Faculty Sponsor: Sam Vandervelde
Department: Mathematics
Burnside's Lemma
Burnside’s Lemma, which is also known as the Cauchy-Frobenius Lemma or "The Lemma that is not Burnside’s" is used for combinatorics problems that are concerned with symmetry. Burnside’s Lemma assists in counting possible configurations of an object when some of these configurations are considered to be the same due to the symmetry of the object. I started by applying Burnside’s Lemma to a 2x2 board in which each square was to be colored one of two colors and moved from there to looking at the possible ways to color the sides of a cube. Next I looked at one of the most well-known applications of Burnside’s Lemma, which is counting the number of ways to color a necklace with n beads a possible k colors. Finally this led me to consider how and why Burnside’s Lemma works. I took a basic look at the group theory behind the formula. I will explain these ideas in detail on my poster and provide physical models to illustrate Burnside’s Lemma as well.
Faculty Sponsor: Sam Vandervelde
Department: Mathematics
Puzzler's Eunumeration
Latin squares are perhaps best known in the form of the popular Sudoku puzzles and the more recent KenKen puzzles. However the principle behind these logic puzzles were also used and applied by math great Leonhard Euler and Renaissance Man Benjamin Franklin. And to get a taste 18th century puzzles visitors will get to try their hand at constructing a 4x4 orthogonal Latin square. We will also use counting techniques to enumerate the number of nxn Latin squares and explore the known bounds on the number of nxn latin square.
Faculty Sponsor: Larry French
Department: Chemistry
Identification of Route Specific Impurities Present in 4-Bromo-2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) Prepared via PIHKAL Synthesis
The synthesis of hallucinogenic phenethylamines by clandestine chemists within the United States and across the world continues to be a major source if these potential drugs of abuse. The synthesis of 4-Bromo-2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B, 1) is outlined in the book PIHKAL by Alexander Shulgin. This book, and the synthesis outlined therein, has been discovered in clandestine labs across the country. Because of the rising use of phenethylamines, like 2C-B, it is becoming increasingly necessary to create a definitive impurity profile for the drug produced via different synthetic routes. The product, 1, was synthesized via the route described in PIHKAL, first by Knoevenagel condensation of 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde with nitromethane, then reduction of the nitrostyrene to the unbrominated phenethylamine, 2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-H, 2), was carried out with both LiAlH4, and NaBH4 with Pd/C. So far, attempts to obtain a final brominated product have been unsuccessfull. The proposed impurities which may contaminate the final product are electrophillic aromatic substitution products formed during the Knoevenagel condensation when a carbocation is formed, EAS products formed due to partial reduction, and the n-acetyl derivative of 1 formed during the bromination process which takes place in acetic acid. Analysis of the starting materials using GC-MS and 1H NMR proved both the 2,5-dimethobenzaldehyde and the nitromethane to be relatively pure. 1H NMR analysis of the nitrostyrene intermediate and 2C-H (2) were found to have the expected molecular structure and were of acceptable purity. Further analysis of the intermediates and analysis of the final product will be carried out when possible.
Faculty Sponsor: Jeff Chiarenzelli
Department: Geology
An Investigation of the Inorganic Geochemistry and Drinking Water Quality of Groundwater in St. Lawrence County, New York.
A multi-element study of groundwater quality in St. Lawrence County has been carried out. A total of 99 groundwater samples were collected from private well owners between July and August of 2008. The samples have been analyzed for 72 inorganic metal and trace elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). ICP-MS results have been incorporated into an existing ArcGIS geodatabase containing data from 77 previously analyzed samples collected between June and August of 2007. Element concentration trend maps have been produced for the entire county on ArcGIS using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation and have been superimposed onto a St. Lawrence County bedrock map to determine the influence of the underlying bedrock on groundwater geochemistry and quality. Results suggest that the bedrock has a strong influence on groundwater geochemistry in many areas of St. Lawrence County. Examples include elevated B, Br, Li and Sr in dolostones with evaporitic layers; Na, Cl, S, and Zn associated with metamorphosed evaporate-carbonate hosted zinc deposits at Balmat; As along the Precambrian-Cambrian contact; and B and Li associated with world-class tourmaline deposits at Power’s Farm. In addition, Ca and Mg are abundant in groundwater derived from marbles and dolostones which underlie large areas of the county. Results have been compared to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) of primary and secondary standard regulations for drinking water.
Faculty Sponsor: Richard Sharp
Department: Computer Science
Small-world Graph Generator: Utilizing Graphs, and Exploring Implications
Studying the connections that exist between entities is, and has always been of importance. Modern technologies study such natural phenomenon by using graphs. Small-world graphs include a class of graphs which are sparse, exhibit local clustering of edges around vertices, and have a short average distance between vertices. Such graphs have been used by researchers to study social relationships, marketing, the formation and spread of fads, the designing of power grids, and even the spread of viruses in organisms and computers. By studying small-word graphs and utilizing algorithms to create a Small-world graph generator, trends can be developed for understanding the nature of the phenomenon. In addition the generator explains how a graph “G” can or cannot be of the particular graph class.
Faculty Sponsor: Jeffery Chiarenzelli
Department: Geology
Adirondack Lake Chemistry Revisited: What Changes Can We Observe Over the Last 20 Years?
In the1980's, in response to acidification of Adirondack lakes, the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation (ALSC) undertook a field program measuring geochemical properties of over 1469 waterbodies in the region. To assess possible changes, 43 ALSC lakes and ponds, in four specific regions of the Adirondack Park (~10 lakes each) were re-examined. These regions included; St. Lawrence County (SLC), the Western Adirondacks (WA), the High Peaks region (HP), and the Eastern Adirondacks (EA), and were chosen because of their location and geological differences. Limited recovery of pH was found in just over half of the lakes. The more acidic lakes were in the WA and SLC, while more neutral pH values were in the HP and EA. Acidity ranged from, 5.1 in Pine Pond, of SLC, to 7.8 in Wolf Pond, of the. The acid neutralizing capacity of each lake was measured and ranged between 10 μeq/L and 140 μeq/L, and was correlated with the concentration of Ca plus Mg (R² = .66). Fourteen major elements were studied extensively (Ca, Na, S, Si, K, Mg, Al, Sr, Zn, Ba, Cu, Rb, Li, and Y). Elevated levels of Cl, Na, Mg, Ca, and TDS were found in a few roadside lakes. The correlation between Cl and Na was very strong (R² = .99), and is from road salt. Ca and Mg concentrations in all lakes are highly correlated (R² = .89). Mean Mercury concentrations varied little throughout the region (SLC = 3.80+/-0.85; WA = 3.53+/-1.08; HP = 3.03+/-0.66; EA = 4.03+/-2.11 ppt).
Faculty Sponsor: Antun Husinec
Department: Geology
Aptian parasequence formation as an indicator of relative sea level changes on the southern Adriatic Platform
This study covers five Early Cretaceous stratigraphic sections from southern Croatia located on the islands of Korcula, Hvar, Mljet, and the Peljesac Penninsula. The observed succession was deposited on the Adriatic Platform in the Tethys Ocean from 125 ma to 112 ma, resulting in a variable thickness of exposed carbonate rocks from ~30 m to ~77 m. Three depositional facies assemblages are identified within the sections: subtidal, intertidal-supratidal, and subaerial exposure. The subtidal facies are composed of thin to massive bedded bioclastic peloidal lime mudstones to grainstones containing rudist bivalves, benthic forams Palorbitolina lenticularis and Preachrysalidina infractetacea, calcareous alga Salpingoporella dinarica, and microencruster Bacinella irregularis. The intertidal to supratidal facies are thin to thick beds of planar and microbial laminites consisting of alternating layers of lime mudstone and peloidal wacke-packstone. Subaerial exposure facies are thin to thick beds of breccias and residual clay. The vertical succession of these facies shows repeated shallowing-upward parasequence packaging. The hierarchy of facies and lateral distribution of the parasequences indicate that relative sea level changes were the dominant depositional process with minor local progradation of shallow facies. The parasequence architecture indicates an Early Aptian high relative sea level generally coincident with the global Ocean Anoxic Event 1a. The early Late Aptian parasequences show relatively low sea level causing repeated subaerial exposure across the majority of the sections. The limited fossil record, periods of erosion, and amalgamation of parasequences in subtidal facies all inhibit high resolution correlation of the observed sea level changes to global events.
Faculty Sponsor: Alan Searleman Thomas Greene
Department: Psychology
Will Visual or Verbal Primes affect Psychological Distance?
Psychological distance reflects how we think about objects and events that are not in direct experience. According to Construal level theory (CLT), people form abstract representations, higher level construals, for psychologically distant objects and events. In contrast, for close objects and events people form concrete lower level construals. An important aspect of CLT is that the effect is stronger when the cues are self-referential. This study investigated whether psychological distance can be manipulated by using both self-referential and non self-referential cues. Three priming techniques were used: plotting points on a grid, reading excerpts that were self referential, or reading excerpts that were non- self referential. The grid and passages were intended to evoke a sense of either closeness or distance. The results indicated that the priming tasks were not effective in influencing the ratings of hometown bonds, the likelihood of engaging in altruistic behavior, likeability of an unknown face or building, or the assessment of the number of pennies in a container.
Faculty Sponsor: Thomas Greene Alan Searleman
Department: Psychology
Can Pictorial Primes Influence Psychological Distance?
Psychological distance refers to the ways we represent and think about events. An event has more psychological distance if it takes place further into the future, in a more remote location, or is less likely to occur. Construal level theory suggests that the more psychologically distant an event appears, the more abstractly we represent it. This study investigated the ability of spatial priming to manipulate perception of psychological distance. Some participants were primed for closeness or distance by plotting points on a graph. Others viewed a depiction of a three-dimensional scene with objects situated either close together or far apart, and for some the scenes were manipulated to be either self-referential (containing a figure corresponding to the gender of the participant) or non self-referential. Spatial priming, whether self-referential or not, had no significant effect on the strength of hometown bonds, altruistic behavior, likability of an unknown face or building, or estimates of the number of pennies in a glass container.
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Schuckers
Department: Statistics
An Analysis of the NHL Draft 1984-1998
While most elementary statistics students are familiar with confidence intervals, prediction intervals are less well known. Prediction intervals are generally used for estimation of the location of a future observation. In this talk we present bootstrap methodology for creation of prediction intervals. We then apply this approach to data from the NHL draft from 1984-1998.
Faculty Sponsor: Alan Searleman and Serge Onyper
Department: Psychology
Adaptive Memory Advantage for Ancient Versus Modern Phobias
Evolutionary psychologists argue that our memory processes have evolved to be sensitive to aspects of the environment that would help increase reproductive fitness – a concept known as adaptive memory. Researchers found that participants were more likely to recall words they previously related to a survival scenario than those using other encoding techniques. The current research extended the phenomenon by applying the theory to ancient and modern phobia situations. Participants rated 30 common nouns for their relevance to a phobia scenario. The salience of the scenario was enhanced for half of the participants who were also presented with a picture relating to their particular scenario. After a distractor task, they were given a surprise memory test in which they had 5 minutes to recall the previously rated words. The mean number of words recalled in the snake and flying phobia conditions was significantly higher than in the public speaking scenario. Across conditions, words rated as more highly relevant were significantly more likely to be recalled than words rated as less relevant. In addition, those who saw the phobia-related pictures recalled significantly more words.
Faculty Sponsor: Serge Onyper and Alan Searleman
Department: Psychology
Exploring the Advantages of Adaptive Memory: Factors Related to Reproductive Fitness
There is evidence that human memory functioning has evolved to be sensitive to domain-specific information, like physical survival, as part of the larger context of reproductive fitness. Previous research has shown that participants are better at recalling words after relating them to an ancient survival scenario than other well-known encoding techniques. The current research explored whether other domains that are not directly related to physical survival, but that are related to overall reproductive fitness, would produce similar recall rates as the survival scenario. Participants were randomly assigned to imagine themselves in a scenario that related either to physical survival, reproduction, or navigation. They were then asked to rate the relevance of 30 nouns to the scenario, followed by a surprise recall task. The survival scenario produced the highest mean number of words recalled; a mean that did not differ from recall in the reproduction scenario, but was significantly higher than the number of words recalled in the navigation scenario. Across all conditions, words that were rated as more highly relevant to a particular scenario were significantly more likely to be recalled than words rated as less relevant. These findings have implications for the domain-specific aspects of adaptive memory.
Faculty Sponsor: Richard Sharp
Department: Computer Science
A 2-Dimensional Particle Simulator Aided Approach to Investigating Booming Sand Dunes
The study of the statics and dynamics of granular materials has significant industrial and commercial applications as approximately 80% of all that is manufactured in this country is at one stage granular in form. In better understanding granular behavior, we are able to not only improve the efficiency with which we process granular media, but as importantly we begin to comprehend and discover more about occurrences in the natural world. One such phenomenon is the rare booming acoustic emissions created as a result of avalanching sand in certain deserts around the world. Various researchers have proposed theories and conducted experimental research to recreate and explain this marvel, with limited success. However, one other promising method is simulating granular particle interactions to better understand the causes of this event. By simulating the various real world physical forces that act on these sand grains, various theories can be purposely applied and tested in a simulator. In this endeavor, we constructed a 2 Dimensional environment to both accurately mimic these sand grain interactions, as well as provide the capability to adjust “physical” grain characteristics to investigate theoretically proposed optimal booming sand conditions. Critical to all of this, we incorporated various algorithms to more efficiently process grain interactions, particularly with large numbers of sand grains.
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Schuckers
Department: Mathematics
Statistical comparison of false reject rates for biometric identification systems
Evaluation of the matching performance of biometric identification systems is an important undertaking that has significant ramifications for how these devices are perceived and utilized. False accept and false reject rates are currently the most common measures of how well such systems perform. In this poster we focus on false reject rates, or false non-match rates as they are commonly known in the biometric identification literature. We develop statistical significance tests for determining whether or not there are significant differences between two or more false reject rates. Incorporating the correlated structure resulting from the data collection process, new methods are presented for both paired and independent data. We then demonstrate the appropriateness of these tests through simulations and applications to real data.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ana Y. Estevez
Department: Neuroscience
Effects of Ceria Nanoparticles on the Activation and Proliferation of Astrocytes and Microglia after Ischemia in Organotypic Mouse Hippocampal Slices
Cerebral ischemia occurs when the brain becomes depleted of glucose and oxygen due to a blockage in blood flow or bleeding, as occurs when someone suffers a stroke. The ischemic insult triggers a cascade of events that leads to the degeneration both neurons and glial cells. For example, activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) during ischemia leads to an over-abundance of nitric oxide, a small gaseous neurotransmitter that is very reactive and forms free radicals when it interacts with superoxide. Free radicals are extremely damaging because they strip electrons from lipids, proteins and DNA in order to fill their outer valence shell. Currently there is a lack of effective therapies to prevent cell death after a stroke. Ceria nanoparticles have emerged as a promising therapeutic option due to their ability to cross the blood brain barrier and potently scavenge free radicals. We hypothesize that ceria treatment is neuroprotective because it leads to a decreased activation and proliferation of both astrocytes and microglia after an ischemic insult. Although many astrocytes are damaged by ischemia, others become reactive and proliferate to cause glial scarring. Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain and in response to ischemia, these cells replicate, release inflammatory cytokines, and promote cell death. We used confocal microscopy methods and organotypic mouse hippocampal slices to test the hypothesis that ceria nanoparticles decrease astrocyte and microglial activation and proliferation after an ischemic insult.
Faculty Sponsor: Daniel W. Koon
Department: Physics
Optical Transmission and Resistivity Measurements of Pd/Mg Film Hydrides
In this work, we observe the drastic changes that occur simultaneously in optical transmission, sheet resistance, and Hall resistance due to the absorption of gaseous hydrogen in custom made palladium/magnesium bilayer film samples. Initial data showed a factor of 70 increase in both Hall and sheet resistance data, as well as a significant increase in optical transparency. Hydrogen absorption causes charge carrier density to decrease, particularly in magnesium. This results in a transition from electrical conductor to insulator, and is measured quantitatively by the Hall resistance. At the same time, the material visibly changes from opaque to transparent. Our in situ measurement of the three separate quantities during hydrogen cycling is unique among previous testing. The custom film samples were tailored to facilitate the van der Pauw method of resistivity measurement, and the sample holder included permanent magnets to create the required magnetic field, as well as a monochromatic LED and photo detector to measure optical transmittance. This type of system has received attention due to potential applications has hydrogen storage and switchable mirror devices.
Faculty Sponsor: Ed Harcourt
Department: Computer Science
Java Matrix Multiplication (UJMP)
My project involves taking a very large amount of data and interpreting it using matrices. Currently, there is a new package called "UJMP" which helps convert raw data into matrices. Once the data is converted, operations such as matrix inversion and transposition along with basic math operations are all provided as simple Java functions. Once the data is interpreted, the goal is to preform multiple matrix calculations and return a final matrix that represents the final results of the provided raw data.
Faculty Sponsor: Neil Law
Department: Chemistry
Formation and Characterization of Copper (II) Metallacrowns by Use of 2-Methoxybenzohydroxamic Acid and its Derivatives
Metallacrowns are gaining interest because of the varied functions for which they might be useful. These include, but are not limited to: single molecular magnets, MRI contrasting agents, and liquid crystals. One basic type of metallacrown is constructed through the use of salicylhydroxamic acid as a ligand. My research aimed to address what happens when other metal atoms and ligands with different functional groups are used. The intriguing question was to see if thiols or thioether analogues of salicylhydroxamic acid could form metallacrowns. In order to explore this idea it was believed that starting with the methoxy hydroxamic acid ligand would be illustrative. Complexes of 2-methoxybenzohydroxamic acid (H2mbha) based metallacrowns of copper (II) are under investigation. These interactions should allow the central copper ion to assume a square planar geometry. Currently to date, the H2mbha metallacrowns have proven to be largely insoluble in a range of solvents, which has lead to challenges in characterization. Faced with these challenges, the chloro and methyl derivatives were synthesized: 5-chloro-2-methoxybenzohydroxamic acid (H25Cl-mbha) and 5-methyl-2-methoxybenzohydroxamic acid (H25Me-mbha), respectively. The derivatives may help with the solubility issues. In addition, 2:1 adducts of these ligands and copper are also being prepared.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Temkin
Department: Neuroscience
Other Participants: Matthew Sonagere
Hox gene expression during development of the marine bryozoan Membranipora membranacea
During animal development, regions of the body along the anteroposterior axis are specified through the biochemical milieu established by transcription factors that are coded for by the homeobox genes. The characterization of homeobox genes from a variety of species has lead to the identification of a highly conserved region of about 60 amino acids that represents the homeodomain. The homeodomain of these proteins allows the transcription factors to bind to the DNA. The homeobox genes involved in anteroposterior body patterning have been well characterized in model organisms, such as Drosophilia, mouse, and chicken. However, our knowledge of homoebox genes in many other organisms, including the bryozoans, is very limited. Bryozoans are a large group of colonial invertebrates that live in marine and freshwater habitats and collect food particles with a retractable crown of ciliated tentacles. As each new member of a bryozoan colony forms by asexual budding, it develops structures along its own proximal-distal axis. An essential first step in understanding how each member of a bryozoan colony develops its own body pattern is the characterization of homeobox gene expression during the differentiation of asexually budded individuals. Here we present data on the protein coding sequences of three homeobox genes expressed during the development of individuals in colonies of the marine bryozoan Membranipora membranacea which contain homeodomains with similarites to Dfd, Lox5, and Gbx2.
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Schuckers
Department: Statistics
Predicting Career Trajectories in the NFL
Nonparametric statistical methods are useful tools when the form of a relationship between two quantitative variables is unknown. This study aims to discover whether or not performance or rate of deterioration for players whose stats systematically improve over their first few seasons can be predicted for the remainder of their career. By focusing on four different offensive positions, quarterback, running back, tight end, and wide receiver, we will examine player’s statistics over the entire scopes of their careers, specifically players who excelled early on in their careers, to create models to predict their performance in later years. To predict future performance, we bootstrap future years based upon players with similar histories. We apply this approach to data from 1960 to 2006.
Faculty Sponsor: Ana Estevez
Department: Neuroscience
Do Ceria Nanoparticles Prevent the Nuclear Translocation of Apoptosis Inducing Factor (AIF) After Ischemia in Organotypic Mouse Hippocampal Slices?
Cerebral ischemia is the interruption of blood flow to the brain. The lack of oxygen and glucose triggers a cascade of cellular events culminating in cell death, via necrosis or apoptosis. For example, free radicals in the form of peroxynitrite and superoxide oxidize DNA and other cellular macromolecules leading to apoptosis, also called programmed cell death. Free radical damage to the neuron after an ischemic insult activates the DNA repair enzyme Poly-ADP-Ribose Polymerase (PARP), which has been implicated in triggering the translocation of Apoptosis Inducing Factor (AIF) from the mitochondria to the nucleus. AIF acts as an endonuclease, cleaving DNA, ultimately causing cell death. To date there are no neuroprotective therapies which effectively and safely spare neurons in humans during ischemia. Ceria nanoparticles have the potential to be a novel therapy because they exhibit profound free radical scavenging abilities and they readily cross the blood brain barrier. The aim of the current project is to determine the extent to which ceria nanoparticles scavenge free radicals by assessing the translocation of AIF to the nucleus after ischemia. Electrophoresis and western blot detection allows for quantifiable, accurate detection of AIF and PARP after ischemia. We hypothesize that treatment with ceria nanoparticles will significantly decrease AIF translocation and PARP production after an ischemic insult.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer MacGregor
Department: Psychology
The Relationships among Personality Orientations and Attitudes towards Perceived Female Sexual Activity
Modeled after the Roberts, Goldenberg, Power, and Pyszczynski (2002) study on attitudes towards menstruation, the present study examined how certain personality orientations, such as authoritarianism and adherence to traditional sex roles, influenced intelligence and likeability ratings of a female confederate who was perceived to be sexually active. Using a between subjects design, 32 participants were assigned to the experimental condition in which the confederate ‘accidentally’ dropped a condom, and 30 participants were assigned to the control condition in which the confederate dropped a pen. Each group consisted of 1 female confederate and 2 to 3 male and female participants. Upon arrival, each individual completed a packet of questionnaires that measured the various personality orientations. After completion, the group was instructed to relocate, and it was during this transition that the confederate visibly dropped from her pocket either a condom or pen. At the new location the group completed several questionnaires, including the Sexual Double Standard Scale, and then discussed for 5 minutes a group task related to pornography and censorship. It was hypothesized the condom would activate implicit sexist attitudes in participants. Preliminary results revealed no main effect of condition or gender; however, within gender, women in the condom condition later endorsed a stronger belief in sexual equality than women in the pen condition (2x2 ANOVA, F=6.82, p<.05). Alternatively, within the condom condition, men scored significantly higher on the Sexual Double Standard Scale than women (F=4.85, p<.05).
Faculty Sponsor: Bill DeCoteau
Department: Neuroscience
Other Participants: Austin Washburn
Effects of Orbitofrontal Cortex Lesions on Set Shifting
The ability to flexibly change behavior in the face of altered reinforcement rules is called “set shifting.” The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is a well-known tool used to assess set shifting in humans. Patients with frontal lobe damage often display impairments in WCST performance. Because the size and location of the brain damage in this population is highly variable, the underlying neural mechanisms and circuitry responsible for these cognitive deficits are not well understood. Here we produced targeted brain lesions in rats and used a rodent behavioral task analogous to the WCST to analyze the contribution of a specific prefrontal cortex sub-region in set shifting. The orbitofrontal cortex of rats was slowly infused with either the neurotoxin ibotenic acid or saline. Following post-surgery recovery, rats were trained on two consecutive tasks in a modified plus-maze. One task required attention to extra-maze spatial cues (place task); whereas, the other task required the processing of egocentric body cues (turn task). Task order was counterbalanced across subjects. Behavioral flexibility was measured by how efficiently rats switched performance from one task to the other. Results will be discussed based on the hypothesis that lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex will impair set shifting. Specifically, and in line with what is observed in humans, we predict the deficit will reflect an inability to shift from a cue which had previously commanded attention (i.e. ‘perseveration’) rather than an inability to shift to an alternative cue which was previously irrelevant (i.e. ‘learned irrelevance’).
Faculty Sponsor: Serge Onyper
Department: Psychology
Gum chewing benefits memory and cognitive performance
Anecdotal reports suggest that chewing gum can aid memory and improve concentration. Past investigations demonstrated that gum chewing causes regional blood flow increases in several subcortical structures, as well as areas of the cortex thought to contribute to sensory processing and higher cognitive functions. The available behavioral research, however, failed to reach consensus with respect to how memory and cognitive performance are affected by chewing, and whether there is an effect at all. The present study examined the effects of gum chewing on memory and cognitive functioning by randomly assigning participants to a condition in which they chewed gum for five minutes prior to completing a battery of cognitive tasks, or a control condition. The results indicated that participants who chewed gum performed better on Digit-Symbol Substitution Task, a measure of speed of information processing, had higher scores on a test of working memory, and remembered significantly more words during free recall. There was no difference, however, between groups on measures of verbal fluency or in the recall of words that were encoded while attention was divided, possibly because the effects of gum chewing are short-lasting, and those two tasks were administered last in the battery. These results are consistent with the claim that gum chewing confers cognitive benefits, albeit limited in duration.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Deguchi
Department: Psychology
Influence of self construal on cognition: A comparison between United States and Italy
The influence of self-construal on cognitive styles (context dependent vs. context independent attention) was in investigated comparing the cognitive styles of American and Italian college age participants. Self-construal was measured by the Singelis Self-construal scale (1994) and the cognitive styles were measured by using a landscape drawing task and a contextual memory recall task. It was hypothesized that the Italian participants would score higher on interdependence in self-construal and that American participants would score higher on independence in self-construal. It was also hypothesized that the Italian participants would be more context-dependent by drawing higher horizons in the landscape drawing task and recalling more items and their respected locations in the context memory recall task. Forty-four American college students from St. Lawrence University (mean age = 20.77 years) and 27 Italian students (mean age = 17.63 years) took part in the study. None of the hypothesis were supported, however the American participants were found to draw significantly higher horizons than the Italian participants. Implications of the findings will be discussed.
Faculty Sponsor: Erika Barthelmess
Department: Biology
Home Range and Den Activity of the North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) in Northern New York
Home range size and den use in porcupines vary depending on abiotic factors, such as seasonality, or biotic factors, including social interactions and behavior. The purpose of this project was to determine the nonwinter and winter home ranges of porcupines in a mixed hardwood forest and to monitor daily and seasonal patterns in den use. I tracked three porcupines (two females and one male) using radio telemetry to determine home ranges. I monitored dens using a pit tag reader that recorded the den entrance and exit activity of tagged porcupines. Female nonwinter home range was significantly higher than winter (t = 4.56; df = 1.55; p < 0.05). Porcupines moved further when conditions were less snowy or warm: there was a negative correlation between cumulative snowfall and distance porcupines traveled, and a positive correlation between temperature and distance. Den use was significantly higher from 18:00-6:00 (chi sq = 34.15; df = 3; p<0.01) and there was a significant positive correlation between number of entries/exits and temperature (r = 0.39). Home range decrease during winter months may be due to the barrier snow poses to travel and because of limited foraging opportunities. High den activity at night is attributed to porcupines’ nocturnal behavior, and activity decreased with colder temperatures because porcupines may spend more time inside dens for heat conservation. By knowing home ranges and periods of highest activity, we can better manage porcupine populations and avoid human-animal conflict, as well as try to understand their still fairly unknown behaviors.
Faculty Sponsor: Ed Harcourt
Department: Computer Science
Artificial Intelligence and Game Design
Following a SLU Fellowship that investigated the strengths and weaknesses of Bayesian networks, genetic algorithms, and neural networks, in solving the artificial intelligence requirements of computer games, I created a game to serve as a foundation for a more complex application of a neural network. The first step was thus to implement the game. After experimenting with a commercial 3D graphics engine, I settled on utilizing Java and it’s built in GUI components. The second step is the integration and training of the neural network which will be responsible for handling the computer opponents. The selection of a neural network over either the Bayesian network or genetic algorithm is largely due to the randomness induced in these other options as well as a growing role for neural networks in the gaming industry at large.
Faculty Sponsor: Erika Barthelmess
Department: Biology
Developing Microsatellite Markers for the North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) for use in Population Genetics
Microsatellite markers are dinucleotide repeats located in the noncoding regions of nuclear DNA. They are known as neutral markers because there is no selection on noncoding DNA sequences, and they are highly heritable by offspring. They can undergo mutations that either make the sequences longer or shorter, and these mutations occur at a quantifiable rate, making it possible to trace how far back a mutation may have occurred. These characteristics make microsatellite markers a very useful tool in population genetics, and they can be used to assess paternity, inbreeding, and gene flow in and out of a population. In my project, I designed and tested 12 primers for amplifying microsatellite loci. Seven of the twelve loci were amplified in PCR reactions, and will be assessed for polymorphism and then used to genotype porcupines located within the St. Lawrence University Kip Tract. Determining the relationship of each porcupine to others within the population will provide information about paternity and possibly breeding habits. Road mortalities may be having an effect on the genetic structure of the Kip Tract population, and one of the goals of this project was to assess the amount of genetic diversity within the population. Eventually, the development of porcupine microsatellite markers will allow populations in the Northeast to be genotyped and compared to one another, and their genetic information will be available to the scientific community.
Faculty Sponsor: Matthew Skeels
Department: Chemistry
Investigating Isoquinoline Alkaloid Content in Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
The identification and quantification of alkaloids in medicinal plants are of great significance due to their pharmacological properties. Hydrastis Canadensis, or Goldenseal, is a medicinal plant native to the eastern parts of North America, characterized by a thick, yellow rhizome. The isoquinoline alkaloid content of the root and rhizome of Goldenseal were investigated under various growing conditions. Conditions consisted of high or low amounts of nitrogen, moisture, and light. The alkaloids of interest included berberine, hydrastine, and hydrastinine. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the relative amounts of berberine, hydrastine, and hydrastinine in Goldenseal root and rhizome extracts. An ambient extraction method was used, providing efficient extraction of the three isoquinoline alkaloids. Analysis and comparisons of post-treatment samples to corresponding pre-treatment rhizomes revealed that under high light conditions berberine and hydrastine content was significantly greater than under low light conditions. The amount of hydrastinine was not significantly affected by different light conditions. A significant positive correlation between the amounts of hydrastine and hydrastinine in both root and rhizome was also evident from the investigation.
Faculty Sponsor: Brad Baldwin
Department: Biology
The Salmon Fishery in the North Country: the intersection of the scientific and the social
The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) has been extirpated from Northern New York’s waterways since 1900. The native species has since been replaced by propagated Pacific salmon species, namely Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). There are many environmental and biological implications of stocking salmon into New York’s waterways and the processes by which this is accomplished. The main focus of research was to investigate the fate of the native Atlantic salmon in relation to the non-native Pacific species in terms of the historical, environmental, and the biological, as well as the social and economic situation in Northern New York. Information was collected from a wide range of sources including interviews, historical research, scientific papers, and through contribution to biological field studies. The research executed has highlighted Pulaski, N.Y. and the Salmon River fishery as the hub of salmon fishing in the North Country. This project focuses on the village of Pulaski, local knowledge, and economic impacts of the salmon fishery, as well implications for the Salmon River. Another aspect of this project focuses on the only source for stocking Atlantic salmon in New York’s waterways, The Adirondack Fish Hatchery near Saranac Lake, N.Y. Research is also portrayed through photographs and a historical timeline of the Atlantic salmon in North America. The final product writing is intended to educate readers on the intersection of the scientific and the social aspects of the fishery, and to highlight the importance of understanding the Atlantic salmon’s place in Northern New York.
Faculty Sponsor: Joseph Erlichman
Department: Neuroscience
Other Participants: Krystin Harper, Chelsea Wood
The Role of NO in Ischemic Brain Injury
The involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in ischemic stroke has been investigated for well over a decade, however the precise role of this molecule in this neuropathology remains controverial. In the brain, balanced NO production normally exerts a protective effect through vasodilation, maintenance of cerebral blood flow and neurotransmission. However, increased levels of NO observed during ischemic stroke are associated with extensive tissue death in animal models and in patients with acute ischemic stroke, and the concentration of NO metabolites in the plasma and cerebral spinal fluid are positively correlated with poor neurological outcome and increased infarct volume. Much of the cellular damage attributed to elevated NO levels is thought to be mediated by the generation of free radicals, impaired mitochondrial function or by the activation of poly(adenosine diphosphate-[ADP]-ribose)-polymerase-1 (PARP-1), a nuclear enzyme activated by DNA fragmentation during ischemia. Currently, little is known of the time course of NO production post ischemia, the NOS isoforms involved or the extent this molecule contributes to free radical production and programmed cell death following ischemic brain injury. Thus, to determine the role of NO in tissue damage following ischemic injury we have investigated the time course of NO and ROS accumulation post-ischemia, determine the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms involved and assess if there is a critical window of NO release post ischemia that correlates most closely with tissue damage, and to evaluate the role of NOS isoforms on poly(adenosine diphosphate-[ADP]-ribose) polymer formation and translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) to the nucleus.
Faculty Sponsor: Ed Harcourt
Department: Computer Science
Comparing the Relative Performance of Java Middleware - RMI, CORBA, SOAP
RMI, CORBA and SOAP are fast-emerging as the middleware technologies of choice when it comes to the development of distributed Java systems. With developers apparently spoiled for choice, relative performance becomes an important variable in the developer's decision calculus. This research benchmarks the performance of each of the aforementioned middleware technologies. Measuring roundtrip times and data transferred, whilst monitoring network traffic on simple requests-response remote function calls that mimic practical applications, it will be shown that the nature of the response data greatly affects performance.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Hornung
Department: Biology
Other Participants: Michelle Verrochi
Does Hormone Replacement Therapy in Postmenopausal Women Alter Apocrine Secretions in Response to Visual Stimuli?
This experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that estrogen plays a role in the female apocrine response to visual stimuli. Previous work at SLU has demonstrated that college age males and females produce gender specific apocrine secretions when watching various film genres, and because of this, it was hypothesized estrogens in the females played a role in creating this gender difference. To test this hypothesis, postmenopausal women, some of whom were taking hormone replacement therapy and some of whom were not, watched sexually explicit, romantic, action and documentary videos. The underarm secretions were collected on 4X4 gauze pads while the subjects watched these videos and the similarity of the secretions were evaluated using established psychophysical error analysis technique. For both the postmenopausal women who were taking hormone replacement therapy and those who were not, the responses produced while watching these video genres paralleled the responses seen in the college age women, suggesting the female apocrine response to visual stimuli is not estrogen dependent.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Larry G. French
Department: Chemistry
Aromatic, Boron Containing Heterocycles as Potential Diels-Alder Dienes
Boron dienophiles are chemically interesting in that they contain a high energy HOMO and low energy LUMO rendering them potential dienes in both the normal and inverse electron demand versions of the Diels-Alder reaction. Several attempts to synthesize 3,4-dimethyl-1-phenyl -1, 3, 2-dioxaborole have provided only low yields of difficult to isolate product owing to its tendencies to decompose. One trial as been successful in isolating trace amounts of 1, 3, 2-dioxaborole by purification of the product via reduced pressure distillation. A major complication has been the formation of acetoin polymers when phenylboronic acid and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone are reacted in the dioxoborole synthesis. Therefore, it was concluded that diethoxyphenylborate might be used in a reaction with a dissolved solution of acetoin. Current research has led to the formation of dioethoxyphenylborate, and in the near future it will be reacted with a solution of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone to potentially yield a boron dienophile. After each boron dienophile is successfully formed it will be used in a Diels-Alder reaction.
Faculty Sponsor: Neil Law
Department: Chemistry
Nondestructive analytical techniques for the identification of pigments and binders in 17th century Dutch oil paintings for authentication purposes
This purpose of this paper is to examine the noninvasive chemical techniques available for the analysis of the materials in 17th century Dutch oil paintings to detect possible anachronisms and consequently forgeries. The materials that the paper will focus on are pigments, specifically for the colors blue and white, and linseed oil as a binder. The analytical methods focused on in this paper are x-ray radiography, neutron activation autoradiography, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman and IR spectroscopy, ultraviolet fluorescence, fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy, and particle induced x-ray/gamma ray emission. Using these methods, the paper answers the question of how it would be possible to detect Johannes Vermeer forgeries made by Hans van Meegeren.
Faculty Sponsor: Lorraine Olendzenski
Department: Biology
The sulfate reducing community of Fayetteville Green Lake: characterization using 16S rRNA and dsrAB genes
Fayetteville Green Lake is a well-characterized meromictic lake located outside of Syracuse, NY. Ground water provides sulfate which supports sulfate reducing bacteria at and below the permanent chemocline. Photosynthetic purple-sulfur bacteria (PSB) including Lamprocystis, form a prominent ‘pink layer’ visible in water samples collected from 20-21M. Spatial separation of geochemical parameters in the water column creates unique environmental niches where different species are found. We studied the vertical distribution of the sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and how it may affect distribution and extent of purple-sulfur bacteria and other phototrophs. We combine molecular analysis of rRNA and sulfate reductase genes (dsrAB) with CARD-FISH using probes specific for sulfate reducing prokaryotes to characterize community distribution. Water samples were collected with a Van Dorn Bottle at and below the chemocline (19-28M). Oxygen concentrations, temperature, pH, Chla and dissolved solids were measured with a Hydrolab datasonde. Samples were amplified by PCR using 16S rRNA primers 27F and 1492R to create clone libraries for sequencing. Formaldehyde-fixed samples were filtered and processed for CARD-FISH using probes for eubacteria (Eub338 I-III), delta proteobacteria (delta495a-c) and others. 16S rRNA clone libraries from 23, 25, and 28M in summer and fall show sulfate reducers related to Syntrophus, Desulfobacca, Desulfomonile, Desulfobacterium, Desulfocapsa. Highest numbers of SRBs (1x106cells/ml.) were found at 23M in summer. Sequence diversity and clone abundance were greatest at 28M. Lamprocystis aggregates contained other bacteria which still need to be indentified.
Faculty Sponsor: Serge Onyper and Alan Searleman and Pamela Thacher
Department: Psychology
Other Participants: Alicia Johnson
Memory, Intelligence, and Executive Functioning in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study
Research indicates that while subjective memory impairments are commonly reported during pregnancy, actual differences between pregnant and non-pregnant women extend only to aspects of memory that impose particular demands on controlled processes and executive functioning. We conducted an assessment of memory and cognitive ability in women in their 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy and education- and age-matched controls. Participants completed tests of short-term and working memory capacity, prospective memory, speed of information processing, intelligence, and executive functioning. They also completed questionnaires evaluating quality of sleep as well as fatigue and energy levels. We hypothesized pregnant women would have greater deficits in executive functioning and memory, especially in tasks that impose greater cognitive demand, and that their reports of daily functioning, sleep quality, and energy would all be worse than in the control group. Results indicated that pregnancy was associated with increased fatigue and a decline in the quality of sleep. Furthermore, pregnant women exhibited a modest degree of frontal lobe impairment as evidenced by decreased performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task and by a greater number of intrusions in word recall. They also performed significantly worse on the measure of the speed of information processing, although they did not differ from controls on tasks assessing short-term memory, prospective memory, and fluid and crystallized intelligence. These findings suggest that while pregnant women may experience some impairment in cognitive ability, many aspects of memory and cognitive functioning are preserved during pregnancy.
Faculty Sponsor: Brian Watson
Department: Physics
Investigating Bagnold's Booming Sand Dune Theory through Computational Aided Approaches
Booming sand is a rare natural phenomenon which manifests itself when an avalanche on a sand dune produces a loud and continuous droning sound. This acoustic emission is notable because it is composed of one dominant audible frequency ranging from 70 to 105 Hz. This study takes the approach of building computer simulations to model sand grains at the microscopic level to determine whether the synchronized movement of flowing sand grains in the avalanche, as proposed by Bagnold, is primarily responsible for booming. A Mathematica model was developed to numerically integrate the coupled differential equations for a one-dimensional model of avalanching grains. In addition, a Java-based two-dimensional rendering of idealized sand grain collisions was also created to investigate oscillatory motion for replicated optimal booming dune conditions. Preliminary findings on the one-dimensional model show well-defined peaks at frequencies, dependent on grain packing, in agreement with Bagnold’s theory. The two-dimensional Java rendering currently accurately simulates grain collisions; however further data processing is necessary to draw any conclusions.
Faculty Sponsor: Cathy Crosby-Currie
Department: Psychology
Study Abroad and College Students’ Reflective Judgment
Although most research on intellectual development focuses on childhood, individuals continue to develop through adulthood. Reflective judgment theory posits that adults differ on how they construct meaning and make judgments about difficult problems, and research suggests higher education can increase reflective judgment. One particular higher education experience, study abroad, has been found to relate to intellectual changes similar to reflective judgment. However, no empirical research has investigated this connection. The present study empirically examined the relationship between reflective judgment (as measured by the Reasoning about Current Issues (RCI) survey, a validated measure which directly assessed reflective judgment) and first-year students’ (N=62) study broad intentions and seniors’ (N=57) study abroad experience. We are currently awaiting our RCI data from the Reflective Judgment institute. However, our preliminary analyses suggest our sample is representative of seniors’ study abroad experience, with 47% of the seniors having studied abroad (31.8% of male and 58.8% of female participants). In addition, most first-year students reported that they would like to study abroad (i.e., 82.3%), with most incorporating it into their academic plan (81%) having had conversations with parents (96.7%) and advisors (67.2%). Most first-years have also thought about both where (95%) and when (85.2%) they would like to study abroad. Slightly fewer male (78.9%) than female first-years (81.4%) are considering study abroad. Interestingly, no male first-years reported definitely considering study off-campus, but 68.4% reported being at least unsure—a higher percentage than both the female first-years who reported planning to and being unsure about study off-campus.
Faculty Sponsor: Richard Sharp
Department: Computer Science
Guide to setting up and analyzing personal domains and authentication
This project entails setting up the infrastructure for a Key Distribution Center (KDC) and a file server with at least one client. A KDC server authenticates a user on a network. An example of this would be when logging onto a school computer you enter your network/user ID and the password associated with that ID. If they match, you gain access to the computer and network, however if they do not, you get an invalid password message. The way the computer determines if the ID password pair is a match is by asking the KDC. Each computer does not have a list of all IDs and password pairs, just the KDC has a copy. Therefore, the client sends the ID and password to the KDC and if the KDC matches it with an entry in its memory, it replies with a ticket authorizing the computer to login and setting the permissions of that particular user. I will be setting this KDC server to operate at first with one client and then expanding to multiple clients. The end deliverables of this project is a HOWTO document for setting up a file server and a KDC, the configuration files, and the results for the analysis of the stress testing or Kerberos algorithm. The HOWTO is going to be a step by step walkthrough for basic users to recreate my network setup.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Karin Heckman
Department: Biology
The Capacity of Osteoblasts to Act as Antigen-Presenting Cells: A Novel Physiological Interaction in Osteoimmunology
Osteoimmunology is an emerging field that explores the interactions between the immune and skeletal systems in order to develop therapies that treat autoimmune skeletal diseases. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) function to activate the adaptive immune system through the processing and presentation of antigenic molecules. Stimulated APCs increase expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and costimulatory B7 surface molecules, enabling them to activate T-lymphocytes. Meanwhile, the skeletal system utilizes osteoblasts to promote bone formation and maintain healthy bone density through collagen synthesis and secretion of mineralization proteins. In contrast, osteoclasts degrade bone tissues and resorb the mineral matrix. Early evidence suggests that osteoblasts possess APC traits and can therefore mediate physiological interactions between the immune and skeletal systems by T-lymphocyte activation. We hypothesize that cells of the minimally-characterized 7F2 osteoblast line can also activate T-lymphocytes which then enhance osteoclast function potentially leading to increased bone degradation. Our preliminary evidence indicates that these cells do develop an APC-like phenotype; they take up fluorescent-tagged antigen even when unstimulated by various agonists. Expression of MHC class II and B7 genes at the mRNA level was also analyzed by RT-PCR, while flow cytometry results were used to quantitatively verify this at the cellular level. Now that this line of osteoblast cells has been characterized, we can next investigate their capacity to interact with T-lymphocytes in order to determine whether osteoblasts indirectly increase bone degradation via immune system activation.
Faculty Sponsor: Brad Baldwin
Department: Biology
The concentration of MeHg in round gobies and implications on the development of zebrafish as a new dietary source in the St. Lawrence River.
Round gobies (Apollonia melanostomus) are an abundant invasive species in the St. Lawrence River, which consume zebra mussels. I found significantly higher (P = 0.00) concentration of MeHg in round gobies than native yellow perch. If native predators consume round gobies, would this impact predators growth or reproduction? Using a lab experiment with juvenile zebrafish I found that there was no significant difference (P=.809) between a diet consisting of round gobies and a diet consisting of native forage fish. In addition, I could detect no difference in the survival of larval fish produced by adult zebrafish which were fed the same diets (round gobies and native forage fish). The results suggest, the new food source, round gobies, have a significantly higher concentration of MeHg compared to the native forage fish, which could contribute to an increase in trophic transfer of MeHg. However, this increase in MeHg does not have adverse effects as a diet. In fact, round gobies could potentially help support a larger population of game fish
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Antun Husinec
Department: Geology
Implications of regular lithological variation; cyclicity in the Barremian deposits of Southern Croatia
The Adriatic Carbonate Platform is a Bahamian type isolated carbonate platform which ranges from the Julian Alps (the Italian and Slovenian border) to South East Montenegro and North West Albania (Tišlajar, 2002). Exposures displaying sediment deposited on the interior of this platform were examined in the summer of 2008 on the coast and coastal islands of Southern Croatia. These lithologies exposed at this locality are significant due to their sensitivity to paleoclimatological changes which influenced depositional characteristics. It is possible to gain insight into paleoclimate changes over a wide range of time by examining the lithologies that are seen. This study examines these changes focusing on a specific age; the Barremian of the early Cretaceous. The Barremian section is characterized by regular repetitions of lithological variations from subtidal to intratidal or rare subaerial facies. Deposition of these facies packages is interpreted as being driven by small amplitude fluctuations in sea level relative to the carbonate platform structure. This interpretation is based upon the analysis of the lithologies seen in the field, and how they are stratigraphically related to one another. The sections measured contain lithologies which are representative of a number of differing depositional environments and processes on the platform. The recognition of these lithological variations provides information about how the various environments were influenced by the relative sea level changes, and what processes may have actively influenced relative sea level.
Faculty Sponsor: Susan Willson
Department: Biology
Roost Site Selection in Relation to Foraging Location in Obligate Army Ant Following Birds in Amazonian Peru
Most generalist insectivorous passerine birds have relatively small territories and numerous opportunities to find food within that territory. Obligate army ant following birds, however, are exceptional in this regard in that they have relatively very large home ranges and few, specific locations at a given time and space that allow for foraging. Based on an optimal use of limited energy we predicted that these birds would preferentially roost near Eciton burchellii army ant bivouacs to allow for a faster and easier discovery of army ants and a subsequent food source the following morning. We examined roost site selection in reference to known, potential foraging locations for five species of obligate army ant following birds (Phlegopsis nigromaculata, Myrmeciza fortis, Rhegmatorhina melanosticta, Gymnopithys salvini, Dendrocincla merula) in Amazonian Peru. We sampled 13 individual birds (4 P. nigromaculata, 3 R. melanosticta, 2 M. fortis, 2 G. salvini, and 2 D. merula) over 107 nights using radio telemetry and triangulation of roost sites. We then compared these roost sites to known army ant bivouacs within a given bird’s home range for both the day of sampling and the following day. These data are currently under examination. If a correlation is found between roost site selection and potential foraging opportunities it would support the hypothesis that energy allocation is more important than fixed roost sites. If bird roosts are not correlated with E. burchellii bivouacs, it would suggest that energy saved by roosting near a bivouac and potential foraging location is less advantageous than other external factors, for example predator avoidance by having known and therefore safe roost locations.
Faculty Sponsor: Brad Baldwin
Department: Biology
The Effects of a Diet High in Mercury on Danio rerio Swimming Behavior and Reproductive Success
Because mercury exposure to aquatic ecosystems is a growing issue worldwide, understanding the implications of dietary mercury on the reproduction, development, and behavior of fish is a critical step in conservation efforts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a diet high in mercury on zebrafish (Danio rerio) swimming behavior, reproduction, and larval survivorship. For four months, adult zebrafish were fed one of four diet treatments, containing low (0.1759 ug/g), medium-low(1.299ug/g), medium-high (3.175 ug/g) and high (6.361 ug/g) levels of mercury (Hg), manipulated by the proportion of swordfish in the diet mixture. Under normal lab conditions, zebrafish that were fed the medium-low Hg diet exhibited the highest level of swimming activity, and the high Hg diet treatment exhibited the lowest. Under increasingly hypoxic conditions, control fish (low Hg diet) exhibited decreasing swimming activity, whereas the high Hg treatment exhibited increasing swimming activity; however, high Hg zebrafish had lower absolute activity levels compared to controls. Additionally, control zebrafish displayed a stronger oculomotor response than did high Hg treatment zebrafish. Significantly lower egg and larvae production was observed for medium-high and high Hg treatments than for control and medium-low Hg treatments. The offspring of medium-high and high Hg treatments also showed significantly lower rates of survivorship during the first two weeks of development. These results suggest that a sustained diet high in mercury alters zebrafish swim behaviors, and reduces reproductive output and larval survivorship; this may have implications for wild fish populations exposed to mercury.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Joe Erlichman
Department: Biology
Other Participants: Praveen Chatani
The Novel Use of CeO2 Nanoparticles to Reduce Ischemic Brain Injury
The goal of this project is to determine the effect of cerium oxide derived nanoparticles on peroxynitrate levels in post-ischemic cerebral hippocampal slices of CD 1 mice. Peroxynitrate is a mediator of nitric oxide toxicity and a known facilitator of lethal nitrosylation during the post-ischemic period. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important physiological role in neurotransmission and the regulation of cerebral blood flow, but exacerbates tissue damage under pathophysiological conditions such as a stroke. In efforts to spare cerebral tissue undergoing ischemic events, we will be using cerium nanoparticles (1ug/mL) as a neuroprotective measure against free radicals such as peroxynitrate. The best-known mechanism underlying the action of cerium oxide nanoparticles is thought to originate from their dual oxidation state. The loss of oxygen and the reduction of Ce4+ to Ce3+ are accompanied by the creation of oxygen vacancies in the nanoparticle lattice. After cerebral slices have been exposed to ischemic solution and treated with cerium oxide, they will be cultured and cell viability quantified (using Sytox Blue staining), and the extent of nitrosylation determined using immunohistochemistry.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Hornung
Department: Biology
Effect of Odor on Anaerobic Performance in Varsity Athletes
Previous studies suggest that smelling odors like peppermint and sandalwood will increase athletic performance in activities ranging from pedaling on a stationary bicycle to weight lifting. In these studies, the activity performed was either mostly aerobic (such as riding a bike) or mostly strength based (like weight lifting). From these results, it was hypothesized in the present study that smelling the same odors would improve performance during an anaerobic activity that requires coordination, strength and speed. To test this hypothesis, Division I NCAA athletes who are members of the St. Lawrence Alpine Ski Team performed clockwise and counterclockwise hex jumps, a common training activity, while inhaling vapors from gauze pads scented with the odorants sandalwood or peppermint or odorless distilled water. The experimental data was consistent with the hypothesis as the subjects completed the task in a faster time when smelling the odorants as compared to the odorless control. These results raise the possibility of athletes using these odors to improve performance during alpine competitions.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Carolyn Johns, Dr. Matthew Skeels
Department: Environmental Studies
Bioaccumulation of Cadmium, Copper, and Zinc from Water Uptake in Dreissena Polymorpha and Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis
Both the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) have been the subject of numerous studies to determine their potential as biological monitoring organisms. The majority of this research has been focused on D. polymorpha which has been experiencing recent population decline while D. bugensis is currently experiencing population increase throughout North America. Research is needed to compare the bioaccumulation characteristics of the two species. Three water uptake studies were carried out to determine bioaccumulation patterns between zebra and quagga mussels. Zebra mussels were collected from Coles Creek and quagga mussels were collected form Iroquois Point on the St. Lawrence River during summer and fall 2008. The mussels were divided into 4 treatment levels designated as control, low, medium and high levels of copper, cadmium and zinc. These tri-metal, static exposure studies lasted 14 days with the solutions refreshed by replacement every 48 hours. Mussels were not fed during the exposure period. Bioaccumulation of copper, cadmium and zinc was observed for both species of mussels, as measured by analysis of soft tissues. As metal concentrations in water increased, the total body concentrations of copper, cadmium and zinc for quagga mussels were observed to increase linearly (R2 = 0.9867-0.9907). Bioaccumulation did not follow a linear model in zebra mussels for any of the metals studied. Copper and zinc appeared to follow an saturation curve in zebra mussels, however, further studies are needed to confirm this. The linear bioaccumulation of copper, cadmium and zinc by quagga mussels in this study suggest a future for Dreissena bugensis as a biological monitoring organism.
Faculty Sponsor: Bill DeCoteau
Department: Neuroscience
Other Participants: Joey Webb and Alissa Beideck
The Development and Use of a Mouse Model of CO2- Induced Anxiety
Carbon dioxide (CO2) challenge has been used extensively to explore the nature of panic and panic disorder (PD). It has been proposed that individuals vulnerable to panic attacks are hypersensitive to the effects of CO2 which activates “false suffocation alarms” in the brain. The aim of our research is to develop a murine model of CO2-induced anxiety to be used for studying the underlying neurobiology of PD and other forms of anxiety. Here we report that increased levels of CO2 induce a number of anxiety-like behaviors in mice when tested in either an open field or on an elevated plus maze. Secondly, in follow-up work, we show that the behavior pattern of the mice placed on the elevated plus maze paradigm is motivated by an avoidance of narrow, enclosed areas that contain increased concentrations of CO2. Finally, we provide preliminary findings from an ongoing experiment that utilizes the CO2-induced anxiety model to assess mice with neurotoxic or control lesions of the amygdala. The amygdala is a limbic brain structure believed to be a critical hub both for the integration of sensory threat information and for the execution of autonomic and behavioral fear responses. Thus, the amygdala is a strong candidate structure for contributing to CO2-induced anxiety. Results will be discussed in terms of our hypothesis that mice with amygdala damage will fail to display typical CO2 challenge responses in either the open field or elevated plus mazes.
Faculty Sponsor: Robin Lock (?)
Department: Mathematics
The Battle Between Bayesian and Classical Inference
Bayesian and Classical inference methods can be used to address similar questions involving estimation, confidence limits, or hypothesis testing. Their respective results, however, can be quite different. This poster will focus on comparing difference approaches to inference using computer-generated simulations and a real life example involving river data collected by students in the geology department.
Faculty Sponsor: Susan Willson
Department: Biology
A Comparison of Foraging Success among Five Syntopic Species of Obligate Army-ant following Birds in Amazonian Peru
We examined syntopic obligate army-ant following bird species from two families (Thamnophilidae: Gymnopithys salvini, Phlegopsis nigromaculata, Rhegmatorhina melanosticta, Myrmeciza fortis) and (Dendrocolaptidae: Dendrocincla merula) in Amazonian Peru to determine if interference competition among them affects their foraging success. We tested three hypotheses: 1) the strict dominance hierarchy among the five species would translate to a linear decline in foraging success across species, with dominant (aggressive) birds being more successful foragers, 2) body mass is directly proportional to foraging success, and 3) the five species would show no difference in foraging success due to the ephemerality of the food source. In the field we observed inter- and intraspecific aggression between foraging birds at Eciton burchellii and Labidus praedator antswarms. We recorded ‘successes’ as when a given bird successfully caught a food item over a fixed time period (approximately 1-4 minutes). We aggregated individual foraging successes into standardized blocks of time (100-500 seconds) in order to calculate a mean foraging success rate per species. We found that D. merula had a significantly lower (P<0.05) foraging success than all of the other four species. As a confirmed follower of both army ants and White-lipped Peccaries (Tayassu pecari), we suggest that D. merula individuals must be foraging over White-lipped Peccaries for the other fraction of their food intake.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James Wallace
Department: Psychology
Parental monitoring, child disclosure, parental warmth, and adolecents' prototypical images of risk-taking and risk-avoiding peers
Past research in the area of risk taking behavior in adolescents has show that parental monitoring of children is a good predictor of low levels of risk taking but that the child’s voluntary disclosure of their activities, friends, etc. is the strongest predictor of low levels of risk taking. It has also been shown that parental warmth is highly correlated with child disclosure. Research on the images adolescents’ have of people who engage in risky behavior has found that it is not intent, but willingness to do something which predicts later behavior. Specifically, the more favorable the image the more willing a person is to accept the social consequences associated with the behavior. The present study has sought to combine these two branches of research by looking at parental monitoring, child disclosure, and parental warmth in conjunction with the images adolescents have of risk-taking and risk-avoiding peers. Both encouraged and discouraged risks were examined. A survey investigating these variables was administered to 153 7th-12th grade students in a rural Vermont school. Preliminary analysis has shown that both parental monitoring and child disclosure are good predictors of risk taking, but child disclosure remains the stronger predictor. It was also found that parental warmth was predictive of child disclosure and, in turn, risk-taking behavior. Finally student’s images of takers of discouraged risks were negative, images of takers of encouraged risks were positive, images of avoiders of discouraged risks were positive, and images of avoiders of encouraged risks were negative. Additional analyses will investigate the link between monitoring, disclosure, and warmth with prototypical images.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Brad Baldwin
Department: Biology
Effects of post-spawning Pacific salmon carcasses and subsequent mercury influx on juvenile fish in the Salmon River
Mercury pollution and bioaccumulation in aquatic food-chains has long been shown to induce negative effects in exposed wildlife. From decades of industry, Lake Ontario and its resident wildlife have accumulated many toxins, including mercury. Pacific salmon (Coho and Chinook specifically), known to be high in mercury, were introduced to Lake Ontario in the 1950s. Pacific species die when returning to freshwater rivers to spawn, introducing especially mercury-contaminated biomass to benthic stream invertebrates who feed on carcasses. Native Atlantic salmon do not die when they spawn, thus ecosystems in Northern New York are now exposed to seasonal Pacific salmon carcass inputs. This study found that Pacific salmon collected in the Salmon River (NY) had significantly higher (p=0.000) concentrations of methyl-mercury in their muscle tissue than Atlantic salmon. Eggs and fillets of Atlantic and Pacific salmon were processed and fed to juvenile Zebra fish to test the effects of varying methyl-mercury levels in diets. Zebra fish that had been fed Pacific fillets had significantly higher (p=0.000) methyl-mercury concentrations than those that were fed Atlantic salmon fillets. Growth was the same for juveniles fed Atlantic and Pacific diets. Benthic stream invertebrates were measured for mercury concentration, displaying significantly higher levels in the Douglaston Salmon Run (high concentration of pacific salmon spawning) than at the Altmar Hatchery (smaller tributary stream) (p=0.008). The results of this experiment show that Pacific salmon species have higher concentrations of methyl-mercury which can be accumulated in, but do not interfere with the growth and development of juvenile fishes.
Faculty Sponsor: Joseph Erlichman
Department: Neuroscience
Other Participants: Trevor Smart
Determining the Location of Nitrosylation Following Ischemic Injury
Following a stroke, free radicals are generated by the mitochondria of both neurons and glia. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generated, are potent oxidants that strip electrons from many biologically important compounds including lipids and proteins. Cerium Oxide nanoparticles found in oven cleaning products, have been used in industrial applications to scavenge various free radicals including nitric oxide (NO), hydroxyl (∙OH) and peroxynitrite (∙ONOO). The hippocampus, a neural structure important in learning and memory is partially vulnerable to the effects of ischemia. Recently, it has been shown that ceria can be used to reduce the extent of brain injury following an in vitro model of stroke. To begin to examine which free radical(s) is being scavenged by the ceria, we are observing the extent of protein nitrosylation by peroxynitrite following ischemic injury using the antibody for 3-nitrotyrosine. Using this approach, our goal is to determine 1) if ceria decreases peroxynitrite formation in vitro, 2) what regions of the hippocampus are most highly nitrosylated, 3) if nitrosylation occurs with a greater occurance in either neurons or glia.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Samantha Glazier
Department: Chemistry
Thermodynamic and Kinetic Study of DNA-Nogalamycin Interactions
Nogalamycin is an anthracycline antibiotic and one of less than ten known threading intercalators. Threading intercalators represent a promising although poorly understood class of anti-tumor drugs mechanistically. Thus the association and detergent-induced dissociation kinetics of nogalamycin binding with DNA was studied using stopped-flow fluorescence. A mechanism based on three steps for both the association and dissociation of nogalamycin from CT DNA has been reported. However our data suggests that light sensitivity may explain at least one of the three steps and that a new mechanism must be proposed.
Faculty Sponsor: Amanda Lavigne
Department: Environmental Studies
St. Lawrence County Energy Profile
Community Energy Services (CES) is a locally-based non-profit organization striving to make environmentally friendly energy reliable, efficient, and affordable in the North Country. To educate the public about energy issues effectively, CES requires a clear picture of the energy use profile of St. Lawrence County (SLC). This information is challenging to compile due to lack of organizational reporting and the general reluctance of some local companies to disclose proprietary information. Yet recent rapid changes in energy prices have forced county residents to reevaluate energy sources and consumption habits. This trend, coupled with an increase in economic incentives designed to guide the population toward more sustainable energy actions, has highlighted the need for organizations like CES to have a more thorough understanding/assessment of SLC energy statistics. This project encompasses a cooperative effort with CES to update their existing profile addressing county energy use statistics and will contribute to the greater goals of energy efficiency, energy education and local economic stimulus. I will accomplish this by identifying ways to reduce energy costs while keeping the dollars spent within the local economy. The primary result of this project will be an updated baseline data set of SLC energy supply and consumption values. Preliminary analysis has shown an overall increase in the county energy profile is due to the rise in fuel prices, and this in conjunction with swelling individual consumption, all despite the fact that the population has actually declined.
Faculty Sponsor: Lorraine Olendzenski
Department: Biology
Evidence of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Ammonifex degensii
Ammonifex degensii is a chemolithoautotrophic bacteria that relies on the oxidation of H2 and the conversion of NO3- to NH3 to develop anaerobically. Using recently released databases, we are able to identify many of the genes possibly involved in the amino acid biosynthesis pathways of A. degensii. Through BlastP searches and cross referencing of genes found in E. coli (which contains all the amino acids) and a bacteria similar to ours (C. Ruthia) on the IMG-ACT database we were able to locate genes that are present in amino acid biosynthesis in A. degensii. Surprisingly, the amount of genes found were much less than expected for the number of amino acids (20) that should be present in this type of auto-synthesizing bacteria. Upon viewing the ‘neighborhood’ for each gene by GC percentage, there is evidence indicating that the mobilomes (in this case, transferases) could have recently been transferred into the chromosome from another species based on either a very high or very low percentage. Singling out these mobile elements, we will be able to run a Blast query against other organisms that would not typically be related to this bacteria. This could possibly indicate a closer relationship between the bacteria and seemingly distantly-related organisms (such as archea).
Faculty Sponsor: Brad Baldwin
Department: Biology
Effects of ecosystem productivity and exotic species on Mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation to Game-fish in Northern NY ecosystems
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect the invasive round goby has on the bioaccumulation of mercury (Hg) in game-fish tissue. Two sites were examined: the St. Lawrence River and Black Lake. Both sites are inhabited by the invasive zebra mussel (a bethic bivalve), which has been found to accumulate toxins. Of the two sites, only the St. Lawrence River has also been inhabited by the invasive round goby, which feeds primarily on benthic bivalves, thus providing a link for trophic transfer of Hg to top predatory game-fish. Our contention is that St. Lawrence River game-fish will exhibit higher Hg burdens than Black Lake due to this previously nonexistent trophic link. Five tissue samples from four top-predatory game-fish species were collected from both sites. The game-fish species included Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens), Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieui), Northern Pike (Esox lucius) and Walleye (Sander vitreus). The data indicated that Black Lake has significantly higher [Hg] in Smallmouth Bass and Walleye species compared St. Lawrence River equivalent species (p=0.0029, p=0.0046 respectively, n=5). Walleye and Northern Pike from both sites and Smallmouth Bass from Black Lake exhibited [Hg] that exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criterion for human consumption (0.3 ppm wet weight). Wildlife has been documented to experience adverse affects in the consumption of piscivores above (0.16 ppm w.w.), which was exceeded by the mean of all sampled game-fish species (n=5). Round goby forage was found to have higher [Hg] than native Yellow Perch forage in the St. Lawrence River (p=0.000).
Faculty Sponsor: Amanda Lavigne
Department: Environmental Studies
Impacts of Climatic Factors on the Hibernation, Migration, and Reproduction Behavior of Frogs at Fiver Vernal Pools in Glenn Meal State Forest, NY
Impacts of Climatic Factors on the Hibernation, Migration and Reproduction Behavior of Frogs at Five Vernal Pools in Glen Meal State Forest, NY. Matthew Newton SYE with Prof. Amanda Lavigne Environmental Studies Department Spring 2009 Abstract This study explores the impacts of changing climate trends on frog species that inhabit vernal pools in Glen Meal State Forest in Pierrepont, NY. Vernal pools are ephemeral bodies of water that provide critical habitat in forest ecosystems. These pools lack predatory fish as a result of seasonal desiccation, providing a reproductive sanctuary for amphibians and invertebrates. The impact of global climate trends on regional precipitation and temperature patterns will directly impact vernal pools, and thus some aspects of frog behavior, including: hibernation, emergence, migration, and reproduction. Last fall, 48 observation hours were logged at five designated Glen Meal vernal pools, with observations currently continuing throughout the 2009 winter-spring transition. Almost-daily field trips have been conducted to observe and record the activity of wood frogs, green frogs and spring peepers. The ecological factors observed at the five pools include: temperature (in and around the pools), precipitation (data collected from the Waterman Hill weather station), and egg mass densities. Audio recordings and other qualitative frog-specific and ecological observations have also been recorded. The results of this study provide baseline data on frog behavior in relation to ecological factors affected by global climate trends in the Canton-Potsdam region. There is a lack of specific studies addressing the impacts of changing global climate conditions on amphibians throughout Northern New York. Therefore, this benchmark study will provide a foundation for future work addressing relationships between climate factors and frog behavior in St. Lawrence County, thus enabling long-term results and trends to be observed.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Larry G. French
Department: Chemistry
Synthesis of Novel N-Cyanoguanidine Ligands Targeting the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid type-1 Receptor
The vanilliod receptor 1 (VR1) is a nociceptor capable of responding to thermal, chemical, and protic stimuli. Numerous compounds have been demonstrated to act agonistically and antagonistically at this receptor which has led to a new strategy for pain relief through the pharmacological blockade of VR1. Three N-cyanoguanidine analogs of capsaicin were synthesized; 1-(4-chlorophenethyl)-2-cyano-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)guanidine, 2-cyano-1-heptyl-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)guanidine, and 1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-cyano-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)guanidine. These analogs of known vanilloid ligands will undergo a screening assay to test these compounds in transgenic C. elegans expressing rat VR1.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emily Dixon
Department: Biochemistry
What role do the 14-3-3 proteins, Bmh1p and Bmh2p, play in transcriptional regulation of genes in S. cerevisiae yeast under a nutrient-limited environment?
14-3-3 proteins are a family of highly conserved proteins from yeast to humans which are involved in numerous biochemical processes, such as cell cycle progression, signal transduction, and stress response. Evidence has shown that 14-3-3 proteins may be involved in mediating DNA accessibility during transcription by binding to an accessible loop-like structure of DNA, referred to as cruciform DNA. In addition, many gene promoters contain conserved sequences that could potentially form multiple cruciform structures, suggesting a functional role in transcriptional regulation; however, little is known about when or why these sequences adopt cruciform structures. The goals of this project are to elucidate whether a functional interaction exists between the yeast 14-3-3 proteins, Bmh1p and Bmh2p, and potential cruciform-forming structures, and whether the likelihood of these structures correlates to levels of transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, electromobility shift assays, RT-QPCR, and microarray analyses were all conducted in order to study this interaction. Since 14-3-3 proteins regulate rapamycin-sensitive signaling, yeast was treated with rapamycin to induce a transcriptional response similar to nutrient deprivation. We found that Bmh1p and Bmh2p bind to the promoter of GAP1, a general amino acid permease gene, to a greater extent when treated with rapamycin. Further binding studies revealed that Bmh1p and Bmh2p bind to selected regions of the GAP1 promoter, which are concentrated in potential cruciform-forming sequences. Overall, this study suggests that Bmh1p and Bmh2p bind to gene promoters and are involved in the transcriptional regulation of genes in yeast.
Faculty Sponsor: Lorraine Olendzenski
Department: Biology
Synechococcus from Fayetteville Green lake: Analysis of ntcA and 16S rDNA sequences by depth
Fayetteville Green Lake is a meromictic, or permanently stratified lake. This stratification is defined by differences in oxygen and other electron acceptors used in respiration and leads to stratification of the bacterial populations found at the lake’s various depths. Within the water column, the primary genus of cyanobacterium is Synechococcus. The ntcA gene codes for a transcription activator that controls the assimilation of alternative nitrogen sources in ammonium stressed conditions (Wyman and Bird, 2007) and has been shown to be a good genetic target for differentiating populations of marine Synechococcus. My study characterizes the microdiversity of Synechococcus populations at different depths by using the 16s rRNA gene in conjunction with ntcA. Phylogenetic trees incorporating both genetic targets will be compared to characterize Synechococcus substrains. To accomplish this, Synechococcus cultures from the various depths were grown on SN media and sequenced for both 16s rRNA and ntcA. By culturing and analyzing the ntcA diversity of the cyanobacteria, we can characterize the microdiversity of Synechococcus strains at varying water depths in this meromictic environment and track changes in this diversity with regard to available nitrogen sources such as ammonium or nitrate ions.
Faculty Sponsor: Olendzenski
Department: Biology
Antibiotic Production of Desert Actinomycetes
An investigation was made to survey the biodiversity and antibiotic producing capabilities of actinomycetes isolated from desert rock samples collected from regions of the western United States. Two agar media were used to cultivate these bacteria; Czapek-Dox agar and Leudmann (Gym streptomyces). Once there was sufficient growth of apparent actinomycete colonies, a T-streak was used to isolate and purify those actinomycetes on Czapek-Dox medium. Once isolated species of actinomycetes were then incubated on an ISP2 medium (liquid and agar plates). Each bacterium was tested using the cross streak method to observe antibiotic production and the inhibition caused to growth of antibiotic susceptible test bacteria. The final test will be to observe the affect of co-culturing Streptomyces with actinomycetes that did not show antibiotic production initially to try to induce antibiotic production by some non-producing actinomycete isolates.
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Schuckers
Department: Mathematics
How Effective is the National Football League Point Spread is
Las Vegas betting lines predict outcomes of NFL games. In the NFL since there is only one game a week, the opposing team always flies to the home team. In this project we analyze regular season NFL data from 2002 through 2008. The goal of this study is going to be to determine if there is an effect of changing the time zone, week of the season, and year-to-year changes in regards to the performance of the team. We will consider multiple regression models to test whether or not there are significant effects due to length of travel.
Faculty Sponsor: Pamela Thacher, Ph.D.
Department: Psychology
How can we use our time to have higher GPAs? Time use and task choice differences between high GPA and low GPA university students.
Introduction: University students frequently set schedules for themselves which, over time, may decrease academic achievement. The objective of this study was to identify time trade-offs for such activities as sleep, studying, working, socializing and using electronic devices among high and low GPA students. Our second objective was to examine how such trade-offs affect academic performance. Method: Participants were recruited in Psychology, Economics, Biology and Language classes to complete a 15 min screening questionnaire on substance use, time use, sleep schedule, wake-up preferences and motivation. From the 230 surveys collected, 10 high and 5 low GPA students were enrolled into the study. They electronically reported time use three times a day for two weeks; payment was $80. Results: Lo-GPA students spent twice as much time web-surfing and TV watching as did high-GPA students; time spent web-surfing was negatively correlated with GPA. Moreover, there was a positive relationship between the amount of time students spent working a job, and the amount of time they spent on non-school related technology use. No between group differences were detected in study, job, volunteer or exercise times. Discussion: Low-GPA students might be more successful in their academics by limiting the amount of time they spend surfing the Web for fun and watching TV.
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Schuckers
Department: Mathematics
Does size matter? An investigation of the bootstrap confidence interval for the mean
For this poster, we will explain the bootstrap methods for creating a confidence interval and investigate whether or not the size of the sample impacts the performance of the bootstrap. We will evaluate the bootstrap method for various simulations of both symmetric and skewed distributions. We’ll also vary the sample size, mean and standard deviation of these distributions to assess how well the bootstrap confidence interval performs. The measure of performance will be determined by the coverage or percentage of times that a confidence interval contains the mean in repeated sampling.
Faculty Sponsor: Melissane Schrems
Department: History
Education on the Akwesasne Reservation: The Movement Towards a More Culturally Relevant Education, 1935-1980
My poster will be looking at my Senior Year Experience research which focused on education at the Akwesasne Reservation. I observed the two schools present on the reservation, the Akwesasne Freedom School and the St. Regis Mohawk School between the time period of 1935 and 1980. I compared these two schools through their cultural aspects. The St. Regis Mohawk School includes only a half an hour of daily cultural instruction, such as learning the Mohawk language, in contrast to the Akwesasne Freedom School which teaches only in Mohawk. My research shows the importance of preserving the Mohawk culture and how the two schools educate the youth on the reservation in different ways.
Faculty Sponsor: Cynthia Lonsbary
Department: Psychology
Self-Esteem and Homesickness in College Freshmen
Research on homesickness often focuses on the causes and symptoms without considering other individual and social factors that influence the experience of homesickness. Such research neglects important aspects such as general and domain specific self-esteem. Whereas self-esteem is generally viewed as one’s overall sense of self-worth, domain specific self-esteem (contingent self-esteem) involves one’s self-worth being tied to success or failure in specific domains such as social approval, or academics. The current study explored the association between homesickness and self-esteem. It was predicted that higher levels of homesickness would correlate with lower general self-esteem, and that this association would be moderated by contingent self-esteem. After completing baseline measures of self-esteem, homesickness, and other demographic information, 14 first year college students (ages 18 to 19) completed 14 daily online measures of homesickness, mood, self-esteem, and daily activities. Preliminary results support the hypothesis that higher levels of homesickness predicted lower general self-esteem at baseline, F(1, 13) = 11.56, p < .01, although they do not support the moderation hypothesis. Further analyses will explore how fluctuations of levels of homesickness affect fluctuations in daily self-esteem and how these are influenced by social stress and daily activities.
Faculty Sponsor: Patti Frazer Lock
Department: Mathematics
The Gossip Number
Everyone enjoys a juicy piece of gossip. If n gossips each have a different tidbit of information, how many phone calls does it take for all the gossips to know all the information? How many e-mails does it take? The minimum number of communications is called the gossip number. In this talk we will focus on what is known about the different types of gossip numbers, paying particular attention to the friendship patterns of the gossips and the way that they communicate. Further, we will discuss the ties between the gossip number and the recently discovered tunneling nanotubes that link cells to one another. Like women spreading gossip, nanotubes may allow cells to communicate by carrying signals telling neighboring cells where and how to grow, calcium ions and immune system markers warning nearby cells of potential threats, and viruses and bacteria that increase infection in the body.
Faculty Sponsor: Jeffrey Chiarenzelli
Department: Geology
Other Participants: Kyle Marvinney
Geochemistry of Neoproterozoic Mudrocks from the Windermere Supergroup
The Windermere Supergroup consists of rift to post-rift clastics shed from the western margin of Laurentia from 736-569 Ma. This study investigated the geochemistry of deep-marine mudrocks interlayered with sandstone deposited in basin-floor lobe complexes in the Middle and Upper Kaza Group (~2000 m) overlain by base-of-slope leveed channels of the Isaac Formation (~1500 m), Cariboo Mountains, British Columbia. In the two study areas, Castle Creek and Eagle Valley, vertically-dipping, glacially polished, km-thick by km-wide exposures of greenschist facies turbidites crop out. Sixteen samples of the Isaac Formation and 31 from the underlying Middle and Upper Kaza Group were analyzed for major and trace elements. Despite differences in physical appearance, the chemistry of all strata is nearly identical, with the exception of slightly higher concentrations (~2x) of redox sensitive elements in the deeper water, and stratigraphically lower, Kaza Group. Few, if any, significant vertical geochemical trends were observed, however, on the average the Isaac Formation has less CaO and REEs. Compared to crustal averages both the Isaac and Kaza Formations are enriched in Al2O3, Fe2O3, TiO2, K2O, and REEs, and depleted in SiO2, CaO, and NaO. These trends are similar to other greenschist facies mudrocks and are likely related to metamorphic changes including the recrystallization of clay minerals and release of mobile elements. Total carbon and sulfur concentrations are low in all samples (C – 0.11 and 0.14%; S – 0.18 and 0.16), however a phosphatic unit (4.29% - P2O5) was identified near the Kaza and Isaac contact. Redox sensitive ratios for both formations consistently indicate oxic conditions. While enriched in iron, Fe/Al ratios are .44 and .47 for the Isaac and Kaza, respectively. A felsic source is indicated for both units, however, the overlying Isaac Formation is less so, perhaps suggesting progressive unroofing of high level plutons.
Faculty Sponsor: Sam Vandervelde
Department: Mathematics
Combinatorics at the High School level
Combinatorics, is a branch of mathematics that is often overlooked both at the middle and high school levels and even the college level. Many of the common counting problems found in combinatorics have to do with counting the “number of ways” to do something. As a senior, this topic intrigued me, especially since my plans for the future include becoming a teacher of mathematics at the secondary level. My goal for the semester quickly became to develop a chapter and broad unit plan that would be appropriate for high school students. I decided to write up my project using LaTeX, even though I was a beginner user with the program. I began to discover many new things that I did not know LaTeX could do, and my project turned into a self-taught learning experience with LaTeX as well as a way to gain a better and deeper understanding of basic combinatorics. My project consists of mathematical texts, sample problems and solutions, exercises, quizzes, and other supplementary teaching materials.
Faculty Sponsor: Jeff Chiarenzelli
Department: Geology
Significance of the Antwerp-Rossie Granitoids, Adirondack Lowlands, Northern New York
The Adirondack Lowlands in northern New York are part of the Central Metasedimentary Belt of the Grenville Province. The geochemistry and isotopic systematics of these igneous rocks, can be used to place additional constraints on the tectonic history of the region. Exposures of the Antwerp-Rossie Granitoids (ARG) are found only between the Carthage-Colton Mylonite Zone and Black Lake Shear Zone. They have been dated by U-Pb zircon methods at 1207+26/-17 Ma (Wastneys et al, 1999) and are the oldest granitic rocks currently recognized in the Lowlands. Variably deformed, they contain xenoliths and extensively intrude the base of the supracrustal sequence including marbles, pelitic gneisses, and amphibolites. They range from granite to gabbro with silica contents between 51.70 to 72.67%. Petrographic study shows relict pyroxenes and zoned plagioclases in the more mafic members and myremikites, perthites and quartz with undulatory extinction in felsic samples. On AFM diagrams, the ARG show a well-defined calc-alkaline trend. On tectonic discrimination diagrams, they plot in the volcanic arc granite field (Carl and Delorraine, 1997). Their geochemical and textural characteristics differ from other younger Lowlands granitoids. These results suggest that the ARG formed from early subduction related melts emplaced into the basal portions of the Lowlands metasedimentary sequence. Sm-Nd isotopic concentrations yield ENd(1200Ma) values ranging from 1.52 to 5.42. Their limited spatial distribution and volume may indicate that only small amounts of oceanic crust were subducted prior to collision, perhaps during the collapse of a small back-arc basin in which the metasedimentary sequence was deposited.
Faculty Sponsor: Antun Husinec
Department: Geology
A Study of Codiacean Green Algae Collected from the Bahama Banks
The codiacean green algae (Plantae; phylum Chlorophyta, order Bryopsidales) are abundant in many of the world’s tropical reefs where they contribute to a significant part of the reef’s carbonate mass, particularly in backreef and protected lagoon environments. They have existed since at least the Ordovician; however, it was not until the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary when macroalga Halimeda became the major calcareous green alga in tropical reef communities. This study focuses on the three most abundant codiacean algae in modern tropical seas: Halimeda, Penicillus, and Udotea. These macralgae thrive in shallow, low energy, tropical to subtropical environments where sunlight is easily obtained, but they are also known as some of the deepest living photosynthetic organisms, found at depths well beyond 150 meters. They grow at a very rapid rate, and from birth to death their lifespan is very short. This study examines several species of codiacean algae Halimeda tuna, Penicullus pyriformis, and Udotea cyathiformis were collected from the shallow backreef and lagoon environment of the Bahama isolated carbonate platform. Following the initial measurements, observations, and illustrations of fragments and whole specimens, the segments selected for analysis were placed in 5% sodium hypochlorite for 24 hours to remove soft tissue. The organization of fine aragonite needles within dead individuals was then observed using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
Faculty Sponsor: Jeff Chiarenzelli
Department: Geology
MAJOR AND TRACE ELEMENT GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE MARCELLUS SHALE, OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK
Similar to the Barnett Shale of Texas, the Marcellus Shale is currently of interest to gas companies around the country because of its unconventional natural gas potential. Developed as an onlap disconformity in the Appalachian Basin, the Marcellus Shale has four main members. Primarily of interest is its lowermost member, the Union Springs, which lies stratigraphically above the Onondaga Limestone. Above the Union Springs is a brown argillaceous limestone-shale unit called the Cherry Valley. The Cherry Valley separates the Union Springs from the Chittenango in the eastern portion of the state, and the Oakta Creek to the west of Syracuse. The Marcellus Formation is overlain by sandstones-shales the Skaneateles and Panther Mountain formations. The trace element geochemistry of the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale has been determined by ICP-MS from drill cores from Otsego County (395`). Samples were taken at an interval of approximately every 10-15 feet and significant vertical geochemical changes were seen throughout each section. In Otsego County the Marcellus Shale shows increases in SiO2, Na2O, TiO2, P2O5, Hf, Nb, and Zr and decreases in Ag, As, Ba, C(total), Cu, Ni, Pb, S(total), Se, Sr, U, and V from bottom to top. While several trace element redox indicators suggest dysoxic to oxic conditions, ratios become progressively less oxic with depth, with anoxic values for V/Sc within the Union Springs Member. These trends are consistent with a reduction in water depth due to filling of the eastern part of the basin.
Faculty Sponsor: Neil Law
Department: Chemistry
The Design, Synthesis and Characterization of Novel 12-Metallacrown-4 Complexes
Metallacrowns, which are also referred to as metallamacrocycles, are metal-organic ring structures synthesized from transition metals and ligands, many of which contain the hydroxamic functional group. They have a repeating –M-N-O- motif, where M is a transition metal. In this research, twelve membered ring metallacrowns, which contain four –M-N-O- repeats, were synthesized from novel ligands designed and synthesized as analogs to the salicylhydroxamic acid ligand that is traditionally used in metallacrown syntheses. While salicylhydroxamic acid utilizes a hydroxyl group in conjunction with the hydroxamic acid functional group, the synthesized ligands, 2-methoxybenzohydroxamic acid and 3-methoxynaphthalene-2-hydroxamic acid, replace the hydroxyl group with a methoxy group. My research includes the characterization of the synthesized ligands as well as characterization of copper metallacrowns synthesized from the ligands. The idea of synthesizing a salt using a metallacrown anion and metallacrown cation pair, creating a large molecule salt was also examined.
Faculty Sponsor: Antun Husinec
Department: Geology
Other Participants: Sean Regan
Influence of Benthic Community on Carbonate Facies in a Low Energy Lagoon, San Salvador, Bahamas
The tropical benthic communities have a great effect on the production and deposition of carbonate sediment around them, and ultimately the carbonate facies formed. This study describes the benthic community of the Blackwood Bay (the Eastern portion of French Bay), a low-energy lagoon located at the Southern end of San Salvador Island, Bahamas. The lagoon supports an extensive benthic flora and fauna, including dense seagrass meadows, calcareous green algae, gastropods, bivalves, crustaceans, corals, and foraminifera. All potential floral contributors to sediment were identified on the genus level wherever possible, and these include sea grasses (Thalassia, Syringodium), calcareous green algae (Halimeda, Udotea, Penicillus, Rhizocephalus, Acetabularia, Avrainvillea) and rare corals (Porites, Siderastrea). To describe the varying benthic communities of Blackwood bay four transects were taken covering a total area of 400 square feet. The sediment samples were collected and described at each of 12 stations located every 100 feet along each of four transects (transects were 300 feet apart). A majority of the samples taken were made up of skeletal sands with very little mud in any of them (most were skeletal grainstones of the coralgal facies). Biota was examined at each station using a 1m² frame. Compiled data for the entire study area shows that the densities of individual plants vary significantly, i.e. from complete absence to complete coverage of the shallow sea floor (e.g., Thalassia, Syringodium). The following maximum numbers of individual plants/m² have been determined: Halimeda (40), Udotea (35), Acetabularia (24), Penicillus (21), Rhizocephalus (5), and Avrainvillea (5).
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jeffrey Chiarenzelli
Department: Geology
Geochemistry of the Pretoria Group (2.1-2.35 MA) Shales, South Africa
The geochemistry of the Lower Timeball Hill (n = 120), Upper Timeball Hill (n = 124), Strubenkop (n = 55), and Silverton (n = 203) shale Formations, belonging to the Pretoria Group, was investigated. Compared to Upper Continental Crust (UCC), the Lower and Upper Timeball Hill shales are enriched slightly in Al2O3 and Fe2O3 while depleted in MnO, MgO, CaO, and NaO whereas the Strubenkop shales are enriched in TiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3, and depleted in SiO2, MgO, CaO, and NaO. The Silverton shales, on the other hand, closely follow UCC trends. However, all units have relatively high Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) values with distinctive trace element signatures greater than UCC averages with the Strubenkop shales enriched in Cu, Ni, Mo, Cr, and V. Organic carbon and sulfur concentrations are low and redox indicators (U/Th, V/Sc, Ni/Co, V/Cr) are dominantly oxic. Only the Silverton Formation shales have appreciable organic carbon (2.21%) and sulfur (1470 ppm). REE plots generally follow UCC trends but have strong to pronounced negative Ce anomalies with the Silverton shales' being the largest. The Lower Timeball Hill is most enriched in REE while the Upper Time ball Hill is most depleted. REE patterns are flat or have a slight slope (enrichment in LREEs, except Ce) when normalized to UCC. In conclusion, the various elemental and ratio plots suggest a dominantly evolved, felsic cratonic source with trace element concentrations indicating the admixing of mafic detritus for at least deposition of the Strubenkop Formation shales.
Faculty Sponsor: Antun Husinec
Department: Geology
Other Participants: Michael Trumbower
Modern carbonate and evaporate precipitation in a tropical hypersaline lake (San Salvador Island, Bahamas)
San Salvador is a small isolated shallow water carbonate platform offshore from the Great Bahama Bank, located above rifted continental crust and surrounded by more than 4 km deep water. It stands a mere 37 m in relief (highest point) above sea level, and has been topographically high since the last sea-level highstand ~119 ka. The island is primarily composed of Late Pleistocene-Holocene carbonate eolianites. Almost 50% of San Salvador is covered by inland lakes and ponds that occupy troughs in-between the elongated sinuous eolian ridges. The area has a negative water budget and lakes have become hypersaline over time, some reaching up to five times normal ocean salinity; hypersalinity varies periodically due to freshening from storms. The Salt Pond covers ~10 acres and is located on the eastern flank of the island. It is marked by a low-diveristy fauna due to extreme salinity, high evaporation (evaporates, desiccation cracks), and thin microbial mats blanketing storm sediments. Systematic coring and sediment sampling along two transects show that gypsum precipitates throughout the whole pond, with halite occurring only in the deepest and most central portions of the pond where microbial activity is lacking and salinity is the greatest. Multiple tempestite deposits were identified and correlated across and along transects, with some layers pinching out. The tempestite deposits range from skeletal wackestone to packestone and were differentiated in the field by color. The discontinuous nature of some tempestites beds is explained as a consequence of varying direction and intensity of storms.
Faculty Sponsor: Alison Del Rossi
Department: Economics
Investigating Market Failure in California's Earthquake Insurance Market
Although California has, over the years, grown accustomed to seismic activity, at a meagre 12% of total homeowners, earthquake insurance policies in the state are greatly under-subscribed. Coupled with soaring catastrophe insurance losses that have scuppered insurers' ability to cope with such past disasters as the Northridge earthquake of 1994, or the impending "Big One" that is set to occur anytime before 2038, the apparent inefficiency of California's earthquake insurance market suggests that market failures may exist therein. This research attempts to account for the low level of homeowner participation in California's earthquake insurance market and entertains the possibility of the existence of market failure by way of asymmetrical information vis-a-vis the nature of risk faced in this market. Using survey data from past research by such subject authorities as Palm and Hodgson, it will be shown that even though residents are generally aware of the seismicity of their locales, they tend to reify earthquake risk as a random and inevitable fact of life that individual homeowners can do very little can to prepare for without ex-poste government aid.
Faculty Sponsor: Brad Baldwin
Department: Biology
Investigation of surface topography differences in native and exotic freshwater benthic invertebrates in the St. Lawrence River
Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) invaded the Great Lakes from Europe late in the 20th century and spread rapidly, now being noted in all major waterways east of the Rocky Mountains. These invasive species cause estimated yearly losses of 5 billion US dollars. Currently the only methods of treating infested waters are generally costly and physically taxing. There are no methods of targeting specific species chemically. In order to develop a specie-specific target, there must be a method of differentiating between species at microscopic levels. The purpose of this study was to differentiate between native and exotic benthic invertebrates by surface topographies. Examples of three different species (two exotic mussels, zebra and quagga, and one native clam) were removed from the St. Lawrence River and associated waterways and the interior of the shells were examined using confocal microscopy. From these images, surface height maps were generated and analyzed using scale sensitive fractal analysis. Statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were found between native and exotic species at fine scales (smaller than 1 μm2). However, no difference was found between the two invasive species studied. Replicas of the shells were also examined to remove the potential optical properties of the shells themselves. Similar differences were found with the replicas as the shells. Location on the shell did not have an effect on the ability to differentiate between species. These results raise the possibility of using a specie-specific, widespread treatment which is safe for native species and humans in waters infested with these invasive species.
Faculty Sponsor: Neil Law
Department: Chemistry
Synthesis of N, N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)glycine hydroxamic acid: A novel metallacrown ligand
Metallacrowns are a new type of metallamacrocycles that are derived from hydroxamic acid ligands to form molecules with a repeating metal-nitrogen-oxygen [M-N-O] sequence. This creates a large compound with a high-density of metal ions at its core. This project focused on the synthesis of the new ligand, N, N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)glycine hydroxamic acid (H2bpgha), which was designed to form metallacrowns with 5 repeats and a 15 membered ring, or a 15-MC-5. Metallacrowns of the 15-MC-5 structure show potential as a relaxation agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as building blocks for larger structures, and as single molecular magnets. The range of metal ions incorporated into 15-MC-5’s has been limited to Cu(II) and Ni(II). H2bpgha would significantly expand the range of metal ions that might be employed. Two different synthetic methods were used attempting to synthesize this molecule. The first method involved an atmosphere free conversion of an ethyl ester to the hydroxamic acid. The second method was based upon an acid halide in an entirely novel synthesis. A related target molecule, N, N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)β-alanine hydroxamic acid (H2bpβaha), was attempted through similar synthetic methods.
Faculty Sponsor: Erika Barthelmess
Department: Conservation Biology
Other Participants: Matt DuCharme, Nigel Fellman Greene
The Northern Tier Expressway: Environmental impacts and stakeholder opinions.
The Northern Tier Expressway (NTE) is a proposed expansion of US Route 11 between the cities of Watertown and Plattsburgh, NY that was developed by Wilbur Smith Associates for the Development Authority of the North Country. A lack of efficient transportation routes led to this proposal that may bring economic development, increase tourism, and create employment opportunities in the North Country. However, this proposal neglected to examine the environmental impacts of the plan or take into account how stakeholders will be affected by the expansion of Route 11 and the bypasses suggested for towns like Potsdam and Canton, NY. As a class, we examined how wildlife populations may be affected by possible habitat fragmentation and methods of counteracting fragmentation (e.g. pipe culverts and overpasses). We utilized the GIS program ArcGIS 9.2 to evaluate environmental impacts to forests and wetlands of proposed bypasses around Gouverneur, Canton, and Potsdam, NY. We also looked into road impacts on wildlife populations and whether or not the expansion of Route 11 could negatively impact nearby wetlands and habitat quality. We researched edge effects of roads to determine how this expansion could impact movement of species within their natural range. We conducted surveys and interviews to determine the opinions of stakeholders on whether or not they believed the NTE project was desirable. We developed a list of feasible solutions to help minimize environmental impacts in the event that the proposal should move forward.
Faculty Sponsor: Karin Heckman
Department: Biology
Other Participants: Lizzy Lewis, Mike Mousseau
A Novel Pharmaceutical Approach to Multiple Sclerosis: Astaxanthin-Mediated Suppression of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE)
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease in which the immune system inappropriately attacks neurons in the central nervous system. This inflammatory response causes demyelination of neuronal axons, which impairs nerve impulse conduction and results in loss of function and eventual limb paralysis. The inflammatory response is characterized by activation of macrophages that in turn activate T cells, which contribute to demyelination. Macrophages also secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, which increase inflammation and demyelination in the CNS. Levels of cytokines IFNγ and TNFα can be measured to determine the degree of immune activation. The pathology and treatment possibilities for MS are studied in mice using a disease model called experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this study, Astaxanthin, a compound found in pink and red seafoods, was used as a proposed treatment for EAE. Since Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule, its use as a novel therapeutic treatment for MS would represent a natural, less toxic alternative to current treatment options. We hypothesized that Astaxanthin would suppress the inflammatory properties of macrophages by decreasing the production of IFNγ and TNFα, thus decreasing EAE development and symptoms. Mice with EAE were given daily doses of Astaxanthin for a period of 45 days. Brain and spinal cord tissues were harvested and prepared for Flow Cytometry, RNA Analysis, and Confocal Imaging to analyze cytokine expression and cell populations. Preliminary results indicate that Astaxanthin suppresses the presentation of paralysis in mice, suggesting that it may block myelin destruction and CNS inflammation.
Faculty Sponsor: Makiko Deguchi
Department: Psychology
Predictors of Math Anxiety in Elementary School: Investigation of Fourth Graders
Math anxiety is defined as "feelings of tension and anxiety that interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in a wide variety of ordinary and academic situations" (Richardson & Suinn, 1972). While the symptoms of math anxiety are known, the actual causes are in great debate. Researchers suggest math anxiety begins to develop in students around the ages of nine to eleven (McLeod, 1993). Math teachers have noticed a relationship between math anxiety and students’ level of mastery of the multiplication tables (personal communication with D. Kennedy, February 20, 2008). Parental and teacher attitudes towards math and confidence in their own math ability are also found to impact children’s attitudes and confidence towards math (Shields, 2006). This research investigated the potential predictors of math anxiety among children in fourth grade at a local elementary school, and whether parental and teacher perceptions of math can be linked to children’s development of math anxiety. Preliminary analyses found a significant negative correlation between student performance on the multiplication table test and parent’s math anxiety scores (r = .693, p < .01), but a non-significant correlation between student performance on the multiplication table test and their own math anxiety scores (r = -.028, p = ns), suggesting that parental attitudes towards math may be a stronger predictor for student math performance at this age, than students’ own attitudes towards math. Other findings and their implications for math educators and parents will be discussed.
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Schuckers
Department: Statistics
Size of the Fight in the Dog
Mixed martial arts is becoming an increasingly popular sport in the United States and around the globe that features athletes of all different shapes and sizes. But is there a particular shape, or type of fighter, that is the most conducive to winning? Using the Bradley Terry model for paired comparisons and bootstrap methods to estimate coefficients and confidence intervals we will determine what athletes in the UFC are the most successful in relation to one another.
Faculty Sponsor: Cheryl Stuntz
Department: Psychology
Predicting performance-enhancing substance use in sports
Performance-enhancing substance use is a growing epidemic in sports. Our culture demands athletes to be faster and stronger with each passing season. The purpose of this study is to examine both individual and social predictors of performance-enhancing substance use. According to achievement goal theory, ego-oriented individuals who focus on comparing themselves to others and winning may be more likely to use performance-enhancing substances than others. Also, performance-enhancing substance use may be strongly influenced by the coach and the team’s culture and values. Data was collected from a sample of 150 male Division III collegiate student-athletes. Regression analyses will examine the effects of age, goal orientation, self-determined motivation, team norms regarding substance use, and motivational climate on the frequency and reasons for performance-enhancing substance use. We hypothesize that older age, defining success more in terms of outperforming others, lower mot ivation for intrinsic reasons, believing more teammates think substance use is okay, and more coach emphasis on being the best should predict greater frequency of substance use. We also hypothesize that athletes’ perceptions regarding how many of their peers are using substances will overestimate the actual numbers regarding admitted users (illegal and legal).
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Schuckers
Department: Statistics
Bootstrapping time series data
I will be using the method of bootstrapping via R, as well as in minitab, on a time series data set. By running a regression for my data set and recording the residuals, I will then bootstrap the residuals and re-run the regression. The data set consists of the production of beer barrels per quarter from 1974-2005.