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  Robust Nonlinear Adaptive Control for Longitudinal Dynamics of Hypersonic Aircraft Vehicle Model

  Turki Mohammed Alsuwian

  A hypersonic aircraft vehicle is a highly complex nonlinear system, which includes uncertainties in the dynamics. This paper presents the design of robust nonlinear adaptive control for a hypersonic aircraft vehicle model. The complexity of the dynamic system is considered into the design structure of the control in order to address robustness issues. Design of a robust control system should decouple the longitudinal and lateral dynamics to handle the flight of hypersonic vehicle under certain specific conditions. In this paper, we only consider longitudinal dynamics, which are divided into aircraft speed subsystem and flight-path angle subsystem. A robust control design is implemented to provide asymptotic tracking regulation of aircraft speed and flight-path angle. In addition, it is employed in this study because the algorithm of control design exhibits better robustness properties. Based on the stability analysis, the adaptive control is derived for a Lyapunov function candidate of feedback closed-loop system. Simulation results of control design illustrate robustness and effectiveness.

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  Role of axial patterning genes in growth regulation during eye development

  Neha Gogia

  An important question in developmental biology is that how axial patterning genes work with growth and patterning to form any three-dimensional organ. In any multicellular organism, Organogenesis, requires axial patterning i.e. formation of Antero-Posterior (AP), Dorso-Ventral (DV), Proximo-Distal (PD) axes. Any deviation in these axes during development leads to genetic birth defects. We use Drosophila melanogaster (a.k.a fruit fly), eye as our model. As the genetic machinery between flies and human is conserved, any insights generated in flies can be extrapolated into humans. In Drosophila, DV patterning marks first lineage restriction event where expression of dorsal, ventral fate selectors forms dorsal & ventral compartments in eye respectively. We have identified defective proventriculus (dve), an ortholog of SATB homeobox 1 (in humans), as a new member of DV patterning gene hierarchy. Our previous data establishes dorsal gene hierarchy & states that dve acts downstream of pannier (pnr, GATA-1 transcription factor), and upstream of Wingless (wg), Loss-of-function of both dve or pnr results in dramatic dorsal eye enlargements. Furthermore, Wingless, also exhibits similar eye enlargement phenotypes and has also been shown to play a role in growth. Our data also suggests that Wg is downstream target of Hippo pathway (highly conserved) and that the pathway promotes cell differentiation by downregulating wingless. Hereby, I propose to investigate the role of dve and pnr in growth and patterning during Drosophila eye development. I will test whether these two fundamental processes works independently or in coordination with each other to form an eye. The proposed study will help in elucidating how cell fate specification, pattern formation and growth are involved in organ formation. Our study will have significant bearing on developmental mechanisms, patterning events, growth regulation during organogenesis, and helps us in understanding the etiology of growth related birth defects in eye.

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  Role of Wingless (Wg) signaling pathway in Aβ42 mediated neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

  Ankita Sarkar

  Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a common form of dementia and an age related progressive neurodegenerative disorder affects 21 million people globally. AD manifests as memory loss and reduced cognitive ability. One of the hallmarks of AD is formation of the Amyloid-beta (Aβ42) plaques, which initiates oxidative stress due to impaired signaling and finally leads to the death of neurons by unknown mechanism. It is known that loss of neurons in AD is not an outcome of a single gene mutation rather it is an impairment of several signaling pathways involved in growth and survival. The short life cycle of 12-15 days, a plethora of genetic tools, and about 70% similar genetic makeup to that of the humans, makes Drosophila an ideal model to study human disease. We have developed a highly versatile Drosophila melanogaster model to understand the role of these highly conserved signaling pathways in AD. We misexpressed high levels of human Aβ42 protein in the developing fly retina which mimics AD like neuropathology. Our aim is to use this model to discern the role of signaling pathways involved in neurodegeneration. We performed a forward genetic screen and identified members of highly conserved Wingless (Wg) pathway as modifiers of the Aβ42 mediated neurodegeneration. We have demonstrated that blocking Wg signaling pathway, can suppress the Aβ42 mediated neurodegeneration. My future goal is to investigate if we can use chemical inhibitors to block Wg signaling in neurons expressing high levels of Aβ42 and thereby prevent neurodegeneration in the Drosophila eye. We will test antagonists and agonists of Wg signaling to determine if they can work as chemical inhibitor of Aβ42 mediated neurodegeneration. I will be testing in these studies whether Wg can be a good therapeutic target in our in vivo animal system.

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  Size, Value and Momentum in Stock Returns: an Empirical Analysis, 2010-2014

  Matthew Peter Fazio, Erik Jameson Kurcz

  Based on the landmark studies of Eugene Fama and Kenneth French in the 1990's, most financial economists consider a firm's market capitalization (size) and price to book as two of the most important factors affecting the cross section of stock market returns. In recent years, other factors including stock price momentum have been accepted as predictors of stock returns in the cross section. In this study, I develop a three factor analysis of S&P 500 stock returns for the period 2010-2014. This period was chosen because it is not included in more recent studies. It also reflects a period of high volatility in the market with a strongly accommodating monetary policy. Using the factors firm size, price to book and stock price momentum, I test the following hypotheses: (1) Small cap stocks outperform large cap stocks, (2) growth stocks outperform value stocks, (3) growth stocks have longer periods of market out-performance (momentum) when compared to value stocks.

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  Social Support Influences in Graduate International Student Engagement

  Chin Yi Chen

  Changes that graduate international students face in acculturating to U.S. educational environments can often impact the ways they engage on campus, and their subsequent personal and career success. This poses the question of “What are the key themes that institutions can build upon to better support and encourage their growth?” In conducting a mixed-methods study on the lived experiences of graduate students from India, main findings suggested that mentoring relationships, social ties, and factors of perception were crucial to influencing students’ academic and social engagement.

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  Spatial Mechanism Analysis and Synthesis by Dual Special Unitary Matrices

  Saleh M. Almestiri

  Numerical algebraic geometry is the field that studies the computation and manipulation of the solution sets of systems of polynomial equations. The goal of this work is to formulate spatial mechanism analysis and design problems via a method suited to employ the tools of numerical algebraic geometry. Specifically, equations are developed using dual special unitary matrices that naturally use complex numbers to express physical and joint parameters in a mechanical system. Unknown parameters expressed as complex numbers readily admit solution by the methods of numerical algebraic geometry. This work illustrates their use by analyzing the spatial RCCC and RRRCC linkages. The specialization to pure rotations using special unitary matrices is also presented and used in the analysis of the spherical four-bar and Watt I linkages. The motion curves generated in this work are validated by comparison to other published work.

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  Star Decompositions of the Complete Split Graph

  Adam Christopher Volk

  A graph is a discrete mathematical structure that consists of a set of vertices and a set of edges between pairs of vertices. A problem of interest in graph theory is that of graph decomposition, partitioning the set of edges into disjoint sets, producing subgraphs which are isomorphic to each other. Here we consider the problem of decomposing a class of graphs called complete split graphs into stars of a fixed size. We present conditions for the decomposition as well as an algorithm for the decomposition when it is possible.

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  State Initiatives, Ballot Language, and the Media: Do They Overlap?

  Alison R. Cozad

  State Initiatives are seen throughout every state, some more than others, but every election brings them. However, not every election is equal when it comes to turnout, depending on if it is a presidential or midterm year. Some are given more media attention, some are given minimal attention, if at all. The fundamental question is what role doe’s media play in turnout during elections and does any amount of roll-off occurs during presidential or governor’s elections? Does this poll-off or turnout have to do with media (or lack of) attention, or is there something more going on? Besides looking at the media aspect of covering ballot initiatives, there is also the idea that ballot language can have an impact on how voters vote. In this thesis, I hypothesize that the shorter word count, the more likely the initiative will get a “yes” vote; the better readability an initiative has, than the more likely it is to get a “yes” vote; and a greater amount of roll-off will occur in years with a presidential or governor’s race. By exploring these questions, we can see perhaps a bigger picture of how the media plays a role in the passage of state initiatives and also how what voters see on the ballot affects the passage of state initiatives.

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  Supplementation of propionate inhibits the anaerobic growth of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes

  Eric Edward Newton

  Listeria monocytogenes is an infectious bacterium that is known to cause severe diseases in people who are pregnant, elderly, or generally immunocompromised through consumption of contaminated food products. To help develop preventative strategies to protect these high-risk individuals, our lab focuses on the approach of enhancing the chemical barrier naturally existing in the intestinal tract to block L. monocytogenes from interacting with the human intestinal epithelium and causing fatal infections. The chemical environment inside the human intestinal lumen is rich with fermentation acids produced by the endogenous microbes. In my research project, I tested the efficacy of propionic acid, one of the three major fermentation acids naturally abundant in the human gastrointestinal tract, against the in vitro growth of L. monocytogenes. If propionic acid exhibits inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes growth, then it can be further developed into a preventative tool against L. monocytogenes infections. To determine the effect of propionic acid on L. monocytogenes growth, I supplemented L. monocytogenes cultures with 0, 5, 15, 25mM of sodium propionate and grew the culture either aerobically with continuous agitation for oxygen saturation or anaerobically inside an anaerobic chamber with a 2.5% hydrogen in nitrogen atmosphere. I monitored bacterial growth by measuring culture optical density every hour for 8 hours and calculated bacterial doubling time during the exponential phase of the growth. I observed that under aerobic conditions, propionate supplementations did not cause a significant impact on bacterial doubling time. However, under anaerobic conditions, propionate supplementation at 25mM led to a significantly increased doubling time, a result indicating an inhibitory effect of propionate on growth. These results demonstrate an inhibitory effect of a naturally occurring fermentation acid in the human intestines and therefore highlighted the potential values for propionic acid as a preventative chemical agent against L. monocytogenes infections.

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  Synthesis of research on dyscalculia and The Common Core State Standards

  Melissa Rachel Siegel

  This thesis analyzed the implications for instruction under the newly adopted Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the effects they have on students with dyscalculia.The CCSS is an educational initiative created for students to succeed in their academic endeavors through college and their professional careers. Correlations were found in the research between the instructional implications under the CCSS and intervention strategies for students with dyscalculia. Parents, teachers and students were interviewed as evidence to verify this correlation.

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  The Current State of Academic Services for Hearing Impaired Students at Public Universities in Saudi Arabia

  Nihad Maneaa Alogail

  The majority of hearing impaired students in public universities in Saudi Arabia encounter several challenges, including inadequate learning infrastructure and poor academic inclusion. Although they have the potential to succeed, these inadequacies curtail their ability to attain desirable academic standards. In most cases, they feel left out not only in class work, but also in co-curricular activities, which results in dismal performance and low self-esteem. University administration can fix these problems so as to give the hearing impaired students a productive and fulfilling learning environment at the university. This research examined the impact of the inadequate learning infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, and academic inclusion on the performance of first-year hearing-impaired students. Findings suggest that there is still a need for program development for hearing impaired students.

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  The Effectiveness of Active Interaction in Interactive Visual Imagery as Created by the Keyword Method

  Morgan E Pair

  Mnemonic devices have been proven to be extremely effective methods for learning and subsequent retention of information. In recent years, as our country becomes more multi-cultural and the need for bilingualism increases, mnemonic devices have been increasingly utilized in foreign language learning. One of the most effective mnemonic devices being used in this way is the keyword method. The keyword method uses paired-associate learning and visual imagery to more strongly encode the English and foreign word pairs (Raugh & Atkinson, 1975). Recent research has shown the effectiveness of visual imagery increases when there is an interaction shown between the paired words (Crutcher, 1990). However, there have not been any sufficient investigations into what aspect of the inter- active visual imagery makes it so effective for learning and retention. This study sought to answer this question by investigating the nature of the interactions used to relate the English translation and keyword mediator pair.

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  The Effect of Early Life Social Stress on Anxiety-like Behaviors and Ethanol Drinking in Female Long-Evans Rats

  Alyssa Rose Roeckner

  Among women with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs), women have higher rates of anxiety-disorders and are more influenced by early life stress compared to men. Preclinical models have been used to study the relationships between early life stress, anxiety-like behavior, and alcohol intake and preference. However, fewer studies have been done with female rats than male rats. To that end, we used a model of early life stress in females that utilizes chronic social instability. In this model Long Evans rats are placed in different pairs every day, and this has previously produced anxiety-like behavior in female rats (McCormick et al., 2008). Our study extended the McCormick et al. model by including an extra experimental group and including an alcohol self-administration paradigm. Experimental groups were: (1) chronic social instability (pair-housed for 17 days with a novel cage mate introduced every 24h); (2) Social stability; pair-housed with same cage mate daily); (3) Isolated; single housed for entire study); (4) Acute social instability; pair-housed with same cage mate for 16 days but novel cage mate for 24h on last day). A well-validated model for assessment of anxiety-like behavior, the elevated plus maze, was utilized to evaluate anxiety-like behavior after the housing manipulation, and plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels were measured. Following these measures, rats were given a two bottle choice and intermittent access between alcohol and water, and alcohol consumption and preference was measured. Following these measures, no significant differences were found between experimental groups for anxiety-like behavior, CORT levels, or alcohol intake/preference. Thus, further study is needed to find a preclinical model of early life stress that promotes anxiety-like behavior and alcohol consumption.

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  The Effects of Early Science Education on the Acquisition of Executive Functioning Skills in Preschoolers

  Nouf M Alhakami

  The presentation will describe a study that focuses on how early science education impacts the development executive functioning (EF) skills. Early science education can be an effective method for improving preschoolers’ working memory and inhibitory control. The study involves observations of preschoolers in a STEM-focused classroom and those in a more traditional classroom where science is not the focus of the curriculum. Objectives: First, Participants will develop a better understanding of how early science education affects engagement in EF skill development. Second, Teachers and curriculum leaders will develop a better understanding of how curriculum supports EF skills. The poster session will introduce executive functioning skills and explain why they are important for children during the first 5 years. EF skills are acquired through both formal learning experiences and also through life experience. These skills are not innate and skills such as working memory, and inhibitory control must be intentionally developed in preschool children. This poster will explain the role of a STEM curriculum in improving EF skills and will demonstrate how preschoolers in a STEM focused classroom are more engaged in EF skills than those in a non-STEM focused classroom. The results of structured observations in two types of classrooms, STEM, and non-STEM through circle time and learning centers of the daily schedule will be shown. The methodology of the study includes the use of a structured observation tool, the Engagement Check II (McWilliams, 1994), which was used to assess child engagement/focus and also a structured observation of the Ohio Early Learning and Development standards that address approaches to learning. A discussion of the results will provide a better understanding of the difference in STEM focused and non-focused curriculum practices and the impact of those practices on the opportunities for children to engage in EF skill development.

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  The effects of propionate and oxygen on the intracellular growth of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes

  Elizabeth A Abrams, Kristine T Perez

  Listeria monocytogenes causes foodborne illnesses in immunocompromised individuals by colonizing the human intestine and disseminating to peripheral organs by crossing the intestinal barrier. During infections, Listeria adapts to the intestinal environment, which is low in oxygen but rich in fermentation acids. However, it is unclear how these acids influence Listeria pathogenesis under anaerobic conditions. In this study, we investigated the effects of anaerobic exposure to propionate, a major fermentation acid, on Listeria. To test the effect of propionate, we used a macrophage cell line as our model host cells and monitored the intracellular growth of Listeria after exposure to different levels of propionate under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Results showed that while anaerobically grown Listeria was compromised during late stages of intracellular growth compared to aerobically grown bacteria, supplementation of propionate at 15mM did not significantly impact intracellular growth. Survival and escape from the acidifying phagosomes is critical during Listeria intracellular growth. To test the effects of propionate on Listeria survival in acidic conditions, we conducted survival assays with aerobically and anaerobically grown Listeria after 1 hour exposure to pH 4, 5, 6, or 7 buffers. Our data showed that Listeria was not able to survive in the pH 4 buffer. For anaerobically grown Listeria, survival at pH 5 was significantly reduced compared to survival at pH 6 and 7. Propionate supplementations did not cause a significant change in survival. Together, our data suggest that anaerobic exposure, not propionate at 15mM, played an important role in Listeria pathogenesis. We plan to continue our investigations with higher concentrations of propionate. Ultimately, our research will help elucidate the behavior of Listeria during the intestinal phase of infections.

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  The Implementation of Two-Way Immersion Programs

  Kara Marie Jankowski

  As society becomes more global, educators are searching for models of education that provide students with the ability to be competitive in the global marketplace. Bilingual education offers students the opportunity to learn two languages while maintaining student achievement in other content areas. One option of bilingual education is called two-way immersion (TWI) programs. TWI classrooms are comprised of students who are native speakers of two different languages. Together, these students communicate in both languages, while receiving instruction in both languages as well. These programs have been shown to be effective in teaching two languages without lowering student achievement. Bilingual education also takes advantage of children’s natural ability to acquire language. Being exposed to language at a young age is much easier than learning another language after the age of ten. TWI programs in elementary schools provide the language learning supports needed to become bilingual without detriment to other areas of content learning. Now, the question that remains is the feasibility of implementing these programs in the United States. Societal attitudes, budget concerns and the availability of qualified teachers could pose to be challenges for TWI programs to expand. By examining these possible challenges through qualitative research, the researcher compiles evidence indicating whether or not TWI programs can be implemented practically. With this understanding, policy makers and educators can decide to implement and fund more TWI programs in the United States.

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  The Importance of Corn in Medical Developments

  Emily E Currier, Marie F Harla, Amanda M Schleper

  The corn plant that we have today is very different than the corn plant that existed when people first started farming it 10,000 years ago, but it has been a major food source all throughout history and still is today. Besides being a food source it has played a major part in the making of large amounts of penicillin for medicine. Finally, corn is a genetically modified food, and now it is possible to make a more pest resilient and successful corn plant due to these changes in DNA. This presentation will be focused on the history of the corn plant and how it has evolved along with its nutritional content, using corn to make penicillin, and the effects of genetically modifying corn. Corn has been evolving ever since farmers first started farming and domesticating it 10,000 years ago. It started as wild grass called teosinte. This was the common ancestor for the corn plant we have today, and the two plants are very similar genetically, but have distinct differences. As the ears of corn have developed, their nutritional content has also changed. Since ancient times, corn has played a key role in medicinal treatments. Ancient peoples used corn to treat headaches and bruises, and they also used it as a diuretic. Through the ages the uses of corn medicinally have evolved. While it is no longer used as a treatment for bruises and headaches, corn silk is still used as a diuretic. In the 1940s it was discovered that corn steep liquor was a prime medium in which to make penicillin. This has greatly influenced the mode and amount of penicillin production today.

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  The Layered Look: A Deeper Look into the Relationship of Clothing and Body Schema

  Michael J Tymoski

  Clothing is essential in most cultures: it displays personal style, occludes body parts from view, and provides protection from the elements. In a previous study we determined that clothing alters affordance judgments, or one’s perceived ability to act. To broaden our knowledge of the influence of clothing on affordance judgments, we are conducting three additional experiments in which participants make affordance judgments about their ability to complete motor tasks while wearing multiple layers of clothing. The first experiment employs the method of limits, whereby the experimenter raises or lower a bar until the participant indicates that the bar is reachable or no longer reachable; this is repeated in several trials while the participant is wearing from 1 to 5 additional layers of clothing. In a second study, participants make affordance judgments regarding the passability of their arms through variously-sized apertures while wearing layers of clothing. A third study employs the mirror illusion to examine the relative contributions of visual and touch information to the body schema and affordance judgments. In this study, the right clothed arm is placed out of sight behind a mirror while the unclothed left arm and its reflection are visible in a mirror, giving the illusion that the actions and accoutrement of the right arm are those of the left arm. Participants will make affordance judgments about the passability of their clothed arm through an aperture while wearing varying layers of clothing on their right (and hidden) arm. We predict that clothing will influence perceived affordance judgments even though it has little impact on actual action capabilities. Together, these studies will provide insights as to how visual and tactile information about clothing influence the perception of the body and subsequent judgments about one’s capability to act in the environment.

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  The Power of Prayer: Impact of Spiritual Practice and Access to Spiritual Resources on Resident Assistants’ Experience of Burnout

  Fiona Corner

  This qualitative study was designed to identify a correlation between the increased spiritual practice of resident assistants and decreased experiences of burnout. The challenges of burnout affect the daily lives of resident assistants as well as the experiences of the residents they serve. The literature argues that the pressures of serving as a resident assistant has a significant impact on how students perform in their role as well as the experience for the resident served. The twenty-four lifestyle often places high and emotionally exhausting demands on students and can lead to burnout. Spiritual practice allows for self-reflection and space for resident assistants to take a break from the demanding expectations. Findings provide a summary of the experience of burnout for resident assistants at the University of Dayton as well as their spiritual practices and access to spiritual resources. Recommendations are also made to preemptively decrease the experience of burnout for future cohorts of resident assistants through the following of spiritual practice.

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  The Relationship Between the Wingtip Vortex, the Free Shear Layer and Aerodynamic Efficiency

  Sidaard Gunasekaran

  The interaction between the free shear layer, the wingtip vortex and the aerodynamic efficiency was quantified based on previous experimental Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) results of the wingtip vortex and the free shear layer. These preliminary results showed signs of interaction between the free shear layer and the wingtip vortex. This analysis was extended to more completely understand the interaction of the free shear layer in the wingtip vortex evolution process and the correlation of this interaction to the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing. The streamwise, cross-stream and spanwise plane oriented PIV of the wingtip vortex showed clear signs of free shear layer interaction with the wingtip vortex at lower angles of attack. This interaction was reflected in the normalized azimuthal velocity profile of the wingtip vortex as well. The composite of velocity profiles from multiple different planes showed a transfer of momentum from the free shear layer to the wingtip vortex in the vicinity of the maximum (L/D) lift condition. This result was correlated with the variation of the parasite and the induced drag of the wing.

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  The Role of M1BP in Eye Development of Drosophila Melanogaster

  Ankita Sarkar, Evan J Wypasek

  Many genes in the Drosophila melanogaster have Pol II paused at the promoter proximal region, because the binding of either the GAGA factor or the Motif 1 binding protein (M1BP). M1BP is highly conserved across the species and encodes a 55kDa protein containing five C2H2 zinc-fingers domains. Drosophila eye development is regulated by a battery of highly conserved genes. Based on high throughput studies, it has been suggested that M1BP may regulate gene expression during Drosophila eye development, but its exact role is unknown. Our aim is to study the role of M1BP during eye development. We found that absence of M1BP function in dorsal and ventral eye margins results in the suppression of eye fate and the suppression of the gene from the complete eye gives us a head loss phenotype

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  The SophoMORE You Know: Socialization and Peer Influences on Masculine Expression

  Max D Sullivan

  During the collegiate years, some men engage in high-risk behaviors and adopt detrimental attitudes, which can be dangerous to not only their own personal development, but also the development of their peers. There is a strong correlation between these behaviors and attitudes, and the ideals of masculine hegemony (Wagner, 2015). In addition, college men are more likely to be the perpetrators of most forms of violence and commit violations of campus policies when compared to their female counterparts (Edwards & Jones, 2009). College men interviewed in the study identified external expectations influencing them to act tough and demonstrate other traits of hyper masculine hegemony. It can be argued that some of these men may gain their masculine related beliefs, values, and behaviors from each other, demonstrating the power of socialization (Harris & Struve, 2009). The experiences of these men illustrate that they want to learn how to be a man, but do not necessarily have a safe space and/or lack the support to craft their definition masculinity. Therefore, many college men are not receiving this support and types of support have not fully been explored. This quantitative study gathered data from over 60 college sophomore men to better understand their perceptions and expression of masculinity. The data is then utilized to provide professionals with recommendations for practice.

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  The Use of a Molecular Probe to Investigate the Details of PriA Helicase Function

  Luke F. Bugada

  During DNA replication in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, the replication machinery (replisome) invariably encounters structural DNA damage, an event that can result in disbanding of the replisome and the creation of a collapsed replication fork. In order for DNA replication to continue, the replisome must be reloaded onto the DNA strand, a process that often begins with unwinding of double-stranded (duplex) DNA by the primosome protein PriA. Little is known about the mechanism through which PriA unwinds DNA and begins replisome recruitment. We seek to shed new light on this mechanism through the use of a PriA inhibitor, compound 0207. In our study, we attempt to determine the method of inhibition, the three-dimensional structure of the PriA•0207 complex, and the 0207 binding site through steady-state kinetics experiments, x-ray crystallography experiments, and mutagenesis assays. Data from the steady-state kinetics titrations show that compound 0207 acts through a mixed mode of inhibition and binds to the PriA•ATP, PriA•DNA, and PriA•ATP•DNA complexes with equal affinities. PriA crystals are being grown in the presence of compound 0207 in an attempt to solve the three-dimensional structure of the PriA•0207 complex using x-ray crystallography. Finally, mutagenesis assays are being used to search for the 0207 binding site on the surface of PriA. A docking simulation based on steric and electrostatic interactions was used to identify possible 0207 binding sites. Single alanine substitutions of PriA were generated, each with an alteration designed to inhibit the binding of compound 0207. The combined results of these experiments will provide a more complete understanding of the interactions between PriA and compound 0207, which will contribute to the overall goal of understanding the detailed mechanisms through which PriA catalyzes duplex DNA unwinding to initiate replication restart.

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  The Walking Dead: Don’t Run, Use Math!

  David J Fink, Theodore J Stitzel

  To study the effect of a zombie outbreak, our team used several differential equations and techniques learned in class to predict the population of humans and zombies during a zombie outbreak. It is important to be able to study the population of both humans and zombie to understand the odds of getting infected and to predict how long the outbreak will last for. This information could then be given to the Center of Disease Control for proper defensive measures to ensure the survival of humans. If there is an outbreak, it is best to be prepared.

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  Towards Induction of Lens Regeneration

  Abijeet S Mehta

  The lens, by changing shape, functions to change the focal distance of the eye so that it can focus on objects at various distances, thus allowing a sharp real image of the object of interest to be formed on the retina. Common disease of the lens include cataracts, which cause opacity, or cloudiness, in the lens. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40 and is the principal cause of blindness in the world. Today, cataracts affect more than 22 million Americans age 40 and older. And as the U.S. population ages, it is projected to affect ~39 million people in the USA in 2030 (NEI statistics www.nei.nih.gov/eyedata/cataract#3, cited 2/9/15). So studying lens regeneration becomes important. Notophthalmus viridescens (newts) is a salamander which has marvelous capability to regenerate it’s organs, like heart, brain, lungs, limbs, tail, spinal cord, and lens. Lens regeneration in newts occurs by transdifferentiation, a switch of cell fate, where a fully differentiated somatic tissue reprograms and becomes a different one. And it always occurs exclusively from the dorsal aspect of the iris pigment epithelium (IPE), and never from the ventral part. The fact that the same type of cells-differentiated from same stem cell lineage-and belonging to the same tissue, has different regenerative capabilities is intriguing. Previously our lab using transcriptome analysis quantitatively compared gene expression between the dorsal and ventral samples. Very interesting patterns were obtained. Tbx5 was found over-expressed in the dorsal (>32 times) and Vax2 was over-expressed in the ventral iris (>32 times). Tbx5 and Vax2 are transcriptional factors known to be dorsal axis and ventral axis determinants during eye embryogenesis respectively. Objective of my research is to investigate the role of tbx-5, and vax-2 in lens induction.