Celebration 2009 Poster Abstracts

DATE: Wednesday, March 25, 2009

TIME: 6:30 - 8:30 PM

PLACE: Dolan Science Center: Atrium

*Main presenter(s)

PS.01
“Impulse Control Problems in Parkinson Disease Do Not Impact Performance on the Iowa Gambling Task”
*Nicole Johnson, Undergraduate; Dr. Darlene Floden, Neuropsychologist; Michelle Murphy, research technician; Dr. Ali Rezai, Neurosurgeon; Cynthia Kubu, Neuropsychologists, Psychiatry and Psychology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Some patients with Parkinson disease (PD) develop severe impulse control problems (ICP). There is a suspected link between ICP and abnormal ventral striatal function, a region implicated in other impulsive populations (i.e., addictions). Agonists that are intended to treat dopamine depletion in the dorsal striatum may effectively ‘overdose’ the intact ventral striatum due high D3 receptor affinities, and thereby produce ICP (Evans et al; 2006). The current study was designed to evaluate ventral striatal function in patients with and without ICP. This the first attempt, to our knowledge, to directly test this hypothesis. Forty-eight patients, with and without ICP, completed a task that requires ventral striatal input, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Contrary to our hypothesis, patients with and without ICP were equally impaired on the IGT.  Severity of ICP was also irrelevant to IGT performance. Moreover, the groups did not differ in agonist dosage.

PS.02
“Short-term predictive utility of self-reported past suicide attempts on Bariatric surgery outcomes”
*Molly Delaney, Undergraduate student; Dr. Amy Windover & Dr. Leslie Heinberg, Psychiatry and Psychology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
The prevalence of severe obesity has prompted health care providers to seek alternative treatment options, including Bariatric surgery as a safe and effective method of weight reduction. Although clinical depression is prevalent amongst the severely obese, few studies have identified relationships between obesity, weight reduction surgery, and suicide. Demographic, psychiatric, and clinical data was gathered retrospectively from 1024 patients. Those with a suicide history were more likely to have a history of inpatient hospitalization, outpatient psychotherapy and/or use of psychotropic medication, present use of psychotropic medication, history of sexual, physical, and substance abuse, and history or present use of tobacco products as compared to non-suicide history controls. A history of attempted suicide did not predict post-surgical outcomes. This study suggests that health care providers should routinely assess for incidence of suicide attempts. Future long-term studies should evaluate the effects of suicide history on surgical outcomes.

PS.03
“Black Market Truth: A Philosophical Thriller”
*Dr. Sharon Kaye, Faculty, Philosophy
My poster concerns my novel, Black Market Truth. A thriller in the genre of the DaVinci Code, it is about a professor named Dana McCarter who discovers ancient scrolls containing Aristotle’s lost dialogues. The book was published in October of 2008 and is the first volume of a trilogy called The Aristotle Quest. In addition to presenting a plot summary, my poster includes several reviews of my book, demonstrating a wide variety of interesting responses to it.  The book is controversial because it poses a thought experiment about Christianity and religious faith in general. I will bring a copy of the book for people to look at along with plenty of bookmarks to give away.

PS.04
“Impulsiveness as a Predictor of Previous Addiction in a Pre-surgical Bariatric Population"
*Mollie Patrick, Undergraduate; Dr. Kathleen Ashton, Psychiatry and Psychology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Binge eating disorder (BED) is commonly present in obese individuals and individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. The signs and symptoms of BED parallel those of an addiction. A variable suggested to be associated with addictions is impulsivity (Yeomans, Leitch, & Mobini, 2007). Greater impulsivity scores were also found to be associated with binge eating disorder patients (Galanti, Gluck, & Geliebter, 2007). This study sought to find a relationship between binge eating, addictive behaviors and impulsivity with the hypothesis that patients with binge eating disorder have higher impulsivity than patients without BED putting them at a greater risk for addiction transference after surgery. Participants were patients applying for bariatric surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Scores from the Binge Eating Scale and the Barratt Impulsiveness scale and were obtained from the patients. Patients who had a prior addiction had higher impulsiveness scores than those who have not had a prior addiction. Funded through the Huntington Foundation Fellowship

PS.05
“Patients with Frontal and Temporal Lobe Epilepsies Report Similar Emotional and Personality Traits”
*Amanda Pizzi, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Yost,Psychology; Collaborators: Dr. Jessica Chapin, Dr. George Tesar, and Dr. Robyn Busch, Psychology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
The current study sought to characterize and compare personality traits of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). Ninety-seven adults with medically intractable epilepsy (TLE = 58; FLE = 39) completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) as part of routine preoperative investigations. Not surprisingly, both epilepsy groups endorsed significantly more symptoms across most PAI clinical scales than the normative sample. Unexpectedly, symptom endorsements on the PAI were quite similar between TLE and FLE patients. The only difference between the two epilepsy groups was a trend toward greater item endorsement on the Borderline Features scale among FLE patients as compared to TLE patients. Our results suggest that mood and personality traits often observed in patients with intractable epilepsy appear to be more related to the presence of epilepsy than the location of seizure focus.

PS.06
“Discrepancy between Ideal and Realistic Goal Weights in Three Bariatric Procedures: 
Who Is Going to be Disappointed?”
*Kathleen Keating, Undergraduate; Collaborator: Dr. Leslie Heinberg, Cleveland Clinic
The present study aims to examine weight loss expectations and surgical motivations for patients undergoing 3 different laparoscopic bariatric procedures (Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, Adjustable Gastric Banding, or Sleeve Gastrectomy). Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute patients (n=114) identified their post-surgical ‘dream’, ‘happy’, ‘acceptable’ and ‘disappointing’ weights and primary motivations for surgery.  ‘Realistically attainable’ weights were calculated based on patients’ pre-surgical excess body weight and expected loss for their surgical procedure. Patient weight loss discrepancies were quite variable with ‘realistic’ versus ‘dream’ weight discrepancies ranging from -3.90 lbs to 144.52 lbs (M=54.12 lbs). Women, Caucasians, younger individuals, and those with higher initial BMIs were more likely to have unrealistic weight loss goals. However, motivation for surgery did not relate to weight loss goals.  Future research should examine the effects of unrealistic weight loss goals and surgical motivations on post-operative outcomes.  Funding for the project was from the Huntington-Codrington Foundation.

PS.07
“Overview of Executive Health Study”
*Amanda Allman, Undergraduate; Jerry Kiffer, M.A., Behavioral Health, Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic executive’s study has been going on over the past five years as a means of exploring executive’s health and quality of life. Previous findings indicate that three areas of life are the focus of work-life balance; these include work, love and psyche. The purpose of further analysis is to make the distinction more clear of what factors are important in work-life balance, and how this can advance health psychology. Five additional scales were created and added to the spreadsheet. The executive study is an accumulation of over five thousand healthy executives over the five year span. A factor analysis indicated that the 15-item self-rating scale measures four areas of life: work, body, love, and mind, which corroborates the BPS (Bio-Psycho-Social) model of health and illness. The measure is also sensitive to capture life-span developmental changes, and shows which variables are most important for different age groups. 

PS.08
“SIN Mutant Histones Offer Differing Transcriptional Barriers”
*Michael Fisher, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Lissemore, Biology; Collaborators: Andrea Újvári Ph.D., Donal S. Luse Ph.D., Molecular Genetics, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
One of the strongest barriers to transcriptionally engaged RNA polymerase in eukaryotes exists just downstream of the transcription start site due to the presence of nucleosomes. The nucleosome is a 146bp segment of DNA wrapped around an octamer of proteins called histones. Histones are highly conserved in eukaryotes, but some mutations have been observed. One such histone mutation in saccharomyces cerevisiae permits mobility along DNA independent of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex. These mutations are known as SWI/SNF independent (SIN) mutants. We study the properties of transcriptional barriers caused by wild-type and SIN mutant nucleosomes by assembling single nucleosomes at one specific place on a DNA template, then performing in vitro transcription of the nucleosome-bound template. Transcripts of these templates show arrest site patterns unique to certain types of SIN mutants as well as higher read-through compared to wild-type. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

PS.09
“Global Tobacco Epidemic”
*Krystina Bodalia and Reid Peirce, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jim Lissemore, Biology
Tobacco is the second leading cause of death in the world and is the leading preventable cause of all deaths. Killing half its users, there is an estimated 1.3 billion smokers in the world, 84% of which live in developing countries. Tobacco disproportionately affects the poor as they spend a larger proportion of their income on tobacco products than the wealth. Hooked on tobacco, the poor have fewer funds available to afford food, shelter, education and healthcare. People living in developing countries are higher at risks due to the lack of access to information on healthy living and the mass-targeting of the poor by tobacco companies. Extended tobacco use is known to lead to many diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The best means of prevention are raising taxes on tobacco products and changing the image of tobacco set by tobacco companies. 

PS.10
“Pain Behaviors in Chronic Headache Patients in a Multidisciplinary Treatment Setting”
*Erin Moran, Undergraduate; Collaborator: Stephen Krause, Ph.D., Neurological Center for Pain, Cleveland Clinic
The present study is designed to investigate how the social context of medical evaluation may influence the presentation of pain behaviors by patients beginning multi-disciplinary treatment of chronic headaches. The study seeks to investigate if patients exhibit different amounts of pain behavior during interaction with several different specialists, including a psychologist, neurologist, and physical therapist.  Secondly, it seeks to determine whether possible observed differences are related to subjects' tendency to employ catastrophic thinking about their headache.  Finally, it seeks to determine whether interdisciplinary treatment reduces pain behaviors subsequently displayed to health care specialists.  Data collection has not yet been completed

PS.11
"Yellow Fever"
*Erica Carmen and Danielle Hubbell, Undergraduate Students; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jim Lissemore, Biology
Yellow fever is a Flavivirus transmitted by the female Aedes aegypti mosquito vector.  Yellow fever mainly occurs in tropical regions of Africa and South America in correlation to its vector’s habitat.  There are three transmission cycle types, which include sylvatic, intermediate, and urban. This virus affects approximately 200,000 people per year with 90% of these cases occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Of these cases, 30,000 result in death.  Once the virus is transmitted to a human host, there are three possible stages of infection: early/acute stage, period of remission, toxic stage. The disease gets its name from jaundice, which occurs in the toxic stage. The 17D vaccine has the reputation of being the safest and most effective live virus vaccine. A single dose gives individuals ten year immunity to the yellow fever virus. A correlation exists between risk countries and populations living on less than two dollars per day. Therefore, yellow fever has become a public health risk in these countries due to the lack of funds and resources necessary for prevention.

PS.12
“The Effect of Oxidant and the Non-Oxidant Alteration of Cellular Thiol Concentration on the Formation of Protein Mixed-Disulfides in HEK 293 Cells” 
*Jasen Lee Gilge, Michael Fisher, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Yuh-Cherng Chai, Chemistry
Cells respond to oxidant stress via protein S-glutathionylation, a post-translational modification of protein reactive cysteines forming disulfides with glutathione molecules. In this report, specific S-glutathionylated proteins were demonstrated in human embryonic kidney 293 cells treated with a chemical oxidant, diamide, and a physiological oxidant, hydrogen peroxide. S-glutathionylated proteins were detected by immunoblotting, and glutathione concentrations were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Furthermore, we show the effect of altering the cellular thiol pool on protein S-glutathionylation by using buthionine sulfoximine, a specific inhibitor of glutathione biosynthesis. Glutathione biosynthesis inhibitors decreased 65% of cellular glutathione while not altering protein S-glutathionylation. Moreover, phenylarsine oxide, which binds to vicinal thiols, was used to determine the possible role of vicinal thiols in the amount of glutathionylation. Our data shows that phenylarsine oxide increased glutathionylation in oxidant-treated cells without decreasing cellular glutathione concentrations. This work was financially supported by a Cottrell College Science Grant from Research Corporation.

PS.13
“Comparison and 'Fingerprinting' of Authentic Designer and Designer Imposter Fragrances Using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Principal Component Analysis”
*Amy Betschart, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Nichols, Chemistry
The objective of this project is to develop a method that couples chemical analysis, using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS), with statistical analysis, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), to differentiate between authentic designer and imposter designer fragrances.  GC-MS, with chemical ionization, was used to identify the molecular components of the fragrance.  While simple comparison of the authentic and imposter fragrances' chromatograms yields basic information about their similarity, the application of PCA and graphing the results as radar (or spider) plots provides graphical representations that resemble “fingerprints” that can be easily compared.  This methodology has been applied to over 300 fragrance samples and its successes and limitations will be presented.

PS.14
“Comparing three proxy-reported measures of HRQoL in pediatric patients with musculoskeletal problems”
*Melanie Fishleigh, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jim Lissemore, Biology
Collaborators: Dr. Boris Bershadsky, Ph.D.; Dr. Brian Brighton, Ph.D.; Cleveland Clinic Foundation
The study compared three proxy-reported questionnaires quantifying health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in pediatric patients with musculoskeletal problems. The questionnaires employed were 1) the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI), which has 83 questions regarding eight areas of quality of life; 2) the Short Form 10 (SF-10), a ten question survey which produces quality of life outcomes on physical health and psychosocial health, and 3) the pediatric musculoskeletal Review Of Systems questionnaire (msROS), a survey of the measure of pain felt in six body parts. These questionnaires were applied to five groups of patients (pre-treatment scoliosis, post-treatment scoliosis, cerebral palsy, pre-treatment trauma, post-treatment trauma) to develop the best overall vision of the success of the surveys. Statistical analysis showed that both tested questionnaires revealed better than acceptable convergent and divergent validity, but insufficient discriminant validity. The SF-10 and msROS are recommended as a supplement, not a replacement to the PODCI.

PS.15
“Using Headspace GC-MS to Identify the Top, Middle, and Base Notes of a Perfume”
*Dr. Michael A. Nichols, Chemistry, Faculty; Jacquelyn Daugherty, Laurel School Student Perfumes and colognes are complex mixtures of essential or fragrance oils, which themselves contain many individual chemical components. Most fragrances are formulated so their scent will change during the time they are worn. “Top notes” initially dominate the scent and evaporate the fastest, leaving the middle and base notes to become more noticeable over time. This poster will present the results of a high school research project studying the kinetics of compositional changes in perfume samples using headspace Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The concentrations of the fragrances’ individual chemical components were measured over a ten hour period by collecting a GC-MS chromatogram of the vapor above the perfume (the headspace) sample at regular intervals and plotted versus time to determine the how the fragrance’s composition changes and to assign each chemical component to the top, middle or base notes.    

PS.16
“PROTECTIVE ROLE OF CERULOPLASMIN IN EXPERIMENTAL COLITIS”
*Ashley Frakes, Undergraduate; Bakytzhan Bakhautdin, Graduate Student, Cleveland State University; Collaborator: Paul L. Fox, Cell Biology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is an acute phase, plasma protein with multiple enzymatic activities consistent with both pro- and anti-inflammatory functions. To determine the potential role of Cp in intestinal inflammation, we induced colitis in Cp-deficient mice by administration of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) ad libitum in the drinking water. The Cp-null mice rapidly lost weight, had higher amounts of chemokines detected in colon culture supernatants, and exhibited excessive colonic bleeding after 5 days. Unexpectedly, mimicking Cp secretion by liver, utilizing Cp injections and restoring blood Cp, did not lessen the severity of inflammation. This finding was supported by the transplantation of Cp-null bone marrow (BM) into WT controls and vice versa; 90% of WT animals with Cp-null BM became moribund by day 14, whereas most of the KO mice with WT BM survived until day 20 of DSS administration.  These findings are consistent with a case of severe ulcerative colitis in a Wilson’s disease patient. Our results suggest that Cp derived from macrophages contributes to protection against colonic inflammation. This work was supported by NIH grants HL29582 and HL76491.

PS.17
“ER to Golgi Coagulation Factor Secretory Pathway and Dependence on LMANI1 and MCFD2 Genes”
*Philip Zuzolo, Undergraduate; Collaborator: Dr. Bin Zhang, Genomic Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Approximately 18,000 people in the U.S. are living with hemophilia, and an additional 400 babies are born each year with the disease.  The absence of clotting factors V and VIII indicate hemophilia, although the reason as to why these factors are not expressed is unknown.  The genes LMAN1 and MCFD2 were found to form a protein complex that transports the factors from the ER to the Golgi, and the mutation of one or both of these genes has been found to be present in a high proportion of patients deficient in factors V and VIII.  Polymerase chain reaction, genetic analysis, western blot analysis and other biochemical procedures were used to determine the genotype-phenotype relationship as well as other constituents in the ER to Golgi secretory pathway.

PS.18
“Change Blindness and Scene Consistency”
*Maria Donaldson, Undergraduate; Dr. Joseph Wayand, Psychology, Walsh University
It is easy to miss visual changes in stimuli, which researchers commonly refer to as change blindness (Rensink, O’Regan, & Clark, 1997). The present study extended past research by examining how the presence of a scene-inconsistent object in a natural scene using the flicker paradigm affects change blindness. The changed object was scene-consistent. I hypothesized that participants would react more slowly when a scene-inconsistent object was present. I used a beach pail in a computer scene and a shoe in a kitchen scene. I collected data from 43 undergraduate students (11 men, 32 women) who consented to participate in this study. Participants were treated according to the APA ethical guidelines. Results showed that participants were not significantly slower when a scene-inconsistent object was present, but that a follow-up study would be worthwhile because results were not too far from being significant. Funded by the Huntington/Codrington Scholarship.

PS.19
“Comparison of seed traits in two Sarcobatus populations in eastern California”
*Alynn M. Martin, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Biology
Currently, taxonomic keys for California vegetation consider the genus Sarcobatus to be monospecific. However, some keys for other states describe two species: Sarcobatus baileyi and Sarcobatus vermiculatus. We studied two populations of Sarcobatus; we hypothesize that one population represents S. vermiculatus and the other, S. baileyi. To compare shrub size between populations, the canopy volume and canopy height were recorded from five plants in each population. To compare fruit and seed traits, we collected the following data: wing span, fruit length, fruit mass, fruit width, and percent of filled and unfilled fruit.  Additionally, a subsample of the filled seeds was tested for germinability over a 20 day period.  After 20 days 73% of S. vermiculatus seedlings were still alive, where as only 24% of S. baileyi seedlings survived. Our data on vegetative and reproductive traits suggest our populations match published species description for S. baileyi and S. vermiculatus, indicating a potential range expansion for S. baileyi.

PS.20
“Transcriptional gene silencing in human cancer cells by RNA dependent DNA methylation”
*Sarah Pratt, Undergraduate; Collaborator: Dr. Angela Ting, Genomic Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
There are thousands of genes in the human genome, however not all are transcribed at one time. One mechanism that controls the activation of genes is epigenetic signaling, such as DNA methylation. Epigenetic signals are those that are not a result of the DNA sequence, but still affect the expression of genes. It has been discovered that epigenetic abnormalities are found in practically all types of cancer. There is evidence to suggest that short double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) can direct this DNA methylation in the promoter region of genes, resulting in gene silencing. The purpose of this study is to determine if endogenous dsRNAs can silence genes in mammalian cancer cells by promoter hypermethylation. This will be done through the analysis of protein and RNA expression of the ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1) gene in colon cancer cells modified to produce dsRNAs complementary to the ICAM-1 promotor region.

PS.21
“Motivation in College Students: The Effects of College Life”
*Sarah Michalos, Graduate Student; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Paula Britton, Community Counseling
There are multiple theories that explore motivation.  Using The Reiss Motivational Scale and Profile, I observed variables that are related to motivation in college students, particularly at a small Jesuit University.  The sixteen basic desires for motivation described by Reiss (2000) are acceptance, curiosity, eating, family, honor, idealism, independence, order, physical activity, power, romance, saving, status, tranquility, and vengeance. I compared the results of the profile of undergraduate students to the results of graduating seniors and graduate students.  This determined whether or not motivational desires and goals are different after four years of having a college experience.  I defined a “college experience” as including extracurricular activities and groups, athletics, and partying. I predicted that undergraduate students were more likely to show a strong basic desire for acceptance, independence and physical activity.  I predicted that graduate students are more likely to show a strong basic desire for curiosity, power, and honor.

PS.22
“Territorial site tenacity in red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park”
*Heidi Mathiott, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Carl D. Anthony and Ms. Cari-Ann Hickerson, Biology
Due to their very large population sizes, red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus, are important regulators of ecosystem processes such as the rates of leaf litter decomposition and nutrient cycling.  One factor that can limit population sizes of organisms is territorial behavior. Red-backed salamanders are known to be territorial, but most of what we know comes from studies of populations from Virginia. In those populations, individuals of P. cinereus are site tenacious from year to year and defend territories on the forest floor. There are few field studies that address long term site tenacity in this species and little is known about their behavior in Ohio. In this study we monitored a northeastern Ohio population over a four year period to determine how long territory holders occupy their cover objects (territories). We report on mean length of territorial residency, number of recaptures, and home range size in red-backed salamanders in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

PS.23
“Leprosy”
*Ginny Sykes and Gina Pestak, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jim Lissemore, Biology
Leprosy may seem like a disease left to biblical times.  Suprisingly though, leprosy still cripples many people around the world today.  Leprosy is most prevalent in Africa and South-East Asia, specifically in the country of India.  It is an extremely debilitating disease, affecting most individuals in their most productive stages.  Symptoms include disfigurement and permanent numbness. Many social stigmas are associated with the disease, which leaves individuals shunned from their communities.  Mycobacterium Leprae is the bacterium that is responsible for leprosy.  It is thought that the bacterium damages the Schwann cells of the nervous system.  Although transmission of M. Leprae occurs through contact with an infected individual, leprosy itself is not highly infectious.  The treatment for leprosy usually consists of a multi-drug therapy regime in order to prevent drug resistance.  Although many countries have reached an elimination status in regards to leprosy, greater awareness and treatment still needs to occur.

PS.24
“Age Progression of Hyperphosphorylated Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease Mice Models”
*Kristin Cola, Undergraduate; Collaborators: Dr. Sanjay Pimplikar and Dr. Kaushik Ghosal, Neuroscience, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating illness plaguing millions of people around the world, and is the leading cause of dementia today. Studies have shown that amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the leading cause of the eventual neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer’s disease patients. It has recently been found that the Tau protein, in conjunction with APP and when hyperphosphylated, is also linked to Alzheimer’s disease. We studied the development of hyperphosporylated Tau in genetically modified mice at varying ages, from 1.5 months to 2 years, by staining tissue with different antibodies. We found the genetically modified mice more likely to develop hyperphosphorylated Tau and at earlier ages than normal mice.  We also found Tau to be localized in the hippocampal region of the brain.  We can conclude that when APP is present, hyperphosphorylated Tau is more likely to accumulate in the brain, especially at a younger age and a faster rate.

PS.25
“Evidence for Structural Cooperativity in the Binding of Biotin to Streptavidin”
*William E. Patton, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Mark J. Waner and Dr. David P. Mascotti, Chemistry
Biotin is well known to have a strong specific binding affinity for streptavidin (SA), a tetrameric protein produced by a soil bacterium. The strong binding has led to the widespread use of this system in biotechnology applications. SA contains four biotin binding sites, each with four tryptophan residues in close proximity. The fluorescence of these residues is quenched as biotin is bound. Further, the fluorescence wavelength blue-shifts as the residues move from hydrophilic to hydrophobic environments which accompany the binding. It was found that the two apparent populations of tryptophan residues in SA have different saturation points. This provides direct experimental evidence of structural cooperativity where the binding of each ligand differentially affects the structure of the protein. This spectroscopic evidence, along with preliminary data examining the role of nearby tyrosines will be discussed in light of known structural features of SA.

PS.26
"Explorations on Data Breaches, Identity Theft, and Information Security"
*Lester Eliazo, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsors: Dr. Linda Seiter, Mathematics & Computer Science
Since the turn of the millennium in the United States, around 300 million records—nearly the entire population—has been leaked in data breaches. Data shows that organizations from all sectors and industries, and people from every walk of life, have been affected. In terms of whether the data breach was accomplished through online or offline means, neither is significantly more prevalent than the other. Nevertheless, by knowing the methods used, such as social engineering and phishing, the occurrence of data leaks and fraud can be reduced. Furthermore, by utilizing encryption and hash functions on the databases where sensitive information is stored, the impact of data breaches can be limited and identity theft prevented.

PS.27
“Construction of Ezrin-GFP Fusion Protein and 2PK3-RFP Cells to Visualize the Localization of Ezrin and the Leading Edge of B Cells During B Cell Migration”
*James Harrington, Undergraduate; Collaborator: Dr. Neetu Gupta, Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Ezrin is an intracellular protein in B cells. In adaptive immune responses, B cell receptor (BCR) stimulation leads to the dephosphorylation ezrin (inactive conformation) which makes the plasma membrane of the B cell less rigid. This allows B cells to migrate and interact with T cells during T cell dependent activation. In order to better understand ezrin’s role in B cell activation, two molecular tools were constructed to visualize the localization of ezrin in living B cells during B cell activation, as well as the leading edge of the B cells during migration. An ezrin-GFP fusion protein was constructed from a pQBI25-fN3 vector and a PI2E-LE insert, and stable transfectant 2PK3 cells expressing RFP on their PH domains were constructed to visualize the front of B cells during migration. Further DNA sequencing must be done on the ezrin-GFP fusion protein to check for the proper ligation.

PS.28
"Lymphatic Filariasis"
*Molly Falasco, Katy Flynn, and Dennis Lackey, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James L. Lissemore, Biology
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a parasitic disease that plagues 120 million people worldwide. Common in tropical and sub-tropical regions, LF is transmitted by mosquitoes to the human host and can induce swelling of the limbs and other areas of the body in which the targeted lymph vessels are highly concentrated. This disease is most typically associated with genital swelling in males and lymphedema or elephantiasis in the legs. While no cure exists, numerous prevention methods are available against LF, including insect netting, repellants, and the mass drug administration of de-worming drugs. This poster presents information regarding a highly stigmatized disease that plays a prominent role in developing countries worldwide.

PS.29
"Open source content management system and the Spring Framework"
*Jason Dengler, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Seiter, Mathematics & Computer Science
The poster has two parts to it. The first part is about research on the open source content management systems Drupal and Joomla. Content management systems are used to easily create websites and manage these websites.  Both Joomla and Drupal were used in the following semester by the open source class to build websites for non-profit organizations. The second part of the poster is about research done on The Spring Webframework and what this framework offers. Also the pros and cons of using this framework in the state that it is currently in.

PS.30
“How Culture, Environment, and Spirituality are Related to Alcohol Use/Abuse Among Urban American Indian Young Adults in Ohio”
*Victoria O’Keefe, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Sheri Young, Psychology
American Indians have suffered from the hurtful stereotype that they are all alcohol abusers. However, there is alarming research that supports the fact that American Indian adolescents have higher drinking rates than any other ethnic group in the United States. Past research has focused mostly on reservation youth, with hardly any studies focusing on urban Native youth in the east. This study was conducted with American Indian young adults residing in Ohio, a location that has rarely been studied in the past. It is important to consider why American Indian adolescents have higher alcohol use rates by investigating their culture, environment, and spirituality, which differs in comparison to other ethnic groups.

PS.31
“Thermodynamic Characterization of E. coli Manganese Superoxide Dismutase binding to single- and double-stranded polynucleic acids”
*Iteen Cheng, Lana Bengez, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Mascotti, Chemistry
Bacterial manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) has been shown to localize to the chromosomal portion of the cell and impart protection from ionizing radiation to DNA. The binding affinity of bacterial MnSOD to non-sequence specific double stranded oligomeric DNA has been quantitated previously by nitrocellulose filter binding and gel shift assays. We have examined the equilibrium binding of E. coli MnSOD containing tryptophan to poly(U), poly(A), poly(C), poly(dU) and double-stranded (ds) DNA. Equilibrium association constants, Kobs, measured by monitoring tryptophan fluorescence quenching, were examined as functions of monovalent salt (MX) concentration and type, as well as temperature, from which ΔG°obs and Δ H°obs were determined. The polynucleotides bind to MnSOD in the following affinity hierarchy, poly(dU)>poly(U)>dsDNA>poly(A)>poly(C). For each polynucleotide, Kobs decreases with increasing [K+]. For all polynucleotides, the values of ΔH°obs are independent of [K+]; therefore, the salt concentration dependence of ΔG°obs is due to primarily entropic origins. Funding provided by the Huntington/Codrington Foundation.

PS.32
"Nucleotide binding specificity of E. coli Manganese Superoxide Dismutase "
*Emily Tillmaand, Lana Bengez, Iteen Cheng, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David P. Mascotti, Chemistry
Bacterial manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) has been shown to localize to the chromosomal portion of the cell and impart protection from ionizing radiation to DNA. The binding affinity of bacterial MnSOD to non-sequence specific double stranded oligomeric DNA has been quantitated previously by nitrocellulose filter binding and gel shift assays. In our lab, using fluorescence quenching titrations, we have found that polynucleotides bind to MnSOD in the following affinity hierarchy, poly(dU)~poly (U) > dsDNA~poly(A)>poly (C). The current study attempts to verify these observations using DNase protection assays using 5'-biotin labeled homooligonucleotides. The composition of the oligonucleotides used was C20T20, T20C20, A20C20, C20A20, A20G20 and G20A20. In general, these assays confirmed the hierarchy found in previous studies. Funded by the Harry S. Svec family and the John Carroll University Chemistry Department.

PS.33
“Stable expression of recombinant TNF- Receptor 2 in Human Embryonic Kidney cells”
*Sean Kelleher, Undergraduate; Collaborators: Dr. Unni M. Chandrasekharan and Dr. Paul E DiCorleto, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) is a cytokine critically involved in inflammatory and immune response, differentiation, apoptosis and cell proliferation. TNFα binds to two separate cell surface receptors: TNF receptor 1(p55) and TNF receptor 2 (p75). Our goal was to develop a stable cell line that over-expresses p75.  We cloned the p75 cDNA with a myc tag in the eukaryotic expression plasmid, pCDNA3. This plasmid also contains the neomycin resistance gene.  Human embryonic kidney cells  (HEK 293) were transfected with pCDNA3 expression plasmid and neomycin-resistant clones were selected. p75 expression in those clones was tested using immune-detection with an anti-myc antibody. We identified twelve p75 positive clones with varying expression levels.  The p75 stable cell line we developed will be used to study p75-specific TNF signaling pathways as well as to identify small molecules that inhibit TNF binding to the p75.  

PS.34
“Predicting the Technofuture: Cyberpunk Science Fiction’s Prophetic Nature”
*Joseph Griesmer, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Andrew Morse, English
During the 1980s and 1990s, a new type of science fiction began to appear.  Mostly dealing with a hypertechnological near-future world, with a pervasive cyberspace culture, extensive body modifications, designer drugs, and a society largely dominated by multinational corporations, this subgenre became known as cyberpunk.  Cyberpunk often portrayed a dystopic future, including ecological catastrophe, widespread militarization, and endemic surveillance societies.  Much of what cyberpunk predicted has come true, or seems to be coming true.  Its influence on science fiction as a whole was wide-reaching.  The project will consist of a literary analysis of cyberpunk science fiction, arguing for their merit as ways to explore social and political dynamics of the future.  Also, part of the project will be a creative body of cyberpunk-themed science fiction exploring the effects of ecological change and scientific advance in the near future, notably climate change and nanotechnology.

PS.35
“Comprehensive Shirking: Baseball in the New Millennium”
*Nick Buzzy, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Frank Navratil, Economics and Finance
Over a billion dollars was spent on baseball free agents in the years 2006 and 2007. Previous research has shown no evidence of shirking as a result of these contracts. In 2006 and 2007, the 71 position players who received single year contracts and 45 who received multi-year contracts were used in my study. The year prior to, and the year following the new contract, were compared to see if any significant differences existed. The variables covered include, but are not limited to, batting average, home runs, and runs batted in. Using pair-wise t-tests, we see a statistically significant decline in performance across nearly all offensive categories. Further, the drop is significantly greater for players who received multi-year contracts as opposed to single year contracts. Overall, there is evidence of shirking for position players who receive multi-year deals.

PS.36
“Guinea Worm Disease”
*Tashara Banks and Sabreen Taha, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James L. Lissemore, Biology
Dracunculiasis, guinea worm disease, is a non-immunogenic parasitic worm infection caused by the parasite Dracunculus medinesis. This disease is prevalent in areas where sanitary drinking water is not available.  The life cycle of guinea worm disease begins with the ingestion of water that is contaminated with the cyclops water flea and ends with the emergence of the guinea worm through the skin a year later. Guinea worm disease was once rampant in most countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, but infection rates have been greatly reduced over the past few decades.  In 2007, guinea worm disease affected less than 10,000 people in five countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.  Because of continued education about water filtration and increased access to safe drinking water, guinea worm disease has become the top candidate for global eradication by the International Task Force for Disease Eradication.

PS.37
“Therapeutic Techniques for Sexual Abuse Victims”
*Keelan Quinn, Graduate Student
An estimated thirty nine million people in the United States today have survived childhood sexual abuse. Thirty percent of these cases are unreported. Side effects of this trauma range from depression to eating disorders to suicide and they sometimes do not occur until years after the incident(s). A qualitative research study is being conducted involving five counseling professionals in the Cleveland area who either specialize in sexual abuse or work closely with sexually abused patients. Participants are being interviewed to discover successful techniques used in counseling sexually abused patients. These techniques are used to lower the prevalence of the side effects and to help the patient cope with the trauma in the healthiest manner possible. Results will help improve the counseling techniques of other mental health workers who work with or counsel patients of sexual abuse.

PS.38
“Adult Emotional Responses to Math Performance in a Non-Traditional Educational Setting”
*Meagen F. Howe, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Rausch, Education & Allied Studies
According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy in 2003, 55% of adults function at the Basic or Below Basic levels in quantitative skills.  However, the majority of the unfilled and newly created jobs in the U.S. marketplace require significant quantitative competence.  In order for our skills-based economy to function, a large percentage of these adults will need enhanced math skills.  Adults who did not earn a high school diploma often require significant educational remediation in order to pass the high school equivalency (GED) test and qualify for entrance to job training programs.  In addition, they often feel negatively towards traditional educational settings and approaches.  This study aims to develop a theory about how students and tutors in non-traditional adult educational settings respond emotionally to math performance.  Preliminary results and analysis will address the implications of this phenomenon on non-traditional adult instruction and GED programs.

PS.39
“Exploratory Work with Terphenyl-Based Pincer Complexes”
*Tom Spilker, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Paul R. Challen, Chemistry
Catalysts serve a critical role in the acceleration of chemical reactions.  Meta-terphenyl based pincer complexes are a specialized type of catalyst involved in the reactions which form carbon-carbon bonds.  Through the binding of a metal to the highly twisted terphenyl framework, one can obtain a catalyst which improves product yield and enhances product selectivity. The synthesis and characterization will be described as well as the exploratory work involving the cyclization of the terphenyl pincer complex using a single hetero atom such as phosphorus or sulfur. 

PS.40
“Synthesis of m-Terphenyl Based Pincer Complex Catalysts”
*Andrew Schafer, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Paul Challen, Chemistry
Catalysis is a chemical property which reduces the amount of energy required to carry out a reaction and makes a process more cost efficient and quicker.  One type of catalyst is the pincer complex.  Our pincer complex catalysts are unlike most others in that they are flexible and have properties which may be varied based on the chemical makeup of the ligands.  Pincer complexes are molecules which have transition metal atoms bound to organic ligands which are shaped like a crab’s “pincer”. The ligand is made up of two parts, a backbone and a substituent. The chemical formula and bond pattern of the substituent modifies and controls the catalytic properties of our flexible pincer complexes.  This presentation presents the synthetic work carried out in order to prepare these catalysts for further study. 

PS.41
"Solving Complex Problems with a Swarm-Deterministic Hybrid Approach"
*Anthony Lanese, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Daniel Palmer and Dr. Marc Kirschenbaum, Mathematics and Computer Science
When we solve a problem with computers, there are various approaches we can take. These methods include, among others, deterministic algorithms and swarms. Deterministic algorithms, while fast, sometimes have difficulty solving more complex problems. While swarms can solve these complex problems more easily, they are very slow. In particular, swarms spend much of their solving time on the last parts of a problem. A deterministic algorithm generally does not have this particular flaw. Therefore, we investigated using a hybrid approach: using a swarm to find potential partial solutions, then passing these to a deterministic solver to finish. This approach allows each solution method to work where it is the strongest. The swarm is used in the beginning, when it makes progress quickly.  Once the swarm has reached a certain point, it passes the problem to a faster deterministic algorithm.

PS.42
“A role for EGFR in early chick thyroid development”
*Tashara Banks, Tamika Fields, Anjali Kottha, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gwendolyn Kinebrew, Biology
The receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGFR) has been implicated in cell proliferation and the morphogenetic changes associated with development of epidermally derived organs. The chick thyroid gland is such an organ. It was shown that early in its development this primordium has a lower mitotic index than the surrounding pharyngeal tissue and work in our laboratory suggests a role for EGFR in the early development of this organ. We are currently using SDS-PAGE and western blotting followed by immunolabeling to isolate EGFR and show that antibodies raised against the murine version of EGFR will also bind to the chick protein. We will later immunolabel the early chick pharynx to determine whether expression of the receptor parallels the differences in mitotic index shown earlier. We are using a monoclonal antibody (EGFR mAb) specific for the extracellular binding site followed by labeling with a horseradish peroxidase tagged secondary antibody.  Results suggest this antibody does bind to the chicken version of EGFR.

PS.43
“Medical and cultural immersion in Honduras”
Dr. Gwendolyn M. Kinebrew, Biology, Faculty
Honduras is a small Central American country with a very mountainous terrain. The country is susceptible to frequent hurricanes and occasional earthquakes. The population is predominately mestizo with an approximately 80% literacy rate. Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America with a very unequal distribution of wealth. The gross national per capita income is $2900. Healthcare is lacking for many residents. As of 2000 there was just 0.57 physician per 1000 members of the population and 10 hospital beds per 10,000.  In 2007 we took a group of 7 John Carroll students to Honduras for the first 7-day cultural and medical immersion experience there.  We returned in 2008 with a new group. The students worked along side physicians and others to provide very basic medical care to rural residents. The experience was emotionally and physically challenging. This presentation highlights key events of the two trips.

PS.44
“Odd Man Out: Discerning Relationship Complexities of Asperger’s Syndrome”
*Alicia Pascoe, Graduate Student; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. John Rausch, Education & Allied Studies
A dramatic increase in the prevalence of Asperger’s Syndrome has occurred over the last decade. One key aspect of this disorder is the inability of these individuals to develop and maintain relationships and act in socially appropriate ways. A small-scale qualitative research study was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of mothers of children diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome to assess relationship development and maintenance, peer and family associations, and social stigma these individuals deal with on a daily basis. A comparative analysis of current research will accompany the results of this study to enhance current knowledge of Asperger’s Syndrome.

PS.45
“Investigation of Protein Arginine Methylation in Endothelial Cell Activation”
*Gregory Lausé, Undergraduate; Collaborators: Dr. Smarajit Bandyopadhyay and Dr. Paul E. DiCorleto, Cell Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Protein arginine methylation is critical in cellular processes such as protein trafficking, signal transduction and transcriptional regulation. We propose that this post-translational modification plays an important role in endothelial cell (EC) activation and inflammation. It was recently demonstrated that the homeobox transcription factor HOXA9 recruits protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) 5 as a transcriptional co-activator to the promoter of the E-selectin gene, which is induced in EC by the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor–a (TNF). Moreover, TNF-dependent transient simultaneous association of both PRMT5 and symmetrically dimethylated arginine (SDMA)-containing protein/s were readily detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP). Therefore, candidate SDMA-containing protein/s were investigated in human umbilical vein EC (HUVEC) treated with TNF at various time points, using SDS-PAGE and western blotting. We have observed several candidate proteins and are in the process of verifying their identity using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry.

PS.46
“Synthesis of SCS Terphenyl Palladium Pincer Complexes”
*Wilson Luu, Adam Jenkins and Laura Gruber, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Man Lung Desmond Kwan, Chemistry
First SCS Terphneyl Palladium Pincer Complex was synthesized in our lab using a six step synthesis. This pincer complex will be tested for catalytic efficacy in organic transformation.

PS.47
“Synthesis, spectroscopic Characterization, and X-ray structure of a new five-coordinated chlorocopper(II) complex with a fluorigenic ligand” 
*Dr. Catherine Miller, Chemistry, Faculty
A new copper ion (II) fluorogenic reagent, 8-[(2-pyridine)-methylideneamino] quinoline (PMAQ) was synthesized to be used in a fluorescence quenching study.  Following a published procedure, and several modifications, a new Cu-PMAQ-chloro complex was purified and yielded green crystals of the copper complex.  After optimum conditions were determined for the synthesis and purification of the Cu-PMAQ complex, the stoichiometry of the complex was revealed from an X-ray structure.  The complex was determined to be paramagnetic using EPR spectroscopy.  Preliminary analysis using Density Functional Theory suggests that the copper complex is in a trigonal bypyramidal geometry and was optimized without any symmetry restrictions in the doublet state.

PS.48
“Quantitative Evaluation of Electrodes for External Urethral Sphincter Electromyogram”
*James Steward and Jessica Clemons, Undergraduates; Collaborators: Mr. Paul Zaszczurynski, Mr. Robert Butler, Dr. Margot Damaser, and Dr. Hai-Hong Jiang, Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Accuracy in recording external urethral sphincter (EUS) electromyogram (EMG) is an important goal in the quantitative evaluation of urethral function. The concentric electrode (CE), parallel electrode (PE), and wire electrode (WE) have been used to measure EUS EMG. However, a standardized comparison of the electrodes has yet to be done. The objective of this study was to quantitatively compare single and simultaneous signals on the basis of baseline correction, amplitude, and frequency. EUS EMG was recorded in six female Sprague-Dawley rats during tonic activity and leak point pressure (LPP) testing. PE recordings required significantly less baseline correction than both CE recordings and WE recordings, indicating that the PE signal had less baseline variation both in tonic and LPP EUS EMG activity. Activity of the CE-recorded EMG was significantly higher than that of the PE and WE, indicating that the CE detected muscle activity more sensitively.

PS.49
“The Effectiveness of Self-Symbols in Equivalence Testing”
*Jenna Woodarek, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor Dr. Abdulrazaq Imam, Psychology
Equivalence training is a type of training in which teaching every relation between stimuli is unnecessary. The emergence of relationships between stimuli that have not been previously taught is possible and thus increasing the efficiency of the training. The current experiment employs this technique in a complex-to-simple structure in a single subject design. The preliminary designs include the use of self symbols (which have some relevance to the participant), general knowledge symbols (traffic signs), and arbitrary symbols to explore whether self symbols will be learned more efficiently.  The participant will complete a survey to assess the relevancy of the self symbols followed by pretraining on the MTS software before completing baseline training, equivalence testing, and mixed tests.  Each type of symbol will serve as a node. Further work is necessary in the design of the experiment before the experiment is ready to run participants. Funded by the Huntington/Codrington Scholarship.

PS.50
“Dengue”
*John Sullivan and Kacey Zeiser, Undergraduates; Faculty Sponsor Dr. Lissemore, Biology
Dengue is a viral infection that causes a severe flu like illness. Dengue fever is caused by any one of four closely related viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4), which are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Aedes aegypti mosquito. Today, dengue hemorrhagic fever affects most Asian countries and has become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children in the region. Symptoms of dengue include high fever, severe headache, backache, joint pains, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, and rash. There is no cure for dengue, therefore, only the symptoms can be treated with antipyretics, fluids, rest. Current research is being done to create a vaccine that must be tetravalent to work against all four strains.

PS.51
“Experimental Development of an Undergraduate Laboratory Experience to Differentiate Beers and to Evaluate Beer Ageing” 
*Ryan Schoonmaker, Undergraduate; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Catherine Miller, Chemistry
The brewing industry is concerned with the stability of its products.  During storage, beer quality is gradually decreased and the production of stale flavor, the formation of haze, and browning occur.  The speed of ageing depends on the storage conditions and the composition of beer.  This work is developing a laboratory experience where the students will use spectrophotometry to measure the antioxidant capacity of several beers and use this value to differentiate beers and their stability.  Caramel coloring is also used to differentiate beers.  This study will show the absorbance dependence of a range of beers.  Note, the evaluation of beer ageing is still controversial in the beer industry.  Historically, trained tasters were the only way to evaluate a beer and some of its staling components.   Here, we will only use spectrophotometry to differentiate beers.

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