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  ZFP36 Ring Finger Protein Like 1 (ZFP36L1) knockdown significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced proinflammatory cytokine expression

  Tooba Shafeeque Ahmed Momin, Andrew Villasenor

  CCCH-Type Zinc finger proteins(CCCH-ZFP) are small protein domains that are structurally maintained by zinc ions. Zinc ions coordinate the protein structure in a tetrahedral geometry by biding cysteines or cysteines and histidine amino acids. The unique structure of CCCH-ZFP enables it to interact with a wide variety of molecules such as DNA, RNA, or cellular proteins and thus modulate several cellular processes including host immune response and virus replication. For the current study, we screened 68 CCCH type zinc finger proteins using a literature search for their antiviral as well as immunomodulatory properties along with their expression in human cells and their potential to interact with SARS-CoV-2 RNA using RNA-Protein Interaction Prediction (RPISeq) software. Using this strategy, we selected ZFP36 Ring Finger Protein Like 1 (ZFP36L1) which scored a higher point to interact with SARS-CoV-2 RNA and modulate host immune response as compared to other CCCH type zinc finger proteins. Before measuring the effect of ZFP36L1 expression on SARS-CoV-2 replication, we aimed to determine the effect of ZFP36L1 expression on host innate immune response. We overexpressed or knockdown ZFP36L1 in HEK 293T cells as well as in Raw 264.7 macrophage. Our preliminary results showed that knocking down ZFP36L1 significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mediated tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF alpha) expression (p<0.05). However, we still need to measure the effect of ZFP36L1 overexpression or knockdown on LPS induced TNF alpha at earlier timepoints.

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  3D face construction from front and profile 2D image

  Sankarshan Dasgupta

  In this fast-track and uncertain world, the difference we can make with 3D view experience of someone is noteworthy and our intention is to draw them closer to the reality. Though people are attracted to the novelty, 3D is more traditional because it can more accurately reflects our everyday experience of interacting with the world. Our vision is to create a 3D view with lesser manual labor and have high standards of detailing in the output. 3D view consist of two principal components i.e. mesh and texture. The manual labor for the creation of each of them is cumbersome and time-consuming. Hence , we propose an automated and efficient technique to create the mesh and texture of the person from the input images which can be viewed in blender as a 3D model. Both of the components can be extracted from the a deep learning neural network which will train to analyze the given dataset and learn to predict a new texture and mesh combination for the desired output. Dataset contains of all the images from google with front and profile view. These images are annotated, mesh is generated manually with the help of blender software. Now, for the implementation part, the texture representation is generated with OpenCV library in python for Haar Cascades classifiers. The classification enables to get the exact face and eye boundary from the image. The mesh is detected with similarity detection from existing dataset and the most similar detection gives the mesh model. This process makes it faster to integrate and efficient for all types of devices.

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  A 3 Factor Portfolio Weighting Model for Select Stocks in the Consumer Discretionary Sector: An Empirical Analysis from 2009-2019

  Emily Keller, Daniel Collins Montgomery

  In this study we developed a 3 factor Portfolio weighting model for a concentrated portfolio of consumer discretionary stocks. The principal factors are sales growth(SG), gross operating profit (GOP), and short term(one-year) price momentum. The Period of analysis was 2009-2019. The factor weights for sales growth and gross operating profits are the slope coefficients from time trend univariate regressions with SG and GOP the Y-variables(in Logs) and time as the x-variable. The original shares held in each stock is adjusted yearly based on the short term price momentum in each stock. We test the hypothesis that the 3 factor weighting model generates excess returns over the S&P 500 broad market index for the period 2009-2019. Two factor weighting models are evaluated: (1) constant shares model, (2) adjusted shares model.

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  A Bee-Hive, A Yoga Studio, and A Clinic: Acknowledging the Uniqueness of Our Writing Center Spaces

  Jennifer Ryan

  This research project examines the physical spaces of four writing centers in an attempt to understand what writing center spaces actually look like outside of what dominant writing center scholarship has told us about these spaces. This project also uncovers some material items that writing centers need within their spaces to best serve the needs of all writers. From there, this study proposes recommendations to the writing center community about what items are currently in these spaces, what we need to successfully operate for the benefit of all writers, and what design options we should consider when thinking about the writing center, especially in situations where (re)design is possible. Lastly, this study calls for further examination into writing center spaces including how other writing centers utilize their physical spaces to help answer the question of what design and material resources we truly need to serve the needs of all writers using a writing center's services.

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  Accounting for Community's Charity Pitch Competition

  Collin Bergin, Benjamin Michael Colwell, Kyle J. Crail, Kayleigh Ann Duke, Betsey Bernice Fisher, Joseph Guay, Matthew Albert Harsar, Matthew Hess, Allison Nicole Iklodi, Morgan Elizabeth Jewett, Lindsey Lawrence, Anna Grace Madison, Andrew Rothstein

  Join Master of Professional Accountancy students in ACC 703 - Accounting for Community as they use their hearts and minds to pitch a not-for-profit organization to potential donors. This course project requires students to identify an existing not-for-profit organization that they believe has a persuasive mission and to analyze the organization and its programs to explain why donors should financially support the organization. At least $1,000 is on the line. Winning organizations will be announced after Stander. Each pitch and corresponding audience questions will be approximately 12 minutes. Four pitch presentations will occur each hour, with a brief break prior to 2:00 and 3:00. You are welcome to join any time!

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  Acknowledging the Past and the Present: Reckoning with Racism in Predominantly White Fraternities and Sororities

  Jess Seabolt

  Predominantly White fraternities and sororities enjoy the past and present spoils of leadership, community, and scholarship while also holding onto past and present histories of racism and exclusion. As these organizations compile and explore such instances of racism, attention can be paid to their current constituents and their understanding and meaning-making of histories and contemporary instances of racism. This project seeks to address the following questions: (1) To what extent do current members of predominantly White fraternities and sororities’ understand racist pasts and presents, and how does that affect the meaning of their involvement? (2) How would they integrate such information into member education? I used qualitative research interviews with current members of predominantly White fraternities and sororities at various institutions. The results articulate meaning-making of the participating members and allow members to think critically about racism with regards to the fraternity/sorority community. This study has implications for better involving general membership in difficult conversations and acknowledging these organizations’ pasts to inform future work.

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  A Closer Look at Living Wage in Dayton

  Brock J. Begesha, Elizabeth Anne Brahler, Nathan Paul Campbell

  A podcast that discusses and takes a closer look at how living under the poverty line in Dayton can become possible and how this trend can be reversed.

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  A Different World: National Climate and its Effects on Black Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions (PWI)

  Veronica Halfacre

  Many studies have examined the experiences of Black students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWI). However, few explore the impact of the national political and racial climate on the experiences of Black students at PWIs. This research study addresses the following questions: (1) How does the national climate affect the campus climate for Black students at a PWI? (2) How do Black students’ perceptions of police brutality shape their perceptions of campus climate? (3) How are Black students using engagement as a response to campus climate? In this phenomenological study, the researcher conducted interviews with Black undergraduate students from a private Midwest university. Results show that the cocurricular experiences of Black students and their perceptions of police are shaped by national events. This study has implications for the improvement of support and resources for Black students at Predominantly White Institutions.

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  Advantages and Disadvantages in Charter Schools

  Emily C. Hineline

  There are many advantages and disadvantages to charter schools, and I will touch on a few of the main ones brought up today. The advantages and disadvantages present in education today include: what are charter schools, how they are funded, how they are different from the public, and what the benefits are of working in one? Throughout this presentation the key takeaways will be if charter schools are affecting other schools, are they hurting education as a whole and what exactly are they?

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  Agistix

  Matthew Brian Best, Taylor E. Genier, Ashley Alma Sheetz, Richard Anthony Warfield

  MIS- Traffic & Weather Mapping

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  A History of the LGBTQ+ Community in the United Methodist Church: How One of America's Largest Protestant Denominations Became So Divided

  Logan M. Symons

  This project, completed as a part of the senior history capstone course, explores the history of LGBTQ+ relations, policies, and people in the United Methodist Church. The UMC has long been divided on this issue, leading to a proposed split of the church into two separate denominations in 2020 that will be voted on later this year. This presentation explores the complex historical origins of this debate by examining both official UMC church policy and instances of individuals and groups that have acted against it and worked to change it. The aim in exploring this history is to better understand the conflict occurring in the church today.

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  AI vs. AI: Evaluation of CAPTCHA attack

  Sai Bhargava Nidumolu

  CAPTCHA stands for (Completely Automated Public Turing test) to distinguish Computers and Humans. The purpose of CAPTCHA is to verify whether the user trying to access the page/site is actually a human or just a bot. It is used to protect open web resources from being exploited. Although, hackers find a way to crack the CAPTCHA puzzles using different approaches. In this paper, we are going to evaluate different neural network architectures to crack image-based CAPTCHAs. Also, we would perform gap analysis on each model and compare them against one another .

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  A Kurtosis Based Portfolio Factor Weighting Model for 5 Glamour Stocks: An Empirical Analysis 2009-2019

  Graham Thomas Trueman, Camille Rhiann Lubic

  Glamour stocks like MasterCard, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google have enjoyed tremendous returns over the last several years as investors can't seem to buy enough of their shares. In this study we examine the relative performance of each stock when it is portfolio weighted by the fourth moment of its return distribution around its mean i.e., kurtosis (k). Beginning in 2009, we calculate the 12 month K for each of the 5 glamour stocks and assign a weight (the higher the k the higher the weight) that determines the shares invested in each stock (The overall initial investment is $1,000,000). The original shares are adjusted each year based on the yearly changes in the k values. The 5 stock portfolio returns are compared to the S&P 500 index as well as an equal weighted portfolio of the 5 stocks. The hypothesis that we test are; (1. The cumulative returns of the k weighted 5 stock portfolio outperform SPY cumulative returns and 2. The cumulative return of the k weighted 5 stock portfolio outperform the equally weighted 5 stock portfolio. 3. Returns to each of the 5 stocks are directly related to k i.e. the higher the k, the higher the returns on both an annual and cumulative basis.

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  A Look at Juvenile Adjudications in Ohio: How Differences in Spending Affects Adjudication Rates in Ohio Counties

  Sebastian K. Duban, Liam Patrick Hayes

  This project looked to find an answer to the following juvenile services question, How has the differences in county expenditures into juvenile services affected the adjudication rates of the juveniles?. Research for this paper was done by collecting data on adjudication rates of juveniles in Ohio counties over the past 10 years through the state of Ohio juvenile justice databases, such as The Department of Youth Services as well as The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The cost of county juvenile services were obtained from The Department of Youth Services and then transferred into real money depending on the year it was drawn from, going back to 2010. This project is necessary because of the amounts of money being spent by the state and counties. Millions of dollars could be wasted each year since adjudication rates could go up and money spent could be going up at a relevant rate. This project seeks to identify which counties in Ohio are failing to spend their money in an effective way, and which counties in Ohio are helping prevent adjudications of juveniles with their budget.

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  Analysis of Salt Deposition and Deliquescence in Environmental Test Chambers

  Olivia Marie Schmelzer, Gregory P. Wolters

  With corrosion costs in the US reaching approximately $725 billion (1) in 2019, understanding and preventing corrosion is vital. Salt fog chambers have been used in the laboratory to analyze the phenomenon of corrosion for years, but standardized exposure tests have been primarily developed for use with chromate based primers, which are being phased out for environmental and health reasons. This study aims to understand crystallization of aerosolized salt water on various substrates, as well as the effect of successive periods of high humidity on crystal size and distribution. Creating a laboratory environment that accurately represents corrosion in the outside world is imperative for the field of corrosion science and would allow for better screening of non-chrome corrosion protection methods. An understanding of the deposition of salt from an atomized spray solution onto a metal surface in an environmental chamber, and the effect of humidity cycles on the deposition process is essential to this development. To accomplish this, laser microscope image and corrosion sensor data were collected for a variety of fog cycle times, salt mixtures, and humidity exposure times, with the goal being the calibration of a chamber to match the deposition rate and morphology of salt crystals seen on metal surfaces in field studies.1.Koch, Gerhardus. “1 - Cost of Corrosion.” Trends in Oil and Gas Corrosion Research and Technologies, Jan. 2017

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  Analysis of the Evolution of Scope Management and Needs Identification in Agile Methodologies

  Nolan B. Scott

  The research I have conducted to date has been formed around a basic understanding of the projectmanagement environment: Identifying stakeholders, identifying metrics, and analyzing specific aspects ofagile development. This has led to a variety of questions around scope management such as “How doscope changes impact the velocity throughout the course of a project?”, “What factors help determine theoverall viability of adopting different scope measures?”, and “What are the roles of project owners andmanagers in facilitating scope changes in project cycles?” This research encompasses a review ofprevious literature, an analysis of structured project progression, and semi-structured interviews in orderto investigate the evolution of scope management and needs identification in agile methodologies.

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  A New Open-Source Behavioral Software for Remote Training and Assessment of Laboratory Animal Behavior: Validation in the Neurobiology Laboratory (BIO415L) course

  Aikaterini Britzolaki

  The need for assessing laboratory animal behavior has steadily increased over the past decades as a tool to investigate the effects of stress, as well the impact of genetic and pharmacological manipulations in rodents. In fact, preclinical researchers have heavily relied on animal behavior in order to dissect complex neurobiological pathways. A wide range of behavioral software is available for researchers to track and analyze animal behavior in both teaching and research settings; most options require the researcher’s physical presence and the use of specialized licensed equipment, limiting the potential for remote work and education, two important aspects in daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic. In that context, our Neuroscience lab group at the University of Dayton, in collaboration with a team of computer engineers, designed a new open-source and easily accessible software for assessing animal behavior in research and teaching settings. The educational value of this behavioral software was further validated in our Neurobiology Laboratory (BIO415L; Fall 2020) course. Herein, we briefly discuss the design, validation, and educational value of our new behavioral software.

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  An Examination of Preservice and Early Career Teachers’ Perspectives on Preparation for Classroom Management

  Joseph Earl Clements

  Growing concern regarding the rising teacher attrition rates exists within the field of education. Research suggests the cause of this increasing phenomenon correlates to teachers’ competency revolving around classroom management instruction received within preservice teacher education programs. In an attempt to pinpoint the issue, this project sought to address the following questions: (1) To what extent are college and university teacher preparation programs providing students with the necessary tools to manage a classroom effectively? (2) Prior to entering the career field, what do preservice teachers require from their teaching preparation programs to possess classroom management competencies? Using a qualitative methods approach, the researcher performed interviews with five preservice teachers and five Early Career Teachers (ECTs). Results display that both preservice teachers and ECTs could benefit from explicit instruction in classroom management approaches, trauma-informed care, and intentional relationship building rooted in the social-emotional learning (SEL) approach. This study provides implications that can be used to reconfigure preservice teacher education program curriculums that better prepare students to transition into the workforce more smoothly, which may slow the rise of the teacher attrition rate.

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  An Exploration of Police-Refugee Relations and Racism Education for Refugees in Dayton

  Megan M. Passon

  Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley in Dayton, Ohio, resettled 184 refugees in 2018. This number represents a portion of the 3.1 million refugees that have been resettled in the United States since 1980. Drawing on semi-structured, qualitative interviews with members of Ohio law enforcement and former refugees or immigrants employed by Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, this research explores relationships between law enforcement officers and refugees in Ohio, methods of improving these relationships, and approaches to educating refugees on racism in the United States.

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  Annual Horvath Student Juried Exhibition

  Eman Abdulaziz Alshafai, Caroline Elizabeth Bowers, Asher Dean Carr-Chellman, Kaitlynne Elizabeth Chapman, Emily M. Cordonnier, Domenica Maria Cua, April Renee Dvorak, Mary Katherine Fleisher, Mira Brese Holifield, Cayley N. King, Grace M. King, Evan Michael Kurtz, Megan Marie Lewis, Caitlin Marie Mahoney, Sarah Ellen Mcgonigle, Reagan Stark Miller, Yamilet Perez Aragon, Brendan Michael Pugliese, Madeline Murphy Spicer, Shannon Marie Stanforth, Abigail L. Swensen, Tran Minh Quan Thai, Kelsey M. Vonderhaar, Jillian Whitson

  Student work is exhibited each spring in the Annual Horvath Juried Student Exhibition. Submission is open to all University of Dayton students taking classes in the Department of Art and Design during the academic year of the exhibition. Since 1975, this event has displayed award-winning works that include sculpture, paintings, drawings, ceramics, prints, photographs and designs. The juror is Tracy Featherstone, a Professor of Art and Head of printmaking at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She earned a BFA from the University of Cincinnati and a MFA from the University of Arizona. The awards winners will be announced on Thursday, April 22.

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  Antibiotic Discovery Research Using Soil Samples: Microbiology Undergraduate Research

  John Paul A. Yoseph

  Given that antibiotics are being used worldwide to treat various bacterial infections and diseases, antibiotic resistance has become an increasingly mainstream and widespread issue; therefore, causing many antibiotics to lose effectiveness over time in treatment. As a result, research in the field of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become increasingly popular and widely demanded as we search to produce new effective antibiotics. Bacteria produce these antimicrobials when put in an environment with present pathogens or with limited resources, causing either a competition for survival or a need to fight infection. These antibiotics can either be created synthetically, or can be removed and isolated from bacterial colonies with antimicrobial properties. This independent research aims to observe isolates of bacteria from specific soil samples, while deciding if the isolates display any antimicrobial properties in an environment with antibiotic resistant pathogens. Zone of inhibitions will be generated, indicating antimicrobial properties in the existence of Bacillus subtilis, Erwinia carotovora, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus epidermis. Bacteria which generate antimicrobial properties will be inspected additionally by a sequence of biochemical tests, gram staining and catalase testing. In establishing and recognizing which bacteria produce antimicrobial agents and demonstrate these properties, these procedures will be crucial to fight the rise of antibiotic resistance, and to create effective new antibiotics.

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  Antibiotic Susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes

  Charlotte Rose Kenneally

  Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen capable of surviving and growing under aerobic or anaerobic conditions in variety of environments, including the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. This intracellular growth requires Listeria to make multiple metabolic and physiological adaptations that are different from extracellular growth. Anaerobically grown Listeria has previously exhibited a significantly compromised intracellular growth—an observation suggesting that prior anaerobic exposure altered adaptations to conditions inside a host cell. The focus of this experiment was to elucidate how intracellular adaptations, with or without prior anaerobic exposure, alter the antibiotic susceptibility of intracellular Listeria. Listeria were grown aerobically or anaerobically prior to infection and then used to infect macrophages. Infected macrophages were treated with gentamicin to remove extracellular bacteria, then lysed with sterile water after one, four, or eighteen hours of infections. Bacterial lawns were created prior to infection for a point of reference for comparison, as well as after each time point. Filter discs containing different concentrations of ampicillin were placed on the lawns to test susceptibility in a zone of inhibition assay. We observed that anaerobically grown Listeria is more susceptible to ampicillin than aerobically grown prior to infection at the three highest concentrations. No significant difference was found in susceptibility to ampicillin between anaerobically grown or aerobically grown Listeria following eighteen hours. Aerobically grown Listeria was seen to become more susceptible to the antibiotic treatment with more time inside the macrophage, while anaerobically grown Listeria showed little change in susceptibility over the varying time points. These results demonstrate intracellular adaptions alter antibiotic susceptibility and may alter dosage requirement during antibiotic treatments.

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  Antimicrobial Activities in Soil Microorganisms

  George Kenneth Hudak

  Infections that were once able to be cured have now come back due to excessive usage and misusage of antibiotics. Bacteria have built up resistance to various antibiotics and are becoming more prevalent in deadly diseases. The lack of success in treating resistant bacteria calls demand for research to produce new and effective antibiotics. Antibiotics can be produced synthetically, but they can also be isolated from bacterial colonies that produce antimicrobial activity against pathogens. In this research project, the bacterial colonies were isolated from soil and tested on their antimicrobial activity responses. As part of the Tiny Earth Network project, the goal of this research was to isolate bacteria from soil samples and observe their antimicrobial activities against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The antimicrobial activity was indicated through zones of inhibition against safe relatives of ESKAPE pathogens. Two there were used in this research were Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Bacteria that produced antimicrobial activities against these two pathogens were further examined in a series of biochemical tests, Gram staining, and catalase testing. Finally, an ethyl acetate extraction was performed to confirm the antimicrobial activity and investigate for potential toxicity. By identifying bacteria that are producing this antimicrobial activity will help further the knowledge to combat antibiotic resistance and help in the development of new antibiotics.

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  Antimicrobial Compounds Extracted from Soil Isolates

  Abigail Elizabeth Wink

  Antimicrobial compounds play an integral role in modern medicine due to their drug resistant qualities that pose as a serious public health issue. The demand for discovering new antibiotics and exploring various alternative methods of infection treatment has increased due to the prevalence of antibiotic resistance. As outlined by the CDC, various pathogens such as drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter are recognized as an urgent threat due to their antibiotic resistance (CDC, 2019). Thus, the goal of this research is to further identify antibiotics isolated from soil samples on the UD campus to determine if they produce antibiotic compounds in the presence of ESKAPE pathogens. Zones of inhibition were found to be produced in the presence of Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli which demonstrated antimicrobial activity. Biochemical assays, such as catalase testing and gram staining were used to help identify isolate species. Chemical extractions were utilized to determine if the bacteria extracted from the isolates exhibit antimicrobial activity. Isolating antimicrobial compounds is imperative in the healthcare setting, as drug resistance determines the efficacy of antibiotics.

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  Applied Creativity in the Classroom

  Sarah Mcgonigle

  During her time at the University of Dayton, Sarah McGonigle has been curious about the possibilities of making significant change to the workings of the K-12 school system. Sarah looked for answers through her own education on campus, her study abroad experience, her peers, and through her certificate program at IACT. Finally having more questions than answers, she decided in her senior year to explore the ideas surrounding applied creativity. Student teaching gave her the opportunity to plan and execute lessons in this theme. Students within the art classroom learned more than just art techniques and media. Sarah focused her research on the students themselves as individuals and how they learned uniquely. More specifically, she analyzed how the lessons allowed students to explore themselves through the artistic lens and acquire important skills that are often overlooked in the classroom. High school students often forget about the deeper learning while so heavily focused on grades and school applications. Sarah attempted to give these students the opportunity to forget about the grade for a moment and focus on what is important: the process.