Stander Symposium Projects

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  Assessment of the Structural Suitability of Tensegrity Aircraft Wings

  Austin Mills

  This research investigates the suitability of tensegrity aircraft wing concepts and compares their simulated structural performance to a baseline conventional wing structure. Tensegrity systems consist of a series of compressed struts connected by tensioned cables that place the system in a self-equilibrium state. With all components being loaded axially, a tensegrity system has a potentially high strength-to-weight ratio. Of specific interest, tensegrity systems may provide pathway to morphing aircraft structures through the actuation of cables. Aircraft with wings that are able to alter their sweep, span, chord, and camber are particularly attractive for their ability to change between high maneuverability to high lift to low drag configurations. With an eye towards this application, the present study compares two tensegrity-based wing designs, generated through designer insights and structural topology optimization methods, to the aluminum Van’s RV-4 aircraft rib/spar wing structure, chosen as the baseline performance case.

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  Associations Between Decision Making and Hedonic Response to Odor

  Madison Elaine Degnan

  Associations Between Decision Making and Hedonic Response to Odor Background: The Limbic system supports many functions including emotion, behavior, motivation, decision-making, long-term memory, and olfaction. The olfactory bulb is connected to the amygdala and the hippocampus. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between pleasantness and unpleasantness ratings of odors and decision-making during a virtual gambling task. Methods: Undergraduate students (N=100) from a midsize private Midwestern university participated in the study for course research credit. They underwent tests of odor threshold detection, odor identification, and ratings of odor pleasantness and unpleasantness using the Sniffin' Sticks Test battery. They also completed the Iowa Gambling Task-II (IGT-II), a computerized task that assesses decision-making while gambling to earn fake money. The task utilizes four card different card decks: A) low-risk, low-reward, B) high-risk, low-reward, C) low-risk, high-reward, and D) high-risk, high-reward. Results: Total money earned on the IGT-II was associated with lower unpleasant odor ratings across all odors (r = -0.332 , p = 0.017). Number of draws from the high risk and low reward deck (r = 0.368, p = 0.008) was correlated with higher total unpleasantness ratings across all odors. Net total (r = -0.238, p = 0.093), draws from the high risk and high reward (r = 0.133, p = 0.352), low risk and high reward C (rho = 0.040, p = 0.781), and low risk low reward (r = -0.143, p = 0.317) were not significantly correlated with unpleasantness ratings across all odors. Conclusion: Poor decision-making was related to higher ratings of unpleasant odors, suggesting that those who reported more odors as unpleasant, were experiencing negative emotions in the prefrontal cortex, which inhibited decision-making. Participants who won more money reported lower ratings of total unpleasantness, suggesting that participants who rated more odors as pleasant were experiencing positive emotions in the prefrontal cortex, which facilitated decision making.

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  A trial of fire and ice: experimental assessment of novel ecological restoration techniques in midwestern prairies invaded by Pyrus calleryana

  Meg Maloney

  Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is an invasive plant that threatens ecosystems across the American Midwest. Callery pear can disperse over long distances, grow rapidly, is tolerant of a variety of soil conditions, and outcompetes most native plants. Invasion of Callery pear into prairie ecosystems is a particularly difficult management challenge. The overarching objective of this project is to experimentally test control methods for this species to allow scientifically supported land management practices. In particular, I will test the efficacy of prescribed fire, cutting, herbicide and a novel treatment- freezing with liquid nitrogen. The idea of freezing as a treatment is untested in the scientific literature; however, may be an effective technique given that this species is cold sensitive and liquid nitrogen is inexpensive and relatively easy to apply. Shiloh Conservation Area is located near Dayton, Ohio, USA and is a recently restored prairie that was used for agriculture for over 50 years prior. We marked and measured the diameter of 100 Callery pear trees that were cut with a mower 1 year ago. These resprouting pear tree stumps were randomly assigned to one of five treatments: no treatment (negative control, n = 20), cut only (control, n = 20), experimental burning (n = 20), freezing (0.5 L of liquid nitrogen application, n = 20), and herbicide (50% glyphosate solution, n = 20). All treatments were applied in September of 2019. After 6 weeks, we evaluated which trees had begun resprouting. In March of 2020, we will re-measure which trees have begun resprouting. In fall 2020, almost 100% of the trees treated with fire began resprouting. 40% of the trees treated with liquid nitrogen began resprouting and none of the trees treated with herbicide resprouted. We will conduct this experiment again this spring and analyze results in fall of 2021.

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  Attending to the Small Happenings: Rhizomatic Research in Art Education

  Abby Sheahan, Indigo Hudepohl, Ria Gordon

  Tenacious triad of Senior Art Education students share their research with YOU! Learn how empathy, gestural dancing, roots, identity, plateaus, movements, journals, cat’s cradle, and comics all share one space within Art Education through this visual and interactive presentation.

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  Automated Design of Truss-Based Mechanical Components Using Topology Optimization

  Robert McCarren

  The goal of this research is to develop a design strategy, and associated algorithms, that take advantage of the topology optimization package within SolidWorks to create easily producible parts. Topology optimization (TO) is a numerical procedure that accepts an initial design space, which includes loads and constraints, and produces a part optimized for structural performance. The optimization objective is commonly posed as maximizing rigidity based on a desired weight percentage, subject to maximum stress and other design constraints. One difficulty with commercial packages, such as SolidWorks, is that the final designs are generally difficult to manufacture without using additive manufacturing (AM) due to the organic nature of the TO results. AM is impractical for many applications and the TO results must be converted to a practical design using conventional manufacturing operations. A consistent method for converting the TO results into manufacturable parts does not exist. Experienced design engineers can produce considerably different practical designs from the TO results. This research focuses on automating the conversion from TO results to practical design using visual basic coding in SolidWorks. TO results will generally resemble truss-like shapes due to the strong nature of trusses. As such, the code produces a three-dimensional sketch of the truss from a Matlab visual processing of the TO result and then uses the weldment tool to create the truss geometry with tubing so the part can be more easily produced by conventional methods.

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  Autonomous Model Update Scheme for Deep Learning-Based Network Traffic Classifiers

  Jielun Zhang

  Network traffic classification is essential in network management and measurement in access networks, e.g., network intrusion detection, network resource allocation, etc. State-of-the-art Deep Learning based classifiers achieve high classification accuracy even when dealing with encrypted data packets. Such classifiers would need to be updated when a new application appears in the network traffic. However, it is challenging to build and label a dataset of the unknown application so that the current network traffic classifier can be updated. In this paper, we propose an autonomous model update scheme to (i) build a dataset of new application packets from active network traffic; and (ii) update the current network traffic classifier. In particular, the core of the proposed scheme is a discriminator includes a statistical filter and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based binary classifier to filter and build a dataset of new application packets from active network traffic. Evaluation is conducted based on an open dataset (ISCX VPN-nonVPN dataset). The results demonstrated that our proposed autonomous classifier update scheme can successfully filter packets of a new application from network traffic and build a new training dataset. Moreover, the packet classifier can be effectively updated through transfer learning. The success of the proposed update scheme can be adopted in the access network for efficient and adaptive network measurement and management.

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  Awakening to Beauty VI: Chaminade Scholars Vocation & the Arts Experiential Presentation

  Matthew C Bugada, Emily M Burns, Jack M Dalton, Patrick Ehrman, Claire N Evans, Emma Geckle, Reiley G Harrington, Abigail Kelly, Andrew Killian, Madison M Millhouse, Megan M Passon, Jacqueline R Russo, Jacob Troutwine, Cathryn Vandenbosch

  Awakening to Beauty VI is an experiential engagement with various media for exploring the importance of beauty and wonder within creation as described in Laudato Si and the Pan Amazonian Synod Documents.

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  Best Practices for Lesson Planning

  Holly Mercs

  Across America, primary and secondary educators are limited to the resources and time they have available to design captivating, valuable lessons that are best practices for students. Educators are able to plan lessons that are beneficial to students but due to the lack of available assets, there is missed potential in the lesson design. This is especially true for a science classroom which has the capability to engage students to analyze and solve real-world problems in the scope of a scientist through inquiry-based learning. This project focused on developing a unit for a high school biology class that adds value and potential to the content where the time and resources are limited for the educators. The unit followed the 5E Learning Cycle and was carefully designed by deconstructing the state standards which were then broken down into student friendly language. After designing and executing a unit on sex-linked traits, inheritance patterns and pedigree analysis, data was collected to evaluate the progression of student learning through the entirety of the unit. Each section of the lesson plan as well as execution and assessment of the unit has been carefully thought out and analyzed to ensure the opportunity for student success was measurable. Lessons that are designed with the availability of resources and time can improve the learning environment for all students.

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  Best Predictors of Player's Goals in Soccer

  Christopher Anderson

  The purpose of this project is to see what offensive statistics are best for predicting a soccer player’s future goals using the 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 (as of 3/9) seasons’ data. The regressors (variables) tried in this project that could affect goals (dependent variable) were shots, shots on goal, expected goals, minutes (total playing time), games (number of appearances), position, team, player, and league. The data was collected from Football (soccer) reference (fbref.com) and analyzed using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). A model predicting the response variable (goals) in terms of some significant regressors was obtained.

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  Big Men on the Small Screen: Masculinities, Catholicism, and Television in the Early Twenty-First Century

  Derek L. Hostetter

  This essay will analyze popular television programming in the early twenty-first century, focusing particularly on the representation of men within Catholic families. The primary shows in view will be The Sopranos, Ray Donovan, and Blue Bloods. As a necessary first step, I will explain how the historical and cultural conditions of the two decades preceding the twenty-first century made possible the new representations of masculinity portrayed on such shows. Likewise, I will also explain the conditions which made the portrayals of Catholic families on such shows possible. After the historical and cultural groundwork has been laid, I will provide a close reading of key scenes from the television shows themselves. Ultimately, I will utilize Elijah Siegler’s typology of priestly, prophetic, and rabbinic to demonstrate how these television shows offer three distinct models for Catholic engagement with masculinity. I will show how the Catholicism in The Sopranos serves to maintain the status quo with regard to the masculinity that is portrayed, and thus, offers the priestly model. The titular character in Ray Donovan, on the other hand, is confronted with the need to radically reorient his and his family’s lives after committing himself to his Catholic faith, and thus, offers the prophetic model. The show Blue Bloods presents Catholicism as an assumed part of everyday life and as an important subject in family discussion, and thus, offers the rabbinic model. In short, I aim to provide a long overdue analysis of what one of the most important features of American culture – television – tells us about the intersection of family life and religion, particularly with regard to the men in those religious families.

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  Bringing an End to Violence in Dayton, Ohio

  Isabel Zavala

  Most of the SDGs are connected. One cannot improve without the other. In order to bring an end to violence in Dayton, one needs to solve the issues within poverty and education before an end to violence can happen. Those issues are driving forces for violence. Institutions have power, power to make an impact on many people. I have learned Dayton has a lot of resources to help people but not many are aware of them. Educating people on resources as well as giving people hope, showing they do not have to live the way they grow up is huge. Dayton tries, but there is still a lot to be done. An end to violence is a far away goal, but lessening violence is more feasible as a short-term goal. Everyone deserves to live a safe and happy life without worrying about what atrocity might happen next. Dayton can be the leader in reforming itself into a human rights city, just as Ohio has led the fight against COVID-19.

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  Bringing International Human Rights and Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton

  Bridget Anne Dunnigan

  Over the course of the semester, students in POL 334 have had the great opportunity of learning and engaging in material about sustainable development goals and human rights cities. Specifically, we have been researching and gathering data to increase the chances of Dayton becoming a Human Rights City. After researching each SDG, it was clear that each one is intertwined. The access to justice is uneven and unfair. In order to make progress and develop a civil society, community members must advocate for Dayton to become a Human Rights City. These efforts are essential to moving forward and achieving the sustainable development goals. It is important for each member of society to have the opportunity to live a high quality life with inclusion and equality. Overall, this semester has taught me about local human rights issues and challenges in the Dayton area, as well as, how to apply various tools and techniques for an effective community.

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  Bringing International Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton

  Abdulaziz Abdullah A. Alayed, Emma E Coning, Bridget Anne Dunnigan, Tiffany Erin Hendricks, Claudia E. Jackert, Bailey N. Johnson, Maranda Elise Lewis, Michaela Catherine Linehan, Chloe M. Marklay, Jared Dominic Marsh, Chloe Elizabeth Massie-Costales, Alyssa Marie Miller, Jessica Caroline Minichillo, Marigrace Sandi Moses, Alex M. Mueller, Yulianna Otero, Jasmine H. Riechmann, Kathleen E. Schweninger, Ryan Darnell Scott, Emily Rose Shanahan, Landis Yuri Soto, Dawson J. Vandervort, Destiny Watson, Isabel Zavala

  Student researchers present initial findings from research linking specific international human rights articles and targets from the Sustainable Development Goals to data, news, and programs in the greater Dayton region. The purpose of the research is to assist university and community advocates in developing a campaign to make Dayton a Human Rights City. A Human Rights City is a municipality that refers explicitly to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards and/or law in their policies, statements, and programs. In addition, students will present advocacy campaign designs and reflections on the research process.

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  Bringing International Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton

  Chloe M. Marklay

  Growing up in a suburb can sometimes blind us of what is happening outside of our safety bubble. I am grateful my parents encouraged me to volunteer at local nonprofits to open my eyes to the issues many people face. Problems like hunger, poverty, and no access to clean water seem so foreign to us because we aren't affected by them. Before this class, I was naive about how many people in my area are affected by some of these issues. Going to school in Dayton has made me realize how truly blessed I am and to use my gifts to help others in my community. If we all do our part to use and give our gifts we will be helping not only Dayton but those throughout the world. Just by simply donating a dollar to an organization can help impact others in a major way. The 17 SDGs are all intertwined and their goals are not unreachable if we all do our part.

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  Bringing International Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton

  Emma E. Coning

  I knew about Dayton’s struggles heading into this project. Little did I know how easy it was to apply the Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton, especially for education. The SDG breaks it up into quantifiable components that can be more easily addressed through research and exploration of the issues at hand. Dayton has been bettering itself over the last couple of years, and hopefully it will continue its upward trajectory until it is just as strong as any other school district in Ohio.

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  Bringing International Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton

  Abdulaziz Abdullah A. Alayed, Emma E Coning, Bridget Anne Dunnigan, Tiffany Erin Hendricks, Claudia E. Jackert, Bailey N. Johnson, Maranda Elise Lewis, Michaela Catherine Linehan, Chloe M. Marklay, Jared Dominic Marsh, Chloe Elizabeth Massie-Costales, Alyssa Marie Miller, Jessica Caroline Minichillo, Marigrace Sandi Moses, Alex M. Mueller, Yulianna Otero, Jasmine H. Riechmann, Kathleen E. Schweninger, Ryan Darnell Scott, Emily Rose Shanahan, Landis Yuri Soto, Dawson J. Vandervort, Destiny Watson, Isabel Zavala

  Student researchers will present initial findings from research linking specific international human rights articles and targets from the Sustainable Development Goals to data, news, and programs in the Greater Dayton region. The purpose of the research is to assist university and community advocates in developing a campaign to make Dayton a Human Rights City. A Human Rights City is a municipality that refers explicitly to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards and/or law in their policies, statements, and programs. In addition, students will present advocacy campaign designs and reflections on the research process.

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  Bringing International Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton: A Closer Look at the Opioid Crisis & SDG Target 3.5

  Yulianna Otero

  SDGs and human rights articles helped me see local issues and solutions with a global lens. I realized Dayton is not exempt from human rights issues that affect cities over the world. I learned that, locally, most issues disproportionately affect African Americans. Also, documentation about an issue increases the likelihood of government action. It seems that Dayton officials and organizations are taking steps to improve local health issues, but there is still a lot of work to do. I think the SDG goals can be a useful framework to continue this work.

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  Bringing International Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals to Dayton: A Closer Look at the Opioid Crisis & SDG Target 3.5

  Bailey N. Johnson

  During this semester, we learned much about the hard work of advocacy together as a class. Though our plans for in-person, community advocacy were cut short by COVID-19 concerns, there was much to be learned about advocacy efforts from the topics we researched. One thing that surprised me the most is that for every negative article explaining how the terrible opioid epidemic is plaguing the city of Dayton, there was an article explaining the success of the Dayton community in responding to the opioid epidemic in such a collective and compassionate way that it has become a model for other communities across the U.S. in addressing the opioid epidemic in their own communities. These stories of success and hope are necessary for the longevity of any advocacy movement, and are as necessary as the other pitfalls of advocacy work.

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  Bringing Sustainable Ecology to Dayton

  Dawson J. Vandervort

  I don’t see a lot of emphasis on ecological integration in Dayton or with SDG’s in general. The main focus is on housing, education and the opioid epidemic. Integration of ecology is required. Green cities are happier and healthier cities (EU); green cities correlate to decreased crime and drug use (CityLab, The Atlantic).

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  Can Calcium and Sodium Help to Restore Prairie Soil Following Removal of an Invasive Tree?

  Emily Horne

  Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera) is an invasive tree in the southeast US that rapidly outcompetes native grasses and shrubs, reduces biodiversity, and threatens grassland ecosystems. T. sebifera growth, however, has been shown to be sensitive to changes in soil salinity and suggests that micronutrients, like calcium and sodium, may be important factors that affect growth. Therefore, Ca and Na may help to improve restoration techniques by altering soil characteristics and preventing recolonization following removal of T. sebifera. To determine how Na and Ca affect soil characteristics following T. sebifera removal, we manipulated the amount of Ca and Na (by 10%, 25%, and 40% above ambient levels in a fully factorial designed experiment) in 3 meter by 3 meter plots. Each plot had one of four levels of invasion, those being remnant prairie (control), lightly invaded, moderately invaded, and heavily invaded areas. In total, this adds up to 16 treatments x 4 levels of invasion x 3 replicates + 12 additional controls = 204 plots. We collected soil samples from each plot with a soil auger in mid-July 2019 and these samples were frozen until analysis. We measured soil moisture, pH, conductivity, and bulk density. We found that calcium and sodium affect the soil characteristics differentially when added alone but have stronger effects when these micronutrients were added together. Additionally, the strength of the effect depended on the initial T. sebifera density, likely due to differences in plant biomass. These results suggest that micronutrients, Ca and Na, may be important for restoring soil characteristics like soil moisture, pH, and conductivity following invasion of T. sebifera, and may help to make coastal tallgrass prairies more resilient to invasion by this invasive tree.

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  Celebrating Earth Day 50: UD Students Taking Climate Action for Environmental Justice in Our Common Home

  Caroline Garvey, Tiffany Hunsinger, Theresa Isemann, Meg Maloney, Jared Marsh

  April 22, 2020 is EarthDay’s 50th anniversary and a global movement of 1 billion people taking climate action. Join us for a facilitated virtual workshop as we celebrate EarthDay and the 5th anniversary of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si - On Care for Our Common Home. Inspired by International EarthDay (www.earthday.org) and Catholic Climate Covenant resources and UD student leaders, we will explore how UD alumni and faith communities have taken climate action and how current students can engage at home, on campus, and in their networks. Students have been key leaders in global environmental movements ranging from pollution protests on college campuses on the first Earth day, to school climate strikes initiated by Greta Thunberg in 2019. Faith communities have highlighted the injustice that climate change and pollution disproportionately impacts those of vulnerable health, the economically poor and people of color. Given UD’s Catholic and Marianist values, our environmental actions are a crucial part of our commitment to community, solidarity and promoting the common good. Over the past 30 years, UD students have taken initiative with faculty/staff and community partners to make the campus and region more sustainable through club projects, educational events and actions creating programs in recycling, composting, native plants and energy conservation. Through a facilitated process including video, brief prayers, reflection questions and UD student panelist input, participants will identify actions they can implement in their daily lives and apply to their major and career. Undergraduate and graduate panelists from diverse majors will share hopes and challenges, practical tips and success stories from their environmental sustainability involvements. Participants will identify opportunities on and off campus through student organizations advancing sustainability, academic programs and Hanley Sustainability Institute. Participants will leave with plans and ideas for creating a more just, sustainable future in Our Common Home.

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  Childhood Trauma: Equipping Schools with the Tools to Fight Back

  Emily Elizabeth Tangney

  Childhood trauma negatively affects millions of children. The literature suggests that adverse childhood experiences can result in a child’s inability to process and regulate emotions. This dysregulation can lead children to engage in life-long deviant behavior. Researchers have found that childhood trauma leads to higher rates of violence and psychopathology. In the school system, it is important that we have resources to counteract such adverse trauma. As a future school psychologist, I am exploring how we can equip schools to best treat adolescent victims of trauma before it dictates their life trajectory. School districts need to prioritize hiring a school psychologist. These educated professionals work tirelessly to help children grow into confident and capable adolescents. They play a vital role in working with trauma in the school system.

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  Clean Water & Sanitation in Dayton, Ohio: Making Dayton a Human Rights City

  Kathleen E. Schweninger

  My research on human rights-related local issues in Dayton has heightened my awareness of the region’s assets and challenges. Regardless of a country’s progress toward development, such issues are present and need to be addressed in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The greater Dayton region has suffered from challenges related to clean water access and water pollution, but the region is also supported by assets which involve the community in clean water and sanitation advocacy. Such assets need to be expanded upon in order to ensure further community engagement in water-related issues. Diverse voices should be represented in the management of water related issues in the Greater Dayton region as all Daytonians are affected by the outcome of such management.

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  Cognitive Differentiators of Posttraumatic Growth and Depreciation Following Childhood Maltreatment

  Dezanee M. Bluthenthal, Megan Hernandez, Hannah Manis

  Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic depreciation (PTD) have been conceptualized as possible outcomes of cognitive struggle following traumatic events. This study examined cognitive differentiators (i.e. perceived event centrality, core beliefs challenge, change in cognitions about the self and world, and deliberate and intrusive rumination) of such sequelae in childhood maltreatment (CM) survivors, a population underrepresented in the PTG and PTD literature. Self-report measures from 326 undergraduates who endorsed CM were included in two stepwise hierarchical regressions. While it was predicted that event centrality would be associated with both PTG and PTD based on prior literature, it was only significantly linked to PTG (p = .033) in this CM sample. Examination of core beliefs emerged as a “double-edged sword,” influencing both PTG and PTD (p = .002 and .004). Deliberate rumination was positively linked with PTG (p = .001). Negative cognitions about the self were negatively associated with PTG (p = .002) and positively associated with PTD (p < .001); negative cognitions about the world and self-blame were not significant. Identification of these diverse cognitive predictors of PTG and PTD suggest well-being following CM may be enhanced by treatments that target core belief challenge and facilitate incorporation of more positive self-cognitions into one’s identity.Keywords: Childhood maltreatment, posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic depreciation, event centrality, core beliefs, rumination, posttraumatic cognitions

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  Combating Antibiotic Resistance Using Plant-Derived Compounds

  Emily Marie Jones

  Bacteria have steadily developed defenses against antibiotics since the world’s first fleet of antibacterial drugs was introduced. One strategy that bacteria can use to become multi-drug resistant involves the overexpression of large, membrane-embedded efflux pumps, such as the AcrAB-TolC pump found in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and other Gram-negative bacteria. This large efflux pump gives the bacterium the capability of transporting a wide variety of compounds out of the cell, including antibiotics that we use to combat bacterial infections. The overexpression of these bacterial efflux pumps renders our antibiotics ineffective. I have determined that Yerba mate extract causes accumulation of a fluorescent dye in live bacterial cells and might, therefore, also cause accumulation of clinically relevant antibiotics. I tested the Yerba mate extract for efflux pump inhibition in the presence of antibiotics and found that the extract has antibacterial effect on the bacteria. Further testing should be done to determine the effect of the extract on other cell types. This research could open up a new avenue in the treatment of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.