11:30 AM - Clarkson University

Transcription

Clarkson University
18th Annual Summer
Symposium
on
Undergraduate
Research Experiences
April 16, 2016
Table of Contents
Conference Schedule.…………………..……….….3
Oral Presentation Section 1……….…….………….4
Poster Presentation Section…………....….….……10
Oral Presentation Section 2……………….……….15
Abstracts (in alphabetical order by presenter).........19
Acknowledgments…………………….……...........94
2
18th Annual Spring SURE Schedule
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Bertrand Snell 112, 129, 169, 175, 177, 214
Peterson Board Room & ERC Atrium
8:00-8:40 am
Registration – Presenters, Session Chairs,
Judges
Bertrand Snell Atrium
8:40-8:50am
Opening Remarks
Dr. Anthony Collins, President
Bertrand Snell Atrium
9:00-10:00 am
Oral Presentations – Session 1
Bertrand Snell 112, 129, 169, 175, 177, 214
(12 minutes each with a 2-3 minute question
period)
10:00-11:30 am
Poster Presentations
Bertrand Snell third floor hallway and
Peterson Board Room
11:30 am-12:30 pm
Oral Presentations – Session 2
Bertrand Snell 112, 129, 169, 175, 177
(12 minutes each with a 2-3 minute question
period)
12:30-1:30 pm
Lunch and Award Ceremony
SVP/Provost Chuck Thorpe
ERC Atrium
3
Oral Presentation Session 1
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Section 1 – Space and Aerospace Engineering
Snell 112
9:00-9:12 AM
Kyle Pollak; Dr. Byron Erath
Bicycle Wheel Aerodynamics: A Biomimetic Application of
Leading Edge Tubercles to Yawed Racing Cycle Wheels
9:12-9:24 AM
Ian Smith; Dr. Marcias Martinez
Membrane Wing with Application to Micro Aerial Vehicles
9:24-9:36 AM
Sergio Gallucci; Dr. Natalya Brikner
Numerical Simulation of an Electrospray Thruster Ion Emission
and Extraction Region
9:36-9:48 AM
Michael Lee; Dr. Ken Visser
The Birds were Right: Reducing Induced Drag with Spanwise
Cambering
9:48-10:00 AM
Benjamin Roulston; Dr. Joshua Thomas
Spectral and Photometric Analysis of the Binary Hypergiant R81
in The Large Magellanic Cloud
Session Chair: Dr. Kenneth Visser
Judge: Dr. Daniel Valentine
4
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Section 2 – Biochemistry and Biophysics
Snell 129
9:00-9:12 AM
Maureen Hoen; Dr. He Dong
Characterization of Antimicrobial Peptides: Physical Structure,
Cytotoxicity, and Membrane Localization
9:12-9:24 AM
Ryan Rauhut; Dr. Silvana Andreescu
Application of Thin-Layer Chromatography and Cerium Oxide
Nanoparticles for the Identification and Quantification of Food
Antioxidants
9:24-9:36 AM
Isabel Bray; Dr. Jan Scrimgeour
Measuring Shear Force Transmission across a Biomimetic Glycocalyx
9:36-9:48 AM
Grace Usher; Dr. Richard Partch and Dr. Craig Woodworth
Functionalization of Gold Nanoparticles for Use in Cervical Cancer
Combination Therapy
9:48-10:00 AM
Stuart Synakowski; Dr. Maria Gracheva
Determining Atomic Structure Properties of Ceria Nanoparticles through
Computational Simulations
Session Chair: Dr. He Dong
Judge: Dr. Devon Shipp
5
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Section 3 – Biomedical Devices
Snell 169
9:00-9:12 AM
Skyler Canute; Dr. Eric Schepis
Designing a New Cooling Method for Radiofrequency Ablation
Probes
9:12-9:24 AM
James Elmer; Dr. Kevin Fite
The Design and Testing of a Pneumatic Prosthesis with Energy
Transfer Methods
9:24-9:36 AM
Bayley LeCours; Dr. George Fulk
The Accuracy of Activity Monitors with Healthy Individuals with
Regard to Step Count
9:36-9:48 AM
Nicholas Short; Dr. Daniel Rissacher
Physiological Interpretation of Bio-Radar Heartbeat Monitoring
System
Session Chair: Dr. George Fulk
Judge: Dr. Laurel Kuxhaus
6
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Section 4 – Environmental Sciences
Snell 175
9:00-9:12 AM
Taylor Lenney and Alexandra Rowe; Dr. Stefan Grimberg
Investigating Selective Membrane and Struvite Precipitation
Technology for Ammonia Removal in Anaerobic Digestion
9:12-9:24 AM
Meghan Cassavaw; Dr. Tom Langen
An Ecological Analysis and Management Plan of Potamogeton
amplifolius on Boyd Pond
9:24-9:36 AM
Haley Grassi; Dr. Andrea Ferro
Using Direct Feedback from Pollutant Sensors to Improve IAQ for
a Tribal Community
9:36-9:48 AM
Erin Ryan; Dr. Thomas Holsen
Mercury Concentrations in Cloudwater on Whiteface Mountain
9:48-10:00 AM
Peter Faulkner; Dr. Stefan Grimberg
Assessing the Viability of Small Scale Anaerobic Digester Systems
Session Chair: Dr. Tom Langen
Judge: Dr. Michael Twiss
7
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Section 5 – Math and Computer Science
Snell 177
9:00-9:12 AM
David Skufca; Dr. Sean Banerjee
Statistically Based Word Correction
9:12-9:24 AM
Leah Granger; Dr. Joseph Skufca
Collaborative Learning Models
9:24-9:36 AM
Andrés Rivas; Dr. Kathleen Fowler
Development and Use of Mathematical Models and Software
Frameworks for Integrated Analysis of Agricultural Systems and
Associated Water Use Impacts
9:36-9:48 AM
Matthew Inkawhich and Eric Sognefest; Dr. Sean Banerjee
Characterizing Users in Large Scale Open Source Repositories
Session Chair: Dr. Sean Banerjee
Judge: Dr. Chris Lynch
8
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Section 6 – Psychology and Education
Snell 214
9:00-9:12 AM
Scotlynne Rieder; Dr. Christopher Morris
Operationalizing Cultural Competence in the Rural Free Clinic
Setting
9:12-9:24 AM
Annie Helfgott; Dr. Lisa Legault
The Socio-Motivational Antecedents and Self-Regulatory
Consequences of Psychopathy
9:24-9:36 AM
Kimberly Oakes; Dr. James Carroll
The Usability of a Humanoid Robot in a Special Education
Classroom
9:36-9:48 AM
Nicole Seward; Dr. Christopher Morris
Lisa and CRPS/RSD: An Illness Narrative
Session Chair: Dr. Lisa Legault
Judge: Dr. Jennifer Knack
9
Poster Presentation Session
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Section 1 – Biochemistry
1
Xulan Deng; Dr. Costel Darie
Novel Proteomic Techniques to Identify Potential
Biomarkers for Early Detection of Breast Cancer
2
Daniel Austin; Dr. Silvana Andreescu and Dr. Kenneth
Wallace*
Quantitative Assessment of the Silver Nanoparticle
Exposure Effects in Embryonic Zebrafish
3
Dakota Folmsbee; Dr. Artem Melman
New Anticancer Transferrin-Doxorubicin Conjugates
4
Dana Chapman; Dr. Devon Shipp
Applications of Thiol-Ene Emulsion Polymerization for the
Formation of Thin Films
5
Mitchell Laughlin, Rachel Fromme; Dr. Devon Shipp
Development of a Glycolipid-Containing Nanoparticle
Vaccine to facilitate iNKT Cell Activation
Judges: Dr. Richard Partch & Dr. Paul Goulet
* Sustainability Poster
10
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Section 2 – Biomedical Science and Bioengineering
6
Shamaa Vora; Dr. Shantanu Sur
Capturing Altered Cell Dynamics to Assess Hypoxic
Damage and Recovery
7
Victoria Villeneuve and Abbey Hinds; Dr. Petra Kraus
and Dr. Thomas Lufkin
A Gene Expression Validation of Pax and Sox Transcription
Factor Targets in Embryonic Intervertebral Disc
Development
8
Zachary Cleland and Jesse Hight; Dr. Cetin Cetinkaya
Repeatability Performance of 3D Printed Components for
an Automated Drug Tablet Testing Machine
9
Nicole Zaino; Dr. Laurel Kuxhaus and Dr. Arthur
Michalek
Odocoileus virginianus as a Model for the Human Knee
10
Rachel Yerden; Dr. Petra Kraus, Dr. Thomas Lufkin and
Dr. Brittany Youngs
In Search of Distinct Markers for Cells of the Intervertebral
Disc Lineages
Judge: Dr. Kevin Fite & Dr. Cintia Hongay
11
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Section 3 – Environmental Sciences
11
Emily Gonthier, Erin Hughes and Courtney Nerbonne; Dr.
Stefan Grimberg*
Zeolite and Struvite as Potential Ammonia Removal and
Recovery Processes in Anaerobic Digestion
12
Amy Hait; Dr. Susan Powers*
A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Feminine Hygiene
Products
13
Sara Armstrong, Brooke Atkinson, John Hadynski and
Victoria Olsen; Dr. Phillip Christiansen*
Sustainable Direct Combustion Energy Crops - Sweet Clover
14
Emma Spencer; Dr. Susan Powers
The Effects of Digestate as Fertilizer Compared to Pure Blend
Pro Bloom Fertilizer on the Growth of Lettuce
15
Alexandra Rowe; Dr. Susan Powers*
Using Building Energy Models to Compare Energy
Consumption in Woodstock Village Apartments Before and
After Renovation
16
Daniel Bellinger, John Sherry and Lillian Chen; Dr. Alan
Rossner and Dr. Stephen Bird*
Assessing the Feasibility of the A2A Corridor Based on
Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors
Judge: Dr. Thomas Holsen & Dr. Tom Langen
12
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Section 4 – Materials Science and Signal Processing
17
Kevin Mack; Dr. Mahesh Banavar
Localization Using Bluetooth on Android Devices
18
Annina Quarantello; Dr. Thomas Ortmeyer
Battery System Monitoring and Alert System using LabVIEW
19
Joshua Pyser, Katrina Lane and Alex Harley; Dr. Mario
Wriedt*
Novel Magnetic Composite Materials: Metal-Organic
Frameworks as Hosts for Molecular Nanomagnets
20
Thomas DePue; Dr. Mahesh Banavar
Localization Utilizing Echolocation on Android Devices
21
Isabel Bray; Dr. Werner Tornow and Dr. Megha Bhike
Measurement of the Neutron-Capture Cross Section On 63,65Cu
Between 0.4 And 7.5 Mev of Importance for 0νββ Searches
22
Samantha Denning; Dr. Stephanie Shuckers
Generation of Novel Artificial Fingerprint Design
23
Veronica Bagundes and Justin Cruz; Dr. Mario Wriedt
Metal Organic Framework Design: From Zwitterionic Ligands to
Enhanced Adsorption Properties
Judge: Dr. Sean Banerjee & Dr. Narutoshi Nakata
13
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Section 5 – Social Sciences
24
Valeree Bedell; Dr. Andreas Wilke
Spatial Dependency in Local Resource Distributions
25
Kara McTamaney; Dr. Jennifer Knack
Single Versus Multiple Social Stressors Differentially Affects Blood
Glucose Levels and Self-Regulation
26
Kayla Jurchak; Dr. Lisa Legault*
The Role of Humility in Reducing Implicit Race Bias
27
Aquilla Chase; Dr. Jennifer Knack
Anticipated Daily Stress and Perceived Social Stress Affect the Cortisol
Awakening Response
28
Nicholas Liszczynskyj, Jonas Ebert and Kate Wolf; Dr. Robert
Dowman
Mechanisms Underlying the Attentional Bias towards Threats to the
Body
29
Madison Shea; Dr. Seyedamirabbas Mousavian*
An Agile Approach to Improve Post-disaster Routine Care for
Chronically Ill Patients
30
Bradley Cleland; Dr. Cetin Cetinkaya
Form, Fit & Function: Inspiring Children to Learn Engineering
Fundamentals
31
Josie Lydick, Lindsey Schlaeg and Jasmin Plaza; Dr. Andreas Wilke
PURC: Psychology Undergraduate Research Club
Judge: Dr. Chris Morris & Dr. Stephen Bird
14
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Section 1 – Materials Sciences
Snell 112
11:30-11:42 AM
Kyle Ventura; Dr. Mario Wriedt
Systematic Investigations on Transition Metal Coordination Polymers
Based on Pyrazolate, 1,3-di(4-pyridyl)propane and 4,4’-bipyridine
11:42-11:54 AM
Jacob Misch; Dr. Laurel Kuxhaus and Dr. Philip Yuya
Facile Synthesis and Characterization of MnO2 Nanorods as a
Supercapacitor Electrode Material
11:54 AM-12:06 PM
Madeline Masi; Dr. Maria Gamella, Dr. Nataliia Guz, Dr. Evgeny Katz
Electrochemically Triggered DNA Release from a Mixed-Brush Polymer
Modified Electrode
12:06-12:18 PM
Hannah Norton; Dr. Devon Shipp
Polymer Particles Prepared by Radical Thiol–Ene Dispersion
Polymerization
12:18-12:30 PM
Brian Root; Dr. Paul Goulet
Nanoparticle Syntheses Employing Tetraoctylammonium-Metal
Complexes
Session Chair: Dr. Mario Wriedt
Judge: Dr. Maria Gracheva
15
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Section 2 – Cell and Molecular Biology
Snell 129
11:30-11:42 AM
Michelle Kelley and Natalie Hoke; Dr. Kenneth Wallace
Disruption of Notch Receiving Secretory Cells within Intestinal
Epithelium to Investigate the Changes of Development
11:42-11:54 AM
Ashley Brisbin; Dr. Costel Darie, Dr. Petra Kraus and Dr. Thomas
Lufkin
Identification of Proteins in the Annulus Fibrosus and Nucleus Pulposus
of the Mature Bovine Intervertebral Disc
11:54 AM-12:06 PM
Brittany Snyder; Dr. Devon Shipp
Drug Delivery Systems Based on Thiol-ene Polyanhydrides
12:06-12:18 PM
Aquilla Chase; Dr. Cintia Hongay
Determining the role of Dm IME4 throughout Drosophila embryogenesis
12:18-12:30 PM
Megan Borland; Dr. Costel Darie
Proteomics-Based Biomarker Discovery for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Session Chair: Dr. Devon Shipp
Judge: Dr. Shantanu Sur
16
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Section 3 – Sensors and Signal Processing
Snell 169
11:30-11:42 AM
Julianna Makarsky; Dr. Narutoshi Nakata
Structural Integrity Assessment of the Ogdensburg-Prescott
International Bridge Using Multi-Hazard Simulation
11:42-11:54 AM
Thomas DePue; Dr. Mahesh Banavar
Localization Utilizing Echolocation on Android Devices
11:54 AM-12:06 PM
Christopher LaDuca; Dr. Suresh Dhaniyala
Design and Development of a Particle Detection System for Use in
a Micro Resuspension Wind Tunnel
12:06-12:18 PM
Kevin Mack; Dr. Mahesh Banavar
12:18-12:30 PM
Sarah Miele; Dr. Steven Wojkiewicz, Dr. James Gibert
Analysis of Energy Harvesters in Structural Health Monitoring
Systems on Building Structures
Session Chair: Dr. Mahesh Banavar
Judge: Dr. Khiem Tran
17
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Section 4 – Economic Development and Public Policy
Snell 175
11:30-11:42 AM
Lilianna Orndorff; Dr. Stephen Bird
Genetically Modified Organism Policies: How and Why the EU
and USA May Approach This Topic Differently
11:42-11:54 AM
Madison Shea; Dr. Seyedamirabbas Mousavian
An Agile Approach to Improve Post-disaster Routine Care for
Chronically Ill Patients
11:54 AM-12:06 PM
Megan Collier and Troy Feldman; Dr. Bebonchu Atems
Income Inequality and Productivity
12:06-12:18 PM
Morgan Zyzik; Dr. Michael Twiss
Proposal for Riparian and Aquatic Habitat Restoration in Massena,
NY Area of Concern
12:06-12:18 PM
Aileen Daley; Dr. Alan Rossner
Community-Based Sustainable Solutions for Remote
Communities: Cookstoves and MicroHydroelectric Systems
Session Chair: Dr. Bebonchu Atems
Judge: Dr. Jon Goss
18
Sustainable Direct Combustion Energy Crops – Sweet
Clover
Sara Armstrong1, Brooke Atkinson1, John Hadynski1, Victoria
Olsen1, Phillip Christiansen1
1
Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
The increased use of wood fuel pellets, particularly in European power plants to
replace coal, has raised concerns that the carbon released by combustion may
exceed forest regrowth rates, thereby increasing atmospheric CO2. Alternative
energy crops like switchgrass and willow have renewal (carbon recycle) periods
of only 1-3yrs but have ash levels 5 to 10 times that of wood, greatly
complicating their use. These materials often contain significant amounts of
primary plant nutrients (N, P and K), so soil depletion may be a problem, as
well. While P and K might be recycled via the ash, the N is lost to the
atmosphere during combustion. In this work we report chemical analyses for
sweet clover samples taken from four locations around Potsdam. Our results
show that common sweet clover fiber harvested in October without seeds will
have ash levels around 1.5%, very close to the 1% standard for wood fuel
pellets. Sweet clover is a legume traditionally used to increase soil nitrogen.
Since N in the harvested fiber is low, soil N would be expected to increase by
around 100kg/hectare during the 2-year life cycle.
Acknowledgement: We are grateful to Proctor & Gamble for a grant to
purchase equipment and materials for our first-year labs where this work was
done.
Mentor: P. Christiansen, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science,
Clarkson University
Environmental Science Poster #13
Peterson Board Room 10-11:30 am
19
Quantitative Assessment of the Silver Nanoparticle
Exposure Effects in Embryonic Zebrafish
Daniel Austin1, Xiaobo Liu1, Eduard Dumitrescu1, Kenneth
Wallace2, Silvana Andreescu1
1
University
2
Department of Biology, Clarkson University
[email protected]
The exponential increase of nanoparticles (NPs) containing consumer goods
require a comprehensive assessment of the risks associated with the use of these
materials. In this presentation, we describe an integrated methodology to assess
the potential toxic effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in embryonic
zebrafish. In situ electrochemical experiments were used to establish the
relationship between NP exposure and the release of nitric oxide (NO), as an
indicator of oxidative stress. RNA in situ hybridization for inducible nitric oxide
synthase (NOS2) was synthesized and used to determine the expression pattern
of NOS2. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was also
used to determine the NOS2 expression pattern. These results were correlated
with the amount of released silver ions and embryonic viability, and related to
the NP size and environmental transformation. This methodology can be used to
establish mechanisms of nanotoxicity at organ levels and accelerate testing and
screening of nanomaterials for their potential effects on the environment and
biological systems.
Mentor: Dr. Silvana Andreescu, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular
Science, Clarkson University and Dr. Kenneth Wallace, Department of Biology,
Clarkson University
Biochemistry Poster #2
3rd Floor Hallway 10-11:30 am
20
Metal Organic Framework Design: From
Zwitterionic Ligands to Enhanced Adsorption
Properties
Veronica Bagundes1, Justin Cruz1, Dr. Mario Wriedt1
1
Department of Chemistry (Dr. Mario Wriedt Laboratory),
Clarkson University
[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
Metal- organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials composed
of metal clusters and organic linkers. They exhibit some unique properties, such
as high surfaces areas, large pore volumes and tunable pore sizes. An
exceptional feature of MOFs is that their crystal structures, pore environments
and functionalities can be controlled by the choice of inorganic and organic
building blocks. These properties offer potential applications in various societal
needs, such as clean energy alternatives, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
stimuli-responsive magnetic materials. This poster will primarily focus on the
use of zwitterions to create an electrostatic charged field within the MOF pores.
The MOF synthesis can be tailored by using neutral or anionic ligands to
optimize the electrostatic charges that are capable of polarizing hydrogen and
carbon dioxide molecules. Their polarization yields in strong host-guest
interactions and a further understanding of structure-property relationships, and
a keen insight on how zwitterionic MOFs can be modified to develop various
adsorption properties.
Mentor: Dr. Mario Wriedt, Department of Chemistry, Clarkson University
Material Science and Sign Processing #22
10-11:30 am
3 rd Floor Hallway
21
Spatial Dependency in Local Resource Distributions
Valaree Bedell1, Josie Lydick1, Jordan Treat1, Andreas Wilke1
1
Department of Psychology, Clarkson University
[email protected]
We investigate the presence and absence of different local resources to
determine their underlying spatial distributions. Past psychological research has
typically focused on empirical resource distributions of equal base rates—such
as a 10x10 grid with resource spots that have 50 resources/tokens in it (i.e., half
of the board is filled, the other half if empty)—to compute alternation
probabilities that are indicative of how clumpy, random or dispersed the
distribution types are. The current methodology focusses on an ecological point
pattern analysis to overcome this limitation. During the Fall 2015 semester, we
observed and coded various resource domains such as a café, a restaurant, a
hockey arena and a parking lot. Our results are discussed in light of claims that
our ancestral human cognitive evolution selected for specific reasoning
mechanisms to detect resources that are distributed in clumps or patches in space
and time.
Acknowledgements: We thank the members of the Evolution and Cognition Lab
for their help.
Mentor: Dr. Andreas Wilke, Department of Psychology, Clarkson University
10-11:30 am
3 rd Floor Hallway
22
Assessing the Feasibility of the A2A Corridor Based
on Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors
Daniel Bellinger1, John Sherry1, Lillian Chen1, and Kristi
Mezzano
1
Department of Environmental Science & Policy, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
The Adirondack-to-Algonquin (A2A) region encompasses the 400-mile stretch
between the Adirondack and Algonquin Park systems in New York State and the
Ontario Province, respectively. As human development has encroached on this
region, habitat that used to be safe for wide-ranging species has become
increasingly threatened, and the resultant impacts on these species has damaged
the transnational ecological integrity. In order to restore optimal functionality to
the region, key sections of the A2A region need to be conserved or restored.
This can be accomplished through the creation of a protected wildlife corridor.
In order to model pathways, the following factors were analyzed: public opinion
surveys and recent town board minutes; economic activity; and wildlife travel
patterns based on historic migratory routes and development alterations. With
the resulting mapped corridor, the political feasibility of beginning the necessary
work for this pathway is outlined through analysis of binational government
trends and grassroots efforts.
Our A2A Corridor research group would like to thank Professors Stephen Bird,
Alan Rossner, Martin Heintzelman, and Tom Langen of Clarkson University for
their continued support and collaboration. We would also like to thank the
members of the A2A Collaborative for helping us with the support of their past
and present research and their dedication to the project as a whole. Finally, we’d
like to thank everyone who helped our data set by taking part in our public
opinion survey.
Mentors: Dr. Stephen Bird, Clarkson University and Dr. Alan Rossner, Clarkson
University
11:30 am
Peterson Board Room
10-
23
Proteomics-Based Biomarker Discovery for Autism
Spectrum Disorder
Megan Borland1, Dr. Costel Darie2
1
2
Department of Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University
University
[email protected]
Over the last decade the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has
risen dramatically from 1 in 150 to 1 in 68 children. Early treatment of ASD is
crucial for positive prognosis of the disorder. Currently, only behavioral
diagnosis is possible for ASD, but a definitive ASD test at birth may be possible
using specific protein biomarkers that are found to be correlated with ASD. In
this study, sera samples from children with ASD and matched controls were
analyzed using in solution digestion followed by nanoliquid chromatographytandem mass soectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) to investigate the differences
between the proteomes of people with ASD and controls. Preliminary results
indicate that there were two upregulated proteins in ASD samples versus the
controls. These proteins are alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein, involved in endocytosis,
brain development and the formation of bone tissue, and Apolipoprotein A-I,
involved in cholesterol metabolism. The discovery of upregulation of ApoA1 is
consistent with previous studies, which supports its potential as a biomarker for
ASD and this investigation is ongoing.
Mentor: Dr. Costel Darie, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science,
Clarkson University
Cell and Molecular Biology
Snell 129
11:30 am-12:30 pm
24
Measurement of the Neutron-Capture Cross Section
On 63,65Cu Between 0.4 And 7.5 Mev of Importance
for 0νββ Searches
Isabel Bray1, Megha Bhike2,3, Werner Tornow2,3
1
Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC.
3
Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, NC.
2
[email protected]
Copper is currently being used as a cooling and shielding material in most
experimental searches for neutrinoless double-β decay. In order to accurately
interpret background events in these experiments, the cross section of neutroninduced reactions on copper must be known. The purpose of this work was to
measure the cross section of the 63,65Cu(n,γ)64,66Cu reactions. Data were
collected through the activation method at a range of energies from
approximately 0.4 MeV to 7.5 MeV, employing the neutron production reactions
3
H(p,n)3He and 2H(d,n)3He. Previous data were limited to energies below
approximately 3 MeV. The results are compared to predictions from the nuclear
data libraries ENDF/B-VII.1 and TENDL-2014.
Mentor: Dr. Megha Bhike, Department of Physics, Duke University and Dr.
Werner Tornow, Department of Physics, Duke University
10-11:30 am
3rd Floor Hallway
25
Measuring Shear Force Transmission across a
Biomimetic Glycocalyx
Isabel Bray1, Dylan C. Young1, Jan Scrimgeour1
1
Department of Physics, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
[email protected]
Human blood vessels are lined with a low-density polymer brush known as the
glycocalyx. This brush plays an active role in defining the mechanical and
biochemical environment of the endothelial cell in the blood vessel wall. In
addition, it is involved in the detection of mechanical stimuli, such as the shear
stress from blood flowing in the vessel. In this work, we construct a biomimetic
version of the glycocalyx on top of a soft deformable substrate in order to
measure its ability to modulate the effects of shear stress at the endothelial cell
surface. The soft substrate is stamped on to a glass substrate, then enclosed
inside a microfluidic device that generates a controlled flow over the substrate.
The hydrogel chemistry has been optimized so that it reliably stamps into a
defined shape and has consistent mechanical properties. Fluorescent microbeads
embedded in the gel allow measurement of the surface deformation and
subsequently calculation of the shear force at the surface of the soft substrate.
We plan to investigate the effect of the major structural elements of the
glycocalyx, hyaluronic acid and charged proteoglycans, on the magnitude of the
shear force transmitted to the surface of the hydrogel.
Mentor: Dr. Jan Scrimgeour, Department of Physics, Clarkson University
Biochemistry and Biophysics
Room 129
9-10 am
26
Identification of Proteins in the Annulus Fibrosus and
Nucleus Pulposus of the Mature Bovine
Intervertebral Disc
Ashley Brisbin1, Emmalyn Dupree1, Jessica Roberge1
1
Biochemistry and Proteomics Group, Department of Chemistry &
Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
[email protected]
This preliminary pilot study is performed to discover specific biomarkers
present in the annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) of the
intervertebral disc (IVD) that may help identify cells in culture during
regenerative medicine studies for lower back pain. Lower back pain affects
many people throughout the world. One major cause of lower back pain is IVD
degeneration. During IVD degeneration, the extracellular matrix of the IVD is
broken down, which results in a rupture of the AF and reduced hydration of the
NP region. This study identifies some proteins that are present in the AF and NP
regions of the mature bovine IVD. During this research, proteomic techniques,
such as SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis, trypsin digestion, and mass
spectrometry are used to produce raw data for the AF and NP bovine samples.
This raw data is then entered into the MASCOT database and run through
Scaffold software to determine the composition of each type of protein. After
analyzing the data, multiple proteins were found. In the AF portion of the disc,
fibronectin is abundant, while versican is abundant in the NP. Some proteins that
are equally present in both the AF and NP sections of the IVD are collagen,
tenascin, and aggrecan. Future experiments will determine other proteins and
transcription factors present in the IVD, if those proteins play a role in IVD
degeneration, and the composition of degenerated versus healthy discs.
Mentors:
Devika Channaveerappa, Biochemistry and Proteomics Group, Department of
Chemistry & Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University; Kelly Wormwood,
Biochemistry and Proteomics Group, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular
Science, Clarkson University; Dr. Petra Kraus, Department of Biology, Clarkson
University; Dr. Thomas Lufkin, Department of Biology, Clarkson University
Dr. Costel C. Darie, Biochemistry and Proteomics Group, Department of
Chemistry & Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University
Snal1 129
11:30am- 12:30pm
27
Designing a New Cooling Method for Radiofrequency
Ablation Probes
Skyler Canute1, Dr. Eric Schepis2
1
Department of Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering,
Clarkson University
2
Halyard Health
[email protected]
Radiofrequency ablation (RF) is a useful medical technique to treat chronic pain.
Cooled RF probes have been shown to provide better chronic pain relief
compared to standard RF probes increasing pain relief up to 1-2 years compared
to 6 months. To achieve the cooling, room temperature water lines run the
length of the probe and the water is circulated by a pump that is also attached to
the RF generator. This cooling system is cumbersome, expensive, and can pose
some potential complications during procedures. An example of problems with
the current coolant system is that the water lines weight moves the probe during
the procedure. The current system was studied and the results were used to
determine the requirements of the new cooling method. From these requirements
and some end user input, a new cooling method was designed.
Acknowledgements: Thank you to everyone at Halyard Health and the Honors
Department for their support in this project.
Mentor: Dr. Eric Schepis, Halyard Health
Biomedical Devices
Snell169
9-10 am
28
An Ecological Analysis and Management Plan of
Potamogeton amplifolius on Boyd Pond
Meghan Cassavaw1,2, Dr. Tom Langen1
1
Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University
2
Boyd Pond Association of Owners, Russell NY
[email protected]
Potamogeton amplifolius. is a native plant to the North Country and frequent
inhabitant on North Country ponds and lakes. In small numbers, Potamogeton
amplifolius is not harmful or noxious to an ecosystem. In fact, it can actually
benefit an area by promoting water quality and oxygenation. (Crawford 1979)
However, in the case of Boyd Pond, there has been an explosion of the plant on
the surface of the privately owned pond. This Potamogeton amplifolius
population is interfering with recreational opportunities on the pond such as
boating and swimming during the summer months Explosive macrophyte
populations are common in shallow lakes across North America. (Van Ness
1999). The aim of this plan is to promote the recreational opportunities on the
pond, maintain a stable population to retain water quality and preserve
ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are defined as containing “all of the
conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems, and the species that
make them up, sustain, and fulfill human life.” (Daily 1997) Freshwater
ecosystems may provide functions such as nutrient recycling and renewal as
well as conferring aesthetic and cultural benefits to humans. (Costanza et al
1997)
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank RJ Pommerville, Erik Backus, and the
Boyd Pond community for being so welcoming and helpful in conducting field
work and historical information.
Mentor: Dr. Tom Langen, Chair, Department of Biology
Environmental Sciences
Snell 175
9-10 am
29
Applications of Thiol-Ene Emulsion Polymerization
for the Formation of Thin Films
Dana V. Chapman1, Dr. Devon Shipp1,2, Olivia Durham1
1
University
2
Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP)
[email protected]
Thiol–ene “click” chemistry is highly efficient and has been utilized in recent
decades for both bulk polymerization and polymer modification. More recently,
thiol-ene chemistry has been applied to heterogeneous polymerizations for the
production of polymer particles. This research focuses on the viability of
different thiol–ene polymer compositions in emulsion polymerizations for the
formation of thin films. In many emulsion polymerizations, polymers form
within surfactant micelles via micellar nucleation. Objectives of this work
include minimizing average particle diameter while optimizing size
homogeneity (monodispersity) along with evaluation of thin film formation
through vacuum-heating, air-drying, or modification of the reaction procedure.
Additionally, it is necessary to explore the applications of thiol–ene polymers in
not only materials science but also the biomedical field; therefore, future work
could investigate the entrapment of pigments in the dye as well as the
development of degradable polymer particles that may release a therapeutic
payload.
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Dr. Shipp and the Shippmates for
their guidance, as well as the Clarkson University Honors Program for
supporting my research.
Mentors: Dr. Devon Shipp, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science,
Clarkson University and Olivia Durham, Department of Chemistry &
Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University
3rd Floor Hallway
10-11:30 am
30
Anticipated Daily Stress and Perceived Social Stress
Affect the Cortisol Awakening Response
Aquilla Chase1, Jennifer M. Knack1
1
[email protected]
The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effect of perceived social
stress and anticipated stress on the cortisol awakening response (CAR). We
predicted a steeper elevation in the CAR when college students expected high
levels compared to low levels of anticipated stress. Male and female
undergraduate students (N = 42) from Introductory to Psychology participated.
Participants rated the degree of perceived stress experienced. At night,
participants rated anticipated stress for the following day; the following day,
they collected salivary cortisol samples (i.e., upon waking, 30 minutes after
waking, 4:00pm, and 30 minutes before bed). Saliva was collected over four
weekdays (i.e., two anticipated high stress and two anticipated low stress days).
We found that college students with high perceived social stress who anticipated
the next day being low stress had a steeper CAR than college students who
anticipated a high stress day. In students with low perceived social stress,
students who anticipated the next day being stressful had a steeper CAR than
students anticipating a low stress day. Given that previous research has indicated
the CAR helps mobilize the body for the upcoming day, this data is preliminary
evidence of an ineffective physiological preparation for stressful days.
Mentor: Dr. Jennifer M. Knack, Department of Psychology, Clarkson University
Social Sciences Poster #27 Peterson Board Room
10-11:30 am
31
Determining the Role of Dm IME4 throughout
Drosophila embryogenesis
Aquilla Chase1, Kangning Li1, and Cintia Hongay1
1
[email protected]
N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is the most abundant internal post-transcriptional
mRNA modification in eukaryotes. Inducer of Meiosis 4 (IME4), the enzyme
catalyzing this modification, is highly evolutionarily conserved amongst
eukaryotes, indicating a significant biological function. Our lab has shown that
Dm IME4, the Drosophila melanogaster ortholog, is necessary for proper
fertility and viability. As mutant flies do not develop well into adulthood, I
hypothesize Dm IME4 is necessary in early development, regulating mRNA
metabolism and gene expression crucial for cell differentiation. I investigated
the role of Dm IME4 in D. melanogaster development from two angles. Firstly, I
investigated the effect of low Dm IME4 expression using a visual marker for the
presence of Dm IME4, allowing me to track the frequency of homozygous
hypomorphic embryos within each stage of embryogenesis. Secondly, I tracked
the localization and expression pattern of Dm IME4 in all stages of
embryogenesis in wild type embryos using immunohistochemistry and RNA in
situ hybridization. Results have indicated: 1. arrest of development in
hypomorphic mutant flies occurs at gastrulation, and 2. localization of Dm IME4
in pole cells of blastoderm, correlating with its function in reproduction. These
results support my hypothesis that Dm IME4 is essential for development.
Mentor: Dr. Cintia Hongay, Department of Biology, Clarkson University
Snell 129
11:30am-12:30pm
32
Form, Fit & Function: Inspiring Children to Learn
Engineering Fundamentals
Bradley Cleland1, Zachary Cleland1, Jesse Hight2
1
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clarkson University
Department of Engineering & Management, Clarkson University
[email protected]
When are engineers created? At birth, during adolescent, or perhaps when a
student is handed a diploma? In order to encourage the future scholars of our
world to pursue a higher education track in engineering fields at any age, and to
give back to the local community, the 3D Printing Special Interest Group hosted
a philanthropic event called the “Tinkerers’ Workshop” at the Clarkson
University Bookstore. In this workshop children of various ages were guided
through activities that prompted thinking in an engineering manner to show how
basic engineering concepts could be applied in the children’s lives in order to
create a better and more exciting world for themselves and others. Observations
throughout the workshop by students showed that through exciting, hands-on
activities, children gained an insight into basic engineering concepts and showed
motivation to pursue future scientific endeavors.
Mentor: Dr. Cetin Cetinkaya, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clarkson
University
Social Sciences Poster #30
Peterson Board Room 10-11:30am
33
Repeatability Performance of 3D Printed
Components for an Automated Drug Tablet Testing
Machine
Sawyer Begin1, Zachary Cleland1, Sean Guantt1, Jesse Hight2,
Chris Laubisch1, Ian Peterson1, Marsel Shushe1
1
2
Department of Engineering & Management, Clarkson University
[email protected], [email protected]
Mechanical properties and damage states of pharmaceutical tablets strongly
correlate with their dissolution profiles in the human body. Understanding the
link between these characteristics and associated manufacturing methods is
critical in advancing the quality of pharmaceutical products. Current quality
standards require only the analysis of small tablet batches by hand. The research
group employed a rapid development process, hybrid prototyping, a design
approach that integrates 3D printed components with machined components.
The group then collected large batches of data using a machine-only interface
and compared their results to hand tested data batches in order to evaluate
accuracy of repeatability and areas for further refinement in the current
components’ designs. The results of our experiment show that automation of the
testing procedure yields, with our current designs, a less than 2% error from
ideal mathematical predictions.
Acknowledgements: Shipley Center for Innovation, Pfizer.
Mentor: Dr. Cetin Cetinkaya, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clarkson
University
Biomedical Science and Bioengineering Poster #8
10-11:30 am
Peterson Board Room
34
Income Inequality and Productivity
Megan Collier1, Troy Feldman1, Bebonchu Atems1
1
School of Business, Clarkson University
[email protected]; [email protected]
In this paper, we use a new and improved dataset to examine the effects of
income inequality and productivity in the United States. We input our cross-state
level data into our fixed effects model. In this model we removed factors that are
fixed to individual states, in order to more thoroughly understand how inequality
affects the United States. Preliminary results show that inequality is actually
harmful for productivity growth, and the negative effect is statistically
significant.
Mentor: Dr. Bebonchu Atems, School of Business, Clarkson University
Economic Development and Public Policy
11:30am-12:30pm
Snell 175
35
Community-Based Sustainable Solutions for
Remote Communities: Cookstoves and MicroHydroelectric Systems
Aileen Daley1, Alan Rossner1
1
Approximately half of the world's population is routinely exposed to
airborne particulate matter from cookstoves (World Health Organization).
Particulate matter produced by cookstoves contributes to respiratory health
problems, as well as environmental issues, including deforestation and the
recent increase of global temperatures. There is a significant body of
literature that discusses the link between cookstoves and each of these
concerns. To fully understand the impact of two billion cookstoves, one
needs to comprehend the implications that arise from their use and the
previous research conducted on the topic. In May of 2015, a class of ten
students and two professors from Clarkson University visited the
Dominican Republic. The group traveled to Angostura, a small community
of about 300 people located in the Central Mountain Range of the
Dominican Republic and stayed in the village’s EcoLodge, hosted by a
Peace Corps volunteer. The purpose of the trip was to examine the
community’s exposure to particulate from cookstoves and to assess their
micro-hydroelectric systems, small scale systems that use flowing water to
generate electricity. The micro-hydros provide access to electricity 24/7
for Angostura and surrounding communities. This provides an extension to
“daylight hours” that can be used by children to do their homework as well
as refrigeration of food which is a biotechnologies for improving health in
developing nations.
Mentor: Dr. Alan Rossner, Institute for a Sustainable Environment,
Clarkson University
11:30am-12:30pm
Snell 175
36
Novel Proteomic Techniques to Identify Potential
Biomarkers for Early Detection of Breast Cancer
Xulan Deng1, Roshanak Aslebagh1, Costel C. Darie1
1
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
Mammography and biopsy are commonly used for early detection of breast
cancer. However, biopsy is invasive and mammography can produce false
negatives. Biomarkers, on the other hand, can potentially increase the accuracy
of breast cancer early detection. Here we use breast milk to identify a protein
biomarker signature. We will then monitor these protein markers within the
blood of the same donor and investigate applying these markers to the blood of
other women. This way, we can translate markers from lactating women to all
women. To accomplish this, we will use a proteomics-based approach, using
biochemical fractionation, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics analysis. I
have obtained essential techniques for sample analysis including protein
separation by gel electrophoresis, peptide extraction, and trypsin digestion, and
now I am analyzing breast milk samples. If successful, our research will help
develop a more accurate and less invasive method of breast cancer early
detection.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Kelly Wormwood 1, Devika Channaveerappa1 for
helping me with lab performance.
Mentor: Dr. Costel C. Darie, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular
Science, Clarkson University
3 rd Floor Hallway
10-11:30 am
37
Generation of Novel Artificial Fingerprint Design
Samantha Denning1, David Yambay2, Dr. Stephanie
Schuckers2
1
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Clarkson
University
2
[email protected]
Using a variety of materials we examine ways to replicate different aspects of
human fingerprints, including color, texture, and clarity of design. The objective
of this project is to produce artificial fingerprints that high-tech scanners cannot
distinguish from living human fingerprints in order to create software that can
detect these artificial or spoof fingerprints. Recently we have focused primarily
on matching the color and texture of human fingerprints using a base of gelatin
and silicone compounds. We have used a variety of different powders and dyes
to create a product. We have also tested different techniques of pouring the
molds to create distinct effects in the colors of the spoofs. We have successfully
created spoofs that model human skin color as well as bypass security on some
commercial systems.
Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the Center for Identity Technology
and Research for funding this project.
Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Schuckers, Department of Electrical & Computer
Engineering, Clarkson University
Material Science and Signal Processing Poster #22 3 rd Floor Hallway
10-11:30am
38
Localization Utilizing Echolocation on Android
Devices
Thomas H. DePue1, Robert Newman1, Mahesh K. Banavar1
1
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
The purpose of this research is to determine distances to objects and characterize
the nature of the objects using the built-in microphone and speaker of Android
devices. A simple echolocation approach is taken. A signal is transmitted,
reflects off of an object and is then received and cross correlated. The velocity
of sound propagation is known and the time it takes to receive the reflected
signal is obtained through the cross correlation. With these two values, a
distance to the object is estimated. The application allows users to adjust
parameters such as signal length, shape, and frequency. The implementation of
various waveforms and signal shaping were developed using JAVA. Currently,
this research is entering the data collection phase where data points will be
acquired in a variety of spaces. Spatial profiles will be generated from the data
followed by statistical analysis to categorize these rooms by their acoustic
properties. Applications include testing the effectiveness of spatial treatments,
and space assessments for the visually impaired.
Acknowledgements: This work is supported in part by the NSF award DUE
1525224
Mentor: Dr. Mahesh K. Banavar, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering, Clarkson University.
References:
[1] T. DePue. R. Newman, M.K. Banavar, P.D. Curtis, T. Yang, D. Barry, A.
Spanias, W. Watkins, “An Android App for Spatial Acoustic Analysis as a
Learning Tool,” IEEE FIE 2016 (abstract accepted)
Material Science and Signal Processing Poster #20
10-11:30 am
Sensors and Signal Processing
Snell 169
3rd Floor Hallway
11:30anm-12:30pm
39
The Design and Testing of a Pneumatic Prosthesis
with Energy Transfer Methods
James C. Elmer1
1
Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering,
Clarkson University
[email protected]
For years, prosthetic companies have been manufacturing prosthetics specific to
a certain limb. A fair percentage of amputees need more than one prosthetic, for
example transfemoral amputees. The need for a knee as well as ankle system
increases the likelihood of inefficiencies between the designs, as both
prosthetics need to interact during a walking cycle to produce a smooth and
efficient gait pattern. On a human being, each muscle and group of muscles
cooperates in order to produce efficient motor function and movement. With
prosthetics, systems generally aren’t able to communicate on nearly the same
level. This is becoming an issue especially in lower limb prosthetics, where
overall efficiency and gait mimicry suffer. Amputees commonly find themselves
needing to charge batteries on their prosthetics every few hours, a process that
makes use unpractical for active systems. In particular, this research focused on
designing a system for mechanical transfer of energy between knee and ankle
prosthetics. Pneumatic systems are easily convertible to a power sharing system
where tubes and a small actuator control the movement of air back and forth
between systems. It is expected that by connecting pneumatic cylinders the
efficiency of the overall system will increase substantially.
Mentor: Professor Kevin Fite, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical
Engineering at Clarkson University
Biomedical Devices
Snell 169
9-10am
40
Assessing the Viability of Small Scale Anaerobic
Digester Systems
Peter R. Faulkner1
1
Department of Chemical Engineering, Clarkson University
[email protected]
A single-phase, plug flow anaerobic digester for dairy manure has been
retrofitted and operated at the Cornell Coop Extension in Canton, NY to serve as
a research tool and demonstration aid for current and future farmers. The
operation of this reactor, fed by scraped dairy manure, was compared with
literature describing the performance of larger systems. Additionally, the gas
production, COD removal, energy demand, and solids content change was
examined over a period of several months as the reactor temperature dropped
from about 35˚C (optimum mesophilic range) to about 25˚C.
Mentor: Dr. Stefan J. Grimberg, Department of Civil & Environmental
Snell 175
9-10am
41
New Anticancer Transferrin-Doxorubicin Conjugates
Dakota Folmsbee1, Dr. Artem Melman1
1
Department of Chemistry, Clarkson University
[email protected]
This protein drug conjugate exploits endocytotic internalization of iron-binding
transferrin protein targeted drug delivery system to cancer cells. Transferrin was
used as a delivery vehicle for doxorubicin cytotoxic payload using a Fe 2+
triggered release by specially designed cyclic peroxide linker. Transferrindoxorubicin conjugate is bound by transferrin receptors and transported into the
cell through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Upon the uptake, the Fe3+ cations
are released from transferrin and reduced to Fe2+, which cleaves the peroxide
linker and releases free doxorubicin into the cancer cell. Biological
investigation of the synthesized conjugates is being conducted by the group of
Prof Margarida Barroso at Albany Medical College.
Acknowledgements: Summer research was supported by the Walsh Fellowship.
Mentor: Dr. Artem Melman, Department of Chemistry, Clarkson University
3rd Floor Hallway
10-11:30am
42
Numerical Simulation of an Electrospray Thruster
Ion Emission and Extraction Region
Sergio Gallucci1, Natalya Brikner2
1
Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University
2
Accion Systems, Inc.
[email protected]
Electrospray propulsion is a contemporary type of thruster technology that
electrostatically drives particles through a porous emitter and through an
extractor grid without need of a pump. Although electrospray has been validated
in stand-alone thruster design, numerical analysis of the particular porous
emitter system that is used in the Accion Systems and MIT-developed iEPS
system utilizing ionic salts has not been conducted. An experimental procedure
was developed for potential work analyzing impingement of EMI-BF4 on
common spacecraft surface materials. A numerical model of the extraction
region of the iEPS was created in order to explore the correlation between
extraction region space charge buildup and downstream plumes in electrospray
systems. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to create an electrostatic field, which
was compared to various contemporary methods of developing Laplacian fields
in electrospray systems. Good agreement was found between COMSOL,
analytical, and other numerical methods of defining electrospray systems.
Propellant trajectories were then solved for through first-principles
characterization of particle motion using electric fields. This electric field and
electrodynamic motion model for the electrospray system can be used
comparison with future space charge-compliant propellant motion analyses.
Acknowledgements: Drs. Natalya Brikner and Parisa Mirbod’s mentorship and
assistance in working on this project, and the Honors Program and McNair
Scholars programs’ sponsorship of this research during Summer Research was
also invaluable.
Mentor: Dr. Natalya Brikner, CEO, Accion Systems, Inc.
Space and Aerospace Engineering
Snell 112
9-10am
43
Zeolite and Struvite as Potential Ammonia Removal
and Recovery Processes in Anaerobic Digestion
Anni Balbian1, Jojo Burridge1, Nicole Carfi1, Emily Gonthier1,
Jelena Hadina1, Amy Hait1, Erin Hughes1, Courtney
Nerbonne1, Ryan Rauhut1, Erin Ryan1, Haodong Zhao
1
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
Over 30 million tons of food waste are buried in landfills throughout the United
States every year (U.S. EPA, 2016). Due to non-ideal conditions, the food waste
in landfills decomposes very slowly, and produces methane, a potent greenhouse
gas which is typically vented into the atmosphere. In an effort to divert food
waste from landfills and instead turn food waste into a viable energy source,
Clarkson University has implemented a functioning pilot scale two-stage
anaerobic digester on campus that converts food waste to methane gas. The
digester is fed between one and two hundred pounds of food waste every day
and has the capacity to receive more than three times that amount. Presently,
excess ammonia in the second stage of Clarkson University’s anaerobic food
digester is causing ammonia inhibition during methanogenesis, reducing overall
biogas production. The purpose of this study is to create an ammonia removal
and recovery process that will remove approximately 85 percent of ammonia
from the digester in order to increase the magnitude of biogas production as well
as produce an ammonia fertilizer to be used on campus grounds. Zeolite
absorption and struvite precipitation were investigated as potential solutions to
ammonia inhibition in the digester.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016). “Turning Food Waste into
Energy at the East Bay Municipal Utility District.” Environmental Protection
Agency. Retrieved from:
https://www3.epa.gov/region9/waste/features/foodtoenergy/food-waste.html
Mentor: Dr. Stefan Grimberg, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Clarkson University and Kevin Hickey, CHA
Environmental Sciences Poster #11
Peterson Board Room
10-11:30 am
44
Collaborative Learning Models
Leah Granger1,2, Dr. Joseph Skufca1
1
2
Department of Mathematics, Clarkson University
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
Group-based learning provides an alternative learning environment to traditional
lecture-based instruction. Previous studies have shown statistically signiﬁcant
improvements in academic achievement as well as positive effects in attitudes
towards learning and retention in STEM programs. To better understand how to
maximize the beneﬁts of group learning, we investigate the impact of group
composition on individual achievement. Using mathematical models created in
MATLAB, we simulate learning curves for theoretical individuals described by
parameters representing their knowledge levels and abilities to learn. We
analyze the effectiveness of a group’s composition based on performance
relative to other compositions while controlling various learning parameters. We
present visual representations of the simulation results and compare group
learning to independent learning.
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Skufca, Department of Mathematics, Clarkson University
Math and Computer Science
Snell 177
9-10am
45
Using Direct Feedback from Pollutant Sensors to
Improve IAQ for a Tribal Community
Haley Grassi1, Dr. Andrea Ferro1, Angela Benedict2, Julia
Jacobs2
1
University
2
Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, Akwesasne, NY
[email protected]
A direct feedback approach utilizing real-time, indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors
was piloted at the homes of forty residents of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in
Akwesasne, NY to reduce exposures to indoor particulate matter (PM). Baseline
concentrations of PM, temperature, relative humidity, carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide, and total volatile organic compounds were measured in each home. An
intervention followed which included a home audit and tailored mitigation
strategies generated from the baseline IAQ data and audit. Throughout the study,
participants tracked activities taking place in the home in a diary which enabled
specific activities to be correlated with levels of PM and other pollutants.
Analysis of the data compared pre- and post-intervention levels of IAQ
concentrations. The difference between pre- and post-intervention PM was not
found to be statistically significant, but the difference was statistically
significant for VOCs. Through the study, critical IAQ problems, such as leaking
stoves, in several homes were remedied. The participants provided input at the
conclusion of the study through an exit survey which showed that the
personalized abatement strategies provided through the intervention were
helpful and the direct feedback from the monitors was valued. This intervention
strategy proved useful in achieving improvements in IAQ.
Acknowledgements: This research was supported by the EPA Region 2
Environmental Justice Program.
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Ferro, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Clarkson University
Snell 175
9-10 am
46
A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Feminine
Hygiene Products
Amy Hait1, Dr. Susan Powers2
1
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering,
Clarkson University
2
[email protected]
Feminine hygiene products are widely used for sanitary menstruation, yet their
environmental and health impacts remain largely unknown. A Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA) approach was utilized in this work to develop a holistic
analysis of the impacts of these products, in order to provide a recommendation
to consumers and policy makers. This study investigated sanitary pads, tampons,
and menstrual cups throughout their life cycles from “cradle” to “grave” to
develop a comprehensive comparison of feminine hygiene products. The life
cycle of each product was identified and the mass and energy flows at each stage
quantified. The impact of these mass and energy flows will be quantified in
several environmental and human health impact categories. Interpretation will
occur throughout this iterative LCA methodology to focus the analysis and in
order to compare the impacts of each product. Preliminary results include the
identified life cycles of each product, the weight and materials of each product,
and the impact of some processes and materials. Now that this analysis has been
framed and some preliminary impacts quantified, future work will focus on
quantifying all flows and impacts for each product, the impact of those flows,
and comparing the overall impact of each product.
Mentor: Dr. Susan Powers, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson
University
10-11:30am
Peterson Board Room
47
The Socio-Motivational Antecedents and SelfRegulatory Consequences of Psychopathy
Annie Helfgott1, Dr. Lisa Legault1
1
[email protected]
Psychopathy is a personality disorder associated with poor impulse control,
including antisocial and violent behavior, as well as low anxiety and remorse.
Although the psychopathic personality trait has been linked to impulsive
behavioral patterns, very little research has focused on the cognitive link
between the psychopathic personality style and basic self-control processes (i.e.,
executive function). This research had two major aims: 1) to better understand
the mechanisms involved in the link between psychopathy and self-control, and
2) to explore the social and motivational antecedents of psychopathy. This work
was conducted in 2 major phases. In Phase 1, associations among social support,
psychological need-thwarting, and psychopathy were assessed using a series of
questionnaires administered to 483 participants from Clarkson University and
the general American public. In Phase 2, 105 undergraduates scoring in the
upper and lower quartiles of subclinical psychopathy completed a self-control
task while brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). In
line with our hypotheses, results showed that poor social support was associated
with psychopathy. Importantly, this effect was mediated by the thwarting of
basic psychological needs. Moreover, neuropsychological differences in brainmediated self-control were examined, for those high and low in psychopathy.
Results are discussed in terms of the social and neural correlates of psychopathic
personality traits.
Mentor: Dr. Lisa Legault, Department of Psychology, Clarkson University
Psychology and Education
Snell 214
9-10am
48
Characterization of Antimicrobial Peptides: Physical
Structure, Cytotoxicity, and Membrane Localization
Maureen Hoen1, Dawei Xu2, Brendan Elmore3, Dr. He Dong2
1
2
University
3
[email protected]
Over the past few decades, bacterial resistance towards antibiotics has become a
greater health concern due to the declining effectiveness of antibiotic treatments.
As a result, research on an alternative method of treatment, antimicrobial
peptides (AMPs), is being conducted to replace or enhance antibiotic
therapeutics. The purpose of this research is to characterize the secondary
structures of two AMPs, analyze their killing effectiveness on various bacteria,
and understand their membrane localization of mammalian eukaryotic cells. The
bacteria under analysis include gram negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii, as well as gram positive
Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, each of which is known
for its robust antibiotic resilience. The focus of this project is on peptides
K3W(QL)6K2and WK3(QL)6K2. Upon incubation of peptides in bacteria
solutions, the minimum inhibitory concentration at which peptides halt bacteria
growth was found. From this, peptide morphology determined by
characterization studies was correlated to individual peptide effectiveness in the
killing of various bacteria. Additionally membrane localization tests were
completed for both AMPs to understand their ability to selectively target
bacteria over mammalian cells.
Mentor: Dr. He Dong, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science,
Clarkson University
Snell 129
9-10am
49
Characterizing Users in Large Scale Open Source
Repositories
Matthew Inkawhich1, Eric Sognefest2, Dr. Sean Banerjee1
1
University
2
Department of Computer Science, Clarkson University
Tracking bug reports is one of the best practices in the software maintenance.
Average users and developers alike submit problem reports on observed failures
within the software system. Despite the large differences in user expertise and
familiarity with the application system, problem reporting systems, such as
Bugzilla, rely on a single interface for all submitters. In this research we explore
the fundamental differences between users who have submitted a single problem
report in their entire lifetime, and users who are categorized as core developers.
We investigate the differences by using a lifetime of problem reports from the
Eclipse dataset consisting of 487,119 reports from the inception of the project
until February 3, 2016. We demonstrate that the majority of reports in Eclipse
are submitted by a small core group of users. We show that one time submitters
submit lengthy reports that do not describe actual problems. One time reports
also have limited social interactions in terms of comments by other users. On the
other hand, core developers submit shorter reports describing actual issues that
are commented on by multiple other users. We are currently investigating
whether these effects hold in other large scale repositories such as RedHat and
Novell.
Mentor: Dr. Sean Banerjee (Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering, Clarkson University)
Snell 177
9-10am
50
The Role of Humility in Reducing Implicit Race Bias
Kayla Jurchak1, Lisa Legault1
1
[email protected]
Humble people tend to display respectfulness, modesty, willingness to admit
imperfections, and a lack of self-focus or self-serving biases (Emmons, 2000;
Exline et al., 2004). This research is the first to investigate whether humility
plays a role in reducing intergroup bias. In study 1, a questionnaire was
administered to 349 Clarkson undergraduates measuring associations between
trait humility and various indicators of prejudice, including racism, sexism, and
social dominance orientation (i.e., the tendency to view some groups as
inferior). Those high in humility were less racist and less sexist than those low
in humility, even after controlling for beliefs about social dominance. In study 2,
we employed the first direct experimental manipulation of humility and assessed
its impact on racial bias. Clarkson undergraduates (N=161) were asked to reflect
on either a personal strength or personal weakness and then automatic racial bias
was measured using a reaction time task. Those who reflected on personal
weaknesses showed significantly less implicit bias than those who reflected on
personal strengths, even after controlling for the effect of negative mood.
Results offer the first glimpse into the important role of humility in reducing
prejudice, and offer practical strategies to directly increase state humility.
Mentor: Dr. Lisa Legault, Department of Psychology, Clarkson University
Peterson Board Room
10-11:30am
51
Disruption of Notch Receiving Secretory Cells within
the Intestinal Epithelium to Investigate the Changes
of Development
Michelle Kelley1, Natalie Hoke1, Kenneth Wallace1
1
[email protected]
Proliferation at the base of the crypt or fold and movement of epithelial
intestinal cells up the villi or folds makes the digestive system one of the
quickest self- renewing tissues in the body. The polarity of the epithelium and
cell to cell signaling are critical for proper digestion and movement of molecules
into and out of the intestine. The disruption of the specific secretory cell types at
the base of the zebrafish folds can have an effect on the proliferation rate of the
cells and the polarity of the epithelium. Our research focuses on the disruption
of the epithelial polarity by interrupting development of secretory cells, which
receive Notch signaling. Notch signaling will be disrupted using either the
gamma secretase inhibitor DAPT or the activation of the DN MAML transgenic
construct, which prevents activation of Notch target genes. We will observe
changes in epithelial polarity using a Rab11a transgenic construct fused to the
fluorescent EGFP molecule. Rab11a specifically labels recycling endosomes,
which are localized to the apical membrane in epithelial cells. If epithelial
polarity is disrupted in these experiments, endocytic vesicles containing Rab11a
will no longer be concentrated at the apical membrane. Fish containing the
Rab11a construct were genotyped by fin clipping followed by PCR. Embryos
were then collected from Rab11a positive adults for these experiments. The
change in polarity and its effects can later be applied to the study of
development of human intestinal epithelium and corresponding genetic
conditions.
Mentor: Kenneth Wallace, Department of Biology, Clarkson University
Snell 129
11:30am-12:30pm
52
Design and Development of a Particle Detection
System for Use in a Micro Resuspension Wind Tunnel
Christopher A. LaDuca1
1
Clarkson University
[email protected]
Aerosol particles affect climate change, the environment, and human health. To
study these effects, measurement instrumentation is used to collect necessary
data. A new micro resuspension wind tunnel has been designed and built at
Clarkson University for use with aerosol resuspension research. Particles are
seeded on a substrate on the tunnel floor and then are introduced to turbulent
flow. To properly collect data within the tunnel, a detection system is required to
count the particles as they are removed from the substrate. The detection system
has been designed to use a diode laser and two lenses to create a light sheet that
spans the width of the wind tunnel perpendicular to the flow. As the resuspended
particles pass through the light sheet, they scatter the laser light. This scattered
light is then picked up by photodiodes and converted to a current. These current
bursts are amplified and measured to determine how many particles have been
lifted from the substrate. The data collected by the wind tunnel and detection
system will be used to better understand the resuspension of aerosol particles
under various turbulent flow, shear velocity, and material conditions.
Mentors: Prof. Suresh Dhaniyala, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical
Snell 169
11:30am-12:30pm
53
Development of a Glycolipid-Containing Nanoparticle
Vaccine to facilitate iNKT Cell Activation
Mitchell Laughlin1, Rachel Fromme1,2, Olivia Durham2, Dr.
Devon Shipp2, Dr. Elizabeth Leadbetter3
1
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science
3
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
2
Invariant Natural Killer T cells (iNKT cells) are a subset of T cells that rapidly
provide cognate and non-cognate help for B cell activation. iNKT cells are
unique in that they are activated by glycolipids held in non-polymorphic CD1d
antigen presenting molecules. Understanding iNKT cell activation will unlock a
potentially new, dose sparing vaccine delivery mechanism. Encapsulating
glycolipid in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles facilitates
uptake by antigen presenting cells and elicits greater iNKT cell activation in
vitro and in vivo as compared to the same dose of soluble glycolipid. The main
objective of this project is to effectively encapsulate and deliver glycolipid to
produce a strong immunological response against a co-delivered B cell antigen.
A serotype specific immune response can be achieved by adding a bacterialderived polysaccharide with the PLGA polymer during nanoparticle synthesis. A
foreseeable application involves vaccinating against all 90+ serotypes of
Streptococcus pneumonia in a single dose.
Mentors:
Dr. Devon Shipp, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson
Unviersity and Dr. Elizabeth Leadbetter, Trudeau Institute/The University of
Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
3rd Floor Hallway
10-11:30am
54
The Accuracy of Activity Monitors with Healthy
Individuals with Regard to Step Count
Bayley LeCours1, Harold Lee2, Dr. George Fulk1, Dr. Ying He2
1
Department of Physical Therapy, Clarkson University
2
[email protected]
Activity monitors (AM) have the potential to assist users in increasing their
physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of 7
different AM in estimating steps. Healthy volunteers (n=120) wore 6 different
AM (Misfit Shine, Basis B1 Band, Garmin Vivofit, Nike+ Fuelband SE, Fitbit
Zip, and Runtastic application on an iTouch) which estimated steps taken in 3
conditions: self-pace 6MWT, fast pace 6MWT, and while in the community for
4 hours. Participants were videotaped during the two 6MWTs from which actual
steps taken were counted, and wore a StepWatch Activity Monitor (research
grade activity monitor) while in the community. Steps estimated by the AM
were compared to the criterion measures to determine accuracy using ICC [2,1]
and Bland-Altman analyses. ICC2,1 comparing estimated to actual steps taken
ranged from 0.215 (Runtastic) to 0.901 (Fitbit) during the self-pace 6MWT; 0.02
(Garmin) to 0.755 (Fitbit) during the fast-pace 6MWT; and 0.698 (Nike) to
0.916 (Fitbit) while in the community. Mean absolute difference between actual
steps taken and AM estimated steps ranged from 83.77 steps (Nike) to -1.26
steps (Fitbit) during the self-pace 6MWT, 1,112.4 steps (Runtastic) to 9.6 steps
(Fitbit), and 1,110.27 steps (Nike) to 242.52 steps (Garmin) while in the
community. The accuracy of the AM used in this study were generally quite low
under three different walking conditions. The degree of accuracy in AMs
necessary to support behavioral change to increase physical activity is not
known. The Fitbit Zip demonstrated the greatest accuracy among the different
AMs in the 3 different conditions.
1.
2.
3.
Lyons EJ, Lewis ZH, Mayrsohn BG, Rowland JL. Behavior change techniques
implemented in electronic lifestyle activity monitors: A systematic content analysis. J
Med Internet Res. 2014;16(8):1.
Bai Y, Welk G, Nam Y, et al. Comparison of consumer and research monitors under
semistructured settings. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016.
Tully MA, McBride C, Heron L, Hunter RF. The validation of fitbit zip physical activity
monitor as a measure of free-living physical activity. BMC Res Notes. 2014;7(952).
Mentor: Dr. George Fulk, Department of Physical Therapy, Clarkson University
Biomedical Devices
Snell 169
9-10am
55
The Birds Were Right: Reducing Induced Drag with
Spanwise Cambering
Michael W. Lee1
1
Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University
[email protected]
This study investigates the potential of nonplanar wings with a reduced
projected span to perform better than planar wings with the same planform area.
Existing research is contradictory regarding if and how a reduced-span
configuration could increase the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing. This
inconclusiveness stems from the lack of design standardization between research
studies. The current study has developed and validated a standardized design
methodology to help focus future nonplanar research. Inviscid analysis of
nonplanar planforms helped identify trends in pressure distribution and induced
drag at specific lift coefficients. The vortex-lattice method code Tornado was
modified to run multiple wing geometries and analyze trends in wing
performance. The numerical results indicated that wings with a downward
spanwise camber can be more efficient than planar wings or wings with an
upward camber. The amount of wing that is planar, designated the planar
fraction, was found to influence the tip dihedral angle necessary to maximize the
lift to induced-drag ratio. Five aerodynamically comparable wing geometries
were then further analyzed with NASA Langley’s unstructured Navier-Stokes
solver USM3D. These numerical results verified the predictive capabilities of
Tornado within certain error bounds. This methodology can yield nonplanar
wings with effective spans greater than their projected spans, and can also yield
a set of wings that are all aerodynamically comparable.
Acknowledgements: B. Helenbrook and T. Ge are acknowledged for their
guidance and support throughout this research. Appreciation is extended to T.
Melin, original Tornado author. P. Spalart and D. McLean are thanked for their
aerodynamics expertise. Financial support from the Clarkson University Honors
Program and National Grid are acknowledged and greatly appreciated.
Mentor: Dr. Kenneth D. Visser, Clarkson University
Snell 112
9-10am
56
Investigating Selective Membrane and Struvite
Precipitation Technology for Ammonia Removal in
Anaerobic Digestion
Peter Faulkner2, Taylor Glidden1, Haley Grassi1, Ryan Haller1,
Taylor Lenney2, Alex Page1, Michael Pleskach1, Alexandra
Rowe1, Dakota Tarbell1, Elizabeth Wos1, Dr. Stefan
Grimberg1, Kevin Hickey3
1
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Clarkson
University
2
3
CHA Consulting Inc., Albany, NY
[email protected]
Food waste constitutes the largest fraction of material (21%) disposed in
landfills in the United States. Current landfill management practices address
issues such as gaseous emissions reduction, leachate transport, and diminishing
capacity. However, other strategies exist that can mitigate landfill concerns prior
to disposal in a landfill, such as material recovery. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is
a useful material diversion strategy that eliminates the disposal of 37 million
tons of food waste in the U.S. to landfills each year. Clarkson University
operates a pilot-scale anaerobic digester that treats otherwise landfill-bound food
waste by conversion to biogas energy. Previous studies have shown that
ammonia, a by-product of anaerobically digested nitrogen, inhibits the biogas
production potential in AD systems. In order to optimize the efficiency of
Clarkson’s system and promote widespread adoption of this useful technology,
an effective nitrogen removal and recovery method must be integrated into the
campus digester. In this study, senior design students have been tasked with
researching, testing, and designing ammonia removal mechanisms for potential
implementation into Clarkson’s anaerobic digester. The two processes under
study are selective membranes and precipitation to struvite. The team’s
analytical results and proposed design will be presented at the conference.
Mentors: Dr. Stefan Grimberg, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Clarkson University and Kevin Hickey (B.S., M.S.), CHA
Consulting Inc.
Snell 175
9-10am
57
Mechanisms Underlying the Attentional Bias towards
Threats to the Body
Nick Liszczynskyj1, Jonas Ebert1, Kate Wolf1
1
[email protected]
Previous work from this laboratory suggests that the attentional bias towards
threats to the body (e.g., pain) is mediated by somatic threat detectors located in
the dorsal posterior insula. These studies also suggest that the threat detectors
can be sensitized to non-painful somatic stimuli given in a pain-context. Our
modeling studies support the threat detection hypothesis but also raise the
possibility that the attentional bias could be mediated by arousal. This
experiment investigated the threat detection and arousal hypotheses using a
cross-modal cuing study, where subjects performed cued electrical intensity
discrimination task and a color discrimination task. The attentional bias towards
the sural nerve stimuli was measured using task reaction times, and event-related
potentials (ERP) measured the threat detector activation. The ERP data indicates
that there was activation of threat detectors for non-painful electrical stimuli in
the pain context, but not the pain absent context. Likewise, the reaction time
data suggest an attentional bias towards the non-painful electrical stimuli in the
pain context but not the pain absent context. The attentional bias towards the
visual stimuli was the same in the pain and pain absent contexts. These
preliminary data supports the threat detection hypothesis.
Mentor: Dr. Robert Dowman, Department of Psychology, Clarkson University
Peterson Board Room
10-11:30am
58
PURC: Psychology Undergraduate Research Club
Josie Lydick1, Lindsey Schlaeg1, Jasmin Plaza1
1
[email protected]
The purpose of the Psychology Undergraduate Research Club (PURC) is to
provide additional opportunities for undergraduate students to gain experience
working in a research setting under the mentorship of a professor. These
experiences range anywhere from reading articles supporting their laboratory
topics to conducting in laboratory experiments. The goal of this organization is
to provide students with financial assistance in attending conferences with their
research mentor. This club is an opportunity for students to extend their
knowledge and prepare for a more professional career in psychology.
Acknowledgements: The Clarkson University psychology department staff
Mentor: Dr. Andreas Wilke, Department of Psychology, Clarkson University
Social Sciences Poster #31 Peterson Board Room 10-11:30am
59
Kevin Mack1, Mahesh K. Banavar1
1
University
[email protected]
The purpose of this research is to implement localization algorithms on Android
devices. In this study the received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of
Bluetooth signals from several devices are recorded. The distance to each device
can be estimated using the RSSI value (ranging). In order to ensure accurate
ranging a calibration step must first be implemented. The calibration step is
imperative to the localization algorithm because it allows for adaptation to
different testing environments and ranging independent of transmit power. Since
not all devices have the same Bluetooth hardware, the signal strength must be
tested at varying distances to establish a baseline for these measurements. The
ranging information is then used in conjunction with curve fitting constants in
the localization algorithm. The algorithm uses a least squares approach to
triangulate the target device. The output of the algorithm provides relative
positions of the target devices. Future work includes total implementation on
Android with different modes of operation. The first mode of operation is selflocalization where the target device is also the controller, while the second is a
surveillance mode where the target is localized by external devices.
Acknowledgements: This work is supported in part by the NSF CRII award
1464222.
Mentor: Dr. Mahesh K. Banavar, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering, Clarkson University
Material Science and Signal Processing Poster #17
10-11:30am
Snell 169
3 rd Floor Hall
11:30am-12:30pm
60
Structural Integrity Assessment of the OgdensburgPrescott International Bridge Using Multi-Hazard
Simulation
Julianna M. B. Makarsky1
1
University
[email protected]
American infrastructure is deteriorating at a significant rate, and is becoming a
growing concern for national, state, and local governments. Due to economic
difficulties, these municipalities lack sufficient funding to properly maintain
bridges and other structures. Current practices, such as regular visual
inspections, are an inefficient and oftentimes expensive method of assessing the
structural condition of a bridge. The purpose of this research was to present a
method of identifying critical sections of a bridge under various loading
conditions through extensive computational simulations. Using the OpenSees
computational framework, a simulated model of the bridge and its responses to
wind, vehicular, and seismic loading was to be produced. For this research, the
Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge was presented as a case study for this
method of identifying critical members. A finite element model of the bridge
was formed, and basic Eigen vector analysis was used to produce modal shapes
for various portions of the bridge. Although modal shapes were produced, the
accuracy of the model will need to be improved with future investigation.
Mentor: Dr. Narutoshi Nakata, Department of Civil and Environmental
Sensors and Signal Processing Snell 169
11:30am-12:30pm
61
Electrochemically Triggered DNA Release from a
Mixed-Brush Polymer Modified Electrode
Madeline Masi1, Dr. Maria Gamella1, Dr. Nataliia Guz1, Dr.
Evgeny Katz1
1
University
[email protected]
The controlled DNA release is important for many applications, including genedelivery therapy, biosensors, biochips, and biocomputing. Various methods of
signal-controlled DNA release have been reported. Electrochemically stimulated
release is particularly convenient and interesting due to its simplicity and
versatility. Single-stranded DNA molecules were loaded on the mixed
poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) / poly(methacrylic
acid) (PMMA) brush covalently attached to an indium tin oxide electrode on a
flexible support. The DNA deposition was performed when the polymer brush is
positively charged caused by protonation of tertiary amino groups in
PDMAEMA, thus resulting in electrostatic attraction of the negatively charged
DNA. The release process was carried out by applying -1.0 V potential,
resulting in the local pH increase and re-charging negatively the electrode
surface, thus repulsing/releasing DNA from the modified interface. The system
allows a non-destructive transition between positive and negative charges
corresponding to the load and release processes of DNA, respectively.
Acknowledgments: NSF awards # CBET--1403208, DMR-1107786 and DMR1309469.
Mentors: Dr. Maria Gamella, Dr. Nataliia Guz, Dr. Evgeny Katz, Department of
Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University
Materials Science
Snell 112
11:30am-12:30pm
62
Single Versus Multiple Social Stressors Differentially
Affects Blood Glucose Levels and Self-Regulation
Kara A. McTamaney1, Jennifer M. Knack1
1
[email protected]
We examined how a single social stressor versus multiple social stressors
impacted blood glucose levels and self-regulation in college students at Clarkson
University (N=109). Participants in the multiple social stressor condition were
told that they were likely to end up alone later in life, and then put through the
Cyberball exclusion task. Participants in the single social stressor condition were
told that they would either have a life filled with misfortune, or one filled with
belonging and then put through the cyberball exclusion task. Baseline health
measurements were taken three times throughout the experiment, along with
self-regulatory exercises. Experiencing a single social stressor versus multiple
caused blood glucose levels to be depleted, along with self-regulatory ability.
Mentors: Dr. Jennifer Knack, Clarkson University
Social Sciences Poster #25 Peterson Board Room 10-11:30am
63
Analysis of Energy Harvesters in Structural Health
Monitoring Systems on Building Structures
Sarah Miele1, Steven Wojtkiewicz1, James Gibert2
1
University
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
[email protected]
Sensors are used in the structural health monitoring field to detect defects in
structures. Wireless monitoring systems have become more popular since they
decrease many costs and risks associated with sensing in structures. Although
there has been a decrease in energy required to operate sensing technologies,
they still require a source of energy. For wireless sensors, this power source is
most commonly a battery. The lifetime of these sensors is limited by the
capacity of the battery. Energy harvesters are being implemented into sensing
systems to convert ambient energy, such as structural vibrations, into electric
potential to power the device. The three most common energy generators for
mechanical vibrations export electromagnetic, electrostatic, and piezoelectric
effects. Models from the harvesting systems currently do not analyze the long
term effects of the harvesters in the sensor systems directly incorporated on
building structures. Through modeling the location of an energy harvester on
different parts of a beam the project analyzes the effects of a piezoelectric
generator on a building.
Mentor: Dr. Steven Wojtkiewicz, Department of Civil and Environmental
Snell 169
11:30am-12:30pm
64
Facile Synthesis and Characterization of MnO2
Nanorods as a Supercapacitor Electrode Material
Jacob Misch1,2, Yucheng Zhao2, Chang-An Wang2
1
Clarkson University
2
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua
University
[email protected]
MnO2 nanomaterials were synthesized via calcinations in air at various
temperatures. Amorphous MnO2 masses appeared between 100°C and 300°C
and nanorods were formed above 400°C. Transmission and scanning electron
microscopy were used to observe the geometries of each material, with further
structural analyses conducted using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray
diffraction, and the BET method. The electrochemical properties were
investigated through galvanostatic charge cycling, electrochemical impedance
spectra, and cyclic voltammetry within a three-electrode test cell filled with 1
mol L-1 Na2SO4. The specific capacitances of each sample were calculated and
trends were identified that prove the samples synthesized at higher temperatures
exhibit poorer electrochemical behaviors, despite being theoretically superior.
The highest calculated specific capacitance was 175 F g-1 at a scan rate of 1
mVs-1 by the 400°C. However, the lower temperature samples exhibited more
favorable geometric properties and higher overall average specific capacitances.
Mentor: Dr. Chang-An Wang, School of Materials Science and Engineering,
Tsinghua University
Materials Science
Snell 112
11:30am-12:30pm
65
Polymer Particles Prepared by Radical Thiol–Ene
Dispersion Polymerization
Hannah Norton1, Olivia Durham1, Devon Shipp1
1
Chemistry and Biomolecular Science Department, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
We have demonstrated the successful synthesis of crosslinked polymer particles
using several alkene, alkyne and thiol monomers in radical thiol-ene and thiolyne dispersion polymerizations. In particular, we show that both thiol-ene and
thiol-yne reactions are suitable for dispersion polymerizations with methanol as
the reaction medium. In this system, the reaction medium is a good solvent for
the monomers and initiator but is a non-solvent for the polymer. We
demonstrate that photoinitiation, thermal initiation and redox initiation are all
possible for thiol-ene dispersion polymerizations. Here I plan to describe the
process of dispersion polymerization, as compared to similar heterogeneous
polymerizations systems such as suspensions or emulsions. I will also
demonstrate the impact of various parameters on the production of thiol-ene and
thiol-yne polymer particles. Polymer particles typically had diameters in the
range of several hundred nanometers, but had broad size distributions.
Photoinitiation yielded the smallest sizes due to the fast nucleation of particles
compared to redox and thermal initiation methods. Polymer particles produced
through dispersion polymerizations are useful for a variety of applications
including toners, material for chromatography columns, instrument calibration
standards, and biochemical analysis.
Acknowledgements: Olivia Durham and Devon Shipp, for teaching me all I
know about Polymer Chemistry, and really helping me grow as a student and
researcher. Thank you.
Mentors: Olivia Durham, Clarkson University and Dr. Devon Shipp,
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University
Material Science
Snell 112
11:30am-12:30pm
66
The Usability of a Humanoid Robot in a Special
Education Classroom
Kimberly Oakes1
1
Department of Electrical Engineering, Clarkson University
[email protected]
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a social and developmental disorder with
symptoms including difficulties with social interactions and learning some
academic skills. Special education classrooms often do not have enough adults
to provide the one-on-one attention that the students require. A tool which can
be used by higher functioning students could be beneficial. Academic skills
such as color recognition are typically taught and reinforced using flashcards.
The faculty working with the student will request a specific color and the
student responds by showing the correct card. This is an activity which a device
such as a robot could do effectively. It has been observed that students with
ASD enjoy interacting with technological devices such as robots which are
predictable and reliable. The robot used in this project is the NAO developed by
Aldebaran Robotics. NAO can interact verbally and has vision recognition
capability. The program created uses flashcards for interaction with the
humanoid robot. It focuses on reinforcing the skills of color, shape, number,
and uppercase letter recognition. The objective of the project was to create this
program and to make it as error resistant as possible. Some problems with motor
functionality were observed while the robot was plugged in but the reliability of
the vision recognition was high.
Mentor: Dr. James Carroll, Department of Electrical Engineering, Clarkson
University
Snell 214
9-10am
67
Genetically Modified Organism Policies: How and
Why the EU and USA May Approach This Topic
Differently
Lilianna Orndorff1
1
[email protected]
The intent of the research done is to analyze the different approaches to
environmental policy in first world countries that differ slightly in economic and
political systems. The research is utilizing policies surrounding genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) to illustrate the countries differing approaches. The
United States and the European Union were chosen due to their almost identical
standards of living and economic standing. The U.S. and EU have varied
methods of approach to environmental policy nevertheless and it will be argued
that this is due to the weight capitalism has within the political and economic
structures of this country and union of countries. The socialist influence within
the EU will also be relevant in regards to their use of the precautionary
principle.
Mentor: Dr. Stephen Bird, Associate Professor of Political Science
Snell 175
11:30am-12:30pm
68
Bicycle Wheel Aerodynamics: A Biomimetic
Application of Leading Edge Tubercles to Yawed
Racing Cycle Wheels
Kyle Pollak1,2, Dr. Byron Erath1
1
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Clarkson University
2
[email protected]
Humpback whales are a peculiar species of whale in the sense that they utilize a
high degree of maneuverability to capture prey. Whereas other large baleen
whales swim in a straight line to catch food, humpback whales will roll and dive
quickly in order to capture large groups of herring to consume. The Humpback
whale owes this high degree of maneuverability to leading edge protuberances
called tubercles on their pectoral flippers. Studies of these structures have
revealed that while they do not decrease drag in unpitched flow, they do delay
the onset of stall to higher angles of attack. While this attribute assists the whale
in maneuvering, there are also many other potential applications for this
technology. These leading edge protuberances have been used to increase the
performance of turbine fan blades and show promise in application to aircraft
wings. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of tubercle
technology on the aerodynamics of racing bicycle wheels. A computational
study of a wheel with tubercles on the inside surface of the rim was conducted to
determine if the aerodynamic efficiency of the wheel is improved when
compared to a control wheel without tubercles.
Mentor: Dr. Byron Erath, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clarkson
University
Snell 112
9-10am
69
Novel Magnetic Composite Materials: Metal-Organic
Frameworks as Hosts for Molecular Nanomagnets
Joshua Pyser1, Katrina Lane1, Alex Harley1
1
Clarkson University Functional Materials Design & X-Ray
Diffraction Laboratory
[email protected]
The materials currently used for data storage are rapidly approaching their limits
(meaning we will no longer be able to store more information in increasingly
smaller spaces with the current technologies). Therefore, new and smaller
materials are in high demand. Nanomagnets, such as single molecule magnets
(SMMs) and single chain magnets (SCMs), are an intriguing solution to this
problem as they could potentially increase data storage capacities thousands of
times. However, these materials are delicate and need to be contained in a type
of nanostructure in order to make them possibly viable for data storage.
Currently, we are investigating metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are
crystalline porous materials built from metal clusters connected by polytopic
organic linkers, to act as a host structure for these nanomagnets. Loading the
nanomagnets into the pores of the MOF would allow for the individual
molecules and/or chains to be separated from one another, as well as providing
protection for them. Hopefully, this technique can eventually be used to produce
a macroscopic material with the intent to increase data storage capacities.
Acknowledgements: Mario Wriedt, Darpan Aulakh, Clarkson Startup Fund
Mentor: Mario Wriedt, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science,
Clarkson University
Material Science and Signal Processing Poster #19 3 rd Floor Hallway
10-11:30am
70
Battery System Monitoring and Alert System using
LabVIEW
Annina Quarantello1
1
Department of Civil Engineering, Clarkson University
[email protected]
Battery storage has great potential for eliminating intermittency issues with
renewable electricity generation. Advances and developments in battery
technology and system use will have significant impacts on promoting greater
use of renewables. This project focuses on working with a battery management
system which is used to monitor a battery storage system. It is an applied project
in further developing and testing the LabVIEW Virtual Instrument to improve
its functionality in times of system failures or concerns. The outcome of this
project is to have the VI, which currently monitors real-time data coming from
the battery system, recognize certain conditions that are harmful to the system
and send email alerts. This should create greater reliability of the battery system
and promote the use of this technology.
Acknowledgements: Positive Energies, The Institute for a Sustainable
Environment
Mentor: Dr. Thomas H. Ortmeyer, Department of Electrical Engineering,
Clarkson University
Materials Science and Signal Processing Poster #18 3rd Floor Hallway
10-11:30am
71
Application of Thin-Layer Chromatography and
Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles for the Identification
and Quantification of Food Antioxidants
Ryan Rauhut1, Gonca Bulbul2, Dr. Erica Sharpe3, Dr. Silvana
Andreescu*2
1
University
2
University
3
School of Science, Health & Criminal Justice, State University of
New York at Canton
Antioxidants are important chemicals produced by the body and found in the
human diet that have frequently been investigated for their potential health
benefits. The health benefit associated with consuming antioxidant rich foods
has created a demand for accurate methods of identification and quantification
of common antioxidants. The primary objective of this research is to develop a
new portable antioxidant assay that improves on existing methods by both
separating and quantifying the antioxidants in a sample. The established
technique of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is investigated as a separation
technique with the addition of cerium oxide nanoparticles as a color indicator
capable of being used for antioxidant quantification. The application of cerium
oxide to antioxidant analysis is a relatively new approach with little
documentation of its use in modern literature, thus highlighting its need for
further investigation. Results indicate antioxidants can be successfully separated
using thin-layer chromatography and quantified using cerium oxide
nanoparticles with the quality of separation dictated by the developing solvent
and binding potential of compounds to the adsorbent material on the TLC plate
surface.
Mentor: Dr. Silvana Andreescu, Department of Chemistry, Clarkson University
and Dr. Erica Sharpe, School of Science, Health & Criminal Justice, State
University of New York at Canton
Snell 129
9-10am
72
Operationalizing Cultural Competence in the Rural
Free Clinic Setting
Scotlynne Rieder1, Dr. Christopher Morris2
1
2
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
“Cultural competency” is popular in medicine but the concept is ambiguous and
not easily translated to clinical practice. The purpose of this research is to
answer two questions: What is cultural competence in practice and how do
clinicians operationalize this ambiguous yet prevalent concept in practice?
Drawing upon six weeks of ethnographic field research in three free medical
clinics in rural South Carolina, I explore how clinicians frame and define
cultural competency, the potential rationalities behind these definitions, and the
implications of clinicians’ specific operationalization of cultural competence. I
demonstrate that, in the rural free clinic setting, clinicians operationalize cultural
competence by de-emphasizing ambiguous cultural factors and emphasizing
tangible social factors in health, including patient socioeconomic status and
clinician-patient communication. In this way, free clinic providers modify the
traditional definition of cultural competency in order to recognize the interaction
of human biology and social environment to complement medical practice.
Mentor: Dr. Christopher Morris, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Clarkson University
Snell 214
9-10am
73
Development and Use of Mathematical Models and
Software Frameworks for Integrated Analysis of
Agricultural Systems and Associated Water Use
Impacts
Andrés Rivas1,2, Dr. Kathleen R. Fowler1, Dr. Eleanor W.
Jenkins3, Dr. Matthew Parno4,
Dr. John C. Chrispell5, Dr. Randall Hanson6
1
3
Department of Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University
4
Deparment of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
5
Department of Mathematics, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
6
California Water Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey
2
[email protected]
Designing appropriate and optimal water usage policies requires, in part, tools
and techniques for quantifying and evaluating the impact of those policies on
regional stakeholders. This work describes a framework we are developing to
expand the set of tools available to policy makers, farmers, and other community
members. We couple a robust optimization software suite (Dakota) with the
USGS MF-OWHM water management simulation tool to create a simulationbased optimization framework that provides a flexible software environment and
enables the evaluation of one or multiple (possibly competing) user-defined
objectives. We introduce the individual software components and outline the
communication strategy defined for the coupled framework. We present
numerical results for case studies involving crop portfolio management with
several defined, competing objectives, and demonstrate the capacity of the
framework to provide insight into the trade-offs involved in making water usage
policy decisions.
Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the American Institute of
Mathematics for sponsoring this research.
Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Fowler, Department of Mathematics, Clarkson University
Snell 177
9-10am
74
Nanoparticle Syntheses Employing
Tetraoctylammonium-Metal Complexes
Brian Root1, Jennifer Sidletsky1, Paul J. G. Goulet1
1
University
[email protected]
The Brust-Schiffrin synthesis is widely used to create small (1-5nm) thiolateprotected nanoparticles of a variety of metals through a two-phase process, but it
suffers from many drawbacks. In this work, an improved single-step, singlephase process has been developed that utilizes careful control over the precursor
species. Tetraoctylammonium-metal complexes are synthesized from
tetraoctylammonium cations and solid metal salts. These complexes show less
substitution of water or hydroxide for halide in the coordination sphere as
compared to those made using the two-phase method. Thiolate-protected
nanoparticles are generated in a single-step, single-phase reduction via the
simultaneous addition of thiolate-yielding ligands and organosoluble
tetraoctylammonium borohydride to solutions of these metal complexes. Using
stock solutions of these well-defined precursors, stable, uniform nanoparticle
products of several different metals are consistently generated.
5
Mentor: Dr. Paul J. G. Goulet, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular
Science, Clarkson University
Materials Science
Snell 112
11:30am-12:30pm
75
Spectral and Photometric Analysis of the Binary
Hypergiant R81 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Benjamin R. Roulston1, Dr. Joshua D. Thomas1, Dr. Noel D.
Richardson2
1
2
Department of Physics, Clarkson University
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo
[email protected]
Through the analysis of the spectral and photometric data of the eclipsing binary
star system R81, the characteristics of the system have been formulated. The
photometric data was collected from a variety of online photometric data
archives and analyzed to determine the period of the system using a LombScargle periodogram. From this period a lightcurve of the photometric data was
constructed and used to determine orbital characteristics. The spectral data were
analyzed using standard reduction methods and the emission and absorption
lines of five different elements were measured. The line that was studied in the
most detail was H𝛼. The H𝛼 line shows a large P-Cygni profile indicative of a
shell of material surrounding the stars. Due to the large radii of these stars and
their eccentric orbit (𝑒 = 0.569), there is a strong likelihood of this being an
interacting system. Thus, the spectra have been looked at for signs of mass
transfer. Preliminary findings of an increase in emission activity at specific
orbital phases suggest some form of mass transfer may be taking place. Further
modeling and testing is currently being conducted to determine the most
probable cause of this emission increase.
Acknowledgements: Funding for this project has been given by: Clarkson
University IMPETUS Program, Clarkson University Department of Physics, and
the Clarkson University Honors Program.
Mentors: Dr. Joshua D. Thomas, Department of Physics, Clarkson University
and Dr. Noel D. Richardson, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University
of Toledo
Snell 112
9-10am
76
Using Building Energy Models to Compare Energy
Consumption in Woodstock Village Apartments
Before And After Renovation
Alexandra Rowe1, Alan Schay2, Leila Nikdel3, Dr. Susan
Powers1,3
1
3
Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson
2
[email protected]
Building energy efficiency is a growing field that focuses on strategies for
improving energy information, monitoring, and controls. Within this field, it is
crucial to understand the factors that influence a building’s energy consumption
in order to optimize efficiency. Building energy consumption is directly
correlated to building envelope insulation and infiltration properties. At
Clarkson University, the Woodstock Village Apartments have been renovated to
improve building energy efficiency. Several of these buildings are part of the
Smart Housing Research Project through which they are sub-metered in order to
monitor energy consumption at a highly-granular level. Building energy
technology today enables us to create digital building energy models that utilize
material inputs to predict a building’s energy consumption. In this study, a
Woodstock apartment building, prior to renovation, has been modeled
computationally and compared to its post-renovation counterpart. The results of
this energy model comparison will be presented at the conference, highlighting
the variation in predicted energy consumption before and after renovation.
Acknowledgements: The Smart Housing Research Team and Clarkson
University
Mentor: Dr. Susan Powers, Institute for a Sustainable Environment and
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University
10-11:30am
Peterson Boardroom
77
Mercury Concentrations in Cloudwater on Whiteface
Mountain
Erin Ryan1
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
Mercury (Hg) is a neurotoxin to humans and affects child development and the
nervous system. It enters the human body primarily through fish consumption.
Mercury is ubiquitous in the environment; its primary source is emissions from
coal-fired powerplants. Once released to the atmosphere and before being
deposited through either wet or dry deposition, Hg can travel a variety of
distances and undergo aqueous reactions. Alpine regions, such as the summit of
Whiteface Mountain (WFM) in the Adirondacks are sensitive environments and
can also be exposed to additional Hg depositions from cloud water. This
research aims to quantify Hg concentrations and fluxes in cloud water on WFM.
An omni-directional passive cloud collector was used to collect the cloud water
samples, which were analyzed for Hg using a Tekran 2600. The results from this
study were used to determine if there is a trend in cloud water Hg concentrations
and fluxes and the impact of cloud water inputs relative to precipitation inputs.
In addition the data was used with back-trajectories of atmospheric circulation to
determine the source regions contributing to Hg at WFM.
Mentor: Dr. Thomas Holsen, Department of Civil and Environmental
Snell 175
9-10am
78
Lisa and CRPS/RSD: An Illness Narrative
Nicole Seward1,2
1
2
Department of Pre-Physical Therapy, Clarkson University
[email protected]
My presentation is an illness narrative to expound on a rare condition that is
greatly absent from the radius of awareness of the average lay person. Though I
will be bringing light to the condition or CRPS with a focus on RSD, the chief
lens of the discussion is through the eyes and iatrogenic experiences of one
woman. When you take a step back from the restricted lens of biomedicine and
consider the entire human involved, your entire image of an affliction changes.
There is a new understanding of the prevalence of hurdles and roadblocks absent
from the medical community’s explanation of mandating a condition, any
condition. In addition to the delineation of Lisa’s CRPS, I hope to also be
presenting this perspective in a form that enables audience members to
transcend their own experiences, enhance their abilities to empathize with
others, and interact with their greater world freshly.
Acknowledgements: Lisa Criscitello, with joy and positivity, spent many hours
answering seemingly redundant questions so as to gather the information
necessary to write such a paper and present such a topic. For additional
information and experiences tethered to or wholly separate from the discussed
story which helped in accumulating a greater understanding I thank Judy
Tomford, Katelyn Curtis, and Holly Bronson. Katelyn Curtis and Catherine
Meyers are also thanked for their time and effort invested in proof reading
throughout the writing process. Dr. Christopher Morris, Assistant Professor of
Anthropology Humanities & Social Sciences, assisted in the education of illness
narratives and their writing through ANTH340 (Medical Anthropology).
Mentor: Dr. Christopher Morris, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences,
Clarkson University
Snell 214
9-10am
79
An Agile Approach to Improve Post-disaster Routine
Care for Chronically Ill Patients
Madison Shea1, Aadhilakshmi Balasubramanian1,
Seyedamirabbas Mousavian1
1
School of Business, Clarkson University
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Post Disaster Reconstruction (PDR) has been studied for years regarding how to
properly plan before and execute necessary procedures after disasters. When
disasters occur, hundreds of chronically ill patients are suffering from a lack of
treatment and medication while hospitals and other care facilities focus
primarily on the disaster victims, ignoring the effect disasters take on the routine
care of chronically ill patients. The focus of this research is to highlight the
need for routine patient care for the chronically ill patients and develop a model
that can be followed to provide continuous care for these patients throughout
disasters while promoting disaster resilience. Our model has been developed
based on the newly adapted methods of agile project management. While
traditional project management methods focus on a heavy amount of preplanning and are designed to stick exactly to what was set out, agile project
management methods are based on the ability of a team to learn and adapt over
the course of a project. The adaptability and flexibility are essential
characteristics of PDR teams to ensure proper response and recovery especially
to victims and chronically ill patients.
Mentor: Prof. Seyedamirabbas Mousavian, School of Business, Clarkson
University
Peterson Boardroom
11:30am-12:30pm
10-11:30am
Snell 175
80
Physiological Interpretation of a Bio-Radar Heartbeat
Monitoring System
Nicholas Short1, Dr. Daniel Rissacher1, Dr. Stephanie
Schuckers1
1
University
[email protected]
Radar technologies have long been utilized to obtain signatures related to
heartbeats allowing for measurement of human heart rates [1]. However, the
physiological events being captured in the radar signature are widely disputed
limiting its potential for medical diagnostic use. Electromagnetic (EM) waves
can be sent toward a subject’s chest where a large portion is reflected and the
remaining signal continues along the original path. By collecting synchronous
electrocardiogram (EKG) and transmitted EM signals, the EM wave is averaged
over many heartbeat cycles to eliminate noise unrelated to physiological events
of a heartbeat cycle. Signatures resulting from this post-processing demonstrate
high correlation with experimentally derived volumes of blood in the heart over
an average heartbeat cycle. Though collections of the reflected EM wave have
shown this correlation in the past, this displays an original correlation between
the heartbeat cycle and the transmitted portion of the signal [2]. However, some
collected signals are inversely proportional to others which remains unexplained
even though multiple hypotheses were explored. Future work exploring the
source of these unexplained inversions is necessary in order to definitively
conclude whether or not the collected EM signal is directly linked to the volume
of blood in the heart.
[1] Lin, J. C., Kiernicki, J., Kiernicki, M., Wollschlaeger, P. B. Microwave
Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on 27.6 (1979): 618-620.
[2] Varanini, M., Berardi, P. C., Conforti, F., Micalizzi, M., Neglia, D.,
Macerata, A. Computers in Cardiology. 35: (2008). 149-152.
Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank Luke Rumbaugh for his
assistance.
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Rissacher, Department of Electrical and Computer
Biomedical Devices
Snell 169
9-10am
81
Statistically Based Word Correction
David Skufca1,2, Dr. Sean Banerjee3
1
3
University
2
[email protected]
In order for language correction programs to determine invalid spelling, they
perform a few different checks, the main one being referencing a stored
dictionary of words. My research looks to reevaluate how word validity can be
determined from a statistical point of view, and is motivated by the diversity of
language that cannot be captured in static spelling dictionaries. This concept
relies on the notion that words, and sentences, in English are not comprised of a
purely random ordering of letters. Instead, bigrams occurring in a word are
driven by the conditional probability of the specific bigram occurring given the
prior bigram. For the purpose of this research, probabilities are calculated using
statistics from the Thompson Reuters Text Research Corpus. Take for example,
an appearance of the word “firefx” it is first broken up into a bigram group
based on the order of the letters. Next, the bigram based probability is
calculated. The word is flagged due to its low probability of the “FX” bigram.
As a corrective action, it is compared with words of close Levenshtein distance
which replaces “firefx” with the higher bigram based probability based word
“firefox.” The table below provides a general concept of calculation.
Word
Bigram Group
Probability Calculation
Bigram
Probability
firefx
_F FI IR RE EF FX X_
P_F * PFI * PIR* PRE * PEF * PFX* PX_
P_FIREFX_
firefox
_F FI IR RE EF FO OX X_
P_F * PFI * PIR* PRE * PEF * PFO* POX * PX_
P_FIREFOX_
Mentor: Dr. Sean Banerjee, Department of Electrical and Computer
Snell 177
9-10am
82
Membrane Wing with Application to Micro Aerial
Vehicles
Ian P. Smith1
1
Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
Morphing membrane technology utilizes material properties and geometric
flexibility within the wing structure to optimize aerodynamic characteristics.
The technology is being investigated in an attempt to mimic performance and
control methods used by birds and other flying creatures. It is for these reasons
that the application of morphing membrane technology was used for this project;
in hopes of the development of a unique, deployable, wing system for a Micro
Aerial Vehicle (MAV). The focus of the performed research was to investigate
aerodynamic characteristics of various membranes, supported by a two spar
structure. A wing structure was modeled and analyzed computationally using a
coupled system via ANSYS and FLUENT. Through the analysis, membrane
materials were compared based on their aerodynamic properties to get a better
understanding of material properties that provide optimized flight characteristics
for membrane wings for use on MAVs.
Mentor: Marcias Martinez, Ph.D., Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical
Snell 112
9-10am
83
Drug Delivery Systems Based on Thiol-ene
Polyanhydrides
Brittany L. Snyder1, Dr. Halimatu S. Mohammed1, Dr. Devon
A. Shipp1,2
1
University
2
Center for Advanced Materials Processing, Clarkson
University
[email protected]
Historically, biodegradable polymers have been used in biomedical applications,
including drug release. Biodegradable polyanhydrides are of great interest due to
several desirable properties they often have, including: surface erosion, ease of
use, and biocompatibility. Here we study the erosion and release profiles of
lidocaine and tryptophan from cross-linked polyanhydrides. Additionally, in
vitro cytotoxicity studies were completed to determine preliminary
biocompatibility. In addition, drug release in MCF-7, a breast cancer cell culture
was monitored to determine efficacy after loading the polymer with 6mercaptopurine (6-MP). Results show a correlation between drug release
kinetics and polymer erosion. Cell viability results show high viability of cells
grown in the presence of polymer. 6-MP released from thiol-ene polyanhydrides
demonstrates a similar response to cells treated with the free 6-MP, signifying
that 6-MP remains bioactive after being released from thiol-ene polyanhydrides.
Thus, photo-initiated cross-linked polyanhydrides show promise for drug
delivery applications.
Mentor: Dr. Devon Shipp, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science,
Clarkson University
Snell 129
11:30am-12:30pm
84
The Effects of Digestate as Fertilizer Compared to
Pure Blend Pro Bloom Fertilizer on the Growth of
Lettuce
Emma Spencer1, Dr. Susan Powers1
1
University
[email protected]
This experiment was designed to test the usefulness of centrifuged digestate as a
source of nutrients for lettuce (Salad Bowl AAS) in a vertical growth aeroponic
unit. The lettuce was grown in humidity and climate controlled environment
with the sprayer systems feeding nutrient and water in the aeroponic system.
The digestate was tested against a store bought fertilizer, Pure Blend Pro Bloom,
which was specifically designed for growing plants in an aeroponic unit. The
digestate used was obtained from Clarkson Universities on campus digester.
This digestate was centrifuged to yield a nitrogen level that would support plant
growth then added to the reservoirs to serve as food for the lettuce plants. The
lettuce was grown for 4 ~ 6 weeks under the different nutrient conditions, with
different transplanting and harvesting times. The mass of the roots, yield or rootfree plants and marketable leaves were measured. The Pure Blend Pro Bloom
was able to sustain plant growth better than the digestate.
Mentor: Dr. Susan Powers, Department of Civil and Environmental
10-11:30am
Peterson Boardroom
85
Determining Atomic Structure Properties of Ceria
Nanoparticles through Computational Simulations
Stuart Synakowski1
1
Department of Physics, Clarkson University
[email protected]
Cerium oxide, or ceria nanoparticles hold myriad different applications for its
superoxide scavenging capabilities. Its ability to oxidize free radicals like
superoxide, make it a promising antioxidant and catalyst. It is suspected that the
rate of redox reactions are dependent on the atomic composition and
arrangement of cerium ions, specifically the ratio between Ce(3+) and C4(+)
ions. Determining the atomic structure of such nanoparticles is crucial in
understanding the relationship between redox capabilities and the atomic
composition. Using Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD) and Molecular
Dynamics (NAMD) programs, we develop a computational model of ceria
nanoparticles of different Ce(3+)/Ce(4+) composition and determine their
equilibrium structure after cooling from high temperature. We evaluate atomic
radial distributions of these nanoparticles with various cerium ion ratios. This
further extrapolates our understanding of the atomic structure of ceria
nanoparticles, ultimately enabling future development of their applications.
Mentor: Dr. Maria Gracheva, Department of Physics, Clarkson University
Snell 129
9-10am
86
Functionalization of Gold Nanoparticles for Use in
Cervical Cancer Combination Therapy
Grace Usher1, Dr. Richard Partch1, Dr. Craig Woodworth2
1
University
2
[email protected]
This research demonstrates the effects of using gold nanoparticles as a drug
delivery system in combating the proliferation of cervical cancer cells in vitro.
Size and shape of gold nanoparticles formed through a simple reduction reaction
were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. Effective conjugation of
ligands, such as polyethylene glycol and doxorubicin, was shown through
thermo-gravimetric analysis and by observing the light scattering properties of
the conjugated colloidal gold. The efficacy of various gold nanoparticle
conjugates in inducing apoptosis in cervical cancer cell culture under different
conditions was evaluated. After data on nanoparticle conjugate toxicity in cell
cultures were obtained, the effect of these nanoparticles when irradiated with
near infrared light was evaluated. Experimentation concluded that the
nanoparticles were relatively nontoxic to cancer cell lines, however, when the
cells containing nanoparticles were exposed to a green laser, the cell death was
significantly increased due to a hyperthermic effect.
Acknowledgements: Thank you to Dr. Partch for his expertise and the use of his
lab; Thank you to Dr. Woodworth for the use of his lab and cells; Thank you to
Han Deng for assisting me in culturing cells.
Mentor: Dr. Richard Partch, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular
Science
Snell 129
9-10am
87
Systematic Investigations on Transition Metal
Coordination Polymers Based on Pyrazolate, 1,3-di(4pyridyl)propane and 4,4’-bipyridine
Kyle Ventura1, Dr. Mario Wriedt1
1
University
[email protected]
Porous crystalline materials that are created by connecting anionic organic
ligands to cationic metal centers are called Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
An important feature of MOFs is their tunable physical properties. Their
framework structures, pore environment, and functionality can be finely
controlled by the choice and connection of metal and organic building blocks.
Many efforts have been made to tailor their properties to specialized
applications, such as carbon capture and hydrogen storage. In our own research
we are focused on the synthesis and characterization of new MOF materials
based on compact nitrogen-rich ligands. These ligands have been found to be
excellent bridging linkers for the formation of coordination compounds
exhibiting a great structural diversity and interesting adsorption properties. In
this context we started systematic investigations on structure-property
relationships of a new MOF series based on anionic tetrazolate and pyrazolate
derivates and different neutral nitrogen donor spacer ligands. Depending on the
nature of the ligands, as well as the metal ions incorporated in the structures,
different compounds with interesting thermal and gas sorption properties were
found. This presentation will focus on the fundamental understanding in the
exciting structure-property relationships of new MOF materials with high
potential to be used as carbon capture and hydrogen storage materials.
Mentor: Dr. Mario Wriedt, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science,
Clarkson University
Materials Science
Snell 112
11:30am-12:30pm
88
A Gene Expression Validation of Pax and Sox
Transcription Factor Targets in Embryonic
Intervertebral Disc Development
Victoria Villeneuve1, Abbey Hinds1, Petra Kraus1, Thomas
Lufkin1
1
Department of Biology, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY13676
[email protected]
Transcription factors (TF) encoded by members of the Pax and Sox families
play important roles in the patterning and differentiation of sclerotomal cells that
give rise to the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs (IVD) of the axial
skeleton. Gene expression profiling of enriched cell populations of wild-type
and gene loss-of-function lineages for critical Sox and Pax TFs revealed their
involvement in cell proliferation, cartilage development and collagen
fibrillogenesis, controlling genes which are vital in early IVD morphogenesis.
Selected targets from this developmental genomics analysis are validated here
by RNA in-situ hybridization.
Mentors: Petra Kraus, Department of Biology, Clarkson University and
Thomas Lufkin, Department of Biology, Clarkson University
Biomedical Science and Engineering Poster #7
10-11:30am
Peterson Boardroom
89
Capturing Altered Cell Dynamics to Assess Hypoxic
Damage and Recovery
Shamaa Vora1, Darren Sipes1, Devin Kapper2, Sumona
Mondal2, Shantanu Sur1
1
2
[email protected]
Hypoxic injuries following stroke or heart attack are among the most common
causes for acute tissue damage and long-term morbidity. Early detection and an
accurate estimation of the extent of injury are considered critical to the
development of therapeutic intervention. While conventional biochemical
techniques provide mechanistic insights to the damage, these are often endpoint
assays and fail to capture the earliest manifestation of injury. Here we describe a
new approach where cell response to hypoxia is assessed by analyzing their
dynamic behavior. Since cell movements result from persistent interactions
between cytoskeletal elements that undergo continuous assembly and
disassembly in an energy dependent manner, it was hypothesized that altered
cell dynamics would be one of the earliest responses to hypoxic stress.
Preliminary experiments showed a drastic reduction in cell motility within
minutes after inducing hypoxia and increased motility following treatment with
hydrogen sulfide, a molecule known to protect against hypoxic stress. With the
advent of fast image acquisition techniques and a huge increase in machine
computing power in recent years, the real promise of this approach lies in the
development of a fast, sensitive and high throughput technique for hypoxia
detection and screening of potential therapeutic molecules.
Mentor: Dr. Shantanu Sur, Department of Biology, Clarkson University
Biomedical Science and Engineering Poster #2
10-11:30am
3rd Floor Hallway
90
In Search of Distinct Markers for Cells of the
Intervertebral Disc Lineages
Rachel Yerden1, Brittany Youngs1, Petra Kraus1, and Thomas
Lufkin1
1
Department of Biology, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699
[email protected]
With an increase in average life expectancy, modern society faces the burden
and challenges of age related medical conditions, such as intervertebral disc
(IVD) degeneration owing to a decrease in cell number and activity along with
the daily “wear and tear” of the vertebral column. Regenerative medicine seeks
to alleviate these problems via cell-based approaches, replacing ailing cells or
organs. The objective to reprogram and direct patient specific cells towards a
nucleus pulposus (NP) or annulus fibrosis (AF) fate is appealing yet in need of
quality control measures. Therefore the identification of marker genes and
proteins characteristic for these two cell lineages is important, yet none specific
to either lineage has been conclusively identified to date. Based on data from a
genome wide systems developmental biology analysis in Mus musculus that we
now apply to our large animal model Bos taurus, we aim to identify candidate
genes that could fulfill this purpose. We demonstrate by RNA in situ analysis a
dramatic change in cell identity upon removing AF and NP cells from their
natural environment.
Acknowledgements: I would like to recognize the support of the Clarkson
Honors Program, the Community of Underrepresented Professional
Opportunities, and the Academic Success Program to Improve Retention and
Education during the course of my research.
Mentor: Dr. Petra Kraus, Department of Biology, Clarkson University and Dr.
Thomas Lufkin, Department of Biology, Clarkson University
10-11:30am
Peterson Boardroom
91
Odocoileus virginianus as a Model for the Human
Knee
Nicole L Zaino1, Mark J Hedgeland1, Alexander Martin Clark
Jr.2,3, Laurel Kuxhaus1, Arthur J Michalek1
1
Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson
2
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Canton-Potsdam Hospital
3
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sharon Hospital
[email protected]
Animal models are valuable proxies for orthopaedic research. Accurate knee
models assist surgeons in designing and practicing new reconstruction
techniques or implants and are crucial to the advancement of technology and
care. However, currently-used models do not accurately represent
the morphology of the human knee. We hypothesized that the white-tailed deer
knee is a suitable mechanical analog for the human knee. We tested this
hypothesis by performing a morphometric survey of O. virginianus knees and
mechanically characterizing their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) and
menisci. Twelve left white-tailed deer legs (5 male, 7 female, ~2.7±0.5 years
old) were collected procured. The cross-sectional are of the anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) was measured using a casting method. The rupture strength of
the ACL was measured using a hydraulic load frame at an included angle of
140° (Figure 1). Following ACL rupture the specimens were photographed next
to a ruler. Morphometry and ACL cross-sectional area was measured using
ImageJ. Transverse cryosections were taken from selected meniscus specimens
and counter-stained for collagen and proteoglycan. Our results suggest that the
cervine ACL and meniscus are both an appropriate size and strength to serve as
a suitable model to injury in ex-vivo biomechanical studies (Figure 2).
Figure 1: Typical force
displacement trace for midsubstance ACL tear.
Figure 2: Comparison of anterior aspects of intact human
(A) and deer (B) knees, taken at approximately 90° of
flexion.
Mentors: Laurel Kuxhaus and Arthur J Michalek, Department of Mechanical &
Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University
Peterson Boardroom
10-11:30am
92
Proposal for Riparian and Aquatic Habitat
Restoration in Massena, NY Area of Concern
Morgan Zyzik1, Dr. Michael Twiss1
1
[email protected]
The Massena, NY Area of Concern (AOC) is an area greatly altered by the
1950s construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and power project. The
Massena Remedial Action Committee for the Area of Concern has put forth
potential management actions for progressing the delisting of certain Beneficial
Use Impairments (BUIs). The goal of this project was to assess aquatic and
shoreline habitats for potential restoration in the Massena AOC for the BUI,
“Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat”. Impacts such as deficiencies in riparian
buffers, natural gradients, submerged aquatic vegetation and emergent
vegetation were determined as being important criteria. Many locations within
the AOC were identified, especially where dikes were constructed. However,
one bay southwest of Eisenhower Lock has potential to be utilized for creating
new habitat and is the basis for the planned restoration as described in this
project. The history, current status, green shoreline justification, and the details
of habitat construction for the Massena AOC will be presented.
Acknowledgements: Dr. Michael Twiss for agreeing to be my mentor and
providing valuable knowledge. Chris Fiddler of NYS DEC for supplying
needed delisting criteria and other vital information. William Olsen of the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University for
aiding in GIS analyses.
Mentor: Dr. Michael Twiss, Department of Biology, Clarkson University
11:30am-12:30pm
Snell 175
93
A Special Thank You to everyone who participated
and attended!
Dr. Anthony Collins, President
SVP/Provost Chuck Thorpe
All Faculty Advisors and Mentors
Grounds and Maintenance
OIT
ARAMARK
Duplicating
SURE Committee
Dr. Jon Goss
Dr. Tom Langen
Dr. Susan Powers
Dr. Devon Shipp
Dr. Sean Banerjee
Dr. Steven Bird
Dr. Kevin Fite
Dr. Jon Goss
Dr. Paul Goulet
Dr. Maria Gracheva
Dr. Thomas Holsen
Dr. Cintia Hongay
Dr. Jennifer Knack
Dr. Laurel Kuxhaus
Dr. Tom Langen
Session Chairs
Dr. Bebonchu Atems Dr. Lisa Legault
Dr. Mahesh Banavar
Dr. Devon Shipp
Dr. Sean Banerjee
Dr. Kenneth Visser
Dr. He Dong
Dr. Mario Wriedt
Dr. George Fulk
Dr. Tom Langen
Session Judges
Dr. Chris Lynch
Dr. Chris Morris
Dr. Narutoshi Nakata
Dr. Richard Partch
Dr. Devon Shipp
Dr. Shantanu Sur
Dr.
Dr.
Dr. Daniel Valentine
94
95

11:30 AM - Clarkson University

Transcription

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