insulated. At a chosen node inside the boundaries the voltage is specified to be V = 1. We decided to pursue two cases: a lattice with grounded conductors for edges, and a lattice with an insulated edge and the other three edges still being grounded conductors. To study these models we simulate a large number of lattices and using Kirchhoff's Laws to define large sets of linear equations to find the total conductance. In the case of the square lattice with all sides conducting, we have seen that the relationship between the average conductance and the size of the lattice by a power law hold true, and we have seen the same for the conductance and the distance to the boundary. We successfully found a distance function that predicts the value of conduction in a square lattice that is a percolative conducting network at the percolation threshold. In the case of the square with one boundary insulated and the others conductive, the distance to the boundary question can still be studied further, and whether the distance function can be found or not using conformal mapping.

PHY 2 - Development of an Experimental Setup to Study Rolling Oscillations along a Curved Ramp

First Author

Leah Hartman

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Ivan Novikov

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Lars Hebenstiel

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Doug Harper

Western Kentucky University

One of the most prevalent demonstrations in introductory physics courses is the race of rolling objects down an incline. The principle being introduced is apparent â?? objects with lower moments of inertia roll faster than those with higher moments of inertia. As demonstrated in Phys. Educ., 38-39, (2004), however, adding fluids of different viscosities inside these objects changes characteristics of their rolling motion by changing the fluid's interaction with the container it is rolling in. We present progress on the development of an experimental setup to study oscillations of a cylindrical container filled with viscous fluid. Since we can consider rolling motion as a superposition of translational motion without slipping and rotational motion, we designed an experimental set up in a way which allows us to study them separately. The translational motion of the object is studied using a series of photogates along a curved ramp controlled by a LabVIEW DAQ interface. Using obtained information on rotational velocity, the rotational motion of the fluid is recreated on a rotating motor where particle image velocimetry (PIV) is used to observe the motion of fluids within the container.
This project is funded by the FUSE research grant, #22-FA230.

PHY 3 - One-Dimensional and Two-Dimensional Simulations of Helical Homopolymers: A Comparative Analysis of Energy Stabilization

First Author

Matthew Hooks

Murray State University

Co-author

Nathan Roberts

Murray State University

Co-author

Matthew J. Williams

Murray State University

The purpose of our work is to analyze the results of a two-dimensional parallel tempering simulation of a coarse-grained helical homopolymer. We aim to determine the simulation time required for a given thread to reach a stable energy and measure the efficiency of the simulation. The genesis of each simulation is defined by a randomly configured polymer; as time progresses, the energy of each structure decreases until equilibrium is reached. Data collected after equilibrium is reached will be used to understand polymer behavior for each model and simulated temperature. A rolling average algorithm was designed to establish the time step at which equilibrium is reached for each model. The simulation is considered to be stable when the rolling average of the energy is within a set fraction of the standard deviation of the rolling window based on the standard deviation and mean of previous windows. Efficiency and equilibration time of the 1D and 2D simulations are compared to determine the value of the two-dimensional exchange scheme.

PHY 4 - Synthesis Of Novel Double Perovskites With 4d/5d- and 3d-elements

First Author

Chloe Jones

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Jasminka Terzic

Western Kentucky University

Double perovskites are a class of materials with the general formula A2BB'O6 where two different transition metals occupy the B and B' sites in the structure. For this research project, B site is occupied by a 3d transition metal, and B' is occupied by a 4d or a 5d transition metal. Two transition metals tend to differ with 3d element being more localized while the 4d/5d elements tend to be more delocalized. Past research into these compounds have shown the range of unique thermal, magnetic, and electrical properties found in these materials. Furthermore, several studies have shown that double perovskites with 3d and 4d/5d transition metals have a potential to possess multiferroic properties with potential application as sensors and memory devices. Synthesis of several different double perovskites with potential to host such multiferroic properties will be discussed along with various characterization techniques such as single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS).

PHY 5 - Synthesis of 4d- and 5d-Based Transition Metal Oxides

First Author

Hannah Laney

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Jasminka Terzic

Western Kentucky University

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) have long been the topic of research due to their wide range of potential technological applications (e.g., high-density magnetic data storage and spintronics). 4d- and 5d-element based TMOs in particular exhibit properties that have not been observed in 3d-TMOs, as a result of the presence of strong spin-orbit interaction (SOI), as well as the competition of SOI with comparable energy scales, like the Coulomb interaction. This research focused primarily on the synthesis of TMOs containing the elements molybdenum, ruthenium, and tungsten. Both polycrystalline and single crystal synthesis were performed. Characterization techniques such as powder x-ray diffraction (powder XRD), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and single crystal x-ray diffraction (SXRD) were done on the crystals to determine the resulting phase(s) of each attempted crystal growth. The results of various synthesis and characterization techniques will be discussed, along with the anticipated technologically applicable properties and the methods to study them in the near future.

PHY 6 - Measuring the Position Angle and Separation of WDS 13550-4235 & WDS 14082+3645

First Author

Galilea Ochoa

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Saanika Kulkarni

Dougherty Valley High School

Co-author

Ojas Girish

Walters Middle School/Mountain House High School

Co-author

Hermoine Hernandez

Victor Valley College

Co-author

Jonathan Lu

Irvine High School

Co-author

Christine Russell

Missouri Valley College, Marshall

Co-author

Sophia Risin

UC Berkeley

Co-author

Rachel Freed

Institute for Student Astronomical Research

There is insufficient observational data on binary star systems; there are over 100,000 systems in the Washington Double Star Catalog (WDS), but only of the order of 100 systems have a well-defined orbit. Data is needed to complement space missions. Measurements were made for the binary star systems WDS 13550-4235 and WDS 14082+3645 to find the position angle and separation of each star system's primary and secondary components. Images were obtained from the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network using the 0.4-meter telescopes. The measured separation of WDS 13550-4235 is 13.573″ +/ -0.103″, and the position angle is 6.9° +/- 0.4°. The measured separation of WDS 14082+3645 is 9.7″ +/- 0.3″, and the position angle is 70.95° +/- 1.04°. These measurements were compared to Stelle Doppie, and the historical data provided by the US. Naval Observatory (USNO) and are consistent with past measurements. In addition, images were collected of the tertiary component of the triple star system WDS 14082+3645 for speckle interferometry analysis at Mount Wilson Observatory using the 60-inch telescope. The measured separation is 1.588″, and the position angle is 209.35°; the position angle is consistent with Stelle Doppie; however, the separation is not. More data is needed to understand the nature of this star.

PHY 7 - Experimental Observation of Bifurcation in Dampened Driven Oscillator

First Author

Isaiah Alvarez

WKU

Co-author

Leah Hartman

WKU

Co-author

Ivan Novikov

WKU

Co-author

Doug Harper

WKU

Co-author

Lars Hebenstiel

WKU

A damp driven oscillator is one of the simplest non-linear systems capable of exhibiting chaos. The setup used was the PASCO EX-5522A driven damped harmonic oscillations experiment. This setup consists of an aluminum disk oscillator with a pulley connected to two springs as well as an adjustable magnet to increase magnetic dampening. One of the properties of chaotic motion is period doubling. The ratio of driving force and dampening force can be changed to observe when the period begins to double. The threshold value when the period doubling occurs is called the bifurcation point. To increase accuracy of measurement, a new angular encoder was incorporated in the experimental setup, and new parameters of the oscillators, such as spring constants, damping coefficient, magnitude of a driving force, and moment of inertia were measured. We present experimental data on bifurcation obtain in the new improved setup.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Physiology & Biochemistry

Chair: Amanda Hughes

Secretary: Michael Guy

PHB 1 - Confirmation of miR-210-3p Association with mRNA IGF1 and IGF2

First Author

Leke Bytyqi

Berea College

Co-author

Ratna Prasad

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Karen Joos

Vanderbilt Eye Insititute

Insulin-like-growth factor (IGF) 1 and IGF2 have been implicated to play a role in eye health and vision. The genetic procedure of Next-Generation Sequencing of RNAs in eye tissues found changes in miR-210-3p and mRNAs of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) 1 and IGF2. This miRNA and mRNA pair were predicted as potentially relational by database sequence predictions. However, data on the potential interactions between miRNA 210-3p and IGF-1 and IGF-2 is scarce. As a result, we aimed to provide evidence for the possible association between miRNA-210-3p and mRNAs IGF1 and IGF2 by manipulating the concentration of miRNA to determine its impact on the expression of IGF1 and IGF2 in a cell line. The change in concentration of IGF1 and IGF2 in response to miRNA-210-3p suggested that the miRNA may have an inhibitory association.

PHB 2 - A Bioinformatics Approach for the Identification of a Box C/D guide RNA Responsible for the Nm39 Modification of tRNA

First Author

Ashton Davey

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Michael Guy

Northern Kentucky University

tRNA modifications play an important role in translation. The 2'-O-methylation of tRNA position 39 only occurs in multicellular eukaryotes, and the responsible enzyme is unknown. Prior studies in our lab have tested orphan methyltransferases but have not yet found the responsible enzyme. Alternatively, this modification could be carried out by a box C/D guide RNA. I used PLEXY, a bioinformatics script, to identify guide RNA targets. I tested three tRNAs known to receive the Nm39 modification in humans against known guide RNAs. Results show several potential guide RNAs which were then validated using a dataset of known RNA-RNA hybrids. I will test the requirement for guide RNAs in cultured cells by knocking genes down using RNA interference. I will then test for the presence or absence of 2'-O-methylation using partial base hydrolysis and primer extension. Additional experiments will utilize other techniques such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Only two guide RNAs have been previously shown to modify tRNA. This research seeks to illuminate guide RNA-tRNA interactions as well as modifications of the tRNA anticodon loop.

PHB 3 - The Protective Role of Melanin in the Inner Ear of Two Fish Species, Poecilia latipinna and Cyprinus carpio

First Author

Gabriel Heckerman

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Michael Smith

Western Kentucky University

Melanin is the dark pigment that gives color to skin, hair, feathers, and eyes of vertebrates. Melanin is also found in the stria vascularis of the mammalian cochlea, and previous studies indicate that a lack of melanin is correlated with greater vulnerability to hearing loss. In this study, melanin levels of the inner ears of different color morphs of two fish species (Poecilia latipinna and Cyprinus carpio) and the potential protective role of melanin from acoustical stress were examined. For each morph and species, hearing thresholds were quantified before and after sound exposure by measuring auditory evoked potentials. Both ears were extracted from each fish, and melanin levels were quantified using a spectrophotometric assay. Black morphs of both species had significantly higher melanin levels within the inner ear in comparison to white morphs. Hearing thresholds did not differ significantly among color morphs before sound exposure in either species. However, black morphs of both species had significantly lower post-sound exposure thresholds than other morphs. This data suggests that melanin plays a protective role in the teleost inner ear. Future research is needed to understand the cellular mechanisms in which melanin may provide this auditory protection and may pave the way for new drug testing opportunities.

PHB 4 - THE EFFECT OF POSTSYNAPTIC RECEPTOR DESENSITIZATION DURING REPETITIVE SYNAPTIC ACTIVATION

First Author

Kaitlyn Brock

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Jeremy Nadolski

Benedictine University

Co-author

Bethany Ison

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Robin Cooper

University of Kentucky

The process of synaptic transmission is generally described as synaptic vesicles fusing to the presynaptic membrane during evoked stimulation. This is due to an action potential opening voltage gated Ca2+ channels. Transmitters bind to postsynaptic receptors to mediate the postsynaptic response. Postsynaptic receptors will initially open and then desensitize with glutamate still bound. As glutamate is released from the receptors and cleared from the synaptic cleft, the receptor changes conformation but remains closed until glutamate again binds to it. The notion of the desensitization is to allow time for the transmitter to be cleared from the synapse to avoid re-binding as the initial glutamate is released from the receptor and cleared away. The potential degree of postsynaptic desensitization during short term facilitation (STF) remains elusive to determine. We are using the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) of crayfish and Drosophila to address question by altering the degree of desensitization with background glutamate (increase desensitization) and Con-A (decrease desensitization) while examining the effect of STF. The larval Drosophila preparation shows a greater STF with 0.1 mM than for 1 mM Ca2+ and are dampened by application of glutamate (0.05 mM). However, the crayfish NMJ of opener muscle shows a greater STF with higher Ca2+ from 5 to 20 mM. The amplitude of the EJPs are dampened by application of glutamate (0.05 mM). The shape in the decay of the last EJP in a train is used as an index of desensitization. We will compare the treatments by looking at the average amplitude and average time to decay of the EJP.

PHB 5 - Functional analyses of a transmembrane 2-3 loop residue of subunit a of E. coli ATP synthase involved in interaction

First Author

David Emeka-Ibe

Berea College

Co-author

Katherin Socias

Berea College

Co-author

Rashmi Shrestha

Berea College

ATP synthase is a biological nanomotor that produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of life. It is a ubiquitous bioenergetic enzyme found in all life forms and hence is an emerging antibacterial drug target for novel antibiotics. Recent cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) models of Escherichia coli (E. coli) ATP synthase provide crucial structural context; however, the critical interactions between the subunits of ATP synthase, which may be leveraged to develop next-generation antibiotics, are unknown. Structural analyses of the cryo-EM models showed that residue Asp124 of subunit a forms a hydrogen bond with Gln10 of subunit b and His15 of subunit a. A previous study showed that His15 may be essential for the structural assembly of subunit a. To probe the importance of hydrogen bonding, we mutated Asp124 to Ala and Cys and assayed the ability of the mutants to carry out oxidative phosphorylation and ATP hydrolysis. While there was no significant reduction in growth of mutants in the succinate minimal media, Asp124Cys mutant showed 50% reduction in ATPase assay. The tolerance of hydrophobic mutations at position 124 suggests that this hydrogen bonding between Asp124 and Glu10 may not be crucial for subunit interactions.

PHB 6 - Stress Performance Evaluation (SPE) as a Novel Measure to Decrease Test Anxiety and Increase Academic Performance

First Author

Jenalee Hinds

Northern Kentucky University

Test anxiety can affect a student's performance, especially those with a learning disability (LD). Students with LD may experience stress during testing, leading to more frustration and anxiety. The stress induces a physiological response in the brain, increasing cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure, which can hinder performance. I developed a method to evaluate these stressors to analyze the best placement for individuals during testing, which I named the stress performance evaluation (SPE) method. The SPE takes into account the correct answers and the percent of change in heart rate (heart rate before and after testing). To validate the SPE method, three students were used to quantitate how different testing scenarios affect children with LD, their stress levels, and the best placement for testing. All students showed a significantly higher heart rate in a large group using paper and pencil than in a small group using a computer. SPE has a promise to help with future testing parameters, which can lead to a better understanding of why some children perform better than others, which can also be useful in higher education.

PHB 7 - Strategies for identifying important residues in the tRNA modification protein Trm732

First Author

Alexandra Mullins

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Natalie Creech

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Holly Funk

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Michael Guy

Northern Kentucky University

Post-transcriptional tRNA modifications are required for efficient protein translation. In yeast, the Trm7 methyltransferase forms a complex with Trm732 to modify tRNA at position 32. In humans, lack of Trm7 causes intellectual disability. Little is known about the function of Trm732, although we have shown that one conserved motif in Trm732 is important for tRNA modification. We are identifying other residues important for function using two strategies. First, we compare Trm732 proteins of different organisms using protein alignments to determine conserved regions to mutate for testing. We have generated four new Trm732 variants and are testing their function. Second, we are expressing randomly mutated Trm732 variants in a sick strain that lacks Trm732. Lack of rescue of the strain indicates that the mutation present is harmful to protein function. DNA from these colonies will be extracted and sequenced to determine the mutation that causes loss of Trm732 function.

PHB 8 - The effect of Doxapram, a K2p channel blocker, on proprioceptive neurons: Invertebrate model

First Author

Bethany Ison

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Maya Abul-Khoudoud

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Sufia Ahmed

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Abraham Alhamdani

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Clair Ashley

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Patrick Bidros

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Constance Bledsoe

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Kayli Bolton

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Jerone Capili

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Robin Cooper

University of Kentucky

The resting membrane potential enables neurons to rapidly initiate and conduct electrical signals. K2p channels are key in maintaining this membrane potential and electrical excitability. They allow K+ ions to leak through, directing the membrane potential toward the K+ equilibrium potential. Researchers are working to describe the physiology and pharmacology of K2p channels; there is still much to learn. Doxapram is utilized clinically as a respiratory stimulant. This compound is a known blocker for a subset of K2p channels that are pH sensitive, including TASK1 and TASK3 channels. Using blue crabs as a model, we assess the effects of 0.1 and 5 mM preparations of Doxapram on the neuronal activity within a proprioceptive sensory organ. Results indicate that 0.1 mM Doxapram enhances excitation while the higher concentration 5 mM may over-excite the neurons and promote a sustained absolute refractory period until the compound is removed. The effect of 5 mM Doxapram mimics the effect of 40 mM K+ exposure. These findings are notable as they demonstrate Doxapram has acute effects on types of neurons other than those targeted to increase respiratory drive in mammals. This project was an integral part of a neurophysiology Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE).

PHB 9 - Identification of key residues in the function of Trm734 via random and site-directed mutagenesis

First Author

Charles Korzenborn

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Michael Guy

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Holly Funk

Northern Kentucky University

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 2'-O-methylation of nucleotides C32 and G34 in the anticodon loop of tRNAPhe is necessary to facilitate translation. Trm7 complexes with accessory protein Trm734 to perform this post-transcriptional modification of G34, but little is still known about the function of Trm734. Recently, we identified three key motifs required for Trm734 function. Two methods are being used to further define key residues and motifs in Trm734: random mutagenic PCR and site-directed mutagenesis. A new protein alignment of 9 diverse eukaryotic species was used to identify conserved residues and motifs within Trm734 as targets for site-directed mutagenesis. This alignment identified motifs TDG835, QSG882, and GDD905 as important for Trm734 function. These motifs will be replaced with AAA via site-directed mutagenesis and tested in a strain lacking functional Trm734 to assess importance for Trm734 function. We are also currently working to generate the yeast strains required for the random mutagenesis experiments.

PHB 10 - Kir4.1/5.1 Modulation of NCC Phosphorylation

First Author

Dongsoo Lee

Berea College

Co-author

Samantha McClenahan

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Jerod Denton

Vanderbilt University

Western diets high in sodium contribute to elevated blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Diuretics are prescribed to treat hypertension, but the development of drug resistance can diminish their therapeutic efficacy. Inward rectifying potassium (Kir) 4.1/5.1 channels, expressed in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) of the nephron, may represent a novel drug target for treating hypertension. Kir4.1/5.1 regulates sodium chloride reabsorption in the DCT via WNK and SPAK kinase pathways that control the phosphorylation state and activity of the sodium chloride cotransporter (NCC). The goal of this project was to test if a newly developed Kir4.1/5.1 inhibitor (VU720; McClenahan et al., 2022) can reduce NCC phosphorylation (pNCC) in the mouse kidney. Freshly prepared kidney slices from male C57 mice were treated with low (0 mM), normal (5 mM), or high (20 mM) potassium buffer (control groups), 10 µM VU720 (experimental group), snap-frozen, homogenized, and then evaluated by western blot analysis for pNCC and total NCC (tNCC). As expected from published literature, increasing buffer potassium (K) concentration led to a dose-dependent decrease in the pNCC/tNCC ratio from 1.65 (0K) to 1.0 (5K) and 0.48 (20K)(3 biological replicates; 6 technical replicates), respectively. VU720 treatment in 5K buffer led to a reduction in the pNCC/tNCC ratio from 1.0 to 0.58 (1 biological replicate; 2 technical replicates). This is the first demonstration that VU720 can acutely regulate the phosphorylation state of NCC via inhibition of Kir4.1/5.1 and supports Kir4.1/5.1 as a viable drug target for treating hypertension.

PHB 11 - A fundamental role of chloride in collagen IV stability enabling animal evolution.

First Author

Finn Mahoney

Berea College, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Lauren Taylor

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Carl Luer

Mote Marine Laboratory

Co-author

Heather Hudson

Kansas University Medical Center

Co-author

Sergei Boudko

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Tetyana Pedchenko

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Co-author

Billy Hudson

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Collagen IV is a primordial component of basement membranes, an extracellular matrix that has enabled animal evolution and diversity. This protein is essential for development and function of metazoan tissues and organs. Previous work on mouse and bovine tissues revealed that chloride plays a key role in the assembly and stability of Non-Collagenous Domain 1 (NC1) hexamers of collagen IV scaffolds, however whether this role is conserved in animalia was unknown. Here we conducted studies on three animals that frame animal phylogeny: primates (Macaca mulata and Callithrix jacchus), avians (Gallus gallus), and cnadarians (Auralia aurita). NC1 hexamers were excised from collagen IV scaffolds of each species by collagenase digestion and isolated by size-exclusion chromatography. Hexamer stability was characterized by electrophoresis in the presence or absence of chloride, following by immunoblotting with collagen IV antibodies. Our results reveal that chloride stabilizes hexamers from all animals studied. These findings suggest that chloride stabilization is conserved throughout animalia beginning from cnidarians and posit a fundamental role of chloride in animal evolution.

PHB 12 - Effect of Gas6 on Macrophage Polarization

First Author

Mackenzie Sweatt

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Taylor Zoubul

University of Louisville

Co-author

Jonah Stephan

University of Louisville

Co-author

Marcin Wysoczynski

University of Louisville

Myocardial infarction happens when blood flow is obstructed to the heart, acutely causing heart attack. Due to the lack of oxygen, major cell death occurs within heart tissue. The immune system is signaled to activate an inflammatory response to localize immune cells to the site of injury. Inflammatory immune responses require efficient activation and complete resolution for effective repair. Unresolved inflammation leaves the immune response in an overactive state, causing fibrosis and impaired scar formation in the heart. After myocardial infarction, large populations of phagocytic immune cells known as macrophages occupy the damaged tissues. Macrophages are polarized into a continuum of phenotypes to modulate the immune response cycle. Gas6 is a protein secreted by macrophages that assists in the function of efferocytosis (clearance of dying cells). Gas6 is a ligand to a group of tyrosine kinase receptors Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK collectively known as the TAM family, which are also expressed by macrophages. TAM receptors are responsible for activation of signaling cascades involved in immune response regulation. Gas6 can simultaneously bind to apoptotic cells and macrophages via TAM receptors, allowing for enhanced recognition of dying cells during efferocytosis. Here, we investigated if endogenous Gas6 has an effect on the polarization of macrophages. The impact of Gas6 on various cellular functions necessitates understanding its significance in relation to immune cells and immune system regulation.

PHB 13 - Examining the effect of iron (ferric) on physiological processes: Invertebrate models.

First Author

Logan Turner

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Mikaela Wagers

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Abraham Alhamdani

University of Kentucky

Iron (Fe3+) is an essential element for life in plants and animals and is found in soil, fresh waters and marine waters. The Fe3+ ion specifically is a vital prosthetic group and cofactor to mitochondrial electron transport complexes and numerous proteins involved in normal functioning. Despite its importance to life-sustaining processes, overexposure results in toxicity, and Fe3+ accumulation in the mammalian central nervous system is associated with various neurological disorders. Although literature has investigated the long-term effects of Fe3+ overload, studies examining the acute effects are lacking. Using blue crabs, this study seeks to ascertain the effects of acute Fe3+ overload on proprioception within the Pd nerve as well as mitochondrial function. For proprioceptive studies, the effects of 10 and 20 mM ferric chloride and ferric ammonium citrate solutions were investigated at 5 and 20 min exposure times. For mitochondrial studies, 20 mM ferric ammonium citrate was used. Exposure to 20 mM concentrations of ferric chloride and ferric ammonium citrate reduces excitability and function in proprioceptive neurons. Fe3+ likely blocks stretch-activated channels or voltage-gated Na+ channels. The depressive effects of Fe3+ are partly reversible with acute exposure following saline washouts, indicating cells are not acutely damaged. Mitochondrial function remains present in nerve bundles after 10 min exposure to Fe3+ and suggests Fe3+ does not rapidly permeate the cells. This study demonstrates the dose-dependent effects of acute Fe3+ exposure on proprioception and provides a model to further investigate the mechanisms by which Fe3+ acts on the nervous system.

PHB 14 - One-pot reaction of PycA and PckA for the production of deuterated phosphoenolpyruvate

First Author

Liat Ungar

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Catherine Shelton

Northern Kentucky University

The MST enzymes are a family of bacterial enzymes involved in producing menaquinone, siderophore, and tryptophan. Due to their presence in several pathogenic bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Yersinia pestis, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the MST enzymes have the potential to be novel antibiotic targets. However, the mechanism of reaction for the MST enzymes is not fully understood, making drug design difficult. Kinetic isotope effect experiments would help elucidate the mechanism but producing deuterated chorismate at scale is a limiting factor. Enzymatic synthesis of deuterated chorismate through a series of three modular one-pot reactions is being undertaken as an alternative to standard synthesis. This approach involves the in vitro reconstitution of the shikimate pathway which converts phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and erythrose-4-phosphate to chorismate through a series of seven enzymes. This work describes the first of three modules which will be used to produce labeled chorismate, namely the conversion of deuterated pyuvate to phosphosphoenolpyruvate. To accomplish this, a one-pot reaction of pyruvate carboxylase (PycA) from Staphylococcus aureus and PEP carboxykinase (PckA) from Escherichia coli is being developed. Initial research has focused on expressing and purifying PycA and PckA and assaying their kinetic functions. Additionally, several trials of the one-pot reaction have been performed. The products from these reactions have been separated using hydrophobic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). Preliminary HPLC chromatograms and mass spectroscopy data suggests that PEP is successfully being produced.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Psychology

Chair: Matthew Shake

Co-chair: Ilsun White

PSY 1 - Opioid modulation of amphetamine's acute locomotor activation in rats

First Author

Emma Brock

Morehead State University

Co-author

Timo Klausnitzer

Morehead State University

Co-author

Wesley White

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ilsun White

Morehead State University

Prior reports indicated that amphetamine and morphine increased acute locomotor activity, with amphetamine producing an increase in activity that was more immediate and substantial than the increase produced by morphine. In recreational drug use, co-administration of psychostimulant and opioid is common. The present study examined the degree to which opioid manipulations could modulate the acute effects of amphetamine. Activity of rats was monitored in open-field stations that were equipped with sensors for measuring distance moved. For extended monitoring, each station contained bedding, food, water, and a light. On control days, near light onset each animal was placed in an open field, and its activity was measured for the next five hours. On experimental days, near light onset each animal was given a drug treatment, was placed in an open field, and its activity was again monitored for five hours. Drug treatments included: amphetamine (0.5 and 2mg/kg), amphetamine (0.5, 1, and 2mg/kg)+morphine (1.25mg/kg); and amphetamine (2mg/kg)+naloxone (0.1mg/kg), a mu opioid receptor antagonist. Combinations of morphine and different doses of amphetamine increased locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner, but morphine did not appear to alter activity compared to amphetamine alone. Compared to saline, amphetamine (2mg/kg) produced a significant increase in activity, but this enhanced activity was not altered by naloxone. Our results suggest that the acute effect of amphetamine on locomotor activity is relatively insensitive to both mu activation by low doses of morphine and to mu blockade by antagonist. The main driver of acute amphetamine-induced locomotor activation appears to be dopaminergic.

PSY 2 - Opiate-dopamine interaction during acute withdrawal from amphetamine in rats

First Author

Timo Klausnitzer

Morehead State University

Co-author

Emily Bryant

Morehead State University

Co-author

Wesley White

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ilsun White

Morehead State University

Previously, we reported that rats given a high dose of amphetamine produced a large increase in activity during the first five hours after administration (acute effect), followed by a significant decrease in activity 13 to 24 hours post-treatment, a sign of acute withdrawal. The purpose of the present study was to identify and dissociate mechanisms involved in amphetamine's elicitation of acute and subsequent withdrawal effects. The activity of adult rats was monitored in open-field stations. To facilitate extended monitoring, each station contained bedding, food, water, and a light-fixture to set a 12-12 hour light-dark cycle. For control conditions, each rat was placed in an open field near light onset, and distance moved was monitored for 24 hours to establish the baseline pattern of activity. On experimental days, each animal received a drug treatment near light onset, and their activity was monitored for 24 hours. Drug treatments included: amphetamine (2mg/kg); amphetamine (2mg/kg)+SCH23390 (0.05mg/kg), a D1-receptor antagonist; and amphetamine (2mg/kg)+naloxone (0.1mg/kg), a mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Amphetamine given alone produced a large increase in activity during hours 1-5 post-treatment. SCH23390 prevented this amphetamine-induced acute effect, but naloxone did not. However, both SCH23390 and naloxone prevented amphetamine-induced acute withdrawal. Our results suggest that acute withdrawal may be mediated by an opioid system that is downstream of the acute dopaminergic changes produced by amphetamine.

PSY 3 - Effects of Computer or Paper Presentation and Preference on Persistence

First Author

Johnna Brown

Morehead State University

Co-author

Reganne Miller

Georgie Institute of Technology

Co-author

Madison Cornelius

Morehead State University

Co-author

Daisy Pratt

Morehead State University

Co-author

Gregory Corso

Morehead State University

Preference and task persistence using computers or paper were investigated. We hypothesized that participants would spend more time in task conditions aligning with their media preference. Participants (n=25) indicated if they preferred paper or computer. Participants were instructed to solve five easy, five difficult, and five unsolvable anagrams using either a computer or a paper/pencil presentation first and then using the remaining media for the second series. The dependent variable was the total time solving the anagrams per difficulty level. Persistence was defined as the time spent attempting to solve unsolvable anagrams. Data analysis showed a significant latency difference across the three difficulty levels, (F (23,46) = 13.865, p. < .001), and there were significant latency differences for the three difficulty levels with a greater latency for the paper media, (F (23,23) = 8.160, p. = .009). Additionally, it was hypothesized that energy expenditure would vary for the different difficulty levels, and that participants would exert more mental energy on the media they preferred. There was a difference in the energy pre-survey and post-survey scores in both conditions, (F (23,23) = 60.304, p. < .001), with greater scores in the paper-first condition. IRB Protocol Number: 21-08-08.

PSY 4 - Neuroscience Outreach in Eastern Kentucky, 2021-2022

First Author

Emily Bryant

Morehead State University

Co-author

Hannah Hostetler

Morehead State University

Co-author

Jennifer Newsom

Morehead State University

Co-author

Wesley White

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ilsun M. White

Morehead State University

The primary goal of our Neuroscience Outreach Program is to promote brain health in the community and in the Eastern Kentucky region. This year, we are focusing on three programs: the Brain Drawing Contest, School Visits, and Senior Home Visits. We distributed entry forms for the Brain Drawing Contest to local schools in several counties, and our goal is to have 1200 participants from grades K to 12. The contest prompts students to think about brain-related issues by having them complete a caption regarding brain function or health and having them draw a picture illustrating their caption. In early November, a panel of judges comprised of MSU students and faculty members from different disciplines will evaluate entries. The judges will evaluate entries based on originality, scientific accuracy, and overall drawing design. School visits will involve visits to high schools in several counties. During visits, we will describe results of drug-related research and provide information regarding brain health. Visits will occur throughout the fall semester, and our goal is to provide information to 500 students in grades 9 to 12. Senior home visits involved physical care and social interaction and discussion of senior brain health. During the fall semester, we will visit senior homes in several more counties. Our goal is to have 100 senior participants. The community continues to support and participate in these programs, reflecting the impact the Neuroscience Outreach Program is having in our service region.

PSY 5 - Parents' sensitivity and children's emotional adjustment

First Author

Abby Chaney

Morehead State University Dept. of Psychology

Co-author

Taylor Corbin

Morehead State University Department of Psychology

Parental sensitivity has also been shown to be an important risk or protective factor for children's development (van der Voort et al., 2014; Zhang et al., 2020). Sensitivity is defined as parental behavior that is attuned to children's emotional needs. In the present study, we hypothesize that parents' sensitivity will be related to child- and parent-report of symptoms. As part of larger study, 50 preschoolers and their parents participated in the Strange Situation separation-reunion procedure (Ainsworth, Blehar, & Waters, 1978). The Toddler Care Index 15-point scale (Crittenden, 2007) was utilized to rate parents' sensitivity during the procedure. Children were interviewed about their internalizing (e.g., anxious) and externalizing (e.g., oppositional) behaviors, using a puppet interview developed for the study. Parents also completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL: Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001), which also assesses internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Preliminary results reveal support for our hypothesis. Parents who displayed greater sensitivity in the Strange Situation tended to have children reporting lower levels of internalizing symptoms, as well as parents reporting lower levels of child externalizing symptoms. Of particular note, many of our parents received low sensitivity scores and these findings suggest such intervention might help both these parents and their children.

PSY 6 - The Role of Locus of Control on Satisfaction with Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic

First Author

Liam Hill

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Gary Welton

Grove City College

Co-author

Miriam Shera

Grove City College

This exploratory study investigated the impact of situational stressors, institutional trust, locus of control (LOC), and coping strategies on satisfaction with life during the COVID pandemic (SWL2020). In contrast to most of the published COVID psychological research, which has focused on depression and anxiety, this study focused on positive psychology. The survey data (N = 201) were collected from January 15 to March 12, 2021. The only situational stressor that impacted SWL2020 was perceived social isolation. Institutional trust had no direct impact on SWL2020, but had indirect (positive and negative) effects through External LOC and coping strategies. Internal LOC had no effect on coping strategies or SWL2020, suggesting that during a pandemic, a time when it is difficult to maintain any perception of Internal LOC (at a time just before the vaccines became widely available), that the negative impact of an External LOC is larger than any positive impact of an Internal LOC. This creates notable challenges during a time when governmental and medical guidelines seek to mitigate COVID numbers through increasing objective external controls.

PSY 7 - Instabad? Examining popular social media platforms and their associations with mental health problems in young adults.

First Author

Olivia Dick

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Jamison Brown

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Caitlin McGettrick

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Matthew Woodward

Western Kentucky University

Social media use has been consistently correlated with negative mental health symptoms, such as loneliness, depression, and anxiety. However, research has yet to compare the relationship between specific types of social media platforms used and their associations with mental wellbeing. This study investigated associations between the amount of time spent on several popular social media platforms and their associations with a variety of mental health outcomes.
Participants included 549 young adults attending a midwestern university. Individuals completed an online survey assessing self-reported time spent on prominent social media apps (e.g., TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat), as well as mental health-related outcomes including PTSD, depression, anxiety, loneliness, social support, and self-esteem. Time spent on various social media platforms was entered into multiple regression models examining mental health outcomes. Results indicated that TikTok use exerted several negative effects, as it was positively associated with loneliness, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Snapchat use appeared to promote better mental health, as it was positively associated with social support and higher self-esteem while negatively associated with anxiety. Results suggest that social media platforms may exert positive or negative effects on mental health depending upon the way they are structured, with those encouraging social interaction being potentially beneficial

PSY 8 - The Utility of the PTSD Checklist as a Screener of Trauma Symptomology

First Author

Greta Kreuzer

Western Kentucky University

In order to qualify for a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one must have directly experienced or witnessed a traumatic event which exposed them to 'actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.' The PTSD Checklist (PCL-5) is one of the most commonly used self-report measures of PTSD, but it is often unclear whether individuals are referencing events considered traumatic. The present study examined the types of events participants referenced when completing this measure and how PTSD symptoms related to event exposure.
Participants included 381 young adults attending a large midwestern university who completed an online survey assessing PTSD symptoms using the PCL-5. Participants were also given an open-ended question where they described the event they were referencing while completing the PCL-5. Responses were coded into various event types. Results showed that only 24% of respondents referenced events that clearly qualified as traumatic. Individuals referencing traumatic events reported higher PTSD symptoms than those referencing stressful, but non- traumatic experiences. Results suggest that the PTSD Checklist may often be capturing stress- related rather than trauma-related symptoms and that clear establishment of trauma exposure is critical prior to administration of self-report measures of PTSD such as the PTSD Checklist.

PSY 9 - Aging and the visual perception of common fate

First Author

Jiali Graham

Gatton Academy

Co-author

Maheen Baig

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Jessica Lewis

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Farley Norman

Western Kentucky University

Twenty-two younger and older adults participated in experiments designed to evaluate their ability to visually perceive objects defined by common fate. On any given trial, the participants sequentially viewed two apparent motion sequences and were required to indicate which temporal interval contained a coherently moving dotted line embedded in noisy random background motion. In the first experiment, the number of dots defining the target was varied, while the target interpoint spacing remained constant. In a second experiment, this was reversed: the target interpoint spacing was varied, while the number of target dots remained constant. In both experiments, the younger adults outperformed the older adults by significant amounts. Despite this main effect of age, the older and younger adults were similarly affected by variations in the number of target dots and the target interpoint spacing. Finally, the individual older participants' object detection accuracies were highly correlated with their own chronological ages, such that the younger old participants were much better able (than the older old) to visually detect objects defined by common fate.

PSY 10 - Brain Abnormalities and Genetic Markers in Males with Schizophrenia: Approach to Genetic Counseling

First Author

Hannah Hostetler

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ilsun White

Morehead State University

Schizophrenia is a disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, disorganized speech, withdrawal, and diminished social functioning. Although schizophrenia is poorly understood due to its complex etiology, genetic influence and environmental factors, which interact with genetic vulnerability have been implicated. Recent reports suggest that severity of symptoms are closely associated with brain abnormality and that males tend to show earlier onset and negative symptoms, compared to females. The present research reviewed brain abnormalities and genetic factors in male schizophrenia and also explored approaches to genetic counseling. Results showed that several genetic markers are closely linked to schizophrenia. In particular, chromosomes 6, 11, and 22 were closely linked to symptoms of schizophrenia, primarily in males. Compared to healthy males, the brains of males with schizophrenia were characterized by a reduced volume in the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the left temporal and the inferior parietal region, and a decrease in amygdala-frontal connectivity. Moreover, enlarged ventricles were associated with negative symptoms in males. Genetic counseling approach involving information and resources that focus on specific brain abnormalities linked to symptoms as well as genetic markers and genetic vulnerability would provide further insight into possible treatment plans, risk factors, gene-therapy targets in males with schizophrenia.

PSY 11 - People Can See Accents

First Author

Anna Jones

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Abigail Estep

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Sunni Walters

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Katelyn McClure

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Michael Chen

Eastern Kentucky University

Instructors of Asian descent often receive lower course evaluations even when they are Native English Speaking (NES; Rubin, 1992). Listeners likely experienced a more significant cognitive load while processing instructor facial cues, resulting in a lower course evaluation (Subtirelu, 2015). Alternatively, showing the instructor's face in picture-in-picture lectures can increase engagement. Instructors of Asian descent, however, might not benefit from a lecture video design like this (Babel & Russel, 2015). The current study looked at recorded lecture videos that either showed the face of an NES Asian instructor or did not show the face of an NES Asian instructor. Students were recruited from a large state university to participate in a study measuring students' anxiety and cognitive load. Our results indicated that learners 'see accents,' which results in higher anxiety levels and increased cognitive load. Findings from the current study have implications for educational practices and diversity initiatives.

PSY 12 - Teaching Psychology Students Headings and Heading Structures

First Author

Katelyn McClure

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Hung-Tao Chen

Eastern Kentucky University

Headings are essential signals for readers to find the information they are looking for (Lemarié et al., 2008; Lorch, 1989). Much of the research related to heading processing is with expository texts; limited research has looked at headings' specific effect on the reading of scientific journal articles. The current study aims to determine if teaching undergraduate students about APA-style scientific journal article headings improves their understanding. Participants in the current study received either specific instructions concerning headings and their functions or general instructions about the scientific inquiry process and using that process to read a journal article. Our findings indicated that a heading teaching strategy effectively promoted students' understanding of scientific journal articles. Findings from the current study have implications for pedagogical practices in the classroom.

PSY 13 - The Relationship Between Smartphone Addiction and PTSD: The Role of Avoidance Coping

First Author

Caitlin McGettrick

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Olivia Dick

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Matthew Woodward

Western Kentucky University

Studies have identified a link between problematic smartphone use and worse mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. Despite this, little research has examined whether smartphone addiction is associated with worse PTSD symptoms, nor mechanisms that may account for this association. The current submission examined whether smartphone addiction, assessed by the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (Kwon et al., 2013), was associated with worse PTSD symptoms, assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (Weathers et al., 2013). We also examined whether avoidance coping strategies of self-distraction, denial, substance use, and behavioral disengagement, assessed by the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Carver, 1997), mediated the association between smartphone addiction and PTSD.

A sample of 592 students from a midwestern university (77% female, 18% male, M age = 19.4 years old) completed an online survey assessing smartphone addiction, coping strategies, and PTSD. Results showed a significant positive correlation between smartphone addiction and PTSD. Furthermore, the relationship between smartphone addiction and PTSD was mediated by self-distraction, denial, and behavioral disengagement. These results suggest that smartphone addiction may exacerbate or maintain PTSD through its utility as an avoidant coping strategy, indicating clinicians should attend to trauma survivors' smartphone use during trauma treatment.

PSY 14 - Accuracy and Engagement Resulting from Different Presentation Formats

First Author

Daisy Pratt

Morehead State University

Co-author

Madison Cornelius

Morehead State University

Co-author

Johnna Brown

Morehead State University

Co-author

Reganne Miller

Georgia Institute of Technology

This investigation assessed accuracy and engagement resulting from different presentation formats. Participants (n=39) watched a presentation and took an exam. Three presentation formats were used, Presentation Alone, Presentation with Voice-Over, and Presentation with an Instructor. The presentation format was a between-subject variable. Each presentation used the same presentation slides and the same audio. After the presentation, the participants took an exam and a survey measuring engagement. We hypothesized that the mean exam accuracy score for the Presentation Alone format would be highest and the mean student engagement score for that Presentation Alone format would be the highest. Participants were recruited from Psychology courses for class credit. Monetary awards for exam performance were offered. Analysis of exam scores resulted in significant accuracy differences, F(2,36) = 4.622, p = .016. Post-hoc tests showed significant differences between the Presentation Alone format and the Presentation with an Instructor format. These findings are supportive of our first hypothesis. Engagement scores showed a significant interaction between the presentation format and the type of engagement (F= (2, 36) = 3.803, p = .032). These findings suggest students are more accurate and engaged in online lectures that do not have audio and video. IRB Protocol Number: 20-09-33.

PSY 15 - Examining Men's Preferences in Psychotherapy

First Author

Armaan Rai

Western Kentucky University Department of Psychology

Co-author

Rick Grieve

Western Kentucky University Department of Psychology

A need for tailored approaches towards men's depression and suicide prevention has been identified from the higher risk of suicide and lower rates of seeking help by males. Because of this, ongoing research and effort have gone towards understanding men's barriers towards seeking help and treatment for their mental health (Seidler, Rice, Kealy, Oliffe, & Ogrodniczuk, 2020). Less attention, however, has been put towards understanding what method of treatment men prefer. Though, studies have found, through diverse sample groups, that men may prefer psychotherapy over medication and other nonprofessional modalities- executive life coaching, etc (Berger, Addis, Green, Mackowiak, Goldberg 2013 & Sierra Hernandez, Oliffe, Joyce, Söchting, and Ogrodniczuk 2014). Given the preference towards psychotherapy, it is crucial to gain knowledge in the preferences in psychotherapy of help-seeking men. A recent study shows that 80% of men with a mental health concern don't know what to look for in a psychotherapist (Seidler, Rice, Kealy, Oliffe, & Ogrodniczuk, 2020). The purpose of this study is to better understand the preferences of help-seeking men and to denote any possible patterns with known factors that affect mental health, i.e., LGBTQ, military time, etc. The identification of these preferences and patterns will hopefully help morph the process of psychotherapy with men and make the possibilities of psychotherapy more accessible.

PSY 16 - Student Motivation: Instructors Accent Effect on Cognitive Load and Performance

First Author

Sunni Walters

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Katelyn McClure

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Anna Jones

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Abigail Estep

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Micheal Chen

Eastern Kentucky University

Cognitive load and emotional motivation play a vital role in students' learning outcomes (Feldon et al., 2019). The current study investigates students' motivation and cognitive load in relation to online lecture videos created by native English speaking (NES) instructors and non-native English-speaking (NNES) instructors. According to the LSA (Linguistic Society of America), there are two kinds of accents; a 'foreign' accent, and the one that is native to the group of people who speak it (Birner 2021). Understanding a foreign accent takes more mental effort than understanding a familiar accent, thus a NNES instructor could increase cognitive load for a NES student. This increased cognitive load can lead to decreased motivation and result in the decline of understanding the learning outcome. Participants in the current study were college students who completed the experiment on Qualtrics, an online survey program. We used a within-group design, so participants were exposed to both conditions, after completing the lecture and recall questions they were surveyed to measure cognitive load and emotional motivation. Our findings indicate that learners experience higher cognitive load and lower motivation in the NNES instructor learning condition. The findings from our current study have implications for scientific research education and pedagogical practices.

Friday, November 11, 2022 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Posters- Science Education

Chair: Shreya Patel

Co-chair: Wilson Gonzalez-Espada

SED 1 - Envisioning the Underseen Effects of Climate Change in Kentucky: Repurposing Mixed Data to Create Educational Resources

First Author

Aimee Stamm

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Ann Kingsolver

University of Kentucky

This poster will present work in progress focused on repurposing existing data sets at different spatial and historical scales from the natural and social sciences and the humanities in order to create robust contextual resources for local education of young people about climate change in Kentucky, its lived effects, and their agency in responding to climate change. The presenter is a high school student concerned with the lack of local and climate change-based science education in Kentucky, and has found that there are several youth-led organizations calling for such public educational resources on climate science. Examples of existing data sets explored for creating climate science educational resources for Kentucky young people include the NOAA/CIRES/DOE 20th Century Reanalysis Project, KY Mesonet Climate Data, the KY State Climate Summary, 1999 oral history interviews from Nicholas County, Kentucky, and other oral history interviews, local newspaper archives, KyFromAbove, and artwork and literature. An example will be provided of how these data sets may be drawn on to create context for a conversation with young Kentuckians about climate change and its visible and underseen effects as well as how young people can respond to climate change through local actions. Literature and resources for further exploration will also be provided on the poster for those interested in creating similar resources and opportunities for conversations among young people about climate science and climate change in Kentucky.

SED 2 - Critical Thinking in Science Education as a Level Up! Experience

First Author

Michael Fultz

Morehead State University

Co-author

Daniel Fleenor

Morehead State University

Science Education
Critical Thinking in Science Education as a Level Up! Experience. DANIEL FLEENOR and MICHAEL FULTZ, Department of Biology and Chemistry, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY 40351.
In many classes the focus is placed on learning, with good reason, to become a scientist takes years of dedication and learning. However though having a knowledge pool and understanding of science is important that goes hand in hand with critical thinking, understanding a good experiment is not the same as understanding how to create one. The LEVEL Up component for the Animal Physiology course was self-directed research, where students had the opportunity to choose their topics and design experiments to test them. Students constructed a literature review, stated a problem and developed a hypothesis, designed and conducted experiments testing the hypothesis, presented results and developed conclusions. A manuscript was prepared and submitted for grading. For my research project, I examined the effects of weed killer run off on Daphnia magna, which is commonly used as an indicator species. Indicator species are used to determine the quality of the environment, making it a good choice to examine the effects of large-scale farming on watershed environments such as steams. Projects such as these are valuable for training scientists so that they can develop the skills needed to design and run experiments that are valid, and actually informative about the physical world.

SED 3 - Measuring the Effect of Professional Development for Best Practices in Crafting Exam Questions

First Author

Kelsey Heard

Morehead State University

Co-author

Vince Ferrizzi

Lebanon Valley College

Co-author

Arelis Baez Rosario

University of Massachusetts Boston

Co-author

Erika Offerdahl

Washington State University

Professors who teach undergraduate courses in life and molecular bioscience measure the mastery of the students' content knowledge throughout a course by setting learning outcomes and goals for their students and administering tests aligned with those goals. Yet many professors lack the formal training to develop exam questions that accurately measure student learning and therefore write exams that are misaligned with best practices in literature. Thus, to help faculty better assess student mastery of learning outcomes, professional development opportunities have been developed to inform instructors on best practices for developing exam questions that measure student learning outcomes. The goal of this study was to analyze exam questions participants submitted before and after professional development, to test the effectiveness of these types of opportunities at improving instructors' exam writing skills. Exam questions were analyzed using a coding scheme based on Michael C. Rodriguez's research that outlines criteria for clear and effective test questions as communicated through The College Instructor's Guide to Writing Test Items: Measuring Student Learning. Moving forward, data will be analyzed comparing the coded test question entries from before and after the workshop to determine if differences are statistically significant.

SED 4 - Native grass-fungal symbioses as a focus for multidisciplinary experiences for high school and college students

First Author

Christopher Schardl

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Morgan Brogli

Garrard County High School

Co-author

Patrick Calie

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

R. Louis Hirsch

University of Kentucky

Co-author

William Hundley

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Jerzy Jaromczyk

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Venessa Miller

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Neil Moore

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Nadia Robinson

Garrard County High School

Co-author

Eleanor Srsic

Garrard County High School

The mutualistic symbiosis between a native woodland grass, Brachyelytrum erectum, and its seed-borne fungal endophyte Epichloë brachyelytri provided a platform to teach high school and undergraduate students diverse research skills ranging from ecological sampling to genetic and genomic analyses. The plant is found throughout Kentucky and its endophyte produces alkaloids that protect the plant from invertebrate herbivores. Because background ecological and molecular knowledge of the grasses and endophytic Epichloë species is well articulated, this system is an ideal platform for high school and college students to meaningfully engage in the research process. To this end, scientists and students from the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University partnered with science teachers and students from Garrard County High School in Lancaster, KY and Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in Lexington, KY, as well as a home-schooled high school student, in an inquiry-based research program that combined ecological sampling with laboratory and bioinformatic activities to characterize the grass-fungus symbioses at ecological, organismal, biochemical, genetic and genomic levels. High school students participated in field surveys and laboratory activities to prepare endophyte cultures, analyze endophyte alkaloids, and conduct novel phylogenomic analyses. High school and undergraduate students also participated in multi-disciplinary summer workshops, using molecular biology techniques to identify endophytes and their alkaloid genes, and using Linux command-line tools and current genomics software to analyze genomes and transcriptomes. These comprehensive training experiences increased student interest in field, laboratory and bioinformatic research, while equipping early-career learners for diverse careers in the life and computational sciences.

Friday, November 11, 2022 7:30pm - 10:00am

Science Happy Hour at Sawstone Brewing

It's a short walk to 175 E Main St, Morehead. KAS is getting $1 from every pint of Sawstone's most popular beer. Enjoy a beer for science in the pub or on Sawstone's heated patio.

Friday, November 11, 2022 7:30pm - 9:30pm

KAS Evening at the Space Science Center

Star Theatre programs begin at 7:30 and 8:30.
Guided tours are available of state-of-the-art equipment and laboratories. The Space Science Center is home to MSU's Program of Distinction, the Bachelor of Science in Space Systems Engineering.
The SSC is a $15.6 million support facility containing classrooms, laboratories and offices. The two-story, state-of-the-art building encompasses 45,000 square feet of floor space and includes a control center for the 21-meter space antenna system on the ridge top above Nunn Hall, with another, 12-meter antenna currently being installed. The center also has RF and electronics laboratories; anechoic chambers that mimic the electromagnetic environment of space; a rooftop antenna test range; a space systems development laboratory. The Star Theater digital planetarium hosts educational and entertainment programming for the community.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 8:00am - 1:00pm

Practice room available all morning

Room 320

Saturday, November 12, 2022 8:00am - 3:00pm

Registration

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

Check in to get your nametag, and a printed program if you requested one. Coffee will be available 8:00 - 11:00 am

Saturday, November 12, 2022 8:59am - 11:00am

Oral Presentations Saturday morning

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

Saturday, November 12, 2022 9:00am - 11:00am

Ecology

Room 325

Chair: John Starnes

Secretary: Ben Brammell

9:00 - Spider web morphology is associated with damage by falling woody debris

First Author

Abigail Nienaber

University of Louisville

Co-author

Stephen P. Yanoviak

University of Louisville

Web-building spiders are important predators in most terrestrial habitats. Web damage is common and presents potential fitness consequences for the spider. Falling woody debris is likely a major source of web damage for forest-dwelling spiders, especially Leucauge venusta, a widespread species that builds horizontal webs. We quantified damage area, general dimensions, and spatial orientation of L. venusta webs in two Kentucky forests. We also measured woody debris fall from the canopy. We experimentally damaged webs with falling debris in the lab to test the hypothesis that L. venusta change their web orientation following disturbance. The relative area of webs naturally damaged in the field increased with decreasing web angle (i.e., more horizontal). By contrast, the relative area of damage increased with increasing web angle (more vertical) in the lab. These results indicate that webs with greater vertical orientation experience more damage than horizontal webs when struck by falling debris, but on average are less likely to be struck. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that L. venusta orientate their webs to balance potential tradeoffs between prey capture and risk of damage. Measuring such tradeoffs improves our understanding of the selective pressures faced by forest-dwelling arthropods, and how those pressures shape local species distributions.

9:15 - Tick Species Distribution in the Northern Kentucky Region

First Author

Amber Miller

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Allison Parker

Northern Kentucky University

Ticks are one of many known vectors of diseases that can infect humans and other animals. There are six known tick species found in the state of Kentucky. However, the seasonality and distribution of these species is not well known in the Northern Kentucky region. The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of tick species in the Northern Kentucky region over time. Over ten weeks (June 2022-August 2022), ticks were collected once a week at five rural sites. To date, forty-three ticks have been collected. Thirty-seven collected ticks were American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis, four collected ticks were black-legged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, and two collected ticks were Lone Star ticks, Amblyomma americanum. Sampling is ongoing and will continue through August 2024. Understanding tick species distribution and seasonality in the Northern Kentucky region allows for effective control strategies that can reduce the occurrence of tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

9:30 - The Effects of Experimental Subsidies on Leaf Litter Arthropod Communities

First Author

Andrew Seiler

University of Louisville

Co-author

Steve Yanoviak

University of Louisville

Spatial subsidies are the asymmetric movement of resources from a donor habitat to a distinct recipient habitat. Arthropod rain, i.e., the fall of arthropods from tree crowns to the forest understory, is a potentially important subsidy link between canopy food webs and detritus-based litter food webs. We added homogenized fragments of Blaptica dubia cockroaches in high (12g m-2) and low (2g m-2) concentrations to replicated quadrats of leaf litter as a pulse subsidy in a temperate forest. Controls were: 1) zero subsidy and 2) addition of foam pellets in place of cockroach fragments. Litter in each quadrat was subsampled 2, 5, 10, and 20 days post-treatment. Arthropods were extracted from the litter with Berlese funnels and identified to morphospecies. We found 175 arthropod morphospecies in total. Mean richness and abundance declined over time in the 2g and control treatments, but showed no significant changes in the 12g and foam treatments. Collembola decreased in abundance but not richness, while oribatid mites increased in the 12g treatment. Spider, ant, and predatory mite responses were highly variable and inconsistent over time. These results suggest that pulse subsidies do not generate a consistent, conspicuous, bottom-up trophic cascade in litter. Understanding patterns of nutrient flow in forests is critical to predicting spatiotemporal patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem processes.

9:45 - Prescribed fire alters arthropod community composition in a temperate deciduous forest

First Author

Kane Lawhorn

University of Louisville

Co-author

Stephen Yanoviak

University of Louisville

Prescribed fire in temperate forests alters the availability of resources and changes arthropod community composition. Although the effects of fire on arthropod communities are generally well-documented in coniferous forests, data for deciduous forests are conspicuously lacking. Here, we sampled arthropod communities in burned and unburned portions of forest in Berea, Kentucky to determine how arthropod communities are affected by fire. We used flight-intercept traps and artificial cavity nests in burned and unburned portions of forest to sample beetle and cavity-nesting arthropods following a low-intensity prescribed fire. Beetle community composition differed between burned and unburned patches of forest, with more dead-wood dependent taxa in burned areas. Overall beetle abundance and species richness was greater in burned forest. Cavity nests in burned forest were colonized more frequently than nests in unburned forest, presumably due to the lack of natural cavity nesting sites post-burn. These results suggest that the availability of dead-wood resources shapes arthropod communities following prescribed fire in temperate deciduous forest.

10:00 - Bryophytes at Cave Entrances Across a Range of Anthropogenic Disturbance

First Author

Morghan McCool

University of Louisville

Co-author

Linda Fuselier

University of Louisville

Cave entrances are critical ecosystems in their role as ecotones between the interior cave environment and the surrounding external environment. Bryophytes serve as ecosystem engineers of cave entrance microhabitats. This study piloted a method to quantify anthropogenic disturbance unique to cave entrances and characterize the bryophyte assemblages at caves in urban and other natural areas. Bryophytes and environmental variables were sampled from cave entrances; bryophytes were identified, alpha and beta diversity values were computed. One hundred and seven species of bryophytes, 17 of which were state records, occurred across four sites. By improving knowledge of bryophyte communities, park managers may develop tools that improve the conservation efficacy of these critical natural areas especially in the face of urbanization.

10:15 - Methane Dynamics of Stems in Bottomland Hardwood Wetlands of the Upper Mississippi Alluvial Valley

First Author

Marissa Miles

Murray State University

Co-author

Marshall Thompson

Murray State University

Co-author

Skylar Ross

Murray State University

Co-author

Niklas Klauss

Murray State University

Co-author

Bassil El Masri

Murray State University

Co-author

Gary Stinchcomb

University of Memphis

Co-author

Benjamin Runkle

The University of Arkansas

Co-author

Jessica Moon

Murray State University

Bottomland hardwood wetlands hold large amounts of carbon in their tree biomass and deep in their soil carbon pools. However, they can also produce methane (CH4) in their anaerobic soils; tree stems can be conduits of this CH4 to the atmosphere. We are studying differences in CH4 source-sink dynamics among tree species (Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, Taxodium distichum) and height along stems (i.e., 20, 40, 60, 120, and 180 cm). Collars were installed on stems (n = 8) and in adjacent soils along Dunn's slough in Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge. An initial study (September 23rd) of CH4 fluxes by height on an A. rubrum stem (0.22 to 0.87 nmol CH4 m-2 sec-1, p-value = 0.001) and a L. styraciflua stem (0.02 to 0.80 nmol CH4 m-2 sec-1, p-value = 0.05) revealed a significant positive relationship between CH4 fluxes and stem height. A third A. rubrum stem showed no relationship between CH4 fluxes and height, but this stem also had much lower flux rates (-0.07 to 0.07 nmol CH4 m-2 sec-1). Our study can help develop and validate tree stem CH4 schemes to improve land surface models for CH4 flux predictions.

10:30 - Assessing the effectiveness of wetland easements to store sediment and carbon

First Author

Jessica Moon

Murray State University

Co-author

Marissa Miles

Murray State University

Co-author

Karen Baumann

Murray State University

Co-author

Michael Flinn

Murray State University

Kentucky's Wetlands Reserve Program supports the restoration of historical wetlands along with their natural hydrologic regimes and services such as retaining sediment and carbon. Our objectives were to determine annual sediment and organic matter (OM) accretion rates within newly established easements (n = 4) and adjacent remnant bottomland hardwood wetlands, and to examine drivers of variation in accretion within and among these systems. At higher elevation easements along Obion Creek (n = 2), annual mean sedimentation rates were higher in remnant areas than newly established areas, but this was only statistically significant for one of the two easements. Mean annual OM accretion in remnant areas (496 +/- 384 g m-2 yr-1) was more than double that found in newly established areas (191 +/- 208 g m-2 yr-1) for both easements (p-value < 0.001). While vegetation structural properties were weakly correlated with accretion rates, OM accretion was strongly associated with ground wetness in the dry season (p-value < 0.001). Lower elevation easements (n = 2), along the Bayou de Chien, are expected to act differently. These systems have more intense flooding events, and synchrony in their hydropatterns, which we expect will lead to similar average accretion rates among newly established and remnant areas.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 9:00am - 11:00am

Engineering

Room 329

Chair: Aaron Daley

Secretary: Seyed Allameh

9:00 - On the reliability of 3D printed rebar

First Author

Seyed Allameh

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Jose Fonseca Lopez

Northern Kentucky Unviersity

Co-author

Alexis Eckart

Northern Kentucky University

This study is focused on the micromechanical properties of conventional rebar and how they could be used to verify the reliability of 3D printed rebar. Additive manufacturing is growing into an established industry that promises construction of houses, office buildings and other structures. However, it is necessary to incorporate steel rebar in otherwise unreliable concrete structures. It is now possible to conduct direct welding of steel into concrete, however, the reliability of such printed rebar is unknown. To verify its reliability, a comparison of the fatigue properties of printed rebar is needed with those of conventional mild steel rebar. Conventional rebar, 16 mm in diameter was used to extract dog-bone shaped microspecimens with cross sections of about 200-micron x 200-micron using a HAAS CNC. These specimens were then polished to mirror finish and mounted onto the micro-grippers of an Instron Electropulse E1000 load frame for tensile monotonic and cyclic loading. The fatigue test results of the conventional rebar were compared with those of specimens obtained from mild steel weldments deposited by 3D welding on ceramics. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the reliability of 3D printed reinforced concrete and the impact it might have on the current practice of construction industry.

9:15 - American Sign Language (ASL) Gesture-based Translation System

First Author

Kayleigh Moore

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Stefano Pecile

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Mahdi Yazdanpour

Northern Kentucky University

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 5% of the world's population suffers from disabling hearing loss. Approximately 9 million people in the U.S. are either functionally deaf or have mild-to-severe hearing loss. In this research, we design and implement a translation interface which turns American Sign Language (ASL) gestures captured from a pair of soft robotic gloves into text and speech instantaneously.
We use combination of flex sensors, tactile sensors, and accelerometers to recognize hand gestures and to record hand and fingers positions, movements, and orientations. The digitized captured gestures will be sent to our proposed translation interface wirelessly and will be compared with the patterns stored in our dataset using a supervised Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification model. Once the captured gesture matches a predefined pattern, the associated letter, word, or phrase will be shown on an embedded display, and the voice will be generated by a text to speech conversion module.
This project aims to develop an accessible and easy to use solution to help individuals who are deaf or have speech impairment problem to communicate directly to non‐signer people. These gloves can also be integrated with immersive learning technologies to enhance higher education and expand access to active learning opportunities for many underrepresented students.

9:30 - Development of a Mind-controlled Mini Industrial Robotic Arm

First Author

Mahdi Yazdanpour

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Boshra Karimi

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Leslie Ferrao

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Biplov Ale

Northern Kentucky University

Integrating the electrical activities of the human brain with mechatronic systems to develop mind-controlled systems has become one of the most cutting-edge research topics in the Human-Robot Interaction and Robotics communities. In this multidisciplinary research project, we designed and implemented a mind-controlled mini-industrial robotic arm which can be controlled by the human thoughts.
This project was implemented in two phases. In phase 1, we developed a fully 3D printed desktop industrial robotic arm which can be controlled using the Marlin firmware by receiving the geometry code (g-code) commands from a brain computer interface (BCI). In phase 2, we designed and developed an electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain computer interface which monitors and analyzes human brainwaves captured by an EEG brainwear. The captured brain neurosignals are classified with respect to the topographic patterns of brain rhythm modulations and then converted to meaningful commands to control the robotic arm. Our proposed brain computer interface enables users to control this desktop industrial articulated arm in different translational directions using the power of their minds. In addition, the BCI created from this research project can be used as a control interface for any robotic system which use human thoughts or motor imaginations as action drivers.

9:45 - Development of a Novel Embedded Systems Design Kit with Modular Interchangeable Hardware Architecture

First Author

Aaron Scott

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Andrew Reynolds

Northern Kentucky University

The accelerated evolution of computer, data storage, wired and wireless communication, sensor, and Integrated Circuit technologies has had an immense impact on embedded systems design in many types of industries. To integrate those new devices and technologies into current embedded systems learning and design processes, various engineering schools have communicated that they need new development kits for their microcontroller-related courses. The central objective of this research project is to develop and test a new, low-cost embedded systems design kit with modular interchangeable microcontroller layers. The new kit encompasses useful analog, digital, and new wired and wireless devices, but its cost and size are reduced remarkably. Additionally, a novel modular interchangeable hardware architecture was produced to facilitate several popular microcontrollers (TI, Atmel, and Microchip) being interfaced to the same main board. Ideally, this novel hardware architecture would make it possible for students to learn different microcontroller models using the same onboard devices and peripherals without paying for separate kits. No such (universal) kits are available for embedded systems learners on the market. This presentation discusses in greater detail the kit development process including schematic and printed circuit board (PCB) design, capabilities evaluation, and overall system requirements.

10:00 - Development of Wind Turbine Emulator for Research and Educational purposes

First Author

Omkar Bhat

Northern Kentucky University

Humankind has harnessed electricity from the wind since 1887. As wind velocity is intermittent in nature with random variation, it yields variable mechanical power. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the performance of real wind energy before installing at the proposed site. This project mimics the behavior of wind turbines for hardware level simulation. The emulator comprises a software component based on LabVIEW with a hardware interface of a motor driven generator which reproduces the same characteristics of a given wind turbine at any wind velocity. The emulator allows users to input values like the wind speed, pitch angle, temperature, and humidity which are fundamental in calculating the energy generated and provides results like torque, tip speed ratio, coefficient of performance value etc. of the wind energy conversion system. Power generated by the DC motor will be used on an electric load. The improved version of the emulator allows the user to input a 24-hour wind profile, plot power-speed curves for high and low speed wind days, and point out characteristics of the tip speed ratio against the Coefficient of power produced.

10:15 - Solar Based Smart Outdoor Lighting at NKU

First Author

Jose Fonseca

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Jacob Vallandingham

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Brady Hogan

Northern Kentucky University

10:30 - Solar Based Smart Outdoor Lighting System

First Author

Brady Hogan

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Jacob Vallandingham

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Jose Fonseca

Northern Kentucky University

10:45 - Development of Solar Panel Emulator

First Author

Alejandro Villasenor Lara

Northern Kentucky University

Electricity generation using conventional sources such as fossil fuels produce greenhouse gases. Renewable resources are a viable option to reduce the emission of harmful gases by fossil fuels. One of the most prominent renewable energies is solar energy. The goal of this study is building a solar PV emulator for laboratory purposes. This emulator replicates the characteristics of a real-time solar panel. This single-diode PV Model includes a DC adjustable power supply, an electronic load and the use of Labview to generate programs that can create different simulations with settings without taking the solar panel outside for test purposes. Effect of solar radiation and the effect of temperature variation is studied by varying the resistor and source voltage respectively. A Labview model was developed for a single PV cell, where the user can give inputs like temperature and solar radiation at different ranges of cells in series and parallel to receive outputs that will help determine energy generated and cost of the system. We're currently using the NI DC Power supply RMX-4121 connected in series to the programmable NI RMX-4005 DC Load to replicate I-V and P-V characteristics of solar PV panels.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 9:00am - 11:00am

Geology & Geography

Room 326

Chair, Geography: Christopher Day	Secretary, Geography: Charlie Zhang
Chair, Geology: Daniel Phelps	Secretary, Geology: Sarah Arpin

9:00 - Analyzing recent spatio-temporal rainfall erosivity patterns and trends across Kentucky

First Author

Christopher Day

University of Louisville

Rainfall erosivity is defined as the capability of rainfall to cause soil erosion from a surface during a storm, and acts as the major factor in the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). In the southeastern US heavy downpours have been occurring more frequently so it is increasingly likely that current long-term erosivity values are not truly representative across Kentucky and for time periods beyond those originally employed. To address this issue, we utilized more recently available (2011-2020) high resolution rainfall data from the Kentucky Mesonet system to analyze if long-term mean monthly conditions reflect the recent monthly erosivity values, whether erosive events are occurring more frequently during particular seasons or locations across the state, and whether gridded monthly precipitation data could be used to interpolate recent monthly erosivity. Current results revealed widespread significant increases in monthly erosivity across all climate divisions suggesting that the older baseline period used for erosivity calculations across the state does not accurately represent recent storm erosivity patterns. Focusing on first (Q1) and fourth (Q4) quartile erosive storms, there was a clear distinction between the two extreme set of erosive events, with the weaker erosive (Q1) storms dominating across all state climate divisions from October through March, with the strongest storms by erosivity (Q4) occurring April through September. Use of power regressions to model monthly erosivity from corresponding monthly gridded rainfall data suggested poorer performance for the summer months, while performing more strongly in the winter and spring seasons when erosivity variance is reduced.

9:15 - North American shale gas, once again - 'revolution' or 'evolution?'

First Author

Frank Ettensohn

University of Kentucky

With the war in Ukraine, North American shale gas is back in the 'limelight' again. The so-called 'shale-gas revolution' has made the U.S. a major hydrocarbon producer, and some of that gas will be heading to Europe as LNG. However, was this really a 'revolution?' A closer look suggests that the so-called revolution was not really a revolution at all, and that abundant shale gas is largely a North American phenomenon related to geology and developmental factors. Geologically, North American has more than 30 shale-gas basins, reflecting the large size and stability of the continent through nearly 500 Ma. Moreover, during Paleozoic and Mesozoic time, when most organic-rich source sediments were accumulating, critical parts of North American were situated in the tropics or subtropics, where organic-matter development was enhanced during both greenhouse and icehouse climates. After Triassic–Jurassic breakup of Pangea, more organic-matter repositories formed as rift and rift-margin basins along continental margins. Developmental factors since 1975, including more than 40 years of research into eastern and central US gas shales, economic factors that reflect private ownership, abundant water, and adaptable political and social institutions, have been equally important. As some have noted, the North American situation reflects more of an 'evolution' than a 'revolution.'

9:30 - Preliminary fungal palynology of the RA-3 Ash Zone from Paleolake Clarkia, Latah Fm., Idaho

First Author

C. Jolene Fairchild

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ingrid Romero

Morehead State University

Co-author

William Rember

University of Idaho

Co-author

Jen O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Studying past climate changes is important to understand potential future climate conditions and the effect they may have on ecosystems. Proxies such as plants, vertebrates, and isotopes have been used to understand past climate changes. However, microfungi, often overlooked, are major contributors to any ecosystem as they help with key processes such as nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus cycling. In the fossil record, they are often well preserved and close to their original substrate. This makes them good proxies for local climate studies. This project is focused on sediments from the early-middle Miocene from the Clarkia lagerstatten, exposed at the 'Stefanie's Pit' site within locality P-37 near Fernwood, Idaho. This area has been studied extensively and is known to have a good record of plant macrofossils and palynomorphs, such as pollen and microfungi. Our main aim is to examine the contents of the 'fungal spike' noted by Pipis (2012), and determine what these fungi tell us about the environment and climate when they were deposited. Preliminary results indicate diverse microfungal assemblages in Clarkia during peak warming (ca. 15.9 MA). The fungi currently identified imply that the environment was warm and wet. This supports previous paleoclimate studies completed using Latah Formation sediments.

9:45 - A High School Student Learns About Combining GIS and Research: STEAM/(Summer Apprenticeship Program) Learning Approach

First Author

Cynthia Rice

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Buddhi Gyawali

Kentucky State University

Transition from high school to college is an eye opener. Kentucky State University through a STEAM approach engages the next generation of agriculture related and other professionals. Through SAP (Summer Apprenticeship Program), a high school Rising Junior pilot tested distance and in-person learning with a mentor approach to develop skill sets. The student experienced experiential learning methods, developed a story map and came to a beginning understanding of geospatial data and the 3 and 4D representation of such data. Critical thinking skills, creative writing skills, visualization and research methodology were discussed. His experiences will aid template development for future STEM/SAP individualized learning plans. Role playing, research paper development, professional interaction, Story Map development, zoom and teams meeting, mentoring simulation all played a part in skill development and allowed the student to experience demands of adult/college life and helped his confidence in the skills he developed. Communication and feedback were essential items found out in this program. Thinking the same as work progressed helped in determining the effectiveness of mentoring and enhanced growth of the student into an independent thinker able to initiate work and perform skills necessary for college participation. This test pilot program met the student's need/ learning level.

10:00 - Urban Dendrochronology in Louisville, Kentucky, USA

First Author

Maegen Rochner

University of Louisville

Urban trees provide a variety of ecosystem services including mitigation of urban heat, pollution, and other human influences on the urban environment. An improved understanding of urban forest response to ongoing urbanization and climate change is necessary not only to understand the role of these ecosystems in mitigating negative environmental impacts, but potentially to better predict how regional forested ecosystems may respond to expected global-scale changes. Urban dendrochronology, a relatively frontier application of tree-ring methods, can inform how tree growth and climate response are altered by human influences in metropolitan areas, such as the Urban Heat Island. Using tree-ring chronologies developed from white oak (Quercus alba L.) across the urban-rural gradient in Louisville, Kentucky, we found that (1) growth patterns and climate-growth response, with some short-term differences, are comparable across the urban-rural gradient and that (2) land-use histories and disturbance likely drive differences. The main drivers of extreme growth variability were droughts and pluvial years. However, across the gradient tree growth sensitivity to climate variables has shifted, from positive to negative, or declined over the instrumental period, suggesting a broader-scale influence altering the growth patterns of trees.

10:15 - Unmanned aerial lidar for characterization of eastern Kentucky reclaimed mine lands using spatial surfaces and voxels

First Author

Jeremy Sandifer

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Will Rogers

Kentucly State University

Co-author

Buddhi Gyawali

Kentucky State University

Unmanned autonomous systems coupled with advanced sensors are revolutionizing our ability to characterize the status of natural and managed land areas and to capture short-term and long-term change over time. This project makes use of multi-temporal, discrete return, high-density point clouds captured using DJI M300 + L1 lidar system to characterize multiple reclaimed mine sites in Martin and Pike Counties in eastern Kentucky in terms of spatial distribution and structure of various vegetation classes. Estimates of photosynthetic potential are generated using the integrated red, green, and blue optical information to construct vegetation index. Voxelization is employed to create a gridded system of three-dimensional units or voxels to serve as volumetric sampling units. Lidar point counts are calculated for all voxels and descriptive summaries are generated from points attributes to highlight changes in vegetation index values and other corresponding metrics over time. Early results suggest positive correlation between higher normalized point counts and vegetation index values. Project results inform estimates of natural resources in managed land areas and provide a robust tool for monitoring change.

10:30 - Nutrient and Fecal Microbe Contamination in the Otter Creek Watershed, Madison County, Kentucky

First Author

Andruw Stewart

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Walter Borowski

Eastern Kentucky University

Contamination by nutrients and fecal microbes is a widespread, chronic problem for surface streams. The Otter Creek watershed covers over 65 square miles of north-central Madison County, Kentucky, and is most affected by urban runoff from the town of Richmond; by agriculture, mainly cattle farming; and by rural and suburban areas that utilize septic systems. Samples were collected from representative sites and measured for dissolved nutrients (ammonium, NH4+; nitrate, NO3-; and phosphate, PO43-) and fecal microbes (total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli).
Nutrient concentrations are higher than those of pristine streams. Compared to a national database, nitrate levels are greater than the national average, whereas ammonium and phosphate levels were lower. The principal source for nitrate and phosphate is a sewage treatment plant that handles waste from Richmond and vicinity. Cattle farming seems to be a major source for ammonium and fecal microbe contamination. E. coli assays showed that only 20 percent of the water samples are suitable for swimming according to EPA standards, 40 percent are suitable for recreation, and 60 percent recommend no human contact.
The results of this study and future studies will be compared to water quality data gathered from 2013 to 2015.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 9:00am - 11:00am

Microbiology

Room 310

Chair: Bill Staddon

9:00 - 'The NeverEnding Story': Circularizing Ch. VIII in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

First Author

Chisom Iloegbunam

Morehead State University

Co-author

Melissa Mefford

Morehead State University

Chromosomes store the genomic DNA of an organism. Eukaryotic chromosomes are linear, while prokaryotic chromosomes are circular. This difference in chromosome structure requires distinct mechanisms during the common replication process. For instance, prokaryotes utilize a single replication start point for replication, while eukaryotes utilize multiple starting points, creating new DNA in fragments. Because of this more complicated replication process, the 3' ends of eukaryotic DNA cannot be fully copied by the canonical DNA replication machinery. Unchecked, this leads to progressive loss of telomere sequences. To counteract this issue, most eukaryotic organisms express the enzyme telomerase to prevent loss of telomeres each time the DNA gets copied. Despite the action of telomerase, telomeres still shorten as organisms age. Since linear chromosomes create issues not found within circular chromosomes, this begs the question why eukaryotic chromosomes evolved to be linear? To address this broad question, we developed a novel genetic engineering strategy in a simple eukaryote, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to convert their linear chromosome to circularized versions. Using this strategy I have successfully circularized Chromosome VIII for the first time. Our novel data shows Ch. VIII is viable in a circular form. Currently, I am characterizing the fitness of these circular chromosome strains.

9:15 - The New Mutants: Circularizing Linear Chromosomes in S.cerevisiae

First Author

Austin Lytle

Morehead State University

Co-author

Melissa Mefford

Morehead State University

Eukaryotes contain linear chromosomes, while prokaryotes contain circular chromosomes. Linear chromosome require telomeres at the ends to prevent degradation; however, telomeres cannot be fully copied during DNA replication, which creates an end-replication problem. To combat against the end-replication problem, eukaryotes require the enzyme telomerase to maintain telomere length after replication. Even with this seemingly full-proof tactic, telomeres shorten as eukaryotes age. On the other hand, 85% of cancers, telomerase is up regulated within the cells. This begs the question that our lab is inherently interested in, 'Why did linear chromosomes evolve in the first place'? To experimentally address the question at hand, our lab has engineered an approach to circularize each of the 16 chromosomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We created DNA cassettes to insert in both the left and right arms of the chromosome of choice (Ch.II). This allows for genetic recombination and circularization of the chromosome. The hallmark for successful circularization and recombination is growth on media lacking uracil. Currently, I have successfully circularized Ch. II in S.cerevisiae and am working on phenotypic characterization. Through future experiments, we can hopefully shed some light on how the circular verses linear chromosome structure impacts the eukaryotic organism.

9:30 - Identification of toxic bacteriophage gene products

First Author

Sierra Durkee

Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Rodney King

Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University

Bacteriophage MooMoo is a temperate mycobacteriophage that was isolated from a water sample in Kentucky. Based on results from a recent study, we hypothesized that MooMoo may encode genes that are toxic to its host, Mycobacterium smegmatis. Four genes (gp39, gp62, gp81 and gp84) were chosen for analysis because they encode relatively small proteins with no known function. Each gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into an Escherichia coli/M. smegmatis shuttle/expression vector by isothermal ligation. The resulting recombinant plasmids were propagated in E. coli. and verified by PCR. Each construct was then electroporated into Mycobacterium smegmatis cells. The cloned genes were induced and the effect on cell growth was monitored. MooMoo gp81 inhibited cell growth but gp39, gp62 and gp84 were all nontoxic. We will next determine how gp81 interferes with M. smegmatis growth by using a two-hybrid screen to identify protein-protein interactions. This may reveal possible interactions with the host metabolic machinery or other critical cellular processes. Our results support the hypothesis that bacteriophage MooMoo encodes proteins that are toxic to its host. In addition, these experiments represent a general approach to elucidate gene function and may identify potential new targets for therapeutics.

9:45 - TeloPort: a tool to investigate into the weird world of telomere ends

First Author

Treyden Stansfield

Western Kentucky University

Co-author

Seth Baunach

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Jerzy Jaromczyk

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Andrew Tapia

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Mark Farman

University of Kentucky

Telomeres are sequences at the end of Eukaryote chromosomes which protect the DNA from degradation during replication. These telomeres make chromosome ends more variable then the interior due to the frequent degradation. The fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is known to move genes using into the telomeric regions to promote mutations. Current genome sequence data suggests newly formed, de-novo telomeres (DNTs) are created to repair breakage. The goal of this research is to develop a comprehensive understand of DNT formation. This was done using the TeloPort, a program which collects and sorts DNTs using a fuzzy matching scoring algorithm. In a test dataset of 940.2 million reads TeloPort identified total of 106 candidate DNTs, of which 88 were verifiable. Unlike past comparisons of genome assemblies, which implied that break/repair events are concentrated near chromosome ends, the present data show that the vast majority of DNTs mapped to the genome interior. This suggests that break/repair events are randomly distributed across the genome but cells with breaks at internal locations are counter-selected because such events tend to be fatal.

10:00 - Detecting Interactions between FtsW and FtsZ or Lon Protease with DdrR in a Bacterial Two Hybrid System

First Author

Katlin Stumbo

Morehead State University

Co-author

Deborah Cook

Morehead State University

Co-author

Janelle Hare

Morehead State University

Acinetobacter baumannii is a multidrug-resistant pathogen with the unique ability to regulate its SOS response without the LexA repressor. Instead, A. baumannii encodes the co-repressors UmuDAb and small protein DdrR. Previous studies have shown that DdrR might interact with UmuDAb, but also may play a role in controlling cell division, prompting us to propose that DdrR and/or UmuDAb may regulate cell division genes. We used the bacterial adenylate cyclase two-hybrid (BACTH) system to determine whether DdrR interacts with cell division proteins FtsZ, FtsW, or Lon protease. We hypothesize that DdrR may interact with these proteins due to some previously observed functions shared by DdrR and SulA. SulA interacts with FtsZ and is degraded by Lon protease in Escherichia coli. We constructed 12 of the 16 plasmids needed for the BACTH experiments, and have tested eight of the DdrR-FtsZ or DdrR-FtsW combinations. These combinations showed white colonies on our MacConkey agar plates which resembled the negative control colonies, and thus did not indicate a positive interaction between FtsZ or FtsW with DdrR. We will try the other combinations of the plasmids and if positive interactions are suggested by pink-red colony color, perform a beta-galactose assay to indicate whether our proteins of interest are interacting.

10:15 - Exploration Of The Effects Of SAM1 And SAM2 Knockout Mutations In Saccharomyces cerevisiae On Growth In The Presence Of

First Author

Lindsey Warinner

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Erin Strome

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Kailee Kenwright

Northern Kentucky Univeristy

Co-author

Amila Coric

Northern Kentucky Univeristy

SAM1 and SAM2 both encode S-Adenosyl-Methionine (AdoMet) synthatases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but the deletion of these genes cause opposite impacts on chromosomal stability. In seeking to understand how these mutations impact chromosome stability we characterized a wide range of other phenotypes of these mutants. We observed that sam1-deficient cells showed increased sensitivity to Hygromycin B. It has previously been shown that yeast glycosylation mutants are sensitive to aminoglycosides, therefore we sought to determine if our sam1 mutants had glycosylation deficits. We used gene ontology and genome databases to determine the genes of the glycosylation pathways, then overlaid RNA-Sequencing data to determine differentially expressed genes in the sam1 mutants. We found there was no statistically significant differential expression of genes in the N-linked glycosylation pathway as well as no methyltransferases present. This likely rules out change in this glycosylation pathway being related to the observed growth differences; leaving 4 glycosylation pathways to be explored. Following this we have started to explore another glycosylation pathway, the GlycosylPhosphatidylInositol (GPI) anchoring pathway where we again seek to map and determine if there are any differentially expressed genes or methyltransferases involved.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 11:15am - 12:30pm

Plenary Session w Keynote Speaker Andrea Armani

Button Auditorium

Over the past decade or so, my career has taken me from Physics to Biology to Engineering. This experience has taught me one thing: the more you know, the better questions you can ask. This philosophy is exemplified in my current research, which is focused on the development of new diagnostic systems. This work includes synthesizing new materials and building new optical devices in order to better understand disease progression. We have numerous collaborations with physicians to guide and to accelerate the medical relevancy of our research. During this presentation, I will discuss highlights of a few recent projects as well as my path over my academic career, focusing on critical decision points.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 12:30pm - 1:30pm

Box Lunch Pickup / Other Lunch Options

If you ordered a box lunch, present your ticket to pick it up in Button Auditorium after the keynote.
If you did not RSVP for the Business meeting & lunch, "The Rock" Dining Hall is open Saturday. The ADUC Food Court is closed.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 12:30pm - 1:30pm

KAS Business Meeting and Lunch

Drill Room, Button Auditorium

Open to all KAS members by RSVP.

We will welcome new board members, and present the 2022 Award for Excellence in Science Education & Outreach

Saturday, November 12, 2022 1:59pm - 4:30pm

Oral Presentations Saturday afternoon

Adron Doran University Center 3rd floor

Saturday, November 12, 2022 1:59pm - 5:00pm

Geology Field Trip

Meet at circle pull-out between ADUC and Lappin

This workshop is presented by the Kentucky Paleontological Society and the Geological Society of Kentucky.

This workshop is presented by the Kentucky Paleontological Society and the Geological Society of Kentucky in conjunction with Morehead State University and The Geology Section of the Kentucky Academy of Sciences. Trip leaders are: Charles E. Mason, Morehead State University emeritus; Dr. Frank R. Ettensohn, University of Kentucky; Dr. Jen O’Keefe, Morehead State University; and Tim Lewis, retired petroleum geologist.

The field trip will explore the Upper Ordovician geology of eastern Kentucky at the famous but infrequently visited “Slate Valley” section in Bath County and provide opportunities to collect fossils for use in teaching and personal collections. On the return trip, there will be opportunity to collect additional rock types.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 1:59pm - 5:00pm

Teacher Workshop: Amgen Biotech Experience

Room 301

Presenter: Joanne Dobbins

This workshop is for high school life sciences teachers. For our presentation of the Amgen Biotech Experience we are prepared to present a description of the program. Using examples of

the ABE high-quality resources for secondary schools, including laboratory-based and classroom-based curriculum materials as well as Web-based resources. The program also loans research-grade equipment and supplies at no cost to teachers. We would like to provide a small sample of our Profession Development Institute that occurs every summer. Our program will offer one hands-on exercise using gel electrophoresis with our participants. We will provide the instruction, lesson planning, preparation, and equipment. Our program will provide state and national best practices standards and information. In addition we will make available a short demonstration of our vast reservoir of curriculums and resources for in-class and online instruction.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 1:59pm - 5:00pm

Teacher Workshop: Color Mixing with Glow Sticks and Spectroscopy

Lappin Hall 230

Presenter: Jennifer Birriel

resented by the Kentucky Association of Physics Teachers.
This workshop uses glow sticks and spectra to analyze the dyes of the various colors of glow sticks. The audience is high school and introductory college physics teachers. Using glow sticks intrigues the students since they are something the students are already familiar with.
The workshop would include the following topics:

Color Addition Theory
Light/Matter interactions – absorption, reflection, and fluorescence
Spectroscopy
Scientific reasoning

These topics would be included as a discussion and applied to the glow stick process. Data from the glow sticks would be collected, analyzed, and discussed. Teachers would leave with ideas and techniques to apply working with glow sticks in their classrooms.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 1:59pm - 5:00pm

Teacher Workshop: Tree Rings

Room 326

Presenter: Maegen Rochner

This workshop will introduce educators to the science of dendrochronology, or tree-ring science, and how it can be used to teach students about trees, environments, climate, and

sustainability. Dendrochronology, the scientific method of dating tree rings, provides information on the ages of trees but also on the environmental conditions they have experienced over time, informing past climate and environmental change, but also modern stressors on trees and forests. The workshop will include hands-on examination of tree-ring samples and accompanying activities. Teachers will leave with their own tree-ring samples and copies of accompanying materials they can use in their classrooms, activity options targeted to middle and high school students.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 2:00pm - 4:30pm

Cancer

Room 325

Co-chair: Julia Carter

Co-chair: Courtney Martin

This session is one of our special interdisciplinary themed sessions.

2:00 - Binding Site Characterization of MLH1 and c-Abl

First Author

Ana Thompson

Berea College

Co-author

Hannah Daniels

University of Kentucky, Markey Cancer Center

Co-author

Kristin Miller

University of Kentucky, Markey Cancer Center

Co-author

Eva Goellner

University of Kentucky, Markey Cancer Center

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is a regulatory pathway that identifies and repairs mispaired bases during DNA replication. The MMR pathway is also required for cell death after certain types of damage occur to the DNA, such as damage by alkylating agents. Without the MMR pathway, mutations can be incorporated into the DNA, which if not repaired will increase cellular mutation frequency and genomic instability eventually leading to the formation of cancer. Common cancers associated with MMR deficiencies include gastrointestinal, colorectal, and endometrial cancers. The primary proteins involved in MMR machinery are known, but the regulation of many of the pathway proteins is not well understood. The MLH1 protein is responsible for excision licensing of the daughter DNA strand, with the loss of this protein resulting in defective MMR and underlying a subset of MMR-associated cancers. We have recently discovered a novel regulatory pathway of MLH1, which involves tyrosine phosphorylation of MLH1 by the c-Abl kinase. Inhibition of c-Abl results in Hsp70-mediated degradation of MLH1 through the lysosomal degradation pathway. The Goellner Lab observed this MLH1 regulation to require the formation of a complex between MLH1 and active c-Abl followed by the tyrosine phosphorylation of MLH1. The goal of this project was to determine the binding sites between MLH1 and c-Abl and to also determine whether disruptions of the binding sites between c-Abl and MLH1 or the predicted phosphorylation site on MLH1 influenced MMR. Using site-directed mutagenesis I was able to generate multiple MLH1 and c-Abl mutant plasmids that were later used to transfect into human cell lines for further experiments. I performed immunoprecipitations to confirm the binding site sequences between MLH1 and c-Abl, as well as killing curve experiments to observe the effects mutations of the MLH1 protein had on the apoptotic pathway of MMR after alkylation damage by 6-Thioguanine.

2:15 - Molecular Evolution of the Cancer-Related Cadherin-1 Gene (CDH1)

First Author

Armaan Rai

Western Kentucky University Department of Biology

Co-author

Chandrakanth Emani

Western Kentucky University Department of Biology

The present study deciphers the molecular biological evolution of the CDH1 protein. CDH1 was shown to correlate with various cancers found in humans. Loss of CDH1 function is the cause of many cancers, especially gastric, breast, uterus, colorectal, thyroid, and ovarian cancers. CDH1 is a classical member of the cadherin superfamily. This protein is a calcium-dependent cell-to-cell adhesion glycoprotein. In this study, we analyze FASTA sequences of CDH1 from a diverse array of life forms using computational tools. Analysis was performed using bioinformatics software databases NCBI and EXPASY. Conserved domains and evolutionary ancestors were identified through PSI-BLAST and neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees. The initial BLAST analysis has identified a hypothetical evolutionary ancestor, the electric eel.

2:30 - Selection During Cancer Development for the Mutated Form of the p53 Gene in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

First Author

Jonathan Scherff

Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory

Co-author

Julia Carter

Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory

Co-author

Erik Bey

Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory

A mutation in one of the tumor suppressor genes is a foundational component in many cancers that inhibits the cell's ability to halt the cell cycle and allow time for DNA repair or apoptosis. The following research proposal examines if the mutant p53 gene is selected during cancer development through an in-vitro and in-vivo approach. In the in-vitro procedure, p53 wild-type and mutant cell lines will be incubated with cisplatin to look for selective advantage. This method will use cell lines from archived surgical specimens and, as a result, require full approval from the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Institutional Review Board (IRB). In the in-vivo method, the study will compare non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients' overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) based on p53 gene status and treatment, which will also need IRB approval. Our hypothesis states that if a mutated p53 gene increases tumorigenicity and chemoresistance, then selection against the wild-type p53 gene will be seen in cancer development, leading to a decreased OS and PFS. The results of this study will allow researchers to understand better how p53 gene status impacts cancer development through treatment and could play a key role in more effective NSCLC research.

2:45 - Effect of PSAT1 Expression on Mitochondrial Function in EGFR Mutant Lung Cancer Cells

First Author

Rishabh Ranjan

DuPont Manual High School

EGFR mutated lung cancer affects 31% of non-small cell lung cancer patients and results in aggressive tumors. Although current treatments are effective, tumors develop resistance within a couple of months/years. Cancer cells have significantly high
glucose uptake and consequently lactate production. Tumor cells alter several other metabolic pathways, including serine synthesis. Over-expression of the enzyme phosphoserine aminotransferase 1(PSAT1) is in the second step in serine synthesis and affects tumor cell proliferation and motility. It is unknown whether altered PSAT1 has any effect on other metabolic activity, including mitochondrial function. Due to PSAT1's involvement in the TCA cycle via alpha-ketoglutarate (aKG), it was hypothesized that cells with dysfunctional PSAT1 will demonstrate changes in mitochondrial activity. Two EGFR-mutant cell lines - PC9 and HCC827 - consisting of 4 different genetic manipulations were analyzed by the mitochondrial stress test on an Agilent Seahorse analyzer. Additionally, cells were labeled with Carbon-13 glucose to track glucose specific carbon through metabolic pathways by mass spectrometry. Results indicated that suppression of PSAT1 reduced basal oxygen consumption rate (OCR), ATP-dependent OCR, and maximal respiratory capacity in both cell lines. Re-expression of wild-type PSAT1 restored these deficiencies, but only HCC827 cells showed reduced OCR levels with expression of putative PSAT1 enzyme dead mutant (K200A). Mass spectrometry revealed PSAT1 knockout and K200 cells expressed low levels of functional enrichment for the C13 isotopologues in both cell lines. These results indicate a clear association between PSAT1 and mitochondrial function, suggestive of a metabolic vulnerability due to loss of PSAT1.

3:00 - Measuring the Rate of Loss of Heterozygosity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae AdoMet Synthetase Mutants

First Author

Zachary Case

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Warunya Panmanee

Northern Kentucky University

Co-author

Erin Strome

Northern Kentucky University

S-Adenosyl-Methionine (AdoMet) is the second most commonly used cellular enzyme substrate and the main methyl donor in cells. Both upregulations and downregulations in the expression of the three human AdoMet synthetase genes, MAT1, MAT2a, and MAT2b have been found in several human cancers. Understanding the effects of these genes on the development and progression of cancer may reveal new treatment possibilities. Our groups has previously shown that mutations in the SAM1 and SAM2 homologous genes in S. cerevisiae, lead to significant but opposite impacts on chromosome stability. However, those assays were only able to measure a few large-scale events. Loss of heterozygosity occurs when errors arise during the duplication of the genome and is a reproduced and measurable event that occurs in both yeast and human cells. It can contribute to the development of cancer. Therefore, we adapted the methodology of Anderson et al. (2008) to study the effects of deletion of these genes on the rates of loss of heterozygosity (LOH), as well as enabling us to distinguish between multiple mechanisms of LOH.

3:15 - Developing a Low-cost Device for the Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer

First Author

Sai Javvadi

duPont Manual High School

Co-author

Richard Lian

duPont Manual High School

Currently, thyroid cancer is diagnosed with a biopsy. However, the steep cost of this procedure makes it inaccessible to many. Volatile organic compound sensors are a cheaper alternative to this inequitable system. Although accuracy is lost with a significantly cheaper sensor, this can be minimized with the utilization of electromyography to collect two streams of data and aggregate these two in order to provide a more robust repository of data that we can use. EMG sensors are utilized to monitor laryngeal neural signals which the ratio and frequencies of signals can indicate irregularities. Initial tests were run with a STM32 microprocessor which has a built in SD card holder; this controller allowed us to collect flash data after testing, extract raw unlabeled data and process it through MATLAB. Next, multiple streams of MATLAB files were fed into a convolutional neural network model to make predictions on probability of thyroid cancer using data. We determined that our novel approach in assessing thyroid cancer was robust and demonstrated high accuracies. This suggests that similar low-cost, holistic sensing technologies may be adapted to provide cheap and convenient diagnosis to those that cannot afford expensive treatment across patients suffering from a spectrum of ailments.

3:30 - Piloting an Oral History Approach to Investigating Cancer in Appalachian Kentucky

First Author

Courtney Martin

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Lauren Hudson

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Nathan Vanderford

University of Kentucky

Background: Kentucky ranks first in the United States in overall cancer incidence and mortality rates. Within Kentucky, the Appalachian region experiences disproportionately high rates of cancer. Purpose: Using an oral history approach, we aimed to better understand cancer in Appalachian Kentucky by exploring the problems facing the area, the factors contributing to high rates of cancer in the region, and potential solutions that would lower cancer rates. Methods: We recruited individuals from within the region to participate in oral history interviews to discuss their understanding of cancer in Appalachia. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the interviews. Collected data were categorized by theme, subtheme and subtopic. Results: Themes that emerged include problems being faced in Appalachia, contributing factors, potential solutions, Appalachian disposition, experiences with and thoughts on cancer, and defining success versus the future without changes. Our findings illustrate the need for increasing education and awareness, increasing health care access, and promoting cancer prevention. Implications: The identified needed interventions can be implemented in various ways including integrating knowledge of Appalachian culture into the onboarding of healthcare providers to help eliminate distrust, through government interventions to increase the number of health care facilities in the region, and by directing funding towards preventive care services. Implementing these changes has the potential to reduce the cancer burden in the area. We conclude that using oral history interviews is an innovative approach to explore the causes and consequences of cancer through individual perspectives.

3:45 - The role of oxidative stress regulatory genes in the process of tumorigenesis

First Author

Erik Bey

Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory

Co-author

Julia Carter

Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory

The most common cancer amongst U.S. women in 2021 was breast cancer; and it is predicted to be the 2nd leading cause of cancer related deaths (2nd only to lung cancer) in U.S. women in 2022. The development of effective therapies to treat any cancer in part depends on finding novel approaches to answer specific questions regarding tumor biology. One of the more intriguing emerging areas in tumor biology is the role that oxidative stress regulation plays in mediating tumor formation, extravasation, and metastases from the primary tumor site to distal tissue/organs. Our previous work in lung cancer suggests that genes that are upregulated to thwart oxidative stress, such as NADPH Quinone Oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1), play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis. Altered expression of genes such as NQO1 in lung cancer has been shown to affect tumor initiation, tumor growth, metastasis, and overall tumor survival. However, such findings have not been elucidated in breast cancer. Thus, there is acritical need for determining the role that NQO1 and other oxidative stress regulators play in the tumorigenesis of breast cancer. We hypothesize that altering the expression of NQO1, and various other oxidative stress regulatory genes, will alter the tumorigenicity and stemness of breast cancer cells and this will translate into changes in survival rates amongst patients with breast cancer. To test this hypothesis, we plan to: Elucidate what effect altering the expression of oxidative stress regulatory genes has on the tumorigenic properties of breast cancer cells. Determine what stem-ness factors are enhanced or compromised by altering oxidative stress regulatory gene expression levels. Clinical assessment of the expression levels of oxidative stress regulator genes as well as breast cancer stem cell genes factors found in associated normal and breast cancer tissue from breast cancer patient samples at the Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 2:00pm - 4:30pm

Climate Science

Room 310

Co-chair: Jerry Brotzge

Co-chair: Lauren Cagle

This session is one of our special interdisciplinary themed sessions.

2:00 - Development and application of a new paleoclimatological proxy with examples from the Holocene of Kentucky and Miocene

First Author

Jen O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ingrid Romero

Morehead State University

Co-author

Noelia Nuñez Otaño

University of Entre Rios and CONICET

Co-author

Matthew Pound

Northumbria University

Co-author

Margaret Alden

Morehead State University

Co-author

Abigayle Caldwell

Morehead State University

Co-author

Jolene Fairchild

Morehead State University

Co-author

Kristina Gardner

Morehead State University

Co-author

Taylor Horsfall

Morehead State University

Co-author

Jones Savannah

Columbia University

Additional authors:
Lennex-Stone, June E. (1),
Marriner, Emma (1),
Marsh, Christopher (1),
Patel, Alyssa (4), Smallwood, Liberty (7), Spears, Tyler M.(1), Tarlton, Laikin (6), VanderEspt, L. Olivia (7)

1 Department of Physics, Earth Science, and Space Systems Engineering, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, USA.
2 Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
3 Laboratorio de Geología de Llanuras. Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Sede Diamante. CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council) Argentina.
4 Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, USA.
5 Columbia University, New York, USA
6 Department of Biology and Chemistry, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, USA.
7 Department of Agricultural Sciences, Morehead

Palynomorphs, including pollen, plant spores, and dinoflagellates are widely used paleoclimatological proxies because they provide a regional-scale signal. Within the spectrum of organismal remains classified as 'palynomorphs' in the fossil record, fungi provide a unique opportunity to elucidate a local, rather than regional signal. Historically, paleoclimatological interpretations using fossil fungi have been hampered by datasets which relied on fossil names, many of which were derived from Sarccado spore morphologies and had no relation to extant taxa. Beginning with the North-South America comparing Climate change across Hemispheres (NSACH) project and continuing with the Fungi in a Warmer World (FiaWW) project, our collaborative team has developed an identification method based on the system used by mycologists for morphological comparisons to equate defined fossil taxa with their nearest living relatives and to identify previously unidentified fossil taxa as members of extant fungal clades. This permits the delineation of ecological requirements and paleobiogeographic distribution patterns for fungal assemblages and functional guilds in the fossil record, which can then be used to describe both paleoecological conditions and paleoclimates present at the time of deposition using the nearest living relative method. Here we present an overview of results from the Holocene of Kentucky and Miocene across North America that demonstrate the utility of fossil fungi as reliable paleoclimate proxies.

2:15 - Delineating stormwater drainage during a record-wet year in an urbanized karst basin, Lexington, Kentucky

First Author

Alan Fryar

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Benjamin Currens

Kentucky Division of Water

Co-author

Cristopher Alvarez Villa

Cana Technology

Published projections of climate change in the Kentucky River basin include increases in temperature, annual precipitation, and surface runoff in spring and fall. These are likely to be accompanied by increases in the intensity of rainstorms. Consequently, flooding and the performance of urban storm drainage systems are of concern. In Lexington, Kentucky, stormwater drains to streams not only via runoff and storm sewers, but also through subsurface conduit networks that link sinkholes to springs in karstified limestone. We combined analyses of stable water isotopes with continuous logging of electrical conductivity (EC) and water temperature in the McConnell Springs basin during 2018, the wettest year on record (since 1888) in Lexington. Monitoring occurred at the springs, a sinkhole ~2.1 km upgradient, and along two losing stream reaches. Spring discharge appears to represent a mixture of focused and diffuse recharge. Stormwater moved from the sinkhole to the springs within hours, consistent with fluorescent dye tracing. Sinkhole ponding lasted up to 9 days after storms. EC spikes at McConnell Springs during January-March are attributable to road salting, which indicates the susceptibility of the springs to non-point source pollution by stormwater. Overall, the karst drainage network appears to function effectively in stormwater management.

2:30 - Observing Kentucky's Climate: New Technologies for Environmental Monitoring

First Author

Jerry Brotzge

Western Kentucky University

Historically, weather observations were expensive to collect and time-consuming. Weather instruments were delicate and required manual observation. The first weather observing program, the Cooperative Observer Program (COOP), was established by the National Weather Service (NWS) in 1890 and used volunteers to track daily weather. Observations were recorded by hand, and then mailed to the NWS for archival. Since that time, however, computers, rapid communications, and remote sensing technologies have revolutionized weather observations, providing ever-increasing spatial and temporal sampling of the environment. Automated weather stations; Doppler, dual-polarization weather radar; and drones are revolutionizing how we monitor weather and climate. This presentation will showcase the newest weather sensing capabilities and showcase how Kentucky is leading the way in adopting these innovative technologies.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 2:00pm - 4:30pm

Computer & Information Sciences

Room 321

Chair: Jerzy Jaromczyk

Secretary: Muzaffar Ali

2:00 - Age of Misinformation & Disinformation in Social Media and Affects to Minority Population during Covid-19

First Author

RICHARD MAITI

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Cliff Wise

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Bennet Hammer

Hammer IT

Co-author

Deanna Wilborne

Berea College

Co-author

clifton wise

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Jerome Walker

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Amrit Nepal

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Sujeet Acharya

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Aaron Harris

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Jared Wallace

Kentucky State Unviersity

This research investigates the disinformation and misinformation that are generated by social networking sites and the influence it has on minority populations. Minorities often rely on Smart Phones as their only source of connection to the Internet. Smart Phones are used by minorities to apply for jobs and to gain healthcare-related information. The usage of social media has increased over the years. Gen Z and millenniums often post information on their social media pages. The misinformation and disinformation towards minorities have a historical significance that can be traced back to the Tuskegee syphilis study. This study aims to develop a filter that can be utilized by minorities to verify information that is posted on social media content can also be utilized on other sources of information.

2:15 - 30-Node Raspberry Pi4 HTC (High Throughput Computing) Beowulf Cluster

First Author

Samia Mahmood

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Jordan Dowdy

Bellarmine University

Co-author

Akhtar Mahmood

Bellarmine University

Raspberry Pi is revolutionizing the field of computing technology in the cluster computing environment. One of our goals is to test and explore the capabilities of Raspberry Pis to determine how well the Raspberry Pis perform in a cluster computing environment for parallel processing tasks. At Bellarmine University, we have built a portable table-top Raspberry Pi4 Beowulf cluster, nicknamed Orchard. The Orchard Raspberry Pi4 cluster uses a gigabit managed switch along with PoE (Power over Ethernet) to deliver power to each Raspberry Pi node. The 30-node Orchard Raspberry Pi4 cluster consists of 120 cores; each node has a quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC clocked at 1.5GHz with 4GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM connected to a 48-port gigabit ethernet switch and is running the 32bit Raspbian-11 operating system which is based on the Linux Debian operating system optimized for the Raspberry Pi hardware. Using the Orchard Raspberry Pi4 cluster. We have tested the performance of an ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) CPU compared to a conventional Intel CPU in high throughput computing environment. We have compared the performance of the 30-node Orchard Raspberry Pi4 cluster with a previously built 33-node Raspberry-Pi (RPi) cluster with 33 cores, nicknamed Vine which has a first generation Raspberry Pi1 Model B+ CPU (700MHz processor with 512MB of RAM) running the Raspbian-7 operating system. Both Raspberry Pi clusters use OpenMPI for the parallelization across the nodes. We have used custom made benchmarks created in C++ using the OpenMPI library. We will present the results of our benchmark tests and show the performance across the nodes.

2:30 - Development of an Image Registration and Blending Process to Produce Cohesive Images of the Herculaneum Scroll 118.

First Author

Bruno Athie Teruel

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Sydney Chapman

University of Kentucky

The city of Herculaneum was buried in 79 A.D. by Mount Vesuvius in Ancient Rome by the eruption that buried Pompeii. Herculaneum stands out for its Villa de Papyri, the largest surviving Greco-Roman Library, containing scrolls written in Greek that were carbonized by the eruption. The damage inflicted on the scrolls has, for a long time, stalled their scholarly study; however, the analysis can continue by utilizing technology in non-invasive ways. One of these scrolls, P.Herc. 118 – now housed at the Bodleian Library of Oxford University, England – was 3D scanned using an Artec Scanner and photographed by a HEADWALL Hyperspec III Scanner in 2016 by EduceLab. Because of space constraints, the images were taken as separate overlapping strips that needed to be conjoined using image registration and blending procedures. At that time, the best images resulted from the preliminary implementation of the Image registration method, which included slight misalignment and manual blending. However, advancements in this pipeline allowed us to improve upon these images by fine-tuning parameters, increasing input accuracy and precision, and comparing methods. The methodology was further developed with automated image blending in a reproducible, well-documented system. In this research, the resulting method produced a new cohesive output for all images of the P.Herc.118 fragments that can be analyzed by historians and scholars more efficiently without posing any risk of damage to the original artifact. These new images are aligned to the 3D meshes; so that layer and depth information can be considered during text extraction.

2:45 - Development of Blockchain Coins, transactions, and awareness

First Author

Amrit Nepal

Kentucky State University

Co-author

Sujeet Acharya

Kentucky State University

Blockchain is getting a lot of media attention and is a hot topic in the present day. Still, its extended use in the professional and academic scope is not being realized. It is a digital ledger of all cryptocurrency transactions. Blockchain Technology-based Solana Tokens named 'ThoroCoins' are mint in limited numbers. We will organize online and in-person presentations to provide information and create awareness about Blockchain among students and faculty. To encourage more students, ThoroCoins will be distributed to the participants. Students can use different digital crypto wallets to redeem ThoroCoins in the bookstore and cafeteria within the KState university. Surveys among participants before and after presentations will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of our event. We will use Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to host our server, Solana technology for transactions fee, and Rust programming language to create ThoroCoin tokens. In the future, 'ThoroCoin' can be adopted and partnered with local community businesses for exchange.

3:00 - Disaster Area LoRa Mesh Communcations

First Author

Joel Bulkley

Murray State University

In the aftermath of the December 2021 tornado disaster that swept through Western Kentucky causing 57 fatalities, 500+ critical injuries, and millions of dollars' worth in damages, one of the first things that became apparent was the lack of communications and underlying power infrastructure. The goal of this project is to create a highly resilient LoRa mesh communications network utilizing low power, low cost, and easy to deploy radios to enable first responders in a disaster area to communicate their location and send critical information in a situation where traditional communications infrastructure has been destroyed or is otherwise unavailable. Through our testing we found that we were able to create the intended mesh network. We also were able to yield results from testing our network within various different commonly encountered environments such as neighborhoods, wooded areas, and open fields. With this we were able to prove our initial hypothesis that our solution would provide first responders with vital communications.

3:15 - Pose Tracking for Public Speaking while in Virtual Reality

First Author

Austin Morris

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Luke LeFebvre

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Jerzy Jaromczyk

University of Kentucky

Public speaking requires a complex set of skills, but competent delivery of verbal and nonverbal messages requires presenters to rehearse their presentation. Virtual reality (VR) provides a convenient method for practicing public speaking while alone. This research explored how presenters nonverbally engaged with a VR simulation that replicated an exact copy of the audience and classroom environment. This was done by creating a Python program capable of the detecting various movements of the presenters. We used the opensource software OpenPose to provide us with keypoints for the body in our videos of students. With the positions of each body part in every frame provided from OpenPose, we were able to devise algorithms to detect horizontal head movements as well as general movements of the chest. The program processes the keypoints from OpenPose and outputs detailed information such as ratios/averages for left/right head turns. Preliminary results demonstrated that presenters engaged in virtual reality in an identical manner to those nonverbal behaviors displayed in physical reality. This supports the notion of practicing public speaking without 'real' audiences. Our program demonstrates the ability to detect movements of persons in VR and can be continued to detect more nonverbal behaviors.

3:30 - The Design of an Interfaceable Database for the Linguistic Atlas Project

First Author

Nyx Harris-Palmer

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Jerzy Jaromczyk

University of Kentucky, Department of Computer Science

Co-author

Allison Burkette

University of Kentucky, Department of English

We discuss the design and implementation of an interface that provides data access for the Linguistic Atlas Project (LAP). The LAP, founded in 1929 by the American Dialect Society, is the most extensive study of American English undertaken to date. However, most of the vast amount of data it stores remains inaccessible to researchers. The LAP's data is currently a mix of tabular and image files. These files are disjoint, resulting in a pool of information that is hard to navigate. With improved access, the LAP can be used to its fullest as a rich pool of data in broad linguistic research into American dialectics. To realize this, we are constructing a feature-rich web-based interface connected to a manually created database. The design for this project prioritizes providing detailed searching capabilities to the LAP's data by mimicking the syntax of database systems such as SQL. The site is built using Python's Flask web microframework, with technologies such as WTForms, Jinja2, and JavaScript. This project aims to give the linguistic research community a convenient and helpful tool for studying any data the LAP collects and provides.

3:45 - Migrating genome project data from custom databases to an instance of the GMOD Chado database

First Author

Andrew Tapia

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Jerzy Jaromczyk

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Christopher Schardl

University of Kentucky

Fungal Project Database (FPD) is a relational database schema and associated tools developed for use in genome projects in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky. Although FPD currently meets the needs of these projects, concerns about the maintainability of the tools and compatibility with other software have motivated migration of the FPD databases to Chado, a more widely used ontology-based schema. This presentation describes and compares the two schemas and discusses challenges encountered in migrating between them. This presentation describes the software-both new and existing-used to address these challenges and perform the migration. Additionally, the presentation discusses the process of recreating existing data visualizations based on GBrowse 1 using newer genome browsers. Although the software was developed specifically for migrating FPD to Chado, some components may be useful for other applications. Moreover, the lessons learned from attempting this migration may be of interest to others attempting similar migrations from custom software solutions to more standard 'off-the-self' software.

4:00 - Improvements to CURatio for genome-wide phylogenomic analysis

First Author

Neil Moore

University of Kentucky

Co-author

Joanna Cholewo

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Phylogenomics, the application of phylogenetic ('family tree') analysis to genome-scale data, has become an important tool in evolutionary biology over the past decades, in large part because of the increasing availability and decreasing cost of whole-genome sequence data. However, different genes within the same group of organisms can and do display different evolutionary histories from one another. The CURatio software package (https://github.com/MD-KX/CURatio), originally published in 2018, is one tool for investigating these different evolutionary history, and specifically for identifying 'outlier' genes whose phylogenetic trees differ significantly from the consensus tree for the genomes as a whole. CURatio assigns a score to each gene, measuring how much the topology of that gene's phylogenetic tree differs from the consensus tree.

We describe work-in-progress improvements to the CURatio software that aim to improve the usability and functionality of the software. On the usability side, we have implemented a command-line interface to make it easier to use the software in scripted pipelines, as well as options to visualize the constructed phylogenetic trees. Functionality improvements include better support for paralogs, multiple copies of the same gene in a single organism. We have also introduced additional functionality for testing the algorithm, specifically by permuting the positions of organisms in the trees to observe the effect on the scores assigned to those trees.

We discuss the development process as well as the results of some preliminary testing of our improvements.

4:15 - The architecture and genetic composition of Magnaporthe Starship transposons

First Author

Savanna Ruebsam

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Ciara Pike

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Morgan Morrow

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Blake Park

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Camden Ping

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Mallory Bermudez

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Patrick Calie

Eastern Kentucky University

Co-author

Mark Farman

University of Kentucky

Magnaporthe (Ascomycota) comprises a genus of filamentous fungi containing numerous strains pathogenic on >50 grass (Poaceae) species on six continents. Our group is investigating the possible genetic mechanisms that could be responsible for generating this fungal diversity of host recognition and ecological adaptation. In our investigations of the genomes of nine Magnaporthe strains we have identified the presence of multiple copies of a recently-described novel class of DNA transposons, termed Starships. Utilizing bioinformatic tools, e.g. BLASTn, FACET, the Integrated Genome Viewer, and Mauve, we determined the locations, lengths and genetic architectures of the transposons. Magnaporthe Starships are typically found inserted between positions 1-69 and 56-116 of truncated nuclear 5SrRNA genes. Both intact (full length) and truncated (partial) Starships were documented. The intact starships ranged in length from 10kb - 250 kb. We have classified the Starships into specific categories based on their border sequences and the presence/absence of additional sequence motifs e.g. inverted repeats, linker sequences, and transposon-unique sequences. Utilizing the gene prediction tool Softberry with BLASTn we determined that many Starships contain a variety of fungal secondary metabolite genes. Our current findings support the conjecture that Starships could be influencing genomic evolution through gene translocation and genomic structural alterations.

Saturday, November 12, 2022 2:00pm - 4:30pm

Mathematics

Room 329

Section Meeting to follow presentations

Chair: Doug Chatham

2:00 - Filling most of a rectangular chessboard with chess pieces of more than one type

First Author

Doug Chatham

Morehead State University

We present placements of mutually non-attacking chess pieces of mixed type that occupy more than half of the squares of an m×n board. If both white and black pawns are allowed as separate types, there are arrangements, which we also present, that occupy at least two-thirds of the board squares.

2:15 - Foundations & Applications of Singular Value Decomposition

First Author

Malik Thompson

Kentucky State University

This paper will focus on the foundations and applications of Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). We will first build the foundation and understanding of the Singular Value Decomposition Theorem through definitions, theories, and examples that will ultimately lead to discussing an application of SVD using the MATLab software package. Through understanding these concepts and theories we will be able to organize and use real-world data that is stored in non-square, unstable, or large matrices. While there are various applications of SVD, this presentation will focus on image compression by reducing the size of the pixel matrix of the image through the process of Singular Value Decomposition. Building the understanding of the process of SVD, we will review various topics such as eigenvalues, eigenvectors, diagonalization, characteristic polynomial, and other related topics that lead up to the application of SVD.

2:30 - A Statistical Analysis of Yahtzee Dice Rolling

First Author

Jordan Smith

Morehead State University

Co-author

Russell May

Morehead State University

Yahtzee is a dice-rolling game where one has three roll attempts to get different combinations which give the players varying amounts of points. Players may choose to not reroll dice that have a desired value. The most valuable combination is for all dice to have the same value (Yahtzee). We look beyond the allowed three rolls and analyze how the probability distribution of obtaining a Yahtzee changes as the number of dice and number of faces per die are altered. A Python program is used to model the distribution and obtain descriptive statistics which are compared to theoretical values obtained from generating functions and density functions.

2:45 - Semiclassical Mastermind

First Author

Joshua Qualls

Morehead State University

Co-author

Curby Bair

Craft Academy

Co-author

Alexa Cunningham

Craft Academy

Mathematical games have often been used in the classroom to teach ideas and concepts. Yet the activities used to introduce quantum mechanics remain overwhelming and daunting, even to some upper-division science students. Further, the "games" in question range in focus and complexity from superficial introductions to games where quantum strategies/algorithms result in decidedly nonclassical advantages. In this talk, we introduce the newly-developed "Semiclassical Mastermind", a modification of the classic board game to include superposition and wavefunction collapse. After introducing the rules, we talk about differences in optimal play and results of our Monte Carlo simulations. We conclude with recent work on developing a more advanced set of rules to allow for truly quantum-mechanical play.

3:00 - Semiclassical Snakes and Ladders

First Author

Joshua Qualls

Morehead State University

Co-author

Ashley Peters

Morehead State University

Snakes and Ladders is a worldwide classic spanning centuries. But the standard game leaves a little to be desired in terms modern rules. In this talk, we introduce a newly-designed "Semiclassical Snakes and Ladders" as a quantum update of this children's game. After introducing the rules and a mathematical analysis of a toy model, we present results comparing Monte Carlo simulations of the classical and semiclassical versions before concluding with plans for developing a larger, playable version integrating truly quantum-mechanical play.

3:15 - The Final Three Card Trick Under a Modular Arithmetic Scope

First Author

Kyle Williams

Morehead State University

This thesis is divided into three sections. In the first section, we will discuss the set-up and fundamentals of the final three card trick (FTCT), as well as the combinatorial explanation behind how the trick works with a single deck of cards. After a brief explanation of modular arithmetic, the discussion of FTCT will focus on mod(2), (4), (8), (16).
The second section will detail the exploration of the trick with more than one deck of cards. The application of modular arithmetic and combinatorics will be described first with two decks, then three, and four. The third and final section will be a full explanation on how the FTCT works with any size n deck of cards. The description of the trick will be described and then it will be proven that the three selected cards will be in the deck positions x, y, and z. The final section is still in progress but will be referenced during the presentation.

3:30 - FUN WITH CUBICS

First Author

Dwight Smith

Kentucky Community and Technical College System

We all know that there is a Quadratic Formula. Did you know that there is a Cubic Formula? You will be shown the formula and given a couple of examples. You will then be given two examples to try on your own!

Saturday, November 12, 2022 2:00pm - 4:30pm

Zoology

Room 320

Chair: Jeremy Gibson

Secretary: David Hayes

2:00 - Death instead of Sex: Parasitism of katydids by eavesdropping fly Ormia lineifrons

First Author

Oliver Beckers

Murray State University

Co-author

Kyler Rogers

Murray State University

Mating signals of insects do not only attract their intended receivers but also eavesdropping parasites. The ensuing arms race has a high potential for introducing diversity in the involved species. Here, we present data on the host usage of the rarely studied tachinid fly Ormia lineifrons that uses Neoconocephalus katydids as hosts for its lethal larvae. Four of six surveyed Neoconocephalus species were parasitized and killed by the fly in Kentucky. Lab rearing of pupae indicated that the fly was multivoltine and synchronized each of its seasonal generations with different host species. The parasitism rate across hosts peaked between 38% and 100%. Parasite load and pupal development time did not differ among host species. However, fly development success was lowest for N. triops, the species that the fly likely has evolved with for the longest time. We discuss the importance of the synchronization between fly generations and their different host species as well as the potential counteradaptations of the hosts. This multi-species arms race can provide novel insights in the coevolution of parasites and their hosts.

2:15 - Survey of Parasites Found in the Fat Mucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea, at North Elkhorn Creek, Scott County, KY

First Author

Malloy Collins

Berea College

Co-author

Isabel Dalton

Berea College

Co-author

Ron Rosen

Berea College

The objective of this study was to survey parasites of the fat mucket mussel, Lampsilis siliquoidea, in North Elkhorn Creek, Kentucky, by assessing the prevalence and mean intensity of parasitic infections. Fifty-two specimens of L. siliquoidea were collected during July 2022. Three different parasites were recovered: the aspidogastrean trematode, Cotylaspis insignis, the water mite, Unionicola fossulata, and digenean sporocysts containing rhopalocercariae (Family Gorgoderidae). Prevalence of infection of L. siliquoidea with C. insignis was 84.6%, while U. fossulata had a prevalence of 96.2%, and the sporocysts containing rhopalocercariae (Family Gorgoderidae) had a prevalence of 13.5%. The mean intensity of infection for C. insignis was 8.50 ± 7.13, for U. fossulata 3.92 ± 2.25, and for sporocysts >500. No significant difference was found in prevalence or mean intensity of infection of L. siliquoidea with C. insignis or U. fossulata due to sex or size of host or in the prevalence of sporocysts due to host sex or size. All three parasites enter the mussel by free-living larval stages: C. insignis â?? cotylocidium; U. fossulata â?? larval mite; Gorgoderidae â?? miracidium. Thus, water current speed may impact the prevalence and mean intensity of infection with these parasites along with host specificity.

2:30 - Wolf Spider Decision-Making Based on Distance from a Food Source

First Author

Jenna Burns

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Research has shown that jumping spiders, which primarily utilize visual cues to hunt, are capable of decision-making processes that allow them to choose prey that is closer to them. Such research is lacking in wandering spiders, which utilize both visual and vibratory cues to hunt. We studied this process in Schizocosa, a genus of wolf spider, by presenting them with both visual (video) and vibratory signals of prey. The spiders were placed in a Y-maze and allowed to choose between a short (10cm) and long (20cm) path to the simulated prey. Sixty-two trials were run with adult spiders of both sexes; half were starved and the other half were well-fed. We hypothesized that the spiders would choose the shortest path. Further, we predicted that if spiders were motivated (starved), then they would be more likely to choose the shorter path to prey. While most of the spiders made no decision, of those that did make a decision, they usually chose the shorter path, but motivated spiders were not found to be more likely to do so. Overall, this research suggests that wolf spiders have the capacity to choose the shorter path to a prey item without experiencing the environment prior.

2:45 - Analysis of Earwigflies (Merope tuber) Seasonal Abundance, Trap Preference, and Sex Ratio

First Author

Sean O'Keefe

Morehead State University

Co-author

Abigail Fagan

Morehead State University

Earwigflies are rarely seen insects that are related to scorpionflies. Three species of earwigflies are known, one in Brazil, one in Australia, and the third (Merope tuber), widespread throughout the eastern United States. In a 1984 study, Chris Maier collected 69 earwigflies (43 females and 26 males (sex ratio 2.4:1)) between 1977 and 1982 from New England. Most of these were collected in July using sticky traps. In a 2014 study, Skvarla, Hartshorn, and Dowling collected 77 earwigflies (58 females and 24 males (sex ratio 1.65:1)) from Arkansas; mostly in August using malaise traps, pan traps, Lindgren funnels, and pitfall traps. Over the course of two field seasons in 2011 and 2012, we collected over 500 earwigflies from pan traps, which is the largest collection in the world that we know of. We collected 339 females and 165 males, which is roughly a 2.05:1 sex ratio. Our collection spanned from May to December with the peak collection week being in late August for both years. Our results are similar to those of Maier and Skvarla, Hartshorn, and Dowling. We notice a possible preference for yellow pan traps over brown pan traps by the number of specimens collected in each weekly. We plan to use statistical analysis to better evaluate seasonal variance and trap preference of earwigflies.

3:00 - Crayfish as Predators (Non-Hosts) of the Digenetic Trematode Cercaria, Proterometra macrostoma, North Elkhorn Creek, KY

First Author

Isabel Dalton

Berea College

Co-author

Malloy Collins

Berea College

Co-author

Ron Rosen

Berea College

The role of parasites as prey and their respective 'non-host' predators has received increasing attention in recent studies. The large cercaria of the digenetic trematode, Proterometra macrostoma, uses a highly adaptive luring behavior that includes sustained cyclical, vertical swimming bursts to promote ingestion by the definitive host as well as 'non-host' predators. The objective of this study was to evaluate the preference exhibited by several species of non-host crayfish when exposed to three different prey items including P. macrostoma cercariae, Xenopus laevis tadpoles, and the zooplankter, Daphnia magna. Snails, Elimia semicarinata, shedding P. macrostoma cercaria, and Kentucky River crayfish, Faxonius juvenilis, were obtained from North Elkhorn Creek, Scott County, Kentucky. Daphnia magna, X. laevis tadpoles, and crayfish, Procambrus spp., were purchased from Carolina Biological. Tanks containing crayfish were checked every hour for seven hours post-exposure to detect the number of prey items consumed. Proterometra. macrostoma cercariae were either consumed at a faster rate or at the same rate as D. magna and X. laevis by crayfish predators. Thus, P. macrostoma cercariae appear to be a legitimate and preferred prey item under laboratory conditions, and likely a significant part of the food web at North Elkhorn Creek.

3:15 - Comparison of Avian Guilds Between Suburban and Exurban Sites in Florida and Kentucky, USA.

First Author

Sashalia Ramirez

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Co-author

Jeremy Gibson

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Humans are expanding infrastructure and natural resource use every year, leading to a loss of wildlife habitat at an exponential rate. Although the loss of natural habitats reduces biodiversity, green spaces can provide refuge for many species in human-impacted landscapes, to some extent. Birds are indicators of environmental health due to their high detectability rates, roles as seed dispersers, and as insect controllers. Birds are important to understand the state of a habitat. We conducted avian point counts in the states of Kentucky and Florida, U.S.A, to indirectly assess habitat quality for a select few bird species belonging to five foraging guilds: foliage gleaners, bark-foraging insectivores, ground insectivores, foliage granivores, and ground granivores. Our objective was to compare the densities of birds in each guild across two anthropogenically-impacted habitats (suburban vs. exurban green spaces). We summarize our results and discuss the potential impacts of urban and green space habitats to birds and other wildlife.

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