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  Using a Genetic Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Calcium Signaling in Mouse Behavior

  Aikaterini Britzolaki, Ben Klocke

  Ca2+ is a critical second messenger for a constellation of cellular processes, and neuronal Ca2+ signaling is no exception. Indeed, disruption of neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis has been implicated in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. Our lab has recently identified a potential new player in the neuronal Ca2+ toolkit that is expressed in the brain. Strikingly, mice that do not express this gene (KO) present a hyperactive phenotype as compared to their wild-type (WT) counterparts. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which this phenotype manifests itself are unknown. Thus, in the context of the current project, we employed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and state-of-the-art electroencephalography (EEG) techniques to investigate the neurochemical systems and cortical rhythms that are affected by constitutive loss of this gene in mice. Indeed, our results show that KO mice exhibit neurochemical noradrenergic alterations in key brain regions associated with the pathophysiology of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Further, these mice show alterations in cortical rhythms during sleep. Overall, these data support a mechanistic role for this protein in regulating mouse behavior.

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  Using Infectious Disease Models to Study Gang Activity Through Computational Mathematics

  Allison Lenhardt, Hana Tinch

  Gang activity shows a similar pattern to infectious diseases which can be modelled using nonlinear differential equations. Using the model of infectious diseases, predictions can be made to relate gang interactions with the population and the recruitment of new gang members. By manipulating personal interaction, conviction, recidivism, and jail time, awareness of which combination of factors results in the least amount of gang activity can lead to preventative measures to see how to best minimize gang activity. We study this model using numerical solutions of systems of differential equations.

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  Using RNA-interference to Identify the Genetic Toolkit for a Fruit Fly Morphological Trait

  Jesse Taylor Hughes, Jenna Rose Rock

  Metazoan animal morphological traits result from the combined inputs of hundreds or more genes that comprise gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Each GRN utilizes various genes from the genetic toolkit of transcription factor and signaling pathway genes to control complex patterns of gene expression. However, for few traits, if any, has the full repertoire of toolkit genes been characterized for its GRN. Thus, how traits are built by regulated gene expression remains poorly understood. Here we are investigating the genetic toolkit that makes a male-specific pigmentation pattern for the fruit fly species Drosophila (D.) melanogaster. Using RNA-interference, we reduce the expression of ~588 transcription factor genes to find those necessary for the development of this trait by surveying for deviant pigmentation phenotypes. We uncovered 35 novel transcription factors involved in the development of male-limited pigmentation in D. melanogaster. Future work will focus on elucidating how each of these genes is expressed within the fruit fly abdomen as well as where each gene fits within the Drosophila pigmentation network.

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  Validation of Center of Mass Estimation in Humans

  Colin R. Theis

  Computational simulations of human movement require precise knowledge of the location of the body's center of mass (CoM). The CoM is a quantity that is impossible to directly measure experimentally. The location varies on a subject-to-subject basis and is essential for the generation of accurate simulations. OpenSim, a musculoskeletal modeling software, utilizes a built-in software function to estimate the CoM based off the geometry of the model. However, this estimation technique can be imprecise because the estimation is based solely off generic mass and geometry distributions. Since every individual is different with respect to body segment length and mass distributions, it is likely this estimation is inaccurate for all individuals. Therefore, using a new technique developed in UD’s DIMLab, we can estimate an individual's CoM more accurately than OpenSim. This estimation technique uses the statically equivalent serial chain model (SESC). The technique is based on a virtual chain, identified from a minimal amount of experimental kinematic data to be accurate. The system does not require knowledge of the total mass, or any of the individual segment mass or length properties. The SESC model is a function of the anatomical joint angles measured experimentally from the subject and terminates at the CoM. This project explores the feasibility of combining experimental CoM estimation methods with simulation based estimates of CoM. We aim to find a method to validate CoM estimates applied in simulations and improve simulation accuracy. We aim to integrate the SESC model into the OpenSim software package as the main mechanism for locating the CoM.

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  Vatican II War and Peace

  John W. Ruff

  Vatican II was the most recent ecumenical council that has been conducted within the Catholic Church. One of the most common said phrases in describing this council is that this council “updated church teachings to match the signs of our time”. Indeed, something did happen at Vatican II; many things did. A prevalent theme found within world culture around the time period of Vatican II was war. This makes sense particularly because Vatican II took place following world war II. The council did address this issue of war and peace, in one of their constitutions, Guadium et Spes. Within this presentation, I will address and analyze what Vatican II said in Guadium et Spes about war. Secondly, I will conduct an analysis on the progression of the Church’s teaching on war and peace throughout history while focusing on the Church’s peacemaking stance. Next, I will analyze the option/viewpoint of the possibility of the other argument, the argument for the legitimacy of war. Finally, I will compare and contrast the two points of views.

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  Visual Elements of an Effective Elementary Classroom

  Danielle Villhard

  Integrating interdisciplinary studies in Education and Visual Arts, this Visual Arts senior capstone project explores the visual experience in elementary schools, from the physical classroom setup to individual elements (posters, signage, etc.). With emphasis on color, subject matter, interactivity, and space, this project combines research on classroom setting and material design, patterns of effective teaching, best practices for elementary education, color theory, and color psychology. The project cumulated in a scale model of a classroom that implements elements of the research and offers one example of the research in practice.

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  Voting Rights in Dayton and Beyond: The Seminar in US History

  Adam James Boehnlein, Caelan Caelum Danbury, Seth Michael Dirkse DeWitt, Meghan E. Hahn, Kevin Walter McDougal, Caroline Anne Waldron, Adam Thomas West, Emilee Kay Zoog

  The papers on this panel focus on voting rights and "voice" as a vital piece of democratic ideas and practice. Based in original archival research, the HST485 Seminar cohort will discuss their findings about UD students and faculty and community members in the greater Miami Valley who responded to conditions that restricted democratic practices. These groups participated in women's suffrage and teen voting campaigns; they created inclusive institutions for justice, like the Urban League and American Federation of Teachers locals; and they supported those fighting for political autonomy and rights in Ireland and elsewhere.

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  Water Supply & Treatment Filter Air Binding Study

  Shadayah Kabre Lawrence

  The primary focus of my research is to understand what iscausing air bubbles, through air binding in the Water Supply and Treatments filtration system.Air binding is the clogging of a filter as a result of the presence of air released from water. Aircan prevent the passage of water during the filtration process causing a high loss of head and alower service time for the filter. It is hypothesized that the air binding issue is due to a low piperetention time as well as an excess amount of carbon dioxide. There are a few known causes ofair binding such as ozonation, Carbon Dioxide addition, hypochlorite, thermal warming etc.

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  Weaponization of the Socialist Label in Modern American Politics

  Matt Oliver Schubert

  This thesis studied the attitude of people in the United States toward the idea of socialism. The first section of my thesis examined how people define socialism, and whether there is any definition that is common among a large group of people. It also looked to see if this definition was different than their definition of democratic socialism. The next section addressed people’s support of a bill or political candidate identified as a socialist. The goal was to see if people would be willing to support a candidate or bill with socialist ideas, but shy away when they see the word “socialist.” The effects of this label were then examined across party lines to see if it had differentresults among Democrats and Republicans.

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  "Weekends Across Town" An analysis of current parental divorce resources and effectiveness

  Jimmy Edward Nagai

  Children that have experienced divorces in their lifestyle can sometimes have worse outcomes due to lack of communication between the parties, a vicious or damaging divorce, or lack of involvement with one or both adult parties in their lives. This literature review will examine some of the current practices in the field and evaluate their effectiveness with different strategies, including non-residential visitation periods, more positive divorce proceedings, or giving adequate attention towards the children in these turbulent times.

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  “When you’re done… you’re still part of our family:” An Exploration of Gendered Scripts and Relationships in Prison Reentry Programs

  Ruthey Schultz

  Historically, the U.S. prison population has been comprised of mostly men. As the number of offenders who are women rises, social services have been tasked with addressing the needs of returning citizens with an increasing focus on gender. Past research has largely focused on gender specific needs within the criminal justice system itself. This project explores perceptions of gender in reentry among social service workers, which will demonstrate how gender is conceptualized and reproduced within these services. I conducted 18 interviews with social service workers to ask about their perceptions on gender in reentry and how their organizations interact with gender. Social service workers often reported diverse gender needs in terms of external barriers such as trauma, community perceptions, social support, and parenting responsibilities. These findings reveal gender reproduction and interactions within the context of reentry and analyze how gender identity intersects with an “ex-offender” status.

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  Where You Are and What You Know: impact of Location and Education on Individual Engagement with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals

  Emily Sandstrom

  The United Nations created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 to include 17 goals and 169 targets that foster ongoing environmental, social, and global economic development and aiming to accomplish each goal by 2030. There has been considerable enthusiasm in various sectors since the SDGs have been in place; however, there is still a significant amount of work to be done to engage experts and young scholars (the future experts) in the SDGs. According to Salvia, Filho, Brandli, & Griebeler, 2019, researchers at institutions of higher learning from around the globe found a relation between locality and research, though questions remain concerning the role vocation and locality play in determining one’s predilection for a given SDG. This project analyzes individual rankings of the SDGs by comparing responses from college students interested in environmental sciences and academic and field professionals engaged in environmental work or research.

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  White Castle

  Isabelle Blanchard, Joshua M. Huber, TJ Joseph Sosnowski

  Downtime reduction

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  Why Participating in a Professional Conference Should be Required

  Jordyn Mitchell

  Sport Management is a growing degree choice for up and coming professionals. In this industry, you gain experiences and are open to new opportunities by establishing a network of professionals to get you to the sport/business industry. It is not just, about what you know. It can come down to whom you know. The why, the how, insights in to the next steps will be discussed and the advantages of attending a professional conference. What is the benefit can do for you.

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  Working Towards Global Goals by Partnering with Local Community Organizations through the Semester of Service Program

  Victoria Boehlert-Somohano, Mary Charleton, Dana Kieft, Kayla Kingston, Michelle Smith, Carter Spires

  Students in the Spring 2020 Semester of Service program are currently taking a sabbatical from traditional courses and working full-time with a local community organization. During this presentation, students will share more about the work they are doing at their placement sites and how the work of those organizations are contributing to the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Come hear more about the work being done at Adventure Center, ABLE Law, Brunner Literacy, County Corps, Dayton Children's Hospital, the Dakota Center, the Dayton Foodbank, and Homefull.

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  World Development Applied Locally

  Ryan Darnell Scott

  Working on this project has given me a better understanding of how human rights work can fit into our daily lives. Very often we think of human rights or international treaties as something that is above us; we do not directly see how they shape the world around us. Through this project, I have not only learned how these entities play into my life as a student in Dayton, Ohio, but I have also learned how they can be used to mobilize communities through comprehensive advocacy plans. Coming out of this experience, I now see the connection between international work and local efforts and have a better understanding of the role I can play in shaping my community for the better.

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  "You Don't Understand... It's Not About Virginity": Sexual Markets, Identity Construction, and Violent Masculinity on an Incel Forum Board.

  Josh Segalewitz

  The manosphere refers to the online collection of antifeminists and men’s rights activists. It represents one way technology allows for interactions in new, digital social networks. Incels, short for involuntary celibates, interact in this space and have been labeled as extreme misogynists, white supremacists, and domestic terrorists. I engage with popular sociological theories of masculinity (including hegemonic, hybrid, and inclusive masculinities) to analyze dominant discourses on the website incels.is. The data for this project include comments from 100 threads randomly sampled from 4,532 total threads posted in 2018. Through grounded coding methodology, I identify the importance of navigating threatened masculinity online, particularly with respect to sexuality. Further, I find that incel ideology rests on the creation of sexual hierarchies that emphasize perceived attractiveness. Finally, I explore the debates within this space over who is able to claim membership and how borders of the space are policed. In its entirety, this study reveals how marginalized men may respond to and reproduce gendered hierarchies.

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  ω1, the First Uncountable Ordinal

  Nick Kendall Gonano

  This poster serves to highlight several of the properties of ω1, the first uncountable ordinal. Several of the more interesting properties are presented, including those of functions from the first uncountable ordinal into the real numbers. Key to this presentation is the definition of an ordinal: an ordinal n is the set of all numbers less than n, starting at 0. For example, the number 3 is an ordinal composed of the numbers {0, 1, 2}. Also important is the definition of countable: a countable set has the same number of elements as omega, which one should note is very different than ω1. An additional definition to note is that of a well-ordered set. These sets are nonempty and have a least element. Closed and unbounded subsets, hereafter referred to as cub sets, have the properties that all sequences in the set converge to an element of the set, and also that there is no upper bound to the set. Stationary subsets of ω1 are those that, intersected with every cub set in ω1, have a nonempty intersection. This poster will also cover some of the differences between ω1 and the real numbers.

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  A Call for Research on the Development of MDD with Psychotic Features

  Christopher Patrick Courtney

  In recent years, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is becoming more normalized especially as medication for it appears in commercials and other media on a regular basis. Psychotic symptoms, an often-misunderstood specifier for this disorder, are occurring more frequently while being discussed less often. These symptoms can manifest in many ways, including but not exclusive to paranoid delusions as well as auditory or visual hallucinations, and can be congruent or incongruent to the client’s mood. While at the current moment, medication is viewed as the primary treatment, other forms of psychosis-specific treatment are emerging and need to be studied more intently (e.g. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Existing research on the developmental path of MDD with psychotic features is not sufficient to inform these integrative treatment modalities. This poster presents the current literature on MDD and highlights areas for future study.

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  A Campaign to Motivate College-Aged, Catholic Women to Get Tested for STIs at the University of Dayton

  Emma Rutledge Venetis

  In 2017, women ages 20-24 had the highest rate of chlamydia cases among any age group for men or women. Additionally, Catholic women are more likely to have “hooked up” while in college than women with no religious affiliation. Due to the already high rate of STIs among young adults, the frequency of sexual activity of college students and the increased frequency for Catholic women, the fact that many STIs are asymptomatic, and the health risks that untreated STIs can cause, testing for, diagnosing, and treating STIs is critical to stop the increasing spread of these infections. According to results from the American College Health Association’s [ACHA] National College Health Assessment Survey conducted in 2018, 98% of college students say that they have not dealt with an STI in the last 12 months. In fact, only 1.8% of college students say that they have been diagnosed or treated for chlamydia, despite the extremely high rates of infection among their age group. This does not suggest that college students are not at risk for STIs, especially considering that less than half of college students who engaged in vaginal intercourse in the past 30 days reported using a condom or other protective barrier. Instead, it suggests that this population is not being tested for STIs at the frequency needed to diagnose and treat STIs. The present investigation surveyed college-aged women to better understand the attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy of Catholic, female UD students surrounding the health behavior of STI testing. This research will propose a campaign and provide specific communication strategies to motivate female Catholic UD students to get tested for STIs at the UD Health Center.

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  A Comparative Analysis of Breast Cancer Treatments and the Role of Taxane-based Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy on Postural Stability

  Paige Lynn Ingram

  Twelve percent of women suffer from breast cancer each year, but survivorship is increasing due to improvements in treatments. However, it appears there are lasting effects after treatment due to the toxicity of chemotherapy compounds. One of the most severe side effects is peripheral neuropathy which results in decreased sensation in the nervous system. With this loss, an individual’s balance and postural stability is likely impacted, leading to an altered quality of life. Monfort et al. at the Ohio State University are among the first to identify balance deficits in breast cancer patients during treatment, even after the first treatment cycle. We recently joined with them as they extended this work to include long-term follow-up testing after the completion of treatment. Our efforts specifically investigate postural stability, range of motion, and balance control while individuals stand on a force plate, looking at variances between individuals receiving different treatments and experiencing diverse outcomes. Preliminary data analysis from the limits of stability balance tests suggest there are differences between the three subject groups, with those not receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy showing the most consistent improvement 6 months after treatment. Breast cancer survivors that were treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy had varied individual responses 6 months post treatment. Further data analysis using traditional and alternative postural measures is currently underway to ascertain postural differences between the subject groups; however our results suggest that interventions to improve the postural stability of those treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy may be warranted.

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  A Comparative Analysis of Rules Based Versus Passive Index Portfolio Returns (2009-2017)

  Brendan James McDonnell

  Rules based portfolios of stocks, often referred to as Smart Beta or Quant based portfolios, are increasingly being used by investment managers to enhance portfolio performance. In this study, I develop a fundamentals base 2 factor portfolio weighting model for 10 and 20 stock (concentrated) Portfolios in the S&P 500 Healthcare sector (XLV). I compare the the returns for these concentrated portfolios to the returns for the S&P 500 Index, ETF SPY, and the SPDR Healthcare Sector ETF, XLV. My sector weights are sales growth and relative price change, and the period of analysis is 2009-2017. I test the hypothesis that a rules based portfolio of stocks will outperform a broad based passive index (SPY) and its sector counterpart (XLV).

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  A Comparison of Numerical Solutions of the Black-Scholes Heat Equation for European Call Option

  Lijun Lin

  In this work, we present some numerical solutions to the famous Black-Scholes equation. Although a closed form solution for the price of European options is available, the prices of more complicated derivatives such as American options may require a numerical solution of the Black-Scholes equation. This poster will focus primarily on the solution to the equation for the European call option.

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  A comparison of Pre and Post 2008 inflation trends for the consumer Price Index (CPI) Less Food and Energy: An Empirical Analysis 1999-2018.

  Christian Gerard Hense

  Despite an aggressive policy of Monetary easing by the Federal Reserve. Inflation seems to be rather benign after the 2008 recession. In this study I compare inflation trends before and after the 2008 recession to determine if the long term inflation trend has significantly changed due to the 2008 economic rescission. I use the inflation metric CPI -Less Food and Energy because it is a measurable, less volatile measure of inflation. I also forecast CPI (LF&E) for 2018 using Linear Trend regressions adjusted for a root mean square error (RMSE). I use an error tolerance of 2% to determine forecasting accuracy.

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  A Composting Cooperative

  Carter Douglas Spires

  Co-op Dayton is a non-profit organization that supports the development of community and worker-owned cooperatives in the Dayton region, across industries but with a strong interest in environmental sustainability. In partnership with the ETHOS and the Fitz Center, Carter Spires first interned with Co-op Dayton in the Spring of 2018 with the goal of researching potential “green” cooperatives for our region. It was found that southwest Ohio lacks commercial composting facilities and began to research the potential of developing one as a cooperative. Co-op Dayton spoke with several compost stakeholders and developed a partnership with a local compost social enterprise, GoZERO, which is interested in expanding in the Dayton region as a worker-owned cooperative. This Spring, Co-op Dayton has been connecting major employers and producers of food waste in the Dayton region that may be interested in the services of a compost cooperative, while developing proposals for both the governance and financial transition of GoZERO to the cooperative model.