17th Annual Research and Creative Activities Symposium

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17th Annual

R

esearch

a

nd

C

reative

A

ctivities

S

ymposium

Friday April 25th, 2014

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WELCOME TO THE 2014

RESEARCH and CREATIVE ACTIVITIES SYMPOSIUM

Friday, April 25, 2014

Anschutz Medical Campus

9:00am – 10:00am

• Exhibit set-up

10:00am - 1:45pm

• Student Exhibits - OPEN SESSION

Students present their research and creative projects in an informal

setting

(Lunch will be served)

1:45pm - 2:00pm

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Section

Page

Schedule 1

Welcome Letter 3

Undergraduate Authors and Titles 4

Graduate Authors and Titles 7 High School Authors and Titles 9

Undergraduate Abstracts 11

Graduate Abstracts 42

High School Abstracts 62

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WELCOME

RESEARCH and CREATIVE ACTIVITIES SYMPOSIUM

April 25, 2014

I welcome you to the 17th Annual Research and Creative Activities Symposium (RaCAS). This is the sixth joint RaCAS between the Denver and Anschutz Medical Campuses, and we are here to celebrate our student’s accomplishments. Over 180 students are displaying over 105 exhibits at this Symposium.

Discovery and creativity in learning is critical for the future of our students at the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver). The discovery based and creative works on display today are representative examples of the kind of activity we want all CU Denver students to experience.

Many other individuals have demonstrated strong support for this symposium and are with us today, such as Provost Dr. Rod Nairn, Chancellor Don Elliman, and our Executive Vice Chancellor, Lilly Marks. Their leadership and support recognizes the importance of learning by doing.

Enjoy yourself as you recognize the efforts of our undergraduate and graduate students. Stop them and engage them in conversations about their topics. I assure you that they will be thrilled to speak with you about their work.

Finally, I would like to thank all those whose efforts were critical to bring about this celebration of student discovery and creativity.

Best wishes and have a great time at our Symposium.

Richard J. Traystman, Ph.D. Distinguished University Professor Vice Chancellor for Research

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Adams, Jessica 11 The Effects of Enrichment Following Stress: Dopamine Levels in the Nucleus Accumbens Shell

After Cocaine

Ahern, Megan 11

Adolescent Social Deprivation Blunts Social Encounter Induced c-Fos Expression in the Forebrain of Rats

Albiston, Renee (UROP) 12

The Monuments, Fine Art, and Archives (MFAA) Program: How the Art World and the US Military Joined Forces to Save Cultural Heritage During WWII

Alyami, Mohammed 12

UCD Prototype Prosthesis

Ancar, Rachel (UROP) 13

Protein-lipid Interactions are Involved in Fertilization

Bacon-Maldonado, Job (UROP) 13

Gauging the Impact of Triclosan on the Human Microbiome

Bergkamp, David (UROP) 14

From Behavioral Models to Neurochemistry and Back: Biochemical methods to Study Rat Cocaine Consumption and its Effects on Neurotransmission

Blair, Adam 14

People Making Choices: A Philosophical Conversation

Blanchard, Alesia 15

Disruption of Lipid Rafts with Methyl-β-cyclodextrin in Xenopus Laevis Fertilization Pathway

Boggs, Liana 15

Vigilance Behavior of Canada Geese on the CU-Denver Downtown Campus and in City Parks

Carr, Caleb (UROP) 16

Study of Chaotic Pendulum in Rescue Helicopters

Choi, Yu Jung (UROP) 16

Photochemical Reactivity of Oxidative Lesions in RNA; 8-oxoadenosine, 8-oxoguanosine, and 5-hydroxy-uridine

Chon, Nara 17

A Theoretical Study of Temperature Dependence of Cluster Formation from Sulfuric Acid and Ammonia

Clark, Brandon 17

Canine Ratios in Colorado Mammalian Predators

Clark, Theresa 18

Individual Differences in Acute Cocaine Responsiveness and Attribution of Incentive Motivational Properties to Cocaine-Associated Cues

Copenhagen, Leland 18

Cocaine-Induced Locomotor Sensitization and Escalation of Cocaine Intake in Rats

Curley, Tara 19

Reduced Level of Sialylated IgG Antibody in the CSF of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Davis, Christal 19

Will Charge Delocalization of Chloride Ions Offset the Need for Large-Scale Conformational Changes Of the CIC Protein in Ion Translocation?

Dirkmaat, Heather (UROP) 20

Arterial Calcification in Pre-Menopausal Women

Dran, David 20

Simulation of Self-Inductance in a Superconducting Square Coil

Gallegos, Jacqueline 21

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Garimella, Sanjana 21 Vitamin C Concentration in Maaza Lychee Juice

Giguere, Nicolas 22

TREX – Therapeutic Response Leg Exoskeleton

Glenn, Danielle 22

The Effects of Perceived Burdensomeness and Filed Belongingness on the Relationship Between Combat Exposure and the Acquired Capability of Self-Injury

Glenn, Danielle 23

Associations Between Numbing Symptoms of PTSD and Perceived Burdensomeness: The Role of Partner Support

Gross, Nicholas (UROP) 23

Autonomous Portable Receiver and Display - APRAD

Hamilton, Desmond 24

Lipid Coated Gold Nanoparticles as Models of Highly Curved Viral Membranes

Harrison, Alexandra (UROP) 24

Effects of Wastewater Contaminants on Neurotransmitter Function and Distribution in the Fish Brain

Hellerova, Lenka 25

Real and Perceived Barriers to Healthcare by Runaway and Homeless Youth in Colorado

Henderson, Jack 25

Associations of the C2A Domains of Synaptotagmins 1 and 7 with Membranes by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Ibrahim, Nadeen 26

Solid Phase Separation of Hydrated Calcium Chloride from Aqueous Solution

James, Nathan 26

ConTrack All-Terrain Wheelchair

Judge, Jeremy (UROP) 27

Analysis of Jet Dynamics from X-ray Blazars

Kaur, Gurpreet 27

Using Site-Directed Nutagenesis to Characterize C3d-CR2 Antibody Binding Epitopes

King, Katarina (UROP) 28

Reflections on Urban Geography

Kokotovic, Marko 28

Investigating Mechanisms of PRC1 Complex Assembling During Cell Cycle Progression in Cancer Cells

Lamp, Andrew 29

The Origin of Phosphatidic Acid and its Form During Fertilization

Long, Jordan 29

Elucidation of PLC Activity after Insemination in Xenopus Laevis Eggs

Mahalingam, Vikasini 30

Witnessing Natural Artistry: Perfecting a Comparative Chromatography of Plant Pigments in Spinach, Turnip Greens, and Red Chard

McCuaig, Michael (UROP) 30

Attention Training and Motor Skill Practice

Moen, Jack (UROP) 31

Modifications to Mycobacterial Virulence Factors

Molla, Hanna 31

Cocaine Dose Magnitude and Conditional Approach Behaviors in Rats

Nelson, John 32

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Nguyen, Anna 32 Differential Protein Expression in a Mine Tailings Pseudomonas Isolate

Orcutt, Shawn 33

Effects of Social Isolation on Rat Behavior

Rakowski, Dylan 33

Ice Melt: Correlation Between Change in Enthalpy and Freezing Point Depression

Ramos, Isabella (UROP) 34

Sexually Dimorphic Effects of Prenatal Stress on Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Levels of the Rat Hypothalamus

Rossi, AnneMarie (UROP) 34

Understanding the Behavior Impacts of Teaching Mindfulness to Elementary Students: A Case Study of One Elementary Classroom

Satar, Abrar (UROP) 35

An Interferometer Based Experimental Technique to Evaluate Large Strains and Springback on Sheet Metal

Schelp, Scott 35

Ferrule Cannulae Construction for In Vivo Optogenetic Manipulation of the Dopamine System

Shapiro, Evan 36

Exploring Interplay Between Cell Macroscopic Features and Microscopic Behavior

Shine, Nicholas (UROP) 36

Brain Connectivity Mapping

Shuman, Jonah 37

Music Therapy Impacts Mood States of Adolescent Patients in a Psychiatric Hospital Setting

Stede, Renae (UROP) 37

A Forward Genetic Approach to Identify Novel Regulators of Myogenesis

Stoflet, Craig 38

Investigation of ErbB4 Isoform Gene Expression in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex of Mice Overexpressing NRG1 Type IV

Valles, Kenneth 38

UV Cross-Linking RNA to Protein in Whole Xenopus Oocytes

Vasquez, Joseph (UROP) 39

Frictional Additivity of Lateral Diffusion on Supported Bilayers: Influence of Linker Lengthin Synaptotagmin 7 C2A-C2B Tandem Domains

Vu, Ngoc 39

Fertilization and the Role of Phosphatidic Acid Production in Xenopus Laevis Sperm and Eggs

Worrell, Heather (UROP) 40

The Continuation of the Commercialization of Intimate Life and the Abduction of Feminism: Arlie Russell Hochschild’s Study of Women’s Advice Books Two Decades Later

Yniguez, Lorren 40

Conformational Changes to C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Caused by Highly Curved Lipid Membranes

Zukin, Leonid 41

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Anderson, Suzanne 42 Characterization of the Population and Land Cover Patterns in Mexico

Bishop, Nicholas 42

Toward Transplant Tolerance Induction in Diabetic Patients: Exploring How Hyperglycemia Affects T Cell Activation and Regulation

Chang, Kun-Che 43

Regulation of Inflammatory Cytokine and Growth Factor Secretion in Retinal Microglia

Chen, Xiaoye 43

Near-Field Microwave Characterization of Pipeline Materials for Defects Diagnosis

Cherry, Rebecca 44

Synthesis of Photoreleasable Protecting Groups

Chuayprakong, Pawinee 44

The Governance of Grain: A Preliminary Study of Cash Flow Management of Thailand’s Rice Pledging Scheme under Yingluck Shinawatra’s Caretaker Government (November 2013 – February 2014)

Clark, Jaime 45

Personal Branding

Collier, Kara 45

Evaluation of Spawning Habitat Site Selection Among Chinook Salmon

Cook, Jonathan 46

Interactions of Zygote arrest (Zar) Proteins with Known Translation Regulators in Early Development

DeLisle, Margaret 46

An Integrated Approach to Adaptive land Management Bases on Ecosystem Service Evaluations: A Case Study of the Trou de Nord Watershed in Haiti

Dubinsky, Jonathan 47

Sustainability Assessment of the San Luis Valley

Duc, Huy 47

Investigate Mechanisms of Immobilization of Polycomb Cbx2 Protein on Mitotic Chromosomes by Live Cell Fluroescent Resonance Energy Transfer Imaging

Egelston, Jennifer 48

Gene Expression Profiling in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Reveals Gsk-3-Dependent Targets in Insulin and Wnt Signaling Pathways

Finkowski, Kelly 48

Landscape Investments to Address Hunger in Original Aurora

Fisher, Craig 49

Street Vitality and Urban Design

Futia, Gregory 49

Evaluation of Lipid Content and Quantitative Microscopy as Biomarkers for Circulating Tumor Cells

Hicks, Kelly 50

Marketing Post-Divorce Classes: A Case For Nonprofits

Jacobs, Ryan 50

Microwave-Induced Thermoacoustic Tomography Experimental Study and FDTD Modeling

Kenny, Jessica 51

A Comparison of Male and Female Partner Perceptions of Accommodation to PTSD Symptoms

Kenny, Jessica 51

Advancing our Understanding of the Impact of Physical Injury on Intimate Relationships for Military Personnel

Kenny, Jessica 52

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Kondratenko, Volodymyr 52 Assimilation of the Fire Perimeter Data Using the Fire Spread Model SFIRE Coupled with the

WRF Model

Kwiatkowski, Evan 53

Convergence Concepts in Data Assimilation

Marzetta, Katrina 53

Concept Mapping: An Assessment Tool for Equitable Science Learning

Mason, Hillary 54

Negotiating Identities in STEM: Graduate Students in an Interdisciplinary GK-12 Program

Maxworth, Ashanthi 54

Generation of ELF/VLF Waves by Heating the Earth’s Ionosphere

Mitchell, Laia 55

Talking Streets: Measuring Street Livability Through Neighborhood Surveys

Narrowe, Adrienne 55

Low-dose Acute Environmental Triclosan Exposure Results in Perturbation and Restoration of The Fish Gut Microbiome

Nelson, Michelle 56

“Incognito” Immune Memory can Disrupt Transplantation Tolerance

Pembrook, James 56

Systematics of Carex Section Scirpinae, with Insight into the Origins of Edaphic Endemics

Pournasiri Poshtiri, Maryam 57

Extreme Low Flow Variability of Colorado River: A Diagnostic Study for an Application to Water Resources Management

Sackett, Joshua 57

Spatiotemporal Variation in Microbial Community Structure of an Acidic Minerotrophic Iron Fen

Schnittka, Jessica 58

Investigating Collaborative Group Interactions for Traditionally Underrepresented Middle School STEM Students

Senser, Robert 58

DEFG: Declarative Framework for GPUs

Subotic, Sladjana 59

Bioremediation of and Microbial Characterization of Arsenic-Impacted Museum Collections

Tatavosian, Roubina 59

Studies of Assembly of PRC1 on Native Mononucleosome by Single Molecular Fluorescence Microscopy

Valera, Juliana 60

TRAP-ing Myotube Guidance Molecules

Watanabe, Naomi 60

Simultaneous Multi-angle Measurements of Plasma Turbulence at HAARP

Yorgov, Daniel 61

Combined Association and Admixture Mapping for Complex Traits

Zhen, Chao 61

Immobilizing of Polycomb Repressive Complex (PRC) 1 on Mitotic Chromosomes by Cbx2 in a PRC2-independent Mechanism

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The Innovation Hyperlab, Gateway High School, Aurora Public Schools

Randall Tagg, CU Denver Physics Dept., University Scientist in Residence Judy Bleakley, Aurora Public Schools, Innovation Academy Director Ron Vasquez, Innovation Hyperlab Laboratory Manager

Carol McBride, Michael Bautista, and Lynn Fair, Aurora Public Schools Pathway Directors

The Innovation Hyperlab is a nationally unique facility that brings university-level research facilities and technologies into a K-12 school district. The lab is host to a the Aurora Pathways Innovation Academy in which high school student “principal investigators” lead teams of fellow students on projects of authentic research and technical innovation. The teams are assisted by university student mentors and by “Teacher Scientists in Residence”. More broadly, the Innovation Hyperlab is a platform for developing curriculum and providing resources to enable students in Aurora Public Schools to build early confidence in the creative use of scientific instruments, engineering tools, and a wide variety of technologies. There are fifty two technical resource areas in the lab ranging from mechanical components to electronics to optics. We are excited about the lab’s growing capacity to prepare students for a high degree of effectiveness and innovative thinking when they go on to the university and enter the Colorado’s workforce.

P.I. - Isaac Andrade, Hinkley High School

Researcher - Akosua Antobre, William Smith High School Project: Quantum Effects in Cell Membrane Ion Channels

P.I. – Dillon Elliott, Central High School P.I. – Do Park, Rangeview High School

Researchers – Shirley Tun-Verde, Kimberly Moran Project: Powering Medical Devices Using Body Energy

P.I. – Ali Hourieh, William Smith High School

Researcher – Marielos Mendez, William Smith High School Project: Reducing Gravitational Loads on the Spine During Surgery

P.I. – Lizbeth Alvarez, William Smith High School Researcher – Angel Mony, William Smith High School Project: Abdominal Injury and Peritonitis on Microgravity

P.I. – Friedrich Amouzou, Gateway High School

Researchers – Brandon Lewien, Raul Ramirez, Gateway High School Project: Musical Scripting of Actuator Motions in Biomechatronics

P.I. – Elshaddai Mulugeta, Gateway High School

Researcher – Dorothy-Achiaa Agyemang, William Smith High School Project: Tracking Events Using Networks of Mobile Devices

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The Pathways2Teaching Program is a CU Denve concurrent enrollment course offered at Denver High Schools

Vanessa Garcia

George Washington High School

Project: Effect of Domestic Violence on Youth

Monay Turnbough

George Washington High School

Project: Youth Speak Out on Teen Homicides

Cinthia Suasti-Rodriguez Abraham Lincoln High School

Project: What Motivates Students to Not Drop Out of High School?

Phuong Bui

Abraham Lincoln High School

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The Effects of Enrichment Following

Stress: Dopamine Levels in the

Nucleus Accumbens Shell after

Cocaine

Jessica Adams, BS Psychology, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sondra Bland, DC - CLAS

Activity Type: Graduate Research

Animal research in neuroscience is used to further our understanding of the human brain, but it can be difficult to effectively compare animal models to human scenarios. Invasive studies add an

unavoidable, yet stressful element that is absent in a normal human situation. In addition to the stressful surgery, most rats are then separated from their cage-mates in an effort to protect the rats and the experimental equipment from damage that could result in ejection from the study. In isolated rats over time, “isolation syndrome” is thought to result from a combination of stress and deprivation. Monoamine neurotransmitters, including dopamine, are involved in the process which makes it relatable to other conditions in which monoamines are also implicated such as fear, anxiety and schizophrenia. It was hypothesized that adding enrichment after the stressful surgery could buffer this isolation reaction, making the study more relevant for human

comparison. By manipulating the post surgery enrichment conditions following a stressful surgery, this study explored the effects of social and

environmental enrichment on dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell in response to a cocaine challenge. We found that isolation rearing eliminated the dopamine response to cocaine, but both environmental enrichment and social

enrichment (group housing) after surgery enhanced extracellular concentrations of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens shell in response to the rewarding drug cocaine, compared to rats lacking enrichment. Environmental conditions may be crucial in maintaining normal dopamine function after a stressful surgery.

Adolescent Social Deprivation Blunts

Social Encounter Induced c-Fos

Expression in the Forebrain of Rats

Megan Ahern, Biology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sondra Bland, DC - CLAS

Activity Type: Undergraduate Research

Social isolation, a type of early-life adversity, is known to have dramatic effects on the development of the mammalian brain and behavior. Children who are raised in isolation are at higher risk of

developing many neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Previous research in our laboratory focusing on the effects of social isolation on the medial prefrontal cortex has revealed a decrease in expression of the protein product of the immediate early gene c-Fos (Wall et al., 2012). This decrease in expression is associated with dampened neurological signaling in the studied brain regions. The present experiment was aimed at determining if these neurological effects were unique to the medial prefrontal cortex or if other forebrain regions are similarly affected by social isolation. Adolescent male and female rats were either raised in a social environment or in an isolated environment, and then were either

subjected to a single social interaction with a novel conspecific or left their home-cage. Results showed an increase in c-Fos protein product expression in group-reared animals that were exposed to social interaction, and this increase was greater in males in some brain regions. However, there was a blunted or absent increase in similarly exposed isolates. These results suggest that social isolation does not only hinder the activation of the medial prefrontal cortex, but that other areas of the forebrain are similarly affected.

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The Monuments, Fine Art, and

Archives (MFAA) Program: How the

Art World and the US Military Joined

Forces to Save Cultural Heritage

During WW II

Renee Albiston, Art History, DC - CAM

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Maria Buszek, DC - CAM

Government officials within the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) created the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program (MFAA) during World War II. Established in 1943 to preserve, protect, and repatriate monuments, fine art, and other cultural artifacts in danger of looting and war damage, nearly 400 men and women volunteered to be a part of this division. The members of the MFAA

program were known as the Monuments Men, and were comprised of art historians, museum curators, archivists, and architects from thirteen nations, 70% of whom were American. MFAA officers were stationed as military personnel throughout Europe and Japan with few resources available to them, yet were instrumental in saving thousands of looted art works and ancient monuments from destruction. MFAA officers collaborated with civilian art and museum professionals to assist in returning works to their rightful owners, museums, or churches. As the recipient of a 2013-2014 UROP grant, I was able to extend my research to primary sources housed at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in College Park, MD and the archives held at the Monuments Men

Foundation in Dallas, TX. These records include field reports, photographs, and other ephemera collected directly from MFAA officers. This opportunity for further research allowed me to complete biographies on some of the officers for publication on the Monuments Men Foundation website, helping the public to understand the role those in the art world played in saving cultural heritage during World War II.

UCD Prototype Prosthesis

Mohammed Alyami, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS

Dung Chinh, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS Michael Triplett, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS

Abrar Satar, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ronald Rorrer, DC - CEAS

The prevailing difficulty in modern prosthetic design is the replication of natural biological control of multiple degrees of freedom. The most advanced limbs on the market with biologically interfaced controls have 6 controllable degrees of freedom, and require concentrated effort to manipulate. The purpose of this project is to design a shoulder-down prosthetic limb with 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) in the arm and 5 DOF in the hand that can be

controlled with minimal effort. The position of the arm and hand will be guided by a toggle on/off gaze-tracking system and contraction/extension of the fingers and thumb will be controlled by a combination of myoelectric input and voice command. The shoulder, upper-arm, and elbow joints will be actuated by transmitting the motion of low-cost 7.2 V DC motors through 4-stage

planetary gearboxes, and the wrist will be actuated by an HK15298 servomotor. Aluminum will be the primary material used in the construction of the hand and structural components of the arm. Carbon steel will be used in key components of the

gearboxes and other areas requiring greater strength and/or wear resistance. Manufacturing processes and progress will also be described in detail. The target cost of materials for the limb is $2,000, and the deadline for project completion is 16 May 2014.

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Protein-lipid Interactions are Involved

in Fertilization

Rachel Ancar, Biology, DC - CLAS Elana Costanza, Biology, DC - CLAS Courtney Winger, Biology, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Brad Stith, DC - CLAS

Lipid rafts are required for fertilization (Belton Jr et al., 2001; Sato et al., 2002). A measure of rafts is detergent resistant membranes (DRM) which have a liquid-ordered state, high levels of sphingomyelin, and cholesterol (Luria et al., 2002). We isolated Xenopus egg DRM and non-DRM fractions with 1% Triton X-100 and density gradient

centrifugation. To confirm the presence of rafts, Western detection was performed for caveolin -1, Src and PLCγ. In Xenopus, Src is present in DRM before fertilization whereas PLCγ translocates to DRM after sperm addition (Luria et al., 2002; Sato et al., 2002; Sato et al., 2003). Five minutes after addition of dPA, the amount of Src in DRM decreased ~30%, but levels returned to control amounts by 10 minutes and doubled by 30 minutes. Based on this and the cellular phosphoSrc data, PA may activate Src rapidly but this activation could lead to lowered levels of Src in rafts. In contrast to Src, dPA induces a 2.2-fold increase in PLCγ in DRM at 5 minutes and levels return to basal by 15 minutes. Thus, there is no large increase in Src in rafts after PA addition, where there is a large increase in PLCγ, and PA mimics sperm addition.

Gauging the Impact of Triclosan on

the Human Microbiome

Job Bacon-Maldonado, Biology, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Christopher S. Miller, DC - CLAS

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent found in common household cleaning and personal care products whose persistent environmental presence has under-defined influence on human and

microbial health. We hypothesized that persistent low level triclosan exposure would impose natural selection on human microbiome communities, potentially selecting for resistance against triclosan and other drugs. Former studies on triclosan

provided the foundation for this experiment, detailing one mechanism of drug resistance identified in laboratory microbial communities which we attempted to validate on individual human subject data. To measure the drug’s impact, we reconstructed triclosan’s target gene (fabI) in 103 publically available human microbiome supragingival plaque metagenome datasets, and looked for evidence of selection. In addition to fabI, we also investigated other genes specific to the fab pathway in order to confirm instances of detected selection. The results of the experiment have remained unflattering thus far, potentially due to inadequate data sample sizes. Low occurrences of discoverable fabI from the data have presented minimal evidence to either identify relevant gene mutations or general selection pressure. Refined technique of fabI discovery will reveal the extent to which conclusive results are obtainable from this data. Positive results will indicate some quantifiable selection occurring within given microbial

populations, if not an explicit mechanism of triclosan resistance. With the recent advent of next-generation sequencing technology, selection testing on metagenomic data exposes a new frontier, meanwhile studies elucidating the functional consequences of Triclosan and other drugs become increasingly practical for aiding human health.

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From Behavioral Models to

Neurochemistry and Back:

Biochemical Methods to Study Rat

Cocaine Consumption and its Effects

on Neurotransmission

David Bergkamp, Chemistry, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Richard Allen, DC - CLAS

Cocaine addiction is still a major public health problem in the U.S; 2012 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that around 500,000 current users undertook some form of treatment for cocaine dependence in the year prior. Part of this complex puzzle is an incomplete understanding of the mechanisms though which addiction develops. In our lab, we use a rat model to study self-administration of cocaine. Specifically, we have been studying the processes through which rats increase their self-administration of cocaine after learning to take drug, a practice known as escalation. Recent work in our lab with rats self-administering one of two doses of cocaine (at 0.6 or 1.2 mg/kg/infusion earned) has shown that rats at the higher dose of cocaine will escalate their intake over consecutive self-administration sessions. Rats at the lower dose of cocaine do not show this

escalation of drug-taking. However, when rats at the lower dose are given concurrent exposure to the NMDA antagonist MK-801 (at 0.3 mg/kg/day), the animals then show escalation of cocaine intake. These data suggest that rats in both conditions should experience similar biochemical effects that explain their experimentally identical

self-administration behaviors. Early evidence is inconclusive, but we continue to investigate neurotransmitter receptor changes in the nucleus accumbens and dorsal striatum brain regions of rats in groups that escalate cocaine taking versus those that do not, in order to determine if changes in glutamatergic or dopaminergic receptors is involved in the escalation process.

People Making Choices: A

Philosophical Conversation

Adam Blair, Philosophy/Film Production (double-major), DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Candice Shelby, DC - CLAS

My project tackles two central issues of

contemporary philosophical discussion: personal identity and free will. I am, in particular, concerned with what a person actually is, and how choice works within that framework. I summarize and evaluate several arguments from across the

spectrum. In terms of personhood, I engage a range of theorists, from those claiming an autonomous, substantial self to those who classify the self as an illusion; in the free will discussion, I discuss thinkers who ascribe to radical freedom, thinkers rejecting choice altogether, and the moderate stances in-between. In the final section of my research, I contribute to the conversation through my own take on the issue, attempting to explain how an individual is formed and shaped through time based upon their experiences, and how we have a peculiar sort of freedom within this process. To be specific, I hold to a process theory--persons span over time, and are constituted based upon their experiences. This constrains our freedom in

important ways, but, ultimately, allows for a more weighty and useful sort of freedom. I engage with analytic philosophical discourse, continental thought, neuroscientific foundations, among other sources.

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Disruption of Lipid Rafts with

Methyl-β-cyclodextrin in Xenopus laevis

Fertilization Pathway

Alesia Blanchard, Psychology/Biology, DC - CLAS Robin Feldman, Biology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bradley Stith, DC - CLAS

The fertilization pathway for Xenpous laevis is activated when sperm binds to the egg. Previous research in our lab discovered that sperm binding to the egg increases the production of phosphatidic acid (PA) which binds and activates Src tyrosine kinase. This kinase in turn activates phospholipase C which increases IP3 and IP3 subsequently

releases intracellular calcium and induces the events of fertilization. Sperm bind to special areas of the egg membrane called rafts and intact rafts are required for fertilization. Methyl-beta-cylcodextrin (MβCD) is utilized to disrupt rafts. Success rates for fertilization were recorded by quantifying

fertilization events such as gravitational rotation and first cleavage. The timing of the fertilization events and the percentage of responding cells was recorded in control and MβCD treated groups. Our results show a delay in the induction of fertilization events, which indicates that lipid rafts are important in fertilization. We will use this raft disruption method in future experiments to determine whether

fertilization events are affected by raft disruption.

Vigilance Behavior of Canada Geese

on the CU-Denver Downtown

Campus and in City Parks

Liana Boggs, Biology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Diana Tomback, DC - CLAS

The Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) is an

historically migratory species that displays flocking behavior. In urban environments in the last few decades, residential (non-migratory) populations have become common. Canada Geese engage in “vigilance” (watchfulness) behaviors while foraging. Overall, vigilance for predators leads to flock safety, but reduces individual foraging time. Our studies investigate the impact of human disturbance in an urban setting on the vigilance behavior of geese. We collected data from March 2013 to January 2014 from three locations: UCD Downtown Campus, City Park (Denver, CO), and Utah Park (Aurora, CO). We compared the

vigilance between large and small flocks, between edge and center birds, and from both a far and near distance. We also timed how long individuals engaged in vigilance. Large flocks were infrequent only on the UCD Campus. To determine whether change in vigilance varied across sampling

locations, we performed a bootstrap ANOVA with a Tukey honest significant difference pairwise

comparison post hoc test. We used the change in percent vigilance as the response variable, which is the difference between the percent of the flock that is vigilant when the observer was near and when the observer was far. The proportion of p-values less than 0.05 in each pairwise comparison was less than one percent, indicating that change in vigilance does not vary among City Park, Utah Park, and UCD Downtown Campus.

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Study of Chaotic Pendulum in

Rescue Helicopters

Caleb Carr, Psychology, DC - CLAS Riley Ruse, Biology, DC - CLAS

Michael Bollinger, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Randall Tagg, DC - CLAS

Too often in rescue situations all over the world medics run into the problems associated with a chaotic pendulum. As medics are lowered down on hoists, they are often swung into trees, cliffs, and other objects often resulting in injury. It was

discovered that a rail system can work to counteract this swinging by using the helicopter as a pivot point to manipulate the cable. If enough movement can be obtained in the direction of the pendulum the swinging motion will come to a halt within 5

degrees of the central axis. With this information and continued design development the effectiveness and safety of hoist rescues will substantially

improve.

Photochemical Reactivity of

Oxidative Lesions in RNA;

8-oxoadenosine, 8-oxoguanosine, and

5-hydroxy-uridine

Yu Jung Choi, Chemistry, DC - CLAS Krzysztof Gibala, Chemistry, DC - CLAS Beatrice Guilleromo, Biology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Marino Resendiz, DC - CLAS

Oxidative damage to nucleic acids is known to be related to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Oxidative lesions in DNA and RNA are capable of forming base-pair mismatches that cause structural and biological changes. In this research we investigated the synthesis and photochemistry of RNA monomers corresponding to modifications arising from oxidative stress. These are 8-oxoadenosine (8-oxoA), 8-oxoguanosine (8-oxoG), and 5-hydroxy-uridine (5-OH-U), which were obtained in 72, 62, and 45% yields respectively. Characterization of each nucleotide was carried out via NMR, IR, UV-Vis, and MS. Photochemical reactions were followed via HPLC and MS. All of the monomers were obtained via bromination followed by

functionalization at the C8- or C5-positions with a hydroxyl group. In order to follow the

photoreactions, a chromophore was incorporated at the C5' position of each modification.

Photoreactions using light λmax = 300nm with 8-oxoA and 5-OH-U showed disappearance of starting material. The same behavior was observed in samples containing 8-oxoG (λmax = 350nm). Reactions in the absence of oxygen showed no reactivity. Ongoing studies include product characterization and mechanism determination of the corresponding photoproducts. More research needs to be accomplished with the synthesis of dinucleotides and oligonucleotides containing the described lesions. We are interested in exploring their photochemical and structural behavior.

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A Theoretical Study of Temperature

Dependence of Cluster Formation

from Sulfuric Acid and Ammonia

Nara Chon, Chemistry, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Hai Lin, DC - CLAS

We have performed density functional theory (BL3YP) and ab initio (MP2) calculations to investigate the energetics of the cluster formation for (NH3)m(H2SO4) and (NH3)(H2SO4)n (m, n = 1-6) in the atmospherically-relevant temperature range between 200-300 K. For (NH3)m(H2SO4) clusters, the binding increases from m = 1 to 6 at 200 K, while the most stable complex at 300 K is the cluster with m = 2. For (NH3)(H2SO4)n clusters, the binding is more stable for those with larger n. There is a strong temperature dependence for the (NH3)m(H2SO4) cluster formation; the lowest free energy shifts from m = 6 at T = 200 K to m = 5 around T = 240 K and further to m = 2 at T _ 280 K. The temperature effects on (NH3)(H2SO4)n clusters are much less stronger, while there is a similar trend which favors larger n in the entire temperature range from 200-300 K.

Canine Ratios in Colorado

Mammalian Predators

Brandon Clark, Anthropology/History, DC - CLAS Andrew Seifert, Anthropology, DC - CLAS

Stephen Parlove, Anthropology, DC - CLAS Xavier Guirao, Anthropology, DC - CLAS Stephanie Zuniga, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Charles Musiba, DC - CLAS

The ratios between canines and other parts of the dental arcade can be used to identify the

carnivorous species of Colorado mammals. By taking a sample of native carnivorous species canines, and first premolars, the ratios between these teeth can identify the species of animal.

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Individual Differences in Acute Cocaine Responsiveness and Attribution of Incentive Motivational Properties to Cocaine-Associated Cues

Theresa Clark, Psychology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bruce Mandt, DC - CLAS

Cocaine addiction is a serious public health issue with few effective treatments. Contributing to the lack of effective treatments, the development of cocaine addiction is marked by immense individual variability. Thus, identifying factors that increase addiction vulnerability is critical for better treatment options. We have worked with a model of

individual differences in rats: rats are classified as high or low-cocaine responders (HCRs or LCRs, respectively) based on acute cocaine-induced locomotor activity. Relative to HCRs, LCRs exhibit sensitization (i.e., increased sensitivity to cocaine-induced locomotor activity), conditioned place preference (i.e., pairing environmental stimuli with cocaine’s effects), and greater impulsive choice behavior. Compared to non-addicted individuals, cocaine-addicted individuals show increased cocaine cue reactivity and sensitivity; however, whether or not HCRs and LCRs differ in cocaine cue reactivity remains unknown. In this study, we used a model of cue-induced incentive motivation to test whether or not HCRs and LCRs differ in cocaine conditioned approach behavior.

Specifically, we hypothesized that LCRs, more readily than HCRs, would develop cocaine conditioned approach behavior. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=6) were placed in operant chambers for twenty 2-h sessions. Rats were exposed to two increasing cocaine doses (0.4mg/kg and 0.8mg/kg) paired with light and lever cue. At the lower dose, LCRs appeared more likely than HCRs to attribute incentive motivational properties to cocaine associated cues. Although this study requires replication, current data suggest that a low initial cocaine-induced locomotor response may predict vulnerability to the development of cocaine-cue associations.

Cocaine-Induced Locomotor

Sensitization and Escalation of

Cocaine Intake in Rats

Leland Copenhagen, Psychology, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Richard Allen, DC - CLAS

In the United States, recent statistics estimate that more than 1.5 million people currently meet cocaine abuse or dependence criteria. Cocaine sensitization, which refers to increased effects elicited by the same cocaine dose, is thought to be important for the transition from recreational cocaine use to addiction. Frequently seen in addicted individuals, an escalation of cocaine intake is also thought to be important in the transition to addiction. The

relationship between sensitization and escalation, however, is unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that sensitization would persist during different paradigms of escalation in cocaine intake. Cocaine-induced (10 mg/kg, i.p.) locomotor activity was determined on four separate occasions: 1) in an initial LMA test, 2) after non-contingent cocaine exposure, 3) after short access escalation, and 4) after long access escalation. Once daily

non-contingent cocaine (0.8 mg/kg, i.v.) exposure in the self-administration context produced robust

locomotor sensitization. Under short access conditions, rats escalated intake over 15 sessions. Following short access escalation, rats were divided into continued short access conditions or long access conditions. Additional short access sessions did not produce further increases in intake;

however, long access conditions produced a second escalation in intake. Interestingly, despite escalation under both short and long access conditions,

cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization persisted. These data suggest that sensitization and escalation are not mutually exclusive, but rather, they may both contribute to the transition from recreational use to addiction. Ultimately, understanding factors that contribute to the transition to addiction will help develop better treatment and prevention strategies.

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Reduced Level of Sialylated IgG

Antibody in the CSF of Patients with

Multiples Sclerosis

Tara Curley, Biology/Psychology, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Xiaoli Yu, AMC - School of Medicine

A characteristic feature of the CNS inflammatory response in multiple sclerosis (MS) is the

intrathecal synthesis of IgG and the presence of oligoclonal bands (OCBs). IgG antibodies form immune complexes with the antigen and generate negative feedback regulation through crosslinking the B cell receptor, which inhibits B cell activation and IgG Ab production. Recent studies showed that asialylated IgG Abs are proinflammatory and induced by the combination of T cell-dependent protein antigens and proinflammatory

costimulation. We hypothesized that IgG antibody in the CSF of MS are differentially sialylated and play a critical role in disease pathogenesis. We purified IgG antibody in CSF and paired serum from 12 MS patients and 9 inflammatory CNS controls with Protein A Magnetic Beads. The purified IgG were quantified for sialic acid level using immunoblotting probed with sialic acid specific lectin Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA). We found that there was a significant decrease of sialylated IgG Fc (the 64 kD band ) in the CSF compared to paired serum (p=6.2-8). In contrast, no significant difference of IgG sialylation was found in the CSF and serum of CNS inflammatory controls (p=0.18). The presence of lower level of sialylated CSF IgG in MS opens up new

possibilities to design better immunomodulatory antibodies for MS and other demyelinating diseases.

Will Charge Delocalization of

Chloride Ions Offset the Need for

Large-Scale Conformational Changes

of the ClC Protein in Ion

Translocation?

Christal Davis, Chemistry, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Hai Lin, DC - CLAS

The ubiquitous ClC family of proteins consists of both chloride ion channels and chloride ion/proton antiporters. These proteins have numerous functions like aiding the extreme acid response in Escherichia coli, generating electric current in the Torpedo ray, and acidifying intracellular compartments in

humans. ClC dysfunction is known to lead to a host of diseases in humans such as myotonia congenita, Dent’s disease, and osteopetrosis. Despite numerous studies, the detailed mechanism of ion transport by ClC proteins is not well understood at the molecular level. Our recent calculations revealed significant quantum effects, e.g. mutual polarization and partial charge transfer between chloride ions and the protein, in chloride ion binding. In this work, we study how the quantum effects of charge

delocalization affect the free-energy barriers of ion translocation by molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we want to find out if the substantially shrinking size of the chloride ion due to charge transfer will offset the need for large-scale conformational changes of the protein in ion translocation through a pore that is smaller than the diameter of the ion. Acknowledgment: This work is supported by NSF (CHE-0952337).

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Arterial Calcification in

Pre-Menopausal Women

Heather Dirkmaat, Biology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Greene, DC - CLAS

Atherosclerosis, better known as heart disease, is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries. This disease affects many more Americans reported than for other parts of the world, indicating that

environmental factors are contributing to the

number of affected Americans every year. The most common cardiovascular risk factors include:

diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity. Research also suggests a gender disparity between the sexes and the onset of heart disease. Women have protection from this cardiovascular disease until menopause when estrogen levels decrease. Estrogen and its cardiovascular protection is controversial, but it is suggested that nitric oxide and estrogen’s ability to alter gene expression is one of the reasons for this protection. Data show that this cardiovascular protection is now being

compromised by other factors and women are dying with atherosclerosis before menopause, therefore the onset of the disease is premature. There must be other factors that affect the timing and severity of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study is to explore other factors that could be contributing to the early demise of women ones that have not been explored at this time.

Simulation of Self-Inductance in a

Superconducting Square Coil

David Dran, Physics, DC - CLAS Denny Shunk, Physics, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Martin Huber, DC - CLAS

The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) is an experiment designed to directly detect particles called WIMPs (weakly interacting massive

particles) which are theoretical particles thought to comprise the dark matter in the universe. In theory, WIMPS can interact with the lattice of a solid germanium crystal held at sub-Kelvin. The very small signals generated by these interactions in the cryogenic environment must be amplified so that room-temperature electronics can detect them. The creation of this amplification involves inductively coupling a coil to a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) and building an array of these combinations to create an amplifier that can work at superconducting temperatures. With the preceding in mind, modeling the inductance of the superconducting coil is important to this design, so that we can understand the frequency response of the SQUID circuit. We investigate the use of the imaginary conductivity derived from the two fluid superconducting model applied to COMSOL modeling software, a physics modeling application which uses Finite Element Modeling (FEM)

methods. We then create a three dimensional model of a five-turn square coil using COMSOL and calculate the self-inductance derived from the simulation. Next, we compare the resulting self-inductance from the simulation to the experimental evidence given by Hines et al., which reports the self-inductance for an array of ten-turn coils of a similar design. Lastly, using this COMSOL model, we investigate the effect of using a superconducting flux focusing “washer” with the coil in our

simulation and compare the results with normal and superconducting materials.

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Cannabinoids Shift

Temporally-Influenced Patterns of Behavior

Jacqueline Gallegos, Psychology, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Erik Oleson, DC - CLAS

Cannabis use is hallmarked by distorted perception of time. Timing behavior can be assessed pre-clinically using fixed-interval (FI) schedules, which reinforce behavior on the basis of time. FI schedules produce a characteristic pattern of behavior known as a scallop. Immediately following reinforcement, responding slows before accelerating to a maximal terminal rate at the culmination of an experimenter-defined interval. In the present study, we

hypothesized that cannabinoids would accelerate timing behavior in an FI task. To assess this possibility, we measured changes in the temporal response pattern as mice responded for food under the influence of the synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN 55 212-2. Six mice were used to assess the effects of a vehicle and three doses of WIN 55 212-2 (0.3, 0.6 and 1.0 mg/kg IP). In addition, to test whether the effects of WIN 55, 212-2 were

cannabinoid CB1 receptor dependent, we assessed the effects of treating the mice with a CB1 receptor antagonist (AM251) coupled with the highest dosage (1.0) of WIN 55,212-2. To quantitatively assess the extent and direction of the cannabinoid-induced change in the temporal response pattern, we applied a mathematical analysis known as the index of curvature. Here, an acceleration of timing

behavior will produce a negative index; a deceleration will produce a positive index. WIN 55,212-2 dose-dependently accelerated the temporal response pattern, resulting in a negative index of curvature. This WIN 55,212-induced change in curvature was prevented by the CB1 receptor antagonist AM251, suggesting the cannabinoid-induced acceleration in timing behavior is CB1 receptor dependent.

Vitamin C Concentration in Maaza

Lychee Juice

Sanjana Garimella, Biology, DC - CLAS Akshay Kumar, Biology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Margaret Bruehl, DC - CLAS

In this experiment, students will be able to

stoichiometrically determine the amount of Vitamin C in Lychee juice and compare it to the advertised value. Lychee juice was selected because it is generally known in India to contain a lot of Vitamin C and is often used by mothers when a child is sick in order to boost the child’s immune system. Additionally, the advertised value of a substance is not necessarily what is actually there, so the students will gain experience in actually verifying values on bottles. The concepts of titrations, volumetric measuring, dilutionsand stoichiometric calculations were used to allow students to increase skills in the laboratorysetting and general chemical concepts. There were several components to this lab experimentthat aid in the student’s learning

objectives. A redox titration of ascorbic acid (the acid found in Vitamin C) with KIO3, KI, HCl solutions and a starch indicator was done to obtain a clear endpoint which could be used as a reference point to the lychee titration. An aliquot of Lychee juice, with KI, HCl, and starch, was then titrated against a diluted KIO3 solution. Because the solution exhibits a gradual endpoint, it can be compared to the clear endpoint of the ascorbic acid solution. Then, based on the volume of KIO3 used and stoichiometric calculations, students can then quantitatively determine the amount of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in the sample of lychee juice, and then compare it to the advertised value.

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TREX - Therapeutic Response Leg

Exoskeleton

Nicolas Giguere, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS

Wil Crook, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS Ross Dedera, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS Christopher Said, Mech. Engineering, DC - CEAS (also)-Faisal Al Raddadi, Vee Vue, Khalid Zineddin Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ronald Rorrer, DC - CEAS

Activity Type: Undergraduate Creative Activity

The T-REX, or Therapeutic Response Exoskeleton, leg exoskeleton provides assistive walking

capabilities to those who have little to no control over their lower body extremities. The exoskeleton will enable a user to go from a near sitting position to upright standing positions, and then smoothly transition to a walking gait while reacting to user input. In the United States there are approximately 273,000 persons who have spinal cord injuries which have paralyzed their lower bodies, causing them to be confined to a wheel chair or have limited capability to walk. The device was designed with a cost objective of $4000 for the entire system, with an overall weight of 60 pounds, including 20 pounds for each leg and 20 pounds for the support backpack. The exoskeleton will include 4 powered joints at each hip and knee connection, two passive joints located at each ankle connection, and two powered servo motors located along the shank support to allow rotational movement of the leg during the gait. Double action pneumatic pistons will be used to create the motion in the four powered joints. The device will be constructed out of carbon fiber, aluminum and steel. A user of 5 ft 10 in. to 6 ft 2 in. will be able to use the device, with the user weighing a maximum of 220 pounds.

The Effects of Perceived

Burdensomeness and Failed

Belongingness on the Relationship

Between Combat Exposure and the

Acquired Capability of Self-Injury

Danielle Glenn, Psychology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Elizabeth Allen, DC - CLAS

With the growing issue of suicide in the military, it is important to identify what makes the military population particularly vulnerable. The

Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner, 2005) posits three factors necessary in order for a person to be at increased risk for suicidal behavior: failed belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and the acquired capability of lethal self-injury. Joiner states that individuals acquire the capability of self-injury over time by being exposed to painful and provocative

experiences. However, Ribeiro & Joiner (2009) have encouraged future directions for study of the IPTS, such as investigating whether exposure to psychological pain experiences can lead to the acquired capability for lethal self-harm just as exposure to previous physical painful and fear provoking experiences seem to do. Although studies have shown that psychological pain, such as failed belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, on its own may not be sufficient to increase levels of acquired capability of self-injury (i.e Bryan & Cukrowicz, et al., 2010), the question of the current study is whether psychological pain may potentiate the relationship between previous painful and provocative experiences and the acquired capability of self-injury. To address this question, the current study will analyze self report data from 150 Army males with a history of recent deployment.

Validated measures of psychological pain variables and the acquired capability of self-injury will be used. Results will help increase our understanding of combinations of variables that may increase risk factors for suicide in our military, thereby guiding targets of intervention.

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Associations Between Numbing

Symptoms of PTSD and Perceived

Burdensomeness: The Role of

Partner Support

Danielle Glenn, Psychology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Elizabeth Allen, DC - CLAS

PTSD symptoms, particularly emotional numbing, are associated with relationship distress (e.g., Taft, Schumm, Panuzio, & Proctor, 2008). Moreover, symptoms of PTSD are associated with a greater perception of being a burden, and again, this association is particularly strong for

avoidance/numbing symptoms (Monteith, Menefee, Petit, Leopoulos, & Vincent, 2013). Importantly, a personal sense of being a burden on others is a risk factor for suicidal ideation and behavior (Joiner, 2005). Thus, understanding the link between PTSD and perceptions of burdensomeness is important. There are likely many factors which could help explain this association. The focus of the current study is to examine the extent to which a lower level of contribution to one’s intimate relationship might mediate the association between PTSD-related avoidance/numbing and sense of oneself as a burden. To address this question, the current study will analyze self-report data from 200 Army males and their female civilian partners. Validated measures of PTSD symptoms, perceived burden, and social support perception measures were used. Initial analyses confirmed the finding in the

literature that, whereas all self-reported male PTSD clusters are associated with males’ sense of self as a burden, the emotional numbing symptom cluster was most strongly related to burden. Mediation analyses will evaluate the degree to which the link between numbing and burden is accounted for by less social support toward the partner. A better understanding of the factors that contribute to a perception of oneself as a burden can help identify targets for intervention.

Autonomous Portable Receiver and

Display - APRAD

Nicholas Gross, Electrical Engineering, DC - CEAS Elnora Fuentes, Computer Science, DC - CEAS Adam Perez, Electrical Engineering, DC - CEAS Michael Dewar, Computer Science, DC - CEAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Golkowski, DC - CEAS

The Autonomous Portable low frequency Receiver And Display (APRAD) system is a highly sensitive receiver that is capable of measuring

electromagnetic fields in the Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) range (~ 1 kHz to 40 kHz), where the received data can be viewed in real-time or saved to a memory device. Unlike current systems, which use 120V 60Hz power, the APRAD is powered by DC batteries. The use of batteries as a power source is advantageous for two reasons. First, users are able to deploy the system in highly remote locations that were previously unobtainable. Secondly, finding optimal locations with the least amount of

electromagnetic noise will no longer be hinder by needing to be within range of an AC power source. Finding these optimal locations can be performed by using electromagnetic surveying, where an APRAD phone application has been created,

allowing users to view real-time data on their phone in both a spectrogram and a frequency-time display.

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Lipid Coated Gold Nanoparticles as

Models of Highly Curved Viral

Membranes

Desmond Hamilton, Chemistry, DC - CLAS Stephen Budy, Chemistry, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Scott Reed, DC - CLAS

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects about 150 million people worldwide and is the cause of over 350,000 deaths each year. An amphipathic α-helical (AH) peptide was found to inhibit the replication of HCV by binding to the virus particle and initiating lysis. In order to accomplish a binding study of AH peptides, a bio-mimic of similar size and curvature to the HCV particle must be synthesized. To

accomplish this, octahedral gold nanoparticles were synthesized and the edges were etched to form spherical gold nanoparticles with diameters of 20-50 nm. These spheres will be coated with

phosphatidylcholine to form a lipid membrane with well-defined curvature, and the binding affinity of the AH to the different size nanoparticles will be measured. Currently, spherical gold nanoparticles have been synthesized and characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and

transmission electron microscopy. Future studies will include measuring AH binding by observing changes to the local surface plasmon resonance of the gold.

Effects of Wastewater Contaminants

on Neurotransmitter Function and

Distribution in the Fish Brain

Alexandra Harrison, Biology/Psychology, DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alan Vajda, DC - CLAS

A series of integrated fish exposure experiments were conducted from 2006-2010 in collaboration with St. Cloud State University, University of South Dakota, CU Boulder, and the USGS. These

experiments evaluated the effects of a range of dosages of individual wastewater chemicals from diverse classes, and of mixtures of chemicals on fish courtship behavior, reproductive output, gonadal histology, and plasma biomarkers of estrogen exposure. In addition, brains were collected and fixed at dissection, and have since been sectioned, mounted and stained for markers of neurotransmitter function (tyrosine hydroxylase, and dopamine-beta hydroxylase). This study was designed to provide a comprehensive and integrated evaluation of the morphological, physiological, and behavioral impacts of environmental estrogens in environmentally relevant mixtures on reproductive competence in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The consequences of estrogen exposure for reproductive fitness were determined through evaluation of secondary sex characters,

vitellogenesis, testicular morphology, and nest-holding ability in a post-exposure reproductive challenge assay. Initial study results suggest complex, often paradoxical, relationship between contaminant exposure and behavioral outcome (Vajda et al., in prep). For example, fish exposed to the lowest concentrations of weak estrogens (E1) showed a greater degree of disruption of

reproductive behavior than fish exposed to higher concentrations of strong estrogens (EE2). The goal of the present study is to evaluate key

neurotransmitter systems involved in the regulation of behavior and gametogenesis in fish in relation to the previously measured whole-organism

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Real and Perceived Barriers to

Healthcare by Runaway and

Homeless Youth in Colorado

Lenka Hellerova, Nursing, AMC - CON

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Scott Harpin, AMC - CON

Recent research has shown that runaway and homeless youth have higher rates of chronic physical and mental health conditions than their housed counterparts. A lack of adequately funded programs, limited resources, difficulty in navigating the healthcare system, and distrust of healthcare providers are some of the many reasons homeless youth do not receive the care they need. Over the course of summer/fall 2013, focus groups and surveys were conducted with runaway and homeless youth in shelters in Denver and Colorado Springs. The barriers discussed were analyzed and grouped into two themes. Real barriers included issues such as finances and transportation, whereas perceived barriers considered the youths' fear of being negatively judged or misunderstood. Our findings indicated that a simple increase in services for homeless youth will likely not improve the health status of runaway and homeless youth. Instead, those working with this population might focus efforts on types of services available, namely by strengthening relationships and establishing a sense of trust with youth. Existing programs that target runaway and homeless youth should consider staff awareness of the complexity of health issues, tailoring health service hours to best meet the needs of youth, and transitioning from crisis intervention to a wraparound form of long-term case

management and guidance.

Associations of the C2A Domains of

Synaptotagmins 1 and 7 with

Membranes by Molecular Dynamics

Simulations

Jack Henderson, Biochemistry, DC - CLAS Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Hai Lin, DC - CLAS

Synaptotagmins are membrane binding proteins that regulate neurotransmitter release and hormone secretion. The synaptotagmin family consists of 17 known isoforms. This study will focus on the C2A domains of synaptotagmin 1 (syt1) in secretory cell types of neurons and synaptotagmin 7 (syt7) in pancreatic β cell types. The two C2A protein domains are closely similar in structure, have conserved polarity properties in 90% of their corresponding amino acid sequences, and both domains bind calcium ions without, undergoing conformational changes. Despite these extensive similarities, the C2A domains have different docking mechanisms with membranes, which are dominated by different (electrostatic vs.

hydrophobic) interactions, as indicated by kinetic measurements. Here, we report preliminary results by atomistic molecular dynamic simulations to study the interactions between the protein and membrane upon docking.

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Solid Phase Separation of Hydrated

Calcium Chloride from Aqueous

Solution

Nadeen Ibrahim, Public Health/Biology , DC - CLAS

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Margaret Bruehl, DC - CLAS

The solid phase separation and hydration of calcium chloride from aqueous solution will occur under certain temperature-concentration conditions. This project sought to explore the solid phase separation of calcium chloride in the form of a hexahydrate. The calcium chloride would separate from aqueous in the form of a hexahydrate when the mass percent of calcium chloride in solution was in the range of 40% and 50% at a temperature range of 0˚C to -40˚C. Although there is a proposed range of mass percent and temperature for solid phase separation and hydration, calcium chloride tends to supercool, meaning it often does not adhere to the ranges proposed by the phase diagram. Four calcium chloride mass percent solutions underwent solid phase separation: 45.2%, 60.1%, 76.5%, and 86.4%. The solid phase separation took place in a cooling bath solution of acetone and dry ice. Within two minutes or less, crystallization of calcium chloride occurred, and a white precipitate formed and the water in the solution became solid. When removed from the cooling bath, the water began to melt, meaning the precipitated calcium chloride was at a risk of dissolving at room temperature. To remove the water from solution, a vacuum filtration apparatus and pipette were used. A thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) of the precipitated calcium chloride yielded results that did not express a decomposition of hexahydrated calcium chloride. Although results were inconclusive in terms of the TGA and hydration of calcium chloride, calcium chloride did undergo a solid phase separation from aqueous solution.

ConTrack All-Terrain Wheelchair

Nathan James, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS

Jalal Baggary, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS

Fred Johnson, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS Adetona Adekambi, Mechanical Engineering, DC - CEAS

(also) - Samer Al-Abssi, Michelle Cerda, An Ngo, Elyas Alawaji

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rorrer, DC - CEAS

Wheelchairs are essential items for some people with physical disabilities. They allow them to lead more autonomous lives and travel to places they could not on their own. However, regular wheelchairs suffer from limited mobility in a myriad of conditions and terrains. In order to overcome these limitations the ConTrack all-terrain wheelchair utilizes two continuous tracks to propel it across many different, rugged terrain types. The ConTrack is powered by two electric motors and a battery pack. The driver controls the trackchair with a single joystick that sends signals to an Arduino board which processes them and controls the two motors allowing skid-steering. The ConTrack is powerful enough to travel 5 mph up a 30% (similar to the steepest road in San Francisco). It can travel through 2 feet of snow and across sand, mud and rocky paths.The weight of the trackchair is 300 lbs and can carry up to 300lbs. The cost of building the trackchair, not including man hours, is

approximately $6,000. Dimensions of the ConTrack are 3 feet wide, 5 feet long and 4 1/2 feet tall. This is slightly bigger than an average wheelchair but provides stability during turns, bumps and steep terrain without needing extra stabilizers. Ultimately, the ConTrack all-terrain wheelchair will provide a way for disabled people to enjoy the great outdoors, and use by anyone is sure to bring enjoyment.